Health and Fitness

Marathon: check

2011-04-13T07:17:00.000-05:00

ran the marathon in groveton last Saturday. it came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. that's for sure. it was a long and lonley stretch. it was a hot and hilly path. like a hotcake in a frying pan.

i ran the first half according to plan. felt great!!! at mile 16 i nose-dived, just like i have been in my last 3 training runs on anything over 15 miles. my back cramps up, and this time my chest caved in too...a full core squeeze. leaving me breathless. my legs and arms ready to rock, my core unable to move. yes, so i nose-dived/walked for 7 miles before i was passed for the lead...oh, we are talking SMALL town marathon here. somehow i still ended up with 3:50 even with a 10 mile walk in there...ha! it was really bad and frustrating. i almost pulled out at 20 miles, but couldn't knowing there was a whole race of struggling people still chipping away at it behind me. i couldn't give up when everyone else was still trying. i couldn't give up and tell my daughters that i'd quit.

so, i kept going.

although i was 30 mins off from where i thought i'd easily be. maybe another marathon, another day. until then, i'll be racing 5ks!

Training Log & Mantra #2

2011-02-13T19:28:00.000-06:00

This weekend I ran a nice 20 miler. I've been wanting to hit 20 and just hadn't gotten the job done, so this run made me happy. I ran it in 2:20 which was nice and has me excited to run the race (which isn't for a long time and I've got to make sure I don't run too much and get burned out). Along the way I remembered my mantra #2. While watching the NYC marathon the top runners had a "slow" mile (probabaly like 5:30 or something) and the announcer commented that logging a slow mile can really throw off the runners. It's kind of like getting out of your rhythm. The first marathon I ran I didn't really know what to expect so I just went out there. I about died in the last few miles....really cramped up. After that I've had a cautious approach...start out SLOW! Now I'm ready to go all out again...one slow mile will really slow down my whole race. Couple this idea with Mantra #1 from below post, and I've got a fast race planned with training to back it up. Oh yes, sounds good...now if the stars will align just so, my kids will become independend and self sufficient, I am hit over the head with endless amounts of time and few responsiblities and my running shoes are tied just tight enough, but not too tight then I think this is going to be the pefect race.

Speaking of running attire. Remember that song Black Whole Sun by Sound Garden? Well, I feel the same way about my armpit....Black Whole Armpit! It keeps gobbling up my shirt and chaffing! Wierdest spot ever! Have my arms suddenly plumped up to make my shirts too tight? Have the shirts shrunk in the wash? I don't know. What I do know is that my armpit has a bright red chaff mark on it...ouch!

Hiatus

2011-02-10T18:04:00.000-06:00

Nothing like a quick 3 month hiatus. My blogging motivation has been quiet...is it necessary that I provide myself a Monday Motivation for this? Hum. I have been motivated in my running though. I was given the Garmin Forerunner watch for Christmas and have loved it every day since. It is really great. For instance, I wanted to go out on a long run and had a park in mind, but had no idea how far it was. Without a care, I took off for said park and checked my mileage as I ran...sweet! Not only that, but I can see how my pace is without doing a dozen mathmatical equations in my head, however entertaining that has been in the past, it now frees up my mind for deeper thoughts. Maybe I've just been hanging out with my watch instead of my blog!

I am in the midst of training for a marathon! What? Really, I won't have a marathon on my mind and then all of a sudden I'm signed up. After I commited, I went out for a 12 miler on Monday, felt great...a few short runs inbetween...and then a 15 miler on Saturday, felt awesome! The following long week run was 18 miles...I surprised myself with how good and easy it felt...yes! and then Last weekend I tried to out of for a 20 miler, felt aweful, and ended up with 17 instead. Oh well, hopefully this weekend is better.

I have a few thoughts stuck in my head as I train for this. One is I'd like to get really nice and comfy with 20+ mile runs. In past marathon training I'd do an 18 miler or 20 miler one time before the race. I'd rather get several long runs in, but we'll see what life/time allows.

As I run I chant a little mantra: Train how you want to race. When I was in high school I thought I was training, but I was pretty much going out and jogging around everyday. Then when race day came, I really wanted to do well, but it was pretty much a 50/50 chance of success. Some races I just had it and others I didn't. Now I train how I want to race. I push myself hard, more like I'm racing as I train, and then when the race comes there is nothing left to chance. The race is much more fun this way because I'm not trying to do better then I've trained for. I've trained for the race I want. So, for this marathon I can't just go out and log 18/20 milers. I have to push myself through them and run them as if I'm racing them....fun!

This race is a qualifier for Boston and I'd like to use it to actually go and run the big race in the next few years.

Okay, now back to my Forerunner!

NYC Marathon

2010-11-07T22:36:00.000-06:00

What an amazing race today! It is crazy to watch the top runners cruise....seems so effortless. Interesting to note that their slowest mile is part of my fastest 5k, cough, wow!

I love to watch races. I'd watch more of them if I wouldn't rather run in them! I'm always inspired by their SPEED, dedication, mental stregth, and effort. It makes me want to be a better runner

Can't wait to run tomorrow!

Racing

2010-10-23T13:43:00.000-05:00

I ran the dollar race again this morning. What a great thing....a good run and a good price! I like running in smaller races too...it's nice to not feel so crowded. It has less of the excitement and hype that a big race has...but again, nice. I came in 3rd overall (you never know who will be there) and timed a 18:54! Yeah! I officially broke through the 19's! It felt good and sadly like I could have gone faster. But it's nice to get to know this course and hopefully when I race there again my time will drop even more just by knowing where I'm at in the race.

There was a big team of young girls there to run too. Their parents had come to cheer them on and put posters along the way. Two that I remember went like this:

May the course be with you

You'd be done now if it weren't for the running

It was good to see kids out having fun and running...and entertaining. Hope you get some race on soon!

Play List

2010-09-26T22:05:00.002-05:00

Watched my first episode of Glee this week. THIS song will be pumpin during treadmill runs this week!

Also listening to Makano (however the video is really corny!)
and Kanya

race results

2010-09-21T19:07:00.002-05:00

Ran the 10k race in Dallas. It went pretty well. I felt good and raced decent. I ended up getting 2nd in my age category. The first place girl was about 20 secs in front of me...sooo close! Also there racing, in the same race, were a bunch of sponsored elite runners. They ran with us, but had kind of their own competition going on. In their pack I would have finished 5th. I did get a nice MONEY prize for my finish though!

Anyway, I did get to thinking about those elite runners though. Since I finished pretty good even among them, I should be sponsored too right? ha! Sooo...I just got back from Luke's Locker (a big running store chain here), who sponsored most of those runners, and talked with them about being on the team. Apparently they have different levels of sponsorship from paying for racing to completely outfitting a runner. NICE! I would probably have to race more (bummer!!! ;) and I'd get to train as much as I could with some pretty fast runners! SUPER COOL!

I have yet to talk with the main man, but it really is sounding like this is a possibility for me! CRAZY!

We'll see....

Race Time

2010-09-17T08:50:00.002-05:00

I'm running in THIS race tomorrow. I've done The Best 10k Workout Ever twice (see 10k on the side bar). That is 3 x 2 miles with 5 mins rest/jogging recovery. Actually, I didn't check the workout beforehand and only took a 3 min rest...does that make it even better?

I paced at a 6:39 min mile...which should put me at a 38 min 10k. Um, I may have been a little off on that pace number! I would be really happy with a 40 min 10k and think that I really would have had no problem with that before the whole stress fracture incident.

The foot still hurts and I had to take 3 weeks off. Nice. I've been back on it for almost 2 weeks. Mostly it's an issue of confidence. I can still probably run a 40 min 10k...but it's just going to hurt a whole lot more than it would've/should've/could've. Oh well. I am excited and will love racing no matter what.

BRAGGING RIGHTS

2010-09-02T11:57:00.005-05:00

Okay. Here are all my numbers: 300, 420,330, 500, 660,650,700. Since I have no idea what you have done the last couple days, I am a bit worried. My stomach muscles are thanking you for the challenge though!
-Deanna 3,560

Here are my numbers: 400, 500, 500, 220, 500, 600, 650
3,370

DEANNA wins bragging rights! I can't believe it! We were a difference of 190! That 220 day really killed me. I kept thinking I'd do more, but never got to it. Not only did Deanna put in all of those squats/lunges/crunches/pushups....but she also kept up with her PX90 workout!..oh, and her 5 kids...and no gym pass!

I have the best LUNG IN THE WORLD to share with all of you though. I'll try to write out how to do it....

Choose a pair of weights, or do without. Step into lung, front knee bent, back leg straight. Lower chest on top of front quad and place hands holding weights in front of foot. Straighten front leg while raising back leg and chest in a straight line. Arms should hang down towards the ground. So you should look like a straight line with arms hanging down and front leg straight. Then bend front knee and lower back foot and hands back to the ground. Repeat. SUPER sore from these!

Thanks Deanna for helping me in this challenge! Now go brag that you kicked my butt!

Challenge

2010-09-01T19:23:00.001-05:00

Today is the final day for the Squat,Lung,Pushup,Crunch...whatever I called it Challenge.

...I'm sore!

...Deanna, my opponent, is a tough nut to crack...I think I may have done it....but she could be sneaking in extra squats right now...

The Prize Goes To...

2010-08-27T20:30:00.003-05:00

DEANNA! She was a really good girl and stuck to ONE THING AT A TIME.
I'm sending her the neutragina wave.
I came across this product as I was lusting after the Clairisonic cleaning thing...BUT $200!!! I'd have to sacrifice a few pairs of running shoes! alas, being healthy also entails taking care of your skin, so when I found this less expensive option I took it. and LOVE IT! My face feels sooo much better after just a few uses....like it can move around better and feels cleaner.

Hope you like it!

as for the current challenge...I'm trying really hard to win and am a bit sore in the process :)

Get started

2010-08-25T13:46:00.003-05:00

Today DEANNA and I will start the Lunges/Squats/Crunches/Pushups challenge...wish me luck, this girl is tough!

Chicken Dinner

2010-08-20T22:57:00.002-05:00

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner....

So did anyone finish the One Thing At A Time Challenge?

Starting Next Week NEW CHALLENGE!

and it's against me....

squats, lunges, sit-ups, pushups.

Now that I have to take a little break from running I'm going to pick up on these few other things....

Let's start next Wednesday the 25th to the following Wednesday the 1st of September. You need to keep count of

Squats, lunges, sit-ups, pushups

and add them all together. Obviously some people are going to be better/strong at one thing than another....so if we mix them all together it should work out right?
At the end of the week we'll all report our numbers...

What do you get? BRAGGING RIGHTS! I'll be pushing myself on these (I'm usually not very good at these things...because I'd rather run), so if you beat me, you win fair and square.

Are you in???

stressed out

2010-08-14T21:05:00.003-05:00

I've been having some foot pain. i was hoping that it might be a little ligament pull or something sweet. today, worse case scenario confirmed....stress fracture! NO! I'm really sad and can't believe my racing season this fall is in jeapordy. if i can lay off of it and get it better, i'll still be out of shape for the rest of the season. stink! the culprut?: WAY too much pounding in my favorite barefoot shoes....hum....why is it so hard for me to follow simple directions like start out slow?

anyway, Deanna, you may be the unofficial winner of the Challenge...that's two for you!...anyone else still at it?

Secondly...new, very tough challenge starting in a few days.

Summer Eats

2010-08-01T14:20:00.002-05:00

Right about now we're all pretty hot. I thought I should share a summer (all the time) favorite of mine.

Frozen Fruit!

I like to freeze everything...

Frozen Banana (peel it, cut in half, insert popsicle stick for easy eating)
Frozen Grapes (YUMMM!)
Frozen Orange (peel, segment, place on plate or something)

and then you know...blueberries, cherries, peaches

It's best if you let them sit out of the freezer a few minutes before eating.
I'm about to get my Frozen Grapefruit out!

*anyone still in the Challenge?

Start Today

2010-07-19T20:58:00.003-05:00

Our Challenge (see below) started today and goes for one month. Only a few people entered to win the prize at the end...so your chances are good! Good luck and remember One Thing At A Time!

Another Treadmill PR-Training Log

2010-07-15T19:07:00.002-05:00

Today I felt great and ran a 18:23 5k on the 'mill. Yippy!
...felt so good I could have done it again, but I'd burned my feet to smitherines...wearing my vibrams toe shoes...sore!

A Challenge Anyone?

2010-07-12T14:02:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since we've had a challenge...

This one is inspired by myself. Yesterday I was driving down the road, calling a friend, and stuffing left over gold fish snacks into my mouth. In the midst of if all I thought, "Gross...what am I doing?" I wasn't hungry, I wasn't enjoying the drive, the convo, or the fish.

So, the Challenge is...One Thing at A Time. Specifically, No Driving and Eating/No Phoning and Eating/No TV and Eating. That's right...just Eat when you Eat...you might enjoy the eat a bit more.

Oh, for ONE WHOLE MONTH! Let's start next week, July 19th until August 19th.

...and winner gets a little prize from me :) How do you win? Let me know on August 19th if you completed the challenge faithfully. I will then randomly select a winner from those finishers.

Comment if you're in!

News Report

2010-07-01T07:23:00.006-05:00

F as in Fat

American's are still getting fatter

Obesity Increases in 28 States

Some helpful links
Action for Healthy Kids

Eat Right

Yet again...

2010-06-27T14:30:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to give a final shout out to these shoes! Monday I wore them out on the trails and tripped over my big toe. It would have happened in any shoes, but the old toe was pretty sore for the next few days. To give it a rest, I decided to wear my "normal" running shoes on the treadmill for a 6 miler w/ 3/4 mile intervals. It felt AWFUL! Those shoes felt so big and heavy and I couldn't feel my feet. My old shoes are still fine for nice long runs, but for the fast stuff, I don't want anything on my feet other than Vibrams or my running flats.

New Book

2010-06-11T07:31:00.002-05:00

I just finished reading Dr. Abravanel's Body Type Diet And Lifetime Nutrition Plan. You select a nutrion plan based on which of four glands (Adrenal, Thyroid, Gonadal, Pituitary), if you're a woman, or three glands (Adrenal, Thyroid, Pituitary), if you're a man, is most dominant in your body. You determine your dominant gland by assessing your body image, where you put on weight, personality characterisitcs, and food cravings. This gland is often overstimulated in the process of satisfying cravings. Due to constant overstimulaiton, the dominant gland is exausted, unable to function, and weight gain persists. Dr. Abravanel teaches to avoid foods that you crave and in doing so, you will lose the craving. Eventually, the tired gland will become active again, but you must continue to avoid trigger foods throught your life. He claims that you will lose weight from trouble spots and have greater dieting success as a result of fewer cravings. This book also includes exercise recomendations, weekly menu plans, success strategies, and lots of other good-sound-advice.

I happen to be of the Adernal sort and liked several of the recommendations and guidelines based on my body type. I've always felt a little guily not being able to eat a very big breakfast. You know, Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Queen, Dinner like a Peasant. Or even keeping meals equally proportinate. This book recommended that my type eat a small breakfast...for me the bigger the breakfast the more I eat ALL DAY...so let's avoid that! I also liked the spacing between meals. 5 hours between breafast and lunch, 6 hours between lunch and dinner. Seems like a long time, but for me it gives my body a chance to digest and spend at least an hour burning in the fat zone. I'm hungry for meals, but am more quickly satisfied.

Anyway, it's one worth reading...and fun to find you type.

Beans are the new Applesauce

2010-06-02T13:54:00.002-05:00

Banana Bread Muffins
Very Good!

1 c sugar
3/4 c bean puree*
6 over-ripe medium bananas
2 eggs
1 Tbs flax seed + 3 Tbs water

BLEND until smooth

Add

2 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Blend well.

Pour into cupcake tin (you can use a bread loaf, but cook longer) that has been covered with baking spray. Let sit for a few minutes. Bake at 350 for 20 mins (about an hour if making bread). Make sure muffins are almost firm to the touch.

*bean puree: 1 can beans (I used Greath Norther White Bean) drained and rinsed. You can also make your own beans and use them in the recipe (that would take longer of course). Puree beans in food processor until smooth...I added just enough water to get them moving. I also used just less than 3/4 c beans and topped it off with canola oil. Canola oil has good Monounsaturated Fatty Acids that are good for you and I wanted to keep a little in my muffins. You can use just the beans though and the muffins will turn out great!

Training Log

2010-05-28T13:07:00.002-05:00

Should have taken a picture of the treamill, but yesterday I ran 3.1 in 18:33...AND it felt easy! I really want to race, but will have to wait till fall. That new workout I wrote out, the one you have to do outside for several minutes at what you think is your race pace and then a few minutes rest is really making a difference. I really think I can go even faster. Could you imagine ME running in the 17's? ooooo!

Best 10k workout ever

2010-05-04T20:45:00.003-05:00

oooo-I'm really on a Running Times high. There are just a few workouts that I want to get filed away for later. This one is for 10ks.

The best workout:
3 x 2 miles at goal 10k pace
5 min jogging recovery

Buildup workout #1:
6 x 1 mile
start this 8 weeks before your 10k
at goal pace with 3-4 min joggin recovery.

Next week:
10-12 x 400m at 5k pace, 200m jogging recovery

Buildup workout #2:
2 miles + 4 x 1 mile
Six weeks from 10k
2 miles at 10k pace, 5 min resting jog.
1 mile repeats at 10k pace, 3-4 mins resting jog.

Next week:
3 m tempo run or race 5k

Buildup workout #3:
4 weeks from race
2 x 2 mile + 2 x 1 mile
at 10k pace, 5 mine resting jog between 2 mile repeats
3 min resting jog between 1 m repeats

Next week:
20-24 x 200m
at 5k pace, 200m jog betwen

BEST WORKOUT EVER:
3 x 2 miles

RACE you 10k

I haven't tried this out yet, up will do for my next 10k
(please, it says "The Best 10k Workout," that's worth trying!)

Hey Ladies!

2010-04-26T23:17:00.001-05:00

Just getting CrossFit tips...these girls would totally kick my butt! After watching this I hit the gym hard...to see if I can do a pull up...it's been a while. I did 10, ha! I'll keep trying! ...get through the girl at first who obviously has a chip on her shoulder, the rest is cool!

running naked

2010-04-25T22:48:00.003-05:00

As in running BAREFOOT. I wanted to post some good advice from Running Times that will help you decide if less is more.

Note that not every foot is meant unshod. Some people naturally heal strike and need the added protection and cushion that a running shoe provides.

Here's the test to see if you're a midfoot striker, ie: can possibly run in a minimalist shoe with training.

Jog in place for a few seconds barefoot to feel what it's like to land on the ball of your foot. Do this until it feels normal. Then start to run forward comfortably fast. See how far you can go before your heels start hitting the ground. Repeat for the distance of about 10 seconds without heel striking. After a few weeks of this practice, try running strides at 100%. If you unconsciously go back to heel striking, don't continue trying to develop a full-time midfoot strike. You work better as a heel striker.

The article goes on to give pointers on starting out. "Don't go too far too soon." AKA, just a few strides after your run in the first few weeks. "Don't go too fast too soon." Fast running puts a lot of strain on feet and legs, so easy jogging to start. --Running Times May 2010 p. 36-37.

As for me and my feet...
LOVIN" IT! Luckily, I spend a lot of time barefoot and have continued to do some conditioning barefoot since my college days enabling me to start out a little farther and faster. Tuesday I did a hilly treadmill run and Friday a 5k tempo run in my 5 Fingers. I also did some strength training "barefoot." My feet did feel a bit beat up after Friday and my legs were really sore...but it felt great! I haven't felt that in a while...so I know these shoes are working my feet and legs in a different way. I had to wear my normal sneakers the other days to give my feet a rest, but they felt weird and big and I wished I was wearing the Fingers!

Pocahontas on the fly

2010-04-18T01:00:00.003-05:00

I couldn't wait to write out my review. I've had the Classics (originally I thought I wanted the Sprints because they're more diverse, but the store was out/I couldn't wait and now I'm happy 'cause these are so comfy and I would still take them hiking and swimming they hold on so well)since Thursday and have worn them twice. Friday I was stuck in the gym, but I got some weight lifting in and two quick miles. It took me about DOUBLE the amount of time to get the work done because everyone was gawking at my feet. I couldn't get two sets in without explaining again why I was walking around in water-socks. Everything felt great though. Squatting was amazing and felt so much better without all of the rear end cushion of a normal running shoe. The other plyometrics and core exercises I did also felt better, more controlled, balanced. My two miles on the 'mill felt just fine too.

TODAY I got to take these puppies for a spin outside. I ran a mile and a half to some trails and about 3 miles on those before heading back home. They say "take it slow" with these shoes as you get used to them. Well, now, that just ain't my style. The run felt great! I kind of felt like I'd developed super human powers...I caught myself thinking, "Oh, yeah, I can run barefoot wherever I want without feeling any pain." On the trail I did hit a couple of tough roots, but nothing painful. Hills were fun with the added traction offered by my actual toes! The mile and a half back home on the road started to feel a little sore, but pretty good overall. I'm going to enjoy these shoes and not really miss my old ones. Think you want a pair? I'll give you some good tips and advice I've read next post.

loved it

2010-04-15T21:33:00.004-05:00

Training Log

ran it, LOVED it! just did the workout described below yesterday. I went out to a large park and turned my watch on to 4 mins. I ran the 5 x 4 mins. i didn't look at my watch, just repeated my mantra, "it's the effort, 5k effort." I think I did a pretty good job in judging my pace. I felt pretty smashed at the end, but probably could have done one more...just one. I really see how this is going to help my 5k though. I was actually training for a real race, rather than on the track or treadmill. I had ups and downs, corners, and people to get around. I'll probably do this one again in two weeks.

oh, and those Vibram 5 fingers...just BOUGHT THEM! My review will happen in a week or two.

Running Times

2010-04-13T19:24:00.001-05:00

April's magazine had some good 5k workouts in it. One comment by Pete Magill really struck me. He coaches 1,000's of runners and usually takes them off the track for workouts. I've got to say, I LIKE my track and even though I'd always rather be outside, i LIKE my treadmill! I like the reassurance that I'm on pace, on time. Pete commented on this by describing two such runners who worried that leaving the oval might hurt their specific time goals. These two were running 19 min 5k and trying to get into the 18's. HUM...sound like anyone (me)? A few months after training with Pete one runner PRd with 16:40 and the other with 17:50!!!! So, maybe that treadmill is holding me back :)

Here's one of his workouts. I'm going to leave my comfy 400m tomorrow and race through the neighborhood.

This is a 5k specific workout and such workouts should be run once a week. This is a progression of sessions, so start where you think you are and move up as you train. All reps are followed by 3 mins jogging unless indicated. Oh, you should run these at your CURRENT 5k pace. Don't go too fast or too slow. When you finish you should feel like you could do a couple more. If you don't feel tired, you didn't go fast enough.

*5-10 x 1 min (2-min recovery)
*5 x 2 min
*5 x 3 min
*4 x 4 min
*5 x 4 min
*4 x 5 min
*5 x 5 min

Tomorrow I think I might start with the 5 x 4 or the 4 x 5. This will substitute for my normal mile repeats that I do on the treadmill (oh, the safety!). I've been warming up, running 3 x 1 mile repeats at 6 min mile (my goal pace) and a cool down. Pete commented that we should not be running our goal pace as we train, but running where we're at (which is more like 6:20 for me) and that in doing so we'll lower our times by conditioning properly.

April's magazine also had a big article on barefoot running. Took me back to my college days, when not only did we complete many workouts barefoot, by I got an A+ in Speech 101 for delivering a convincing piece on the topic. Anyway, I still take the shoes off from time to time and love to get my lightweights on for speed stuff. BUT now I'm eyeballing the

VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS

any opinions?

You're all going to LOVE me!

2010-04-08T14:52:00.008-05:00

(your visual)

Here is my new and improved

Chocolate Zucchini Muffin

recipe

I'd already new and improved it before, but I've been playing in the kitchen and I even surprised myself with how healthy I could push this recipe and still have it taste AMAZING! I almost think it's better than the original, and one thing is for sure, it's a whole lot better for you!

Almost every ingredient has a delightful purpose and the remaining few, well...it IS a muffin, and as I've said before, you can't bake a salad...but I tried!

Here goes...
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 c grated zucchini, with peel
¼ c canola oil
¼ c applesauce
1 Tbs soft butter (I'm wondering if you even need it at all???...I'll try next batch..I made another batch sans butter, turned out great so just skip it!)
6 heaping Tbs beet pureed*
1 egg
2 Tbs milled flaxseed + 3 Tbs water
3 Tbs Wheat Germ
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 c sugar
¼ c honey/agave
½ c sour milk (1 ½ tsp lemon juice to ½ c milk)
Blend until smooth
Add stirring:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
2/3 c cocoa
2 c whole wheat flour
½ c all purpose baking flour
Add ¾ c mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Pour into regular size muffin tin, sprayed with Bakers Joy (the spray with flour too). Bake at 325 for 18 - 20 mins or until firm to touch. According to my rough estimates, if you make a batch of 20-ish muffins, you'll get 113 calories/muffin and 2.5g fiber.

*Roast beets wrapped in foil at 350 for about an hour. Remove peel and cut into pieces. Puree in blender or food processor until smooth. Store in a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 2 months (divide into convenient amounts before freezing).

THESE muffins can also be stored in a air tight bag and frozen for a few months. They still taste DELISH!

Training Log

2010-03-29T00:02:00.003-05:00

I finally ran my 5k! A nearby town has $1 races every 2nd and 4th Saturday. I wasn't expecting much...as in very many people, but there was a nice turnout of 100. It ran pretty smoothly and low key...just my style! I liked it a lot because there wasn't a huge crowd to maneuver around.

I ended up getting 3rd overall behind two men that I'm totally going to take next time. I ran my normal low 19 mins (19:10). I'm just dying to break into 18! I've done it quite a few times in practice, but never in an actual race. I think being more familiar with the course will help. I really didn't know where I was or where the finish was. I probably would have turned it on earlier had I known. One of the guys was just a few steps in front of me, but by the time I realized the race was almost over, I didn't have enough time to get him.

I also did THE UNTHINKABLE in this race...yes, I wore earphones. I've never done it before and felt so morally torn at the thought of racing to music. I figured why not give it a try on a $1 race? ...and my opinion? I'm not a fan. I didn't necessarily concentrate on the music, but it was enough of a distraction that not many of my own thoughts were coming through. Maybe I would have noticed that the end of the race was near had I not been groovin' with Linkin Park? It kind of gave me a headache. Will I try it again...probably. It was kind of nice not to hear my tired, hurting thoughts either. Although I have to say, I don't think I had many of those. I felt really good in the race and just fine when I finished. What does that mean? I CAN GO FASTER!!!!

It was really fun to get out and run a quick race!

2010-03-24T12:22:00.000-05:00

How are you persevering with no preservatives?

Tonight, tomorrow, same thing...

2010-03-20T15:44:00.003-05:00

Here's my bread recipes...

Honey Wheat Bread
(makes a TON...like two big loaf pans and some breadsticks)
5 c hot water
3 T yeast
1/2 c canola oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
4 Tbs milled flaxseed (in the baking aisle)
4 Tbs wheat germ (in the cereal aisle)
2/3 c honey
2 T salt
10 1/2 c wheat flour
1/2 c gluten flour (in a box in next to the flour)

put 1 c flour and the yeast into a BIG bowl. Add water, then oil, lemon juice, flaxseed, wheat germ, honey, salt & gluten flour. Mix well. Add the rest of the flour. Let set 5 mins. Divide in half and place in greased loaf pans (it's pretty "runny"-I try not to touch it, just dump it in the pan and smooth it out with a spoon). Rise till doubled. Bake at 350 for 30 mins.

YUM! When I first started making this I'd eat it for dessert with honey on top....it's that good!

and for those of you not down with wheat bread...this White bread recipe is amazing...

White Bread
Makes two big loaf pans

1/3 c sugar
2/3 c powdered milk
2 Tbs yeast
1/4 c butter
2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c hot water
6 c flour

Put 2 c flour in mixing bowl. Add the sugar, milk, yeast and butter. Add the hot water. Mix. Add the salt and mix. Add remaining 4 cups of flour. Still in the mixer, rise for 1/2 hour and then mix a few times. Cover and rise 1/2 hour again still in the mixer. Punch down and shape into loafs (it's pretty sticky, and I don't really touch it for the most part, just dump it in). Place in two greased loaf pans. Rise 1/2 hour. Bake at 350 for 20 mins.

This recipe takes much longer than the wheat bread, but is wicked good.

1/4

Challenge Clarifications

2010-03-19T12:42:00.004-05:00

What does No Preservatives mean to you? There are many ways to preserve food, and most of them are actually fine and dandy. Salt, dehydration, canning, pickling, smoking... and since almost everything we eat, unless grown in our own backyard, includes preservatives, what in the ding dong are we going to eat? and why attempt a No Preservative Week? Mostly to steer clear of refined carbohydrates found in most packaged goods. Secondly, to try and get a little closer to how nature intended life to be. So, here's the goal in my head. No packaged snackies. No gummies, no crackers, no chips. I'm going to (as always) make my own bread, make some healthy snacks, and try to get as close as possible to the real thing. I've done this in the past was able to notice that even giving up Teddy Grahams has a big effect on my bod. Now that it's clear as mud, this week, like I said, is mostly up to you. Just try to find ways to go homemade and more natural.

whew.

i'll post my most excellent bread recipe tonight!

Lucky 13 Bars

2010-03-19T00:44:00.003-05:00

Since next week is No Preservative Week (which I'm apparently doing BY MYSELF), here's a little recipe to help me along.

Lucky 13 Bars:
Mix 3 ½ c quick oats, 1 c whole wheat rice crisp cereal (Kashi), 1 c wheat flour, 2 Tbs. Wheat Germ, 2 Tbs. milled flaxseed, 1 tsp. baking soda. In a separate bowl mix: 2 tsp. vanilla, ¼ c soft butter, ¼ c canola oil, ¾ c honey, ¼ c almond butter. Add wet mixture to dry and blend. Add 2/3 c chopped dates, raisins, dried cherries or cranberries. Add 1 c semi sweet mini chocolate chips.

Press into a 9x11” greased pan. Cook at 350 for 15-18 mins. Remove from oven and press again. When cool cut into 16 even bars. Store in refrigerator.

YUMMY!...and look, no preservatives!...kind of

New Challenge

2010-03-16T12:35:00.002-05:00

Starting Next Week (let's see if I can get my dates right) March 22-28 is NO PRESERVATIVES WEEK! Yippy!

No more Teddy Grahams, no more nutrigrain bars, no more Gold Fish Crackers.

On this week I try to limit packaged anything. So making your own bread and snacks helps out. I'll be posting a few good recipes that I like. There are a few packaged items that I actually like and CAN eat during this No Preservatives Week, so I'll let you know about those too.

Any ideas or comments you have...welcome.

Are you in??

Recap your week

2010-03-14T19:20:00.002-05:00

How did the challenge go for everyone? Like I said before, I really enjoyed it. I only missed one night when I came home early from a night out to a screaming child. I'll make up for it! I'm going to continue on!

I'll let you all have a week "off," but I'm getting a Challenge ready for next week...so check back!

thinking like a loser

2010-03-10T22:31:00.002-06:00

more inspiration from the house of losers.

Watching The Biggest Loser last night I was impressed with what O'Neal had to say. While working at the food bank he commented that he felt good giving back...that it was ironic how he'd eaten so much (more than his fair share) food, while others struggle just to get something on their plate. He also remarked that "what goes around, comes around." Why yes!

There are several ways this can relate, but let's stick to food. If we are always taking more than our fair share of food, it really does come back to bite the oversized butt....in the form of type II diabetes, heart attack, tiredness, low self-esteem...etc. I like this thought because it adds a different form of motivation for me. Not just the I want to look good or live long kind, but perhaps the even higher form of keeping things, the circle of life (if you will), in harmony.

LOVING the CHALLENGE! Helps keep me healthy at night. This may be a lifelong (or at least the next few weeks) thing.

Oh, also amazing how O'Neal used to be such a machine. He was a serious athlete and served in the military, green beret and all (I think). He really looked amazing...super in shape. AMAZING how it all went out the door and he weighs several 100 lbs! Just goes to slip on the slope.

START TONIGHT!

2010-03-08T15:33:00.001-06:00

EVERYONE...get your pushups, lunges, and crunches in starting tonight! I've been working on it this past week and I have to say, it does feel good to end the day on a healthy note!

New Challenge

2010-02-28T20:57:00.003-06:00

I was reading Shape Magazine a few days ago and I can't remember what celeb said it, but she does 75 pushups, 100 lunges, and 200 crunches every night before she goes to bed just to make sure she ends the day on a healthy note. Nice.

In high school my sisters and I followed a similar routine...a couple hundred crunches before bed. Now I think, "do I want to get all sweaty before hopping in-between the sheets?" Heck yeah! BAM! New challenge!

So, who is hopping in with me? You can set your own pushups, lunges, crunches goal...just let me know what you're in for.

I think I'm going to try to mimic Miss Celeb and go 75, 100, and 200. The pushups might be a bit pushy...for all of my "buff arms" I can be a wimp!

You have this week to sign up, don't be afraid to start now (I'd better work my way up to 75), and then we'll officially start next week, March 5th-11th.

Are you with me?

*****sorry, I looked at the wrong month...next week is the 8th-14th!!!! But if you already started....keep going!

Training Log

2010-02-11T12:26:00.005-06:00

It's pouring down rain outside, so treadmill it is. I've been running the same 4 workouts for a couple of weeks now:

-hills
-10 mile pace work @ 7 min miles
-10k pace work @ 6 min miles
-long run of 60+ mins

Plus drills and weights

with the occasional

-8 x 200 meter run w/ 2 min rest

...and all on my stinking broken toe. getting tired of it slash ready to chop it off

TODAY I pulled out a new workout from RT, taped up my toe, and had a really great workout...that almost had me in tears the last three intervals:

-12 x 800 meters w/ 2 min rest jog @ 6 min mile pace. When I got to where I thought I had 4 intervals left, I felt like crying, but then I realized I only had 3 left and, relieved, BUSTED THEM OUT!

-you should try it. Make your 800 meters you 5k race pace and then jog your two minutes rest in between. It's a long workout, I ended up running about 9 miles, including my mile warm up (and I would have loved to cool down with a mile, but I had a kiddie in child care that was ready to go). After effect: FEELS GOOD!

a note on training

2010-02-11T12:13:00.005-06:00

I just cover to very last page read my Running Times magazine. Sometimes the articles are a bit to namey/timey/statish for me, but usually I like to see what the great high school, colligate, professional, and masters runners are up to. This time I came away with a new take on my training. For about the past two years I've "been training for a 5k." Mysteriously, I've been side tracked by 1 marathon, 1 half marathon, a 10 miler, and a 10k. No 5k.

I've ran several time trials on the treadmill and can just feel my new 5k PR dying to get out. I find myself waiting for the perfect time to sign up for a race and really go for it. But as you can see, and as RT pointed out, the "perfect time" might never come...so why am I still on the treadmill? Not to mention, I have the wondrous Woodlands $1 5k race every 2nd and 4th Sat. practically sitting in my back yard! No promise that there will be good competition, but at least I'd be out racing. NOT TO MENTION, the really high expectations that I'd be placing on myself if I just trained and trained and then signed up for one "perfect time" race. If I can start racing a bit more frequently, I'd give myself a greater chance of reaching my goal.

What am I getting at? Feb. 27th, The Woodlands $1 5k race and me.

and that's our new challenge! Sign up for a race...are you in?

647

2010-02-11T07:22:00.003-06:00

647. Yesterday on the treadmill I tried counting how many cars would go by between one yellow car to the next (not counting taxis or buses, yes, including trucks/vans).

Conclusions:

Not very many people drive yellow cars.

OR not very many people who drive yellow cars pass in front of the gym between 9am and 10:15am.

10 miles on a treadmill takes a lot more time when my shuffle is out of juice and I'm counting how many cars pass between one yellow car to the next.

Can you stand it any longer?

2010-01-05T22:48:00.001-06:00

and the winner is...

DEANNA WALKER!

The points were so close I had to go back and make sure! I'm so proud of all of you for hanging in there through the holidays...especially without a lot of motivation on this challenge from me! Way to stick with it!!!

Deanna wins...

A FOOD SCALE and 2 weeks of menu planning!

Thank you for keeping track of you numbers and doing your best to be healthy for yourselves, your family and others around you even through the difficult holiday season.

Keep on it!

and the winner is...

2010-01-04T23:53:00.001-06:00

I'll tell you tomorrow....who and what!

2009-12-27T21:33:00.002-06:00

home stretch. Post your numbers...last week coming up! I hope that this little challenge has saved a few of us a couple of holiday pounds!

2009-12-07T15:05:00.001-06:00

Report Points for Monday-Sunday!

Run o the mill

2009-12-03T14:37:00.007-06:00

Another treadmill workout was conceived out of winter treadmill blues boredom today. I did this workout but added hills to it. This was nice because those first few miles are so slow that I get a bit antsy to get going. Today I warmed up with a slow .25 mile, then hiked the mill up to .6 grade and stuck to the workout increasing every half mile by .50. I decreased the incline everytime I increased my speed. Lots of button pushing is entertaining and helps those miles to slide by. By the time I'd reached my fastest pace, 5 solid miles has blown by. Thanks to One Republic and Beyonce as well. Okay, Fanny Lu too.

Training Log

2009-12-02T14:49:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I did a new workout on the treadmill. Hills. I don't know too many people who get excited about running hills, but it really makes for a different and challenging workout...and something to break up the monotony of the 'mill.

I jogged for a 1/2 mile to get warmed up then cranked that puppy all the way up...to a 15 I believe! It was steep. I ran at a decent pace for .25 and then quickly back down to a jog on zero incline. After about .25 miles of rest, I cranked it all the way back up again. Another rest followed by a 7% incline at a faster pace x2 and rest. Then I inclined in the middle at 10% and ran at a decent pace again. I finished up with another 15% incline going as fast as I could for .20. DONE! What a work out! The whole run took me 4 miles.

Here's how it looks drawn out nicely.

Warm up
15% incline at run pace x 2
7% incline at faster pace x 2
10% incline at decent pace x 2
15% incline at run pace
Cool Down

I know you're not going to like the idea, but give it a try. It makes running flat again sooo easy and makes you a stronger runner in the end.

Report Due

2009-11-23T12:23:00.002-06:00

Hey, where did everyone go?

Report in comments.

My week was a big stinker...and looks really bad. I had Thanksgiving Part I at my aunts house...I still have to survive Thanksgiving Part II...oooocch. My points are suffering.

I had 8 points this week. I didn't really take advantage of the clean days taking points away and just tried to keep all snacks to one per day, which doesn't seem that bad, but really adds up!

Report Due

2009-11-15T19:50:00.002-06:00

Okay, end of week one. This has been a great challenge for me. I realized how often I'll just pop a handful of this or that into my mouth. Once I did just that, and thought, "I don't want to write a point down for this" and spit it back out--aack!

Here's my story:

Day One-1 Diet Soda= 1 point
Day Two-Clean as a whistle
Day Three-1 square chocolate + 1 serving pumpkin bread pudding (delicious) = 2 points
Day Four-1 serving pumpkin bread pudding (aack!) = 1 point
Day Five-CLEAN
Day Six-Gelato!!= 1 point
Day Seven...it's not over yet...

Tota 3 points! This hasn't made me stop having treats (obviously) but it does make me think twice about having a second helping (that bread pudding was tasty though!)

How did your week go?

Starting late?

2009-11-13T08:52:00.002-06:00

If you'd like to join in START NOW! At the end of the first week, we'll just tie you with first place...so you have as many points as the person with the fewest....does that sound fair? This way you won't start with 0 points, but you'll also have a fighting chance :) UNLESS of course between NOW and Sunday (when we report our first week) you have already had more points then he/she with the fewest...then you will just have the points you have. Hum, confusing...just start now and we'll figure it out on Sunday.

Battle of the Bulge

2009-11-12T13:43:00.003-06:00

Yesterday while I was running and contemplating over the previous evening's Biggest Loser episode, the need to battle the bulge seemed even more important than ever. As I watch the show it's great to see the contestants loosing weight and feeling happy and excited again. It's great that they're overcoming emotions and obstacles that kept them from being healthy and feeling good about themselves. In all of that thinking the question of "But how did they become so overweight in the first place?" came to mind. And the answer, they gave up the battle or perhaps they never learned how to fight in the first place.

Never learning how to fight stems from childhood in which the child either had overweight parents as examples or was taught and GIVEN poor nutrition. As I raise 2 young girls these things are important to me. I want to give them an example of how fun and satisfying it is to eat healthy and exercise. It's also my responsibility to teach them what is healthy and what isn't and to GIVE them proper nutrition since they're to young to do it on their own. Hopefully, by the time they are able to make all of their own healthy decisions they will be educated and motivated. I also tell them I love them just how they are...I hope they always feel happy and confident in themselves.

Giving up the Battle. Danny, on the show, is a great example. Everything was fine, got married, had kids, got in a rut, had no time, lost his fire, didn't exercise and ate lots of food..probably in that order. It's been great to watch him find some time, exercise and eat healthy, get out of the rut, get his fire back...probably in that order.

The battle of the bulge is easy for very few people. Here in North America it is amazingly easy to get food, too much food, and too much unhealthy food...and then to eat it all!

I think we get busy, get stressed out, don't plan, don't prepare and wind up at McD's. We have so much going on that we just want to relax and enjoy a big meal and not worry about what we're eating--we have enough to worry about! We want to hang out with friends and laugh over appetizers, entrée, drinks and dessert. We don't want to have one more thing to think about, to plan, to busy ourselves with. And so instead, when we turn 55 we worry about diabetes, prescription prices, insurance rates. Giving up on the battle is like telling a lie. It kind of feels good, might make you look good or like you're having fun, but you can be sure it's going to catch up to you and then things won't feel so good or be so funny.

I just read a study that put some people in front of an automatically refilling bowl of soup and the other a group that had to get up and get another good of soup on their own. The group with the automatically refilling bowl ate twice as much!!!! When you have a bunch of food in front of you, you're probably going to eat it!

So, instead plan to be healthy, make a plan as to what you're going to eat, crunch the calorie numbers, be responsible.

The battle is not always fun and sometimes it's a hard decision, but eating healthy and exercising will make you feel good and keep you healthy for all of the years that you keep on fighting.

...wew!

Specifications on the Challenge

2009-11-09T20:24:00.002-06:00

Points should correspond to serving size. What about things that don't have a serving size? At the restaurant? Well, just write in and ask! I'll let you know! slash do your best!

Also, one day with no junk only wipes out ONE POINT of junk, not an entire day filled with junk. So no pigging out one day and being good the next thinking all is well. Nope, just one point.

Day one almost complete...I've been clean as a whistle.

I think I have it

2009-11-02T22:08:00.003-06:00

A New Challenge!

I've been asked by a few for help through the holidays! And since they're already upon us...we'd better get started!

Here's my idea. Starting next week, we'll keep track of how much junk food we eat. Whether it's chips, soda, cookies, candy you have to write it down as a point. Each serving or item of junk food equals one point. We'll keep track of points from Nov. 9th to Jan. 4th. The person with the least amount of points wins!

Oooo-let's make this more interesting. For everyday that you eat absolutely NO JUNK you can erase one day of junk...so it will look like you had two days of no points. If you continue to overcompensate in this way you can actually end up with positive points!

And the person who wins...gets a little surprise from me! Probably nothing awesome like a pair of running shoes, but a little healthy something in the mail is always fun!

Sign up in comments if you're in!

Being Responsible

2009-10-27T22:48:00.004-05:00

As I plan and prepare menus, I find it amazing to know what we put on our plates. It doesn't take a lot to blow a 1,400 calorie diet out of the water. An innocent cookie here, a second helping of pasta there, a few extra bites of burger.

I feel like we've all be deceived and learned incorrect behaviors from things around us. An IHOP poster sports a 5 stack of pancakes on one plate. Chili's boasts a 2 for $20 appetizer/entree/dessert special. And a Whopper is just a buck! These things are not necessarily bad in and of themselves (okay, just a tad naughty) because it's okay to splurge a little once in a while and to go out and eat something you like, but we take all of these ideas home with us and end up preparing and eating oversized/poorly planned meal the rest of the time too. Not only that, but we were all once children who happily chopped through 4 hot dogs around the camp fire (or was that just me?) and we think we can still eat the same way.

My advice, learn what you're eating. Recognize how many calories are in the foods you're choosing to eat and make good decisions based on a well balanced diet. Maybe knowing that there is 120 calories in a 1/2 c low fat ice cream will help you to enjoy your serving and motivate you not to go back for seconds. Then, when you do go out to eat, you'll realize things can get out of hand really easy and you'll ask the waiter not to bring the chip and salsa basket!

Be responsible for who you are and what you're becoming (hopefully and healthy, happy person).

Where have you been dear Kelly?

2009-10-09T13:04:00.002-05:00

I've been up to my eyeballs in menu planning! It's been so much fun and I've enjoyed seeing so many people find healthy successes.

...and the yoga challenge? Hope you did it and loved it!

...and tomorrow? 10 mile race, baby! and in this one I'm actually a legit runner with a real number!

Sigh of Relief

2009-09-24T13:04:00.004-05:00

It's been about a week since I misplaced my running watch. I've felt a touch out of synch. I've been avoiding the track knowing that it's ridiculous to run around in circles without a clue as to how fast. I took a client there and had to use my cell phone to time her repeats....sweet! I've spent at least a 1/2 hour a day tearing every room in the house apart trying to find it and more recently trying to cope with the idea of buying a new one even though the "old" one was used less than one year.

Then Today

When I got out of the shower I was puttering around in the bathroom when I heard the beautiful song of Beep Beep. I spun around, and sang out loud, "I heard you my blessed watch." Yes, blessed. The sound came from inside my closet. I hit the ground and swam through a few pairs of shoes, until I reached my long lost friend. Immediately tying it back on my wrist, I felt like my old self again...you know, back in synch. In fact, even though I just ran three 6 minute mile repeats, I feel like heading over to the track just to push buttons.

YOGA CHALLENGE
as far as this goes, it's been hard for me! I love yoga, but it's hard to remember to fit in a couple of mini sessions each day. If I don't teach my morning class, I've been getting around to it by noon, and then I'm already behind! The past couple of night my third session has been a 12:30AM. BAD! The worst session was a quick on wearing jeans...not comfy. I do enjoy the way I feel afterward and I hope to time things better in the days to come. How are you doing?

Don't forget

2009-09-20T19:42:00.003-05:00

My two challenge buddies...we begin in the morning...

The Two Week Yoga Challenge

2009-09-14T22:47:00.003-05:00

Many dedicated yogis and students practice yoga through out the day. The Sun Salutation is actually meant to be performed just so, throughout the day as the sun moves over the earth (or is it the other way around?). While this daily practice improves flexibility and circulation, it will also boost your mood and energy level.

And so your challenge is to practice yoga three times throughout the day for two weeks. We will begin Sept. 21st and end Oct. 4th...don't be scared, it's just two weeks. Your three sessions can be as little as a few spins through the Sun Salutation or a full hour of set asana. The one stipulation is that a "session" must last at least 5 mins. Ideally, one would practice in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. If there is a problem with timing, just try to space sessions a few hours apart.

Two weeks too much? Shoot for one.

You in? Comment and let me know what you think!

Track and Field World Championships

2009-08-17T13:17:00.004-05:00

The races were awesome. The 100m with Bolt and Gay was amazing...9.56!!!!

I was most impressed with this little darlin' Jessica Ennis competing in the women's heptathlon. She blew everyone else out of the water and could have walked the last event, the 800m, and still have won. The most amazing part...she's 5'4". She smoked everyone in the high hurdles and even the high jump. And when I say everyone, I'm talking about Olympic athletes, most as tall as 6'.

She really sets the stage for no excuses! Don't set limits on yourself because of your shape or size. When my girls get older and complain that they're not tall enough for this (which they most likely won't be) or built right for that...I'm going to tell them about Jessica Ennis.

Refining my opinion

2009-08-13T12:48:00.004-05:00

Most of you are probably aware by now, that I push speed work. I do this because the majority of high school runners and adult 5k-marathon runners that I talk to go on long, long slow runs and don't try to push their pace much. I'm always telling people to get on the track or throw some intervals and progression runs into their normal running workout. So much, that I may have you doubting the importance of the long run.

The long run. Very important. It builds muscle, grows capillaries (which take oxygen to your muscle), and strengthens tendons, bones and ligaments. All of these things help you to run economically and stronger.

BUT instead of going out and plodding along for 90 minutes to 2 hours, try running the last 30 minutes fast, or progressively getting faster every 30 mins(negative splits), or add 15x15 second sprints throughout. Do this unless you're a newbie to the long run, in which case just plod until you feel comfortable with the distance/time. Having said all of that, make sure your long run is easy! Do some long tempo runs (like 3 miles x 2) or longer intervals (like mile repeats) the day before to make sure your already slightly beat up going into your long run. You don't want the long run to come at the expense of your race specific training.

This post is for everything...the 1 mile to the marathon. Get some distance on.

I would throw in the long run once a week and a shorter, but still long run somewhere else in the week too. And what should you do the other days??? SPEED!

JFR

2009-07-22T23:25:00.004-05:00

Marathon

Are you looking to Just Finish the Race? Or kick some trash? (I hope it's the second option...even though around mile 18 or 20 my point of view always changes...)

There are so many ways to train for a marathon, or any race, that things can get confusing. I've trained for marathons with lots of milage up front and speed work at the end, and the opposite way with speed work first and mileage later.

I am personally a fan of doing speed work first. This training method makes sense to me...and, if you haven't noticed, I like speed work. There's a LINK to the training program that I've used with the speed work up front.

I would suggest that you do find a program that fits your goals and abilities. Having a program is motivating, safe(r), helpful, and confidence building.

I would also suggest that you do get a LOB (Lot Of Both--speed work and milage---I just can't stop myself). Mileage is important, but so is having a fine tuned engine.

Stretching 101

2009-07-20T13:01:00.005-05:00

You may already know all of this, but I just wanted to cover the bases. I see so many people doing things wrong, well, not WRONG, but not in the best way, so let's clear things up.

DO NOT stretch before your workout. WHAT? A rather new idea, but study after study, article after article, journal entry after journal entry has confirmed that stretching pre-workout is inefficient and potentially damaging. 1. you are stretching muscles that have not been warmed up yet and are therefore not elastic, which can actually lead to injury. 2. stretching pre-run/workout/walk/whatever can actually weaken your muscles for the next 10-15 minutes (and who wants that when they're trying to bust out some 200's?). DO WARMUP. This means start with a nice easy jog or walk of 5-10 minutes before you try to break a world record.

DO stretch after your workout. Stretching your now warm and elastic muscles will really benefit you most for you NEXT workout. You are gaining flexibility/balance/strength that will help you be more relaxed and keep injuries at bay.

DO YOGA. If you are still doing the hurdle stretch and the old arm pull across the chest, you really should stop. Please do yoga. The benefits are overwhelming. Flexibility/balance/strength/focus are all part of yoga. You'll gain more from 5 minutes of yoga then 10 minutes of your 1950's toe touches. It's easy to browse a yoga index (provided by yoga journal and linked at left), check out some books from the library, or buy a few yoga videos (think Rodney Yee).

*extra bonus tip* runners who tone and improve core strength run up to 33% better (that can translate into big minutes!)

A Marathon Workout

2009-07-20T12:55:00.004-05:00

I know a few peeps who are preparing for a marathon and thought I'd share a favorite workout.

Hop on the track of course...

Warm up with a mile or two (well, I guess you can do this off the track..and better so).

Run 800m at goal time (in minutes). If your goal is to run a 4 hour marathon, your 800 pace should be 4 minutes. If you want to run a 3:15 hour marathon, your 800 should be 3:15 minutes.

Recover between 800's with a 400m jog.

Repeat 8 times*

Cool down with a mile

STRETCH

*you'll thank me later

New Yoga Likes

2009-07-04T23:10:00.002-05:00

Always on the look out for new vinyasas or different yoga poses, I found THIS and LOVE it.
Great for the knees and good for the tone.

Here's how my yoga class is currently operating.

Monday is about toning up and building strength. We move through the poses quickly, but add repetitions and do some lifts. I think of it as prep work for more advanced positions. Some students have now moved into the advanced poses and practice these while the rest continue building muscle and balance. We also spend some time in inverted poses.

Wednesday is endurance work. We warm up with the Sun Salutation and move right into all three warrior poses. We hold I and II for 2 minutes and Warrior III for 1 minute and a bit. We hold Downward Facing Dog for 3 minutes. We do a bit of plank work, holding in Plank Neutral and Star. This past week I also added THESE dancing moves and everyone enjoyed it. It's summer time here and I don't turn the AC on in our room, so we're all sweating pretty good--we love it!

CHALLENGE

2009-06-09T12:49:00.004-05:00

While making all of these diets and including my own diet in the process...I've make some deep commitments to salad. I've always liked it, especially all dressed up with chicken and mandarins, but I've never been truly committed to The Salad. You know just the romaine + ice burg + spring greens + spinach + radishes + carrots type.

I'm am now committed. We have a salad at EVERY dinner.

Your challenge? Commit to The Salad --that's the nothing fancy, just the good stuff type --every night for SEVEN DAYS!

ARE YOU IN?

*BTW: Menopause Gal has lost 10 lbs in a week and 2 days. Yes, a lot of weight, but it came off quick just cause she was eating the wrong stuff for what her body was going through. She wants 5 more lbs off and is going to continue with the diet another week. We will then revamp it and up the calories.

...More for your 'mill

2009-06-06T13:17:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd share some other crazy things I do on the 'mill. Be BRAVE! Try these out...you'll look like a pro!

Defensive Drill: I turn my 'mill down to 4mph, with one hand holding on up front I turn my body sideways. Squat down and move feet in a defensive basketball slide...without the slide! Hum...how to explain...shuffle/hop feet in a squat going sideways on your 'mill. Once I've got a beat, I hike it up to 6mph...but stay where you feel in control. Get it? If not, give me a call...it's cool! I usually count to 50 while doing this and then change to the other side. I do 2-3 sets.

A-skip: this one is tricky, but fun. Every third step, lift your knee and drive it down..Hey, THIS GUY explains it pretty well. You can do it with just one side and then the other, then when you get it, put both together. SWEET!

Skip Kick: I can't find a nice guy to explain this one. Jog lightly on the balls of your feet. Kick one foot/leg straight up in front in a hop. Kind of like the A-skip, but bringing up a straight leg instead. Start with just one leg and then alternate when you get in the groove. Yeah...call me.

Yep, I do these crazy/weird looking drills in my small gym...and guess what. Nobody cares. Don't be afraid to try them out. They're great for your work out, help with turn over and form, improve agility, strengthen and protect ligaments and tendons, and if nothing else, I'll think you're cool for trying.

...and eat it too.

2009-06-04T21:31:00.005-05:00

Nope, no cake here!
I've been whippin' out healthy menu's right and left (and when I say whippin' I mean spending hours on each one). Although I've prepared and enjoy the dishes that I recommend, I've not yet stuck to a plan myself...until this week. I thought it would be a good idea if I could relate to the people who are eating the food I recommend the way I recommend it! ...and not to give myself a big pat on the back, but I've really liked it. I feel completely in control of the way I eat. I'm eating based on the calories my body need rather than emotion. I'm eating a wide range of exciting foods with the proper amount of vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, omega 3's, monounsaturated fatty acids....you see where I'm going.
It also takes the guess work out of meal prep. I already know what I'm going to prepare for dinner today, tomorrow, and the whole week. The biggest change I've noticed is that we have a salad at dinner time EVERY night. I like it. I feel like I've been eating better and I feel like my whole family is eating better too.

Yeah for menu planning...is there a more professional way to say that...meal planning, healthy eating plan, healthy menu...hum???

So Happy

2009-05-27T23:18:00.003-05:00

I just finished a Wheat-Free, Low sodium, High MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids) Diet! I was so excited for the challenge...and it was...took me a week! If you want to try it out...you have to do something really nice for me or give me a whole bunch of money!

*okay, I'm back (5 mins later). Really, I didn't get to say (write) enough. I'm actually more than excited over this "Menu" as I like to call my meal plans. My client is over 40, just started menopause, has put on 15 lbs for no reason, and feels like poop. I really think this is just the ticket. I'll let you know how it goes.

Treadmill Work

2009-05-27T19:34:00.004-05:00

Looking for something new to do on the 'mill, I came up wit this...and enjoyed it.

Start at a comfy pace. Every 1/2 mile (or .50 on your 'mill) pick it up .5 mph. So, if you start at 4mph, you'll run that pace for 1/2 mile and then take it to a 4.5 for the next 1/2 mile. Continue adding .5mph every 1/2 mile. I ran 5 miles this way. It's a great way to get a nice warm up jog in and then push it a bit at the end. This is also helpful to practice negative splits...which is a fancy way of saying you get faster as you go.

Oh, if taking it up .5mph at a time is a bit stressful, try just taking it up .2 or .3 mph at a time.

Try it out.

WITW?

2009-05-07T00:30:00.004-05:00

I'm trying out some cool, hip text talk. The above is What In The World? ...I like it when people explain their acronyms to me.

What's new in health and fitness via Kelly?

Just reading some sports injury book that talks a lot about edema, contusions, fractures, hypoxia, active movement, and such and so forth.

The big excitement is that I'm running a race this Friday. Oh, just a 5k. OATMATG...On A Treadmill At The Gym!

I've asked another runner to meet me at 9am and humor me with a little competition. I need it because I'm planning on shattering my previous 5k pr. I think I can do it, so here's to trying.

Other news-I just erroneously subscribed to Running Times $10 for 10 issues. I was totally pumped until I realized it wasn't Runner's World (everyone's all time fave). BUT ISP...I'm Still Pumped because it's about running and should be cool.

Flax Seed

2009-04-08T12:45:00.006-05:00

If you don't use flax seed in your recipes, you've gotta start! It's got your omega 3-oils, fiber, and is trans fat free. You can use it as an oil or egg substitute. 3 Tbs. Flax seed can replace 1 Tbs. fat or oil. 1 Tbs. Flax seed + 3 Tbs. water can replace 1 egg. Pssst: this info is right on the side of the box.

I do the substitutions a lot. For the Fiber One cookies I may just take out 1/2 the oil and do the other half Flax Seed (the cookie probably needs a little oil to hold it all together). It's not a lot of oil in the first place, but you can never go wrong making something a little bit better.

I always put Flax Seed in my Honey Whole Wheat Bread, and here's another recipe that I like:

Banana-Cinnamon Waffles

Top Waffles with fruit and yogurt!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (I do the whole thing in wheat flour and it's fine)
1/4 cup buckwheat flour (if you don't have it, just add more regular flour)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
2 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups fat free milk
3 Tbs butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large ripe banana, mashed
cooking spray

Mix it all like you should and make it into a waffle in your iron.

Healthy(er) treats

2009-04-07T21:52:00.002-05:00

Cookies may never be carrots, but these two recipes were really tasty and not too rough on the old ticker.

My favorite first

Fiber One Crunch Fudge Cookies

1 box (1 lb 2.3 oz) brownie mix
2 cups Fiber One cereal
1/3 cup water
1 egg
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbs. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2' apart on cookie sheet.
2. Bake 10-12 mins until set. Cool 2 mins, remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

1 cookie: 70 cals, 1g Fat, 13g carbos, 2g Fiber
...it didn't mention sugar, which I assume is high!

I also thought next time I'll substitute some of the oil for ground flax seed and nix the chocolate chips which really didn't stand out to me. ...even better! I just gave these to some 12 & under people and they gobbled them up!

Healthy No Bake Cookies (which I found on Simply Healthful...that link right over there)

6 Tbs. soy or Almond milk (I just used regular)
2/3 c sucanat or 6 Tbs. honey (I used honey)
2 big Tbs. cocoa or carob powder
3 tsp. vanilla or almond ex.
2/3 c peanut or almond butter
1/4 c ground flax seed
2 big Tbs. wheat germ
2 c oats

Mix last 3 ingredients in bowl. In sauce pan, mix first 5 ingredients. Heat just till smooth. Add butter mix to dry mix and blend. Cool a bit and spoon onto wax paper.

Glycemic Index

2009-04-07T21:35:00.002-05:00

You've probably thought about, if not heard lots of advice about what you should eat before, during and after a run. If you followed the marathon I just ran, clementines were my energy preference during the race. However, there is a bit of science behind the choices you make. Some foods are easily and quickly broken down into glucose (your muscle's fuel); these foods have a high glycemic index. Other foods break down slowly and are released more gradually into you bloodstream; these foods have a low glycemic index.

Before your run or race (especially longer than an hour), you are better off eating foods with a low glycemic index. These will provide a prolonged and steady supply of glucose for your working muscles. During a run, a high -glycemic food is a good source of quick energy. High-glycemic foods are also your best choice for after a workout to help refuel muscles and begin repair.

So, here's the list:

High Glycemic Index

Glucose 100
Gatorade 91
Potato, baked 85
Cornflakes 84
Rice cakes 82
Cheerios 74
Cream of Wheat, instant 74
Grahm crackers 74
Bagel, plain 72
Bread, white 70
Bread, wheat 69
Raisins 64
Oatmeal 61
Ice Cream 61 (another good reason to indulge!)

Moderate Glycemic Index

Muffin, bran 60
Bran Chex 58
Orange Juice 57
Rice, white long-grain 56
Rice, brown 55
Sweet Potato 54
Banana, ripe 52
Lentil soup 44
Orange 43
Spaghetti (no sauce) 41
Apple 36
Pear 36

Low Glycemic Index

PowerBar 30-35
Yogurt, low fat fruit 33
Milk, skim 32
Apricots, dried 31
Banana, underripe 30
Lentils 29
Kidney beans 27
Barly 25
Grapefruit 25
Fructose 23
(taken from "Sports Nutrition Guidebook")

I found this list to be pretty interesting. Apparently I should start carrying a bowl of Cream of Wheat with me instead of my trusty Clementine!

From "The Complete Book of Running for Women" by Claire Kowalchik

Breathing

2009-04-05T14:48:00.003-05:00

I'm currently finishing up a book by Claire Kowalchik, "The Complete Book of Running for Women." Although there is a woman in the title this book offers great tips and techniques for both sexes.

You may have already heard that breathing on the odd step prevents side stitches, however the greater value lies in its aid in injury prevention. During running you hit the ground with more force at the beginning of exhalation. If you always exhale on the even step or 2:2 (two steps on the inhalation and two steps on the exhalation) you'll end up always striking the ground with the same foot at the beginning of each exhalation. This means one side of your body will constantly experience greater impact, leading to possible injury. So practice breathing in a 3:2 (three steps on the inhalation and two steps on the exhalation) to prevent these consequences.

It may sound annoying the work on your breathing, but I actually gave it a go today and it wasn't so bad. It took my mind off the running as I focused on my breathing. In just a few runs this practice can become habit. By the end of my 3 mile run I didn't have to concentrate on it and had an easy pattern going.

Finish Line

2009-03-22T14:12:00.000-05:00

Hey 1/2 and full marathon runners...did you cross the line?

It's FRIDAY

2009-03-20T09:27:00.002-05:00

It's already Friday and the big run is almost over. I hope you guys are getting all of your miles in!

I don't know if you all get a chance to watch The Biggest Loser, but it's one of my favorite shows right now. This week all of the contestants ran a 1/2 marathon! These are people who are not nessecerily "runners" or that have been training specifically for that type of work. They're all still overweight, but THEY DID IT! and every single one felt so accomplished and proud of their efforts! I hope that you all feel the same way after your 1/2 or whole marathon week, and think about signing up for the REAL deal. I think you'd be surprised at what you can accomplish!

Day Two

2009-03-17T10:22:00.001-05:00

I haven't heard from anyone yet...

Shrimp on the Bar-b

2009-03-15T21:34:00.004-05:00

I'm adding Kira to the list of 1/2-ies. Hurrah!

Just to help you out with your route, check out the left side bar with "make a route" and you'll be able to get the right numbers without having to drive you car around or wear a pedometer. Hurrah!

On your mark. Get set.

2009-03-15T06:20:00.002-05:00

START TOMORROW! ---oh, that kind of sounds bad, like you're "going to start tomorrow" on that diet, being organized, exercise program. However, I know I'm going to be ultra busy tomorrow babysitting 6 kids....sooooo, make sure you start your 1/2 or whole marathon TOMORROW! Go ahead and comment your miles! Have fun!

Time Flies, do you?

2009-03-10T23:20:00.003-05:00

Whoozer! March Marathon week is NEXT WEEK!

Here's what I've got:

Full 26.1 miles of glory- Jeni, Anna, LeeAnn, Keri

The Halfy, still glorious!-Hannah, Betina

You still have time to sign up....

Walk it or run it, you have from March 16th to March 22 to get your miles in. Keep me posted on where you're at, how you're feeling, and how you end up.

FREE running stuff

2009-03-01T22:14:00.005-06:00

To pick up your free running stuff, just follow behind a marathon race that begins at 7:30am in the bitter freezing cold. Around mile 4 the runners begin to peel off gloves. Mile 6-7 long sleeve shirts (I, however, wore Kathy Ireland the whole way...isn't she a beaut!). Mile 10 ear warmers. That's a lot of great free gear, wash before wearing.

I just got home from Dallas after running in the Ft. Worth Cowtown marathon. Over about 17,800 runners participated in the 5k, 10k, 1/2 marathon, marathon, and ultra marathon. 4,000 running in the marathon itself. I had a great time (as you can see) and was pleased with my performance. I was a bandit again do to lack of funding, but I've been offered several sponsors for my next race, so I'll have to give up my low-life running. Normally I would sit on my hiney until race time, instead I had to jump out of our car that was stuck in traffic and jog a mile just to get to the start. Luckily Jake was at the wheel or I would have missed the race entirely. I stuck to my racing plan of go out slow and speed up (pretty detailed plan). It was like pulling teeth to keep myself at a slow pace in the beginning, but I was thankful for it in the end when I still had a lot left and cranked out the last few miles. It was a COLD race and SUPER windy...I guess that goes with the "range" though. The head cold and the actual cold didn't really effect me too much, I just felt pretty good the whole time. I've got to tell you though, I sure love a good crowd. Lots of spectators came out to watch and cheer, just having people and music and fun going on quickens my stride. Thank you CROWD! The last 4 miles were pretty desolate and boring though, as most people were waiting at the finish line.

I ended up with a 3:27. There was a real finisher girl who had almost exactly the same time as me with some extra seconds. With the additional gun time, I'm not sure where that would have placed us, but since I didn't see her ahead of me, I'm going to figure I beat her (that's legit right?). As such, I placed 2nd in my age group, behind the woman who won overall, and 7th overall for the women.

What a great race! I really had a good time and felt so happy to be out having fun. My kiddies were hanging with the in-laws and Jake was safely tucked away out of the cold at Barnes and Nobles. With nothing to worry about, I enjoyed being able to do something I love and even got a bit lumpy thinking of how nicely my body works to take me over 26.2 miles. I also have to give a shout out to baby Layla, to whom this marathon was dedicated.

Now that my marathon is over, IT'S YOUR TURN! Get signed up for a MARATHON IN MARCH! It's coming soon so get a few miles in beforehand.

Kristen and I before the race got started

Pre-race excitement!

2009-02-27T12:23:00.002-06:00

The big marathon run is tomorrow! I'm really excited! I was really, really excited before yesterday when I caught a little head cold (I think it's TX allergies). I'm hoping to pop a few pills and be able to breathe again. The marathon prep has been really fun. I've had some great long runs and I haven't been training long enough to get sick of it...so EXCITED! We're off to Dallas now to stay with the in-laws and in the morning Jake and I will drive to Cowtown (Ft. Worth) to the starting line.

I just want to thank my cousin Kristen for asking me just one more time to run it...I wouldn't have thought about it again if you hadn't.

I especially want to thank my man, Jake, for giving me the thumbs up. I told him that Kristen had mentioned the marathon again and he said, "Why don't you do it?" I instantly got a big smile on my face and knew I was in! The man sacrifices his Sat. mornings so I can squeeze a 20 miler in to our already full schedules! Gotta love him! I definitely wouldn't have done it if he hadn't given me his support!

Q & A (shin splints)

2009-02-26T08:36:00.001-06:00

Q:

Anywho, I'm having some issues. So I'm getting back into running. I've been back at it for about 4 weeks now. I've surprised myself with how easy it's been but I think I got a little tooooooo ambitious and added mileage/speed too quickly. The infamous "too much, too soon." So now I've got a shin that's hurting a bit. I think I've had "shin splints" once in my life a long time ago. This doesn't feel like my leg is about to crack, rather it feels like a dull throb after a run. During the run I feel great; no pain whatsoever. AFTER the run I start to feel a little achey. Saturday I did a pretty intense four-miler and I was really pushing myself. I felt pretty decent by the end but when I got home I realized my right leg was starting to really hurt! I try to take it easy on my off days (I run M, W, cross-train F and run again Sat). I'm trying to run a 10K in April that I'd like to do in an hour and I'm currently pushing it at sub-11 minute miles. SO, my question: Should I take a week or two off and just cross-train? What should I do? Can I stair master and ellyptical? I've been doing the bike (not recumbent) on Fridays after the stair-master. Additionally, if I do take time off will I have to lower my mileage and build up again when I come back?
Injuries are so dumb. BUT I also don't want to sideline myself by not paying enough attention to this.

A:

Hey there! Aack! I hope it hasn't taken me all week to get back to you! I was just washing my counters when I thought, "these counters are going to be here forever and dirty again in about 2 mins and ANNA has shin splints!" Sounds like you have it about right with the too much too soon theory and the dull ache being shin splints. It is a tricky injury because everyone's body responds differently and some can run through it and others not. Here are some healing/preventing tips you can use while you wait to see what your body will do:

ICE! get a bag of frozen peas and carrots or a little dixie cup with frozen water and ice those puppies! Right after you run and throughout the day whenever possible.

Take Ibuprofen: take after running to reduce swelling and allow the white blood cells to get in there and repair damage...NOT to mask the pain, so don't take it before running.

Speed walk: get those hips a-swingin' and walk as fast as you can. This strengthens the muscles around your bottom leg...you'll feel the burn plus get a great workout...I think it's more difficult than running!

Duck walk: walk with toes up, walk with toes pointed in and up, walk with toes pointed out and up...again strengthening the area

Stretch: Shin are often pulled loose because the calf muscle is too tight (causing shin splints). Do some downward doggie and toe flexors (sit on the ground point your toes then flex your feet and Hold)

See how it goes: If the pain gets worse, you might take some time off from running completely. See how the above tips work for you and if your legs feel better.

Follow the golden rule of running: only increase your milage by 10% per week. I know it's slow going, but better safe than sorry when it comes to injury! If you take some time off you don't really have to start at zero again. Just start with 2-3 miles on you running days the first week and move up slowly the following.

Hope you get to feeling better and running happily again soon!

Remember when...

2009-02-21T20:07:00.005-06:00

Remember when we were talking about that whole "I eat better when I work out and worse when I don't" cycle? It's odd because you'd think you would make a greater effort to eat healthier if you don't work out, and make the working out an excuse to eat worse. I enjoyed reading up a little on the topic with THIS little study that is somehow related.

I also find THIS website to be a bit of fun. I want to try out some of The Biggest Looser recipes! If you try some out, let me know and we'll keep the good ones.

Cookie Love

2009-02-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

I wrapped up some of this biscotti from MARTHA for a few Valentine's Day treats. I LOVE this recipe...so tasty, and a healthier way to curb a cookie craving. Here we go.

1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup boiling water
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 large eggs, plus 1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped

1. preaheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside. Place cranberries in a small bowl; add boiling water. Let stand until plump, about 15 mins. Drain, and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. In the bowl of electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on med speed until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mix and mix on low until combined. Mix in cranberries and pistachios.
3. Turn out dough (which is pretty sticky) onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape each piece into a 16x2 inch log, transfer to prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Flatten logs slightly with palm of hand. Brush beaten egg over surface of dough and sprinkle generously with sugar.
4. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until logs are slightly firm to touch, about 25 mins. Transfer logs on parchment paper to wire rack to cool slightly, about 20 mins. Reduce oven temp to 300.
5. Place logs on cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut logs crosswise on the diagonal into 1/2 inch thick slices. Arrange slices, cut sides down. Bake until firm to touch, about 30 mins. Remove pan from oven, let cool completely. Can be kept in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 week.

YUM!

March Marathon

2009-02-15T13:22:00.002-06:00

You know the drill (we did this last year), it's Marathon time! March 16th to the 22nd we'll hold a Marathon Week. Sign up now for a 1/2 or Full marathon and you have that week to get your miles in. I'm posting this early so you can start running and build up miles for the big event. Comment if you're in!

Training Log

2009-02-15T13:00:00.002-06:00

Who: Kelly Swanson

What: 20+ (I always error on the side of more) of fun, fun, fun!

When: Yesterday, Sat. 14th of Feb. 4:40am -7:39am (don't want to give away that minute) including 1 bathroom break (not necessarily in an actual bathroom), 5 pear eating stops, and 2 just making sure I didn't just step on something sick double takes.

Where: all over Northwest Houston...mostly on sidewalks and street, but a bit of comforting trails and grass.

Why: because I just have 2 more weeks till race time!

How: with a pear in one hand, a flashlight in the other, and a little wad of TP in my running shorts pocket (I'm tired of wiping with leaves). In my fav running shorts and t-shirt. Once again, I started out with Kathy Ireland (my old long sleevy), ditched her a few miles into the 66-60 degree weather run, and went back for her at the end. I'm never going to get rid of her. About the pear, very good and energizing, but a little sticky...nothing beats the clementine! About the flashlight, I couldn't take another morning of road kill fear so I thought I'd be smart and take a little light with me. Once out the door and down the street (much to far from home to turn back) I noticed that it was oddly light outside due to an overcast sky reflecting the city light? I don't know why some nights the sky is just lighter, but such it was. FELT GREAT! I continue to be surprised. I started out slow and comfy and kicked it in the last several miles. 3 hours for 20 miles is nothing to brag about, but I was glad I felt good and that I ran negative splits (not hard to do if you start out really slow!). I think I'll use this strategy in the race. Usually I run at a good clip in a marathon and hit a wall about mile 18 and end up "just trying to finish the race." This time if I start out slow, I hope to be feeling good down the last few miles.

Some might say I'm ridiculously excited about this race!

Training Log

2009-02-08T17:19:00.004-06:00

Who: some crazy lady who decided to run a marathon only one month in advance

What: 16+ miles at a moderate pace, negative splits. I was slow going out because I tortured myself with the thought of tripping over road kill in the dark...I was running rather cautiously.

When: yesterday, Feb. 7th. 5:30am-7:40...I would have started at 5am, but Maria woke up as I was sneaking out the door and I had to get her back to sleep before taking off.

Where: outside, I ran to my dentist's office and back. it was a balmy 60degrees.

Why: because I only have 3 more weeks till race time.

How: with a bag of grapes in one hand...not as good as the clementine from last week/I lugged that baggie the whole way/also poses a choking hazard. in shorts and a t-shirt. I started out with my trusty Kathy Ireland long sleeve that I bought as a sophomore in high-school from Shopko. I've been trying to ditch that thing at races and on long runs for years now, but when it comes down to saying goodbye for good, I always go back. Surprised again...felt great the whole time and played a fun game of tennis with pal Debora afterwards!

Who: girl on first long run in a long time. from 10 mile weeks (training for an unplanned 5k) to 13 in one day.

What: 13 miles easy to moderate, negative splits.

When: last Saturday, Jan 31. 5am to 6:30.

Where: outside in a FREEZING 40 degrees. Luckily at the last second I changed out of my running shorts and into some tights. Donning tights, long sleevy, and beanie I was still cold!

Why: because I'm a runner

How: with a clementine in hand...the perfect long run treat. I just pealed off a piece every few miles beginning after mile 6, plus the peal is bio-degrate so I had no guilty conscience tossing it into the ditch along the way. Suprised! I felt great the whole time and afterwards too...wow!

V & M part II

2009-02-06T21:55:00.002-06:00

Vitamin E: one primary role is to protect the polyunsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes against oxidative damage. Found in high-fat foods including vegetable oils (excluding corn and soybean oil), avocados, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, and whole grains. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) from food 22 IU, or 33 IU from synthetic form.

Vitamin C: searches and collects oxidants and free radicals, aids in regenerating vit. E, enhances iron absorption, improves gum health, assists in wounds healing and stimulates the immune system. Best sources of vitamin C are found in vegetables and fruits like broccoli, oranges, strawberries, grapefruit juice, and red bell peppers. It can be destroyed by exposure to heat. RDI for men 90 milligrams and 75 milligrams for women. Some recommend as much as 500-1,000 milligrams/day.

Beta-Carotine: not actually a vitamin, but a plant pigment that is converted to vitamin A once inside the body. The remaining beta-carotene acts as an antioxiant. Best sources are plants with dark, rich colors like carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, apricots, broccoli, and spinach.

Vitamin A: aids general growth and repair of body tissues, especially important for bone formation, night vision, and healthy skin and hair. RDA is 2,333 IU daily for women and 3,000 IU for men. and NO MORE than 5,000 IU.

Selenium: Works with other antioxidant nutrients to combat cellular damage. As a trace mineral, it travels in soil and water. A few good sources are brazil nuts, tuna canned in oil, cod, noodles, turkey breast, spaghetti with meat sauce. RDA is 70 micrograms/day for men and 55 micrograms/day for women.

Zinc: Trace mineral that is part of about 300 different enzymes, playing a role in almost every process in your body. Soil is frequently deficient in zinc, limiting its availability in foods. Zinc deficiency is not uncommon and often seen as the most common of all mineral imbalances. The RDA is 15 milligrams.

Calcium: 99% found in bones and teeth, also required for blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and maintenance of normal blood pressure. Dairy products are the most common sources of calcium. Rhubarb, Swiss chard, spinach, beet greens, cocoa, soybeans, cashews, kale, alkaline foods, antacids, carbonated beverages, and megadosing calcium supplements are all things that decrease calcium absorption.

Vitamins and Minerals

2009-01-29T22:57:00.003-06:00

I'm still plugging along in my book Food for Fitness by Chris Carmichael and I've come across some more good info. I always like to think that we can get all of the vits and minerals we need from food, but often times we don't eat the right way to ensure that this happens. If you KNOW you're one of those people I would recommend a good supplement. Here are a few tips to getting a quality pill to pop.

Vitamin E: look for the "d-" form instead of the "dl-" form of "d-alpha tocopherol" which is the name of the natural form of the vitamin.

Vitamin A: supplement should contain no more than 5,000 IU because it is a fat-soluble vitamin and can become toxic with excessive supplementation.

Calcium: pick a supplement with chelated calcium instead of calcium carbonate as it is a more absorbable form of calcium. Also, be aware that taking calcium and iron together can inhibit absorption of the iron and other minerals. (Cocoa also decreases the absorption of calcium...causing me to think twice about Hot Chocolate that has "just as much calcium as a glass of milk").

*"GMP" or "cGMP" on the label means current Good Manufacturing Practices.

*When looking ofr chelated minerals, which are more absorbable than non-chelated minerals, the industry leader is Albion.

*"USP" on the label indicates that the product has passed minimum standards on how fast it dissolves.

Next time I'll tell you more about these Vits and Mins, what foods deliver the goods, and other great things.

5k ROUNDUP

2009-01-27T21:59:00.003-06:00

I'm RUNNING A MARATHON! I just agreed to pull it off with my cousin Kristen, and I'm so excited. I've refused for months, feeling like I didn't have time to train, or rather train the way I like to. The marathon is in ONE MONTH, so this is going to hurt, but like I said, for some reason I'm really excited. My goal has been to run a marathon between each kid, but I kind of gave this up as unrealistic for me and called it good with the 1/2 marathon I did earlier this year. However, I'm glad to have this opportunity to get the goal done.

This post however is not about me, but rather about the 5k race. It's such a great race, difficult, fast, fun, and pretty easy to train for. I've had several friends mention that they'd like to get ready for a 5k, I'd like to run one myself (after the marathon!). I have previously posted some 5k training tips/workouts that you can find in Labels under 5k (tricky tricky). I'd like to add to the collection though.

Here are 5 (4 rather, but 5 sounded better) tips for 5ks. With more to come in the future...

1. Sign up for a race or two. I'd recommend signing up for a race just 2 months after you've begun training. Think of it as a practice race. Even though you may not feel ready in time for the race, it will give you motivation to keep training. If you schedule a race 6 months in advance, you'll have too much time and too many excuses until you get to the starting line. Use this practice race to get a good idea of where you're at. If you've never run a 5k, you'll have your first racing time. You can use this to plug into workouts and to push yourself to improve for the next race. Schedule your next race just a month or two following your practice race. This will give you time to continue training and improving.

2. Start where you're at. If you've just taken up running, try using the 3 to 30 rule. Jog for 3 minutes and walk for 30 seconds. You can also use land marks...run to that pole and walk to the mailbox. Gradually increase your running time and decrease your walking breaks. As a beginner, I would still recommend doing some speed work because the 5k race is a fast one. If you only have 3 days to train, try two days of milage 3-5 miles and one day of speed work like sprints down your road 8 times with 1 minute of recovery. This speed work will actually improve your longer mile days, making your body more efficient and strong.

3. Weight train/yoga. On "rest" days when you're not running, add some strength training and yoga. Doing lunges and pushups in the comfort of your own home are great. Pull out what in-home exercise equipment you do have and USE IT! Look up some moves at Yoga Journal (link supplied at left) and keep yourself flexible and injury free.

4. Don't get bored. Make sure to mix up what you're doing. If you don't naturally LOVE to go out for a run, you might not want to fool yourself into thinking you're going to go out for 5 miles everyday. Use my suggestions and mix in sprints, jump roping, biking, and yoga. Break up the miles by doing 2 minutes fast, 1 minute slow. I LOVE to run and I've been bored before, so I know it can happen to everyone. Don't go out and run around the same 3 blocks everyday or you'll loose the excitement, adventure, and fun that is running!

A new perspective (and a giveaway!)

2009-01-23T23:36:00.001-06:00

I am about to finish up a great read Food for Fitness by Chris Carmichael, Neal Armstong's famous coach. This book is written for the serious athlete or someone who would like to become so. However, one of my favorite points he makes is good for EVERYBODY. I'll just quote him on this one.

"I prefer to group foods into three categories: quality carriers, empty carriers, and pollutant carriers. Quality carriers are the nutritional equivalent of the motor yacht: powerful, impressive, and stocked with amenities. Empty carriers are more like your standard rowboat: a no-frills, unrewarding, and inefficient way to get where you're going. Finally, the pollutant carrier is essentially a garbage barge: a vessel whose cargo does you more harm than good."

He then includes a table with some examples of foods from the three categories.

Quality Carriers: Spinach, whole-grain cereal and bread, salmon, sweet potatoes, Kiwi, Chicken breasts, brown rice, soy milk

Empty Carriers: Cola, low-fat candy, Kool Aid, Prestzels, Low-fat cookies, iceberg lettuce, white rice

Pollutant Carriers: Pork rinds, high-fat candy, doughnuts, lard, french fries, fried chicken, high-fat meats

Thinking about food this way has motivated me to think twice about what's on the way to my mouth. Do I want to put something that would pollute my body into my mouth? If I want to run fast, shouldn't I eat some quality carriers?

Hopefully you'll think twice about putting a trash bag full of dirty socks, stinky diapers, and dead bugs (or doughnuts, lard and french fries) into your mouth next time!

I just found this GREAT GIVEAWAY on a DREAMY JOGGING STROLLER! Check it out!

An EZ solution to dinner time blues!

2009-01-16T13:35:00.002-06:00

Meal planning got you stressed? Between grocery shopping and thinking of something the whole family will eat-you can get stuck in the middle with a headache. Have I got a solution for you...

I was just clued into THIS great site for affordable, low-fat, family meal planning. It really makes planning grocery shopping and meal a cinch! You can choose from different grocery stores in your area and a meal is build around what is on sale. A recipe for every night of the week, whether you have a family of 2 or 7! You can choose a low fat, vegetarian, low carb, affordable meal plan. So CHECK IT OUT and see what you think. This may be the answer to dinner prep stress for you and your family.

Drum roll please!!!

2009-01-12T22:45:00.004-06:00

I am finally happy to announce the winner of the Happy Healthiday Challenge. Once again, I want to thank everyone who participated and congratulate you all on your great efforts to be healthy through the difficult fudge, I mean, holiday season.

Without further adieu....Kim is our winner! This girl has really made a great effort throughout the entire challenge (and I should know, I see her at the gym working hard!). With a background of successful weight loss, I thought it would be great to have a mini interview with Kim and get ideas and tips from one who knows.

What keeps you motivated to workout and eat healthy?

Honestly, there are 3 things and the first one is really dumb 1. I am constantly fighting my body to be something that someday I will figure out it just is not (that probably didnt make sense, but more simply put, I'm not a skinny Minnie and so if I don't eat right the majority of the time and sweat regularly, its not pretty). Reason #2 It is crazy how my body reacts to eating well compared to not eating well in terms of energy, sleep patterns, cough bowel movements cough cough, etc and so I try to eat healthy because I feel so much better when I do! 3. Im competitive, what can i say!

What is a typical workout like for you?

It depends on if my husband and I only brought one car... typically I do an average of 30 minutes of cardio (20-45 min) and then I lift weights, alternating body parts. I prefer free weights to most weight machines. I try to to hit the gym 5-6 days a week. I have recently started doing yoga 2-3 times a week as well and that is a great addition! My weakness: plyometric exercises. I don't enjoy doing them at all, and I therefore dont' do them enough.

How do you drink so much water (this one is really for me!)?

lol...consistently and all throughout the day. My trick is that I have a water bottle I carry with me all day long all the time and so if it is there, I will drink it.

What is a guilty indulgence for you? How do you keep yourself in control over your appetite?

hmmm...it depends on the moment. I would have to say most often I am most willing to give into my love for ice cream, but I try not to keep it in the house and I really like the dreyers slow churned, 1/2 fat stuff. If I am craving chocolate I will allow myself one small dove dark chocolate and that usually does it or I love these dark chocolate covered soy nuts by South Beach Diet.

What are a few tips you could share with others relating to health and fitness that help you or that you especially like?

- Learn what the difference is between a smart carbohydrate and a bad carb and then test it out to see how it affects your body.
- Eating 6 small portioned meals throughout the day is a great alternative to 3 large meals.
-A really hard one that I am still learning is: Even if you are not seeing results, keep at it becuase it is making a big difference on the inside (we love healthy hearts!).

Can you tell a difference in your energy level/ overall well being when you're sticking to a healthy eating plan and regular exercise (expound)?

For Shizzzle. I think anyone could tell you that they feel much better eating fresh produce, solid proteins and good carbs than cheeseburgers and fries. And when you eat healthy, it is a lot easier to exercise. One motivates the other often times! A strange phenomenon I find is that many times on days I don't workout, I am not as caucious with what I eat. You would think it would be opposite because I would think "I worked out really hard today and so I will allow myself this _______" but most of the time when I exercise I eat better becuase I really want to make it count!

Anything else you'd like to share....That's about it!

Thanks Kim! Congrats and here's to cash in your pocket!

Two great new resources..and a GIVEAWAY

2009-01-09T07:18:00.001-06:00

I can take no credit for finding these wonderful sites because they sort of found me. Heather, from Simply Healthful, commented on my Health and Fitness blog and I've been drooling ever since. Simply Healthful is a fun blog all about good, healthy food, ideas, and fun. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Not to mention they're doing a FREE GIVEAWAY for that great plate above from Amy at Super Healthy Kids and Healthy Habits Plates, but it ENDS TODAY so hurry and sign up. This ties in well with my last post on "Thin Kids."

And the winner is...

2009-01-04T22:21:00.001-06:00

I have no idea because you crazy people won't get your points in! Please get them in so I can declare something soon!

Love Kel

The End

2009-01-03T08:44:00.001-06:00

Yeah! You all made it through the Happy Healthiday Challenge! We ended Jan. 1 with the New Year. I hope you had a great finish and a brand new healthy start!

I, as always, am waiting for people to get their numbers in. As soon as I get home (tomorrow) I will get numbers posted and name the winner. Stay posted for an interview with that healthy lady.

If you turned in an article/report that still has not been posted yet, you still get the points.

Please get numbers in and CONGRATULATIONS to all participants for making healthy choices and staying motivated through the difficult holiday months.

Final Week

2008-12-29T16:08:00.003-06:00

This is the Final Week of the Challenge!! We end Jan. 1st, but I hope you don't drop your new healthy habits! Squeeze all of the points in there that you can and give yourself a pat on the back for making it through this long, Holiday Challenge. I really am so happy with all of you who have made the effort and stuck in there until the end. Yes, there were people who originally signed up, paid money, and haven't done a thing since. I hope those people will try again, but I am proud of those who stayed with me even if you don't end up on top of the point list.

Great Job!