Random Tuesday Thoughts

Not in a great mood tonight, and too much on my mind, so you get a random stream of consciousness bullet post. 

• Ran 4 miles this morning with my group that was a bit fast for a recovery run, but it felt great in the cooler air. 
• I wore my Tough Girl Skirt for this morning's run, even though at 55º it was not nearly cold enough for that, but it was a good test. I think it may be warm enough for running in Georgia. I'll try to post a full review later. 
• Work is stressful with too much to get done before vacation. Of course, falling into a daily sugar comma from all the holiday treats is not helping. Tis the season.
• Christmas shopping is stressing me out too. I suck at this.
• I made a new whole wheat cookie recipe tonight, with honey as the sweetener, that Jason loved. They're really fluffy. We'll see how they taste tomorrow. Recipe: Whole White Wheat and Honey Chocolate Chip Cookies
• My 10K Fun Run on Saturday is gaining some more interest, so I may need to step up the planning (that's scary lol). I'm excited to see everyone in their festive attire and to get to run with some in the program from other groups that I would normally not run with. 
• I have 2 more days of work, then I am off for 11 days! I CANNOT WAIT! =) They announced an extra day off yesterday, and I'm grateful to have at least one day off to myself before and after the madness that is the holiday season.

Week 50 Recap

Didn't do as well with yoga this week, but still managed 5 sessions so that's not bad. I took it a bit easier during the week because I knew I had a 20+ long run on Saturday and wanted to be rested for it, so I chose extra sleep over yoga more often. I ran my usual 3 times with some quality workouts: hill repeats, 400 repeats, and the 22 miler.

I'm excited that with only 2 weeks to go, I've almost run 900 miles in 2011 and will surpass that by year's end. The next 2 weeks will be a little light on milage since I'll be on vacation and tapering for a half marathon on New Year's Day, so I won't reach 950. That's ok; it gives me something to shoot for next year ;)

This week is going to be lots of fun. On Thursday our running group is hosting a Holiday 5K Fun Run, and on Saturday I'm hosting a 10K around downtown Orlando. I plan to dress in festive attire for both occasions and have a blast. I've got tons of deadlines at work, so I can really use these runs to relief stress. I may even bring some running clothes to work to get in a short run during lunch to blow off some steam and burn off all the sugar I'm consuming from generous coworkers :)

Week Summary:

• ran 33 miles (895 ytd)
• walked 12 miles (421 ytd)
• 5 yoga sessions; 76 minutes 
• HBBC Week 4: 37.4 points

Cooking Marathon and Recipe Roundup

I miraculously slept in until 8 am today, then promptly did 25 minutes of yoga. Most of the soreness from yesterday's 22 miler was gone, but then we embarked on a marathon cooking and cleaning session (bathroom including scrubbing the tub + laundry) that completely destroyed my legs and hips. We wanted to cook all perishables before we go on vacation, and I felt like baking ... a LOT. Below is a list of everything Jason and I cooked/baked/prepared today, with recipe links if you want to try them yourself :)

1. Granola - we make 1-2 batches per week
2. Whole Wheat Bread (bread machine recipe) - Jason also make this weekly
3. Spinach/Pesto Humus - I don't follow a recipe, just combined the following to taste: chickpeas, olive oil, dash of sesame oil (instead of tahini), garlic, basil, spinach, walnuts, salt and pepper
4. Quiche with Homemade Whole Wheat Crust - toppings: spinach, basil, garlic, green peas, spices.
5. Mint Ice Cream - half & half, honey, maple syrup and mint extract
6. Whole Wheat Crackers - needed something to dip in the humus ;)
7. Whole Wheat Biscuits - for the vegetarian chili I made yesterday, but tried using the food processor to mix it and they came out horrible and had to toss them :( 
8. Spinach, Feta and Orzo Salad - trying to use up the spinach
9. Whole Wheat Cut Out Cookies (Ginger/Cinnamon) - couldn't find my gingerbread man mold, so I just make little round cookies, like ginger snaps.
10. Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies - needed something with chocolate :)
11. Eggplant Balls - dinner to use up the eggplant, served with marinara sauce.

In addition to this, we have a ton of leftovers from the past few days, so we shouldn't need to cook much for the rest of the week. That will make it a lot less stressful so we can just relax when we get home from work. 

1. Vegetarian Chili - no recipe, I just wing it. This one had black beans, yellow and orange bell peppers, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, frozen corn, and the usual spices served over quinoa for extra protein and texture. 
2. Chickpea Vegetable Bake - Another great way to use up lots of veggies before they go bad. The chickpeas provide the protein and are just so yummy. We used butternut squash, red onions, asparagus, red and sweet potatoes, chickpeas, almonds and seasoned it with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.
3. Baked Falafel - in case you haven't noticed, we love chickpeas ;) Served this with mashed potatoes and sauté green beens in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with garlic, red onions and almonds.
4. Tomato Curry Lentil Stew

Marathon 3 Training: 22 Miles!

This morning I ran my first 20+ long run since the marathon 3 weeks ago. It was a little rough because it was humid from the start at 4 am and it warmed up quite a bit by the time I finished at 9:30 am effectively zapping my energy, but I had a great time running with my group and helping many of them finish their longest run ever.

We started with 8 miles at 4 am and already had 11 runners with us. I kept counting them at each water stop to make sure i didn't lose anyone lol. At 6 am, we picked up 4 more for another 8 mile loop, then dropped off a few at 8 am and went back out for another 6-10 miles. We did a great job sticking to our training pace. Other than the typical soreness that comes from running this long, nothing hurt like it was injured or to the level I experienced at the marathon.

To be safe, we ran with 1:1 intervals at a pace no faster than 13 min/mi for the first 20 miles. After that the 7 of us that were left dispersed and finished on our own, some keeping the same intervals all the way to the end, some walking, and I chose to switch to a slow 3:1 interval for the last 2 miles because at that point it felt easier to run for longer slower intervals than walk more often. I ran a total of 22.26 miles in 4:59:02 at an average pace 13:26. I don't think I had negative splits, but I did keep a fairly consistent pace throughout. See the map for details http://j.mp/td1J6K -- I think those 2 slow miles where when I forgot to stop the app while waiting to cross some intersections.

After I got back to the school, I hydrated, refueled, and stretched while I waited for those who were running an addition 4 miles. It was the first 26 mile run for 2 of them and I wanted to be there to see them finish. Both finished their last long run with a smile and are now ready to taper for the Disney Marathon in 3 weeks.

As soon as I got home, I sat in a bath of cold water (no ice this time), showered and covered myself in compression gear. It was already past 11 am and I was starving, so we went to 5 & Diner for my favorite post-run meal: eggs, grilled cheese, and a black and white milkshake. We ran a few errands on the way home, then I took a nap and woke up renewed to cook some chilli before heading out for some holiday fun. I feel great now and hardly sore, so I'm forever grateful for compression pants :)

Friday Five: Top Running Gear

These are my top 5 pieces of running gear that I have with me on every run.

iPhone with Runmeter

After my Garmin stopped working, I spent a few dollars on an iPhone app before investing $80 to fix it, and it has worked out well this season. My dad lent me his for the marathon and I've used it on some training runs recently, but I prefer Runmeter because I can post my workout to Dailymile as soon as I'm done with 1 step. I also like carrying my phone on long runs for safety in case I need to call someone (like if I loose my car keys) or look at the map when I take a wrong turn :) 

Skirt Sports Gym Girl Ultra
Ever since I started running in these skirts,
I do not want to run in anything else.
They are so comfortable and stylish. 

Bondi Band
I love these headbands for keeping my hair and sweat off my face,
and I love the witty sayings. I wear different ones depending
 on the outfit I'm wearing and how I feel that day. 

Road ID
I finally bought a road ID when I started
biking to work regularly, but I never run without it. 

Moving Comfort Fiona Sports Bra
This is just a necessity when you are a girl :)
I wear Target C9 bras for most of my mid-week runs,
but wear this one for long runs and races.

Three Things Thursday: Run Run Run!

#1: Track: I went to the track this morning for the first time in over a month and it felt great. I ran a total of 4.75 miles, including the warm up, cool down and six 400 meter repeats. I'm pleased that I could still pull off the pace I was targeting without much effort. And best of all, the IT band behaved. I've taken recovery really seriously, being really diligent about listening to my body, walking lots, and finding time for yoga after every run to stay loose, and it's really paid off. By the way I feel and the way I've been performing, I would not believe I ran a marathon less than 3 weeks ago if I had not been there.

#2:  Long Run: I get to run 20+ miles this weekend and I could not be happier. Notice that I said that "I get to" instead of "I have to", because I am one of those freaks who actually enjoys long slow runs. I could run forever with the right pace and company, and I love my group to pieces. This should be all kinds of fun :)

#3: DeLeons Half Marathon: This will be my next race on January 1st! I am really excited to be starting off the year running a half marathon, which is the main reason I picked this race. The other reason I picked it is because it is a small, low key race with a few hundred runners (actually, there are only 101 registered so far and that includes 39 for the 5k). I prefer small races to the huge productions with thousands of runners. Some of my running friends did this race last year and did not care for it, but others like Jason loved it. I was a little torn so I contacted the race director to let him know of the issues I heard and asked how they were addressing them for this year. Today I received a detailed reply explaining every point I brought up and it was clear he had taken the time to investigate my claims to address them properly. I was really impressed and all the more glad I registered for this race. I had already registered before his reply and actually forgot I even wrote him. I planned to run it and worse case scenario carry my own water just in case. For $20, it more than meets my needs and half fanatic madness :)

Wordless Wednesday: Oh Christmas Tree

It's been a while since we've put up a Christmas tree. I think the last time was when we lived in the house. Ever since we moved into the apartment downtown, we usually just put up a tiny fake tree because we're usually too busy traveling to bother. But Jason really wanted a real tree this year, so he rode his bike to pick up a little one 2 weekends ago and we got the place decorated. I resisted it at first, but it was nice getting out the bows and ornaments again. It's definitely not little, but we made it work.

Two for Tuesday: Hills & Lil Sis

Hill Repeats

We did hill repeats this morning and it was a hell of a workout. It was really tiring because it's been a while, but I love how they make me feel and get my heart pumping. I must admit I've become fond of hills :) I never thought this day would come, but I can really see the benefits of doing hill repeats and I feel really strong. Every race I've done this year with hills has been a piece of cake. Ok, that is not entirely true because they still pose a bit of a challenge, but I am not afraid of them at all. I know how to run hills now, how to conserve energy, and they don't exhaust me. In fact, my next marathon in January will be on a hilly course and I'm kind of looking forward to the challenge.

Little Sister's Birthday


My little sister turned 31 yesterday and we went to dinner tonight with the whole family to celebrate. I cannot believe that my baby sister is already in her 30s, married, with 2 kids. In my head she is still 18; that would of course mean I'm still 20 lol I think I'll keep on living this fantasy ;) Her kids continue to be as adorable as ever, and Bella sure knows it. Alex is all giggles and starting to steal her thunder, so she has to keep bringing attention to herself any way she can. She's a smart cookie that one. It will be interesting when he is talking and walking too. And with my sister's birthday behind us, it means there is only 2 weeks until Christmas and the end of 2011 is near. Time sure flies when you are having fun! :)

Week 49 Recap

This was a nice recovery week where I just enjoyed being active. I ran 3 times, and they were all pure joy. The focus was on enjoying the run with friends and it was a blast. It was nice not having a prescribed workout and exploring new routes. I even managed to bike a little, to and from the run, and it felt great being on my bike again. I didn't walk as much as the previous week because I didn't do any walking on the weekend, but every weekday I walked at least 3 miles and some even 4.

The star of this week was yoga with 4 hours over 9 sessions! That means I did yoga twice on some days, even if some were only for 10 minutes, and it really helped keep me energized throughout the week. This morning I overslept so I didn't get to do my morning yoga, and I felt really lethargic and stressed all day. I know my body needed the extra sleep, but I really feel much better when I start the day with some exercise so I need to keep making that a priority.

This week I'm trying to focus on eating plenty of fruits and veggies. I can earn an additional point for the HBBC challenge everyday that I eat at least 7 servings of fruits and veggies, and this is a lot harder then I thought even as a vegetarian. I really think I'm counting wrong because I've been keeping track the last few days and the most I've eaten is today at 5.5 cups. I've lost my lead, but I'm going to keep at it -- I think some participants are mislabeled and should really be in the advanced category. But it's all good because I am doing this for me, having fun being more active and focusing on healthy eating to balance all the challenges of parties and eating out that the holiday season brings.

I get to run long again this Saturday, and I'm super excited! I LOVE slow long runs and I get see several from my group do their longest run ever. That's always really exciting.

Week Summary:

• ran 18 miles
• walked 17 miles
• biked 11 miles
• 9 yoga sessions; 4 hours
• HBBC Week 3: 54.5 points

Unconscious Mutterings

After yesterday's exhausting day, I took it easy today. I managed to sleep in until 8 am, then did an hour of power yoga with Rodney Yee. Went to a holiday party in the afternoon, and I'm now relaxing watching TV and cooking up beans for the week. So I thought a quick bit of free association from Unconscious Mutterings would be appropriate for today since I'm on a bit of autopilot. 

1. Dedication :: Marathon training
2. Dream destination :: Greece
3. Games :: Reindeer
4. Hard as :: Steel
5. Convict :: ion
6. Submit :: Lottery
7. Alcohol :: Mudslide
8. Clippers :: Nails
9. Hormonal :: Women
10. Diet :: meatless