Race and Overcast

Ah Again I let myself get remiss with posting. I am happy to report that I have stayed true to my 5 workouts a week and regular runs/what I am calling my pre-training schedule as well as eating mostly healthy - a few too many beers after a trip to a local brewery with some friends last weekend but the food choices were good and that's part of living ones life, right?

Though I must admit - a good portion of the lack of recent posts I blame primarly on the gray. While most of the country has been hit by Snowmagedon 2011 I have been stuck in the temperate overcast which most find unobtrusive however something happens to me and the general lack of vitamin D, it just sinks this sad feeling into me that spring will never come - at least my full spectrum light helps.

Back to the running - Yesterday the English Patient and I went for a run - just a short 2.3 miles but happily at a 10 minute mile pace or 9:36 - yes two gals with Finance and Accounting backgrounds couldn't figure out exact pacing. Eh well, a run is a run! Also we are both working to the same goals - an upcoming race. Yes that's right I have signed up for my first ever half marathon and first race in several...several years.

Time to Rock and Roll baby!!

After quizzing some friends/co-workers etc. about up coming local races I've settled on the Seattle Rock and Roll half-marathon. Actually I settled on it at the beginning of the month but for some reason I have been reluctant to post about it - perhaps I'm nervous, scared, excited. But I will do it! And according some training plans I have oodles of time. But I haven't been wasting any time.

With regard to my last post the turkey chili turned out great! After having a new type of chili I adapted my usual recipe and the result was pretty good if I do say so myself.

Serves 6 (Dinner sized bowls)
In the mix:
1T Olive Oil
20oz Lean Ground Turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 15oz can Kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 15oz can Pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
Chili Powder
Cayanne Pepper
Garlic Powder

In a stock pot saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes. Next add the ground beef and cook over medium high head until browned, another 6-8 minutes - add seasoning to desired amounts - I'm really bad about using measuring spoons for spices, I'm much more of a spice, taste, repeat when it comes to recipes I've made up. Next add beans and tomatoes, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. There it is Turkey Chili!

More next time :)

Soreness and Snack Fails

Today feels a little weird for a Thursday. First - I didn't pack a lunch or green monster - here's to a healthy work cafeteria! Secondly - I didn't pack gym clothes. This was on purpose. Right now I am in my 8 week 'pre-half marathon' training - which is pretty much like my workouts before I decided to run a half - just with on purpose running days (2x wk to start). So here is what the week typically looks like:

Sunday - Run (longer distance - typically outdoors)

Monday - Cardio Circuit Class

Tuesday - Interval Training Class

Wednesday - ZUMBA!

Thursday - Run (shorter distances - typically indoors)

Friday - Rest

Saturday - Rest or Crosstrain (Elliptical/Kettlebell etc) or Rest

Sundays run was good, felt great even though it was super cold. Monday's class, very good bit of a but kicker if you recall my 4 minutes of planky type things + bicycle crunches for nearly 2 minutes. Well Tuesday my ribs/obliques were sore to the touch but everything else felt fine so on to Interval Training. Where I was the only one in attendance due to SNOW WATCH (it melted by my morning coffee). So it turned into a bit more of personal training which was awesome! I learned new moves for body weight and weight training and got some really great cardio bursts in between. However Wednesday morning I was feeling the tip-toed plie squats, presses, plank jumpy mountain climber things and the pick up the weight and put it on the shelf thing (I really should learn all the names of these moves) - but its ZUMBA, I can't not go to ZUMBA!

I woke up this morning and sounded and felt like an old lady getting out of bed - and not old ladies like grandmas who hike mountains and are yogis - sterotypical old ladies who pinch cheeks and talk about when cars were a rare sight and you could eat an orange peel for candy. So in the interest of listening to my body I am swaping Friday Rest with Thursday Run. Now I must maintain motivation to work out on a Friday which is a rarity for me.

On another note my food sans packed lunch was good, oats with PB and half a banana for breakfast. Favorite salad for lunch with very good dark seedy bread and clementines. However the one thing I did bring was my snack...but alas - major snack fail. I have learned there is only one brand of greek yogurt I like - Fage 2% and nothing else. My luscious planned snack of fresh braburn apple slices with smooth rich Oikos yogurt with honey turned out to be more like the attack of too sweet white goop and mealy apple mess. Almonds in my snack drawer came to my rescue but the damage had been done.

Turkey Chili with cornbread on the menu board for the night (perhaps pictures and a recipe later). Now what to do with myself since I'm home while the sun is still behind a thick layer of gray as opposed to sleeping past the horizon?

Plan overs

My grandma (Grammy) doesn't call them leftovers - they are planovers. You planned to make that much food so they aren't sad little left behind overs. Today was full over some planned overs (except breakfast).

I feel like Mondays tend to set the tone for the week. So I love it when a Monday goes like today. Get to work early, be productive at work, get in a good work out.A green monster with half a banana and almond milk paired with a small bowl of oatmeal with PB.

Lunch was leftover pork and roasted root veggies - just as good the next day! Bulked up the meal with some grilled veggies from the salad bar. Sorry no pictures forgot my camera at home. Today is 'Cardio Circuit Class' at my gym with one of my favorite instructors although it was a butt kicker. It included among other things 4 minutes straight of plank/plank variations and there was a puddle of sweat under my face with half my makeup.

Dinner felt more like an assembly night rather than a cook night - plus I had plan-over rotisserie chicken from Friday's snack night. So here's what I started with...And this is what I came up with - using the last of the spinach, chicken, and homemade hummus.I'm thinking this makes for a lovely little treat at the end of the day as well.
What day does your week start and what makes for a good start for the week?

A Sunday in food pictures

Overall - this was a pretty good Sunday. Started out with a pot of coffee and a whole wheat Eggo with Adams All Natural Peanut Butter and half a banana. Followed by a 3 mile run exploring yet another new neighborhood. This time I didn't really map my run before taking off and instead just let the map my run app on my phone do the work. Very glad I wore gloves as opposed to last Sunday where I am pretty sure my fingers almost froze off.

Lunch afterward was a good use of leftovers I thought - leftover spicy turkey burger (will share the recipe another time) in half a pita with hummus lettuce and a couple clementines. Also had the Husbands leftover salad from our teriyaki lunch yesterday - he never eats it.

P.S. That Guiness glass is full of ice tea :)

This was followed by getting very upset with the Football playoff game and in the 4th quarter I decided making cookies was a better use of time. The husband had mentioned our lack of dessert options in the house and Chocolate Chip cookies just happen to be my specialty - if I have a specialty that is.

This right here is possibly the best stocking stuffer I have ever gotten as I have a knack for burning myself while cooking/baking etc.

COOKIES!!!
The secret is...truly cream the butter - and use bread flour.

Dinner was inspired by a post by Tina over at Carrots N Cake. The honey roasted root veggies turned out great. That there on the right is a simply seared and roasted pork tenderloin brushed with mustard garlic and wine while roasting.
Mmmmm... very tasty
And plenty for leftovers. Laundry, running, baking, cookie - all in all a pretty productive Sunday. Now for a cookie and a glass of milk to finish in my evening - and then time to cuddle up with the Husband, cat, and Netflix instant queue.

Smiles

There was a time when I didn't smile a whole lot - not because I was angry or sad, just not a smiley person. A homeless man stopped me in the street a couple years ago and told me to smile. Which at the time bothered me for some reason, but then I realized why not smile?

It takes a little effort for someone whose mouth naturally turns down but it feels good. It feels better when something makes you smile and you don't even realize it.

Some things that made me smile today...

Breakfast!

I hadn't had oatmeal in a couple weeks (not for any other reason than I've been on an eggs kick) and today's was particularly tasty with a little brown sugar, dried cranberries, and milk.

My cat
I mean really how does that not make you smile?

My favorite salad from the salad bar at work; a combo of spring greens, turkey, tomatoes, carrots, crasins, and just a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles - topped with canola oil and some mustard.

An entertaining e-mail from the husband. And the most of the exciting smile of the day was the one I noticed plastered on face from ear to ear in my Zumba class. I've been going to the one class a week I can make for the last 3 months or so and have enjoyed it every time but this is the first time I can remember seeing myself smiling - twas good.

What makes you smile?

Holiday Recap

Now to catch up just a little bit:

While a mere 2 inches may cause 30+ people to abandon their cars on the side of the highway Snowmageddon 2010 didn't us from getting out and visiting family over Thanksgiving. It was great to be out and be with family and friends we rarely see.

The Husband and I need to get better at White Elephant parties (anyone need a OU grill?)

Christmas was great. Family, food, wine, Scrabble. The husband got me a Magic Bullet (I think my green monster habit – using the whole blender might have been getting to him) and an amazing new digital camera. Day after Christmas myself, my mom, and my grandmother all hiked Pinnacle Peak in AZ. (see – good camera!)

New Years was low key which is personally how I like it. Now on to the fun part – viva la revolution! Or Resolution…I've typically been one of those people who if I make a resolution my Valentine's Day I'm on to something new or different and when I want to accomplish something I just get out there and do it regardless of the time of year. So to keep in line with who I am these are some pretty loose objectives for the year.

Run More

See previous post regarding why I thought I hated running and then learned I hate running in the same scenery without water or music.

I have decided I enjoy running, I may not love it yet – but its still early and every time I go out I enjoy it a bit more. For the last year I have been playing around with the idea of running a half-marathon well now seems about a good time to start working toward that. So time to buck up and get going – now which run to run? Any recommendations?

Worry Less

I am by my nature a planner. I plan most everything – and I plan well. I have a spreadsheet or list or budget for just about everything (and its typically color coded). I plan meals/grocery shopping, workouts, travel, finances, work, projects etc.

However for some reason I still allow myself to worry. I'm not sure how I will worry a little less this year other than to trust myself a bit more. I've identified the variables and thought of contingency plans so what else is there to worry about?

Speaking of worries prior to the Holidays I realized I needed to take a little break from the scale – I was letting the number get the best of me and tracking what I ate and did at a level that made me feel uncomfortable (backstory on weight loss at a later date). So for two plus weeks I have been just listening to my body. And I have to say I’m feeling very free, happy, and comfortable (and my pants are even a little roomy). I think this may really be me living a healthy sometimes indulgent life - and less worries

Overall it was a great Holiday season!

Dear Blog

Dear Blog,
I'm sorry I abandoned you during the holidays. I resolve (and not just as part of that whole New Years thing) to share with you (almost) daily. I know I will a day here and there and it's not because I don't like you or need you – I'm just simply a gal with a busy life but I will do my best to make time for you.
--The Chick