Today Brad and I looked at the ominous weather forecast (storms all day) and decided to go back to the furniture store we went to last Saturday to look at some living room furniture. We found some couches that we want to buy, but we left empty handed again! Brad wants to think about it some more -- it's a big investment, and one that we will have to live with for a long time! I think we will be going back to buy them, though, because we both really like them and we seriously need new living room furniture. The small, uncomfortable, dog-stained hand-me-downs just aren't cutting it anymore.
Anyway, I was planning an 11 mile run today, but decided to push it back until tomorrow because of the forecast. Wouldn't you know, it ended up being nice and sunny all afternoon. When we got home, I put on my running clothes and went for a very easy 2 mile run. I am running my 11-miler tomorrow, and I normally take the day before my long runs off completely. Just after I got back home the wind started blowing like crazy, and the skies are all black. Brad is out there on his road bike -- I can't imagine how he could be riding in this wind!
Also, I received a box of Easter candy in the mail from my mother yesterday, including Peeps and Cadbury Creme Eggs, two of my absolute favorite things in the whole world.
Wow, this is all very stream-of-consciousness.
Week 2 Training:
Monday - Yoga
Tuesday - 3 miles steady
Wednesday - 4 miles, with 4 horrible, hellish hill sprints at the end
Thursday - 3 miles steady
Friday - Blissful Rest
Saturday - 2 miles easy peasy
Sunday - 11 miles
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
32 Going on 13(.1)
After weeks of quietly training, I finally signed up for the Decker's Creek Trail Half Marathon. The race is on June 4th, and I am simultaneously excited and terrified. 13.1 miles is a long distance to run, but I feel confident that I can do it. I just hope I don't win the caboose award for bringing up the rear.
Of course, I will be completing, not competing. I do have a goal time in mind, but that is plan B. Plan A is just to finish. I read a lot of runners' blogs, and I can't help but compare my slow running times to their much speedier ones. Not to mention all of the seriously fast runners who will be running the half marathon that day, who will probably be showered and on their way home by the time I finish. It's going to be very hard, but I'm going to try to only focus on myself, how I feel, and the goal at hand -- just to do it.
Brad, who has been sidelined for the last few weeks with a knee injury and is missing the beginning of his race season as we speak, helped me set up a training plan for the 8 weeks leading up to the race. This week was week 1 of his plan, and so far I've been doing well.
Week 1 Training:
Monday - Yoga
Tuesday - 3 miles intervals
Wednesday - 3 miles steady (I actually ran intervals this day instead)
Thursday - 3 miles intervals (I actually ran steady / tempo on this day)
Friday - Blissful rest!
Saturday - 9 miles
Sunday - 3 miles easy / recovery
You will see that this plan has me running 5 days a week, and before I had been running 3 or 4 and taking at least two complete rest days per week. It's going to be hard, but everything in life worth doing is hard.
Of course, I will be completing, not competing. I do have a goal time in mind, but that is plan B. Plan A is just to finish. I read a lot of runners' blogs, and I can't help but compare my slow running times to their much speedier ones. Not to mention all of the seriously fast runners who will be running the half marathon that day, who will probably be showered and on their way home by the time I finish. It's going to be very hard, but I'm going to try to only focus on myself, how I feel, and the goal at hand -- just to do it.
Brad, who has been sidelined for the last few weeks with a knee injury and is missing the beginning of his race season as we speak, helped me set up a training plan for the 8 weeks leading up to the race. This week was week 1 of his plan, and so far I've been doing well.
Week 1 Training:
Monday - Yoga
Tuesday - 3 miles intervals
Wednesday - 3 miles steady (I actually ran intervals this day instead)
Thursday - 3 miles intervals (I actually ran steady / tempo on this day)
Friday - Blissful rest!
Saturday - 9 miles
Sunday - 3 miles easy / recovery
You will see that this plan has me running 5 days a week, and before I had been running 3 or 4 and taking at least two complete rest days per week. It's going to be hard, but everything in life worth doing is hard.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Best / Worst Run Ever
Yesterday was the day that I have been thinking about with simultaneous dread and excitement for weeks now. It was my very first 10 mile run.
I have been covertly training for something that I'm not ready to talk about yet, but it has involved running distances that I never thought I would be physically able to run (see above: 10 miles).
It's been well documented here that I was a fat kid / fat teenager / fat college student, and I grew up almost completely sedentary, using my energy to smoke and be angry at the world. I've never been athletic and I still don't consider myself an athlete, a runner, or even particularly fit. Just last summer, I thought running 5 miles was something I'd never be able to do. Now, 5 miles on nasty / lovely KSF trails is a great way to spend a weekend morning, or decompress after a rough day at work. It's still not easy for me, but it's fun and challenging in a good way.
Yesterday, I woke up and looked at the weather forecast. It was supposed to rain, and then not for several hours, and then rain again. So I hung out and drank coffee until about 10:30, when all signs of rain seemed to have passed. Brad taped up my knee for me, I packed some jelly beans, water, and my Uggs (for the drive home), and headed out to the state forest. I was wearing my new Brooks Cascadia 6's for their first long run and would be using this water bottle fanny pack thing that Brad bought for me. I was set.
I parked at the back of the forest and headed out. Uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, pass some mountain bikers, eat a few jelly beans, 5 miles. Easy peasy. I was at my turn-around point and feeling pretty good.
Then it started to rain. I was wearing knee-length tights, a tank top, a light jacket with thumbholes, and a running hat. I was warm enough, until the hail came. With it came wind. I was on the top of a ridge, and the wind blew right through my wet lycra and into my exposed ears. I was freezing and I had 5 miles to go!
I saw the mountain bikers again in another mile or so, they called me "fucking crazy" for running in the hail storm.
But it did end after a short while, I did make it back to my car, I did live to tell the tale. Of course it all seemed very dramatic at the time, but it was kind of awesome. I felt pretty bad ass.
I was freezing on the drive home. I was also starving, but I can't really eat for a few hours after a long or difficult run. All food is unappealing and I get sick to my stomach if I do eat. So I took a hot hot shower, made a smoothie and sipped it, wrapped in a blanket on the couch while watching Project Runway.
And today it is 65 and sunny. Ah, the irony.
I have been covertly training for something that I'm not ready to talk about yet, but it has involved running distances that I never thought I would be physically able to run (see above: 10 miles).
It's been well documented here that I was a fat kid / fat teenager / fat college student, and I grew up almost completely sedentary, using my energy to smoke and be angry at the world. I've never been athletic and I still don't consider myself an athlete, a runner, or even particularly fit. Just last summer, I thought running 5 miles was something I'd never be able to do. Now, 5 miles on nasty / lovely KSF trails is a great way to spend a weekend morning, or decompress after a rough day at work. It's still not easy for me, but it's fun and challenging in a good way.
Yesterday, I woke up and looked at the weather forecast. It was supposed to rain, and then not for several hours, and then rain again. So I hung out and drank coffee until about 10:30, when all signs of rain seemed to have passed. Brad taped up my knee for me, I packed some jelly beans, water, and my Uggs (for the drive home), and headed out to the state forest. I was wearing my new Brooks Cascadia 6's for their first long run and would be using this water bottle fanny pack thing that Brad bought for me. I was set.
I parked at the back of the forest and headed out. Uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, pass some mountain bikers, eat a few jelly beans, 5 miles. Easy peasy. I was at my turn-around point and feeling pretty good.
Then it started to rain. I was wearing knee-length tights, a tank top, a light jacket with thumbholes, and a running hat. I was warm enough, until the hail came. With it came wind. I was on the top of a ridge, and the wind blew right through my wet lycra and into my exposed ears. I was freezing and I had 5 miles to go!
I saw the mountain bikers again in another mile or so, they called me "fucking crazy" for running in the hail storm.
But it did end after a short while, I did make it back to my car, I did live to tell the tale. Of course it all seemed very dramatic at the time, but it was kind of awesome. I felt pretty bad ass.
I was freezing on the drive home. I was also starving, but I can't really eat for a few hours after a long or difficult run. All food is unappealing and I get sick to my stomach if I do eat. So I took a hot hot shower, made a smoothie and sipped it, wrapped in a blanket on the couch while watching Project Runway.
And today it is 65 and sunny. Ah, the irony.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
In a Funk
It's been a rough couple of weeks. Here's why:
1. My car has been in the shop for nearly 3 weeks and needs a new transmission, to the tune of several thousand dollars.
2. I dropped my phone last week and the screen now has a giant crack across it. My only option is to tape it up and keep using it. Can you say "ghetto?"
3. Brad had the flu since Sunday and is just now feeling back to his normal self. I have not gotten it yet, but I feel off. Head floaty and kind of like I got hit by a truck or fell down the stairs
4. Oh, wait. I FELL DOWN THE STAIRS TODAY.
I haven't put on make up or done anything with my hair all week. I don't normally doll up too much to work from home, but I at least usually wear normal clothes and do a little something with myself. I am a newlywed after all! This week? I went out in public wearing sweatpants and Ugg boots, having not showered. Granted, it was only to Rite Aid to get Brad's Tamiflu prescription filled, but still.
But today, after wallowing in my "I'm getting sick" and then my "I fell down the stairs" all day, I finally got up from my desk at 500, took a shower, dried my hair and put on jeans and some mascara. I feel 100% better (although my ass still hurts something fierce from my tumble).
I'm in a funk, you could say. But I'm trying to pull myself out of it.
I could really use a cupcake right about now.
1. My car has been in the shop for nearly 3 weeks and needs a new transmission, to the tune of several thousand dollars.
2. I dropped my phone last week and the screen now has a giant crack across it. My only option is to tape it up and keep using it. Can you say "ghetto?"
3. Brad had the flu since Sunday and is just now feeling back to his normal self. I have not gotten it yet, but I feel off. Head floaty and kind of like I got hit by a truck or fell down the stairs
4. Oh, wait. I FELL DOWN THE STAIRS TODAY.
I haven't put on make up or done anything with my hair all week. I don't normally doll up too much to work from home, but I at least usually wear normal clothes and do a little something with myself. I am a newlywed after all! This week? I went out in public wearing sweatpants and Ugg boots, having not showered. Granted, it was only to Rite Aid to get Brad's Tamiflu prescription filled, but still.
But today, after wallowing in my "I'm getting sick" and then my "I fell down the stairs" all day, I finally got up from my desk at 500, took a shower, dried my hair and put on jeans and some mascara. I feel 100% better (although my ass still hurts something fierce from my tumble).
I'm in a funk, you could say. But I'm trying to pull myself out of it.
I could really use a cupcake right about now.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Recipe: Carrot Cake Smoothie
I love smoothies, but I normally put the same basic ingredients in every one that I make: banana, almond milk, spinach, and protein powder. Blah. I'm getting sick of these, so today for lunch I decided to try something new. There are many versions of a carrot cake smoothie out there, but I threw this together with what I had on hand and it's delicious!
You can't tell in this picture that it's a pretty peach color!
You can't tell in this picture that it's a pretty peach color!Carrot Cake Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 c. unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of your choice)
1/2 c slightly cooked, cooled carrots (I microwaved sliced carrots in a bit of water for about a minute, then ran them under cold water to cool them off)
1 banana
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut
1 serving vanilla protein powder
a few drops of vanilla extract
a few shakes of ginger and ground cloves
a healthy dusting of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional -- makes smoothies thick and fluffy)
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional -- keeps smoothies from separating)
6 ice cubes
Blend. Pour. Slurp. Enjoy!
And since I'm back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon, this whole smoothie is only 5 points (it could be more or less depending upon protein powder brands. I used Trader Joe's whey protein).
Ingredients:
1 c. unsweetened almond milk (or other milk of your choice)
1/2 c slightly cooked, cooled carrots (I microwaved sliced carrots in a bit of water for about a minute, then ran them under cold water to cool them off)
1 banana
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut
1 serving vanilla protein powder
a few drops of vanilla extract
a few shakes of ginger and ground cloves
a healthy dusting of cinnamon
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum (optional -- makes smoothies thick and fluffy)
1/4 tsp. guar gum (optional -- keeps smoothies from separating)
6 ice cubes
Blend. Pour. Slurp. Enjoy!
And since I'm back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon, this whole smoothie is only 5 points (it could be more or less depending upon protein powder brands. I used Trader Joe's whey protein).
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Football: A Personal History
Despite the Packers fervor that surrounded me, I never watched football growing up. I was this kind of punk/smart girl hybrid who read Bukowski, smoked cigarettes on my lunch break, and thought I was way too cool to go to prom (nevermind that no one actually asked me -- I was too punk rock for formals anyway). I watched exactly one Packer game in my youth -- It was Superbowl XXXI in 1996. I was a senior in high school. My dad and my uncle Tom were at the game in New Orleans. Brett Favre was in the prime of his career and Desmond Howard made a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Packers won.
Fast forward ten years. I move from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh, and it's the first time I've lived in a city with an NFL team. Everyone in Pittsburgh is obsessed with football. Everywhere you look it's black and gold. At first I ignored the terrible towels and the football potlucks at work. I saw Troy Polamalu at the airport once and didn't know what all the fuss was about. Brad and I took to calling Ben Roethlisberger "Toothlessberger." I met some friends who also didn't watch football, and I planned my weekly grocery store trips for when the Steelers were playing. The shops were always dead.
At some point during the 3.5 years we lived in Pittsburgh, though, something changed. It started when I realized what a great player Troy Polamalu actually was. I would watch the game, if it was on, when I was home. Then, the Steelers started doing very well. Then they were in the playoffs. Then they went to Superbowl XLIII, which was an awesome game, and they won. Students set sofas on fire in Oakland, and there were near riots on the streets of Pittsburgh. I discovered Casey Hampton, who may be my very favorite Steeler simply because he was given the nickname "Big Snack" by his teammates.
It was official. I was a Steeler fan. My father was understandably disappointed.
Superbowl half time with friends, 2009. DORKS!
But after Brett Favre moved from the Jets to the Vikings, there were rumblings of this new Packers quarterback who was as good as Favre had been in the nineties. So I watched a Packer game, if it was on, when I was home. And the Vikings too, if I happened to catch a game. And before I knew what was happening, I full-fledged cared about football. I have a new favorite defensive player -- Clay Matthews -- although I still love Polamalu and of course, Big Snack.
I whip my hair back and forth! (Image Source)
Today, the Steelers will play the Jets and the Packers will play the Bears. The possibility of a Packers - Steelers Superbowl is imminent. It would be simultaneously the best and worst game for Brad and I: our two favorite teams! Who to root for? Of course there is a possibility that both of our favorite teams will lose today, making it the worst day in NFL football history. But I'm a glass-half-full kind of girl.
Somewhere inside of my psyche, that 17-year-old punk girl's head just exploded.
Fast forward ten years. I move from Milwaukee to Pittsburgh, and it's the first time I've lived in a city with an NFL team. Everyone in Pittsburgh is obsessed with football. Everywhere you look it's black and gold. At first I ignored the terrible towels and the football potlucks at work. I saw Troy Polamalu at the airport once and didn't know what all the fuss was about. Brad and I took to calling Ben Roethlisberger "Toothlessberger." I met some friends who also didn't watch football, and I planned my weekly grocery store trips for when the Steelers were playing. The shops were always dead.
At some point during the 3.5 years we lived in Pittsburgh, though, something changed. It started when I realized what a great player Troy Polamalu actually was. I would watch the game, if it was on, when I was home. Then, the Steelers started doing very well. Then they were in the playoffs. Then they went to Superbowl XLIII, which was an awesome game, and they won. Students set sofas on fire in Oakland, and there were near riots on the streets of Pittsburgh. I discovered Casey Hampton, who may be my very favorite Steeler simply because he was given the nickname "Big Snack" by his teammates.
In Pittsburgh, with short hair; Ilsa in her makeshift
Big Snack jersey. Superbowl 2009.
Big Snack jersey. Superbowl 2009.
It was official. I was a Steeler fan. My father was understandably disappointed.
Superbowl half time with friends, 2009. DORKS!But after Brett Favre moved from the Jets to the Vikings, there were rumblings of this new Packers quarterback who was as good as Favre had been in the nineties. So I watched a Packer game, if it was on, when I was home. And the Vikings too, if I happened to catch a game. And before I knew what was happening, I full-fledged cared about football. I have a new favorite defensive player -- Clay Matthews -- although I still love Polamalu and of course, Big Snack.
I whip my hair back and forth! (Image Source)Today, the Steelers will play the Jets and the Packers will play the Bears. The possibility of a Packers - Steelers Superbowl is imminent. It would be simultaneously the best and worst game for Brad and I: our two favorite teams! Who to root for? Of course there is a possibility that both of our favorite teams will lose today, making it the worst day in NFL football history. But I'm a glass-half-full kind of girl.
Somewhere inside of my psyche, that 17-year-old punk girl's head just exploded.
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