crazy week!

Hi All --


Sorry I haven't posted in forever!  Busy week.  My dog came down with a really odd illness, ended up having surgery, and is still in the doggy hospital, but finally on the mend.  Anyways! Now you've got the update.  Let me post a few things that should've been posted (www wednesday, recipe, and training schedule) before today...


WWW Wednesday:


The Fitnessista -- This is an awesome website developed by a personal trainer and food guru.  Check it out!


Weekly Recipe:


This is so good, you MUST try this pizza! 


Ingredients:

• Any whole wheat pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 tomato sauce (I used the kind from Whole Foods, but any brand is good)
• 1 can of artichokes
• 1 small bag of cherry tomatos (on the vine)
• 1 small carton of mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Slice mushrooms.
3. Chop artichokes. Towel dry the artichokes with a paper towel.
4. Soak mushrooms and artichokes in balsamic vinegar.  Stir the mixture so they are coated.
5. Slice tomatoes. Remove seeds and towel dry with a paper towel.
6. Brush olive oil on the pizza crust.
7. Spread tomato sauce on the pizza crust. There will not be much sauce on the pizza, but I don't like a lot of sauce... Add more if you wish!
8. Add toppings.
9. If you do eat cheese/dairy, feel free to add cheese to the pizza now.  I think fancy shredded parmesan or goat cheese would be tasty!
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the tomatoes look nice and charred! (Yes, I love them almost burned!)

Training for the week:


Sunday -- 5 miles
Monday -- stretch and strengthen (pilates or 30-Day Shred)
Tuesday -- 3.5 miles
Wednesday -- cross-train
Thursday -- 3.5 miles and strengthen (30-Day Shred)
Friday -- rest
Saturday --  cross-train


Ok, that's all for now!


xo, c

Food for Thought

In my quest to become a better, faster, stronger runner, and just try to keep up with my running buddy, Christine I have added nutrition to my training plan. About a year ago Sleeping Giant wanted to go raw. Get your mind out of the gutter; it is a way of preparing food without killing it. I’m not talking about meet here, veggies only. I laughed at him and made funny faces when I would sample a raw recipe.




Recently Christine has been reaping the benefits of being almost completely vegan! Way to go, I wish I had that much discipline. Christine’s switch to the green side inspired me to revamp my eating habits. While I’m not ready to go cold turkey (ha ha ha) and give up meat completely or become a strict vegan, I did start looking for some small changes that I can make to become healthier overall.



For the last month or so I have been doing one of the most important things you can do for yourself, that is drink more water. I feel better and don’t need as much caffeine to keep me going throughout the day. In fact, I’m down to just a cup of coffee on the way to work. I know my body is adjusting because if I go a day without drinking my full two quarts of water I can feel it, and if I do drink caffeine late in the day I have trouble falling asleep.



I also read Food Rules by Michael Pollan also the author of the popular book Omnivore’s Dilemma. Pick up one or both of these books if you are looking for some inspiration to eat better. I know they changed my whole perspective on food. Some of the food rules I’m following:



1. Don’t eat cereal that changes the color of your milk

2. Snacks, sweats, and meats only on days that begin with the letter S

3. If you want something “bad” make it yourself – the rule says not to deprive yourself, but if you want something like French Fries, don’t drive through the nearest drive through, make them at home. The principal being that you will eat a lot less French fries if you know how hard it is to clean, peel, cut and fry a potato.



Just some food for though!

Challenge

The Nike+ Challenge is set up, it's not too late to get in on the fun.  Let me know if you want to join and I will send you the information.  Christine came up with the name "Don't Spend Easter on Your Keister." Even if you don't celebrate Easter like buffalobo, join us anyway.

Here are the rules, run the most miles in 41 days and you are the winner.  So far the only prize is serious bragging rights, but I'm open to putting together a small prize.  I just want to keep people motivated.

So far only 2 miles up on the board, so it's not too late!!

My personal goal for this week is to get back up to about 18 miles this week. The writing will be on the wall (or the website) by the end of the week. 

I have to say I'm jealous of the Nike+ Challengers running in Arizona, as we are still getting several inches of snow here in Colorado.

Good luck to the current challengers:
Me
Christine
Sleeping Giant
Kristin - friend from law school
Jables - Sister in law

Have you seen my motivation?

I have no idea where it went. I’m making up excuses not to run like it’s my job these days. June is just around the corner and if I don’t get going I know I’m going to be feeling some pain.


I’m off to Denver for work today and tomorrow (see excuse #876 WORK), but Saturday I’m getting back on track, I mean it this time I really do.

I think the best way to do this is with a little friendly competition. I'll be emailing all my nike+ friends to get a challenge going. If you follow this blog and have nike+ and want in on the fun post a comment with your user name and I'll send you the invite.

WWW Wednesday

Website of the week:  Chic Runner's Blog

This girl is an AWESOME runner (check out some of her times), a total inspiration (she got back into running to help cope with her mom's tragic passing after a lengthy battle with breast cancer), and quite funny (she posts hilarious pictures all the time).  Go check her out and tell her who sent you! :)

Additionally, I OFFICIALLY started my training plan this week for the San Diego run in June. I've seriously gained ten pounds in the last two weeks from hardly running and eating tons of junk... So I'm excited to be back on track!

Here's what I have for this week:

Monday -- 3 miles done
Tuesday -- 30 Day Shred done
Wednesday -- 2 miles (speedwork) and pilates
Thursday -- 3 miles and 30 Day Shred
Friday -- pilates
Saturday -- 30 Day Shred
Sunday -- 4 miles

From now on, I will post this on Monday so you all can see how I plan on torturing myself that week! ;)

Have a great day!

xo, c

When you have the enthusiasm and passion, you end up figuring how to excel.  --Deena Kastor

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day! Best wishes to you and your lovies on V-Day 2010! Have a terrific day!

From our heart to yours,

Les and 'Stine

Recipe of the Week

Hi Everyone,

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!  I'm doing a little post today dedicated to healthy cooking.  As runners/walkers/yoga-istas/swimmers/shake-weighters (ha!), we need to eat healthy foods to make sure we're getting the nutrition we need, but we also need to like those foods! Right?! Who wants to eat nasty-tasting food, especially after a nice long run?! Not me!  Anyways, I'm a fairly loyal vegan so I have to cook a lot of the things I eat, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite recipes for healthy snacks and meals.


A little background as to why I chose to start eating this way... I used to get crazy migraines, like all the time, and if I didn't have a migraine, I'd have such debilitating headaches that I'd be taking four Excedrin a day (on a normal day!).  Additionally, I would come down with a cold or some sort of disgusting sinus problem at least once a month. I started doing research on these issues and I found that a lot of people who get awful headaches and just can't seem to kick the common cold also happen to be dairy addicts!  And when they cut out dairy, the headaches and colds would disappear! So fast forward a few weeks, I decide since I rarely eat meat anyway, I'd cut out dairy (and continue to not eat meat) and become sort of a "half-vegan" and try it for awhile. Well voila, within two weeks of my new diet, I hadn't had a single headache and the cold that I did have went away within 48 hours of this new clean eating. 


Ok, so here goes on the first recipe!  Anyone who knows me personally knows I LOVE tomatoes.  LOVE LOVE LOVE. I will eat them with ANYTHING. I also LOVE tomato soup, however most tomato soups are loaded with dairy, so I looked through a few different recipes and sort of combined all of them to make a delicious roasted tomato soup. I'm just warning you, this is divine.  I ate almost an entire pot of it in a day. Yeah, no kidding. And you wonder why I run? So I can eat :)


Roasted Tomato Soup


Ingredients:  

• 3 pounds of tomatoes (I used two pounds cherry tomatoes and one pound tomatoes on the vine, quartered)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 10 whole garlic cloves (or 1-2 TBSP of the already pressed garlic from a jar)
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP vegan spread (Smart Balance or Earth Balance OR plain old butter for non-vegs)
• 3 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock for non-vegs)
• 1 red pepper (optional)
• fresh basil (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place 2 pounds tomatoes, garlic, and onion on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. If you're using already pressed garlic from a jar, just mix it in with the olive oil and drizzle on top of the cherry tomato and onion mixture.
• Cook for 30 minutes, stirring halfway though.
• After stirring mixture in the oven, melt vegan spread over medium high heat in a large saucepan and then place the remaining one pound of tomatoes (I used the tomatoes on the vine for this part, quartered) and one chopped red pepper (optional) in the melted “butter”.
• Once the mixture in the oven is caramelized (after about 30 minutes), take it out of the oven and add it to the pot on the stove.
• After 10 minutes, add the any seasoning (ie. salt, pepper, fresh basil). Stir.
• Blend with an immersion blender (I left some chunks in it). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add vegetable stock, simmer for another 10-20 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Since I combined my own taste with some other recipes, I figured I'd include a link  to the woman whose recipe I used the most. She also took some great pictures while she made her version of the soup. Here's the Roasted Tomato Soup Recipe on Being Chelsea's Blog. She also has many other great recipes on her site!  Check her out!

Well, that's all for now!  Hope you love the soup as much as I did!  I have a six mile run today.  Bleh!  I need to get excited about this running thing again!

Have a great weekend!

xo, c

The Dreadmill.

My love hate relationship with the dreadmill.


What could be better than having access to running anytime you want in the privacy of your own home, wearing what you want, listening to/watching what you want, during any kind of weather? Sounds perfect right?

As I trained for the half, the treadmill was my best friend. Now I cannot even walk past the room with the treadmill without having bitter feelings that then turn to guilt for not using it much as I should.

I always wondered how people could spend so much money on a piece of equipment, and then let it turn into a clothes hanger. I haven’t gone that far, but I need to reestablish my relationship with the treadmill before things go too far. To do this, I'm bribing myself.  If I can get back ontrack this week I'm going to treat myself to a new pair of running shoes when I head to the big city of Denver next week.

Check out this months issue of Runner's World or the website Runner's World! They review all the new models of running shoes.  I'm most excited to try these BROOKS GLYCERIN 8!!!

16 weeks until San Diego, time to get excited! I cannot wait for spring and to get out of the house to do some trail running with my best running pal, ODIE!

The Shake Weight Challenge

Good Morning! Happy Thursday!

So I know all of you have seen the infomercial for the "SHAKE WEIGHT"... right?! Yes, we all sort of laugh and think, "Hmmm, is it just me or does it look like she's ...?" RIGHT?! Ok, so you all know what I'm talking about! One of my girlfriends and I constantly made fun of the infomercial, but then one day I thought to myself, hey I wonder if that thing actually works?!

Fast forward to last week when I told her I was actually considering BUYING the shake weight. I think she thought I was kidding... I wasn't! Then, one night, I was at Target and I bbm-ed (Blackberry Messenger for those of you don't know what that is...) her "I am really tempted to buy it tonight." Well, after she made fun of me for a few minutes, I decided that regardless of the flack I would get from my friends and family, I was going to buy this thing and have HOT ARMS this summer! Yeah, whose laughing now biaaatches?!

She tells me there's no way it actually works and I said (per my usual, I love a challenge), "Well, we could always bet on it." She agreed.  She has a personal trainer.  I have a shake weight. Here are the terms of the bet:

• Six weeks long (measurements taken at the beginning at the end of the bet)
• Winner is the person with the greatest percentage of inches lost in the alotted time period
• Both participants must stick to the routine as planned (I can only use the shake weight for six minutes a day as directed and she cannot deviate from the normal routine that her personal trainer planned for the timeframe)
• Winner gets to pick the spa treatment of her choice at a local beauty boutique (I think we're both pretty excited for this part because it will force us to go in and do something nice for ourselves which we probably wouldn't have done otherwise!)
• Winner also gets free lunch

Here's what the loser gets... NOTHING! So I need to win this! Cross your fingers and pray! I will say this, I've done the workout for almost a week now and the first few days were DEFINITELY a challenge. This thing actually works! I swear!

Have a great day! 

xo, c

WWW Wednesday and Half-Marathon Training Update

5 Things You Need to Know About Portion Control

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the LIVE STRONG website developed by Lance Armstrong & Company (you all remember the yellow rubber bracelets that EVERYONE wore for awhile!), but it is a great resource for all things exercise, dieting, healthy living, etc.  So go check it out!

That article is a brief review on how to practice portion control in your daily life, but there are literally hundreds of awesome articles on this site, so go there!  NOW! :)

There is also a really cool feature on this website called "The Daily Plate" that allows the user to track each and every morsel of food that enters his/her mouth.  This feature is also AMAZING because they have a Blackberry App for it!  So, if you're a food journal-er (Carrie Underwood is!  And she has a hot bod!), check out "The Daily Plate."  You won't regret it!

Alrighty, I wanted to give a quick update on my training for the San Diego Half-Marathon.  NON-EXISTENT!  I had the worst training week of my life last week!  I only ran once and then I took a weekend trip to Michigan and didn't get back until yesterday afternoon, so... Yeah.  Encourage me.  I'm printing out some training schedules right now because I need some motivation! :)

Have a fantastic Hump Day!

xo, c

Nikeplus or minus?

About 5 years ago I purchased my nikeplus, and have racked up a decent amount of miles. However, there have been some bumps in the road along the way. For the first time, I'm looking into alternative for my nikeplus.




When I first started running, I had the best pair of nike running shoes, compatible with the NP. As I got more into running, I started looking at other brands of shoes and found some that I like more than Nike. That poses a problem for the NP. Even though I have the little carrier for the NP sensor, I found my mileage is now off, even after several attempts to recalibrate.



But, is there a better alternative? I'm still searching for one that does what the NP does, but better and is affordable. I'll keep you posted on what I find.



Comment if you know of any suggestions.

WWW Wednesday

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY LESLIE!  Whoooo happy 29th birthday to my best friend!  You're the older (and of course, more responsible) sister I never had and the daughter my Dad always wanted!  LOVE YOU BUNCHES BABYGIRL!  You are the best and I'm truly honored to call you a friend :)


Second, I decided on Wednesdays I would do a cheesy little thing I'm going to call "www wednesday."  Basically, every Wednesday I'll post a link to something on the web that I found interesting or fun... Somehow running/fitness/health related... who knows!  Here's today's link:


http://fitbottomedgirls.com/


This is an awesome page started by women with the same goals as all of us, to get/stay in shape and have the support of women around you to help achieve your goals!


Have a great wednesday!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY LESLIE!


xo, c

Cross Training

Many race training programs last weeks, even months. If your training plan only calls for running, think again.

Not only will you get bored with just running, you are neglecting all of the other muscles you are not using during a run. During my last training program, I often cross training by watching the people on the Biggest Loser work out. Not a good idea.

I think it is important to pick an activity you enjoy, so it takes away some of the "I MUST to do this" feelings

So, on your cross training day do anything that gets that hot bod of yours off the couch and moving and have fun. Here are some ideas:

1. Swimming - Sleeping Giant gave this a try, he was passed by elderly women and small children but said he felt great after

2. Skiing - If you are lucky enough to live close to skiing access, great lower body workout (upper body for me as well...don't ask there were trees involved)

3. Bike riding - takes the stress off those knees
4. Hiking - An activity I really enjoy, I cannot wait for the weather to warm up and the snow to melt

5. ???? Name your own activity, just make it fun!

Sun protection while you're running....

Happy Monday!

Hi all!  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!  I wanted to give you some insider info about protecting your beautiful face while you run.  This past week I met a woman who works at a dermatologist's office and she had some awesome information in regards to keeping your face wrinkle-free (especially if you run outside everyday)!

Basically what she shared with me is that runners tend to get lots of wrinkles and visible sun damage very early in life because they aren't always taking the correct precautions when they go running outdoors.  Here is some of the information she gave me:

1) Just because you aren't going to lay by the pool or play in the sun doesn't mean you don't need to wear SPF.  Technically speaking here, we should be wearing this EVERYDAY (I know, I'm an offender too, I hardly ever wear it) if we want to prevent wrinkles and keep our skin healthy.  An SPF of at least 15 everyday.  She recommended Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Powder SPF to protect your face without clogging pores.

2) Take preventative measures (aside from SPF) to prevent aging.  Well, let's just say you already have some fine lines and wrinkles.  Or let's just say you don't have any (lucky!).  Regardless, you should be taking measure to not only keep your skin aestetically pleasing, but also keep it HEALTHY!  Being outside in the environment can take a toll on your skin (even if you're getting a heart pumping workout while you're out there!).  She mentioned SkinCeuticals C-E-Ferulic Serum to help maintain a youthful glow!

3) DRINK WATER! I'm a huge offender here.  I need to drink more of it.  You probably do too.  So start slugging "everytime you're thirsty."  There's been a lot of speculation as to the proper amount of water to drink everyday... 8 glasses? Some special equation of body weight and height? What's too much?  What's too little?  She said just drink water whenever you are thirsty and avoid pop, alcohol, and anything BUT water like the plague. Save them for special occasions and focus on hydrating your body with WATER!

Anyways, I just wanted to pass that info along for anyone who is skin-obsessed (me) and also spends a significant amount of time outdoors (running or otherwise... me).  By no means am I a doctor and any questions in regards to skin health should be directed to a medical expert (not me, even though I pretend to be).  If any of you are local in Wisco, message me and I can forward you this dermo's info (great office for medical needs, but also has a great anti-aging clinic within the practice).

Have a great day and take care of your skin while running in the sun!

xo, c