Ranting

I have a bit of a rant built up inside, but I'll start by saying that I'm slacking!  Big Time! Here's why....All that "holly jolly" that goes in to Christmas is produced my MAMA!  I have been decorated, putting away, sewing, cooking, cleaning, repeat.   I'm finding that squeezing in a 1/2 mile swim or a 4 mile run is a bit of a chore in and of itself right now.  So if I have a love handle or two in January just look away. I'll get it in gear.   I have faith.

Okay, on to my rant.  I went out yesterday NOVEMBER 29th and went shopping for Christmas decorations.   I walk into Lowes and the place has very little VERY little decoration but plenty of storage junk. I went to Kohl's...pick over.  Then to Hobby Lobby...a garden aisle now replaces the Christmas hobby aisle...seriously, what the ?#$@??  I am wildly frustrated about the fact that if you don't shop Black Friday (which I don't b/c I'm not crazy) you don't shop!  It's like, okay, black friday is over, so Christmas shopping is over?!?! Well I've got news for Black Friday. I went online that day hoping to score some deals and this Barbie Digital Nail Printer that Samantha is talking non-stop about was $140 originally and went up to $199 on Black Friday! Seriously, it's a scam!  I'm just now decorating. It's NOT EVEN DECEMBER!!!!!!!!!!

Ugh, okay, I actually feel better.  But one more thing...I think the Salvation Army bell people are getting hostile and I'm pretty sure the pitch of that dang bell is getting higher.   So walking in and out of stores they get closer to you and ring the bell louder and faster.  I'm exhausted.  But still have shopping to do so wish me luck.  I'm sure there's going to be a few more rants to come. 

Any ideas for my husband for Christmas are greatly appreciated! 

I'm Thankful

I'm so incredibly thankful for my family.  I needed to say that on Thanksgiving.  I'm blessed and know it.  I know that I'm also only given what God intends me to have and I thank him everyday that he intended these wonderful people for me.

  I am currently in Smith Mountain Lake, VA for Thanksgiving and LOVE it here.  There is a great sprint tri here in May and an international distance in September, btw.  This year all I made were the pies, so I am happy to just sit, relax, and listen to my husband, daughter, and mother in law playing Toy Story 3 Yahtzee. 
I've been struggling with my attitude and the kick back from my win at Saturdays indoor Sprint Tri.  I'm resolved that I'll never truly find peace with it, but I will one day look back and realize how strong I am.  I will be sitting in my nursing home one day reminiscing the glory days and speaking fondly of my "win".  So I will (today) be thankful for my strength. 

Mike and I went for a little 3 mile run this morning to get ready for turkey, stuffing, APPLE PIE, sweet potatoes, the works.  It was in the 40's and I had some asthma issues, but my knee felt good.  I have to say, the best part of the run is getting to do it with my best friend.  He's so awesome and our little running "dates" remind me.  I'm thankful for a very happy marriage. 

I'm thankful for so much, but these things are what I was sitting there smiling about today. Just needed to share.

Who says that?

Today was disappointing.  I think that would put it mildly.  You'd think coming off a win that I'd be feeling like I can walk on clouds...nope.

I show up at the Y today, feeling a little under the weather as I have been for a week now.  I show up and go directly to the time sheet to see my times from the race. Good news! I came in 3rd over all!  I am super proud of myself in that respect.  Just last year I came in second to last.  I feel that personally (even out of race shape) that I'm doing a really good job.  I feel like I am a bit behind in the off season, but who cares, I'm still placing!  Well there is a very important person in my life (I will not name names), but as I was looking at my sheet I mentioned that I was feeling proud of how fast I'm getting, well this person said, "you have a lot faster to get too".  I was stunned...WHO SAYS THAT???  Well then this person proceeds to point out that even though I won over all female (by less than a minute, btw), that it was on a mere technicality b/c April had the bike course wrong.  Then....this person proceeded to follow that statement up with, "sorry to burst your bubble."  You can probably understand why I left after fighting back tears and 1/2 mile on the treadmill.  I couldn't look at anyone.  I felt miserable.  I'm easily offended so this was like stabbing me in the face!

So I'm going to go to bed and scream into my head all night.

Please, if you mentor someone, don't be a jerk :)

An undeserved win

Yesterday I did an indoor triathlon.  I have to start by saying that I won overall female...this is important b/c I beat out April, the girl I look up to and train with and who always keeps me movin'.  I am not sure the results entirely as I haven't seen times, but we were within seconds of each other!  She's a phenomenal athlete...placed third overall for the women at the Charlie Williamson Memorial Triathlon here in WV.  We're both out of race shape, but love to compete with each other.

I said the first part b/c I'm wildly disappointed in myself. I was so lackadaisical about this race, I wasn't feeling well the night before and didn't even think I'd go.  I had no butterflies, no excitement, and I was really under the weather.  Yet I won.  I feel the win is undeserved per my attitude.  There were several first time racers there and I felt like their attitude deserved them more of  a win than I ever did! 

On the other hand...I did have fun :)  Maybe I'll do the next one, maybe not, but whatever I do I better carry a better attitude to go with it.  I may never win another race, so I wish this came with more intensity.
I'm hoping to post some pics eventually, we'll see! 

It's my party and I'll tri if I want to

Today is my 33rd birthday.  I feared and fought my 30's to the skin of my teeth, I went into them balling my eyes out and lying in bed all day, even the diamond earrings from my sweet husband couldn't mend the heartache I felt for the loss of my 20's.  Well let me tell you what....I'm waaaay more awesome now, LOL!  I'm a tried and true triathlete.  I'm also the wife of a very competitive triathlete.  My daughter wants to be a triathlete!  I've come so far from the days of thinking that a workout was 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer at level 4.  I actually feel like a different person.  AND I'm 10 pounds lighter!  I'm thinking the 30's ain't so bad.  

So, Some people think having a birthday is an excellent excuse to go nuts and eat cake and do whatever they want...well I'm one of those people.  Only I didn't want a cake on my birthday.  But what I did want was much more decadent and much more taboo.....The all mighty Chick Fil A  Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake (insert angelic singing here).

However, the calories on one of the small little treasures is over 600 !!! What???? Yup, 660 to be somewhat exact.  So my friend Andrea and I decided we'd "earn" one. We woke up this morning and got to the gym and ran 3 miles on the treadmill.  Then we were going to take a spin class to do the biking and that was a good thing b/c I ended up needing to teach the spin class, I'm a pretty brutal teacher.  After the hour long torture I put us through in there (about 16-20 miles and countless hills) we got in the pool and did 500meters (don't laugh we were TIRED).  I now know why we swim first in triathlons....sheesh! 

We then felt as though we earned that delicious, creamy, sugary, fatty, yumminess.  I ate the entire thing!!!!  Okay, it was a small, but whatever!  It was awesome!  Who needs cake? Seriously?

I think I need to put this birthday as a gold standard birthday.  I should always do a triathlon on my birthday, what a great way to make sure I'm still alive!

HIIT Me Baby

I went to Ohio this weekend.  Ohio actually HAS stuff there!  Like malls, RUNNING STORES, restaurants, awesome gyms, etc!  I went to Clevend and went with our friends to their gym (can't remember the name) and did a class called HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).  I don't know how to explain this, but I guess it's like crossfit or P90X or insanity, but it's in an gymnasium with other people which makes you work harder.
I have had sore legs today and yesterday (did the class Satureday), but during the class I didn't exactly feel like I was overwhelmed.  We did a lot with the Bosu ball and I had the up the intensity on some of the stuff b/c I knew we were only doing that 45 minute class and I'm use to going for a lot longer and don't like to "waste" workouts.  Do I sound like a snob?  Not trying to, I'm actually just really in to challenging myself.  I am working against NOT being an athlete for 29 years and then being one for only the past 2 or 3.  I love  my workouts, I covet them.  I'm a little stingy with the time I have to do them.

So Friday I ran about 3 miles, little soreness in my knee, but I'm feeling a lot better! The HIIT was a little stressful on my inner thighs, but I wasn't put out of the game for it.  Today was PITIFUL! Waste of time!  20 minutes on the elliptical trainer and some arms and abs and back, but seriously poor weight training. But got the grocery shopping done!

So, what are we eating the week before binge-fest 2010 Thanksgiving?
Well I'm eating some of that rockin' Kashi Go-Lean with Protein cereal for breakfast!  It's great with about 1/2 cup of blueberries on it!  Eating open faced tuna sandwiches too.  Dinners are fish or chicken mainly, but I throw in a variety of sides and try to cook stuff up differently.

Here is a little bit more labor intensive breakfast, but wow!
Pumpkin Spice French Toast

1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
VERY SMALL sprinkle of nutmeg
2 eggs
3 egg whites
6-8 slices of whole wheat bread

In a bowl mix all the ingredients except for the bread.  I find the a stick blender or regular blender is very helpful to make this smooth! Pour into a pie plate.  Set aside
Heat nonstick skillet with cooking spray or butter on medium.
Dredge a slice of bread through the pumpkin mixture and then transfer to the skillet immediately.  Repeat with the next slices and fit what you can into your skillet.  Cook them thoroughly on each side.

I like to put a small pat of butter on them and then just about 1 Tablespoon of agave nectar.  You could get crazy and sprinkle pecans (or another nut) and crasins on them! 

I'm kinda digging through recipes and trying to really get some good Clean ones out, so hopefully I'll keep up with the recipes, but please keep in mind that these are not loaded down with sugar, salt, and fat, so some of the flavors will not be a favorite, but I feel like if you eat this way long enough you will change WHAT you like and your body will thank you!

Food for thought

Wow! I just read this really bizarre article in "Cooking Light" magazine.  It was just a graph really, not a full article, but it went through a time line of the day on Thanksgiving where the person preparing the meal was "sampling" as she went and by the time dinner was served she'd "sampled" over 700 calories!!!!   That was NOT including any meals eaten. It was just a lick of the frosting here, a bite of the bacon there, a bit handful of marshmallows, etc.  But what was so insane was that the little nibbles she took were no more than what I do when I'm cooking! It just made me think about that lick of the knife when making my daughters PB&J! Hmmm....

So anyway, I was really sore from getting back into running and since I have loads of Christmas orders for Milkshake Baby I decided to take Wednesday off (that and Sam was getting out of school early).  Today I furthered my leg rest and worked on my swim.  I did 25 laps in a 25meter pool where 1 lap is 50meters.  I did not just swim, I SWAM!  I was working my lats today, yup, that was how I got my strength training in. 

I've got my first indoor triathlon coming in November, but I haven't really been training, so we'll see.  I mean, I've just been working out, but not doing interval training, brick training, yada yada yada.  I'm wondering if I'll even place...LOL!!!! I'm wondering if I'll care when I don't! Ah! Scary thought!

As far as eating, well, I was doing REALLY well today, not even craving sweets, until I went to Sam's Club and walked through their stupid sampling aisles..ugh!  Yup, I bought the cookies I tasted AND ate one on the way home!!! I'm all messed up. I working on it, actively!

Here's a great dessert recipe if you're trying to get off sweets, but are dying, much like I am.

1 large or 2 small Granny Smith Apples, cut, peeled, cored, and cubed
1 Tablespoon Craisins (or raisins)
Generously sprinkle of cinnamon
Less than 1 Tablespoon of raw sugar (yes, it's not much better than white, but it makes me feel better)
1/3 cup lowfat frozen yogurt
1 Tablespoon granola (I HIGHLY recommend Cascadian Farm)

In a small microwave safe bowl, combine apple, craisins, cinnamon, and sugar.  Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on your "vegetable" setting (about 1-2 minutes if you don't have one).
Spoon the hot, yumminess into a mug (this will make you feel much better about the smaller serving size), and top it with the frozen yogurt and the granola. 

It's not perfect, it's not apple crisp, but it sure does help my craving.  Plus your getting your all-too-important fiber, some bone strengthening calcium, and a little less guilt! Enjoy!

A beating and a recipe

Failing miserably at my attempt to reduce my sugar intake.  I walked in the door after a 3.75 mile run, and 3 trips to the store and let my hunger consume me...I went for the sugar cookies (only 2, but still)!  Ugh! Then my husband brought me a mini blizzard after his trip to Lowes, and while I only ate half it felt terrible.  You see, I'm a very healthy person (or attempt to be) but sugar is my weakness! If I can past the initial "detox" of it I'm usually good, but this time of year with all the candy and available "treats" and the fact that I loooove to bake, well, you see the trouble.  My abs are history right now.  I'm running slower and haven't even entered the pool in almost 2 weeks.  Okay, hopefully my post later this week will find me feeling a little more in control.  In the meantime, here is a little clean snack that has been helping me through this week,

1/2 cup lowfat cottage cheese
7 almonds
1/2 banana (or 1 whole small)
1 tsp agave nectar

Crush up the almonds in a baggy using a rolling pin, slice the banana, mix all the stuff together.  Eat it guilt free!  Your body will will enjoy the low glycemic sweetness of the nectar and protein of the cottage cheese.  The banana will replace electrolytes and the almonds will make your skin pretty ;)

Back to the Run

Well I've been running again for about a week.  It is AMAZING how quickly one loses the ability to run.  I have been struggling with leg strength and speed this whole week.  I did a mile, then 3 miles, then 2 miles, then another 3 miles last week. I did this along with my spin classes. I didn't swim..whoops.  Today I did around 4ish miles.  I'd know for sure, but my Garmin is still lying dormant, ugh, I've GOT to remember to recharge it! 

Another thing I've been struggling with is candy!  The Halloween stash around my house has been killing me!  I'm not into junk food, but that doesn't mean I'm not human and don't crave it!  I think I'll have to chunk it.  I hate being wasteful, but really, what good does candy do for your body?  I've been thinking about cutting out sweets cold turkey just to get the craving to subside.  Boy, this is day one and it is HARD!  I've been eating relatively clean, but I miss my fruits and in season veggies!  Fall/Winter is rough on my snacking habits.  And although I picked about 10 gallons of blueberries this summer I have gone through that so quickly! I'm almost out :(. 


Gonna run more tomorrow and maybe Wednesday, but Thursday I'm getting in the pool and Friday I'm heading to Ohio to hang with my some friends so that might include more running, we'll see. I'm not interested in over-stressing my body. 

Winter!

Yup, it's that time of year!