Why am I worthless on the weekend?

In other words, I did not do my long run yesterday, again :(

I have no problem going to the gym and running every day during the week; in fact I look forward to it! But it seems like I can't get my a$$ in gear on the weekend. It's weird though- all day Saturday I look forward to my Sunday long run, but then on Sunday I spend the whole day procrastinating until I finally just don't do it. Granted, this has only been the last 2 weeks but it makes me feel like a failure.  I think my main excuse is that I'm not registered for any races at the moment so I don't need to be "in training." Whatever. 

Scratch all that. I'm going to do the Bucks County Half Marathon in April. I think I mentioned it already but I hadn't decided for sure whether I was going to do it or not. I am! It's 13 weeks from yesterday, so I can start training "for real" now. Bonus: it's only 5 minutes from my house :) 

I am keeping a full marathon on my goal list for the year. After the half I'm going to keep progressing my miles and once I'm up to (and able to complete) a 20-mile long run I'll register. I'm leaning towards the Philadelphia Marathon which hasn't been posted yet, but should be in November. Unless it's one of those lottery things like NY. Then I'm not sure.

I did have a productive weekend food-wise. I made and prepped my meals for the week: 

• Romaine salad with tomatoes, onions, and celery 
• Tahini lime dressing (from the Peas and Thank You cookbook)
• Mexican Quinoa with black beans, black olives, onions, mushrooms, cilantro, cumin and hot mexican chili powder (topped with salsa and guacamole) (adapted from the Daily Garnish)
• Super Salsa! (my recipe- see recipe page)
• Sriracha baked tofu (from Fo' Reals Mom)
• Buffalo Cauliflower (from PeTA)

And on the weight front, I'm still bouncing between 120-122. I'd like to get back under 120 by the end of January, and ultimately get back down to between 114-116. Anything less than that was unhealthy, especially when I'm running a lot.

That's about it. Have a great week!

Another good running week!

I ran every day again this week!

Monday: Because I missed my long run on Sunday I really tried to "work it" for this one. I ran 3.69 miles doing 2:30/:30 intervals with the running at 7.5mph. I felt GREAT!

Tuesday: Enjoyed Monday's workout so much I repeated it. 3.73 miles doing 2:30/:30 intervals.

Wednesday: Speed Progression. 5 minute warm-up then 5 min @5mph, 4 min @5.5, 3 min @6, 2 min @6.5, 1 min @7. Walk 5 minutes. Then instead of repeating I just ran @6mph for a few minutes. Did 3 miles.

Thursday: Ran 5.5 miles. Started with 1:30/:30 intervals then switched to 2:30/:30.

Friday (today): Slow, easy run for 3.15 miles. Had some tummy issues and also my knee has a huge "road rash" kind of burn. During my morning walk with Lucy yesterday I got tangled in her leash and went down with all my weight onto my left knee. Even ripped a hole in my jeans! It didn't hurt yesterday, but today it gave me some problems.

Tomorrow I'm taking a rest day and Sunday will (hopefully) be a 7 mile long run.

Other than that, I've been experimenting in the kitchen again. I found a blog with some spicy vegan recipes, and so far I'm loving what I've made! Buffalo-style cauliflower, Sriracha Baked Tofu, and Golden Potato Soup. It's all at Fo' Reals Mom. Go check it out!

CPR for Pets

I saw this on Facebook and thought I'd share.

In running news, I missed my long run yesterday due to some stomach issues so I tried to make up for it today by really giving it my all. I did 2:30/:30 intervals with my runs at 7.5mph. It was awesome! I went 3.7 miles in 30 minutes!

Have a great week everyone!

Rest Day

I ran every day this week! Last Sunday I did just over 7 miles, and I ran at least 3 miles Monday through yesterday. Today I'm taking a break, other than the 3+ miles I've put in walking/playing with Lucy :)

Lucy and her super chicken!

I've been messing around with intervals trying to find something manageable for running 26.2 miles. I really enjoyed the 1:30/:30 I did yesterday, but that was only for 3.5 miles. I'll see how that works on my long run tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, my brother and sister-in-law are coming over for a late lunch/early dinner. I ran out and picked up the last of the groceries today. The salad is made, my homemade dressing is made, the Italian bread is bought, dessert is bought (I was going to bake cookies, but I know I would over-indulge if I did) and I have a spinach lasagna in the oven.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Three Things Thursday

1. I have discovered the magic of crack kale chips! OMG Yummy!

- 1 bunch of kale (remove stems and tear into pieces)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (gonna experiment with PAM spray next time to avoid the oil)
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder (I didn't measure this- just shook it in)
- 1 tsp ground ginger (again, I didn't measure- just shook it in)

Toss everything together, lay on parchment-lined cookie sheet(s) and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Done!  I think the trick is to lay them so they aren't touching each other.

2. I'm feeling really good about my running again. Since I'm concentrating on training for a marathon, I've been experimenting with intervals here and there. Today I did 3:30/:30 for 30 minutes and felt great! Yesterday I did my little speedup routine- 5 minutes at 5mph, 4 minutes at 5.5mph, 3 minutes at 6mph, 2 minutes at 6.5mph, 1 minute at 7mph. Then I walked for 3 minutes and repeated it. I think that will be my regular Wednesday routine. After a couple weeks I'll change the start speed to 5.5mph and increase from there, and so on...

3. I think Under Armour should sponsor me. It seems all my favorite running clothes (and gym bag) are UA. I used to swear by Nike tempo shorts, but now I prefer the UA ones- they fit so much better and don't "bag" out, if that makes any sense. A huge bonus is that I don't even have to try anything on. I wear a boys large for any tops (so much cheaper buying children's sizes!!) and a ladies small for all bottom-wear.

And here's the motto for today (and of course, every day):

Wordless Wednesday

This is so true! 



Have a great day!

Happy New Year!

My word for 2013 is COMPLETE. The first reason is that complete is the opposite of procrastinate, which is my worst habit. I also am going to complete a full marathon this year. I haven't signed up for an actual race yet (and might not), but I am going to run 26.2 miles in one go! I'm also going to work harder at completing my degree.

I'm not making any resolutions, but I am (still) working on some goals. These are my top 3 health-related goals:

1. Get back under 120. This morning's weigh-in was 121 (measurements 35-26.5-35) so I'm almost there. I don't have a particular weight in mind. I do know that 110 was not healthy at all. Looking back at pictures of myself at 110 I did not look healthy. I looked anorexic/emaciated. Not healthy at all. I'm thinking somewhere between 116 - 119.

2. Complete a full marathon. This is really just a matter of finding (or creating), and actually sticking to, the right training program. I'm not really in training yet, but I have been sort of combining the training schedules from Coach Jenny (see a few posts previous), one of the Hal Higdon programs, and a virtual trainer app that was made by The Boring Runner.

I am totally getting this shirt!

3. Food Journaling. When I'm not keeping track of everything that goes in my mouth I tend to make less than stellar choices. I bought a new planner for 2013 that has enough room to keep track of  it all, and it's Hello Kitty to boot ;)  I will also attempt to be better at blogging as I think it will keep me more accountable (knowing that it will be out here for anyone to see!).

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I'm not sure where this quote came from, but I think it's going to be my mantra this year. "Running is doing what you WANT to do. Training is doing what you SHOULD do. Racing is finding out what you CAN do."

My new running shoes- Newton Distance U

Happy New Year!

10 Quick Confidence Boosters

I was looking through some of my favorite articles at Sparkpeople.com and thought I'd share this:

Confidence is easily attainable and makes a huge impact on how others view you as well as how you feel about yourself. Try these instant boosters to put a little spring in your step:

1. Straighten up. A recent Ohio State University study found that the simple act of sitting up straight and adjusting your posture can significantly boost your confidence.
   
2. Note the positives. Look in a full-size mirror and pick five things that you feel good about, recommends Leslie Sokol, PhD, coauthor of Think Confident, Be Confident. Make note of both your physical attributes (eyes, lips, hair, nails, legs, feet, toes, smile) and your style (hairdo, clothing, stance, makeup, shoes, jewelry).
   
3. Break a sweat (or not). Go for a quick stroll around the block when you’re feeling down. The simple act of exercise (doesn’t matter how long, how intense or how often) gives you an instant body image boost, according to University of Florida research.
   
4. Get a haircut. Although it may seem trite, a new ’do is a quick way to feel better, says Sheenah Hankin, PhD, author of Complete Confidence. Changing your look or just indulging in a little “me” time can up your self-esteem in a big way.
   
5. Schedule a girls’ night. In a recent Tupperware survey for their Chain of Confidence campaign, 85 percent of respondents, age 18 and older, said that a supportive network of female friends is more likely to make them feel confident in the long run compared to looking attractive.
   
6. Lend a hand. If you want to build your confidence in a big way, volunteer for an organization or group that needs help, says Susan Newman, PhD, author of The Book of No. The gratitude you receive will reinforce your self-worth immediately. Check out VolunteerMatch.org or DoSomething.org to find an opportunity in your area.
   
7. Look on the bright side. Think back to the most recent experience where you think you fell short or messed up, and force yourself to name a few things that went right, suggests Marci Fox, PhD, coauthor of Think Confident, Be Confident. Burned that batch of cookies? Maybe, but did you get to spend some quality time with your kids and finish a knitting project while waiting for the treats to bake?
   
8. Make a list. Avoiding things that are stressing you out increases anxiety and cuts down confidence, says Dr. Hankin. Write down anything that may fall into this category, such as calling people back or paying bills. Start with just three things and do them today.
   
9. Set a (small) goal. One of the most effective ways to build self-confidence is to break down large goals into small, doable action steps, says Sharon Fountain, president of the National Association for Self-Esteem. For example, if you’re trying to shape up and lose weight, make it a goal to eat at least three servings of veggies today.
   
10. Try something new. Tackling something you’re scared to do or something that seems difficult increases your sense of well-being, explains Dr. Newman. A few suggestions to get started: Learn a new language, try flower arranging, take a tango class or register for a night class at a local community college in a subject that interests you.

 Have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Holidays!