Loving Lately

In an otherwise uneventful week, my husband managed to "wow" me one night with his pretty arrangement of chips and salsa.  So much so, that I just had to take a photo of his creation for all to see.     

I have to give props to those who can give up dairy because cheese is quite possibly my favorite thing.  It is especially delicious straight from the cheese state itself, Wisconsin.  I've been loving this aged cheddar served simply with walnuts and dried cranberries.  

My birthday buddy at school brought in treats to celebrate my half birthday since my real one is in the summer.  She made another delicious recipe from Pinterest that's perfect for any chocolate lover {such as myself}: Oreo Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache...{the photo doesn't do the cake justice}...

Finally, I am loving that it's Friday.  This was the first 5-day week we've had in a while and I'm exhausted.  My family has a few things on the agenda this weekend such as a trip to my in-laws on Sunday.  It snowed the day we initially planned the visit over the holiday break so we're making it up now.  I'm also looking forward to a few good runs and some relaxing time at home.

What are you loving lately?    

 

   

Baba's Vegetable Soup

When my grandmother was alive, she used to make her vegetable soup with ABC noodles.  If there was one tip I took from her, it would be to add tomatoes {canned or not} to the soup broth for added flavor and texture.  My husband always says that my best soups are ones made from the ingredients I have left in my fridge and this soup is no different.  Take a look...  

I started with this:

Since this soup was thrown together in a jiffy, all measurements are approximate:

½ red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 carrots, sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

½ red pepper, chopped

Palmful of frozen edamame, shelled

Palmful of frozen corn

1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence

Salt and pepper to taste

2 quarts of organic vegetable stock

1 large can {28 ounces} tomatoes, pureed

2 bay leaves 
3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Celery leaves, chopped 

Water to thin soup

Noodles of choice

The steps are simple:

• Saute raw veggies in olive oil until tender
• Add the liquids and tomatoes 
• Add the seasonings
• Simmer for at least 30 minutes
• Boil water in another pot and cook your favorite noodles according to the directions on the package
• Tip: Keep your noodles separate and add to soup before serving

I used these cute snowflake noodles to make our dinner more festive and season-appropriate... 

The final product: a healthy meal for a wet and chilly night.  

Enjoy your Thursday! 

Running for a Purpose & A Few Intervals

Right now I’m not in the process of any rigid training schedule, nor have I planned my upcoming races yet, so I feel like I am plodding along doing a workout here and long run there with a few easy runs in between.  Lately I’ve been feeling like my typical five-mile runs are used to maintain my fitness, rather than build upon what I currently have as my base.

Then along came a tweet on Monday by Derek {husband of a fellow Oiselle runner, Allison} that stated “every run should have a purpose...”  

This got me thinking...
Like Oprah has her gurus {Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil}, I have mine {Coach Jesse}.  So I thought I would ask him about this very subject and he agreed...

From Jesse:

No run should be done without purpose, but it isn't necessary to run every distance jaunt at 6:40 pace either. 

At this point in {my} training, he feels that I should be doing the following:

• Three days of good distance running {getting the heart rate up to about 70% max for at least 35 - 50 minutes}
• Two workouts {progression, intervals, speedwork, etc}
• One easy, active recovery day {x-train, easy run, yoga} 

He also said that even typical 30 minute runs help to maintain, or even add to aerobic fitness.  A 2-mile shake out run is intended to help loosen the legs and facilitate faster clearance of wastes from them.

As an example, Jesse tells his collegiate athletes that they should have {approximately} five runs per week that they would want to brag about to their opponents.  Workouts are obvious but even on a long run, the heart rate should be in a certain window for a certain duration.  The other two days during the week are active recovery, which even though he doesn’t stress pace, it’s an active way to recover while still building aerobic base.

Speaking of making every run count...yesterday I ran the usual 5.5 mile loop near school and to amp it up a bit, I added in two intervals.  The local community center has a path and once around is equivalent to .88 of a mile.

Here’s how it went:

2.75 mile warm-up {7:35 pace}

First interval: 5:46 {6:33 pace}

2 minutes rest

Second interval: 5:35 {6:20 pace}

1 mile cool down back to school

Basically I wanted to throw in some speed in a regular distance run.  Plus, I was short on time since I had to be home to take my daughter to dance.  I felt this workout was a nice way to get my legs moving on an otherwise regular day. 

PS.  Here’s my finger post-run {still holding up strong}!!

So there you have it…from my coach/advisor to you…every run should truly have a purpose.  And thank you to Derek for putting the statement out there in Twitterverse! 

What do you think...Should every run should have a purpose?

Intervals in the 'Hood + Logging Online

I'm what you call an "old-fashioned" runner.  All of the new gadgets, knee high compression socks and mile tracking phone apps associated with the modern day running community were not around when I was in my competitive heyday.  Needless to say, it's a learning curve for me. 

An example of my vintage habits would include my handwritten training log.  Below is a sample page from last year...

To bring me up-to-date and to better organize my training, Jesse suggested an online training log to keep track of workouts and runs.  Since it's time to plan out my spring/summer training and racing schedule, he thought a good approach would be to use running-log.com for this very purpose.  

This tool is valuable for several reasons: 

• It will allow me to more specifically log each run including mileage, type of workout, distances and times.  Plus, I can keep track of warm-ups, cool downs and intervals.
• We both can access it to adjust future training plans and review past sessions. 

One of my resolutions was to organize all facets of my life and this is definitely one way to begin with a more structured running regimen. 


Speaking of running, on Saturday I did a lactate threshold {tempo} workout in a neighborhood full of rolling hills.  These types of workouts are important in the base phase of training when a runner is predominantly working on workouts and training that stress aerobic development. 

Here's what we did:

1.5 mile warm-up and 4 strides

2 mile tempo - 13:06 {6:40, 6:25}  

4 minutes rest  

1 mile tempo - 6:18

2 minutes rest

1 mile tempo - 6:07

1.5 mile cool down

Overall, I felt pretty good and my paces were under the projected times that Jesse set before we began.  This was the first of many workouts to come in the new year.     

On Saturday night, Fred and I enjoyed a relaxing dinner with some friends, hibachi-style.  I ordered the filet mignon and chicken with noodles and Fred got the filet mignon/scallops combo with noodles.  It's always fun to have your meal prepared right before your eyes!    

Sunday started with a 5 mile run, followed by a quick trip with Fred to the market and breakfast at Panera Bread...Ginger Peach tea and steel cut oatmeal with berries, pecans and cinnamon.   

Sunday afternoon my mom came over to help me prepare my chocolate chili and it turned out great!   

In addition, she helped me bake for my "Birthday Club" buddy at school.  On the docket:  Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers and PB & Chocloate Pan Cookies.  Both are located on my Pinterest boards under "Sweets" and they are definitely worth trying!  

Enjoy your day!

  

 









 

Fractured Finger

This happened today.

Earlier in the afternoon, I was running a few errands on my lunch break.  As I was getting out of the car, somehow my finger got caught in the car door as it slammed shut.  Yep. Ouch.  It was quite gross and hurt like you couldn't imagine.  I did, however, proceed with my errand with my finger wrapped in a Subway napkin, but the people in T-Mobile felt sorry for me and brought out their first aid kit.  I'm thinking it was the first time they ever had to use it...

After I left, I called my friend Jolene who once had a similar experience.  She told me that the ER was in my best interest, so that's where I headed.  You know, it's pretty bad when the nurse in the emergency room remembers you from a previous visit.  

After a few x-rays and an examination, the tip of my right pointer finger had a slight fracture and I left in a splint.  Unfortunately, I have to keep this baby on for three to four weeks.  Ugh.  It doesn't even compliment my new gold watch!!  Kidding.  

I was also contemplating a run this afternoon and when asked, the physician promptly told me to take it easy and rest {at least until the bleeding and the throbbing lessens}.  Anyway, the moral of the story is...be careful when closing a car door in the wind.  You never know when your finger could get caught in the process. 

Loving Lately

There's nothing better than finishing a run when it's blustery and cold.  Days like that build mental toughness unlike no other.  

The new year always puts me in the mood to start fresh, and it all begins with reorganizing and decluttering.  Once the tree comes down, I plan on starting anew by exploring my home, room-by-room, and making each one more efficient and comfortable for every member of the family.  To start this process, I created a few new boards for inspiration on Pinterest.  Check it out…maybe even give me a "follow" or "like" too…

My sister always gives the best presents and this one is up there with some of my favorites…a Kate Spade necklace in vibrant yellow and pearl trimmed in gold.   

Hot tea is definitely a way to hydrate during the winter months.  Check out Tetley Tea's “Turn Over a New Leaf” campaign for inspiration and support on getting healthier in the new year.  Join Tetley for live chats, daily wellness tips and chances to win prizes such as Amazon gift cards.  The campaign launched on December 17^th and will run through February 2013.  For more information about this exciting campaign, visit their Facebook page or follow Tetley Tea on Twitter at @TetleyUSA.    

What are you loving lately?

Hydration Station

Good morning!  How have you all been doing with your resolutions?  Speaking of which, if you missed the post on mine, you can catch it here.  One of the areas that I want to focus on in 2013 is proper hydration.  So often our bodies can become dehydrated and sluggish without even knowing, especially in the winter months.  Let’s face it, we aren’t craving liquids when it’s thirty degrees outside.  Despite our lack of thirst, it still is important to keep our bodies filled with plenty of H2O.  

To aid in the quest to fill my belly with more water, I am using my new Tervis water tumbler.  I received this as a Christmas gift from a student and I'm in love.  In fact, I need to get one for both home and school.  

Through research along with some reasons of my own, I came up with a list of benefits for pumping liquids all year long...

Skin health – Hydration keeps skin moist and supple.  I don’t know about you, but I can feel the difference in my skin when I haven’t had the proper amount of water I need.  Honestly, my skin is one of my first indicators of dehydration and it tends to feel dry when I am lacking water. 

Better exercise – Water keeps your cells moving and helps to fuel muscles which gives you more energy.

Detox – Water helps the body flush out toxins, leaving you feel more vibrant and energentic.  Rather than deprive yourself with a detox that will leave you hungry and unfulfilled, drink a ton of water…it will help.    

Staying healthy – Proper hydration will boost your immune system to help fight flu, colds and other winter sicknesses. 

Mental Sharpness – Hydration helps to keep the mind sharp and the body alert.

Feeling full/weight control – We all know that drinking a glass of water before a meal helps us feel fuller.  Therefore a fuller stomach = less calories consumed.  

Digestion – Plenty of fluids aid in digestion by helping the body move food through our body.

Essential to Live – Since the brain is about 70% water and the body is 60-65% water, we cannot live without it.  Obviously, there are certain times of the year when we need more water than others {think runs on hot, summer days} but regardless, proper hydration is essential. 

Finally, one last tip that I find fascinating:  Drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces of water per day will not only put you in a good mood, but it will make you feel great!  If anything, it's a good "rule of thumb" to follow...

Tips to increase water consumption:

·      Have a water bottle with you at all times!

·      Skip the soda and juice and drink water with every meal.

·      Incorporate more decaffeinated herbal teas into your diet, especially during the winter months.

·      Fruits and veggies have water too, especially those such as watermelon, celery, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes and cucumbers. 

How are you hydrating today?