Sassy Molassy

Friday Randoms

2012-01-27T09:21:00.000-08:00

1. I keep forgetting that I'm sort of in the midst of a marathon training schedule. I guess that happens when you've run them just a few times... Well that and the fact that I'm focusing on my shorter goal of finishing this 25K trail race in February before really tackling those road miles.

2. With so many people doing the Jamie Eason's Live Fit training plan right now, it really has me wanting to try it after the Eugene Marathon. I'm not usually one to try certain fitness plans, but I'm intrigued.

3. Work has me so busy and a bit stressed that I almost didn't go to last night's speed workout. My blood pressure was feeling high, but I knew that as overwhelmed as I felt, I needed that run.

I may have seemed a bit out of it and non social to the group, but sometimes you have to work out your issues in the midst of others and a hard workout.

Last night's speed work: warm up, 3 sets of 4 x 400m @ 5k pace...but wait, it gets interesting! In between each 400m, we had to do the following workouts - 400m, push ups, 400m, walking lunges, 400m, mountain climbers, 400m and burpees! Ugh. And finally a cool down. I was spent.

4. I still have Christmasy nail polish (red w/ sparkles) on my toes. This needs to change in the very near future. Holidays = over.

5. I don't know how people keep their houses clean and organized in addition to working full time, exercising, volunteering, etc. Mopping, dusting and vacuuming are near the bottom of my priority list most days.

What are your random thoughts right now?

Happy happy weekend!

Week of Good Eats

2012-01-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

As of this week, I feel like my meal planning game is back. It helps that we stocked up on groceries while I already had a few menu items in my head.

What we've enjoyed this week:

Monday - Pulled pork straight from the crock pot w/ a little BBQ sauce on whole wheat bread & a side of broccoli

Pork shoulder was cooked on low in the crock pot for about 9 hours with a dry rub (salt, pepper, cayenne, cumin, paprika, brown sugar) and 1 cup water and 1/4 cup balsamic. After tossing the fatty meat, add BBQ sauce to the good stuff until it tastes just right.

Tuesday - Leftover pulled pork flat out wrap pizzas

Flat out wraps make some great, light pizzas when you want the taste of pizza, but don't have the time or don't want to have all that crust.

Wednesday - Annie's pasta with roasted broccoli, sweet potato and frozen peas mixed in

Wednesday dessert - shared chocolate mousse cake w/ strawberries from Sweet Life Patisserie

Thursday - Pre made and cooked (Wed night) lasagna

Looking back on it, this week has been pretty meat and cheesy, but I figure it will all balance out. Some weeks we'll eat pretty boring and healthy meals and others might be a little more deluxe and heavy. Luckily, I think we're doing pretty well on the sweat side so there's not much to worry about.

A note on pizza: Over the past few years as we've made more of our own pizzas than we've purchased, I realize I like less and less cheese to give other toppings their chance to flavor pop in my mouth. Goat cheese is also a nice alternative because it has a strong taste, but you don't need to use a ton of it.

From here, I'd like to branch out beyond the recipes I have in my head and really utilize my cookbooks more. Always easier said than done...

Happy Thursday!

These Curves

2012-01-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

The scale has been the discussion of several awesome blog posts lately. *See links to a few of them at the bottom of this post.

These thoughtful posts have reminded me that I've wanted to talk for a while now about how yoga has truly changed the way I see my body. Sure, a lot of people say that, but let me tell you, it's true.

I'm not one of those hippy, dread lock loving, arm pit hair kind of Eugeneans. But I am a high stress kind of gal who NEEDS the moments and opportunities to destress and lengthen these short, tight muscles I've developed from running and strength training.

I first started doing yoga back in high school at my home gym where I occasionally subbed when the teacher was out of town. It was a power yoga class and was a great opportunity to stretch, strengthen my core and get a little sweat on. Yoga was also the saving grace to some back problems I had.

As my yoga journey has developed, so has my appreciation for this body that gets me through all the sun salutations, chaturangas and boat poses.

I did not always love these curves. Sure, they were curvier at times, but I loathed the round bumps, the extra flesh in my thighs, the jiggle under my arms. And now? I don't always love the jiggle, but I appreciate it for what it has allowed me to do.

A few years ago, I stepped on the scale several times a day, beating myself up mentally if it didn't land on the right number. But thanks to a roommate who opted to chuck the old bathroom scale, I was freed of that ball and chain and able to decide for myself what I was worth.

Today, we have a scale at home that I occasionally step on out of mere curiosity from time to time. And you know what? The days that I step on thinking "Wow, I must have gained about 5lbs over break," it's often the case that I've gained maybe a pound.

Sure, I'm human and there are days where I'm envious of the thin girls in a fitness class. But I remind myself how far I've come with this body and what it's done for me. More often than not, I am thankful for my body.

In addition to allowing me to appreciate my curves, yoga has...

made me appreciate slowing down
made me more patient with my body and its capabilities
shown me what I have to work on in my fitness
allowed me to value workouts that don't always involve buckets 'o sweat

I think our relationship with our body is an ever changing thing. I'm just trying to be flexible and not expect something out of my body, but rather try to learn from what it's teaching me. It's a work in progress, that's for sure.

Posts of Interest
Why I Hate the Scale by Nutrition Nut on the Run (Hillary)
The Zero Scale by Meals and Moves (Janetha)
You and I Just Don't Get Along by Best Body Fitness (Tina)

Perspective

2012-01-23T11:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, I raced out the door to run with a group of early morning fasties on a hilly route in the country.

The first few miles, I managed to keep up with Lonn (or rather he was nice enough to run at my fast pace) up and down the hills. As we stopped at the "aid station" Lonn had prepared (full of Gatorade, Picky Bars and gels), I told him to go on and I dropped to my more comfy (but not painfree) pace of 8:30-8:40s.

This crew has some speedy legs, so I had to remind myself not to succumb to guilt for not being able to run faster. These legs can only do what they can do.

But that's the thing with running - it's each and everyone's own journey. It's not about you compared to someone else. It's about what you learn out there in those miles - about yourself and your abilities.

Someone else might be training for an ultra or a 3:20 marathon or an Ironman. It's okay that ALL I'm training for is to finish X race. Too often we get caught up in worrying what's wrong with us if we're not doing what everyone else is.

Realizing my hip and glute weren't in the best shape on Saturday, I opted to make the smart move and run the longer, yet flat route back to the start. It was nice to get some longer road miles in, but I realized I need to be smart about recovery.

On the drive home, I stopped at the pool to do 20 min of aqua jogging to shake out the sore muscles and joints. At home, I finished the whole shabang with 10 minutes of foam rolling.

It was a good reminder that I need to pull out the foam roller if only for just a few minutes to keep the I.T. bands, quads and hamstrings happy.

And I love that when I do this, Jonah insists on being right by my side. Perfect foam rolling company.

Do you struggle with comparing yourself in your athletic endeavors, career or otherwise? What is your current recovery routine?

Truth be told, for the time being I've ditched the whole ice bath thing after long runs. I decided that warm epsom salt baths feel better and are possibly better for my legs than the icy cold water, which limits blood flow. But like so many things out there, there are so many different approaches to accomplishing a similar outcome.

Tag, you're it!

2012-01-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

I hope your weekend is drifting along just perfectly. Morgan tagged me in this random question post on Friday so here goes...

What is the last thing you took a picture of?

Manfriend riding to work in the snow on Tuesday morning. Snow doesn't last long around here so we have to appreciate it while we can.

What finally made you decide to write your blog?
My friend T has started a blog and I've always been a journaler and the kind of person who likes to share stories so I figured blogging would be a good way to do that. Additionally, it was (and still is) a creative outlet and stress reliever.

If you had to listen to one song on repeat for the rest of your life, what would it be? Tiny Dancer by Elton John or Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. Total opposites I know, but those are the two that come to mind right now.

What's one item on your 'bucket list'? Travel to Greece, walk on the hillsides among the white stone homes and swim in the bright blue ocean.

If you could be on any TV show, which would it be?
I used to want to be on MTV, but now days I would say one of the home shows (because it means we'd be buying a new house (or buying one to have someone else renovate) or What Not to Wear (because I'd be getting a whole new wardrobe for free.

If you could start your own race, what distance would it be? Personally, I don't like to pay to run less than 5 miles although I occasionally do. I would probably organize a 15K with a variety of terrain and maybe some barriers to hop over here and there. One of the most fun races I've done was this 10K in Michigan where we ran on road, golf course, trail and back to road. So much fun and variation.

What would you name said race? LP's Mad Dash to the Finish!

If you were forced to eat like something other than how you eat now, which would you choose? (Vegetarian, Vegan, Paleo, Pescetarian, Kosher, Cannibal, etc...) Probably pescetarian or vegetarian. I've toyed with the idea before, but I also like the occasional burger, bacon and chicken. But pescetarian would allow me to keep a good amount of protein in my diet and enjoy the occasional salmon, crab or shrimp dish.

If you could rid the world of one social application, which would it be? I'm not sure. I was kind of late to the smart phone party so I have downloaded maybe 10 apps to my phone. I guess I would rid the whole "checking in" thing from social media. It just doesn't seem safe or necessary.

If you could choose just one person to train with for a training cycle who would it be? Probably Kara Goucher. She just seems down to earth and a fun person I could connect with, not that our paces would be ANYWHERE near each other. Ha!

If you were a guest at our wedding what would you bring as a gift based on what you know about Spike and I? (Ha ha, this could get very interesting...) Some kind of engraved sword (to go along with your coat of arms thing), a cool shower curtain and entry into a funtastic race.

Tag, you're it! You are now tagged if you are reading this post. Pick 2-3 questions above and answer them below or repost the questions and answer on your own blog.

Thanks for tagging me, Morgan. These random questions are always fun to answer even though I don't do them often.

On a random note, it's a bit shocking and sad to me that Joe Paterno (former Penn State coach) passed away today shortly after 1.) retiring at the age of 85 and 2.) in the midst of this whole scandal over Jerry Sandusky sexually abusing young boys. I hope that he felt at peace with his decisions and that his family is doing okay.

Not many people work until 85 doing something they love. Heck, not many people do something they love for work, period.

Wishy Washy, Table for One?

2012-01-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

Hey there! The week is flying by - still busy and trying to keep my nose above water.

Today I had an incident of indecisiveness, which happens fairly frequently in my world. Probably about 50% of the time I doubt a decision I've made if it's not related to fitness or nutrition (two things I feel pretty confident in what I want).

One moment I'm set on going to girls night, the next I'm too stressed to go. And then just minutes later I think "Seriously, I'm an idiot. I need to see the girls. Why can't I make a decision to save my life?"
Decision: Girls night attended and much enjoyed

One day I think we have to go on a sunny vacation because we deserve it and have been talking about it for the last year. And the next day, I've convinced myself we don't deserve to flitter money away like that. We should be saving it for important things like a down payment on a car.
Decision: Vacation planned and excited for it

One month I'm sure that I know what my future holds career wise. The next, I think "WHAT in the world was I meant to do for a living?"
Current though: Stop being afraid

After wavering on a decision, I find myself really frustrated that I'm unable to just make a decision and be happy with it. It's kind of painful. My perfectionist nature wants to always make the right decision and as we all know, there is no "right" or perfect decision.

In the journey of being my authentic self in 2012, I need to cut myself some slack and be okay with a decision I've made. That being said, I'm allowed to change my mind, but there's no reason to get so worked up about it.

Does anyone have a trick to making decisions or how you decide between two things when you find yourself wavering back and forth?

Sunshine to Snow

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-08:00

The weekend went by fast, despite having two extra days off. Saturday, after our respective sweat sessions (cycling 40 miles for him and running 12 miles of trail for her), we drove to my grandparents' house on the Oregon Coast.

It was fun to catch up with them, have two fabulous home cooked meals and play cards until my eyelids wouldn't stay open any longer. Oh and we enjoyed some of my grandma's rum cake (not too strong, but oh so light and fluffy).

On the drive home, we experienced some rare snow in Oregon as we drove over the pass. Nothing that my little Corolla couldn't handle though with a Michigan born driver at the wheel!

Nice and sunny with a few flakes along the road...

Coming down a bit more steady now...

Okay, getting nervous. We passed a wreck coming the other direction.

Hello, snow! The manfriend was pretty excited actually to see some legit snow in our region.

And an hour or so later, back to blue skies and clear roads, just like normal.

We stopped by Trader Joe's when we got to town for grocery supplies. Dinner was straight out of the February Real Simple - Cauliflower Penne Puttanesca! Quick, easy and yum.

Did you do something fun on your day(s) off? On days off like today (MLK Day), I generally do extra sweating, hit up a coffee shop, read and do a few house chores.

On the running front: These long trail runs are kicking my butt. I'm really feeling it in my right side (the weaker glute/hammy). I swear, if people are looking for a toned rear, all you need to do is run or hike hills on a regular basis.

At the same time, I know this hilly trail work is not only advantageous for the Hagg Lake 25K, but will be great base and strength builder for the Eugene Marathon (even though it's flat). I just need to keep up the yoga and stretching, which I made time for this weekend.

We also got a light dusting of snow here in Eugene so it was fun to run with flakes falling on my face yesterday evening. Feels like a special treat when it comes only once or twice a year!

On a sunny note, we booked our vacation to Puerto Vallarta. I. can't. wait.

One Year Ago Today

2012-01-12T11:52:00.000-08:00

One year ago today, I was freaking out over the scariest thing I'd ever experienced.

After a hard boot camp style workout (and possibly not enough food or sleep for the manfriend), we drove home and the manfriend said the sports talk radio sounded like a foreign language so he turned it off. When we got home he went to lay on the bedroom floor because his head was hurting so bad and he felt like he was going to throw up. I didn't think too much of it and wanted to get some food in him.

Then, as I made him get up for dinner, he started having memory and speech loss. The moment he asked me where he worked, I lost it. It even took him a moment to remember my name and Jonah Bell's (the dog) name!

I called my dad and every medical friend we know, googled stroke and quickly shuffled the manfriend into shoes and coat and out the front door.

Sobbing the entire drive there, just trying to keep him awake and trying to answer my questions to test his memory was just miserable. I missed a turn to the hospital and couldn't stop wondering if this stuff would ever come back to him.

Several hours later, we were seen by a slew of nurses, doctors, neurologists, etc. Cat scan, spinal tap, cardiogram, etc. he had it all done.

One doc asked him who I was and where he worked and it just game out like complete gibberish. Talk about terrifying.

After hours of concern, fear and waiting later, the doctors confirmed it was a severe migraine, which has the tendency to move around and effect different parts of the brain (speech, memory, etc).

The manfriend was released less than 24 hrs later. Just a few weeks later, newscaster Serene Branson had a very similar incident on air. It was such a relief to see it and hear other medical professionals examine her case on the news. Here is the video of her incident.

Since that day, he's been without a migraine. As I said before, you never know when something bad is going to happen. Tell your loved ones how much they mean to you and always trust your gut! No amount of money saving would have been worth waiting and wondering if he'd be okay.

Now is the time to be thankful for the ones we get to spend our time with, who make us laugh and who we wouldn't want to live without. I'm thankful for our health and happiness this year.

I hope you're having a Healthy and Happy 2012!

What's up Wednesday

2012-01-11T07:08:00.000-08:00

Wow, these weeks are just flying by. Amazing how fast they go when you're busy!

Tuesday is officially my easy or active recovery day. It's been that way for a while, but often I found myself push push pushing even on Tuesdays.

Well, part of my fitness goals for 2012 is to take Tuesdays significantly easier, not just say I will and then do the opposite.

So far, so good - Monday was NO running with some time at the gym, cross training and weight lifting and walking with a friend at lunch. Tuesday was an easy three mile run before work and then hot yoga after.

Hardest sequence in yoga last night - warrior III to airplane arms warrior III to half moon to single leg standing splits and back to warrior III. Talk about a hamstring strengthener!

Okay, now on to dinners. I would love to be one of those people who roughly plans out my meals for the week on Sunday and then buys all the groceries for said meals. I'm not sure it will ever totally happen, but for now I want to get better at it.

Last week, I made a few lame dinners because I had no clue what I was going to make before grabbing stuff out of the fridge (one of them was a total disaster).

We haven't been eating anything fancy this week, but I feel a bit more sane knowing what we're going to eat each night. This week: Sunday - Mama Peas' tamale bean pie (great for lunch or dinner leftovers), Monday - angel hair pasta with vegetables, marinara and sliced italian chicken sausage (Trader Joe's), Tuesday - black bean, pepper and onion nachos on Trader Joe's flax seed vegetable chips.

It's funny how just having a plan in mind makes me so much more at ease. In planning out our dinners ahead of time, my hope is that I start using more of my cookbooks and don't make the same thing over and over again.

However, spaghetti is something I could eat a few times a week and probably not get sick of it - cheap, easy and healthy (especially when you pack in the veggies).

I wanted to show you guys probably the most adorable Christmas gift we received. My cousin and his wife picked out these mini kitchen goodies for us. And best of all, the baby colander matches my big one!

What do we have here? A mini grater (have already used it to zest lemon), measuring spoons that snap into each other, pot holder thingy and an expandable funnel. I've just kept it on the stove (when it's not on) because it's just so darn cute with all its little things inside.

How's that for a random what's up Wednesday post? Yoga, dinner and mini kitchen supplies.

On another note - we're trying to decide on a sunny vacation for March or April (crazy how quick that will be here). It's tough though with prices of airfare and my desire to head to some serious sun. We're pondering some places in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and dabbling with the idea of somewhere in Arizona where we could be in the sun and do outdoor activities.

Does anyone have a great sunny destination recommendation? Do you plan your dinners ahead of time?

A Blessing and a Curse

2012-01-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I headed out to the trails in search of kicking my own butt (and cranking out 10 or so miles).

Within the first two miles, I found myself at the top of one climb, walking and my legs shaking and not sure that this run would go much further. I'm not sure if my body was just tired from the week or still asleep, but I knew it could do more.

So I pressed on hoping to get to 5 miles and reassess then. As runs usually go, I ended up feeling okay and continued to run along the Ridgeline Trail, up and over Mt. Baldy and back again and then along the trail in the other direction.

I fueled with nuun water and some 'lemon sublime' Gu around mile 7. Let me tell you, in cold weather, this gu tasted like a congealed otter pop...interesting. The weather was perfect - 40s, but sunny and patches of fog.

While there are many people in Eugene who are up for trail runs, the ones I know are either slower or faster than myself by a decent amount. Thus, I am left to brave the trails alone.

But as I was lamenting over this yesterday, I realized it's also a blessing because it allows me to spend time with my thoughts and discover that I am strong enough to get through anything, whether it be a rough hill or a few sucky miles.

AND I can walk when I feel like it - and I did - up a few hills and down a hill when my knee ached.

So after a few decent runs this weekend, I'm feeling a little better about this trail race. It's funny how quickly that can happen. Now I just need to keep up the trail running for at least another month and hope the trails stay semi-dry. Ha!

Is there something in your life you've realized recently is both a curse and a blessing?

When I first started running with one of the local groups, I thought "Ugh, no one runs my pace. I'm always going to run alone." But eventually, I figured it out. Some group runs I have to run a little speedier, some days a little slower and some days I just opt to run alone.

Hope you had a rejuvenating weekend!

Ease Back to Leap Forward

2012-01-06T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hello, weekend! Sorry for being a little MIA this week. It was a BUSY weekend, New Year and birthday and I feel like I'm still in a fog trying to catch up with 2012. Happy 3 year Anniversary, manfriend!

One of the things I'd like to focus on this year is taking it a bit easier on my workouts on cross training or active recovery days. I need to remember that taking a day off or easy will make me that much stronger for the next workout and my training overall will really benefit.

Instead, I like to ignore those ideas of rest and push right through. Luckily, I haven't been injured in a while, but that can change in an instant.

Knowing that I like to do a lot of sweating on the weekends, I decided to take it a bit easier today - 20 min strength session at home (circuit workout with weights and body weight exercises) and then a gym session at lunch.

I've really been wanting to get back to the pool, but it often doesn't seem like fun. Well, I was blazing away on the work projects today and finally had time to dash off to the gym. With 17 minutes 'til the pool closed, I hopped in and got my lap swim on.

It's funny how having this short window in which I was able to swim made it seem like more fun whereas when I go in the middle of the open hours I think "Gah, how much longer do I have to swim laps for?!"

I followed the swim up with a 15 minute bike session and hustled back to work. Often when I try to fit in workouts at lunch, I realize my most productive work hours are 10 am to 2 pm so it's hard to break away from a project. However, on the days when I workout, I get a second wind around 3 pm or so.

When are your most productive work hours? What's your typical routine or feeling toward your easy/xtrain days?

Enjoy your weekend! I need to bust my butt on some trails and hills this weekend because Hagg Lake is coming up miiighty quick. It would probably be a good idea to actually do some trail running before the race...

New Year and Vega Sport System

2012-01-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2012! I'm still alive after the Rose Bowl and guess what?! The Ducks won (by a hair)! It was a close, nerve racking and exciting game. Oh and I'm also another year older. Guess I better update that about me section...

It was so nice to have a few days of sunshine. My pores were just soaking in that Vitamin D! Thank you, 70 and 80 deg temps.

However, traveling is tough on the whole healthy lifestyle thing. This trip, my hotel in Los Angeles wasn't near any grocery stores or many restaurant options other than the hotel restaurant and another hotel a few blocks away. Sleep was limited, the days were busy and exhausting with work events and food options weren't always the healthiest.

Despite the challenges, I'm still proud of myself for making my workouts a priority. The Intercontinental Hotel had an awesome gym. I got up before sunrise (5:30 am) to head to the gym two days and went out for a run in the sun another morning.

Now that January has arrived and I'm back home, it's time for training for the Eugene Marathon to begin. Do you know what that means? Better eating and lots of sleep!

Vega Sport Performance System

A few months ago, Vega Sport contacted me about doing a review of their products. After having heard from others who'd tried Vega Protein powders and researching it online, I said yes!

Just a few weeks later, I received a box of all kinds of pre, mid and post workout Vega Sport training fuel. One of my favorite parts of receiving this was just the packaging alone. As soon as you pull of the lid, the whole box pops open like your personal supplement rack.

Voila!

The Vega Sport System is a complete, all-natural, plant-based sport performance system developed in three comprehensive stages (Prepare, Sustain and Recover) to help athletes perform at their best.

Vega Sport was formulated by Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman triathlete and best-selling author on plant-based nutrition. Vega Sport performance system is 100% plant based, free of dairy, gluten and soy, which makes it great for people who are allergic to or trying to avoid any of these products. It also contains no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners - win, win, win!

Over the past six weeks, I've tried almost every product in the box. I tried one of the prepare electrolyte powders before one of my runs, but for the most part, I used a lot of the recovery products.

I think the hardest thing about any sport supplement is the flavor. I definitely found some that I really liked and others that I didn't. For example, the berry recovery accelerator wasn't quite up my alley, but I liked the vanilla protein powder and rationed it into smoothies, overnight oats, etc.

My favorite product was probably the chocolate coconut Protein Bar because of its taste, consistency and the likeliness that I would in fact purchase this product on my own.

Because I haven't been in race training mode the past six or so weeks, I didn't have a chance to use the sustain products, but I'm looking forward to using the gel and bars during some of my upcoming longer runs.

How do you get ready for your work outs (runs, cross training, weight lifting), keep energy up during and recover after? Is anyone else trying to get back on track with it being a new year and all?

I usually make a point to pack in extra protein after a workout to get the best bang for my exercise buck AND to help my muscles recover faster for the next workout. Sometimes that's in the form of a green smoothie with protein powder and other times it means adding more beans, yogurt or lean protein to a meal.

Packing and Heading to Sunshine

2011-12-31T08:35:00.000-08:00

I'm bound for sunny Los Angeles today for the Rose Bowl! My grandma requested photos of my packing so I decided it might be fun to do. I'm not the best packer as I like to be prepared for anything AKA I am NOT a light packer.

Yesterday, I worked a half day and then came home to pack, get in one last recovery run in Oregon before 2012 and headed to Portland for my flight. Luckily, the packing is pretty predictable because most of it will be work related - khakis and Oregon shirts are my woredrobe staples this weekend. Even so, I always write out a packing list for my trips so I don't forget any necessary items.

My carry on usually includes my computer, camera, magazines, water bottle and some snacks (larabars, apple and banana today).

All together now and ready to go!

I stayed at an airport hotel last night. Apparently, the hotel has sleep number beds, but I think mine was one of few that wasn't a sleep number - hard as a rock I tell ya!

I usually have no problem sleeping in hotels, but last night wasn't great. I woke up in the middle of the night to neighbors being loud. Then I woke up early to get in a short 20 min sweat session at the hotel gym. It makes my flights so much more pleasant.

This morning's airport breakfast: Starbucks perfect oatmeal w/ banana, nuts and dried berries and a cinnamon dolce misto

Okay, off to fly the friendly skies! See ya from LA!

Goals for the New Year

2011-12-29T22:14:00.000-08:00

New Year's Resolutions have never really worked for me. The idea of New Year's resolutions is great, but hard to follow through with. Keeping those goals top of mind throughout the year when regular life stuff, work and other distractions take precedence isn't easy to do.

Over the last few months, the one thing that's popped into my head is that I'm often apologizing for being me or not being confident in the decisions I've made. I don't necessarily make apologies verbally, but often in my head thinking "Man, I should really be dressing this way, or making that much money, or doing this for work, or seeing my friends more, or going to these events or volunteering/running/cooking/learning more..." The list goes on.

So the goal for 2012 (among other things), is to be bold and stay true to what I want and who I am. Apologizing and feeling sorry for not being how others might expect you to be (or how others are) doesn't work. And beating yourself up for not being superhuman isn't helpful either. But that's part of the growing process - realizing that you are great for who you are and how the universe made you. And we all benefit by being our authentic selves.

Photo thanks to Mom during breakfast at Besaw's in Portland, OR last weekend. So delicious!

How will I do this? Honestly, I don't have all the answers. My goal is to focus on the little things I can do to work toward the bigger goals in my life. After all, saying "I want to be able to run a marathon tomorrow." is less motivating than saying "Tomorrow I'm going to run 5 miles and build from there."

Baby steps...

Do you have a goal or focus for 2012? It feels like 2011 flew by. I wouldn't mind if 2012 slowed down juuust a tad.

My 2011 Inspiration Board

2010 Recap Maybe I should do a recap of 2011?

It Comes Just Once a Year

2011-12-27T22:43:00.000-08:00

As magical as Christmas time is for me, I have to say, I'm thankful it comes just once a year because I am wiped. I'm sure I wasn't the only one today staring zombie like at my work computer.

While I love the selecting of gifts, Christmas carols, twinkling lights, wrapping presents, baking cookies and seeing family, it all reaches to the point where it's simply time to move on. After four days of relaxing, laughing, family time, presents and eating too much junk, I'm thankful for a heaping salad and some quiet time.

The holidays have become something that while joyous, are also stressful and overwhelming for me.

I found myself reflective as I drove home last night (with the dog passed out in the back seat) about it all. These presents are appreciated (but not needed), the giving feels good (but never as much as I'd like), family bonding is fun (but there's never enough time to have all the conversations you'd like), the cookies, booze and cheese are delicious (but not 5 lbs delicious).

But amidst it all, the chaos has me feeling thankful for everything and everyone in my life. These rare occasions to see family and relax a little make me appreciate my family and this life a whole lot more. While the manfriend and I were not together on Christmas, I also felt grateful for his presence in my life.

Spending time with family and friends means so much more than any gift under the tree. It's amazing to look back on my ten year old self who might have been disappointed if I hadn't received one item on my Christmas list. With time and some perspective brings us the realization that each other is all we really need.

The holidays are definitely more joyful than they are exhausting, but in 2012 I hope to look at ways of making the season just a bit more simplified, yet equally satisfying for me.

And finally, a few baby pics because babies make everything happier, more stress free and fun.

Mikaela is my cousin's six month old who happily babbled at us and entertained herself all of Christmas morning.

Do you crash hard after the holiday season? Or do you pace yourself well and find a good balance among the busyness?

Christmas Eve Mushrooms

2011-12-25T00:25:00.000-08:00

You know those recipes that sound fun to make, but are most suitable for parties? Well, I've been wanting to make Kath's stuffed mushroom recipes so I figured Christmas Eve would be the perfect opportunity - fun and festive and I wouldn't be tempted to eat them all.

The process was fairly easy: rinse and dry mushrooms, remove stems, combine goat cheese mixture and stuff, bake for 30 minutes. But of course it always takes much longer than you think it will.

They were definitely hit! Both the lemon almond honey and the bacon sage goat cheese stuffed mushrooms were gone by the end of the night.

A few more photos of the night's festivities...

And now the brothers and I have watched Yes, Virginia (there is a Santa Claus) - adorable, Charlie Brown Christmas and some of The Santa Claus. Time to get some shut eye before Santa Claus comes to town!

On the running front: I scheduled a run date with my high school friend (and European travel buddy) Annie this morning. We did 6 together and I did another 3 on my own running to and from her house. It's so much more fun to run with other people!

What's Next?

2011-12-23T10:32:00.000-08:00

So lately, I've felt unsure of 'what's next' as far as marathons or any other distances go. I signed up for the Hagg Lake 25K because I've heard it's a great place to run and a fun race.

I'm a 'bang for my buck' kind of runner so all the stars have to be aligned for me to sign up because otherwise, I'd be inclined to sign up for a race every other week or so. It has to sound fun, be in a good location/beautiful scenery and often not too expensive.

Well, last Sunday there was a $10 off event if you registered for the Eugene Marathon at our local running store. I'd been thinking I might run it legitimately this year, so I thought "heck, $80 is practically a bargain for a marathon." Yeah, marathons have distorted my thinking. After paying $110 for registrations in the past, $80 is nearly affordable...

Feb 19 - Hagg Lake 25K
April 29 - Eugene Marathon

What's in between? Probably a lot of miles, but not much of a plan. From here until Feb 19, I'll try to run more trails and hills and beyond that, more road and longer miles.

Oh, and lots of yoga. I've been slacking lately (but it's been okay since I'm not running as much), but I really want to get back to it in 2012. Plus, yoga is like fun forced stretching!

I'll be honest, after I signed up for my first half and then first full marathon, I've never really looked back. It's hard to run a race and not look toward the future wondering which race to sign up for next. But I know this is just a stage in life - at some point, I'll be too busy to marathon as I please. For now, I'm appreciating the fact that I have the time and energy to train for these things.

Source

Six marathons, 10 half marathons, three relays, one 50K, a few century rides, a sprint tri and a number of other races and here I am - happy, healthy and for the most part uninjured.

The last time I ran a 25K was the Shotgun Creek Trail Blast with Kristin in 2010. Unfortunately, I think Hagg Lake is going to be much colder and wetter.

Is anyone else running the Home for the Holidays Virtual 10K this weekend? I banged mine out as part of my farlek speed workout this morning and it was probably faster than if I'd just run a steady state 6.2 miler. Crazy how that works.

Results: 6.2 miles - 49:54 - and then I kept going for a bit more to hit 8 miles with my cool down. Great way to start the holiday weekend because I know there will be LOTS of sitting, eating, drinking and relaxing. That's okay, it's all about balance! I hope you're enjoying a joyous holiday weekend with family and friends.

No Rest for the Busy

2011-12-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

Creative posts are lacking right now so why don't I catch you up on the happenings as of late?!

Friday night was cookie, beverage drinking and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation fun at my friend Jenn's. After Friday, I realized why we usually just lay low at the end of the week. I was exhausted and barely able to think straight during our baking madness.

We ended up making sugar cookies, gingerbread and chocolate crinkles. Unfortunately, none of them turned out great. Perhaps if it had not been Friday or if we had focused more on the baking and less on the sipping... ;)

Saturday was trail running fun...

I headed out Mt. Pisgah, the location of a trail race that several friends were running. I needed an excuse to get my shoes a little muddy (ahem, Hagg Lake 25K in Feb) so I opted to run one of the loops the 50Kers were running. 9.3 miles later, my trail needs were met.

There is something about trail running that makes me feel so at peace with my pace, my surroundings and the moment. Must. run. more. trails.

Saturday night, I got my Christmas present from the manfriend in the form of a nice dinner out. I much prefer a fun experience than something I don't necessarily NEED, unless of course it sparkles and shines. ;)

Sunday's workout - A Mini Triathlon!

The plan: 30 min running, 30 min cycling (trainer), 30 min yoga

Actual: 34 min (4.25 miles) running, 30 min spinning, 25 min yoga for cyclists (yogadownload.com freebie) After spending some time cleaning the house (thank you, manfriend), I coaxed the man out for a run in the rain. It's funny, once you're wet you don't mind getting more wet.

Then we were off to Portland to send the manfriend to the midwest and hang out with my brother and his fiance. And take a walk through Peacock Lane for some Christmas light festivus.

And Monday, it was back to the cookie making grind. I kid, it's not that tough. Michelle and I made gingerbread cookies (w/ lemon icing), sugared pecan balls (A-mazing) and peppermint bark. So fun to break out of the usual cookie rut and try some new recipes.

And all this fun stuff left me exhausted by Monday night!

It's been a while since I took a total rest day. Because we were traveling and I took the day off work, it just made sense to take Monday as a total rest.

So often, I talk myself into even just a short workout, but sometimes it's better to JUST SAY NO. When life gets busy, it's okay to cut yourself some slack. One missed workout won't squash all the hard work you've put in this entire year.

What's on the tip top of your Christmas/wish list this year? Is anyone thinking of New Year's resolutions for 2012?

Christmas Cookie Fun

2011-12-16T14:38:00.000-08:00

Ho Ho Ho! Guess what time it is? Christmas cookie baking is just around the corner in a matter of hours.

Over the last few years, my former coworker Jenn and I have baked cookies to give away, get into the holiday spirit and get our dose of December sugar in.

Last year, we crammed a whole bunch of flour, butter, sugar, toppings, cookie cutters, mixers, rolling pins and more onto our tiny kitchen counters and got to work.

This year, the manfriend and I are heading to Jenn's to make a mess and have some fun. The manfriend has deemed himself the Official "Taste Tester" of the evening. Watch it, manfriend, I'm gunning to eat as many cookies as this stomach will hold (and it can hold a lot).

Some things make the season feel "right" and baking and decorating cookies is one of them for me. I think I've purposely NOT been baking too many sweets in anticipation of Christmas cookie fun.

What are your favorite holiday cookies? My favs include: gingerbread men (or any type of ginger molasses cookie), jam sandwich cookies and pb blossoms - duh.

Need some more cookie recipe ideas? Real Simple sent out a link to 50 easy Holiday & Christmas cookies this week. Happy weekend!

Good luck to anyone finishing up any shopping or holiday planning! I have a few gifts to wrap, but this year is a little more low key as I'm trying not to spend much $. During Christmas, I often find myself buying stuff just to buy it for others. Instead, I'm making fewer, more focused purchases and being okay with not giving everything I'd like to give.

Guessing Game

2011-12-14T21:55:00.000-08:00

Can you name this squash/pumpkin? My mom gave it to me last week and I've never had one of these.

Manfriend pretending to rip it apart with his bare hands. ;)

It looks like a pumpkin AND a squash. It has the seeds of a pumpkin, but it tastes like a squash. Quite the conundrum. I could look it up, but it's more fun to have you guys tell me what it is!

After the manfriend cut it in half, I cut it into smaller pieces and roasted it at 400 deg. for about 40 min with olive oil, sea salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. It tastes good! I'll probably end up mixing it into a chili or soup.

On another note, I just replaced my beloved Brooks Adrenalines with a new pair. Once you find a shoe you love, it's hard to switch it up.

Over the last few weeks, I could tell my pair from just before the Victoria Marathon was nearly shot. I was trying to hold out until January and make do with the old ones and another pair of old New Balances, but I just couldn't.

When I wear shoes that are too old, flat or narrow, my feet start hurting (my bunions start flaring up) and my knees twinge a little here and there. Well, those damn bunions showed their ugly face this weekend and I said ENOUGH!

Sure, I'm $100 poorer, but good kicks are important when running is something you LOVE. Now days, I end up replacing my shoes just about every three months - ugh.

It's amazing how cushiony the new shoes feel each time you lace them up. Now if only they could stay comfy and clean forever!

How often do you replace your running/workout shoes? Do you replace them based on months, miles, feel, body aches?

P.S. I don't recommend wearing Vibrams in 20 degree weather. I tried that this week on a walk with the dog and came back to the house nearly in tears. Toes. hurt. SO. bad.

Easy, Healthy, Fast

2011-12-12T21:29:00.000-08:00

You may have heard about this little stuff called "Yumm Sauce" from Healthy Tipping Point or Peas and Thank You. There's a local franchise - Cafe Yumm - that makes these delicious rice and bean bowls with "yumm sauce" on top.

Many people like this sauce. In fact, I took a huge bottle in my suitcase back to Nashville when I visited Kristin.

From time to time, I remember to pull out the yumm bowl idea for dinner. It's not only fast and easy, but it's healthy too. And, it can easily be a vegan dish without adding cheese or sour cream/yogurt on top.

Tonight's spin on the yuuuuumm bowl - brown rice, black beans, chopped onion, green bell pepper, sliced mushroom, a few dashes of taco seasoning, shredded cheese, salsa and plain yogurt on top. *I don't actually use or make the yumm sauce.

But you can try making a vegan version of the sauce thanks to Mama Pea. I've made it a few times, but prefer it just for dipping veggies.

Want to make the original yumm bowl at home? Ingredients needed: brown rice, black beans, yumm sauce (optional), salsa, cheddar cheese (optional), diced tomatoes, avocado, sour cream or yogurt, black olives and a few sprigs of cilantro. Now stir and devour!

Now let's talk about saying YES and NO...

I thought it would be fun to talk a little about the commitments that come up this time of year and how we handle them. While it seems I have a few less parties and dinners to go to this year, there are still plenty of invites coming in from running adventures to birthday celebrations and holiday shenanigans.

A few years ago, I was coaching high school lacrosse, training for a marathon and working full time. And I took part in every celebration possible. Those few years burnt me out and I finally realized it was OKAY to say no.

With so many options and limited time, money and energy, I've realized people won't hate me because I don't come to something and I will actually be just fine as well. In fact, I found myself feeling more relaxed and happy.

By no means am I doing it "perfectly," but I feel a whole heck of a lot less stressed out than I once did. So on Sunday, I felt like I should go to a friend's birthday adventure (roller skating, laser tag, bowling, dinner) or head to Target, but instead I listened to my body.

After a long morning of running around a nearby lake and going out to breakfast, all I wanted to do was wear sweats, take a nap and do some baking.

Fresh apples turned into apple crisp on Sunday!

Yes, I regretted not being a part of the birthday celebration, but I knew it was the best decision that night. For now, it's better for me to say YES! to the activities that are either a) sweat related (stress reducing) b) sound like a ton of fun OR c) don't cause more stress attending them vs. not.

And ultimately, laying around in sweats is something you just NEED once in a while.

My tips for managing the holiday stress:

attend the events you want to
make time for the people who are most important in your life
don't overspend
eat healthy, satisfying meals
be flexible with your workout, change up your routine, try a new activity
light a candle, read a magazine, head to bed early

How are you doing with your holiday festivities and stress this time of year?

Over the River and Through the Woods

2011-12-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today, we were in for a treat! Lonn, one of the local veteran runners (super generous and an all around great guy) puts on this 10K each year for his friends.

We drove through the fog this morning at 7:15 am to park at a local golf course where the race begins. There were both 4 mile and 10K options and it was said to be "the hardest 10K in Lane County."

We were told to wear our brightest colors with the fog and all, so I did.

Manfriend tied jingle bells to his shoes - everyone had them on.

About 65+ runners and walkers showed up for this unofficial race. We all donated food or money to the local food bank - over 400 lbs of food and $725 in donation!

Crazy pants were present!

Freezing cold fingers and toes were everywhere. Mine remained so for the first three miles.

We ran over the river...

and through the woods!

And up a few decent hills! I think I found a new area to train at for some harder long runs.

The manfriend kicked my butt per the usual with a ~47 min finish while I came in around 52 minutes.

I forgot my watch at home this morning so I really had no clue what pace I was running. Luckily, it wasn't too shabby. All that mattered was that I enjoy some scenic miles to work off the soon to be devoured cinnamon rolls...

I didn't take photos of the food, but we sure feasted! Lonn and his family had homemade cinnamon rolls, hot cocoa and coffee, cookies, brownies, smoked ribs and pulled pork, oranges, champagne, etc.

But I did take a photo of these adorable little mice ornaments. Too cute to handle.

After some eating and hanging out, there were prizes given out in the "game" room. I won a $25 gift cert. to the Running Warehouse and some local honey.

And finally, we were shuttled back to our cars. Such a fun experience. I feel blessed to be part of a running community with so many caring, amazing people. Happy weekend!

Morning Sweat

2011-12-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, this week started getting jam packed - volunteering at Food for Lane County (local food bank) on Monday night, manfriend's company holiday party, work event in Portland, drinks with a friend, etc. This left ONE night to do my normal evening exercise.

Being the adult that I am, I scheduled morning workouts for myself this entire week. So, what happened?

Monday - a.m. strength workout (Jillian Michaels No More Trouble Zones dvd - 30 min), lunchtime run (6 miles)

Tuesday - a.m. yoga, lunchtime walk, short p.m. gym session (arc trainer, bike, back/abs/pushups)

Wednesday - a.m. fog run (7 miles), lunch walk (3 miles) It was 27 degrees when I headed out for my run yesterday morning and 33 deg. at lunch. Brrr!

Thursday - a.m. SPEED workout Our speed coaches email the workout the night before, so I checked my phone this morning before heading out. The workout: 1 mile warm up, 1 mile at tempo pace, 4 x 400m at 5K pace, 2 min easy, 4 x 400m at 5K pace, 1.4 mile cool. Just like that, I had cranked out 6.4 miles before the sunrise!

Friday - a.m. or lunchtime cross training/strength

Getting up early isn't exactly my favorite thing in the world, but I know that once I'm up and sweating, I'll be much happier. It's amazing how the body adjusts to a habit after just a few days of change.

What's your prime workout time? I find that my morning runs aren't always as fast, but I appreciate them sometimes more than the later ones because they free up my evenings!

With these cold mornings, I've found that hot foods sound much more appealing than they have for quite a while. Twice this week I've made hot pumpkin oats w/ a little molasses, cinnamon, banana and nut butter mixed in. Mmm...

Weekend in Photos: Holiday Style

2011-12-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

The weekend went by pretty fast being that I had to work from 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday at an event. But like most weekends, there was still a flurry of exercise, activity, good food and some relaxation. Oh and the Ducks beat UCLA on Friday - we're off to the Rose Bowl!

Morning runs both Saturday and Sunday - the manfriend and I ran 9 miles (including some hilly trail) on Sunday!

Peanut Butter Blossoms - you need to make these this holiday season. They're amazing when warm. I had five on Sunday.

We bought and put up our fake Charlie Brown size tree!

I'm kind of surprised we got a fake tree, but it will be nice to have for future years. I absolutely love the smell of real pine needles and having a real tree in the house, but this year I wanted something smaller so this one works. And I think it turned out pretty well despite being plastic and all. ;)

My mom used to read The Polar Express to us every Christmas. It holds this magical place in my heart and I finally bought a copy for myself.

In true holiday spirit, I even busted out my old boom box to listen to my Amy Grant Christmas tape --> nerd alert! Then I moved on to Bing Crosby and Mariah Carey on CDs.

What is your favorite thing, food, activity that you can't live without during the holidays?

Looking Back on November

2011-12-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

Being that we just started the last month of 2011, I thought it would be fun to look back on November because it feels like it just flew by.

YOUR favorite posts of November

My favorite meal of November - Sweet Potato caramelized onion spinach lasagna
I nearly forgot I made this meal! It reminds me that getting creative with a standard dish can be worth your while.

The most beautiful post of November - Fresh Air
How can you not love leaves like that?

My favorite post of November - Manfriend Prepares to run 13.1
I liked this one because it was fun to hear what the manfriend felt about his training. He was also really excited to hear your comments.

Plus, I love all the pictures I snapped during our Sunday run for this post. Photos are a big part of my enjoyment when it comes to blogging.

I can't BELIEVE it's December. Holy moly, where did the time go? I still have a few Thanksgiving recipes I want to try my hand at (stuffing and cranberry sauce). But I figure those will taste good through December and even January.

And I'd like to find enough time to put up some Christmas decorations before the new year. Sheesh!

Happy Friday! It's Go DUCKS! around here because they play in the Pac-12 Championships against the UCLA Bruins. Winner goes to the Rose Bowl.

Overdoing It?

2011-11-30T21:17:00.000-08:00

While things are getting a bit loco around here with the flurry of work, holidays and my own personal expectations for this time of year, I'm having to remember to take a step back and relax a bit.

My daily expectation is to do a specific workout on a specific day. While Wednesday is usually Lifeforce Fitness night, I told myself this morning "Relax, Lauren. You aren't tied to your self-imposed schedule."

And yesterday on my way into work, I said "I really need to get to the gym today." But then I took a step back and said, "No, you will workout if Michelle wants to do something active. But you won't just workout because you 'have to.'" Michelle and I did hang out and opted to do a low key run followed by hot cider, which was JUST what I needed.

While many people struggle with just getting themselves to the gym or heading out in the cold/wet for a run, I'm often quite the opposite. I have to talk myself down from the ledge of overdoing it both mentally and physically.

This time of year, I think it's much too easy in our society to overdo it in all aspects - overshop, overeat, overplan, overobsess, overthink, overexercise, overrelax.

Anyway, in the attempt to do what I wanted today, I started the morning off with a little workout I ripped out of my recent Glamour. I'm not necessarily looking for flat belly, sexy arms, toned butt or lean thighs, but this was a rare workout that I noticed I actually liked the exercises they included.

And tonight I went to the gym and enjoyed a cardio mish mash of whatever I felt like: 10 min stairmaster, 13 min bike, 15 min weights and 11 min elliptical. Just like that, a fun 50 minutes of sweat cranked out!

Are there aspects of your life you're feeling "over somethinged ?"

Just watched Michael Buble sing "Silver Bells" on Christmas in Rockefeller Center. His voice is pretty impressive.

Sweat, Wine and Babies

2011-11-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

So back to the never ending weekend (or so it seemed)...

Saturday started with more sweat! It was a BEAUTIFUL day. I know I keep saying that, but I guess I'm expecting them to go away so each time it's not rainy and the fall leaves are still out, I take notice.

I took the ole road bike and rode to hard core yoga where I was challenged. There's no much flow, but more rather a series of challenging poses or holding a pose for a bit. And then I rode back home for food and a shower.

Next up, I met the girls at the wineries for a little tasting. We even ventured to a vineyard that's rarely open, Iris Hill Winery, where the wine was tasty and the prices were right. I brought home two bottles of Pinot varieties.

Wine tasting is one of those things I could do regularly and not get tired of. So many good tastes, fun chatter and enjoyable bites.

Sunday morning, I set off on an 8 miler along the river in Eugene. It was a beautiful crisp fall morning and the leaves are still hanging on some of the trees. It was a rare run where I brought my ipod and enjoyed my favorite country songs for an hour straight.

I want to keep my long runs going on the weekends because I'm signed up for the Hagg Lake 25K in February. I guess that means I also need to get myself out on some muddy trail in the next few months. NOT looking forward to that...

After the run and some foam rolling, the manfriend and I headed up to Portland for a little gathering of my high school friends and their spouses/babies/dogs.

Now that Jessica has a baby (Evelyn), gatherings are even more exciting - or just in a different way. Who doesn't like to stare at a baby and make funny faces and noises at it for hours on end?

It was great to see the gang and Evie now that she's more active and babbling.

The drive back to Eugene wasn't so hot with pouring rain and Thanksgiving traffic, but we managed. I'm easily entertained by the manfriend's antics.

This weekend was busy for sure, but also had it's relaxing moments. It's baffling to me how many times I was reminded how THANKFUL I am of things over the weekend. When really, I should be actively thankful for these things all. the. time.

Did anyone else notice this? Any creative ideas for hanging stockings when you don't have a mantel or a stairway?

Tip of the week: Head straight to your local Trader Joe's. Do not pass go before purchasing Peppermint Joe Joe's, Peanut Butter Tracks ice cream (seriously addictive) and Cookie Butter. Then promptly join Kristin's 20 Day Workout Challenge.

Thankful for Sure

2011-11-28T13:33:00.000-08:00

It was a weekend to be thankful for sure. Isn't it crazy how two extra days off always feels like an eternity?

Our Thanksgiving started off with a little trot. The manfriend joined me for four miles around the neighborhood - 1 mi warm up and then 3.1 miles a little harder for our mock Turkey Trot.

My hamstrings and rear were really feeling the Wednesday night Lifeforce class and all the squats Jay made us do. Ouch! It hurt to run a 7:40 pace, but with the manfriend gliding easily next to me, it was all I could do to keep up.

Vega Sport protein bar for fuel post run and pre ride.

We got home and quickly changed into cycling gear (because we're crazy and because no day of massive eating starts without some serious sweat) to ride a few miles and meet up with his cycling team before heading back home and off to Thanksgiving dinner!

4.1 miles run + 12 miles cycling = two happy campers

Then it was off to the Oregon coast to see my family and eat the delicious feast my grandma makes every year. No photos, but it was all delicious.

Our Friday started early - we had debated staying up for the midnight shopping madness, but opted to sleep instead. By 7:30 am, we were at the mall. By 10 am we were recovering at Starbucks.

My favorite deal was 50% off at LOFT. I'm never in the holiday shopping mode by Thanksgiving so the deals I tend to snag are ones for myself. :/

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake - recipe

After a few hours of shopping, we needed some rest, pumpkin cheesecake baking and finally some exercise. We managed to head out for 4.5 miles on the trail. Loved every moment of it.

Post run, we both agreed we wanted to go out for dinner, but my rule was that we had to order salads. And it worked. We both ordered big salads at Turtles and then headed to the 5th St Market for a little holiday entertainment and drinks.

Date night look :

I don't even recognize this guy anymore.

I think this is getting plenty long so I'll recap Saturday and Sunday next. I don't often recap my entire weekend or days in detail, but sometimes it's just fun to do. And I managed to snap a lot of photos over the last few days, so why not?

Mondays are often difficult, but after having four days off, it's just that much harder to catch up on the inbox and get into the swing of things again. I hope your day is going well and you're not stressing too much about the things on your to do list. They will either get done, or priorities will shift and they won't need to be tackled.

Breathe in...breathe out...(repeat)...

Did you snag any good deals this weekend? Get your sweat on?

And the Winner is...

2011-11-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving you turkeys! I wanted to pop in and do a quick Thankful Thursday post.

It's likely that by the time you're reading this, I'm somwhere in the midst of watching a little of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, running my own Turkey Day 5K and cycling with the manfriend. Oh I love the holidays!

Last Saturday we did an early Thanksgiving with my mom's side of the family. And today we'll go to my dad's side of the fam.

Grandpa read a family poem and we sang a song and then feasted on a delicious brunch. I didn't have to eat again until 4 pm!

After hanging out with my family and bantering with my younger brothers, I was reminded how nice it is to be around family.

This Thursday I'm Thankful For:

1. Family - because no one knows (and loves you) like family.

2. Younger brothers - because they're just fun to be around.

3. Morning runs - I don't run often before work, but this week I cranked out a seven miler on Tues morning and it kept me sane all day long knowing I wasn't missing my workout because I already finished it.

4. And four day weekends - halleluiah. Some extra down time is just what I needed.

And the Winner of the Shabby Apple Giveaway is...

Jen is Green! Congratulations, Jen. I'll be in touch. Winner chosen by random.org

Jen @ Jen is Green said...

I love that necklace! my favorite accessories are probably my scarves, headbands and of course my jewelry!

I just followed them on FB!

Jen and I met at Healthy Living Summit this year!

I'm glad you guys liked the Shabby Apple giveaway! It's fun to be able to offer gifts to my readers.

For those who didn't win, Shabby Apple is also offering 10% off any purchases for the next month. Use Code: justcallmesassy10off Expires 12/17/11

What's the best thing you've ever won? Favorite Black Friday commercial?Are you doing any fun pre-turkey exercise? I won a $50 Gap gift card from a blogger giveaway, which was pretty exciting. Kohls and Target commercials are tied for me.

EWEB Half Marathon Recap

2011-11-21T21:25:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning, we fueled and then headed down to EWEB (Eugene Water and Electric Board) to get the manfriend signed up for the race and pick up my bib.

Proceeds from the race go to help families who can't afford to pay their heating and electric bills. And the race is super cheap ($30) so it's a win-win!

It was a chilly morning so a lot of runners were staying warm inside before the race.

Eventually, it was time to head out in the cold, get rid of our extra layers and do a little warm up jog. There's nothin' like 35 deg temps to keep you moving!

This is a fun race because so many of our running friends did the race so you get to chat with several familiar faces before and after.

I didn't talk about it here, but my goal for this race was to run strong with no plans to PR. And that's exactly what I did.

I took the first few miles getting comfortable with my pace 7:50-8:05 and then just kept it steady making sure I could hold the pace the entire race. The course follows the bike path along the river so it's fairly flat and fast.

By mile 7, my legs (and hammys) were feeling tired and I was just feeling the speed. At a few water stops I would slow down to a 8:15ish pace and have a hard time cranking it back up to a ~7:50. It's weird how 7:50 and 8:15 felt like identical paces to my body at times.

When I hit mile 9, I said "Okay, I can do ANYTHING for four miles." I continued to use that motto the rest of the race. The last few miles flew by and I was starting to pass a few people so that felt good. In the last few miles, I pushed it a bit harder into the finish line.

I finished just a minute slower than my PR about a year and a half ago. My 9th half marathon is in the bucket. 1:43:35

Do you see that? The manfriend blew his 1:37 goal out of the water! 1:34:04!

The manfriend said he felt pretty steady the entire race. You'll be proud that he opted to drink a bit of water when he could choke it down at aid stations and he had a chocolate Hammer Gel for fuel.

After Sunday's performance, he thinks he can run a sub 1:30 in the future. And yes, there WILL be another half marathon for this guy.

Final Stats:

Manfriend
Overall time: 1:34: 04
Avg pace: 7:12
Div/tot: 13/33

Sassy
Overall time: 1:43:35
Avg pace: 7:56
Div/tot: 8/48

P.S. My hamstrings hurt. I gave them today off and opted to do a little yoga this morning and an easy spin on the trainer after work.

Date Night

2011-11-19T21:05:00.000-08:00

Last night the manfriend and I decided to take advantage of a Living Social deal (like Groupon) I had purchased almost a year ago for a little Friday date night. We headed to June for drinks and dinner.

To drink, I had a brandy Manhattan and the manfriend enjoyed a Black Butte Porter. For an appetizer, soy sauce and chile green beans. And for dinner, we both opted for the local beef burger.

Someone is taking part in Movember, whether he knows it or not.

The burgers were pretty good, the fries a bit too salty and the green beans were tasty, but swimming in soy sauce. I was chugging water to try to make up for all that salt!

We ended the night by visiting Ninkasi Brewery that has a great indoor and outdoor space for visitors. I had a glass of the Maiden the Shade and the ~~mountain man~~ manfriend had the Sleigher.

While we can't go out like this very often, it's definitely appreciated when we do. We've both been good about selectively going out to dinner so we can stretch our $ a bit further. It makes these date nights feel that much more special.

Let's just call this my belated "Thankful Thursday" post for the week. This week I'm thankful for weekends and date nights.

And just like that, my Oregon Ducks lost in a gut wrenching game against USC (35-38). Yes, we were screaming at the tv and I was practicing deep breathing. And tomorrow, the manfriend runs his first half marathon!

What's your favorite winter mixed drink? The manfriend and his family introduced me to the delightful brandy manhattan. Gin & tonics however, are my standard favorite.

Pssst...Have you entered the Shabby Apple giveaway? It ends tomorrow at 5 PM PST.

Wish List for Your Favorite Runner

2011-11-18T09:15:00.000-08:00

In light of the upcoming shopping holidays (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), I thought it would be fun to put together a Christmas/gift list of running related items I'm eyeing or appreciate as a runner. Plus, it's fun to dream.

Lululemon Run: Inspire Crop II- Pursian Purple/Black

Scoop Neck Tank - Heathered Smoky Rose

Day of the Week Rundies!

Running Shoes: How can you ever go wrong giving running shoes to a runner? I go through a pair every 3-4 months so it adds up. Brooks Adrenaline size 8.5 wide. Please and thank you.

Compression Sleeves or Socks: Zensah, 2XU

Road ID: Because your safety is worth it. I bought one for the manfriend last Christmas and finally bought the shoe version and a wrist band to use when I'm cycling about a month ago.

Foam Roller: to roll out the knots. I have a black dense foam roller and recently got this one with the trigger points on it. Both are great for their own reasons.

And finally, a massage! Because who doesn't looove a massage?

Stocking stuffer ideas: ear covering headband, Smartwool socks, gu's, Shot Bloks, Clif/Luna/Larabars, $ for race entries, Nathan handheld water bottle

Let's be honest, once you really get into running, it's no longer a cheap sport.

I'm looking forward to an early Thanksgiving with the manfriend and my family this weekend. Holiday food and traditions just make me overly happy and comforted in the best way possible. And then Sunday, the manfriend and I will be racing our buns off at the Half Marathon!

What are you wishing and hoping for from Santa?

Have you entered the Shabby Apple necklace giveaway? Do it!

Shabby Apple Giveaway!

2011-11-17T23:07:00.000-08:00

Happy RAINY Thursday evening! We're listening to the downpour as we watch the oh so dramatic Private Practice two hour special. And now onto the fun stuff.

Shabby Apple contacted me to offer a giveaway to you guys so I picked out this Light as a Feather necklace just for you. This would be the perfect necklace paired with jewel tone sweater worn at your upcoming holiday party. Don't you think?

Light as a Feather necklace

There are two ways to enter (2 entries max per person). U.S. residents only - sorry international readers!

1. Tell me what your favorite accessory you own is AND Like Shabby Apple on Facebook (and leave a comment that you did)

2. Tell me what your favorite Turkey Day dish is AND Follow Shabby Apple on Twitter (and leave a comment saying that you did)

Deadline to enter is 5PM PST on Sunday, Nov. 22.

For those who don't win (or just can't wait), Shabby Apple is also offering 10% off any purchases for the next month. Use Code: justcallmesassy10off Expires 12/17/11

Manfriend Preps to Run 13.1

2011-11-15T21:13:00.000-08:00

I thought it would be fun to have the manfriend talk a little about his training for the EWEB Half Marathon we're running this Sunday. Enjoy!

How long have you been training for the EWEB Half Marathon? And why did you decide to run the half marathon?

I've been training for about six weeks. After watching my lady friend train all summer and run the ultramarathon, I was inspired to do something I hadn't done before. Plus, I've been thinking about doing a half marathon for a while now. Remember when the manfriend and I ran a 10K in Michigan and he beat me by 6 minutes with little training?

What was your training like? How many miles a week did you run? How often?

In the beginning my training was pretty inconsistent. When I started running, I didn't have a weekly run schedule. Rather, I was just trying to build a bit more each week. It might not have been the best idea, but my body never got super sore so I continued upping the mileage. I usually run about three days a week with one of them being a "long run."

Weekly Mileage

Week 1: 5

Week 2: 22

Week 3: 8

Week 4: 0

Week 5: 21

Week 6: 19

How did your long runs feel?

I did long runs of: 8, 8, 11 and 9 miles. The mental aspect of just going out for 1- 1.5 hrs wasn't too bad from all my time on the bike. It wasn't usually until the last few miles of the runs where I'd feel good. The hard part with long runs for me is trying to pace myself and not go out too hard so I have some left for the rest of the run.

What has been the biggest difference between running and cycling race preparation?

The simplicity of running makes it much easier to do. You can just go outside and do your workout in a short amount of time rather than having to spend 2-3 hours on the bike to get a good workout.

What do you do for fuel? What do you plan to do on Sunday during the half marathon?

That's a good question. I didn't do any type of fueling on any of my runs unless Lauren brought fuel to share. My plan is to bring a gel to take at the halfway point. I'm not sure how much I'll hydrate during the race since I didn't drink anything on the runs. Sassy will be hydrating throughout the race, fyi.

What are your goals for Sunday (time, feeling, how hard you want to push)?

After doing an 11 miler in 1:37 with Lauren, I think I could run the entire half in that same time since the long run had a few hills and Sunday's course is flat and fast.

What advice do you have for the manfriend during his first half marathon? How many of you think he should train for a marathon next?

Fresh Air

2011-11-12T16:23:00.000-08:00

This morning was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of this great part of the country I live in. The sun was out, the skies were blue and scent of wood fires wafted through the air.

I meant to get out of the house earlier to get in a nice trail run before yoga, but I let emails, tea and dog walking consume me for a while. After all, that's what weekends are all about.

Luckily, I still managed to get downtown about 45 minutes before yoga so I set out to run Skinner's Butte - the only hill near downtown and the yoga studio.

I cranked out 30 minutes of running through the beautiful leaves and up the hills until I had a bird's eye view of the city.

Did I mention I'm a little smitten with the fall leaves around here?

After my little jaunt up and around the butte, I went to Kira's power yoga class (always challenging in a sneaky way) and got my butt kicked. Then it was back home to grab the pooch and take her on a little hike/run, followed by a bath at the local "suds 'em yourself" place.

I'm now laying on the couch with Michigan vs. Illinois football on in the background. As much as a morning outside energizes me, it also wipes me out! While I don't really pay attention to games I'm not interested in, it's a calming noise to listen to.

Plans for the evening are to hit up a local coffee stout festival (hoping the coffee wakes me up) and then watch the Oregon Ducks take on the Stanford Cardinal. Goooo Ducks!

Need a tasty treat? I made these vegan rice krispies w/ peanut butter and dark chocolate on top last night for Lindsey and her boyfriend who came over for dinner. They didn't turn out super sticky (or nearly as beautiful as Spa Bettie's), but man they taste good.

I hope you're having an awesome weekend.

Thankful Thursdays

2011-11-10T07:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday it occurred to me that it might be fun to do a Thankful Thursday post each week in November. This is the time of year when we all tend to get a little reflective on everything and everyone who brings happiness to our lives. Sound good? Want to join me? Post away!

So what am I thankful for this week?

1. My health - my hip is feeling much better and overall I feel pretty balanced with my exercise, sleep and activities. Let's ignore the massive sugar influx.

2. The fall leaves that are sticking around longer than I expected.

3. Peace - I recently found this place of acceptance with the chaos at work. Usually, it stresses me out to the point where I get sick and run down, but I've found a way to understand I can't do it all, but I'll try my darnedest to do what I can.

4. Heat - we finally turned it on (held out until November 1st)! But I'm still opting to sleep in a sweatshirt and pajama pants.

5. Dry bike commuting - it's been a good challenge to force myself to ride to work. The manfriend let me borrow his new panniers so it makes it a bit easier (no back sweat or weight on your shoulders), but still time consuming.

The running front: I'm keeping my mileage around 25 miles per week. Last weekend the manfriend and I ran 11 miles. They were tough. My legs felt like logs from the beginning, but after running 31 miles on trail, I'm not going to let a little 11 miler stop me. This weekend is our 8 miler and then a little "taper" week before the EWEB Run to Stay Warm Half Marathon.

And of course, I'm always thankful for this guy ^

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

It Has Begun

2011-11-08T22:49:00.000-08:00

As of last Monday (Halloween), I officially let myself go crazy on the sugar. Don't get me wrong, my sweet tooth has been worse before (I used to eat a pack of Skittles a day during high school), but it's getting out of control.

And it doesn't help that coworkers have been bringing in their kids' candy to pawn off on us. For me, when it's free and right in front of me (and in mini size), I just can't resist. I really need to enlist one of Dawn Jackson Blatner's action mantras "No Free Food."

Dawn is a Registered Dietitian and was the keynote speaker at the Healthy Living Summit. I told you I would do a post on all the things I learned from her, but clearly I lied.

She's on the far left here. Also author of The Flexitarian Diet and gave some great action mantras to use in life as well as easy plant-based swaps for meat (black beans, tofu, veggie burger, tempeh tacos, etc).

Another good action mantra from Dawn - "Table, Plate, Chair." As in, take your food to the table on a plate and sit your butt in the seat while you eat. I'm guilty of not always following this rule during breakfast!

Dawn's message definitely made me want to be an RD or at least more nutrition focused in my dream job. <-- Yep, I believe it's possible to have one of those.

Anyway...

Today, I ate a mini Snickers at 10 am and then a Twix, Milk Duds and Almond Joy throughout the afternoon (in addition to my lunch and snack). I tell ya, it's a good thing I run.

Source

What I find interesting is that I've noticed the sugar - as in, I pick up the candy in a moment of stress (knowing I don't really need it), consume it and then want more even though I know it semi-sabatoges all the hard work I do to eat well and exercise daily. Blah, we can't be perfect, but I hate eating all this junk when I know it's not something I really want.

However, Sunday night's date to the local Sweet Life Patisserie with the manfriend was a planned occasion and we both enjoyed our respective cheesecakes (keylime and blackberry) and took the rest home for later. We made an event of it, bought our treats and enjoyed them - no rule breaking there!

So while the food frenzied holidays have definitely begun, I have a plan of action. Keep up with the fruits and veggies, cut back on the free sugar and moderately enjoy my favorite foods of the season. That action plan also calls for running at least 6 miles the morning of Thanksgiving (4 mile Turkey Trot + warm up and cool down).

How are you guys doing on surviving the holidays/massive Halloween candy overload? Have you developed any action mantras for yourself?

Marathon Musings

2011-11-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm just popping in to say Happy Friday! My day started out with a bang - 4 mile recovery run done! Last night there was a lot of fast sprinting going on in the cold.

Sometimes it's hard to imagine those legs can go so fast. Speed work is a miracle worker, I tell ya. If you're not incorporating speed work regularly into your training, it can make a world of difference. It can be scary at first, but after a few weeks you'll start to see a difference and appreciate the extra push.

I don't know what exactly I'll be doing this weekend, but I know I have options. We have plans to meet up with the manfriend and a few new friends tonight for drinks, a "long run" that is 10 miles (seems short compared to those marathon distances), maybe test out a new hard core yoga class, watch the Duck football game, clean the house, make one of those stuffing recipes I've been eyeing in my Cooking Light magazine...

For now though, I can't complain over a more relaxed schedule. I'm still packing my weeks full of exercise, but running a bit less and taking this half marathon training pretty lightly. I guess that's why I love to race marathons that double as a race and a vacation. The motivation to be train hard is doubled because you're putting some serious planning and $$ into it.

Things that are making me feel like I need to sign up for a race:

NYC Marathoners galore
friends signing up for sweaty endeavors
Foodbuzz bloggers invading San Francisco
Lauren Fleshman debuting at the New York Marathon
oh and the fact that I don't have my next marathon picked out

If I could choose to do any, I'd pick either New York, Cincinnati Flying Pigs or Nike Women's Marathon. What's the top race on your list of "must do's?"

Now who wants to sponsored a big city-lovin', food obsessed, running blogger to hit up one of these races in your name? Any takers? It's okay, I'll wait...

I Bet It's Not What You Think

2011-11-01T22:01:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make something out of the ordinary this week for dinner. And when I saw this recipe in the Everyday Vegetarian section in the latest Cooking Light, I was up for the challenge. Can you guess what I made tonight?

I'll give you some hints...

Sweet potato roasted with garlic cloves

Caramelized onion

Crimini mushrooms

Okay, I made sweet potato, caramelized onion, spinach and mushroom lasagna. Such a fun twist on plain ole lasagna!

Yep, it was as good as it looks. This recipe calls for much less cheese than a normal lasagna and the squash (I subbed in sweet potato) and onion probably helps give some of that savory flavor that the cheese usually provides.

The cheese shredded on the top was fontina and I think this was my first time ever eating it. It's officially my new favorite cheese.

My subs/additions in this recipe were: a small layer of marinara on the bottom of the pan, 1 mozzarella string cheese stick and some goat cheese mozzarella used in the middle layers (recipe didn't call for any cheese in the middle), sliced mushroom and sweet potato instead of butternut squash.

Oh and I also omitted the milk mixture the recipe calls for on the bottom and the top. I'm not sure what it's effect would be, but it seemed time consuming for an unexpected result.

It's rare that I actually take the opportunity to cook something out of one of my cookbooks or Cooking Light so it feels good to have actually checked one off my list. Tuesdays have often been one of my rest/cross train days of the week so I'm able to find more time in the evenings to do kitchen projects like this.

******

Adapting summer fashion for fall

My outfit today involved adapting a summer skirt for the colder fall temps. You know how I feel about finding work appropriate clothes to wear when it's cold out.

I paired my army green LOFT skirt with tights, a long sleeve and a JCrew wool hoodie sweater. And you know there were Danskos involved.

With all my layers I stayed plenty warm and felt comfortable today - success!

What's your go to cookbook or kitchen resource? I find myself baking or cooking recipes from blogs about 80% of the time and the other 20% is a mixture of cookbooks or online recipes from non blog sources.

Humor me - has anyone bought some cute shoes/boots this fall? If so, share a link to the item in the comments. We could all use some drool worthy shoes.

Fun fact: We still haven't turned on our heat. It was 58 deg. inside when I got home tonight. All the more reason to bake!

Sunday Fun Day in Bend

2011-10-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello and happy Sunday! This weekend the manfriend and I escaped to Bend, OR for a cyclocross crusade (basically a huge two day cyclocross event with about 1,000 or so racers).

I love it here because the air is dry, the sun is out and people are very outdoorsy with the mountains just a short drive away.

After a little spectating, I met up with my high school friend Jessica who recently had a baby. She and her husband and the new baby were in town for a getaway as well so it was perfect!

We walked and talked for about 2.5 miles along the Deschutes River. The path is gorgeous and the company was even better. Forever friends are the best.

I even got Evie to smile for me a bit. Babies are adorable, especially this one.

Then it was time to head back to the races to watch the manfriend and others ride through the dust bowl.

Spectators, cyclists and everything within a 1/2 mile radius of the course seemed to be layered with the dust flying up from the course.

Zig zag through the grass...

Ride up and over the ramp...

50 minutes later...done.

This guy and every other racer out there was in serious need of a shower. Dirt all over his face and lips, up his nose and in his teeth. Yummy!

Deschutes Brewery hosted a crazy fun Halloween party after the races Saturday night. So many creative costumes - mail order bride, the entire Wizard of Oz cast, Lewis and Clark, etc. It was by far the coolest Halloween party I've been to.

This morning I was set on getting in a run, despite the late night fun. Right out the door of our hotel is a path that leads to a great trail along the Deschutes River with beautiful views. I try to get on this trail whenever I'm in Bend.

Despite the 38 degree temps, the dry climate here made shorts, a tech t-shirt and a long sleeve just perfect for the run. I cranked out about 6 miles and then headed into the hotel gym for 15 minutes of strength.

After taking full advantage of the complimentary breakfast here, I took a dip in the pool and hot tub and am just about to head down to the race again. Today's races will be chalk full of costumes, so it will be fun to watch. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Do you have any plans for Halloween? I still need to get some candy for the kiddos that will be stopping by our house tomorrow night!

A Taste of Thai to the Rescue

2011-10-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

This week when we headed to the grocery store, I thought I'd bring back one of my favorite college meals - pad thai made easy!

I like it because it's relatively healthy, affordable ($4.99 + $2.69 for the ingredients above) quick to make and you can get creative with the addition of your own veggies, tofu or chicken, an egg stirred in, etc.

After an awesome Lifeforce Fitness class (hello squats, burpees, sprinting in place), I arrived home around 7:15 pm ready to get dinner going.

In the matter of 20 min or so, I simmered the coconut milk, added fresh veggies and organic chicken breast tenders (which cook fast because of their size) and the pad thai peanut sauce mixture. In another pot, I boiled water and added a mixture of whole wheat pasta noodles and buckwheat soba noodles to cook.

When everything was cooked, I served our chicken pad thai our buddha bowls because they're my favorite.

This dinner was definitely a success because the manfriend said "I think this may be my new favorite meal you make." Done and done.

Do you have a favorite 'meal assist' to share that allows you to get a healthy, tasty meal on the table shortly after you get home?

Looking to get your stretch on? Yoga download is offering 30% off on any yoga class you purchase through midnight on October 31st by using the code: Spooked.

Bike Ballet

2011-10-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

Remember how I'm loving fall? Well, Saturday turned out to be the PERFECT fall day, with a touch of summer thrown in. I cranked out my 10 mile long run through my favorite spot (Doris Ranch) and came home to take another epsom salt bath.

Soon enough, it was time to head out to the manfriend's cyclocross race. So I layered up and headed out on my road bike. Hooray for nice road bike weather!

Within a mile I was roasty toasty and had to unzip the sleeves of my jacket.And then I saw the views of the most beautiful fall trees in town. Seriously, it doesn't get any better than this.

After my tree gawking, I made it just in time to see the manfriend springing over the barriers doing his bike ballet thing. But really, doesn't this look like bike ballet (but manlier of course) if there were such a thing?

Everyone in attendance was enjoying this sun bathing worthy weather.

Now fast forward to today when it was 28 degrees when I headed out the door for an early morning run. Gloves, headband (for the ears), long pants and my Victoria Marathon half zip were needed. Eeps! You could say we had an abrupt shift in weather, but we're surviving.

Continuing on the bike front, I've been trying to ride the good ole mountain bike to work last week and this week despite some colder temps. Gloves, layers and my ipod are the key to a happy, brisk morning commute.

However, after work, I'm a little more relaxed, the temps are a few degrees higher and I find myself taking silly photos (and more pics of fall leaves), gloves not always necessary.

As I've said before, bike commuting gives me a totally different perspective on my community and my day. It simply takes about 40 min more for me to get ready in the mornings to pack everything up, gather bike gear, 15 min extra spent commuting, change at work). But I know it's worth it when I do.

On the running front: My body is enjoying lower mileage these past few weeks. It's amazing how different 20-25 miles feels on my hip, knees, etc compared to 35-40. Last night I focused on lots of hip opening with a Dave Farmar podcast.

What's your perfect weekly running mileage? Is anyone else experiencing interesting weather?

Running posts of interest:
Morning Runner's realization on pace and her preferred training tools
Heart Rate Monitor Training from Basically Barefoot

The Box

2011-10-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you battle yourself. You fight your instincts. You go against everything you post on twitter, you ignore you favorite Pinterest boards, you don't listen to your Pandora stations and you try to cram yourself into a little box.

Even though your head's not fitting into the box and your elbow is jamming out one of the corners, you press on determined that you have to be that person your nine year old self thought you'd be. After enough struggling, the box tips over and you fall out with a thump. Realizing you're unharmed, you stand up and brush yourself off.

In stepping out of that box, you take a deep breath of fresh air and realize that all that cramming and jamming doesn't do you much good when you've denied everything your heart is telling you.

So you write. And it flows. And then you think 'maybe I could do this for real? Maybe I shouldn't be afraid of these talents. Maybe sharing them is exactly the thing I need to stretch myself happy.'

What box do you need to bust loose from?

Did Someone Say Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf?

2011-10-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

Before you run away from talk of bacon and meatloaf on a Friday morning, read on!

Last night we were in for a real treat as the manfriend, Danielle and I attended a fun home style dinner in Creswell, OR at Heidi Tunnell Catering.

I had heard of this local chef Heidi Tunnell (via twitter), a twenty something who started her own catering company just outside of Eugene after training in New York and working in France.

Well, let me tell you, after reading a few articles on her, watching the video above and perusing her menus, I was hooked. Heidi Tunnell Catering hosts these big barn dinners in the summer that are held in a local barn and include food, wine/beer, music, etc and run $75. What's more amazing is that all the food she uses is locally grown and often organic.

I was contemplating one of those dinners all summer and missed out. So when I saw bacon wrapped meatloaf, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and pumpkin cheesecake on one of her Thursday night monthly (now weekly) dinners that are more like $20 per person, I signed us up pronto! One thing you may not know about the manfriend is that he's a born and raised midwesterner (Michigan) and he loves his meat and potatoes so I knew he'd love this.

We started with a red blend, which was pretty tasty.

Then I tried my first ever hush puppy! This was seriously good and and not too heavy.

Manfriend made a lot of funny faces, per the usual.

There was a little guitar music in the background, which was nice, but we couldn't really hear his voice.

If the photos didn't tell the story clear enough, this meal was amazing and the atmosphere was just righ.

We had: hush puppies, fresh rolls, caesar salad, glazed carrots, mashed potatoes, bacon wrapped meat loaf, pumpkin cheesecake and red wine all for about $24 per person (incl. tip).

At the end of the meal Heidi came out to talk to guests. I assume many of them are regulars as several tables seemed to know each other and I don't blame them a bit. I'll be back, Heidi Tunnell!

As much as I wanted to eat it all, D and I both took home about half of our meatloaf and she and I also split a slice of pumpkin cheesecake. What did manfriend do you ask? He ate it all. I swear he has a second stomach in those skinny legs of his.

I'm not sure I'm hungry for breakfast today seeing as how we pretty much had a Thanksgiving size dinner...

What would you eat for your 'last supper?'

How I Feel When I Run

2011-10-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

You know how somedays you can't think of a single word to write and then other days it just naturally flows? Well, occasionally, the writing bug strikes just AFTER I've logged out of my email and the blog.

That, I tell you, is the time to log right back in and WRITE! Even if it's just a few run on sentences or some bulleted thoughts, I find that writing down a few ideas now is better than saving it in your head and forgetting all those genius thoughts you once had. Okay, they don't even have to be genius, but possibly interesting to readers or just for your own good.

How I Feel When I Run:

Running makes me feel strong and confident.
It makes me feel like I have power over my own mind, my decisions and my pace (most of the time).
It gives me assurance that all this hard work and the hours of training I put into this thing I love are worth it.

Running makes me want to smile from the inside out.
And sometimes, it makes me want to cry.
Sometimes my hip or my hamstring or my knee hurts like hell and I think "Why am I putting myself through all this pain?"

Running makes me aware of my surroundings.
It opens my eyes to new opportunities, people and neighborhoods.
It brings me sanity and peace of mind.

Running makes me proud of my body.
Running makes me proud to be a woman.
Running makes me feel grateful that I have a body that can do all this crazy stuff.

Running makes me feel like I have a purpose, even if for just 45 minutes.

Tell me, how do you feel when you run or ride or do whatever it is you LOVE to do?

Wednesday Confessions

2011-10-19T06:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Heather at Dietician on the Run who has posted a few of these confession type posts. I decided to borrow the idea and input my own confessions. My mind is sort of all over the place so it makes it difficult to pull together a clear post. Know what I mean?

Thanks for the photo, Amber!

Confession: I feel overwhelmed that I simply can't keep up with life, my google reader, start a book, follow my heart, you name it.

Realization: I can't do it all. I should cut myself some slack, but it's easier said than done. And, in the midst of it all, I'm still managing to prioritize healthy eating and exercise.

Obsession: Fall and everything that goes with it - pumpkins, plaid shirts, boots I've wanted for so long but will probably never buy, beer, baked goods, college football, crunchy colored leaves...

Want: The What Not to Wear folks to show up on my doorstep and offer me a $10K credit card to spend to update my woredrobe. Hey, a girl can dream. Oh and a tropical vacation would be nice too! ;)

Need: Deep breaths, a good book and a latte.

Up: Getting out of town. I'm an adventurous spirit and can't wait for the next event, party, vacation, etc. I have two upcoming weekend trips to Portland and Bend (Central Oregon). There's something nice about getting out of your comfort zone, but not too much.

Down: Confidence. Totally down and out and well, yeah.

In: Taking it easy on the body. While I've been running post marathon, I'm trying to take it easy and not hammer away at anything. My body is pleasantly surprised.

I've got to remember that to get faster and stronger, sometimes you have to go slower (or even stop all together) for a bit of time.

+Riding my bike to work! The weather has been perfect for it and it helps relieve my funky mood.

Out: Rain. This week's forecast shows all sun (albeit cool mornings) and I'm just fine with that. After all, this is Oregon and we'll get our share of rain for the next six months (give or take).

So tell me, what do you do when your confidence or mental attitude needs a little overhaul? What is one of your confessions?

-->> Send your healing thoughts to Emily and her broken foot. No bueno! I can't even imagine having a broken foot. Pure torture.

FALLing in Love

2011-10-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I survived recovery week post marathon, including a few rest days, a painful sports massage and a few workouts.

Thanks to Amber for capturing my ginger crouch to grab my space blanket after my finisher's photo.

I'm happy to say that I think I already accomplished all of my post race goals, including: a few rest days, making a good recipe, going out to breakfast (we rode our bikes to brunch after I yoga'd on Saturday), post race massage AND I joined my gym again!

On another note, fall foods have stole my heart this week. I'm officially all about the pumpkins, squash and hot foods.

This week I made: pumpkin spice bread, homemade mac 'n cheese and baked and stuffed bell peppers. This week I bought: 2 more cans of pumpkin, mini pumpkins and produce at a nearby farm, pumpkin beer and a pumpkin spice misto.

I guess you could say I'm enjoying fall.

The last time I made stuffed bell peppers was nearly year ago. It's kind of fun to be able to look back and know exactly when that was.

I forgot how easy they are to make, although I was trying to cut down on time and only cooked them for 17 minutes. The bell peppers would have been much softer after 30 min. Oh well, still tasty and healthy.

On the running front: I waited until Wednesday to do my first workout, including spinning and weights. And Thursday I opted to do a slow 3 miler before work. The legs were a bit tight and my right knee and hip were sore. Overall, I feel like I did a good job taking it easy, but getting in a few workouts.

The biggest issue I'm dealing with is the tightness in my right hip flexor that seems to have been exponentially tightened and more painful thanks to the marathon last weekend. To make it better, I'm trying to massage it, use the foam roller and the running stick and hold the lunge with my back knee hovering just 1" off the ground.

From here on out, I'm hoping to do yoga a few times a week both at home and in class and be diligent with the foam rolling. Additionally, the manfriend and I are training for the EWEB Run to Stay warm Half Marathon in November so he's gradually working more running miles into his week. Today we did an 8 miler with the running group.

How was your weekend? What have you done so far that's getting you in the fall spirit?

Craving a sweet treat this week? You need to make this pumpkin bread by Megan of Runner's Kitchen. I made a loaf on Saturday morning before yoga class and it was gone by Sunday morning.

Victoria Marathon Recap and a Winner

2011-10-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

This post is long, but hopefully worth it.

Saturday morning we went to John's Place for a delicious brunch. Then we perused this fabulous gourmet tea shop (Davids Tea) where Lisa, Amber and I proceeded to buy lots of yummy tea to take home.

Finally, we made our way to the race expo to pick up our bibs. Pics of Saturday morn can be found on Monday's post)

I'm a big fan of decked out race expos and this one was pretty decent with several running companies, races and organizations staffing booths. And the race gear was a plenty as New Balance (the race shirt sponsor) had a large section of shirts, shoes, pants and accessories for sale.

I drooled over lots of cute items, but was glad I waited to make a purchase because we scored a few items at 50% off after the race!

After a little relaxing, we headed to Pagliacci's at 5pm to wait in line for our carb loading dinner. We knew this would be a bit of a wait with so many runners in town and so few Italian restaurants.

We ended up waiting about 1.5 hrs, but the wait was totally worth it. Plus, we had good company, smartphones and free garlic bread to entertain us.

I ordered the Bicycle Thief, which had mushrooms, tomatoes, italian sausage, green peppers and fontina cheese over linguine noodles. So much delicious fontina cheese!

And now stirred in - mmm. Seriously, this was quite possibly the best Italian I've ever had.

We got back to our hotel around 8:30 pm with full bellies. I rolled out my legs with "The Stick" before tucking myself into bed by 9:30 pm.

This race was a little different than most I'm used to. The half marathon started at 7:30 am, while the full marathon started at 8:45 am. Luckily, our hotel was in the perfect location, just three blocks from the start and a block from the finish line!

With a 5:45 am wake up call, we all started getting ready, eating, etc. I walked down to the start with Amber, Leigh and Lisa to take a few pics and see them off before heading back to the hotel for a bit.

Even Bart Yasso was there to give some words of encouragement to racers.

Then it was back to the room to chill out, roll out the legs some more, pin on the number and head to the start!

I ran down to the start line 15 min 'til race start so I wouldn't have too much time to get nervous - the perks of a sweet hotel spot!

And now the race. The temps were in the low 50s so I wasn't really cold or warm. I planned on breaking the marathon into two 10 milers and a 10K at the end.

From the very start, my right hip was letting me know it wasn't 100%, but I knew it could function just fine. The first several miles ticked by with me just focusing on keeping a 8:35 ish pace. I wanted to make sure I didn't push it and run out of gas too early.

There weren't any pacers so it was up to me, my Garmin and my 3:45 pace bracelet to keep myself in check. Let me tell you, training based on miles and then racing based on kilometers was a bit confusing. Luckily, almost every 1K was marked and my pace bracelet told me my pace for ever odd 1K (1, 3, 5, etc).

Around mile 9, I recall thinking "Ugh, I still have a long ways to go and am not feeling so hot." It seemed like a struggle just to maintain an 8:30 pace when previously (before all that trail running), it wouldn't have seemed so hard. Alas, I knew I could keep on pushing so I did.

The course was beautiful weaving up and around Beacon Hill Park, allowing us to see some of the half marathoners as we looped back through and then headed out toward the water, through cute neighborhoods and several miles of rolling terrain.

Others had mentioned this course having some rollers, but actually running them was tougher than I imagined. Hitting the halfway point felt like forever, but it was nice to be on an out and back section where we could see other runners coming toward you.

Photo courtesy of Amber

Miles 1 - 9:
8:44, 8:27, 8:32, 8:36, 8:15, 8:26, 8:29, 8:36, 8:37

Fueling: I decided to fuel about every 4 miles. I took a Shot Blok at miles 4, 9, 13, 20, 22 and 24 and an Espresso Hammer Gel at mile 17. I also carried my Nathan handheld w/ grape Nuun water in it.

The entire race I just kept telling myself not to get wrapped up in other runners who were passing me or having a tough time. I just focused on MY race. Each time I checked my pace bracelet I was about a minute within my goal time so that was good.

Whenever I noticed my pace a little fast I would ease back and if it were a bit slow, I tried to pick it up. I really wanted a steady race, not much surging. At mile 17 as we were going through the water station, a girl came up beside me and said "If I don't see you at the end, great job. You've been keeping me on pace the entire time." It was nice to get that reassurance that I was staying steady. I love when other racers compliment each other.

Miles 10-20:
8:25, 8:44, 8:35, 8:34, 8:35, 8:43, 8:44, 8:30, 8:49, 8:34, 8:34

At mile 20 I was pretty ready to be done. My knees were starting to ache and the balls of my feet were getting sore. But I still had work to do!

The last 10K felt like it took forever and yet went fast at the same time. I knew I was going to have to pick it up a bit to reach my goal so I started laying down the hammer. However, there were still a few more rolling hills to survive.

That last 10K was all about mantras. When things get tough, I start saying cheesey stuff to myself to stay positive. My mind and vision was getting a little fuzzy so I needed it.

A few of the dorky things I said (in my head of course) were: "I can PR. I will PR," "Surviving and Thriving," and "A marathon is no longer the furthest you've run. If you can do 31 miles on trail, a marathon is nothin'!"

Miles 21-26.2:
8:28, 8:36, 8:12, 8:40, 8:06, 7:56, 7:20 (.41 mi)

When I came to the last 1K, I was really excited. Everything was aching, but I knew I was going to reach my goal unless I walked or jogged to the finish. A big rush of emotion came across me as I saw the finish line and knew I was PRing big time.

It was one of those moments where I truly felt like all that hard work paid off. My former PR was made at the Portland Marathon (my first) in 2006 and now five years later, I PRed at my sixth marathon by five minutes!

Final time: 3:44:27
Place out of all females: 121/683
Age group place: 27/113
Average pace: 8:30 min/mi
Distance: 26.41 mi

GOALS achieved: PR, faster second half, strong mental attitude and enjoyed the entire race!

Check out race recaps from Amber, Lisa and Leigh! They all PR'd and finished the half in under 2 hours!

And now the winner (thanks to random.org) of the Odwalla Bar giveaway is... J (of Morning Runner)! Email me at laurenjpeters at gmail.com to claim your goodies.

J said...Exactly - be confident in your training and just go for it. The last few races I have just trusted my training - I know what my tempo runs have been and I know what I am able to do. Running is all about building up, its a gradual improvement, not a huge jump all at once. If you keep setting goals at each race and keep improving then you will get faster and faster!

Don't Make it End

2011-10-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

This trip has been awesome and Victoria, B.C. is an amazing city. All of us agreed that it felt like a big smaller city. There are so many shops, quality restaurants and things to do here.

Now, what you're waiting for - the marathon story! I'll do a full recap on the marathon soon, but for now I'll tell you that I hit my ultimate goal of finishing the race in 3:45.

In fact, my new PR is now 3:44:27! It wasn't easy, but I worked really hard and pushed myself hard to hit my goal.

My hip hurt from the very start, but I was determined to stay on pace the entire time and really hauled it in the last few miles. And now I have a sore throat and runny nose to show for my hard efforts - the price you pay.

It's sad to see the weekend end, but we're now on the ferry bound for Vancouver and then Lisa and I will drive back to Seattle, WA for her flight home.

Anyway, happy Monday (and Canadian Thanksgiving)! I feel so lucky to have had such a great experience with bloggers who feel more like friends than just internet connections. I would highly recommend visiting Victoria, B.C. if you ever have the chance!

Tell me: What was the best part of you weekend?

The Fruits of Our Labor

2011-10-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

You better believe that after a summer dedicated to running my little heart out, I'm ready to see the fruits of this labor!

Okay, well I sorta already did with surviving (and loving) the 50K, but this is the final test. But let's not forget: the Ridgeline Ramble (1/2 marathon trail race), Cascade Lakes Relay, McKenzie River 50K and now Victoria!

But after I conquer this 26.2, there are just a few things I can't WAIT to do:

give myself a few rest days
spend an evening with the kitchen and a good recipe
enjoy a post race massage
join the GYM again!
go out to breakfast on a weekend (the manfriend is excited for this too)

Since we last saw each other, I picked up Lisa from the airport in Seattle, stayed the night there with a friend and then made our way to British Columbia today to meet up with Amber and Leigh!

We made a pit stop at one of the few Lululemon Factory Stores in Burnaby, B.C. It was my first time at a Lululemon factory. For the most part, they have limited sizes, styles and colors, but I managed to find a few good deals.

I grabbed two Power Y tanks for $30 total, another tank for $9 and a headband. They also had items like astro/groove pants and jackets that weren't great deals, but it was still a lot of fun.

Then we raced to the ferry and spent a few hours sitting and chatting with these views right outside.

After sufficiently carb loading for the night on phad thai at Baan Thai, we walked to The Empress Hotel in search of dessert at The Bengal Room.

We ordered the vanilla creme brulee and the chocolate torte with strawberry compote to share. Both were amazing. I think I could have stayed there all night pretending I was in the 1940s, listening to jazz music and staring at the room and the harbor outside.

Okay, time to trust in the training and cue that 'More than Capable' mindset! But more importantly, it's time for bed. They always say that two nights before a marathon is more important to get a good night's sleep than the night before.

Tomorrow we plan to take it easy, grab brunch, hit the marathon expo and anything else that sounds good. Don't forget to enter the Odwalla Bar Giveaway if you haven't already!

Oh and HAPPY THANKSGIVING! It's Canadian Thanksgiving weekend here.

Marathon Goals and a Giveaway

2011-10-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest, I haven't thought a lot about this marathon other than getting in my scheduled miles over the past three weeks. Oh and how excited I am to see Amber, Leigh and Lisa! But because I will be running a marathon this Sunday, I figured I should have a few goals lined up.

Marathon Goals

1. Deep down, I know I can PR at this race so that's my major goal. In order to do that, I'm planning on starting out conservative and relaxed. My PR is 3:49 so anything faster than that would be awesome, but I'd like to clock a 3:45.

2. Run a negative split the second half of the race. If I start out conservatively, I should be able to build from there and finish strong rather than trailing off as I have in the past.

3. Stay strong mentally. Running 26.2 miles on your own can get pretty lonely even when you're surrounded by thousands of other runners. And it especially feels lonely when your race isn't going as you want it.

4. No matter what, enjoy the whole experience. I've said before that I won't let an imperfect race bring down my race experience.

Unlike any other race I've done, the half marathon is starting at 7:30 am and the full marathon doesn't start until 8:45 am. Strange, but at least the girls will have a chance to go back to the hotel, shower and hopefully get some great finish line photos of me. ;)

Now on to the good stuff - food!

Odwalla bar - White Chocolate Macadamia

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a representative for Odwalla to try one of their new snack bars after attending Healthy Living Summit. I gladly accepted as I'm already a big fan of their banana walnut bar.

With 210 calories and 3 g of protein, this bar is more of a snack than a recovery food or meal replacement. I ate one of the bars in between Sunday Costco madness and other errands. I would however, recommend the Odwalla protein bar for post workout.

I enjoyed the Original Super Protein bar after my tempo run last week and it kept me satisfied until I got home for dinner. My favorite of Odwalla bar flavors is the Banana Walnut, which kind of reminds me of banana bread. I don't know about you, but I always have a few bars sitting around in case I need a quick snack at work or food on the run.

Overall, I enjoyed the flavor, although it seems a bit too sweet for my taste buds. I'd give it a 7 out of 10 on the taste scale as I do love the macadamia nut/white choc combo.

The Giveaway
Odwalla would like to give one recipient a variety pack of 10-15 of their bars.

To enter the contest, leave me a comment on how/if you go about goal setting for races or big challenges in life and then ultimately how you achieve them.

*Earn a second entry by tweeting "I want to win @Odwalla Bars from Sassy Molassy! @laurenpeters http://justcallmesassy.blogspot.com/2011/10/marathon-goals-and-giveaway.html" and then come back and leave a comment saying that you did so.

I will pick the winner randomly, but appreciate your goal setting tips as I have a difficult time setting goals for races because I'm always unsure of my abilities. But the bottom line is, I should be confident in all my training and just GO for it!

Contest ends Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 pm PST. I will announce the winner on Sunday or Monday depending on how I'm feeling after 26.2 miles. Cross your fingers it doesn't pour down rain for 4 hrs!

Odwalla provided me bars for free to review. I only review products I would personally buy or want to try on my own. Thoughts and opinions on the products are mine alone.

Frito-Lay Flavor Kitchen Demo

2011-10-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Soooo, remember how I told you about that Frito-Lay taste test tour I got to participate in at the Healthy Living Summit? Well, I'm finally sharing the details!

About 20 or so bloggers were invited to the Flavor Kitchen on Friday before the Summit kicked off. Because I knew I was getting to Philadelphia early, I thought this (and a long run) would help to fill my time prior to the cocktail party.

When we were first invited, we were asked to submit ideas for flavors we'd like to taste from Frito-Lay. I thought hard about what flavors aren't out there that my tastebuds would love.

Eventually, I chose: chili lime, coconut curry, red pepper 'n cheddar, caramelized onion and cheese, tomato cheese (like soup and a sandwich rolled into a chip) and cinnamon spice and everything nice for SunChips as my picks.

Apparently, the Flavor Kitchen chefs liked my ideas because TWO of my ideas were used during the demonstration! More on that in a minute.

So after running a tough, muggy 15 miler, I raced to shower and get ready, arriving in the lobby with wet hair. Thank goodness for Starbucks in our hotel lobby! I ordered a perfect oatmeal (w/ all the fixings), a banana and chocolate milk to refuel after that run.

I think a few other dressed up bloggers saw my hot mess and wondered who the crazy (drenched, frazzled looking) person was. But it's all good - the things you do in the name of running!

At 9:45 am we walked over with the Ketchum PR folks to the Reading Terminal Market where the Taste Kitchen and the Frito-Lay chefs would be.

First, one of their PR execs spoke about Frito-Lay's commitment to health, wellness and sustainability. Honestly, I was surprised with how focused they are on making their snack products healthy for the consumer. They not only have a kitchen of experienced chefs developing new recipes, but also 2-4 Registered Dietitians (I can't remember the #).

Some interesting Frito-Lay facts:

Did you know that their new chip bags are designed to decompose within 14 weeks in a hot, active compost heap?
Frito-Lay chips you eat are probably made at a plant within a few hundred miles of you because chips can't safely travel far without being crushed
Many of their products are made with three simple ingredients: corn or potatoes, healthier oils and salt. Spices are added for flavoring.
Lay's classic potato chips have about the same amount of sodium as a slice of white bread. The difference? The salt is baked into the bread and the salt is put on the surface of the chip so the taste stands out more.
Another country (i can remember where) there is a "baked chicken" flavor. Disgusting! The Frito-Lay chefs travel to different countries doing taste testing for that market.

After hearing interesting info about the company, Chef Stephen Kalil and a few other chefs talked a bit about what they do and then the cooking and tasting began!

Then, I was asked to come up to the front to help Chef Stephen cook because two of my recipes had been selected - caramelized onions and cheese for SunChips and coconut curry for Lay's potato chips.

It was a lot of fun to cook with Chef Stephen, but all of those onions were making my eyes sting!

Left: onions caramelized in olive oil paired w/ goat cheeseRight: onions caramelized in butter paired w/ parmesan cheese (the obvious winner in my book)

We also made a green and red curry. I liked both, but couldn't choose my favorite of the two. And then chef moved onto a deeeelicious guacamole.

One of the best parts is that we all got to leave with a swag bag of goodies, coupons, a free bag of chips and this adorable t-shirt right then and there!

Overall, it was a fun event and I'm really glad I took part. I learned a lot of surprising facts about Frito-Lay and how their chefs come up with new flavors.

Check out the article Frito-Lay wrote about the Flavor Kitchen event (I'm in the first photo!).

AND the podcast Frito-Lay recorded with me after the cooking demonstration! I feel famous...except not. ;)

P.S. It's SO weird to hear your own voice played back to you. It never sounds right.

Has anything ever made you think twice about your beliefs in a specific brand or product? Favorite chip flavor? Sun Chips Salsa flavor is a big (yet rare) hit in our household. And I love the multigrain version of Food Should Taste Good chips.

Last Long Run + Pumpkin Donuts

2011-10-02T21:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I conquered the final long run in this training plan!

I did a 20 minute strength session before heading out to run. By the time I headed out the door, the rain started falling so I grabbed a hat at the last minute. Good thing I did because by mile 3, I was totally drenched.

I brought this Gu Rocktane with me for midrun fuel - a freebie I snagged at the McKenzie River 50K.

I finished the run with an 8:25 min/mi average, which is pretty speedy for my longer runs these days. This run was all about getting my mind focused for the marathon and I felt I did a good job at that. I just need to make sure I reign it in on race day so I don't go out too fast and lose steam early on!

My right hip has been hurting the last few weeks (front, side and back of the hip) with every step of my runs. Today, it was a pain from the very start until mile 7 or so when it started hurting a little less (or maybe I was just too wet and close to done to care).

One thing I knew for sure was that I needed a serious stretch and foam roll afterward.

After taking a warm (I nixed the ice bath today) epsom salt bath, I spent about 20 minutes foam rolling, stretching and using a ball to try to release some of the tension in my hip and hamstring.

If you ever have some deep, nagging tightness, using a ball can really help get pressure on parts you can't get with a foam roller. It's almost like your personal deep tissue massage.

This is a lacrosse ball (I played in college), but a lot of people use tennis balls. I like the lacrosse ball because it's much harder so I can get more pressure. I've also heard good things about the trigger point foam roller from Aron.

Now that it's officially October, I made my first pumpkin recipe of the season! I found the recipe by following the link on a photo I saw on Pinterest of Pumpkin Donuts w/ cinnamon sugar on top.

No photos were taken, but you seriously need to make them. I made mine in a regular size donut pan and they came out huge, but I'd love to get a mini donut pan as these would be the perfect bite size treat.

Did anyone else buy their first cans of pumpkin or pick up any fun fall decorations or foods this weekend?

Goodbye Gingham, Hello Danskos

2011-09-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've done a fashion post here so I thought I'd share last Friday's outfit. It felt like my last opportunity to wear something sort of summery, so I did, white pants, gingham and all.

Top: Old Navy, Belt: JCrew Factory Store, Pants: JCrew

I was also loving the light that was filtering through our window shades that morning.

There's just something about it that makes me want to stay in bed all day and relax, but unfortunately, there are bills to be paid.

Well, this is probably one of the last fashion posts you'll see from me for a while. Once colder weather hits, my wardrobe gets pretty depressing and I become absolutely perplexed at what to wear to work.

Why I dislike fall/winter work wear:

it's never warm enough
pants rarely fit me well
cute, well fitting blazers are too expensive
I'm not good at layering
business appropriate shoes never feel comfy on my feet. Danskos, here I come!

But while I don't enjoy fighting my closet each morning, I absolutely love casual wear in the evenings and weekends.

My favorite casual wear:

jeans
Fryes
rainboots
hoodies
cozy socks

Okay, fall, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. There are going to be some beautiful days ahead, but I just might look a little frumptastic in my Danskos and sweater piled on top of sweater.

Any tricks for dressing well in fall? What's your favorite item in your closet right now? The last item of clothing you purchased and got a heck of a deal on?

This gingham button down was actually on sale at Old Navy for $9.99 down from $24. It's always a nice reward for delaying a purchase when you see that little orange sticker or a sale sign. Happy Fashion Friday!

Marathon Mind

2011-09-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

...I haven't lost it. It just never showed up.

Lately, I've noticed that my head just isn't in this marathon training. It's not that I'm missing my workouts or not pushing myself, but mentally, I don't feel like I'll be running a marathon next weekend.

It probably has to do with that little 50K which was my main focus for the entire summer and now that it's over, I'm just about to run another MAJOR race. This kind of running schedule is for crazy people. When did I become one of them?!

While I know my body is ready for Victoria, my head just isn't there. I don't have the taper madness because frankly, I've forgotten what tapering means. I suppose I better start doing that next week.

So seriously, I wanted to get back to the meaning of tapering. I just pulled out my old "Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide" by Hal Higdon to get some more specific answers. Sure in my head I know it means to ease back on training, but what specifically?

I even pulled out my very first training plan that I found on Runner's World by Benji Durden that was only based on time. For example, all my long runs were done much slower and the plan simply told me to run for 2.5 hrs one week for my long run. It's baffling to me that this still is the plan that holds my PR marathon time.

Higdon says there are five areas where runners need to change our habits during the taper.

1. Cut total mileage. As a general rule, cut by at least 50%.
2. Cut frequency. Give your body a day off rather than doing an easy run.
3. Cut distance, not intensity. Research shows you will benefit from small amounts of at or near race pace running rather than only slow and easy miles.
4. Cut the lifting. No heavy lifting at least 3 to 6 weeks before a marathon. If you are doing strength exercises, make sure you are doing fewer reps and lighter weights. Leave the gym feeling energetic, not exhausted.
5. Cut back on calories. Watch what you eat in the realm of empty calories - as you're running less, you're also burning fewer calories.

It's also recommended to adding some extra carbohydrates the last 3-7 days of your taper so those energy stores are chalk full on marathon morning.

"In the final week, eliminate hard training. If you run anything at or near race pace, don't run far." I'll be lucky and happy to be traveling during the few days leading up the race because it will force me not to run and give my mind something else to focus on.

For races I don't have to travel far for, I've focused on trying to do more relaxing things like hanging out with friends, reading a magazine or book, watching a movie, etc. to fill my non running taper time.

And finally, in that last 24 hours, don't spend too much time on your feet. And pay attention to what you're eating and drinking!

So there you have it, an overview of the taper. Do you follow a specific taper regimen? Do you prefer a two or three week taper?

Busy Buzzzzzzy Bumble Bee

2011-09-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

When life gets busy, blogging is often the one thing that has to be omitted on occasion in order to fit everything in. However, it's often the last thing I want to omit. But if I have to choose, getting my blood pumping and my miles checked off my training plan are priority during marathon time.

So what's new? Well, I checked off my last LONG run for marathon training on Saturday! 21 tough miles are in the bag!

My friend Chris was kind enough to run most of it with me even though he isn't training for a marathon right now. We ended up running about 5 miles of trail at the beginning with our group and then splitting off for the rest.

This was followed by an ice bath, foam rolling, lots of food and a nap. This marathon runner is learning to love naps.

Saturday night, the manfriend and I headed to a wedding for two of the runners. This handsome guy was my date.

I wore this old JCrew seersucker dress from college because it's fairly comfy and I love the color. But to be honest, as I was going through all of my dresses, I realized I'm lacking in a few staple dresses. I couldn't pick a single one of my dresses that I love for a nice occasion.

It did the trick, but I think it's time to give it to a resale shop.

Tonight, the manfriend was back to it on the cyclocross front. I do looove me some cyclocross. Rest assured, I also fit in my 7 mile tempo run before/after his race.

Such a fun sport to spectate, especially when you have an excuse to wear rain boots and bundle up.

Tonight's sky however wasn't baring rain clouds, but it was gorgeous!

Does anyone else have a sky obsession?

Blog talk: Do you worry about your content over your frequency of posting or vice versa? Tina posted some great thoughts on quality content.

I'm probably equally worried about quality and frequency, even though I don't make any moolaw from this little blog. I just don't want to leave people hanging for too long.

And the truth is, even on days I'm not sure what I'll write about, something always comes to mind. I find that the more you write, the more you generate new ideas. The trick is sitting down and finding the time to write all those thoughts out.

Sorry for the completely random post! And I don't know what bumble bees have to do with this post, but I just like the way it sounds. Bzzzz....

Lifelong Love

2011-09-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

Cheers to Friday! I'm celebrating the first official day of fall by wearing my white pants one last time this year. Who says you can't wear white after Labor Day? Not me!

Now on to last night's fun...
Sixty years ago, my grandparents said "I do." It's quite an impressive feat. They got married around age 20, had three kids while getting their degrees and working and continued on to become an amazing first grade teacher (her) and minister (him).

Last night, we celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a party at their home about 45 min north of Eugene. I drove straight there after work to join in on the fun.

The party was a lot of fun. It was nice to see some people I hadn't seen in years, catch up with my parents, aunt and little bro and celebrate with my grandparents who made a quick return from their summer cabin.

Sixty years is a lot of time to be married and explore life together. I'm so happy for my grandparents and their involvement in my life!

On the running front...
In an attempt to do it all, I managed my second early morning run of the week yesterday! I fit in nearly 6 miles before sunrise, with fartlek intervals of 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, and 1 min sessions, 1 min easy jog in between and a warm up and cool down. I was proud that I managed to do my speed work and see my family - both priorities in my life.

What's your one love and one whine(wine?) for the weekend ahead?
LOVE: I'm planning on fitting in my last long run (20 miles!) before Victoria and going to a wedding party and birthday dinner. WHINE: The house needs some tidying and sweeping and I need to spend some time life planning.

Holy Sweat Buckets!

2011-09-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

I think the title says it all. Tonight's Lifeforce Fitness class was hot and sweaty like whoa!

Part of that was due to the fact that it was 80 or so degrees out today on the last day of summer, but the other part was thanks to Jay's crazy workout. I've missed the class the last few weeks because of the 50K.

Because you never know what you're gonna get thrown at you, I tend to shy away from the class the week before a big race and the week after (to allow my body some recovery). The last thing I want on race day (that I've been training for months for) is to have abs, butt and hamstrings that are screaming at me before the start gun goes off.

But for those very same reasons, I love getting back to Lifeforce. And tonight was a fun reintroduction. We did everything from interval running/sprinting in place on the mat for 5 or so minutes and lunges halfway around the block to pull ups and burpees! I was a sweaty mess afterward.

I wish this shirt were cotton because if it were, you'd see that it was 100% soaked!

The manfriend decided to join in on picture fun. When I got home, he had just finished a quick 15 minute run around the neighborhood.

Check out the road rash I earned this morning during my pre dawn run. Ouch.

I left the house just before 6am with a flashlight and about three miles into my run I was shocked to find myself sprawled out onto the sidewalk, superman style.

I guess there was a little bump in the cement I missed. Luckily, I'm okay and my cell phone was unharmed. I'm sure some of the cars wondered who the crazy lady was running in the dark with blood dripping down her leg.

On a side note, look how well my little bell peppers are doing! I need to pick them soon before the cold weather kills 'em.

Have you ever had an unexpected fall on a run or ride? After all this trail running and getting used to clip in pedals on my rode bike, it seems like old hat. It happens so fast that all of a sudden you're on the ground and scraped up without much understanding of how you got there. Ugh.

Crappy Runs Have a Purpose

2011-09-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning, I ran with my ipod (something I rarely do) for 8.5 lonely miles. I raced to the running store on my bike and was just a minute or so too late and was trailing everyone.

But it all worked out because I knew this short long run of mine would be slow going and I didn't want anyone else's pace dictating mine. The thing is, those eight miles felt like FOREVER. That run felt almost as hard as my 30 miler the previous weekend.

I know it sounds like crazy talk, but it was tough. From mile five on, I walked a minute or so every mile. My hip and glute needed it. Mentally, I knew I could finish the run, but physically I was okay with giving my body a break and taking my time.

These are the runs that truly make us stronger in the long run. I don't dwell on the crappy runs because I know they have their purpose.

These runs tell me:
- when I'm overtraining
- if I'm exhausted or sick
- when I need to ease it back
- if I have the kind of guts it takes to finish strong on race day

They don't tell me: that I'm a failure or that I'm always going to be injured or that my pace is destined to be X. They're just indicators of things I need to be aware of. And frankly, sometimes they just happen with no rhyme or reason.

So, if you're experiencing a less than pleasant run here and there, don't sweat it. Be confident in your training (but listen to your body).

I can tell you that I'm looking forward to another few strong weeks of training, getting a massage (you convinced me) and getting over this little cold that wore me down this weekend before it's MARATHON TIME! <-- I can't believe it's almost here!

Sunday in the Streets

2011-09-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

This afternoon the manfriend and I headed to Sunday Streets, a fun event mimicked after events in cities all over the country. Basically, several miles of streets are closed off to cars so that bikes, pedestrians, roller skaters, etc. can enjoy the roads and their community for a few hours.

Near downtown Eugene and along the Willamette River, a 3 mile loop was closed to traffic from 12-4 PM. After the manfriend arrived home from a LONG drive back from Las Vegas for work, he needed a little nap.

And then we were off and cycling!

We met up with some friends and stopped at one of the stages along the route so that a few of them could try slack lining. There were also food vendors, hula hooping, music and other fun entertainment.

Several people were even making the rounds on elliptigos! Have you ever seen one? They're actually pretty cool/space age looking.

We saw all kinds of bikes and some interesting outfits too. Don't ask me HOW he gets off this bike...

A sure sign that fall is on the way

The manfriend and his murse (man purse)

This makes a strong case for not drinking soda. Ironically, this sign was sitting at the stand for locally made ice cream that we bought. But I'll take fresh, tasty ice cream over soda ANY day.

The whole group cruising along 5th Street!

Overall, the event was a lot of fun. There were a TON of volunteers out helping to keep the streets safe and a lot more people out enjoying the event than we expected. It was definitely a carefree way to spend a few hours of the last weekend of summer.

The manfriend was in the mood for some beer after our slow 3 mile spin in the sun. We stopped by Ninkasi Brewing, but unfortunately they were closing early.

No beer for us. It's okay, we managed to find some at Steelhead, another local establishment with a nice outdoor patio where I had an orange wheat ale.

And just like that, another weekend has come and gone!

On the Marathon Training Front:My body is feeling pretty tired. I did an 8.5 mile run this morning and had to take a few walking breaks for my glute's sake. I need to stay on top of the fatigue and soreness these next three weeks and be smart about my training!

I picked up some more epsom salts and am planning to use it during a few baths. I was shocked to read how many benefits this powerful stuff contains - from flushing toxins from the body and easing muscle pains to lowering blood pressure and relieving stress.

But just like anything, I'm wary about believing everything I read (or see on tv), so you should be too. Hello, corn syrup ads telling us that high fructose corn syrup is JUST like regular sugar. Yeah. Right.

Nighty night! Time to foam roll.

Wait, What Promise?

2011-09-16T07:42:00.000-07:00

Oh what a beautiful Friday morning!

You guys - I have been experiencing some seriously rockin' skies lately.

Usually, I'll be dutifully walking the dog and notice how cool the sky looks. After our 15 min walk, I rush inside to grab my camera and snap a few photos of the beauty above me before it goes away.

So, about that running...
The manfriend tried to force me not to run this week. Okay, I kind of promised him (eeks!).

WELL, yesterday, I just had to test it out and went on a easy 3 mile jaunt. It wasn't too bad so last night I opted to head to the SPEED workout with plans of just running a few miles easy. Well, you know what happens when I'm not in strict taper mode...I run hard.

The verdict? Legs felt like lead and were screaming something like "Why the hell are you doing this to me?" But I just kept on truckin'!

The workout: 1.3 mile warm up, drills, 1 mile @ 5-10K pace, 3 min rest, 800m @ 5K pace, 1.5 min rest, 800m @ 5K, 3 min rest, 4 x 400m @ mile pace (1.5 min rest btwn each), and finally a 1 mile cool down.

I'll be honest, the legs and body feel exhausted, but man it felt good to run strong and hard. And on the positive, the manfriend did suggest I get a massage. Does that mean he's payin'? ;)

And then I came home and made a deeeelicious grilled sandwich inspired by Iowa Girl Eats cuz home girl knows how to make a meal. Now I've just gotta get one of those griddlers.

Now a little Friday cruisin' music for ya:

Ever since we saw Amos Lee in concert a few weeks ago, I just can't get that voice out of my head. There's something so calming about it.

Any fun plans for the weekend? Fun kitchen gadget you've been eyeing?

I'm going to try to take it easy and do some yoga (and a little running), chores and chilling out.

Lasagna for One

2011-09-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

I'm glad you guys liked the 50K race recap. It was a lot of fun, but I'm pretty relieved it's over.

Last night I had the brilliant idea to make lasagna in a loaf dish since it was just me at home. And, because it was just me, I used less noodle and cheese and more zucchini. Although, if something tastes good, the manfriend isn't one to bat an eye.

You know how sometimes you have this 'brilliant' idea that isn't actually all that brilliant? Well, for me, last night's decision to make lasagna in a loaf pan (often reserved for my banana bread) seemed genius.

Ingredients
Serves 1
2 whole wheat lasagna noodles
3/4 cup marinara
white onion
red bell pepper
1 small zuchinni
1/4 cup black beans
fresh basil leaves
assorted cheeses (mozarella, parmesean, etc)

Step by Step
Heat 2 cups water until boiling and remove water from heat. Break noodles in half and let them sit in the hot water for ~10 min to soften.

In a pan, heat olive oil and add chopped onion and bell pepper to cook for a few minutes. Add any other veggies you'd like to here. Add black beans, basil, black pepper and marinara. Cook for ~10 min.

Take a small zucchini and slice it into thin layers so they look like a noodle. You can also use zucchini or eggplant 'noodles' instead of pasta in your lasagna if you prefer.

Now take a glass loaf pan and layer marinara, noodles and/or zucchini, cheeses (I used string cheese and a mixture of parmesan/romano cheeses from Trader Joe's), marinara, noodles/zucchini, cheese, marinara and an optional sprinkle of parmesan on top.

Bake at 375 for about 25 min. Let cool before you eat. This turned out great and I was able to save a piece for lunch. Less hassle the next day!

Yuuuum!

After doing a sweatastic Fitnessista Summer Shape Up workout from 2010 and a little BodyRock, I needed something filling. This definitely hit the spot, although I probably could have eaten my leftovers as well.

Get That Furnace Burning
High intensity intervals and strength work like that really get my furnace burning.

While I enjoy doing all of this 'extra credit' exercise if you will, I occasionally have to remind myself that this stuff really is good for my running. This stuff is what keeps my form strong through those last miles of a marathon.

The moral of the story is: even if you don't have the fitness or time to do a 30+ minute intense workout, anyone can add 5-10 minutes of fitness to their day. Start with one set of something (push ups, side plank raises, mt climbers, etc) and go from there.

Like I've said before, starting is the hardest part. Once you get your running clothes on and get your booty out the door, you're not gonna turn around without doing something. So, just start!

Or, like Heather Says, "Make one healthy decision (now make another)." Sometimes baby steps can lead to the biggest life changes.

Do you guys have any favorite one person meals? Or any exercise motivators that are really working for you?