Anyone still here?

I hope not, I hope you all followed me over to wordpress!

http://walkamileinmyboots.wordpress.com/

Somebody likes me!

Read about our 12 in 2012 challenge HERE

Read my blog post HERE

Thanks to Bob at How to lower cholesterol naturally for inviting me to guest blog.

Race Recap!

I wrote it! But you have to read it over HERE on wordpress. I've moved! Hope to see you over there!

I DID IT!

2:57! Instant PR! :) I'll post a full recap later, right now I'm watching the Ohio State Game, foam rolling and chatting with the husband. I'm super tired and have lots to tell you guys!

It's almost here!

Shoes....check
Socks....check
Running crops....check
Tech tee.....check
Garmin.......charging
Ipod.......check
Bib......check
T-shirt for the hubbs......check

Tomorrow's race day!My first ever half marathon! EEK! The swag is pretty sweet and a decent expo. Full review to follow!

Greetings from North Carolina!

I flew into North Carolina late last night and was picked up the beautiful and amazing Em from A life to Bragg about.  I was super drunk tired since it was about midnight so we headed to her house and crashed. This morning she made me breakfast of kale, spinach, onion, bacon and eggs. Sort of a scrambler. AH-MAZING. I'm sure she'll post pics, probably tomorrow.

 Then she whipped my booty gave me a light workout. We warmed up on Jacob's Ladder.  That thing kills!

 

Then we did some kettle bells. This is awesome! 

We did some squats and dead lifts.  I'm sure she'll post a full list of the workout since I just kind of mimicked what she did. Heh.   We finished by pushing the "sled" around a bit and cooled down on the rowing machine.

 Then she took me to a super awesome all natural and organic restaurant. It's called the Fresh Cafe and if you are ever in  Fayetteville, NC, make sure to stop by. The staff was super friendly and awesome.  We started with some fresh veggies(carrots, cucumbers, celery) and cayenne hummus.  Then I had the spiced Bulgar and black bean taco salad, minus the tortilla chips. It was SO good, it was spicy without being over whelming.  Super filling, I only ate half and brought the rest back which Em and I just finished eating. She had a roast beef quiche and crab soup which she annihilated!  Plus a cup of their organic black coffee and I was set.

Needless to say, I'm whopped and it's time for me to go to bed. We're heading up to VA beach tomorrow to pick up our packets and prepare for race day! I can't believe it's here! For those of you who are new we're running the Anthem Shamrock Half Marathon in VA Beach.  And it's sponsored by Yuengling ;) Which is why we picked this race, too bad Em can't partake in the adult beverages, but at least she'll be there with me! Toodles!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Original title right? But I'm going to make this post useful by giving you some facts and history of why we celebrate this day and who Saint Patrick was. 

- Saint Patrick was a pagan, a lot of people were pagans back in the day.

- Later in life he converted to Christianity and become a preacher and missionary for the Catholic church.

- He traveled Ireland ridding towns of the excessive amounts of snakes. This is why Pagans will wear a snake symbol today.

- When he began his mission to spread the word of God, he used the shamrock as a teaching tool. He used the 3 leaf clover to display the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is why it's a symbol we use today.

- March 17th is the date that Saint Patrick passed away.  We party today to celebrate his life and how he changed so many peoples lives. How he spread the good word of the Lord and helped convert many non-believers into Christians. 

- Wearing green came from a division in religions in Ireland and the colors of the flag.  The Irish Catholics wore green, Protestants wore orange. The non-believers or neutral parties would wear white.

I am part Irish but it's a part of me that I find interesting. My family is Catholic but my immediate family switched to the Lutheran church so I still feel a strong tie to Catholicism(hence why I don't eat meat on Fridays during Lent). 

So there's a little history lesson for you.  Take a second today to remember why we really celebrate today.  Even though really it's just another excuse for Americans to drink(similar to Cinco De Mayo).  Even if you're not Irish he still was a Christian and man of God and that's reason enough to celebrate. 

Totally attenion whore post

Got my super awesome new shirt today

 

Runner by day, deadly ninja by night! 

Got a quick 3 miles in, got to go shower and meet my friend for dinner. It's night 3 of her birthday week. :)

I also just weighed myself and I'm down to 143!!!!!! DO you know what that means? I'm officially the weight the Army wants me to be. YIPPEEEE!!!! Just got to be careful between now and weigh in in April. 

P.S. - Please don't mind my bathroom mirror. Apparently it needs cleaned.  Our maid is fired.

*kidding, we don't really have a maid.*

Training plan ideas

First, I want to send you over to a couple giveaways!
Shannon at Philadelphia Phitness Pharamcy is giving away Luna Bars!
Stephanie at Thorns have Roses is doing a rainbow giveaway with all kinds of goodies!


Way back in 2009 I had a right knee arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn MCL. I needed to get back into running, at least well enough to pass a 2 mile run for my annual Army Physical Fitness Test(APFT). Someone recommended Couch to 5K to me as a gradual step back into running. I LOVED this program. They have a handy dandy app and even free podcasts. You can upload your playlist and a little voice comes over your music and tells you to "walk" or "run."



After that I decided to run a half and started looking at training plans. I heard about Hal Higdon's training plan on a health and fitness board that I frequent.

Now I had no idea what in the world to do for "cross" days. So I started to play around with some new things and figured out what I enjoyed. So here's my weekly routine.

Mon- Yoga if I can make it to the gym since I have class this night. If not, I stretch at home. I really should get a yoga DVD and a foam roller(hear that husband?)
Tues - Easy run, whatever I can fit in since I have class this night too.
Wed - Pilates and swim/bike. Or and easy run.
Thurs - Speed workout. If I didn't do pilates the day before, I do NROLFW for strength training.
Fri - REST DAY! TAKE YOUR REST DAYS!
Sat- Usually swim and hit the sauna since I'm off and the gym is slow. Sun- Long run.

I hate when people say they're too busy. I work full time(and odd hours since criminals don't stick to a schedule, jerks), I'm taking 10 credit hours, I have my responsibilities for the National Guard, and I still prepare 95% of our meals at home and find time to work out. Believe it or not, I do have friends and a social life too! I try not to beat myself up over my workouts. Life happens and sometimes it gets put on the back burner.  I don't worry too much about my mileage.  A mile run before class is better than no run even if I had 3 miles scheduled. My most important runs are the long runs and even if I have to break it up and do half in the morning and half in the evening, I still get the miles in!

In my humble opinion, the most important things to remember when creating a training plan are these:

1) Have a back up plan! If I don't do anything on my schedule, I have a 30 day shred DVD to pop in at home if I have to.
2) Don't beat yourself up! Life happens, tomorrow is a new day!
3) Get CREATIVE .  Some days this winter I traded in my sneakers for snowboarding boots. It's a great way to cross train!
4) Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

It's like an orgasam.......for your mouth(product rave)

Did the title get your attention? Good! Because as much as I eat salads and veggies, I have tried and tried to find a salad dressing I really *love.* Ranch has always been a favorite of mine but it can be so heavy and full of junk that I thought our love affair was over. I thought that I would have to forever switch to balsamic vinegarette or italian. But alas, one day, wandering through whole foods I found this.



I bought two I love it so much!

This ranch dressing is made with yogurt and buttermilk. So it has the creaminess of good ranch. It has no trans fat, no preservatives or MSG, no artifical colors, flavors or sugars added.  It's gluten free and only has 70 calories per serving.





SEE?

So imagine my sadness when I ran out of the best ranch dressing and been too lazy haven't had time to run to whole foods to get more.  Last night when I packed my lunch, I packed my BAS(big ass salad) and debated about what dressing to take. Sure we had italian and balsamic vinegar but it wasn't going to satisfy my craving for a fabulous salad dressing. I debated so long that I actually forgot to pack any dressing at all! So today before I opened my lunch box, I ran to the semi-large non chain grocery store down the road in hopes of finding something somewhat decent that I could just keep in the fridge at work.  Lo and behold, my love stood there waiting for me! I was so excited that I screamed grabbed two bottles. One for my office and one to take home.

Now, in primal eating, most milk and it's biproducts are frowned upon. However, since I eat a modified primal and I love my ranch dressing, I really don't think the occasional indulgence is going to hurt.  Is it the best option since 60 of it's 70 calories are from fat? Maybe, then again maybe not.  I'm no nutrition expert but I do know that I can read all the ingredients on the label(they even tell what is used to pasterize the milk!), it only has 70 calories per serving, it's a bolder flavor than other ranches so I use less and it's AMAZING! Try some. For real.

Need your help!

Shannon at Philadelphia Phitness Pharmacy is promising a giveaway when she hits 100 readers. She only needs two more. Head over there now!

Don't walk....RUN! *Giveaway*

Over to Danielle's blog at And I ran...why? She's doing a sweet give away for Spring Break! I found her through Rose at Eat, Drink, be Meiri and love her blog! So go now!





Are you there yet?

Looks like more training for me!

After my half next weekend(and some rest time) I will be training for a few things. First is my annual PT test with the Army in early April. Not too worried.  Then, I start training for a grueling competition in the end of May.  Why? Because I was selected in my company as Non-Commissioned Officer(NCO) of the year!

To explain it coloring book and crayon style in civilian terms, I hold a rank that is similar to, say, a shift manager. I have a few people under me but there are people over me.  So if your super awesome hard working shift manager was picked as manager of the year and then went to a competition with other stores in your region, that would be like my competition at our battalion. Tracking so far?  If I win at battalion level(regional stores) then I would go on to brigade level(think all the top winners of each region, so like sectionals). And IF I win brigade then I will go on to a state wide competition. Holy cow I'm nervous! It's such an honor to be hand selected by my commander as her NCOY candidate. I've got lots of studying to do!

So what exactly is in this competition? Well, here ya go:
*5 mile ruck march with a 35 lb pack.
*Army physical fitness test(will be given before the actual competition)
*A formal board, which is me in my dress uniform getting grilled by some higher ups about random Army history, regulations, so on and so forth.
* A social event which basically just shows you know how to conduct yourself in a formal setting and don't get schwasted and make a fool of yourself
* An obstacle course
* Individual weapons qualification(rifle shooting on the range)
* A written essay

I think that's it but I could be wrong. And this all happens in one weekend. Eeek! I have lots of support behind me and will start kicking some training booty just after my half next weekend. Although that was not the exciting news I planned to share(still waiting to hear back) it's still pretty awesome!

Exciting news! And Friday confessions

Coming soon! I have something fun in the works and I can't wait to tell you guys but I want to make sure it's for sure.

But I'll give you a little bit of news now, I'm down to 144 pounds! That's down another 2 or 3(ish).  Pretty excited! I'm only two pounds away from where the Army wants me to be! Woot!

I don't have much to blog about today since things were crazy at work and we have drill in the morning. YAY for being busy! But hopefully by Sunday I'll have a new header(the husband is working on one) and I can give you the big announcement.

I think I'm going to start a Friday tradition of doing confessions from the previous week. So here goes.

1) I had a coke today...and Wednesday. I haven't had pop in a while but this week was so swamped at work I needed a pick me up.

2) This whole no drive thru thing for lent is a bit harder than I thought. I really had to resist the urge for a shamrock shake today.

3) I only washed my hair once this week. I know, I'm nasty. But in my defense my hair dries out super easily. I did shower every other day though.

What are your confessions? I know, mine are pretty tame. Told you I was busy this week!

One week from today

I'm going to be on a flight to Raleigh, NC. Where I'll meet up with the fabulous Em of A life to Bragg about. We'll hang out and head up to VA Beach for the Shamrock half marathon.   MY FIRST EVER HALF MARATHON!!!!! My donation page for the Wounded Warrior Project is still open, donations are greatly appreciated! Just click on the button over there ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->>>>>>>>

I'm so excited, I'm so nervous, I'm so anxious. I can't wait to drink my weight in Yuengling. Did I mention they're the sponsor? Eek. Ok, I may go run now b/c I've worked myself up into a freanzy.

Sweet sweet giveaway!

Rose over at Eat, Drink, and be Meiri  is giving away some sweet running swag! Run over and enter asap!




Are you there yet?




I said do it.................NOW!


:D

I have a twitter!

But since I'm inky about the internet and who "follows" me, please let me know if you're coming over to follow me. I have my tweets protected because I'm not a fan of random people finding me on twitter. I love followers, as long as I kinda know who they are! Follow me @amileinmyboots
Do any of you have allergies? My doctor has been switching my meds around because I have horrendous allergies year round. So bad that breathing at night is keeping me away and I sound like a smoker in the mornings. It's gross. So I'm trying to figure out if it's my allergy medicine that is drying me out so bad I have cotton mouth. I can't get enough water! And I drink a lot as it is! But I think it can also be a side effect of my Zoloft. Any ideas? If nothing else I'll bring it up at my next thyroid check up in a couple weeks.

So chuch went well last night. I think the husband was bored to tears confused since it was a VERY traditional Lutheran service.  But it was still nice to go. We're excited to try their "blended" service this weekend. We're even going with a couple friends of ours! I think this has been a great learning experience for the both of us.  He's learning my traditions and I'm learning to compromise(ha!).He even fasted with me yesterday and is trying the no meat thing on Fridays. He's a good sport.  I really hope he likes one of the other services because I really like this church so far.  But we've also agreed that if we can't find a compromise, we're ok with going to separate churches. We'll do our devotionals at home and have the same beliefs spiritually and I think that's what really matters.

Now I just need to mosey my way through the day to get home to the corned beef and cabbage I have cooking in the crock pot. Yum. I know St. Patty's isn't for a couple weeks but I promised the husband I'd make it before he left for his Army training on Sunday. Plus, I can't really turn down an excuse to make it. Guess it's the Irish in me.

So.......what do you think?

New design, new header, new layout. Like? BE HONEST!

I want to touch on somewhat of a possible sensitive subject for some people but important to me. Today is Ash Wednesday. Being raised in a Lutheran household, I knew the traditions behind Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Lent and Easter. It wasn't until recently I discovered what they really MEAN.

Ash Wednesday, According to Christian tradition, in the Western Christian calendar, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days (40 days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 (February 5 on leap years) or as late as March 10.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms or Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.[1]

This practice is common in much of Christendom, being celebrated by Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and Anglicans

*source is Wikepedia*

My husband who has been to an Ash Wednesday service, has never been to one like a Lutheran one that involves real ashes and the whole 9 yards. He's kind of excited to go with me tonight I think. We're really getting in touch with our spiritual side and finding a compromise between us. I'm very traiditonal(obv. being Lutheran, ha!) and he's much more contemporary(Southern Baptist). We found a local Lutheran church who offers a "blended" and "contemporary" service. The contemporary was a bit much for me, but something I could live with. We're going to try their blended service this weekend to see if it's a good fit. We're on the same level spiritually, but regarding religion, we're polar opposites. So hopefully we found something that's in the middle for us.

For lent, we give up something that is a sacrifice for us to help us somewhat relate to the sacrifice Jesus made for us. This year, I have given up the drive thru. I've also given up buying bottled drinks/coffee/snacks at gas stations. This will be HARD because of my job. I stop for gas every other day because of my 1 hr commute one way, we constantly stop at gas stations or fast food places when we're out on the job. But I know it can be done and it's not nearly the sacrafice that our Lord made. Today(and Good Friday) I will fast, as is tradition. Some Catholics/Lutherans will eat one large meal on days they fast but those meals won't consist of meat, I'm going to fast completely. Go big or go home! I also will not eat meat on Fridays(another tradiiton) but still eat fish. Have you ever wondered why this time of year all the fast food places start selling lots of fish? McDonalds has their 2 fish filets for $2.22, Burger King has $1 fish sandwichs. They know their market, they know that we are in the Lent time of the year and they will sell a TON of fish on Fridays. They're smart those marketing people!

So, I hope I taught you something you didn't know, and I'd love to hear what you're giving up for Lent(if anything)!

Under Construction

Please bear with me as I make some changes. :)

Spinach, goat cheese, and burger oh my!

Ok, the picture looks really gross but they were actually good. I forget where I read the recipe but they originally used ground turkey. Well I had hamburger out already so I just used that.

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 can of spinach(strained and dried)
1 lb hamburger(ground turkey)
1/2 C of goat cheese

Stir ingredients in a small bowl. Form into pattys and fry in a skillet until cooked through.

They tasted really good! They could have used for cheese but we didn't have more and it was a last minute decision to make them. Next time we'll use more. The husband also forgot to put the egg in there so I think that's why they fell apart so easily. I'm definitely going to try this recipe again! Oh and that's quinoa on the side. :)

Last night was pretty relaxed. Work, home for dinner, school. Blah. So I'm thinking about switching to word press. Anyone use it? Love it? Hate it?

Let's talk about Primal Eating.

The other day when I posted about how my primal eating was going, Carolyn asked me exatly what it was. Today I was searching the interwebz for some recipes that were primal and came across The Girl Gone Primal and found her post very interesting and to hit the nail on the head. I copied this little tidbit from her post "Like an animal"

"The primal/paleo movement is all about getting back to our natural lifestyles as evolution dictated, and yet we end up going further away from nature and into dark places of restriction and self-disgust when we make "mistakes", or covering our psychological issues with food in the guise that it's fine because it's paleo!

I'm not putting food up on a pedestal, like the vegetarian who dreams about bacon just because they won't let themselves eat it. Animals don't do that. Damaged, neurotic humans do. I can eat whatever I want. I desire healthy, nourishing foods because they give me energy and make my systems run smoothly. Sometimes I crave junkier food, and I'm permitting myself to satisfy that craving. Sometimes I feel fine after it, sometimes I feel a bit sick, but I never feel guilty. "

I am finding myself more concious of what I eat and making the decision not to eat junk because I know how I will feel afterwards. A part of my going primal/paleo was because of my allergy to what I think is gluten. *I self diagnosed myself after switching my diet around to figure out what was making me sick, I have never been diagnosed by a doctor* I want to eat things that make me feel good, give me energy, and keep me going. It's not about a "diet" that restricts things saying "you can't eat them." It's about eating what is good for you and feeling good about yourself.

I also recommend http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ and his book, The Primal Blueprint. http://everydaypaleo.com has a ton of good recipes and she even does talk shows! http://donmatesz.blogspot.com/ also has a ton of great information and recipes.

Hopefully this helps clear up some of the confusion and people don't think I'm nuts because I eat primal.

I won two awards!

OMG it has taken me 3 tries to get this freaking post done! Blogger keeps eating it! UUUGGGHHH!

I won an award from the husband for best tacos evah! (recipe in the bottom of this post)
I also won a stylish blogger award from the fabulous Em at A life to Bragg about. So now I have to....

1. Thank and link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.
4. Contact these Bloggers and tell them about the award!

And now for my 7 things:
1) I am a natural red head.
2) I have hyperextended elbows.
3) I was in a bad car accident as a baby(8 months) which is why I'm now a stickler about wearing seat belts and kids in car seats.
4) I grew up in Hawaii and miss it dearly.
5) I am a very outspoken and honest person. This can get me in trouble.
6) I love music. All types. My Ipod is so random.
7) I speak enough Spanish to carry on a conversation and always get funny looks from native Spanish speakers because they think it's funny.

Now award 15 other great bloggers!

1) Skinny Runner. Even though she's hit a new low. ;)
2) The Fisher Diaries
3) Eat live run
4) Lipsticks and Leathernecks
5) My bitchin' kitchen
6) Health, Happiness, and home cooking
7) Everything's better when we're together
8) The Restless Blogger
9) See Meggie Run
10) The Angry Runner
11) My Verbal Vomit
12) Meet me on the corner of Peachtree and Peachtree
13) Eat well. Live well. Be Well.
14) Radioactive Runner
15) Life {and running} in Iowa

Now for the tacos! We all know I'm not great with recipes so if you want the original, I got it here at Eat live run. The recipe was super easy and amazingly good. The goat cheese adds a nice creaminess and tastes way better than the usual plastic cheese. The avacado cooled down the spice just enough. All the flavors worked really well together. They were awesome.

My version...

Ingredients:

4 tortillas (We used spelt flour tortillas)

10 raw shrimp (frozen or fresh, deveined with tails off)

Chopped bell peppers. Colors and how many are up to you. I used 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 orange.

1 small chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. We used a lot because we like spicy.

2 limes cut in quarters, salsa and avocado slices for serving

Directions:

Fry up the peppers and onions in a skillet with a bit of olive oil. Just long enough they're warm and tender. In the same skillet, turn the heat to high and throw the shrimp in there. Shrimp don't take long to cook so just let them pink up. Then add the seasonings(chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper) and stir until they're coated.

Grab a shell, add your choice of toppings and enjoy!

So the whole primal eating thing

Is going well. I slipped a bit and had some taco bell on my way to class last night but hey, stuff happens right. The big things I've noticed about this lifestyle change(not a diet) are

1) I don't get super bloated after I eat
2) I don't have crashes after sugar/carbs(since I don't eat them! ha!)
3) I'm in a fog/fatigue but I've read that it will pass after a few weeks of your body kind of "detoxing" from all the processed sugars and junk it's used to. It could also be my new meds.
4) All the extra protein makes my butt stinky. Like bad. Like peel the paint, my husband (with no sense of smell) and the cat runs away bad.
5) It's fairly easy to make primal choices while eating out. Mexican place? Eat fajitas with the meat and veggies, no cheese or tortillas but still yummy! Chinese? Stir fry! Meat, veggies(lots and lots) and a bit of spices. Ta-da! Semi casual dining? Steak! With a side of veggies or double side of veggies and if you ask nicely, they'll steam them in water instead of butter. ;)

Overall, I'm liking what I'm seeing and while I'm still learning and adjusting, I think this life style change is going to stick. I'm going semi stir crazy because I'm trying to take it easy with running since I may have shin splints. I'm going to run tomorrow(5) and probably not again until Sunday(8) and just add more crosstraining like the bike or elliptical. First 13.1 is in 3 weeks! Eek!

That's all I've got, sorry I'm boring tonight but I'm ready for bed!

Meme

Stolen from Jacki at The Restless Blogger!

Age: 23
Bed size: King
Chore you hate: Folding clothes. We have machines to wash and dry, so why not one that folds?
Dogs: Love. I want to have either a German Shepard or Belgian Malinois one day and they'll be trained in German.
Essential start to your day: Coffee and jamming on my Ipod.
Favorite color: Green!
Gold or Silver: Silver.
Height: 5'3"
Instruments you play: I dabble in piano a bit. I've always sang though.
Job title: Counterdrug Intelligence Analyst
Kids: Someday. Names are already picked ;)
Live: With no regrets. Oh....maybe this means where? Chicagoland. LOL.
Mom’s name: Mommy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeR-lQgzAFo
Nicknames: GI Jane ;) Killer, Red, Ginger. *note* The Killer does not actually mean I've killed anyone, it's more of a term of endearment in the Army. LOL.
Overnight hospital stays: Umm...I'm sure I have, I was in a car accident as a baby.
Pet Peeve: People who can't park. Especially the ones who drive big trucks/SUVs. If you can't park it, DON'T DRIVE IT!
Quote from a movie: "That little guy? Don't worry about that little guy" - Super Troopers
Right- or left-handed: Righty!
Siblings: 1 amazing sister
Time you wake up: Bleeeeh. 0600 ish.
Underwear: Typically. Unless I'm running. What? The shorts have built in underwear, shut your pie holes.
Vegetables you dislike: I like almost all, except lima beans. Ewww.
What makes you run late: Turning off my alarm instead of snoozing. Whoops.
X-Rays you’ve had: Too many. I have to get a yearly chest x-ray at least.
Yummy food you make: Not to toot my own horn but I make some good food. My BBQ pulled pork is probably my biggest hit.
Zoo favorite animal: Tigers. They're beautiful, strong, and predators.

New swag!

I got my Skinny Runner shirts today! Thanks SR for sending them so fast! As promised, here's some pics. I can't wait to go run in them! They super comfortable, nicely made, light weight and fit well. Hopefully she'll get more made soon; make sure to follow her blog to be the first on the list for the next ones!

*Please don't mind the lighting, it's weird in here and all I had was my web cam.*


Team Skinny Runner!



It's not about vanity, it's about sanity! (This one makes me lol, yes, I'm a dork)



I wanna punch running in the face!(Get it? I'm flexing my muscles? Hardy har har)


And a sweet bumper sticker! I'm not sure about the word funner, must be a California thing. ;)
Off to class in my sweet new swag!

I've lost 10 pounds!

And I can't believe it. I've been struggling with hypothyroidism so losing weight has been HARD. I was getting upset everytime I weighed myself and it kept going up. The last time I weighed myself I was about 158. I went to the doctor Friday and the nurse said I was 153 with my clothes and boots on. I weighed myself Saturday and I'm around 147.8. I'm excited because I wasn't even trying. Yeah I've been running(not really strength training) but I think a lot of it is from this primal eating method. I'm loving it so far.

The down side, I tend to get obsessed with weighing myself. At one point I was weighing myself multiple times a day. I'm going to try really hard to remember that it's not the number on the scale, it's how I feel and the way my clothes fit. I need to lose about 5 more for the Army and I'd like to drop down another 10 but progress so far is making me happy.

Apparently, I also have shin splints. I have these wonderful little knots up and down my shins. The husband says they're probably shin splints, they've probably been there a while and were aggravated by snowboarding on Saturday. My half is in 3 weeks. Awesome. He tried to massage them out, which flippin HURTS by the way.

Ever had shin splints? Any ideas how to help them?

I am in pain

Snowboarding is a great workout. My whole body hurts. I'm going to lay around for a while and try to convince myself to go run my 10 miles scheduled for today. Oye. But it was the most beautiful day for snowboarding, I got to break in my new boots, and I spent it with two great people. And even BETTER we got to go to Quaker Steak and Lube after for dinner. Best. Wings. Ever. All in all, good Saturday.

WARNING: This post includes a vent and ramblings

I'm going to vent, to get it off my chest and real quick like. So my job consists of a ton of internet research. My state has a database that I'm supposed to input all the information I find on each subject. When I research all day, sometimes I don't get around to putting stuff into said database and I get a little behind. Well today I got a nasty gram from my HQ about being behind and the entries that I had done were crap and blah blah blah. I was so kind as to remind them that in HQ they have 4 (FOUR!!!!) people who do my job that I do alone. We're in the middle of one super huge case that could go federal and honestly I let it slip. I know I did but cut me some slack up here would ya? Being told I'm not doing my job on top of school, my Guard obligations, my possible failing marriage and my awesome half training, I'm a little stressed.

/rant

I have to throw in a quick shout out because I'm super excited about some exciting news. Recently, I've been reading a lot about/from/on Skinny Runner because she's super funny, cute, talks about running, (did I mention pretty ?)AND designed pretty sweet t-shirts. I've already placed my order and I can't wait to get them in the mail!

I'm also very nervous because tomorrow night my husband and I are going on a date. This is the first "date" we'll have been on since we separated almost a month ago. We've gone to counseling twice now and it has helped us hash out our issues and what our lack of communication barriers are. Our counselor thinks it's a good idea because she believes that all the hours in counseling won't help unless we can implement them outside of counseling. She suggested a simple dinner and movie date, no going back to one house or the other, just a simple, PG, first date. I'm nervous. He has a restaurant picked which he won't tell me and I think we've decided to see Unknown. Has anyone ever seen it? Any good?

Anyway, I'm off to wallow in my stress, anxiety and nervousness with a glass of wine and some Grey's Anatomy. Oh and it's supposed to snow tomorrow, good thing I have the day off!

What is wrong with people?

Snowboarding is a hard workout. Snowboarding on chunky ice covered snow is even harder. The slope(read: hill since we live in Chicagoland) was covered in ice since we had a nice sleet storm the day before. We were hoping for fresh powder since the weather dudes said 2-4 inches on Monday. Perfect day off right? Umm...no. It didn't start snowing until yesterday afternoon and it wasn't until this morning I walked out and had to clean off my car. Bullspit I tell you! They're a bunch of lying liars who lie.

Anyway, I spent most of my time walking up and down the hill as I tried to teach my friend C the basics of snowboarding. C has skateboarded for a while and picked it up pretty quickly. I tell you what, my legs hurt from booking it up and down the hill by foot. At one point I carried a little girl up the hill. Which leads me to the next part of the story.

The "resort" was pretty empty, only a few people out. There was a little girl, maybe 5 or 6, out on our green run by herself. The ENTIRE 3 hours we were there. I watched her fall, get back up, fall again and keep going. Hey, that's how you learn. Then on her way back up, she was holding onto the rope pull and fell. She got hurt and took her skies off, sitting there crying. WHERE are this girls parents? Siblings? Babysitter? So I look up the lift tower to which there's no one inside. This place is super small and they only have like two people on their ski patrol. I said "oh what the eff, small hill, I'll go get her" to myself of course, lol. I walked down, grabbed her skies and asked if she was ok. She sniffled and said yes. I offered her a piggy back ride and she smiled and nodded, so I took her up. At the top I realize she's wearing those $2 junk cotton gloves, jeans, a wool peacoat and a hat 5 times too big for her head. I thought that she had to be freezing and suggested she go inside to the "lodge" and find her parents. She nodded and walked off. C made it back up the hill and she asked if she was ok, I said yeah but WHERE THE HELL IS THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR HER? I found a ski patrol guy(finally) and flipped my lid about how they are irrensponsible and someone needs to find her family before she disappears. We.had.it.out. Overall, the place sucked and we probably won't go back.

/rant

But the day ended well as we warmed up at Buffalo Wild Wings and watched the BlackHawks win! Then I went to a birthday party for a dear friend and had a few drinks, laughs, hugs and kisses. The husband and I had a good talk and we seem to be getting along better since I moved out. Small steps.

Slacker

That's what I keep calling myself. Let's just say last night, some friends and I went downtown and I may or may not have indulged in too many adult beverages. I stuck to my eating for the most part, nothing fried or too junky. Until today, I had taco bell for lunch and just ordered pizza. I know, I'm disgusting right? I tried to go to the gym but the car ride made me feel nauseous and frankly, sitting around watching Grey's makes me feel ill too. Andplusalso, I was not about to run outside in the "freezing drizzle." I can run in rain, cold, even snow; but freezing rain = ice and super cold and wet. No thanks. Depending on the weather tomorrow I'll either snowboard or run. Maybe both. Sunday is a day of rest, right?!

I got my butt kicked.

By 40 mph winds. After sitting in the office most of the day yesterday, 3 pm rolls around and I look out the window and see sunshine. I had eaten a snack about an hour before and knew my stomach would be settled. I also knew that if I left work and ran when I got home, I'd be cut short because I'd run out of daylight(my commute is an hour). Good thing I brought my stuff with me! So I changed, laced up, grabbed my Ipod and off I went.

And then it happened.....the second I stepped outside of our office building, WHAM! Wind! And I mean wind that I had to stop and steady myself so I didn't fall into the building. I shrugged it off. It can't do that the whole time right? WRONG! By my office there's a nice riverwalk that is beautiful to run on, there's no cars, few people. Perfect. But it's a tiny path and did I mention it's a riverwalk? Like to the point I ended up running the road because I was afraid if the wind caught me just right, I'd end up in the river. And that water still has ice on it. No thanks.

So as I fight the wind and start warming up my Garmin beeps at me. Dead. Off. Awesome. Then begins the fight with my headphone. WHY can't I find headphones that fit my teeny tiny childsize ears?After about a .5 mile of fighting with them, they came out and I just ran with my Ipod on speaker. Whatever, no one was around me anyway.

I chugged and fought the wind and ran and then in all it's glory, I came upon the YMCA. I had set a goal just to make it there and head back. I circled the parking lot and headed back to the office. I got back into the office and the guys asked me what the hell happened since my hair was all over the place and I looked like a trainwreck. I laughed and just said "I got in a fight with the wind." But looking at the clock, I had been gone about 40 minutes and after looking at mapmyrun.com I figured I ran about 4 miles. I'm happy with that.

I'm going to start taking my phone on my runs so I can take pictures of the insanity that ensues. Never freaking fails.

So, what kind of headphones do you wear? Do you run with an ipod/mp3 player on? Do you like to be one with nature during your run? Run with a partner?

P.S. - Did I mention I'm working? Yes, on a Saturday. *sigh* But I love my job. Hopefully this day will give us some info we need for some new cases.

I need YOUR help!

So as most of you know, I'm running my first half marathon in just about a month(eek!). For this particular half marathon a friend and I decided to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project(WWP).

Let me tell you why WWP is so close to my heart. First of all, obviously, being in the military, most military organizations grab my attention. However, during my tour in Iraq, a squad of our boys was hit by an EFP(Explosively Formed Penetrator). An EFP is a special type of IED(Improvised Explosive Device) that basically blows a hole through the "armor" on our vehicles and shoots a rocket through the open hole. A friend of mine was the guy manning the gun turret. The EFP shot at an upward angle and hit his legs. The driver and front passenger(truck commander) were relatively unharmed, just some pieces of shrapnel. He was sent home and went to Walter Reed Medical Center in DC. When he arrived there was a package from WWP waiting to greet him. It had some things for him to read, a pillow, blanket, puzzles, cards and other little goodies. Basically it was stuff to keep him entertained while he was confined to a hospital bed. This organization has helped so many service members. They give them encrouagement to heal, they arrange events to both fundraise and bring awareness. They also host a bunch of events for injured servicemembers like amputees, parapalegics, etc. so they can still participate in sports and races.

I've gotten a few paper donations so far but I'd love to raise some more. You can donate online! Just click the button to the right ================> with the WWP logo on it. Yes, it's clicky! Thanks a million!

Here we go again

In the Chicagoland area, there is a website that lists all the police departments(PDs), fire departments and various public safety jobs that are open. I noticed that 4 PDs in my area that I meet the requirements for are doing their two year eligibility list. *sidenote* the way it works in IL to get hired as a police officer is you test with a police department, which is only every two years. If you are in the top(however many the PD is looking for) you are placed on a list that is good for two years. It's not a guaranteed job but getting on a list is the hard part* So here I am again, putting together application packets of my HS diploma, college transcripts, my military discharge paperwork, birth certificate, application for specific PD, blah, blah, blah. I also have to go do my POWER test, which is basically a state recognized test that shows you can pass a physical test. I want to take them my PT card and say "Look, I pass the Army PT test which is harder than your standards. If I can pass that, I can pass your test." Sadly, it does not work that way.

So now I'm mentally preparing and need to start doing some more lifting for my test in April. I signed up today to try a free session of Crossfit. I hear nothing but great things about it and I found a gym that gives a $20/mo discount for military/police/firefighter, woot! I got my laptop lunchbox in the mail so I've been using that two days now, now if I could just get my primal blueprint book. I'm excited for these changes. Hopefully I'll lose some weight, gain some strength and self confidence and kick some bootay!

Happy 1st day of spring training!

Oh yeah, and Valentine's Day.

Today the Boston Red Sox pitchers and catchers report for spring training. Their first workout is tomorrow. Position players show up on Friday and the first full team workout is this Saturday the 19th. I am SO excited.

I love baseball season. The first day of spring training is one of my favorite days of the year. It means spring is close by. Today's 40 degree weather is a great example. Plus I've played softball since I could walk so my love for the sport runs deep.

I love the Red Sox. I know, I know, I live in Chicagoland why am I not a Cubs or Black White Sox fan? Well my dad was a Cubs fan, I'm not a fan of my dad so consider the Cubs tainted. White Sox, meh. But I have family out in the New England area and I remember my uncle brining me a Red Sox hat; so I adopted the Red Sox. This year they're playing CWS(Chicago White Sox) in the end of July. This is exciting because with a military ID, you can get into CWS games for free. I get to see the Sox and Sox play for free!



Spring is in the air! And now, I just watch the roster and schedule and pray the Bo Sox play better this year. We need a good season. Badly.

I have a plan!

Today I ordered



http://primalblueprint.com/products/The-Primal-Blueprint.html




and



http://secure.laptoplunches.com/AMAZING/itemdesc.asp?ic=B620%2DBLKAVO&eq=&Tp=

Only I didn't get all the stuff in the picture. Just the lunchbox.

So I've heard of primal eating and toyed with the idea for a while. I have(self-diagnosed) gluten allergies and it seems almost anything grainy makes me sick. The whole point of primal(or paleo) eating is to go back to the basics. Meat, fruits, veggies. Things that are natural and not changed by man. Now, I've been working my way down because I've heard that just quitting everything and going straight primal can be r-o-u-g-h. I also will probably be a little more lienent and use things like cheese, quinoa, rice, etc. The way I see it, they're grown in the ground too. Some primal/paleos don't eat starches/dairy, I think I will just limited and only healthy stuff. Like rice cooked in water, not with a bunch of soy sauce and what not.

Now, the lunchbox. I follow a friend Katie's blog where she packs on of the laptop lunch boxes every day. She(and her husband, I assume) eat vegetarian, but I think you can draw recipe inspiration from anywhere plus she'll give me an idea of how to pack this thing. To me, this looks like a lot of food, so in reality it will probably be lunch and two small(morning and afternoon) snacks. Which is fine since I prefer to eat 5 times a day and smaller portions.

I'm excited about these changes. It's my house so I keep only the food I want and eat how much and how often I want.

I currently have a friend who is burning me a copy of P90X. Sadly I think my gym membership has to go, I love it but it's expensive. Plus it will be warming up soon and I'll be running outside a lot more. Especially since now I'm running THREE half marathons this year. First is one is a little over a month away! Can you believe it?! Changes are coming and I'm excited!

What pushed you into changing something about your lifestyle?

We have a lot to talk about!

First of all, I am BEYOND EXCITED because I won a give away over at Life and running in Iowa! They gave away some fun little things from local shops in Iowa and a free entry into the Des Moines Half Marathon! I also get to meet Kier and Nick for pre-race dinner and although I'd like to keep up with Kier, I think just hanging out before and after will be enough ;) You know what else is exciting about this? Bart Yasso, THE Bart Yasso will be hosting the event. He's a legend and the article about him in Runner's World was amazing! I can't believe it! This is the biggest pick me up and I needed it so badly.

On a more serious note, I haven't been around for a few reasons. Snowmaggedon, work and school have been crazy. Plus it's still snowing like every other day so there's that. I also moved out of my house last week. I don't want to go into why or what happened. Please just know that this is for the best, whether things with my husband will work out or not, I can't say. But despite my lack of internet, furniture, and food in my apartment, I'm happier and feel like a weight has been lifted. I'm really focusing on me right now. My studies and fitness have become priority. I never knew being selfish could be so hard. I'm such a people pleaser that it kills me to put myself first. I'm in counseling and it's helping immensely.

So, my posts may be few and far between for a while(internet guy comes on Wed!) but I still read everyone's blogs and look forward to 2011. I knew I put one of my 2011 goals to better myself for a reason.

18.5 inches

That's what she said! Ha!

No really though, that's approximately what our snowfall count is from last night. It's hard to tell because it's still snowing and it's blowing/drifting everywhere. We had winds that topped 61 mph last night. The windows rattled, the snow is halfway up my garage door and my balcony(which is covered) has a foot of snow on it. It's plain crazy. I could probably get out of the garage if I wanted to(YAY JEEP!) but I don't want to. So I'm going to lay around in my PJs, eat some yummy food and watch movies. All while doing some homework. On the VERY plus side, my BFF has been staying with me as she transitions to a new job up here and does some apartment hunting so she's here to keep me company and we're having fun on our snow day.

This is our parking lot. They were plowing last night but must have given up at some point. Notice how the snow goes half way up the garage doors?



The other side of the lot where it appears they didn't plow at all.


This is our balcony which actually is covered. There's probably a foot out there. Poor kitty, he likes to go sit on the balcony but now he won't. He just sits at the door and watches.

I haven't had a snow day since I graduated high school. Why is it when you're a grown up, snow days go away? Especially because of my job. We are the National Guard, we have to be ready at all times so come into work anyway. Even they canceled work today! If you want to read our stats in the area, go to this website. I could go for a run today but I think since I'm only around 5'3" that the snow would be up to my knees, plus we still have white out conditions and I'm sure that there are still people out driving. And the gym is closed for today. I think the entire city of Chicago is on a snow day! Hope everyone is warm and safe!

I really might be snowed in!

From the weather channel/weather.com

Lakeshore Flood Watch for:
Cook
Lake

Winter Storm Alertsback to top
Blizzard Watch for:
Boone
Cook
De Kalb
Dupage
Ford
Grundy
Iroquois
Kane
Kankakee
Kendall
La Salle
Lake
Lee
Livingston
Mchenry
Ogle
Will
Winnebago

Guess where I live? C(r)ook county. And I work in Winnebago. My office area(about 1 hr from home) is expected to get 1-3 inches today and up to 12 inches tomorrow through Wednesday. At home we're expected to get 2-4 today, 12-18 tomorrow through Wednesday. I've already told the guys not to expect me in on Wednesday. I plan on going to the store and holing up in the condo. There is no point in me driving the hour to work, THROUGH the blizzard, especially since most of the guys won't be here either. Is it summer yet? *sigh* Just about a month and two weeks and I'll be in VA beach with my gorgeous friend Em.

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great. It was exactly what I needed. The plan was to go down to Springfield to help a friend pack up her house and bring back a Jeep load of stuff. Well......we ended up meeting with some guys we deployed with for lunch on Saturday and well, wasted the day away. BUT, it was so worth it because the guys are always good for a laugh and a good time. We did get some packing done Sunday and were able to make it back to Chicagoland at a decent hour.

I have school tonight and(maybe) tomorrow. I was up late last night doing my Spanish homework which was due at midnight. Yeah, no more waiting until the last minute, I'm TIRED. But at least if I'm snowed in I have some time to get ahead on some homework. I'm also working on reconfiguring my budget to adjust to some things. I'll let you all in on the life changing things soon, promise! Just right now; if you're a praying person, I could use the extra prayers. If you're not, any extra good thoughts/juju/dust would be greatly appreciated for right now.

I'll be snowed in

at the Blizzard Bloghop!


This is the first blog hop I've done so bear with me. As part of her blog hop which I found on Goodnight Moon we're supposed to write an intro about ourselves so here it is.

I'm an Army brat, born in Fort Stewart, GA and moved around until I was about 10. My family settled in down state Illinois where I graduated high school and ran off to join the Army National Guard. I went to basic & AIT(advanced individual training) in 2005 until early 2006. In June 2006 I deployed to Iraq until Sept 2007. I came home and did a year tour on active duty at Fort Knox, KY training Guard/Reserve Soldiers who were set to deploy. I moved to Chicagoland(which is like Disneyland only colder) with my then BF. I hopped jobs for a while until this last year I landed a job with the state police as a counterdrug analyst. I love my job and hope to become a sworn officer someday. I'm currently in school pursuing my AAS with a major in Law Enforcement and training for a half marathon with my friend Em in March! We're raising money for the wounded warrior project and would love to give them a big check the day of our race. That's pretty much it I think, I know, I'm boring. ;)

Now, I'm a firm believer in military members/families/spouses being a tight knit community but this blog hop isn't just for them. We love when people who have no affiliation with the military read our stories, share comments with us, or just say hi so come on over for the Blizzard Bloghop!

My life saver

So I was reading the blog of a girl named Jacki AKA "The Restless Blogger" and she talked about her winter skin woes. I frequent a health and fitness message board and a few weeks ago we talked about our favorite face moisturizers. I have *super* sensitive skin. As in too much of anything and I break out like a teenager, too little and my face is peeling, dry and itchy. I also have (self-diagnosed) eczema so I stay away from things with fragrances or harsh chemicals which tend to cause flare ups. So I have a product rave.



This is by far the best face lotion I've ever used. I've only been using it about two weeks but already have seen SO much improvement in my skin.

Previously I'd been using the Clinique 3 step system. I do love this system, it's gentle and helps keep my face clear. I actually use the bar soap instead of the liquid because it helps exfoliate without drying out too much. But sorry Clinique, the moisturizer just wasn't cutting it this winter.


I kept the same face wash/cleanser and just swapped moisturizers. HUGE difference. My skin isn't flaky but not oily either. I put a bit on the driest parts of my face(along my hair line, nose, cheek bones/under eyes) in the morning pre-make up. I let the moisturizer sit for about 5 minutes(get dressed, brush my teeth or something in the mean time) then put on my make up. I've discovered that this keeps me from looking cakey or oily. It gives the lotion time to absorb. I also take about 5 minutes in between my liquid foundation and powder(both also clinique, I can find the exact names if anyone is interested.)

At night, I wash my face with the 3 step system and slather on my Aveeno. I mean I put a whole bunch on there. I make sure to rub it in around the driest areas. A big key to moisturizing is to make sure you exfoliate. Sounds counter productive right? But if all you have is dead skin on top, where is the moisturizer going? No where. It's just sitting there. I don't use rough exfoliators like St. Ives or anything grimy, my bar soap works just fine. Hope this helps y'all!

I'm not good at this

Things have been hectic. Getting settled into a new routine with school, work is crazy and I'm helping a friend move. There are also some big changes going on in my life right now but I don't feel ready to discuss them yet. Just know that I am reading everyone's blogs and thinking I need to set up this google reader thing so I can read both blogspot and wordpress stuff.

My workouts have sucked, I've gone to the gym a few times but it's been hard to get out and run. I can handle cold, but -20 windchill is a bit much for me. The wind just hurts and it's not worth it. Plus it won't stop SNOWING. I cleaned off my Jeep 4 out of 7 days last week. Seriously, enough already Mother Nature. My bag's packed so hopefully I can get out for a run tomorrow afternoon before I leave work. I did just book my ticket for VA Beach! I can't wait for March. Speaking of, still looking for donations for the Wounded Warrior Project!

Stay well everyone!

Time to go to the Dr.

So I have this habit of things happen, and I put it off. I get sick, I live with it. I hurt my elbow, I live with it. So then the once in a while I head to the Dr. I have a list a mile long. Ha! Now that my insurance situation is settled, it's time to suck it up and head up there. It's been over 8 weeks since I've had my thyroid checked(bad I know) and I need to figure out why the heck I keep getting sick. I know it's the time of year but seriously? Plus hopefully she can give me some insight on this stupid elbow thing. Ugh, but I haaaaate going to the doctor.

And so it begins

For my on campus classes; Criminal Law and Criminal Procedures.



For my on-line class to refresh my Spanish speaking skills.

And if the Army can ever figure out what the heck happened to my enrollment, I'll be enrolled in an Advanced Leader Course to do online with them.

Plus working full time, plus trying to have a social life, plus half marathon training means my posts will probably start to space out a bit more. Sorry in advance. I'm 8 classes away from finishing my AAS(Associates in Applied Science) so I really want to focus and hopefully be done by this fall.

I also have another injury to report, well, maybe. My elbow has been super sore since last Friday(ish). Like it's fine, as long as I don't move it. This becomes a problem on strength days when I like to lift. Therefore I'm resting and doing strength in other ways. Seriously 2011, enough already.

I have found the cure for the common cold!

A 2 mile run in 23* weather. I can finally breathe through my nose and my chest feels lighter. Should have done this a few days ago. Now I'm off to get ready for drill. See y'all on Sunday!

Oh...and GO STEELERS! Beat those birds!

I am an odd duck

As long as I can remember, I have never like creamed corn. Ever. I can't stand the texture. My mom used to mix 1 can of creamed corn with 1 can of regular corn because it's the only way I will eat it. So that's what we had as a side dish for dinner.

Tonight's dinner was baked dijon chicken from Skinnytaste.com

I changed her recipe just a smidge because of what I had on hand.

* 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
* 3 tbsp spicy mustard
* 1 tbsp Greek yogurt
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 3/4 tsp pepper
* salt
* dried parsley

Preheat oven to 400°. Rinse the chicken and remove the skin and all fat. Pat dry; place in a large bowl and season generously with salt. In a small bowl combine spicy mustard yogurt,garlic and pepper. Mix well. Pour over chicken, tossing well to coat.

I oiled up small baking pan, you could use Pam but I never do. Place chicken to fit in a single layer. Top the chicken with dried parsley. Bake until cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.

She recommends finishing it in the broiler to get it nice and brown, mine were already brown so I didn't bother.



On the side I made quinoa with a bit of a twist stolen from the Clean Eating Machines

I didn't have the fresh lemon she recommends so basically I did it like this.

After the quinoa was done in my rice cooker, I added a bit of EVOO, lemon & pepper spice mix(I think it's a Trader Joes something or other) and a bit of dried thyme. This was really flavorful, I didn't even use soy sauce or anything over it like I normally do. IG even had two helpings, which is rare since he's not a huge quinoa fan.

I'll be out of the loop for the next few days. We have a 3 day drill weekend and it's out in the middle of nowhere where you can barely get cell reception; so I'm not even going to take my laptop. I'm going to attempt to run tomorrow before we leave and depending on our schedule, again on Sunday. Saturday I can probably get some cross training in since I think we're supposed to do combatives (MMA style fighting). Tomorrow is supposed to be a rest day but since I've taken time off with this cold I need to get back in it. See y'all later, have a good weekend!

I have been quarantined

To my room. The cat won't even come in here. The hubs brought me food and then retreated to our office/spare room. *le sigh* Stupid sickness. Guess I'll watch a movie and head to bed. I attempted to run today, made it a few blocks before I couldn't breathe and had to stop. I want to run. ::: whimper :::

2011 can suck it

Unless it gets it's stuff together and starts being nicer to me. For real. We're only 10 days into January and I want to cry.

- Our property taxes went up, a lot. Well, ok this was 2010 but it affects 2011's payments.

- Our mortgage went up, a lot. Like almost $300 a lot. We're now living outside the housing allowance I get plus we have association fees on top of that. Awesome.

- The bank's computers messed up around the 1st of the month and I spent a week freaking out because our mortgage payment hadn't come out yet. Luckily that all got sorted.

- I rolled my ankle my first week of half training.

- I tweaked my bad knee this last weekend snowboarding(which is by far the best part of 2011 so far).

- The people who have to put in saying I'm eligible for the military's health insurance somehow lost my new orders. I called today to make an appt and they say I have no insurance. Awesome.

- I came out from work today and someone hit my Jeep. It's dented and scratched over the rear tire well. No note, no accident report, just some jerk who took off. Awesome.

- The husband is going to be gone a lot over the next few months, I start school on Tuesday, have drill this weekend(so no break) and am sick. So I'm having a pity party. YAY Me!

Ow...ow....ow

Snowboarding is one heck of a work out. And I took a good spill that tweaked my bad knee. No run for me tomorrow. I'll be lucky to get out of bed in the morning. Praise the Lord we have a garden/jacuzzi tub in our master bedroom.

We're a mile high!

In Denver! My posts will be scarce as we see the sights and hit the slopes! Have a great weekend everyone!

Good news/bad news

Good news: My lululemon tights are done getting altered and I can go pick them up.
Bad news: the store is a half hour from home and in the opposite direction of my office. Hopefully I can get them tonight.

Good news: BUCKEYES WON!
Bad news: I was up late.

Bad news: I was up late watching the game and didn't get up for pilates but the
Good news: I had enough time to go to the gym before work so I swam this morning.

Sorry to switch the last one but I always want to end on a good note. :)

Happy hump day!

Know what I hate?

Rolling my ankle. I never in my life ever had issues with my ankle until right before my deployment in 2006. During deployment I had a pretty nasty sprain after I stepped in a hole(hardy har har, I'm a klutz). Now I roll it ALL the damn time. So annoying. Usually it's only a day or two of rest and I'm fine but some days are better than others. That's what happened during my run today. Awesome.

Know what I hate more? A crappy run. My scheduled 3 mi run turned into 2.6 because I just couldn't finish that last little bit because my ankle was throbbing. I rolled it around 1.5 but kept chugging thinking it'd be ok. Wrong. So now I'm in a bad mood and DH wanted pizza to watch the Sugar Bowl so I gave in. Pizza is on the way and I'm trying not to beat myself up about a semi crappy run.

On a positive note(maybe) today is indeed the Sugar Bowl and we in this house are Buckeyes fans. So, I leave you saying GO BUCKEYES!

Review of Hatha yoga class

I really enjoyed it. The instructor was actually also my pilates instructor; so I think that helped since I kind of knew her teaching style. After 30 minutes on the stair stepper and an hour of yoga I was a bit tired when I got home. Luckily, I had packed my breakfast and snacks while I was making dinner last night so I came home and pretty much went straight to bed. For breakfast I used leftover quinoa from dinner, added honey and some strawberries and blueberries. Thanks Em for the idea! Plus two hard boiled egg whites. Then I cut up some celery for a snack.




Today I have to get 3 miles in. Hopefully work isn't too busy and I can go this afternoon when it's warmer. Warmer means maybe 20*. Awesome.

Week 1 half marathon training

Here's how week 1 went. It was a little tricky to start out and have a holiday in there but I got it done.

Monday was stretch and strength - stretched at home, missed yoga.
Tuesday was a 3 mi run - did two miles of "hills" on the TM
Wednesday was 2 mi run or cross - did pilates
Thursday 3 mi run + strength - Neither, was super busy.
Friday was scheduled rest but I made up for Thursday.
Saturday was cross - I swam for about 30 minutes, don't ask me how far, I have no clue.
Sunday was 4 mi run - done in about 50 minutes.

Week 2's plan is
Monday - Yoga
Tuesday - 3 mi run
Wednesday - pilates, maybe some biking or a short run
Thursday - 3 mi run + NROLFW
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Cross train(not sure yet, I'll explain below)
Sun - 4 mi run

We leave Thurs to go to Colorado. Breckenridge actually. We've had this trip planned since June and we're super excited. We're going to spend a long weekend snowboarding with some friends. So Friday is a rest day, easy peasy. Saturday for cross, well I just might count snowboarding, if you've never been, it's a heck of a workout, let me tell ya. And since I doubt our condo has an indoor pool or gym at all for that matter, I'll take what I can get. Sunday, I'm taking my running stuff but with the altitude I'm going to take it nice and easy and if I don't get all 4 miles, I won't be too hard on myself(or try not to). We come back Monday and I should be able to make it to yoga again. See, half training doesn't have to take over your life. :D

Play by play for cold weather running

So I frequent a message board about health and fitness and there is constantly a question about "what do I wear for a cold weather run?" But lately, I've also been getting the question from family and friends. So although I can tell you over and over again, here's a play by play in pictures(for you visual people) so you can get an idea. The temp today was around 20* but it was pretty windy so maybe about 10* with the windchill. This was what I wore for 4 miles today. The only thing I'd change is maybe putting some sweats over my tights, I was a bit chilly toward the end.

First, socks. I love my smartwool socks for cold weather. My toes stay toasty without getting too hot and they're amazingly comfortable.


Tights. I wear Lululemon Alpine tights. Today was the first time I got somewhat cold and was thinking I should have worn sweats over. Since I'm going to start longer distances, I may add sweats over. My shoes are Nike's but don't go buy them just because I wear them. I highly recommend getting fitted for running shoes.


Now, on top. My base layer is from Target's C9 Champion line. The key for your base layer is moisture wicking and tight(er) fitting. Please excuse my face in this picture.


Then on top of that, I have an REI moisture wicking medium weight shirt with thumbholes.


On top, I have another C9 jacket, moisture wicking with thumb holes. I put this on top since it zips all the way so it's easier to remove if I get too hot.


The hat is nothing special. Just a fleece hat I picked up at Target(or something). Eventually I will get a moisture wicking one. I also added some cheap gloves which came off around mile 2. Then because my husband is worried about my safety(although it was broad daylight) I put on a reflective vest, purchased at REI. My Garmin came with an extension for the wrist band so I could put it on over top all my layers. Add Ipod and my house key in the little pocket of my tights and I was off!


Now a couple other tips. I always put a mug of water in the microwave so I can make hot cocoa as soon as I walk in. I turn on the microwave, go back to the bedroom and strip all wet clothes(believe it or not you will still sweat) and put on dry warm sweats that I had already laid out on the bed.



Dry sweats, cocoa, and cuddling up under a blanket. Once I warm up a bit I make something to eat(tonight I made spaghetti) then head to the shower. When you jump in the shower after being out in the cold, you get the pins and needles feeling and it's rather unpleasant. So, there it is! Suggestions of what to wear and how to dress for cold weather running! Now get out there!