A Different Kind of High

I have been terrible about keeping up with this since school and training started - I honestly am not sure how I get through some days without a smidge of narcolepsy. (Okay, maybe I've fallen asleep at my work desk a time or two.) But, I'm happy to say yesterday concluded my first month of training for my first half-marathon! And I really couldn't be happier with my progress! I didn't miss a single run, didn't short out a single run, didn't quit! I've run through ice, snow, rain, 25mph winds, 100% humidity, fog, sleet. I've done it all and I'm still going. I ran every single scheduled run, and although I may not have had a smile on my face the whole time, I was glad I pushed through each time. I can honestly say there isn't much better than that "high" I get after a run, especially a challenging one. There's something inspiring about fighting through an entire 4.5 miles, constantly wanting to stop or take a break, feeling that cramp in your right side, and STILL finishing it anyway. Running is constantly pushing you to be better. My running shows me how strong I really am.

Yesterday, I had a 6 miler scheduled with Kristina. And it was beautiful outside! If you're a runner and you didn't take advantage yesterday, you need to smack yourself. In the face. Twice. I wore running tights and a long sleeve Nike coldgear shirt, and that's it. On February 5, in Illinois. How lucky am I!? I would have to say, hands down, that it was the best run of my life. I was happy the entire time, not once was I out of breath, not once did I wonder how much farther we had to go. I felt like I could have run for days..okay, maybe 10 miles. We finished up at 6.24 miles in 66:53.

But it was amazing. If you've never experienced a runner's high, then you won't understand, but it is days like yesterday that make me appreciate every bit of the sport that is running. I LOVE RUNNING! It is a gift that I've been given and I can't imagine ever stopping. Running does for me what hours of therapy, hours at the gym, hours getting a massage could never do. It clears my mind. It improves my body. It released endorphins and gives me much needed time with nature. It makes me PROUD to be me.

On top of being proud of myself, I am blessed to have my running partner Kristina. She's the reason many days that I'm able to push on. She challenges my pace and pushes me to be a better runner. As amazing as I feel after a run, watching her push through makes me even more proud. I love reaching my goals, but seeing my friends exceed theirs makes everything worth it. We've both come a long way, and we've still got a long way to go.

As Kristina would say: Beastmode: ON!

It's been a while...

Holy cow has it been a WHILE since I blogged. Life has really picked up speed in the last few weeks. This weekend I'm hoping to sit down and overview the past few weeks, but for now, just a quick thought/question:

How do YOU feel when you take a day off? Now, I have a scheduled day off every week for recovery and relaxation, as I'm working my body double time with p90x2, training and the gym. However, on that day I still tend to take a class at the gym (like Zumba) or do yoga/stretching. I just feel lazy if I do nothing. I have a hard time giving myself that day off. I know it's completely necessary to build myself to a better, stronger person but I still get frustrated.

How do you get past this feeling!?

Christmas Mayhem

I got my running shoes! WOO!

Now, anyone that knows me or follows my blog is aware that all I've talked about for the past few months is wanting this absurd, neon rainbow running shoes. And I finally have them! Thanks to my mother. Apparently, they are in high demand and extremely difficult to obtain. Nevertheless, mom prevailed as always and I am one happy camper!

As I'm sure everyone is aware, I am NOT a fan of Christmas at all. It's stressful and busy and chaos and I just really dread this time of year. We were busy ALL weekend until we got home about 2pm yesterday. I decided that to combat all the bullshit, I'm going to run every single Christmas - a sort of annual Christmas Day "clear my head" run. And I'm going to say it was my best run this year. It was gorgeous weather (low 40s), sunny, and perfect. It was peaceful and quiet and seriously I just wanted to run until it got dark out. I ended up doing 4.60 miles in 45 minutes, 47 seconds. This will definitely be a tradition for me. Any takers for next year? ;)

Christmas Day Running Outfit

I have a TON of shits that have motivating, shit-talking sayings on them. I suggest everyone buy some. I just feel more confident and I think I kick more ass when I have them on. Just an idea!

I was cutting up peppers for fajitas last week and there was a pepper inside a pepper! Weird. My husband said the inside pepper looked like balls. Ha.

Here's another quick (and delicious) lunch idea:

Few cups of organic spinach

Morningstar black bean burger, heated and crumbled

Low fat colby jack cheese

Salsa

Chopped green bell pepper

Tomatillo sauce

It's extremely filling AND good for you. Plus I can make and eat this in about 15 minutes.

I also tried out a GU Energy gel pack during my run yesterday. I've heard a lot about them and with my training starting soon, I may need a boost during my longer runs. I tried the strawberry banana one, and honestly the taste wasn't bad at all. The texture was a bit strange, but I assume it's just something you get used to. I took it towards the beginning of my run, and noticed a bit of a boost about 15 minutes later. It was sort of like it got a bit easier, like a second wind I guess. Not sure if I was just finding my groove, or if it truly was the gel pack. I think I will experiment with them a bit more though. I'll take all the help I can get :)

All in all, I'm just really glad the holidays are over for a year. I can get back to focusing on my running and fitness. Plus no more spending money ;) I think everyone is a little relieved that the constant sugary, fatty, unhealthy barrage of food is over. I know it's hard for a lot (okay, most) people to say no and eat healthy around the holidays. Luckily for me, I'm not a sweets person at all, so I don't struggle too much. Still, when we as a society have made the holidays ALL about stuffing our faces with meats and cheesy sides and cakes and booze, it's hard to say no. When everyone around us is indulging, we want to join in, naturally. And it's not wrong to enjoy some around the holidays, but most of us OVERindulge, then feel like crap afterwards. It's a tough time of year. But we've gotten through it again, so now it's time to jump back on the horse and kick our own asses back into shape.

Now let's get it kids!

5 AM

 I actually get a lunch break at work now that school is out! WOOHOO! Steve and I normally go home so we can prepare something healthy and also spend time with the pupsters. Recently, I've been addicted to Morningstar's Veggie Burgers. So good, so quick, and packed with good stuff that fills me up. I typically top it with a bit of low-fat cheese and either salsa or tomatillo sauce (above). Throw it with 2 cups of steamed broccoli and I'm set! Takes 10 minutes to make and I'm full the rest of the day.

That being said, Morningstar makes a TON of quality, tasty vegetarian meat replacements. I've found they are both affordable and available at almost all grocery stores.

Also, if you've never had tomatillo sauce, try it! I eat it on everything, including eggs, burgers, and tacos. It's 0 calories and has a nice zing to it!

Last night, I made a sort of pasta primavera. All I did was cook about 8 oz. of angel hair pasta, then in a large skillet mix together a can of cream of mushroom soup and a cup of milk, bring to a boil, then toss in a 1 pounds bag of frozen mixed veggies (carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, red pepper, sugar snap peas, broccoli) along with 2 cups of chopped spinach. I just cooked it on high until the veggies were tender, then mixed with the pasta and topped with parmesan cheese. I'm sure you can season it however you want. It was pretty good. And easy. And quick.

Pasta Primavera

Tasty, alongside miniature homemade garlic bread.

Enough about food though! I weight lift 3 mornings a week at 5:30am. Other mornings I complete my runs around the same time. That gives me a lot of time to think and work through things going on in my life. And I guess the conclusion I've come to is, if you aren't willing to be up at 5am to fit in a workout, you're not REALLY willing to make a commitment to better yourself. I know a lot of times it's hard as hell to run a family, work, go to school, have a social life, etc. But if you really want to become the person you feel like you need to be, then sacrifice is the first thing you have to accept. No one got the body they want by staying out until 2am on a Tuesday then skipping their Wednesday morning run.

If YOU want it, you will make sacrifices. And honestly, I don't even consider them sacrifices anymore. It's what I'd rather do. I live by a schedule and I stick to that schedule, regardless of having a stomach ache or being asked last minute to dinner. Not an excuse. My workout come first, then optional things like dinner or a nap. Our lives are all about choices and priorities, and the only way you will be successful is to correctly organize your life.

Schedule your workouts for the coming week, or month. I sit down every weekend and figure out exactly what the following weeks work will look like. And it makes getting up at 5am for a workout easier. I know what I need to do for that hour and then I'm done. It also makes it difficult to back out. If my gym bag is packed I need to go. Tell your friends, co-workers, Facebook contacts your plan for a workout that day. It holds you accountable and pushed you to do it.

Seriously though, just do it. Do the workouts. Work though that 30 minutes or hour or whatever, just get it done. You'll feel a lot better after you do. Stop the excuses, because no one cares. The people that get the results they want are the ones up at 5am to lift, running on their lunch break, or running to the gym for a quick cardio session in between studying for final exams.

If you're not willing to rearrange your life, you don't deserve to get the body you want. Plain and simple.

So for me, I'll continue to say hello to 5am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Motivation.

Some days, I swear I put in 16 hours of work at my job instead of the 8-9 I'm actually here. Today, I'm working 11 with no lunch, so I'm probably going to be my usual attention deficit self and research things that I really have no interest in or will ever do, like travel to Zimbabwe, read every random article I can find, look at clothes I can't afford, rearrange everything in my desk, start projects that are completely unnecessary, and all that jazz.

But what I do even more than all that is surf fitness/running forums, Pinterest, blogs, and educate myself on health and wellness and find motivation. It's crazy how much help, advice, information, etc. is out there if you look for it. I hear people say so often, "I wish I had your motivation". Stop wishing and start doing! There are tons of websites that provide a community of people going through the same things (Sparkpeople.com), there are fitclubs in your area that can provide support, local gym and fitness facilities have group fitness to help push you. There are all SORTS of resources available, you just have to look! It's like the easiest part of fitness (the education), people are still too lazy to do.

All humans, as much as some may try to deny it, seek the approval of those around them. There really isn't a better feeling than someone patting you on the back after a solid workout or someone noticing you've lost weight. I promise. And by joining these online or local groups, you become a part of a support network that will keep you pushing and keep you inspired to continue your fitness journey. There's a reason it's recommended to have workout buddies; it HELPS! It is hard to put yourself out there at first, sweating and looking like a fool sometimes (like me shakin' it in Zumba, when I have NO rhythm). But every single other person there has their insecurities, including fitness veterans. No one is judging you for bettering your life. If anything, there's a large amount of mutual respect and understanding.

When I go to the gym, there are 70 year old women to people struggling with obesity to that lady that makes you wonder if she even eats. But the thing is, we ALL have something in common: we want to improve our lives. We want to feel like a part of a group. And we want to be happy when we look in the mirror. So why be embarrassed? Why not give all you've got?

My motivation has only grown the further I've come in my journey. Yet I still look to outside sources to boost my positive thinking. No one can do it completely by themselves. I just want to shake people when they think they can do it alone. Or have to. YOU DON'T! There are always people willing to share their stories and help you. Including me. I'm willing to make time for anyone that has questions, needs advice, wants a running/workout buddy, whatever.

All you've gotta do is ask. :)

PS I found this and it's a great reminder:

Deuces.

Death To The Treadmill!

So, I made frickin' delicious veggie quinoa the other night...except my quinoa decided to suck a bag of balls and not cook fast enough. So, I took my veggies and put them in tacos :) Just saute green bell pepper, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, artichokes, and garlic in a saucepan until tender. Season however you want but it's easy (either with quinoa or on tacos :)).

This morning I decided to try my take on an egg cup out of P90X2's Nutrition Guide. I'm hooked! Plus I have extras to save and reheat.

Ingredients: 3 eggs

                  1 cup cooked rice (brown)

                  1/4 cup shredded cheese (cheddar)

                  3 tbsp. chopped green chiles

                  3 tbsp. milk

                  1/4 tsp. each of garlic powder, pepper, sea salt, and cumin

                  1 cup soy protein crumbles, cooked

                  

How to make: -Preheat oven to 400.

                      -Mix 1 egg, 1/2 of cheese and  and rice in a bowl, then split mixture into bottoms of cupcake 

                      tins evenly (make sure you spray with nonstick cooking spray first).

                      -Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until set and slightly brown.

                      -Mix other 2 eggs, cheese, chiles, milk, soy protein and spices, then pour evenly over rice

                      mixture.

                      -Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until set.

I made them in jumbo size, and they are soooo good, easy and filling! What I really love about them is you can alter them and add or subtract absolutely any ingredients you want!

I ran Tuesday morning...inside. AAAGHHH! The runner's enemy= a treadmill! At least enemy of this kid. It was horrible. I was already extremely sore from the weekend's workouts and lifting, but I figured a nice easy stretch-out run would help my muscles loosen up.It did a little I suppose but I was SO bored. I seriously felt like I was being tortured. I only ran a measly 2.25. I truly could not take it anymore. You know that feeling when you'd rather pull your own hair out than persist with what you're doing? Yeah, that happened.

I'm not sure why I hate indoor running so much. It's not as if I had a traumatic experience on a treadmill or something. As a matter of fact, my childhood friend and I used to put her treadmill on high, pack ourselves with pillows, and shoot ourselves off the back of it. It was pretty frickin' fun from what I remember, haha. I guess when I'm running outside, I feel like there are no limits, no distance I can't conquer. I don't feel so limited in my options. If I'm getting bored outside, I can dip off down a less traveled side street or trail. I can do ANYTHING, so to speak. I also don't have to worry about people on machines next to me smelling like sh*t. Or creeps continually walking by my machine. Or pressing buttons constantly to alter the elevation, pace, etc. I think a lot of runners feel the same. Actually, I think all runners prefer outdoors, but only part of the population is crazy enough to battle through snow and ice during Illinois winters. It's safe to say I'll take the bitter winter weather over a treadmill, officially.

This is a new running shirt (base layer) I'm getting for Xmas. So stoked to run in it! It's also interesting because almost all my running gear, as far as pants, base layers, etc. is black. Woohoo for some color! Anyway, I'll post how well it works after I actually get to use it! If it's good, I'll post what it's called and where to get it :)

And with that, I bid you adieu, and say "DEATH TO THE TREADMILL!" :)

17 Degrees

I did my first real winter run on Saturday morning. I knew it was cold out..obviously. It's December in Illinois. My weather app said 17, but I had told myself I was going to run, so I began to bundle. Sports bra, Under Armour cold weather shirt, Dri Fit Nike Combat shirt, Under Armour fleece coat, Nike capris, Nike cold weather pants, earmuffs, socks, shoes, gloves. I thought I was prepared...

HOLY SHIT!!! When I say that the beginning of my run was miserable, I am in no way exaggerating. I thought the wind was ripping my skin from my face. I also thought my poor toes were going to freeze solid and begin snapping off..because wearing performance dri fit socks in the winter is obviously dumb as shit. They are designed to wick sweat away from your feet, and another function they fail to mention is that they suck cold air IN to your socks.

After about the first mile I stopped to catch my breath for a second and, sorry to be gross, but shoot some serious snotrockets to clear out my nose. That cold air is a LOT harder on your lungs. I've obviously still got some adjusting to do. What the hell have I gottten myself into exactly?? 3 1/2 months of this is seeming like a giant, terrifying monster right now.

I ran 2.6 miles in 28 minutes. Not bad. Would have liked to have run further, but again I'm still adjusting. No shame in that. The last 1.6 wasn't bad at all. My body finally accepted I wasn't going to stop until I was done so I think it gave up sending cold signals to my brain. The wind was at my back as well so my face got a little break.

The amount of people staring in awe was quite comical. I could just hear them saying "look at this crazy bitch, out running in 17 degree weather." Ha, well you gotta do what ya gotta do and I feel like I have to do this. Not because I've agreed to do it to other people, but I've mentally accepted and taken on this challenge. If I quit, I'm disappointing myself. I want to redefine what my impossible is, and I know this half marathon is completely possible for me. If you were to ask anyone around me, I don't quit. Not even the most mundane, unimportant tasks. It's just not my nature. I remember so many days at the gym or on a run that I wanted to just stop; my brain was in a power struggle with itself. Overcoming your mental limits is the hardest part of running, and fitness altogether, and I've fought that battle for so long.

My solution: I tell that nagging, lazy, uninspired bitch of a voice in my brain, "Back the fuck off, I've got work to do." ;)