Jan Recap/Feb Goals

January Recap:

Goal 1: Get over this dang sickness – still working on it.  It is mainly dust and allergies, but I am still sneezing up a storm

Goal 2: Run 85 miles – Check!  Ran 111 miles and biked 11 miles for 122 miles total!!

Goal 3: Make 5 Body Pump classes – Check!  I made every Tuesday class and even one Friday class on my ‘rest’ week for running.

Goal 4: Get up to an 18 mile long run – Check!  18.6 – 2 loops around White Rock!

February Goals:

·        Run 100 miles

·        20+ mile long run

·        Core workouts twice a week

·        Lifting 5 times (with my race schedule and travel schedule – Body Pump classes are going to be hard to make, so any lifting I can do)

Alaskan License Plate –

When I was little one of my goals was to see all 50 states license plates.  With all the travel softball played, I had a lot of success.  Of course the last two, the hardest to see, were Hawaii and Alaska.  Oddly enough I had seen Hawaiian ones multiple times, before ever seeing an Alaskan one.  I remember the day I came home and my dad was sitting on the couch in the kitchen.  And he starts asking me if I know what is Yellow and Blue.  I have NO IDEA what the heck he is talking about.  When it finally comes out that he saw an Alaskan license plate that day, I WAS MAD.  Well, more so JEALOUS!  I have since seen Alaskan license plates multiple times, and always associate it with as a good sign, some positive to my day.

Yesterday (Monday), I was walking into the gym and what do you know, one of the cars has an Alaskan license plate.  It made me smile, but I didn’t think much of it.  Until I started killing my run on the treadmill.  I wasn’t expecting much out of this run, based on the 22 miles I did the day before, but the legs felt as fresh as a spring chicken.  I had to stop myself from doing more!  Then on the way home at 5:30, I hit 3 green lights that I have never hit before (let alone, right in the middle of rush hour).  I couldn’t believe my good luck! 

It’s always a good day when I see an Alaskan license plate!!!

Big Sur – Week 4

Monday – It was supposed to be a rest day, but since the weekend didn’t go as planned, I was pretty well rested already.  So I did 3 miles at the gym and some core work.  One of my February goals, I’m going to start focusing on core work and decided to get a head start on it.

Tuesday – 3 miles.  The first 2 were at my 10.0 incline.  This time I was able to do 6 - 0.10 sprints/runs.  My goal is to get to 10 – 0.10 runs within the 2 miles.  So, 0.10 walk, 0.10 run, repeat.  After that I had time before Body Pump so I just kept walking and got to 3 miles. 

~Body Pump – I can tell I am getting stronger after only a month.  I am increasing weights and decreasing any breaks or rest periods.

Wednesday – Booked Big Sur flights!!!  Megan and I have the same layovers which is nice and the flights lined up well.

I decided Wednesday would be a good day for the Virtual 8K (4.97 miles) – Snowman Shuffle.  I went out for my normal 5 mile loop and just stopped my watch a bit early.  I was shocked by the mile splits especially considering the hills training and lifting the day before.  I did have to take a few water breaks, but very happy with my time.  Overall 5.08 miles.

Thursday – Went to the gym for an easy 3, followed up by lifting some arms (both free weights and machines).

Friday & Saturday – Rest Days

Sunday – 14.75 miles running and 7.5 miles elliptical.  Early on, I had planned on running a couple miles before the race and several miles after the race.  But as the week went on, and the weather report got worse, I changed adapted my plan.  I got the race early to get my packet and then went out for a warm up run.  I wore the outfit I planned on running in and my lined soccer warm-ups (wind breakers) over and actually got too warm on the run.  Did 2.2 miles.  Then it was race time, and the temperature kept dropping and dropping.  As the race started, the first several miles were straight out, into the wind!  It was brutal.  Once we turned the corner, you heard everyone breathe a sigh of relief.  It was much warmer and much easier now that we weren’t running straight into the wind.  I decided to take it easy this race and run all by feel.  I didn’t look at my watch once.  The only other horrible part was after the turn around at mile 10, you headed back into the wind for 2 miles and just wanted to be done.  I passed Tracey at this point, and just said this is miserable and put my head down and went.  The course ended up being 0.6 miles short.  Stupid 12.54 miles.  I’m pretty much done with Mellew events.  They always have screw ups like this that are very much in their control.  Finished at 1:55 (oh yeah – their timing thing fell over and they didn’t have official times…)

I was cold and done with the weather so I headed to the gym for a few more miles, but when I got on the treadmill my shin started hurting.  Not wanting to suffer any more that day, I jumped on the elliptical.  I know it is not the same as running, but it was still cardio and still working the legs.  Overall I am extremely happy how my legs and lungs felt yesterday, even with the conditions.  I needed this run for confidence.

Total mileage: 28.83 running miles + 7.5 elliptical miles = 36.33 miles

Move over Martha Stewart

Pretty proud of everything I accomplished so far this weekend.

This was my Friday night project.  Had an old picture frame, went to Michaels and spent $0.64 on the screen.  Cut the screen down to size and glued it to the frame.
This displays my earrings so I know what options I have AND more importantly keeps them paired together - instead of just throwing them in the jewelry box and hunting for a match.

 





Next up was the cooking portion of the weekend.  

Cooked some shredded chicken and also the meat and veggies that I really like.  After that, it was a bunch of new things.

 

Buffalo hummus - great for the shredded chicken and to dip celery and zucchini in for the game!  I adapted the below recipe, but didn't use BBQ sauce, just Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce (Buffalo flavored).

http://fitnessista.com/?s=buffalo+hummus

*Forgot to take the picture

 

 

Zucchini Sticks - Again, I adapted the below recipe.  I just used store bought bread crumbs!  You can probably use this same recipe for green beans and other veggies as well.

http://fitnessista.com/2012/08/healthy-baked-zucchini-sticks/

 

 

 

 

Roasted chick peas - Figured I would try something new.  So simple and easy to make.  I almost always have a can or two of chick peas in the house.

http://www.steamykitchen.com/10725-crispy-roasted-chickpeas-garbanzo-beans.html

 

 

 

Now time to relax and see if I have enough clothes to run in tomorrow!