Traveling to Louisville for the Ironman!

We've been here in Louisville since Wednesday and I don't have nearly enough pictures..I need to be better about that.  I have a great digital camera but somehow forget to pull it out when I'm traveling which isn't good for me because my memory is horrible so if I don't have a picture of it I'm afraid I won't remember it.  We arrived Wednesday afternoon about 5pm.  So by the time we got our car and to the hotel we relaxed and then just changed and went to dinner.  The flight(s) were easy which was nice.  1 plane change isn't bad and although I dislike long flights its a little bit nice to just get settled and be done with it.  It allows me to get my snacks all out and accessible. 

(This picture is missing the sliced apple and Justin's honey peanut butter that I had already eaten.)

By the time we got to Louisville and got the car and checked in, it was time for dinner.  Dinner was great.  Neat local place called 732 Social that does a lot of local ingredients.  Dave had a beer, I had a glass of wine.  We split some brussels sprouts that were 'candied' with walnuts (yummy).  Then Dave had Steak au poivre served with crispy potato strings and I had scallops with cauliflower in a green lentil broth.  We split potatoes au gratin on the side and for dessert we had beignets and ice cream ;)  You can see this Louisville update will be big on the food!  It was interesting to look at their bar because typically in California the bar back is heavy on flavored and plain vodka's.  This place only had 3 and I couldn't even see them.  The rest was whiskey, rye, bourbon and other bitters and liquors.  I guess they specialize in 'original' cocktails...things they used to make when cocktails first became big.  I still plan to get a mint julep sometime while we're out here.  Anyways, we slept in a lot the next morning (Thursday) then got up and drove to Whole Foods to check it out and get some snacks.  We got lunch while we were there...nothing really worth detailing other than they were soups and salads/sandwiches.  Then we headed to the Ironman expo to check Dave in and pick up his race #'s etc.  It wasn't very crowded at all so I'm glad we went Thursday because I'm sure Friday and Saturday were much more crowded.  Dave and I were talking about the type of people we see at these different events.  This Ironman crowd is different from the marathon crowd which is different from the ultra-running crowd.  While we're out and about we are always spotting other ironman.. and saying I bet he/she is doing the race (usually this person has extremely fit legs and is sporting some kind of sports apparel...the men are especially big on visors).  They are all starting to look the same to me and they aren't even geared up in their kits yet... once they are on the bike I'm sure I'll have trouble spotting Dave.  This may result is many pictures of other random cyclists ;)  I'm usually better at spotting him on the run because I can pinpoint his gait.  Anyways, after we got the stuff we headed over to make sure his bike had made it from the shipping company and it had.  So we got to see the bike and get his pedals re-attached (they make you take them off for shipping) and then we left it with those people so we didn't have to lug it back to the room and store it here.  Then we went on a run and after cleaning up headed out for another awesome dinner.  Here is where it gets detailed.  We split a salad that had arugula, blackberries, plums, peaches and a basil vinaigrette (we got the feta on the side because the hubby doesn't like feta).  It all went together well.  Then we split a black bean cake which was kind of crispy and had seared scallops on top with some kind of chile sauce.. yum yum.  Now on to dinner.  I had the grilled bison tenderloins in a tomatillo-guajillo chile sauce, served with grits and local veggies.  Dave had the cochinita pibil - oven roasted pork in a deep-red achiote sauce, topped with pickled onions, lima beans and a corn cake.  They were both SO good.  My bison was really really tender and the sauce on Dave's pork was amaze!  Of course these entrees were followed by dessert .. 2 of them to be exact.  The banana churro served with banana ice cream and the bread pudding with chocolate/cayenne ice cream and 2 coffees :)  Phew.  We are full now. 

 

Another marathon! and Goal #5

It's happened.  Somehow each time I do a marathon I think that is going to be it.. and then I find myself signing up for another one.  I am not sure I would have signed up for this next marathon if it weren't for the encouragement of my husband.  We're both going to do the Las Vegas marathon in December.  They also have a 1/2 which is what I was gunning for but was swayed to do the marathon.  I have done 5 marathons and I think what keeps me coming back is that my time has been getting better each marathon I run so in my head I'm always wondering if I could do better next time.  My very first full marathon was the LA marathon back in 2008.  I did the training plan but about 3/4 of the way through I started having knee trouble.  Since I was new to this distance I didn't really know what it was.  Turns out I needed to add a lot more stretching into my routine.  It wasn't my knee but was my IT Band and was pulling on my knee and causing a lot of discomfort.  So, that marathon I walked a lot due to the knee pain.  So I did it again the next year and shaved 45 minutes off my time.  That just fueled the internal competition.  I've done 3 marathons since then and each gets better.  This last one was the Big Sur marathon which is hilly and its been said is not a marathon to get a PR on.  Well, I got a PR.  During this particular run I followed a pace group which helped me A LOT.  What also helped me was having a goal and running to that goal from start to finish.  Before, I would just start running at what felt comfortable... thinking to myself that I was going to poop out later on in the run anyways so why not go as fast as I can in the beginning.  I know.. I'd heard that was a bad idea but was sure that for me it would work.  It didn't.  I'd end up walking a lot towards the end because what pace felt good in the beginning to run 10 miles was not so sustainable come 20 miles.  For Big Sur I started slower and was able to maintain it and be more consistent.  So, for Las Vegas my goal is to join a pace group and maintain a steady pace to bring me in at just under 4:30.  That is the goal.  Now the training begins!

Training for me is the hardest part because its about being consistent and dedicated to a plan without excuses which I seem to be good at :)  Assuming my body holds up and I have no injuries there is really no reason I can't do it.  I'm actually excited for this plan because it'll give me focus on my running which I haven't had for a while.  So 4:30 PR here I come!

Now, back to my goal list.  We're on to #5 now which was "Ramp up the cardio / workouts in general....no more excuses, yes you can do it!!"  Ok.. what timing.  I guess this marathon training plan will prove whether I can ditch the excuses.  I feel like I've been more serious and intense with all my cardio but I think this marathon plan and my goal of under 4:30 will make me push myself and I'm looking forward to it.  Bring it on!

Body Image and Goal #4

I think I have a pretty decent body image.  In general I like what I was given.. I think I've got a good structure to work with :)  What I do with it is my decision, right?  So, I actually can admire pieces of me but I do have my insecurities and 'trouble spots' that bother me.  What really gets me is how I can swing one day from literally standing in my underwear in front of the mirror and flexing and posing and thinking ... yeah baby you look hot.  To literally that night getting dressed for bed and going.. oh my god my thighs are huge, when did my butt-thigh (also known as saddlebag) get so jiggly.  Its ridiculous how either a mood, or what I ate that day or what I did or didn't do for exercise or my outfit can really change how I'm feeling at that moment about my various parts.  I think part of that can sometimes be hormonal but then again maybe I'm just reaching for an answer.  It usually ends up balancing itself out again though and I feel pretty satisfied.  I really feel better when I get in a good workout that makes me sweat or one where I was lifting weights and noticing my muscles improving in their strength or visibility.

Do you fluctuate in your 'feelings' about your body?

Today was a 6 mile run with my husband and nephew who is in town.  It was a little hot so I felt like I was dragging on the way out but on the way back I felt a little better which is the mental "I'm goin home!" feeling I get.  I recently got a new Garmin 110 which I'm SO excited about because its much much smaller than my old forerunner 201 which is huge on my wrist.  Plus, this new one comes with a heart rate monitor which is great because I have never worn one so I'm really enjoying watching my heart rate throughout a run and seeing what it does.  I haven't downloaded the software yet but as soon as I do I'll be analyzing my runs.  It can only help, right?  Just to give you an idea of the 2 Garmins.. Check out these pictures..

My nephew kept up with Dave which was really impressive since this 6 miles is the longest he's ever run.  Very cool.  It does help that he is only 18 :)




So, back to my goal list.  Goal #4 was add more strength training which so far is the first one I've done really good at.  I do at least 1-2 strength sessions a week now which I'm really excited about.  I forgot how much I enjoy lifting weights and feeling stronger when I do it so its something I definitely plan to keep up with.  I don't have a planned schedule and usually just do what I can fit in or what I feel like doing that week.  I might start trying to plan my workouts out a little bit more especially if I decide to train for any upcoming races then I'll need a schedule.  Usually I do a Pilate's session, a yoga session, some running, some spinning and 1-2 weight sessions per week.  I think I might start tracking it though so I can see what I'm really doing so when I say I'm tired I can figure out whether its actually because I've been working out a lot or if I'm just being a baby :)  Its a good thing I eat well to fuel the workouts though.  Speaking of that; tomorrow night is homemade pizza night.  Here are a few shots of a past pizza night.  Check out those pies!

Another great breakfast and Goal #3

Today's breakfast was another winner.  Today I opted for savory and didn't do my oatmeal and instead decided to do a scramble which turned out YUMMY.  It was actually more of a brunch because I had a Kind fruit + nut bar after I woke up and before I headed out to Pilate's.  So finished Pilate's and got home and was starving...so my breakfast actually ended up being about 11am.  Dave has been making/growing his own sprouts lately so I was trying to figure how to incorporate those into breakfast; plus I bought a big bin of spinach yesterday at the store so I figured a scramble was the best way to get these 2 things together.  It turned out really good.  It was composed of 1 egg + about 1/2 cup egg whites, a handful of spinach, a little butter (to saute spinach), handful of black beans, about 1/4 cup cheddar, 1/4 avocado, a couple lumps of sprouts and lots of homemade salsa.  I accompanied this by a piece of homemade multi-grain bread and an iced coffee on the side.  Whew..that is a lot of ingredients!  Good thing I plan on a spinning class this afternoon.  Let me just show you what this ended up looking like.

The sprouts were really good.  I didn't think I liked sprouts or I used to think not but I think it depends on what they are on and maybe what kind they are.  Before Dave started researching them I didn't realize there were so many varieties.  He made broccoli sprouts already which were good.  They had a peppery quality and a slight broccoli flavor but not really a strong broccoli-ness.  According to healingdaily.com " Sprouts are rich with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and enzymes.  Have you ever heard of a vegetable which continues to gain vitamins after you harvest it? Sprouts do this. Sprouts are LIVING foods. Even after you harvest your sprouts and refrigerate them, they will continue to grow slowly and their vitamin content will actually increase" 

I've been trying to address where I'm at with my 2010 goal list.  So, lets talk about Goal #3 which was do more Yoga.  I was specific in my goal in that I wanted to do a class when we are here and do a class when we are in Carlsbad..which would put me about about 2 classes every 10 days.  This one seems to go in spurts.  I feel like we were doing more yoga a few weeks ago and think I might need to step it back up but if I remember correctly (maybe I should log this stuff!) I think we've been doing about 1 class per trip.  Encinitas has a great yoga space that we love so its definitely nice to fit a class in when we're there.  Its Yoga in a yurt.  A Yurt is a circular domed dwelling that is portable and self-supporting; originally used by nomadic Mongol and Turkic people of central Asia but now used as inexpensive alternative or temporary housing.  Its like a souped up tent.  The one at Yoga Swami has wood floors and really gives you an organic space to practice yoga.  The teachers they have there are great too which helps.  I really enjoy yoga its just that sometimes after a spin class or a long run I just want to relax on the couch instead of go to yoga but what I need to remind myself is that I'll feel better after if I just get up and go!  But I do try and throw some yoga in wherever I go... see this was after dinner and I just busted into a one legged plank!  Ok, that probably won't ever happen again.

Running the Roller Coaster and Goal #2

Running never ceases to amaze me.  There are days I'll head out on a 5 mile run and my legs will feel like lead the whole time.  The whole thing from start to finish just feels hard and I feel like I look like I'm struggling and my form is off and I'm just huffing and puffing.  Then there are days when I'm out running and I can run 7 miles and feel amazing and not think twice about it and power up hills like superwoman!  I haven't pinpointed what will make a good day and what will make a bad day.  I do think part of it is my attitude.  Some days I'm just not into it and I think I mentally screw it up.  I think maybe how I've been working out the days before might play a part but haven't really tried too hard to nail it down.  I obviously prefer the days when I feel like superwoman; who doesn't!  This morning I had a pretty good day.  I did a little over 7 miles and when I finished I watched my husband and his brother race a triathlon.  A pretty good start to the day.  Lunch was fish tacos and I think I made up for the calories I lost during the run which wasn't really my intention but those chips and salsa were SO good. 

So, back to my list of goals.  Goal #2 was eat less sugar.  Hmm..  that one is a little tricky.  I think in general I do pretty well when it comes to meals.  I don't drink sodas or really any sugared drinks (other than coffee but we'll get to that).  I try not to eat a lot of processed foods and definitely eat less than I used to.  Its my post dinner dessert and general snacking that does me in I think.  That is where I definitely need to focus my attention first.  I crave dessert every night and also snacks while I wind down at night and watch TV.  So I don't want to give up TV but I need to disassociate TV watching with snack eating.  Its something I'm working on but its not terrible.  I do drink coffee almost daily and I either use sugar-free creamer or milk and splenda.  Neither is optimal as I try to reduce the number of artificial things in my foods but I LOVE my coffee and I'm willing to splurge to have my creamer :)  I'm not a black coffee drinker and can't think I'd ever be.  This goal is one I'll keep working on.

Goal #1

The dogs did not get their pre-breakfast walk this morning.  We all were too hungry to do it so we'll plan on doing something later after it cools down.  Instead I had my coffee and oatmeal.  Love!  My oatmeal this morning was coach's oats (from Costco) with chia seeds, raisins, some chopped almonds, banana and some peanut butter.  So good.  I get all these great ideas from reading other fitness and food blogs online.  So incredible the amount of information you can find and the awesome food ideas.  I could spend a whole day reading them :)  It gets a little overwhelming though... I feel like there are so many foods I should be trying and different products to incorporate into my diet but if I try to incorporate all of them I'd be eating A LOT.  So anyways, I've just been experimenting a little bit and plan to try some protein powders in the near future and generally just picking and choosing what works for me / us.

 I did make these AWESOME blueberry crumb bars the other day that I found on this site:  http://canyoustayfordinner.com/2010/06/19/blueberry-crumb-bars/  Its a great blog and she has some really yummy looking baked goods I want to try making.  On a side note I just did a spinning class at noon which I think just about blew out my ear drums.  Why do they have to have the music so loud...really... I'm not out clubbing.  Am I getting old?  Anyways, I then came home and made an ugly but tasty omelet.  It had leftover yellow squash we grilled the other night, black beans, garlic, cheese, LOTS of homemade salsa all wrapped in 1 egg + ~ 1/2 c egg whites.  I say ugly because apparently my skills at getting an omelet out of a pan onto the plate are quite lacking.  When I tried to dump it out it unfolded and kind of just became a lump of stuff but it was still good!

Now I'm looking forward to dinner.  Yes, I literally just finished lunch and am already planning ahead.  We all have to have goals don't we!  Actually I'm thinking of having something sweet(ish) so maybe some strawberries.  I know for dinner we're having grilled shark wraps.  We've got this ezekiel wrap and inside it'll be shark and something else.  Dave mentioned homemade coleslaw but I need to look up a recipe.

So many things to do and oh yeah.. I'm working too ;)

The other day I listed my 2010 goal list I found buried in my bedside table.  It contained 14 goals.  Maybe I'll comment on goal #1 today and see how its going.  So # 1 was "Eat more veggies as snacks".  So I think I could definitely ramp this up a little bit or I might scrap this as a goal.  We do eat a decent amount of veggies in our meals and it seems like more than we used to eat so I think we're improving.  As far as snacking on veggies I think I was being a little overzealous on this one.  I don't really 'snack' on veggies and can't really think of veggies I want to snack on but you know I can always try.  I just doubt I'll be having a bowl of broccoli in front of the TV next time I watch one of my completely non-educational reality shows!

Morning workouts - bittersweet

I am not a morning person..however I'm not sure I'm really a night person either.  I guess that makes me more of a midday person.  Its not that I'm grumpy in the morning, actually once I get up and get on my way I'd say I'm quite pleasant :)  I just really enjoy not having to get out of bed super early and more than that I love starting my morning with coffee and breakfast.  Breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day... I'm not sure why exactly but I just really like it.  As boring as it sounds I love oatmeal in the morning as long as its plain oatmeal that I can doctor up in my own way.  Its a morning ritual I relish and really want to take my time with.  In my mind working out in the morning often interferes with this morning ritual of coffee and oatmeal.  If I want to eat it ahead of time I need to get up early enough to make it and eat it and let it "settle" before I start running which could take a while since oatmeal is a pretty filling meal I'd prefer not to take off on a jog right after I set the bowl down.  Now, eating it after my run is an option but this also means I need to get up early enough to run and then get home in time to have breakfast while its still breakfast time.  Also, if I run before I eat my breakfast I still need a snack before I run.  I'm not a big fan of running on an empty stomach and need to at least put something in there.  Usually this is some kind of bar and I try to keep it around 200 calories or else its like a whole meal in itself and then I'm having 2 breakfasts and I wouldn't say my workouts are so tough that they warrant 2 breakfasts.

This morning was a morning run day.  I always have such grand ideas at night as I'm going to bed like; "Tomorrow morning I'll get up and go to the 5:45 AM spin class" or "I'll get up when Dave gets home at 6:30 and head out for a run".  These things rarely happen and just leave me feeling like a failure.  But this morning I actually followed through - although reluctantly and perhaps about 30 minutes later than I had originally planned; I still go out the door.  I knew I wanted to run and since yesterday was a total rest day I figured I'd try to put in some good miles.  So I wanted to do 8 miles.  I had a meeting on my calendar for 10am which I needed to be at home and on the phone for.  So this means I needed to leave myself about 1.5 hours to do the run and leave enough time to actually cool off for a second before I sat at my desk.  When I went to bed I was thinking that I'd go running at 7:30 so I could be back in time for pre-meeting breakfast and prep.  My alarm went off somewhere around 7:15 I think and I kept snoozing it and was semi-awake and again (like I always do for morning workouts) trying to talk myself out of it.  Maybe I'll go this afternoon.. or maybe I'll just go to the gym later.  Why is it SO hard to get out of bed to do a morning run when I know afterwards I'll feel great and so glad I got it over with.  I love getting the workout done in the morning because later in the day it almost feels like cheating...like I never worked out.  Somehow I convinced myself to go.  I finally got moving closer to 8 and felt slow and heavy for the first mile and then settled in a bit.  I had to do some more mind games when it was getting close to the 1/2 way point because I wanted to turn around early but I stuck it out and glad I did.  For some reason as soon as I turn around on an out and back I feel much better :)  By mile 7 I was surprised how good I felt.  So I finished it out with an average pace of 9min/mile which felt good.  So glad I got it done but I KNOW I'll have to do the same convincing next time I plan to get out of bed early! 

Tomorrow I'm planning on walking the dogs before breakfast :)... we'll see!

Where to start

Well my last post was quite some time ago.  Its already the 4th week in June.  Really, I had planned to start blogging more often and then look what happened.  You know what I think it really is is a few things.  First, I have a lot of ideas of where to go with this blog.  Should I talk about what / how we eat.  Should I blog about our workouts and my struggles to become an "athlete".  I could blog when we do trips.  I could blog about random thoughts I have day to day... or my job.  So many ideas that seem all over the place so why don't I just start blogging what comes up and then maybe I'll hone it into a genre..or maybe not.  Also, I think it freaks me out a little bit that people could actually read it and for those days where I decide to blog on what I'm thinking; could actually know what I'm thinking :)  Also, I'm not exactly the most interested in my job so I think I'm a little afraid of putting it on paper because I'm afraid of what it might sound like out loud.  I really do appreciate the face that I have a job.  I think I just need to cultivate the passion in it!.  I guess we'll see where it all goes!!

So to start.  I just found this notebook in my side table that I used to record what I ate in.  It stopped in 2008 I notice.  4/19/08 to be exact and the very last thing I wrote that I ate was Peeps :)  Yes people, I love Peeps.  I realize they aren't "whole" foods and are terribly sugar laden...but the devil lives inside me as a sweet tooth.  Oh yeah, I love cotton candy too!  Anyways, I try to only eat Peeps seasonally which used to mean I only had them around Easter.. now Peeps has gone and sucked me into many other holidays.  I can now get them at Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's day for sure so I might have a problem on my hands.  Back to where I started.  So this notebook was once used for journaling my food choices which I am wondering if I should start doing again.  It might be interesting to see what I'm eating and how it affects my workouts and hunger etc.  Also, "they" say that keeping a food diary helps keep you on track with your eating.  It is interesting to note that I weighed about the same back in 2007/2008 as I do now.  I guess that is a good thing but it means that I've been talking since then about losing those last 5-10 lbs.  Makes me wonder if I really mean it....more on that some other post.

In this same journal at the end I found a 2010 Goals list that I believe I penned right before I went to bed one night.  I have no idea what night or how far into 2010 it was because I didn't date it.  I can only imagine it came after catching a late night Oprah show where she tells me to find my authentic self :)  So, here was my 2010 goals list:

1. Eat more veggies as snacks
2. Eat less sugar
3. Do more yoga.  Strive for @ least 1 session in Rancho and 1 in Carlsbad
4. Add additional strength training to workouts
5. Ramp up the cardio / workouts in general....no more excuses, yes you can do it!!!
6. Do more adventurous things with Dave; maybe an international trip in the next few years
7. Spend more time with my sisters and girlfriends; plan better and make trips
8. Cook more dinners
9. Use local fresh ingredients more often
10. Pick an area of life or home to "green" and do it.
11. Explore hobbies / careers / passions; find your drive!
12. Journal or write 1x/week at least.
13. Organize something...nail down an idea and do it - pictures, organize frames, albums, display!.. or kitchen or linen cabinets... or office/game closet
14. You have so many things you think you "should" do or should be better at.  What really speaks to you and it could be a few things
     * learn something new
     * bike
     * paddleboard
     * pilates certification
     * cooking/baking
     * learn a language
     * learn piano

15.  there was a number 15 but it was blank... guess I got distracted

So, there it is folks.  Clearly after reading #14 my hunch about Oprah was right.  I don't think I'd speak to myself in those words otherwise... why on earth am I speaking to myself anyways?  14 goals for 2010.  Not sure if that is high or not but since I just dug this out and its already June I think I'm a little behind.  In all fairness I actually have done a lot of these or attempted to focus on them a little bit.  Perhaps over the next few posts I'll break down what I've done on each of them.  Or maybe I'll just put the blogging on my to do list as #15... could be a while!

A post in pictures

I haven't been great about adding pictures to my updates so this post here will be our life in pictures.  Pictures from all over 2009!

Meeting Kathrine Switzer at the 2009 Boston Marathon Expo.  Awesome!

Meeting Team Hoyt at the Boston Expo.  We've watched them so many times do races on TV that it was truly incredible to meet them in person.  Such an inspiration!

 

Dave the day before the Boston Marathon standing at the finish line.  It was such an awesome race (even though I was just spectating :)

This was the hotel we stayed at in Bar Harbor Maine after we drove up there from Boston.  Such a beautiful city and a beautiful hotel.  We were there in the 'off' season so there were a lot of stores and restaurants that were closed.  They shutdown a lot of things for the off season but it was still a wonderful trip.

 Dave and his brother at the 2009 Carlsbad Triathlon

 Dave during the running portion of the triathlon.  Bring it home!!

Dave and I meeting Roy at a dinner we had at Roy's in Pasadena.. so yummy!!

An amazing lightning storm that I was in Tempe for.  Took a while but finally got a good picture out Mom's window.

My birthday dinner at Q'ero in Encinitas.  One of my favorite restaurants ;)

Can't remember where these were taken but it was a trip we did for a race somewhere.

Dave in Chicago.  Man it was cold but really fun.  I think its a beautiful city but I'm pretty sure I couldn't handle the weather.

Us eating at Frontera Grill.  The food and drinks were SO good.  I wish my drink was on the table for this picture.  It sounds so weird but it was yummy.  It was beer mixed with I think passion fruit juice.  mmmm mmmm.  My hair might look wet because I think I just woke up before we came here.  The place opens for lunch at 11:30 but gets REALLY crowded and sometimes you have to wait a long time to get a table.  So we made sure we got there at 10:45 :)  We were the 2nd people in line and there was a line out the door by the time 11:30 rolled around.  So I didn't really "get ready" that day :)