April showers with a vengeance

Monday, April 04, 2011

It's going to be one of my rambling blogs - you've been warned!

It was a really nice weekend, weather-wise & otherwise. Yes, it was chilly & VERY windy, but it was also sunny & not snowing, so that was good! Even warm enough to just sit outside & soak up some sunshine - as long as you had a coat on.

Saturday we went out to lunch at a cafe I've wanted to try & used up my group on to the vegan bakery. I had a veggie panini - which didn't have much cheese, which is probably a good thing cause I got a great big honking piece of vegan chocolate peanut butter cake. That, an apple, a few almonds & some popcorn was dinner.

I gave DH a sliver of the cake. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite, but I swear I felt like my thighs, of all things, had expanded 5" the next day. Must've been the sodium, not to mention the fat & sugar.

Yesterday I ate great. My throat has been bothering me for a few days, so I have been taking it easy. Just a long walk with the dogs & DH yesterday.

Today was swimming & the forecast was for sleet & snow but thankfully it didn't get that cold so it's just rain. I had to get up in the middle of the night & my throat was worse, but not so bad when I got up so I went for my swim.

Glad I did, too, cause it was a great swim - unlike the last one, I got fast songs & slow songs in almost perfect order. And since it was just drizzling when I got home I was able to coax the dogs out again - good thing cause now it's raining pretty good.

DH has a business dinner tonight & I'm really looking forward to my pasta with white beans & garlic again. In fact, it's a day of leftovers & I plan to mostly take it easy since I did just sign up for the 5 mile race this Sunday. The cookbook that recipe came from is now waiting for me at the library.

So for now I'm just chilling with my little doggy blanket on my lap, and since I've already had first & second breakfasts I'm gonna go catch up with what's going on in the world. Here's to a great Monday, even if it is raining. Spark on!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LIBBYFITZ 4/5/2011 6:53AM

Seems to be that time of the year in both hemispheres for allergic symptoms ! Glad you got your swim in! Report Inappropriate Comment

SKINNYPOWELL1 4/4/2011 2:52PM

attitude on a rainy Monday, your dinner sounds absolutely delish. Happy Monday !!!! P.S. I am soooo excited for your race this weekend. Comment edited on: 4/4/2011 3:01:19 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

DDOORN 4/4/2011 2:44PM

Love it when those tunes roll out in simpatico with the workout...! I just enjoyed the HECK out of the wonderful weather we had this weekend. Rain on a Monday sorta seems appropo...took it indoors to the fitness center. Ran too late to swim tho, drat! Don Report Inappropriate Comment

FRECKS96 4/4/2011 2:13PM

Sounds like a wonderful weekend and a great plan for this week. Hope you feel 100% soon and good luck with your race this weekend! Report Inappropriate Comment

NATPLUMMER 4/4/2011 10:17AM

It sounds like a very nice weekend. Ooooooh, chocolate peanut butter cake. Yummmmmm. My throat has been bothering me as well. Allergies are bad right now. YAY for a swim and getting the dogs out. Pasta with white beans and garlic sounds very tasty. Have a great, if rainy, day! Report Inappropriate Comment

RATFINKROB 4/4/2011 9:42AM

It is raining here as well. Thanks for the blog! Report Inappropriate Comment

Practice what you preach - rest!

Saturday, April 02, 2011

I like to take a week off from running every month. I feel it actually helps me come back fresher. I still exercise, I just don't run. I usually go much lighter on weight training on the weeks I don't run, too.

The idea is that you shouldn't always be working harder - if you do, you're not giving yourself enough time to recover. No recovery will lower your immune system and leave you vulnerable to injury. If you find yourself more tired than usual and not recharged by exercise like you usually are, you might be overtraining.

So this week I haven't run at all, but I have swum. I did longer, more intense yoga sessions.

Unfortunately, I plan to run a race next Sunday - potentially my longest race to date. When it's race week, I usually do lighter ST sessions too. So that means 2 weeks of little ST in a row. But it's about balance over time, not how any one week goes.

It's ok to do light exercise on a rest day - I almost always am walking the dogs, even on rest days. We are meant to move! Have you ever felt more tired after a weekend spent on the couch? I know I have.

What do you do on your rest days? Do you take rest days? Do you find you start getting tired if you don't take rest days?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PCOH051610 4/5/2011 8:20AM

No, I don't take any rest days because the only walking I do basically is with my dogs off leash. They sort of need to get out everyday. That being said, however, I can see why you would need a day/week off from your training. You are such an inspiration! Report Inappropriate Comment

SKINNYPOWELL1 4/4/2011 8:42AM

How far is your race next Sunday? Glad you take the time to rest, I'm guessing I will be resting for at least two weeks after my surgery on Thursday but looking forward to getting back into running. Report Inappropriate Comment

DAYHIKER 4/4/2011 6:50AM

You are doing so great!! At 10 plus years older than you I am finding that I need more recovery days than I would like and not getting them leads to old fashioned crash and burn. Sigh. Cindy Report Inappropriate Comment

HALFFAST 4/3/2011 10:22AM

Hi Judy! I take 2 rest days per week. I STILL haven't been doing any ST. I keep telling myself that one of the 3 days per week I'm at the gym I will start ST - my plan is 1 day run (besides the 2-3 outside runs per week), 1 day elliptical, and 1 day ST - but so far something has happened that I haven't made the 3rd day to the gym. Have fun on your race next weekend! Report Inappropriate Comment

LIBBYFITZ 4/3/2011 3:47AM

Yes I still walk the dogs on rest days. If i am tired I will have a snooze in the afternoon. Report Inappropriate Comment

HEYRED221 4/2/2011 4:33PM

I do take rest days - usually Sunday and one week day. Report Inappropriate Comment

NATPLUMMER 4/2/2011 8:57AM

I usually dance around or walk or both on my rest days. Report Inappropriate Comment

NANCYRUBIO 4/2/2011 8:47AM

Excellent post. Your advice is sound. Report Inappropriate Comment

FRECKS96 4/2/2011 7:58AM

As always, a great reminder that our mental health is important to our physical health. I generally do something light, even on my rest day. I am totally more tired after a day of sloth than I ever am after a day of go, go, go. I am definitely planning on taking on day/week as a total rest day while I train for my half marathon. I know I'll be getting plenty of exercise in on the other days and I'm pretty sure my body will need it. A nice afternoon walk to the playground and some extra stretching will be it on those days. Don't stress about the ST, it takes longer than 2 weeks to lose muscle tone. You'll do great! Report Inappropriate Comment

Free running PDF - maybe

Friday, April 01, 2011

Got this link to a free ebook on barefoot running:

dl.dropbox.com/u/25045445/TheBarefoo
tRunningBookSecondEditionbyJasonRobill
ard.pdf

I was able to download it, but when I went to copy the URL it was down due to too much traffic. Supposedly it will only be available til tomorrow morning, so just wanted to share.

And yes, I did get us tickets to Michael Buble - first concert in 2 yrs! No, we actually don't get out a whole lot. DH doesn't like crowds.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHEILA1505 4/2/2011 2:31AM

You will have a wonderful time at the concert Something special to look forward to when you go to LV Report Inappropriate Comment

NATPLUMMER 4/1/2011 11:46PM

Yay for the tickets!! Have a great time!! I'm with DH regarding the crowds. Report Inappropriate Comment

TEMPEST272002 4/1/2011 10:27PM

congrats on getting the tickets! Should be a great concert. Report Inappropriate Comment

FRECKS96 4/1/2011 9:47PM

Awesome! Enjoy your concert. I like him too. Report Inappropriate Comment

JOAN_HEO 4/1/2011 8:02PM

I can't get to your link! =( Report Inappropriate Comment

HEYRED221 4/1/2011 7:35PM

Would love to see Michael Buble - enjoy!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

MRLEEP23 4/1/2011 4:55PM

Great! Thanks!! Report Inappropriate Comment

God is a prankster

Friday, April 01, 2011

Not much yet, but I think it started much later than expected. Much to DH's chagrin -- he didn't get a snow day since it hasn't yet begun to stick to the roads.

My other title: How Target & a Clif Bar saved me & a dilemma

We'll get to that in a minute. I have been sooooooooo hungry lately. No idea why. None of the usual culprits. I've been doing my best to try and make healthy choices when I do eat more than planned -- which has been almost every day -- and was happy to maintain this week. And I never maintain, I'm always either up or down!

So yesterday was my meeting. I took a snack & some water with me as usual. I had a lot of errands to run, and knew I would be out for quite some time. And even after my snack & drinking my water, I was starved. I knew I would never make it through all those errands.

One of the errands was at the mall. Yes, an actual errand -- I needed to get a ring I bought in Hawaii sized down. It seemed to fit there, but when I got home to the cold of winter it was falling off my finger. Pretty much any finger! Turned out I needed to get it sized down a whole size.

Visions of Auntie Anne's pretzels started to dance in my head. I haven't had a treat meal in a while, I told myself. I haven't had a pretzel at the mall since I don't know when. Love, love, love Auntie Anne's but they're such empty calories. And do nothing to fill me up.

Armed with the motivation that my meetings always give me, I knew I didn't really want that pretzel. Since my first stop was Target, I stopped in the protein bar aisle. Thank God they sell single bars.

I always carry protein bars in my pocketbook, but I'll admit I didn't want the Pure Bar that had been sitting in there for months. I wish I had brought some roasted edamame with me as I often do, but I didn't.

Cool Mint Chocolate Clif Bar to the rescue. I do so love me a Clif Bar. These days the vast majority of the protein bars I eat are home made, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

It did the trick, too. While not the best thing in the world, they're not horrible (other than the ingredient list a mile long) and OMG did it taste good. And kept me away from the pretzels.

Now my dilemma: next Sunday there are 2 races. One is a charity race that I was planning to run, but the other is 5 miles. It's not for charity, but I've been slowly working on upping my mileage. The charity race is at the park I run at frequently (and walk the dogs at), and it's a little later in the day.

The other race is heavily attended by my running group, but so was my last race & I never did hook up with anyone at that race. It's also a bit more expensive.

There is also a race coming up in June, I see, that's an 8 miler. Will I really be ready for an 8 miler in June? It can get very humid here by June. But again, it's upping my mileage. I have figured that I need to add a half mile to my long run each month to be ready for my HM next Feb. (God willing), and that means I should be doing 8 miles this month (which means by June I should be up to 9 miles).

But I've been doing my long runs on my treadmill so I have a more accurate idea of how far I'm running (altho Galloway claims that treadmills are notoriously inaccurate, so far it seems to work well for me). And we all know running on a treadmill isn't the same as running outside.

Which race should I do?

And on a totally unrelated subject, I had hoped to go see Celine Dion while we're in Vegas, but wouldn't you know she has no shows while we're there? So I'm hoping to get some Michael Buble tickets today (assuming I remember to log on in 2 hours & do that).

Here today, gone tomorrow. That should be our snow -- supposed to be back into the 40s by tomorrow, so while it might not all disappear overnight, it shouldn't stick around long. I am still really hoping we actually get some Spring this year!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

FREELADY 4/1/2011 10:46PM

You are so resourceful! I will remember your plan B strategies next time I'm in a pinch! Report Inappropriate Comment

SHEILA1505 4/1/2011 11:17AM

Did you know that geodistance.com is pretty accurate for tracking your runs? I use it all the time, after I do my neighbourhood walks etc Don't forget to log on for those tickets! Report Inappropriate Comment

NATPLUMMER 4/1/2011 10:16AM

Having to get a ring sized down is always a happy errand. That Clif Bar does sound good. I think it's almost time for my morning snack...greek yogurt. Hmmmm...that is a race dilemma. I don't know. I see the quandry...charity vs. more miles. It would probably be too many miles in one day to do both. At the risk of sounding callous, do the longer one. Did you get the Michael Buble tix? Report Inappropriate Comment

TEMPEST272002 4/1/2011 10:12AM

Hopefully that snow is just a bad memory by noon! Report Inappropriate Comment

You have to be a stranger

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Or is that you just have to be stranger?

If anyone had told my teenage self I'd be contemplating signing up to RUN a HM by my 50th birthday, I'd've died laughing - literally! Walking would've been within the realm of possibility, but running? Never.

But it gets better! DH has been going thru a real rough patch at work lately. He called me as he was walking to lunch yesterday. He said he needed to walk the stress off. How could that possibly be the same man who has to be cajoled into walking the dogs every single freakin' time!?

I was so happy that he'd made the connection between fresh air, exercise, & feeling better. At least this time.

We HAVE to become strangers to ourselves. We must change, & in some fairly significant ways. You cannot change your habits without changing yourself. How to change? Well, that's a blog for another day.

Glad we grilled yesterday - the weather is looking grimmer here by the minute. Showers by the afternoon, and not only are they predicting snow for tomorrow, they're predicting a fair amount of the white stuff. I'm still hoping they've got it wrong like the last time. But in the meantime I've been visualizing myself going to swimming tonight in the rain - or maybe snow.

Have you become a stranger to yourself?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LEONALIONESS 3/31/2011 11:45AM

Past Melissa would have laughed herself sick if anyone had said she'd ever run a marathon. And if you'd said TWO with two more in the works and an eventual goal to run a HM or Full in every state? Well, apoplectic with laughter is a good description. ;) I also am sure Omnivore Melissa would be shocked to see herself as a nearly 8 years along vegan (and nearly 12 meat free). So yes, definitely a new (better) person now. And Past Melissa wouldn't believe it - I almost wish time travel were possible just to see the look on my face! Hah. Report Inappropriate Comment

STIPER23 3/31/2011 10:29AM

I never thought I would be here either...still waiting for DH to turn stranger. LOL Report Inappropriate Comment

NATPLUMMER 3/31/2011 10:18AM

I'm glad you got your grilling in yesterday, too! I'll keep my fingers crossed for no snow for you. Have a great swim!! My teenage self also avoided exercise and look who I've turned into. Report Inappropriate Comment

TEMPEST272002 3/31/2011 10:06AM

Yes, I do see myself as a stranger to myself. I used to know what I was capable of and what I wasn't - but this last year has blown that out of the water & left me knowing what else I don't know about myself. Very interesting topic for your blog today. Hey, maybe you're rubbing on hubby afterall with all the health stuff. Hopefully his job stress is reduced soon. Report Inappropriate Comment

SKINNYPOWELL1 3/31/2011 9:36AM

I've definitely become stranger, doing things I never would have thought But the stranger thing is, I see my "old" ways as even stranger. So I've definitely turned myself into a totally different person. Glad the light came on for DH, it takes a lot of those moments for some to change, so be patient, he's getting them in small doses. Report Inappropriate Comment

LIBBYFITZ 3/31/2011 8:42AM

Well done on getting to know the new you! Report Inappropriate Comment

MARIE625 3/31/2011 7:57AM

I definitely no longer recognize myself! Good luck with your storm. Our weatherman says you'll be getting another foot of snow. Better you than me! Sorry. That was mean. But still.... Report Inappropriate Comment