Some favorite things

There is a quote that reads "The best things in life -- are not things." And I really love that sentiment. But today I took some pictures of some of my favorite thing things.

These are my new pigs that I found in San Francisco a couple of weekends ago. Aren't they cool?

This is a leaf I found in Oakland that looks like a heart!

This is the Wheaties box I had made from the picture of me and Tucker running the last mile of my first half marathon of the year.

These are the toys at the base of my computer. The Gumby and Pokey are new, but the heart (a gift from my sister), the orange ring (from Tucker), and the pig (again, my lovely sister) have been favorites for a while now, which is why they get a place of honor.

My kids took an old tomato cage, used pliers to bend the wire, and spray painted it all different colors. It looks PERFECT on top of a bookcase in the office!

My mother gave me this Flensted mobile and it's sparked a total love of mobiles. This hangs above my computer.

These are the books and magazines that have been in my car this week, and they represent a pretty good cross-section of what I love: running (TrailRunner), being veganish (Vive le Vegan! and The Everyday Vegan), homemaking (Real Simple), and all things fashion and beauty (Vogue -- the Age(less) issue!).

Car dealership frustration workout

On Wednesday I took my car to the Toyota dealership to have them do work that they said would take 30 minutes. Well, the work ended up taking 2 hours (WTF?) and about 90 minutes in, I was just angry! I was dressed casually enough that I could channel my frustrations into a workout.

I found a 12" curb and used it to do this:
10 pushups
10 dips
10 squats (using curb as a reference point)
10 knee-ins (balanced on the curb)
10 pulsing lunges

I repeated this sequence 5 times. And I have no idea why I was surprised when my glutes were getting sore by that evening -- pulsing lunges ALWAYS break my a$$!

Dinner successes

You may want to sit down for this one. I've made dinner THREE NIGHTS IN A ROW for my family. But wait, it gets better. All dinners have been vegan. And (this is a huge thing) ALL have been given a thumbs up by every member of my family!!!

Tuesday night I made a black bean/pepper/fresh corn/tomato kind of chili and topped it with cornbread (made with soy milk and egg replacer) and baked it. I served this with a simple salad (homegrown tomatoes, mixed lettuce, fresh corn, and avocado) and called it good.

The next night was chili-lime glazed tofu that I served with quinoa and some steamed kale. Kids didn't like the kale much (next time I'll flavor it to make it more interesting), but loved the tofu and were ok with the quinoa.

Last night I made a lemon garlic pasta (a little less overtly vegan than the tofu night) from "Eat, Drink, and be Vegan" and served it with some leftover borscht that Tucker and I made on Sunday night and an everything salad (thanks Tim for making a killer salad).

Speaking of borscht, I got to take a cooking class last weekend from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau in Oakland. Once I take the time to download the pictures from the class, I'll write about that. The reason that relates to the soup is that Tucker took the class with me, and he made the soup from a recipe that Colleen demonstrated in class. Go Tucker!

dailymile

I've found a running site that I LOVE! It's called dailymile and it's a forum for runners, bikers, and triathletes. The design is clean and visually appealing, and it's fun getting in on a site that's relatively new but could be something big. If you're a runner or biker or tri-person, I highly recommend that you check it out. And if you decide to join, be sure to add me as a friend (I'm leslie g over there), ok?

An answer to Tim's question

"When are you going to write in your weblog?" asked Tim.

I've said before that I'm appreciative that anyone reads what I write. And for Tim to want me to write more is like the flower on top of the heavily-buttercreamed piece of cake!

So Tim, in answer to your question, I will write when these two circumstances take place:
1. I have something to say, and
2. I have the time to say (write) it.

(Sure wish I knew how to make a cool Venn diagram to illustrate this! Yeah, my inner math geek is alive and well!)

Recently I've been in shorter supply of "the time to say it" but I did have a few days where all I would have written would have been emotional sewage, so I refrained from typing a single solitary word, which is a good thing.

Bday update

Today is day 19 and we are having fun!

The value of training logs

I was just about to leave for a 6 mile run, even though my lower body feels pretty tired. Then I looked at my Workouts column and realized I've run 21 miles in the last 4 days. Ummm yeah, a rest day would be advisable, right?

What's funny is that even as I type this, I still want to run. But a day off from running would be smart. And I have no intention of being a stupid fitness girl. So a day off (from running!) it is!

A strange and lovely week

This week we have something strange and lovely -- A WHOLE WEEK WITH NO KIDS! Tucker is at my sister's house in Santa Cruz (where he would spend the entire rest of the summer if he could!) and Austin is on a church houseboat trip with the high school group. And me and Tim? We're lovin' life! This has happened only one other time since we had kids, and so far it's amazingly peaceful and fun. Tucker left on Saturday and Austin left yesterday. Maybe I'll feel differently by the end of the week, but so far, it's just really really nice!

Some random thoughts...

• The new season of The Closer started last night. I LOVE that show!!!
• On Saturday I'm going to Oakland to take a cooking class from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, the voice of Vegetarian Food for Thought and author of the Compassionate Cooks website. I'm meeting my sister and Tucker there, and we're all taking the "Greens, Glorious Greens" class. I can't wait!
• Today is my 23rd AA birthday. When I think of the desperation of my last day of drinking 23 years ago, it's inconceivable to me that I have MY LIFE today. I am beyond humble and grateful.

Notes on 13 miles

First run was tough, like I said. I went out at 7:00 and I walked some, lunge walked some, and just prayed it would be over. I think my average pace was 9:40.

Second run was fine. Went out around 9:45, and it felt good to be running again and it went fairly quickly. Average pace was 9:15.

Final run was mentally tough, plus it was 90 degrees outside. But at 5:40 tonight, I did five miles at an 8:45 pace. As my third run of the day, I'm thrilled with the pace and just happy to have 13 miles done!

Workouts that work

So far this year, I've done well with my running goal and with staying active. This week, however, has been one of the hardest weeks to stay on track. Unmotivated. Depressed. Tired. Those feelings don't work to fuel good workouts.

So I'm just working with what is. Last night I wanted to do my pushup workout, but didn't feel like doing it. So in between straightening my hair and putting on makeup, I did sets of plyo pushups on the edge of the bathtub. So they were elevated instead of on the ground, but the plyo aspect made them harder. And for whatever reason, I just didn't want to do pushups from the ground.

Today I decided to run long. But the body wouldn't cooperate. I did 4 miles this morning and it felt like 40! So I've decided to do 4 miles 3 times today. Again, I'm working with what I've got. And I just can't fathom doing a long run. But I can do 4 miles. So I just got back from my second run, and I'll plan on doing one more around dinnertime tonight. This may seem crazy, but I can assure you it's a lot less crazy than doing what I want to do, which is GO BACK TO BED!

Quick answers and comments

I just have a few minutes, and I thought I'd answer questions and reply to comments. As always, it is amazing to me that people read what I write, and it's just the icing on the cake when someone takes the time to write a comment -- thank you, friends!

Eileen asked a while back why I don't drink milk. There's an excellent podcast on iTunes that discusses the subject way better than I ever could, but here's my short answer:

• I don't think we need to consume something that's intended as food for baby cows.
• From what I've read, dairy cows live a horrible existence, and I don't want my food choices to support suffering.
• The veal industry depends on the dairy industry, because in order for cows to produce milk, they have to become pregnant. And so that nothing (no one?) is "wasted" male calves are used for veal. So by supporting the dairy industry, we're also supporting the veal industry.
• Almond milk tastes SO MUCH BETTER than "regular" milk.

Anthony asked about pulsing lunges. They're walking lunges where you pulse (bounce?) at the bottom, so you're staying in the lunge position for four counts, then taking a lunge step forward and doing the same thing on the other leg. Click here and select "Walking Lunges" to see them in action. They're surprisingly effective , and I was surprised at how sore I was, especially with all the running and lower body work I do!

Also, Tim just tried seeing how many he could do over the weekend. He did 60 with good form, and this was AFTER doing a P90X DVD!!! My numbers are improving, and I'll be sure to post the next time I do a max reps test.

Jennifer had suggestions on how to get mentally ready to jump at Kipu Falls next year. GREAT IDEAS, Jennifer -- thanks so much!

Evelyne asked if I got to meet up with Colette. YES and she and Ashley were so much fun! I don't have my pictures loaded, but it was delightful spending time with her. Her daughter is just beautiful (even prettier in person) and so sweet, and we all enjoyed every minute we had together. Then we said goodbyes, thinking we'd NEVER see each other at a 14,000 person concert. Well, who was in the souvenir line next to us? That's right -- we got ANOTHER chance to visit!

Katie-- your six words were fabulous! :) And your son will LOVE gymnastics, and what he'll learn will carry over to every other sport he ever does! I can't wait to hear about it. Is he at Technique? If so, we should go to their gymnastics meet in January. This will be the first year in 7 years that one or both of my kids won't be competing! :(

And finally, Matt -- as always, you are so appreciated!!!

• Tucker and I are heading out to see Idols on Tour in just a few minutes. Get to meet with Colette and her daughter beforehand -- hooray!
• Air quality is in Hazardous zone. (If you click on the link right now, you'll notice that the top FIVE cities IN THE COUNTRY for poor air quality are my city and cities within 30 minutes or so of us. I really hope that changes soon.) Visibility is affected. So glad I got to run this morning, but if the air had been like it is now? Forget it! So we stay inside and run the air conditioner, which is all you can really do. If you have air that's healthy to breathe, be grateful for it!
  
• Pulsing lunges with weights will break your ass. I know, cuz I broke mine yesterday and the day before. Hurts so good!

Six words about tomorrow

Regardless of air quality, I'm running.

(Inspired by my new book "Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs".)

Why didn't I think of this?!?!

New Wearable Feedbags Let Americans Eat More, Move Less

Moving the walls

Can't change air quality.
Can't change temperature.
Can't change my kids.
Only can change myself and my attitude -- starting now.

The walls are closing in

The air quality sucks.
The heat is oppressive.
My sons hate each other.
And I just hate summer.

No running for now

Air quality is VERY UNHEALTHY here, so no running for me. That's a bad news/good news thing -- I'm really digging running these days, so I'll miss it. But it forces me to get creative with indoor workouts, right?

Wish I could run though.

Stevie Wonder!

This is the two of us right before the concert. In a word, it was magnificent! Can you see the stage right behind our heads? That's where Stevie was for the entire concert, and we were close enough that it felt like we were in his living room!

Stevie played for TWO AND A HALF hours!!! There were lots of songs from A Time to Love, which I'm not that familiar with, but then he started playing some of his slow favorites (Ribbon in the Sky, Overjoyed, Isn't She Lovely, and more) and towards the end was rocking the house with Living for the City, Do I Do, Superstition, Higher Ground, and much much more.

We danced and sang and cheered at the top of our lungs. And we were on the Jumbotron during "I Just Called to say I Love You!"

Got home at 2:30 AM, tired and happy!

Why I do what I do

I've been thinking a lot recently about the WHY of fitness. There are many many reasons anyone does anything, reasons both known and unknown (like subconscious stuff). And during some of my longer runs, I've had a chance to think about my reasons for exercising and eating well.

WHY I EXERCISE (in order of importance)
1. So I can feel comfortable in my own skin.
2. To experience the joy of movement.
3. To help keep depression at bay.
4. For more ease in my diet.
5. For more ease in my clothes.
6. To be the best 47-year-old I can be.
7. For health.

When I look at my list, I think of the "form follows function" principle of design. (I hope I can make this make sense.) So while part of what I get from consistent exercise is that I get to wear clothes in sizes I NEVER would have dreamed possible at this point in my life, that's not the main reason I do it. It's just an ancillary benefit. Incidentally, a new shopping center just opened near us, and I went into a Chico's for the first time. I am happy to report that their smallest size fits me with ease!

WHY I EAT VEGANISH (in order of importance)
1. Because it makes me feel great.
2. Because I don't want to eat dead things.
3. Because I don't want my food choices to contribute to suffering, either for the animals, or for the people who work in slaughterhouses.
4. Because I like being different (getting really honest here).

Regarding #4, I have always thought of myself as not quite normal. As a kid, I only liked Barbies when we were setting up their houses or piercing their ears with sewing pins (anyone remember that?). When the actual play started, I was bored out of my mind, even though my friends could play that way for hours. I also had to be kicked out of the house to play, much preferring to sit on my bed with a huge stack of books, reading for hours. I could list many more examples. The point is that I've never felt like I quite fit in, and I always saw that as a negative. Now I'm choosing to see it as a positive. Yeah, I'm not mainstream, and THAT'S A GOOD THING!!!

Knowing my reasons for doing what I do enabled me to cook my family's favorite 4th of July beans yesterday. Yes, they have ground beef AND bacon in them. Both smelled revolting to me as they cooked (thank you, Tim, for cooking both and letting me handle the beans, veggies, and spices!). But I felt good about making them, because I know why I eat how I eat. And I value tradition and love more than my own comfort. Plus we're talking about one dish once a year here!

And finally, I've decided how to go about feeding my family. For months now I've not known what to do, and many times I've cooked chicken or beef for them, and just eating a salad for me. As I continue in my journey, I'm less and less ok with cooking animals. So I've decided to prepare delicious vegetarian (not vegan) food for my family, which I will eat too. I'm still avoiding milk, eggs, and cheese, where possible (and if anyone wants to know why, I have PLENTY of reasons!), but I think that overall my family's health will benefit more from this plan than from continuing to cook "normally" but eating something different myself. And I see it as keeping them more open to healthy eating, because it's a middle-ground sort of choice.

The other night I made some enchiladas filled with yellow squash, zucchini, and onions, and topped with a sauce of milk, cheese, tomatoes and chiles. Score 1 for mom -- everyone loved this!

Updates

In answer to several questions, NO I didn't jump at Kipu Falls. :( Two years ago, I did, but because I couldn't get myself to jump OUT very far, I touched rocks at the bottom when I went in. So this time with the degree of leg shaking that was going on, I was afraid that I would not be able to muster up the "mind over matter" required to jump far enough to be safe. We're heading back next summer, and my plan is to do the rope swing. I'm bummed that I didn't jump, but I think it was the right decision.

I started the 100 Push Up Challenge today. I'm doing the 3rd column, so today I did 5 sets like this: 10, 10, 8, 6, and 13. While I rested, I did assisted pullups (using my 2-1/2" giant rubber band) totaling 1/2 of the previous set. When combined with this morning's 9 mile run, this feels like a great overall workout, and I am ready for some holiday indulgences tonight!

Life's been moving VERY fast, so tomorrow night's activity kind of sneaked up on me, but guess who's going to be seeing Stevie Wonder at Shoreline Ampitheater tomorrow night???? I can't WAIT!!!

Finally, we're on day 6 of Tim's birthday gift, and both of us are having a great time! ;)

Happy 4th, friends!

Random Tuesday thoughts

• I've been wanting to do Bikram yoga for a while, but can't seem to find a class that works for me. Well, Yoga Downloads may save me, as doing yoga outside these days in 90+ heat? I think that qualifies as hot yoga!!!
• Remember Barbies that had hair that you could yank to make long, then yank again to make short. I wish there was a way to make that work with boobs. Wouldn't sport boobs and play boobs be a great thing, where you could choose the appropriate size for the occasion? You wouldn't yank on them to make them change (yikes!). Any inventors out there ready to help us sports-minded girls?
• I'm in the process of going through my closet and getting rid of everything I don't like or wear. So I'm getting rid of a lot of stuff. Did anyone see the movie "The Fly" with Jeff Goldblum? In it, he had 7 suits that were all the same, and those were his clothes for the week. I remember seeing that and thinking "I want a uniform!!!" I do tend to wear the same shapes over and over, but I'm good with that.
• A while back, a client and I came up with a list of the 7 Dwarves of PMS, when she came and was feeling out of sorts. We chose Crampy, Grumpy, Blimpy, Cranky, Whiney, Bitchy, and Tired. Whaddaya think?
• Finally, I'm trying a new brain game site. I am highly committed to keeping my brain sharp as time goes on, and I think Lumosity.com can and will help me. I'm in my 14 day free trial period, and I'm really having fun with it. (Katie, I think you especially would like it!)
  

Hawaii video and photos

If you're into home movies, this may be just your cup of tea. Tim took some video clips and some still photos, and created this really cool iMovie project that I wanted to share...

Sidebar changes

To increase my accountability, I've added a Workouts list to the sidebar. Here I hope to stay consistent with both activity AND rest.

I've also changed my Run list. I used to track vertical miles. Why? Because I wanted to! And I got to more than 20 miles straight up, which I think is cool. But now I'm working on speeding up. And trying to log more vertical miles while getting faster is just a recipe for injury and burnout. And hey -- it's MY goal, right?

Just got back from a 5 mile run in 90 degree heat. After running in Hawaii's heat AND humidity, today's run was not a problem -- hooray!

Just do it!

Nope, not the Nike slogan here -- my new book "Just Do It -- How One Couple Turned off the TV and Turned on their Sex Lives for 101 Days (no excuses!)" Today is Tim's birthday. He's 44. And, feeling inspired by my wonderful new book, his present is 44 days of ... well, 44 days of feeling very very loved! :) Happy birthday, baby!

Great Success!

Vacation was wonderful! I'll post pictures and videos this week, but in a nutshell, it was a wonderful unifying and de-stressing experience for everyone!

Here are a few random thoughts before I hit the shower:

• I don't sleep on red-eye flights. Next time I'm not even going to try. And next time I'll have a better strategy than my "eat everything" method of coping last night!

• Blossoming Lotus is the best restaurant on the planet, and all of us loved it!

• My last island workout was Crossfit-ish and fun. Here are the details:

7 rounds of
10 thrusters (10 lb dumbbells)
20 alt lunges (10 lb dumbbells, 10 reps each leg)
14 clean and press (20 pound dumbbell, 7 reps each side)
10 lat pulldowns (no idea how much weight)

My glutes are feeling the love in a BIG way!

• I still want to post the links to weblogs I read (there are many -- thank goodness for Bloglines!). One of my new favorites is called Eat, Live, Run, subtitled "Training to be a pastry chef while still fitting into my jeans". Isn't that cute? Well, Jenna posted a link to Yoga Downloads, and they have some Yoga for Runners workouts. Cool! I downloaded the 30 minute workout today and will report on it as soon as I try it.

• I'll be starting the 100 Pushup Challenge tomorrow. Tried starting on vacation, but it just wasn't what I wanted to be doing. My plan is to follow their middle plan (even though my initial test puts me into the extreme plan). And because I don't want to overwork my pushing muscles, I'll be doing a corresponding pulling workout to help balance things out. I think the balance will come from pullups or body-weight rows -- maybe half as many pullups (using the giant rubber band for assistance) or the same number of rows. I'll let you know as I work this out. But I'm excited for a new challenge!
  

Make today fabulous, friends!

P.S.

The "mixed marriage" comment was flippant and funny, but it doesn't really paint a picture of the harmony that exists in my views and Tim's views on health. In the same way that I'm vegan-ish, I think that Tim is moving towards vegetarian-ish in his choices. And we both value staying active, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate having a partner in health and wellness. This morning we did Rodney Yee's AM Yoga, and then did our separate workouts. Today Tim ran. And I headed to the beach for lunge walks and skipping, and step ups on a picnic bench.

Interesting interchange

We hit Bubba's for lunch yesterday. Well, Tim and the kids hit Bubba's, but I picked up takeout from Lotus Root Cafe, which is just a few blocks down the street. When I got back, I brought my spring rolls and green juice into the anti-veg establishment (they say something about lettuce and tomato being just WRONG on real burgers on the menu!) and sat down with my family as they waited for their burgers and chili.

A woman looked at me, and said in a very loud voice, "What's that?" and pointed at my spring roll. I told her it was a spring roll. She asked if I got it here, and I said, "No, I got it at a cafe down the street." Then she said (screamed) "Is that ALL you're eating for lunch?" I pointed at my green juice and said "I'm having this too." She said, "Well, your family is having a lot. I was in line behind them and I saw their total!" Tim explained that he'd bought a hat, and that made it all cost more. (Not that this is any of her business really!)

What was interesting about this exchange was that the woman chatting with us was young and big and seemed highly uncomfortable that someone was NOT eating burgers, chili, fries, and onion rings. Then again, I WAS in her territory, and I have a feeling that if Tim and the kids brought Bubba's into Lotus Root, they'd meet with some degree of opposition as well.

My plan? To continue to move forward. Despite what the world may think, I continue to believe that this mixed marriage CAN work! :)

Alooooo-ha!

Greetings from Hawaii!!! I'm sitting on a balcony overlooking the ocean, taking a moment to jot down some vacation thoughts. Hawaii is truly one of the most beautiful places on the earth and we are loving it! We've spend the last two days in Lihue and rarely left the hotel -- with a protected harbor, ocean waves, and lots of sun, what more could we need?

We've stayed active so far. Both days Tim and the kids joined in on some beach volleyball games, and they convinced me to play too. So I've gotten some lessons in humility (nothing looks stupider than when you're going for a shot and the sand prevents you from getting there in a BIG way), and some lessons in self-talk. Because of my un-athletic background, I was really fearful about playing. So what ran through my mind with every play? "Don't eff up!" Not exactly positive or helpful, right? By the end of my volleyball time, the internal conversation was "Make a contribution!" -- a big change, don't you think?

I've gone running both days and it's interesting how you start sweating immediately when you're running in humidity. Between running and volleyball and swimming in the ocean, all of us got a bit too much sun yesterday, so I think we're keeping today a less-sun day (but not a sun-less day!). And I think I've started my own personal tradition of ending each day by savoring one perfect milk chocolate macadamia nut candy bar -- YUM!!!

And we're off...

...to Kauai! Our plans include lots of rest and reading (I've got quite a few books, cuz you never know what you might want to read, right?), some surfing and kayaking, great food and family time and lots and lots of beach time, including laying on the beach and swimming in the ocean.

I plan to stay active while in Hawaii. My GymBoss and jump rope are packed, and I'll probably use one or the other most days. I like doing a combination of lunge walks, and skipping, and jogging on the sand, interspersed with pushups and any other body weight things I can think of.

We'll have a computer with us, and I plan to investigate a website I just found: One Hundred Pushups. I think it would be fun to train to do 100 pushups and will let you know if it's something I decide to work towards. Anyone care to join me? Let me know...

Weekend Update

Some random musings from the weekend, in no particular order:

• Indoor go-cart racing is FUN! (picture will be posted here tomorrow)
  
• A sleeve of Fig Newtons is not the best fuel for a 9 mile run in 95 degree heat.
• My car gets 43 miles per gallon on the highway!!!
• I'm super proud of my husband, who is not only an amazing dad, but also shot 78 on the golf course while playing with his dad for Father's Day today!
• Tucker's in Southern California -- flew out on Thursday and comes home tomorrow. He's been playing with my mother and her husband, and my wild-child sister Shannon. He texted me today saying "Aunt Sammie (Shannon) is crazy!" I don't know what prompted the text, but I'm not surprised in the least -- Shannon is one of the funnest people I know!
• It's been great being able to focus on Austin while Tucker's away. Having just one child is certainly peaceful!
• I've run (ran?) 27 miles in the last 4 days. Tomorrow will be a day off, for sure, but it's felt fun to kind of push the envelope with mileage, you know?
  

Tagged by Irene!

Irene tagged me on a running meme -- thanks, Irene -- this was fun!

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago? At that time, my kids were 4 and 2, and running was what enabled me to stay sane. Tim could come in the door after work, take one look at my face, and say, "YOU need to go running" and he would be right. (My kids were wonderful, but I kept myself very isolated and made staying home harder than it needed to be, for the record.) Also, 10 years ago was the first time I ran 1000 miles in a year, something that I'm shooting for this year as well.

2. Best/worst running experience. Best -- every single race I've run, because I can't believe that me, the last picked for everything, is running in races! Probably my best BEST race was Wharf to Wharf (Santa Cruz to Capitola -- about 7 miles) in 1994, when I was 4 months pregnant. I had a shirt made that said, "Running for Two" because I didn't really look pregnant yet. :)

Worst -- in our first house, I was running at dusk through our neighborhood. I ran past two men and heard one say to the other "Do you want to rape her?" SCARY! We moved just a few months later.

3. Why do you run? Many reasons. Biggest one -- it helps me to stay on an even keel emotionally. Also I love that I can eat more than the average woman, and still be comfortable in my clothes and in my own skin. Also because my birth father is a runner, and running makes me feel connected to him.

4. Best running advice? Remember that the first mile is always hard, but it does get better. I NEVER like that first mile, but remembering that it doesn't stay hard like that the whole time makes it easier to push through it.

5. Something surprising about me that not many people know? I have all sorts of idiosyncrasies and oddities. But one that not many people know? Gosh, I feel like I share nearly everything here, so it's hard to come up with something. Irene -- it's going to seem like copying, but I promise it's true -- I can still do cartwheels! In fact, when I was pregnant I continued to do cartwheels into my 9th month, and I'm convinced there's a connection between that and the love both of my sons have for gymnastics!

Validation!

Don't you love it when you have an idea or an opinion, and then you see something in the media that backs up your way of thinking? Well, in the July/August issue of Running Times, the article titled "Not Just Half a Race -- Getting the most from the Half Marathon" (isn't that a great title?) reads:

It sometimes seems as though the half marathon is the forgotten stepchild of distance running. It's popular, but you're unlikely to hear it hailed as the queen of distances, perhaps because it's not got the glamour of the marathon and there isn't an equivalent race in the Olympics like the 5K and 10K. At best, it's promoted as a way station en route to a marathon.

Then there's some stuff about recent half marathon records (a sub-1:00 half marathon???? Yes! Crazy, huh?). The article continues:

Perhaps all of these will bring more attention to what is actually an elegant racing distance. Long enough that you can't just race it on a whim, the half rewards serious training. But it doesn't beat you up as badly as a marathon, freeing you to run it a lot more frequently.

Amen to all of that!

My running has been going well -- I'm at 21 miles per week, on average, for the year, which took some doing to get to, as I didn't set my running goal until early April. (Note -- I was running and was tracking the miles, but with no clear idea of what I was shooting for. So I had several 30+ mile weeks in order to catch up.)

Ok, no time to wrap this up, as family is ready to head out the door, and I AM wearing makeup today. More thoughts soon...

The new normal that is summertime

Each year, the transition to summer gets easier for me. In the past I fell into a dark hole for several weeks as school let out. I LOVE my kids, but I don't do well with lack of structure, hence the difficulties of summer. This year will be different for several reasons:

1. I'm stronger than I've ever been, and I'm willing to make my needs known.
2. I have an actual schedule of clients who I train, which means I can't be doormat mom even if I wanted to be.
3. I'm committed to making it different.

More later... now I get to drive someone somewhere for the eleventy-hundredth time today! :)

Rocklin Farmer's Market starts today!

Mom: Fresh kale and beet top salad with belarusian tomatoes...
...Portabella mushroom burgers with avocado, turnip and melon chutney...
...and a piping-hot eggplant-artichoke-string bean-leek casserole!

Dad: Dig in! (softer) I thought I told you guys to distract your mother today!
Kid 1: We tried! You've seen her at the farmer's market!
Kid 2: We're lucky we got out of there before she spotted bok choy!

Recent workouts

Monday: day off
Tuesday: boxing camp, 6 mile run
Wednesday: kb swings and Crossfit-ish workout
Today: 9 mile run

Wednesday's workout was especially fun. My friend and I did kettlebell swings: 5 sets of 3:00 with 12 kg kbs (one each!). Then we did a Crossfit-ish workout: 2o minutes of

5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats
20 situps

We finished 9 rounds in 20 minutes. My upper body definitely feels the pushups and pullups today! And just so I'm clear here, all pullups were done with assistance from an Iron Woody band -- don't know that I even WANT to see the day when I can do 45 pullups in a workout! :)

Baby you can drive my car!

Sunday was a very busy day. It started out slow, hanging out all together, eating a leisurely breakfast, puttering around the house. Around 2:00 I went out for a 10 mile run. And when I got back, Tim told me we needed to get in the car NOW to drive to Redwood City (2 hours) because he'd found my new car and we needed to go buy it. So 15 minutes later, we were driving towards San Francisco, and that night I drove home in my new ride!

Backing up here, for the last 4 years I've driven a small SUV and I've really loved it. It was comfy and sporty and even a little sexy, and it worked well for us with kids and dogs and snowboarding and camping. But I got 15 miles to the gallon, and with gas prices rising it's starting to make no sense to drive it. On Saturday we were going to a family gathering (2 hours away again!) and chatting about cars. Tim said, "I don't think I could give up my car for a hybrid." My response? "I could give mine up in a heartbeat, cuz I'm just not that into cars." And that's the truth. So my husband, being the action-oriented guy he is, researched hybrids and found what made sense for us, confirmed my color choice, and then found one with only 5,000 miles on it, negotiated a good price, and we were off to buy it, just 24 hours after first discussing the topic.

So now I have a hybrid and I love it. It's a really beautiful car. It's quiet and the turning radius is incredible. And the stuff inside makes me feel like it's a Batman car, or like something Maxwell Smart would drive. There's no key! The CD player opens up like a bookcase to a hidden room! And the gas mileage? Dreamy! Of course it has my "Whatever you are, be a good one!" license plate frame, and my fruit keychain hanging from the rear-view mirror. Now all it needs is a Hawaii flower sticker and a "Runner Girl" emblem, and I'll be set!

Worth considering

I found this on a torn-out magazine page:

If I could give you a pill that helped you lose wight, was full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, was known to provent cancer and most diseases, and made your skin, hair, and body look and feel fantastic, would you take it? Yes, you say? Then EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!!!

No time, no energy

Lots to talk about but no time or energy to write. I promise I'm still here -- just trying to keep my head above water during the last week of school. This weekend we have ZERO plans, and I intend to keep it that way. One of tonight's clients told me that she and her man spend one entire day of each weekend in pj's, just hanging out and reading and talking and watching movies. With how fast life's been going, that sounds absolutely fabulous!

Melange, part deux

• Conditioning camp through Prime Time boxing started today, and meets twice a week for the next 4 weeks. Jumping rope, when you've not done it for a week, is HARD! I may incorporate some jumping rope into my daily morning routine, based on what today felt like. But the other factor may have been that I just had a green smoothie -- nothing more -- before my lung-chucking 45 minute workout, and that may not have been enough fuel.
• I'm dealing with low iron levels and working to bring them up naturally. Back in November I tried to donate blood (something I do on a regular basis -- in fact, I'm a gallon donor as of last year) but was turned away because of low iron levels. Then I had a routine physical about a month ago, and my bloodwork came back as low in iron. So I'm getting my iron tested again in two weeks and I'm hoping that my dietary changes (lots of greens, Vitamin C along with them to increase absorption) will bring me to within normal ranges.
• If you don't already listen to the Vegetarian Food for Thought podcast, you need to start. Even if you're not vegetarian, the episodes about nutrition are fabulous, and the cooking episodes will expand your culinary horizons.
• Got my wedding ring resized and I'm SO HAPPY to be wearing it again!
• Yesterday was my hair appointment and I had my stylist cut some bangs ("fringe" to you, Matt!). I haven't had bangs in years and I'm not sure what I think, but Tim and the kids like it and that's good.
• I really like how I eat. I like buying different produce (I may memorize the codes for kale and chard, as the checker ALWAYS has to look up the information!). I like that what I get at restaurants is different and yummy. This veganish, raw-ish diet is working for me!
  

Melange

• Wife Swap was really boring to me. I think it's because I was expecting a healthful vs. junk food showdown, and that wasn't what it turned out to be. Oh well...
• I am in love with my Vita Mix. It's quieter and more powerful than my $29 Costco blender (well duh, right?) and I'm looking forward to making all sorts of yummy things with it.
• This is my first week of no boxing camp, and it's so much easier to get my running miles in. The great thing about doing boxing camp for five months is that I'm now a confirmed morning exerciser, something I'd always wanted to be. This morning I was up at 5:30, out the door running by 6:00 and had 6 miles done before it was time to get the kids up for school -- sweet!
• I'm having another hungry day, but at least my choices have been good ones.
• Three weeks from today we'll be in HAWAII!!!
  

Wife Swap

Just got a heads up from Angela that Robyn, aka Green Smoothie Girl, is on tomorrow night's Wife Swap on ABC! You'd better believe I'll be Tivo'ing on every television because this is one Wife Swap I don't want to miss.

Live fun!

Trust me when I tell you that I don't go to a lot of concerts or live sporting events. Given that, the next few months are filled with some very unusual things.

Tomorrow night, Tucker and I are doing to see Phantom of the Opera. Neither of us has seen it, although we are very familiar with the music, and we got the tickets back in December so it's been a long wait. We're making an evening of it, with dinner downtown and then the show, and I've got the songs on my iPod so we can sing as we drive.

Then in July, Tucker and I are going to see Idols on Tour, the American Idol show. Colette posted about getting tickets, and that same day I did the same thing -- thanks, Colette!

And saving the best for last, also in July, Tim and I will be about 5 rows back from the stage seeing STEVIE WONDER!!! (I get excited every time I think of it!) For years I've known there are only 3 acts that I really want to see in concert. They are

• Aerosmith
• Sting
• Stevie Wonder

Unfortunately, they're all big name (big $$$) acts too, and I've never been able to bring myself to buy tickets. Well, guess I've gotten past that, because we'll be in row dd at Shoreline Ampitheater for the concert!!!

Time for a quick run, probably with Phantom as my soundtrack in preparation for tomorrow night.

Oh, and in case you think I've forgotten about my other son, he has some concerts in mind, but doesn't really dig the idea of going with his mom! :)

More appreciation!

This time moving from back (longer ago) to front, more thoughts about your thoughts...

Regarding "Weekend Update"

Thank you to everyone who wrote words of encouragement about my boys fighting. It's been almost 2 months since I wrote that post, and things seem to have worked themselves out, like you all said they would. But reading your words when it was really tough, well they really helped!

Also thank you for the vacation suggestions. I'm keeping all of them in mind the next time we plan some family fun a little closer to home!

Regarding "A most unusual day"

Irene -- thanks for the encouragement. I think of you when I run these days, sending healing thoughts and prayers your way.

Evelyne and Katie -- hi!

Eileen -- I like P90X, but Tim uses it more than I do. The variety in the workouts is great and Tony is funny -- kinda goofy funny. I gravitate more towards Art of Strength's "Providence" DVD, which is something you might want to check out.

Matt -- as usual, your words made me smile.

Colette -- thanks so much. I know you would have stayed with Rob, just like I stayed with Tim!

Regarding "Gassed or whatever you call it"

Eileen and Jen -- you're both right, plain and simple. Thank you for your sane perspective.

Regarding "Board breaking"

Stacy -- I miss you too!

Matt -- Thank you for taking the time and thought to write what you wrote. Your thoughts have helped me to find a better balance. And I think I'm coming from a better place these days where it's more like "Just because I CAN doesn't mean I MUST". And I love when you say I've got a wise head on my young shoulders -- thank you!!!

Regarding "The best thing about the retreat"

Matt -- THANK YOU!

Stacy -- It does feel amazing to be free of that "people don't like me" thing. These days when I have the thought, immediately I think "That's not true!" I hope for the same freedom for you, my friend!

Irene -- I've really enjoyed our (too short) times together too!

Evelyne -- your words made me smile -- thank you!

Laurie -- Join me in new-perspective-land -- you'll like it here!

Regarding "When life feels hard"

My friend emailed me and said the suggestions were wonderful.

Eileen -- What we focus on increases, right? Love the idea of making a list of 20 things you're grateful for. And this:

Be in this moment. Stop thinking about past failures (they've already happened) or imagined failures (they have not happened and probably will not even happen). What's happening right this moment? Your choices are to:

1. Accept it: This does not mean you can't change it, but you can say, "OK, this is what's going on."

2. Enjoy it: Have fun with it if you can. And if you cannot, go to #3.

3. Change it: Do what you have to to make it better.

...was amazing!

Jen -- I'm glad to hear you did the online coaching course and benefited from it, and thanks for validating the list idea!

Laurie -- Thanks for the book recommendation, and I hope things have worked themselves out for you.

Irene -- You are right!

Regarding "He makes me so happy"

Anthony C, Katie, Kelly O, Evelyne, and Regina -- thanks, friends!

Regarding "A difficult choice"

Eileen -- we really ARE the same person, just a few thousand miles away! Yep, Tucker and Kelly are both 12, right, and if they met, I think they'd be the best of friends!

Regarding "Run? Done!"

Katie -- I love that someone else has a strategy for when running gets tough. And I love that you're running!

Regarding "New month of boxing camp"

Anthony C -- guys are so different!

Regarding "Recent workouts"

Matt -- Thank you for the education -- you know a lot!

Stacy -- Thanks! Are you still liking P90X?

Regarding "Big fingers"

I just got my ring resized (from 4-3/4 to 5-1/2) and I'm very very happy!

Katie -- boxing may have made my fingers swollen, but they've stayed big?!

Eileen -- As usual, we are the same person!

Irene -- I've ditched the creatine, but fingers are still big. Oh well, better big fingers than big almost anything else, right?

Regarding "Real craziness"

Colette -- I think you're right -- it IS kettlebells, as my hands are much stronger, and I need to ask Tim for assistance with jars less and less.

Regarding " "

Tracy -- I too love me some chocolate chip cookie dough! Good thing we're active enough to burn it off, right?

Regarding "The last post of the day"

Matt, Jen, and Evelyne -- hi and thanks!

Katie -- what a nice thing to say about the mom at TKD. And I hope Medieval Times is a wonderful experience for you and your family. You leave soon, right? Have a blast!

Regarding "Then vs Now"

Jennifer -- thanks for your kind and encouraging words!

Irene -- we'll have to plan a race once you're back to full health, ok?

Anthony C -- thanks and you're right!

Jen -- I LOVE my kitchen and I'm so glad you like it too! I tried to email you, but it bounced back. Let me know your email and I can send specifics, plus what I like and what I'd do differently, ok?

Regina -- I hope life is getting better and better for you! More kitchen pictures can be found here.

Matt and Colette -- THANK YOU!

Tracy -- LOL!

Regarding "Wish me luck"

Take One -- Thanks for the encouraging thoughts!

Shelly -- What a positive thing to read -- thank you!!!

Stacy -- Thanks so much!

Matt -- THANK YOU!!!

Regina -- Thanks for your sweet words!

Regarding "Race Report"

Regina, Take One, Matt, Irene -- THANK YOU!

Jennifer -- No, I didn't get her email, but I wish I had!

Time to do some housework. More soon...

Comment appreciation

Thank you, everyone, who takes the time to read this weblog. And bigger thank yous are extended to those who not only read, but take the time to write! So starting from most recent and moving backwards...

Regarding "Me<135"

Pamela, Katie, Matt, Irene, and Colette -- hi wonderful friends and thanks!

Kelly O -- let me know how you like green smoothies. I'm still lovin' 'em!

Evelyne -- I will miss boxing camp. The people are fun and the workouts fascinating. Will I miss getting up at 4:45? Not so much! Don't know what my next challenge will be, but I love that you think I'll find one -- that encourages me. And yeah, husband is very fun, and way more like a boyfriend. Although I did get my wedding ring resized and just got it back yesterday, so now I'm feeling engaged! :)

Jennifer -- thanks! I'm officially 5' 5-1/2" tall (got measured at the doctor recently) and I have a medium frame. Because being in the low 130s has eluded me for so long, it's just a really happy thing to be where I've wanted to be.

Regarding "Rainbow in my bowl"

Matt -- what you wrote is poetic and lovely and something we all should consider. Here are Matt's words:

The main thing is you do something in a way that makes you happy.

It's ultimately how you have to be. You need to exercise and eat in a way that is beneficial, not overdoing it, and ultimately makes you happy.

To live the life you want, love the life you want, and feel emotionally uplifted by how you do what you do.

So as long as you feel your choices are right for you, and you know they can be placed into your life, to compliment it, not complicate it, then you are doing what you feel is best.

Colette, Pamela, Irene, and Evelyne -- thanks girlfriends!

Regarding "When cleaning up your diet"

Pamela -- hi!

Katie -- the DMD-CRs are almost gone, and that's a good thing! :)

Regarding "To veg or not to veg"

Shelly -- good for you for finding what works for you. I agree that I don't want to drink my meals, but green smoothies don't have the energy (calories) to be a meal. To me they're a -- a really light appetizer, I guess. But the way I make them, they're maybe 250 calories for a full blender, and then Tim and I split that, so nope -- that ain't breakfast for me!

Matt -- lol!

Jen -- I checked out the CSC weblog a few weeks back when you recommended it, but the green smoothie info didn't "take" -- guess I wasn't ready. And I'm really happy about the Oprah show with Kathy Freston. Anything that moves us towards better health...

Colette -- GREAT NEWS about 9 servings of fruits and veggies as the recommendation in the schools. Now if we can just find ways to make it happen. And I agree -- I've never felt better now that I'm eating more (at least 10+ servings) fruits and veggies in my diet.

Regarding "New quote"

Colette -- Let me know when you try green smoothies, and how you like them.

Matt -- I don't know much (anything) about food combining, but slightly remember reading that greens should be considered their own food group (the category "vegetables" is just way too broad) and that they combine with everything. But utlimately the proof is in how you feel, and I feel amazing when I drink green smoothies.

Regarding "Food and immaturity"

Eileen -- You have such a balanced perspective on things! "There are no new answers, just new books." You are so right. But I'm still keeping my Amazon Prime account, at least for now. :)

Jen -- Michael Pollan does have some great info, doesn't he?

Colette -- You are right. And my tomato plants are looking marvelous, by the way!

Matt -- Wow! I learned a lot from what you wrote. And thanks for the nice race wishes!

LizN -- I posted the green smoothie recipe a few days ago. Hope you like it!

Regarding "Run is done"

Greg -- I'm running in the SF Half too (with my niece who lives in SF). Are you doing 1st or 2nd? I'm doing 1st because I want to run across the Golden Gate Bridge!

Regarding "Melange"

Matt -- Your words made my heart happy!

Colette -- Thanks for not calling it a half!

Kristen -- Thanks for stopping by. I LOVE your recipes and your site!

me<135

Thank you green smoothies and good eating -- I am officially in the low 130s! I know that weight is just a number, blah, blah, blah, but I'm THRILLED!

Have a great long weekend everyone!

I DO still exercise!

Haven't had much to say about workouts these days. Today was my last day of boxing camp (end of May session) and I'm looking forward to finding a new challenge. Don't know what it will be yet, but I'll be sure to let you know about it when I figure it out.

So this week, workouts have looked like this:
Monday -- boxing camp, swings with clients
Tuesday -- 6 mile run
Wednesday -- boxing camp
Thursday -- boxing camp

I plan to do some longer runs this weekend and maybe the P90X yoga dvd or Art of Strength's Providence kettlebell DVD.

In a few minutes, my boyfriend (actually husband, but boyfriend just sounds and feels like a lot more fun!) will be home from a 5 day golf trip in Oregon. I can't wait!!!

Rainbow in my bowl

I WISH this was my salad, but alas it's not. You can read about it here. When I read what the author had to say about this salad:

"I love color. I have colorful clothes. A colorful home. Colorful things in my hair. A very colorful daughter. Color just makes me really happy. It’s no wonder I LOVE eating raw foods so much…they just add to the happiness. If you’re wondering how to be really healthy and live for a long time…just try to eat every color of the rainbow, every day."

...when I read that, something clicked for me. I love color. LOVE color! If not kept in check, my house would look like a circus.

I've loved color for a long time. When growing up, my best friend invited me to her family's vacation home. The house was 3 stories tall and right on the water at Lake Tahoe. You came in on the 2nd floor from the front (the non-lake side). The first floor was the bedrooms. The third floor was the main living space (with the best view). And the kitchen was unlike anything I'd ever seen because everything in it was red or white. I was amazed! Keep in mind this was 1971 when avocado green and harvest gold dominated the color wheel. When I saw it, I remember thinking, "When I'm a grown-up, I'm going to have my kitchen be just like this!" Now as a grown-up I have a kitchen almost like that, but since I love all colors, I used all colors and not just one.

So back to the salad. I've heard all the "eat a rainbow" stuff and NEVER connected it with my love of color. How did I not make that connection? I have no idea! I just know that it makes complete and total sense that I would want to eat in a way that's consistent with my love of color.

When cleaning up your diet...

...it's best to keep temptations out of the house. I feel happily caffeinated!

To veg or not to veg?

I've had several friends tell me they've considered going vegetarian. I think that's great. But I don't think it's always the best choice. What's the best choice? Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. (Am I sounding like a broken record here?) When I went to the cooking class with Tracy Reifkind and Fawn Friday, Tracy commented that she eats more vegetables than most vegetarians she knows, and she's right. It's possible to be a potato chip, tater tot, cereal kind of vegetarian, and that's not the way to go! Actually, I think the way Tracy eats is great -- lots of freshly home-prepared foods, and tons of veggies with meats as flavor enhancers, rather than as the centerpiece of the meal.

So why do I choose no meat? I wrote about my reasons here, but one thing I forgot to include is that I've never really liked meat. I've ALWAYS liked the "other stuff" in the meal a whole lot more. So not eating meat doesn't feel like deprivation.

Tim doesn't feel right if he doesn't eat meat or chicken or fish, but he's cut his portions way down now that I don't eat those things. But if he doesn't feel right if he doesn't eat some animal protein, he should have some. Everyone is different.

So if someone came to me and asked, "Should I be vegetarian," I think my answer would be, "Not right away." I would suggest that they decrease the amount of animal products in their diet (including milk and eggs), increase the fresh veggies and fruits, and the whole grain carbohydrates, and get away from refined stuff. Then see how they feel and go from there.

And of course, everyone should start their day with a green smoothie, right?

New quote

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Breathtakingly wise, don't you think?

Green smoothies

My girlfriend Angela sent me a link a few weeks ago, suggesting that I check it out. It was a link to Green Smoothie Girl, a website where the author believes that if you do nothing else for your health but make and drink a green smoothie once a day, you'll be improving your health by leaps and bounds.

The idea of one thing making a big difference appealed to me, so I decided to try it. And I liked it right away. Tim watched what I was doing with some skepticism, but after a few days decided to try it as well. He liked it too. And I've shared the idea with some friends who are now making, drinking, and enjoying green smoothies too!

So what's in a green smoothie? Here's what I've been putting in mine:

In a blender with a tight fitting lid, combine:
2 cups water
2 - 3 giant handfuls organic spinach
1 handful kale or chard
(blend these together first to break up all the leaves)
1/2 of a frozen banana
1-1/2 cups frozen mixed berries
1 - 2 packages Stevia powder (I like mine sweet)
more water to desired consistency

Once you add in the berries and banana, the smoothie no longer looks green. And you can't taste the spinach and any other greens you put in it. This recipe makes about 64 ounces, and Tim and I have been splitting this amount in the morning, and again in the late afternoon/early evening. I try to drink my green smoothie before I eat anything else, because I want the enzymes in the raw food to hit my system first.

That's it! You can change the proportions (more berries and banana for those who are just starting off and want something that's more like a "normal" smoothie), the ingredients (different fruits, different greens), and add some extras (some days I add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice) to make it just right for you. But the base of spinach and other greens never changes, and that's what makes it so great -- you're eating more dark leafy greens (like we always hear we need to do) in a way that just makes it so easy to do!

I feel that by drinking green smoothies, I've opened the door to a willingness I've never had before to examine what I choose to fuel my body with. I'm still on half the caffeine I normally drink (a small cup of coffee in the morning and in the afternoon, as compared with -- well, I don't even want to go there!), and I think that's directly tied to green smoothies. And I'm more discriminating about what I eat, asking the question "Do I really want this?" before just going ahead and eating. And my tastes are changing, so fresh stuff really does taste better than processed (for the most part).

If you do a Google search on Green Smoothies, you'll find tons of links for more inspiration. Let me know if you decide to give this a try. Happy blending and thanks Angela!

Link lists

New blogger makes adding sidebar stuff so easy! I've been working on my link lists, because I lost them (darn it). I'm not done yet -- still don't have my blogger friend links up -- but I'm moving forward and that feels great!

Next post will be green smoothie details and comment apprecation. Till then, sweet dreams!

Food and immaturity

I am not someone who gravitates to a grown-up outlook on things as a first response to an event. And I am very all or nothing/intense about how I see things. So today I was thinking about something I read recently saying that vitamin supplements, in general, do little to promote health, and in some cases appear to actually be detrimental to health. The recommendation? Get your vitamins and minerals from WHOLE FOODS! (Shocking, I know!) And then I read something about how we should avoid all plants from the nightshade family (so tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers are OUT, according to this well-respected author). Ummmm, hello! I live right by Sacra-Tomato, and we grow our own tomatoes every summer. And besides, you are now saying that vegetables will hurt you???

So how is it that my brain goes, "Well if even vitamins and vegetables will kill you, we should all eat Twinkies!" I remember having that same thought years ago when the alar and apple thing was in the news. And again when the healthiest person I knew was diagnosed with leukemia. That immature, all or nothing thinking can drive me to Doritos and Diet Pepsi faster than you can blink. But really what it's about is abdicating responsibility for my own health and an unwillingness to do what I know works, which is EAT FOOD. MOSTLY PLANTS. NOT TOO MUCH!

So my decision is to keep eating tomatoes because I love them. Peppers too. And maybe I need to stop reading so much???

It's tough growing up in your late 40's, let me tell ya!

Run is done!

Races are getting easier for me emotionally. I don't get as frightened beforehand and that's really nice. Today I drove to Lodi, leaving at 6:10, and ran my race. A few thoughts:

• Headsweats hats are fantastic. The race included both a t-shirt (boo -- it was a man shirt!) and a Headsweats hat (yea!). I changed hats before the race, and the new hat is amazing -- it doesn't even feel like you have a hat on. I'm a believer, for sure!
• Getting stuck behind a smelly man (not all men are smelly, I'm talking about a specific one in the race) is tremendous incentive to speed up.
• Running when it's 20 degrees warmer than it was 2 weeks ago feels tough.
• Lodi is flat, which is nice for those of us who run where it's un-flat!
• I don't have race results yet (had to drive right back home after race) but I think I did about a 1:57. At the very end, a 20-something girl and I had a sprint to the finish. She won (darn it!). But I was grateful for the push at the end.

Melange

• Filthy fifty makes you sore. Where? Everywhere! More specifically lats, pecs, abs (surprising because of all the ab stuff we do at boxing camp), glutes & hams, calves (also surprising cuz of the hill running). I think the explosive nature of the exercises (burpees, thrusters, etc.) accounts for a lot of the soreness. Both of my girlfriends did great, but I'm hoping I'm not the only one who's sore today!
• Has anyone seen "Dan in Real Life"? It's an ok movie, but it has some really neat music that's great for listening while writing, cooking, or relaxing.
  
• Also speaking of music, I refound two of my favorite songs and added them to my running playlist: Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode, and Plush by Stone Temple Pilots. And a new favorite is Capital G by Nine Inch Nails. These songs are the opposite of Dan in Real Life!
  
• Tim drives a LOT for work and listens to audiobooks. Recently he recommended The Pillars of the Earth as something I'd enjoy. I don't read much fiction. But I decided to give it a try. I got halfway through the 1000+ page book and decided to stop there. Why? I was tired of really bad things happening to good people! The book really is a good book -- the characters are well drawn, the writing style is fantastic -- but it's just not the book for me. I may have to go back to my all-time favorites for yet another reading: Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books (and especially The Undomestic Goddess). Yes, it's chick lit, but it's light and fun and perfect for summer!
• I had some bloodwork done this morning and decided to see how no caffeine felt. Verdict? No caffeine, at least at this point in time, makes me feel awful!
• I still want to write about Green Smoothie Girl and green smoothies, but the Cliff Notes version sounds something like this: I've been drinking green smoothies twice a day for the past two weeks, and I feel fantastic, and my skin looks better, and I really look forward to each and every smoothie I make!
• Final thing: I'm running my second half marathon tomorrow. This one is just to get another race under my belt on my quest for six of them this year. The run is in Lodi at a winery, so the scenery should be nice. And I'm happy the temperatures are dropping this weekend -- today is supposed to be 100 degrees, and tomorrow's forecast says 96. Those are hot temperatures, to be sure, but those few degrees can make a BIG difference!
  
• One more final thing: I wish there was another name for the 1/2 marathon. To me, it's the perfect distance, and is complete in itself, and calling it half of something implies that it's not complete. I do have a sticker on my car that reads "13.1. Because I can." But another name besides half marathon would be nice, don't you think?
  

Meeting George!

I pulled Tucker out of school and we headed to U Food to meet George Foreman. We only got a moment with him (there were tons of people there, of course), but I'm told by the owners of the restaurant that he is one of the nicest and most down to earth people you'll ever meet.

When we met, I told him I've been boxing since January and have a tremendous amount of respect for what he's done. He said, "You're boxing? Make a fist!" That's why the picture looks like this:

Here's Tucker with Mr. Foreman:

And here's Tucker with a tricked out SCHOOL BUS that was in the parking lot:

And as if meeting Mr. Foreman wasn't exciting enough, the owner of U Food asked if I could be interviewed for a U Food commercial! Don't know if what I said will make it onto the screen, but the process was exciting, to be sure!

Filthy Fifty and George Foreman

Today two girlfriends and I are doing the Crossfit Filthy Fifty. It's 50 reps each of these exercises:

Box jumps
Jumping pull-ups
Kettlebell swings
Walking Lunges
Knees to elbows
Push press
Back extensions
Wall ball shots
Burpees
Double unders

Then it's time for a quick shower, and I'm off to meet George Foreman, who's appearing at U-Food today!

Time to try something new

Next week is my last week of boxing camp, after 5 months of hitting the heavy bag. I'm feeling a little sad, but I think it's the right decision. In the summertime, we stay up late. And I can't find a way to make that make sense when I get up at 4:45 for boxing. So I'm taking a break for the summer, and returning to boxing in the fall.

Usually when we hit the heavy bag, I pretend that I'm hitting depression. But today I noticed that I wasn't hitting depression because I don't feel depressed. Something I'm doing is working, because I'm really feeling balanced and happy. Possible reasons?

1. Cell regeneration -- I'm still getting one treatment a week and I think it's making a huge difference. (Wish there was a website I could point you to for more info!)

2. Green smoothies -- I'll write more over on my other blog, but the short version is that I've found what I've always been looking for: fresh, fast, healthy convenience food that I make myself!

3. Standing up for myself -- I'm feeling stronger than I've ever felt before and it feels like I've found my voice. So if something's not working for me, I say so. Or if I'm angry, I speak up. And if I want something, I can say it. After many years of trying not to be a bother or be in the way, this way of expressing myself is foreign and feels wonderful.

When cutting down on caffeine...

...it's best to avoid mirrors.

I've cut my caffeine in half this week. And I'm feeling pretty good. But boy do I look tired!

Worth the time it takes to read

Don't you hate it when you have too many thoughts in your head, and not enough time to make it all come out on paper (keyboard!)? Well, I read something today that you should read too. It's from a weblog called Almost Fit, and the post is titled "Eat Real Food -- it's what your Grandma would do." I won't try to dissect or debate what the author has to say, but I think the piece speaks to many facets of the food/nutrition/health Rubik's Cube that we all want to figure out.

And I am happy to say that just the other day, I planted Rainbow Chard seeds. (Those of you who know me well know that this is waaaaaaaay out of the box for me -- I'll keep you posted!)

Trying something new -- KALE

I've heard forever about the benefits of dark green leafy vegetables. And until recently I've been willing to eat salad nearly every day, using the darkest lettuces I can find. But I've not ventured past lettuce in my greens shopping (and I don't even know if lettuce is considered part of "greens"). Anyway, I've been re-listening to the "Vegetarian Food for Thought" podcasts, specifically the ones about food. And I decided to try steaming kale, because Colleen says it's so delicious. And Tracy Reifkind's writings about her love of kale also helped to propel me into action.

Well, they are both right -- kale is delicious! Yesterday I pulled out my steamer and grabbed some kale. I cut it almost like you'd cut Romaine lettuce for a Caesar salad, put it in the steamer basket, and let it cook for about 10 minutes. That's it. It was mild, almost sweet, and would adapt well to any flavor you put with it. (Colleen says she adds some apple cider vinegar and a little olive oil.)

Instead of eating it on its own, though, I mixed the kale with some chickpeas and used that as the base for my taco salad last night. Tim and the kids had the chicken I'd cooked up for them and then mixed in iceberg lettuce (for the crunch), tomatoes, queso fresco, and salsa. Mine was the kale and chickpea base, then some tomatoes, salsa, and a little queso fresco, and it was DELICIOUS!

(There's still some steamed kale in the fridge -- let me try a little experiment here. Back in a sec...)

Darn it! Tim ate the rest of the kale. (I guess that's actually a good thing, right?) I was going to try it with ACV and see how it was. Maybe later today...

Vegan-ish?

I am vegan-ish. What does that mean? Well, it means I don't eat animals, nor do I drink milk or eat eggs. But why the "ish" part? Because I am not so vegan that I'm going to interrogate waiters, or refuse the occasional baked treat because it has one-twelfth of an egg in it, or (today) turn down my mother-in-law's casserole because it's made with cheese, eggs, and milk. I do use whey protein, and whey is a derivative of milk. A touch of Parmesan on a salad is a good thing, I think. I continue to eat honey, and let's not even TALK about my leather shoes, ok?!

What I'm trying to say is that I'm trying to find a sane balance that allows me to eat the way I feel is best for me, and still live in the world in peace. But then the question comes up -- why do I avoid animal products? If I'm asked this, I can give an answer, but my answer will differ depending on if I'm at the dinner table when asked or if it's just in conversation. (I'll soften my answer at the table, to be sure!)

So here's why I don't eat meat (or chicken or fish). There are several reasons, and I've assigned a percentage to each one:

• 35%: I don't want to eat dead stuff
• 25%: I think it's healthier
  
• 20%: I think it's better for the planet
• 20%: I want to be kind to animals

Probably the biggest issue is that when I see meat on the plate, I see a carcass, plain and simple. And from everything I've read, it IS healthier to stay away from animal products, it IS better for the planet to eat low on the food chain, and it IS kinder to animals to not kill them. And I should mention here that I've never been a big meat eater to begin with, so it's not like this is tough for me.

But what about milk and eggs? Well, I've never really cared for milk, and the more I've learned, it seems crazy for us to drink what's meant for baby cows. And sadly, drinking milk is directly related to the veal industry (where do you think all those baby cows go once they're born and have gotten their moms to produce milk?). Plus almond milk is WAY yummier than cow's milk! And eating eggs support an industry that really hurts chickens, and I don't want the way I eat to cause harm.

So that's kind of where I'm at, food-wise. I still have lots of unanswered questions, like how can I make this make sense when my family is NOT vegetarian, and what the heck do I cook beyond "something for them, and a salad for me", and where do caffeine and sugar fit into the whole healthy eating equation for me? My hope is that journaling about all this will help me to find some answers that make sense for me and for my family.

Caught up!

As of today, I've finally caught up with my running goal for the year! Although I've been running all year, it wasn't until March (I think) that I set the goal of averaging 20 miles per week for the year. I had been tracking my mileage, but didn't have any sort of running goal, so when I started I was at 15 miles per week average. So I've had some high mileage weeks (I think the most was 35) in an attempt to get caught up. And with my Mother's Day 6 miles (and yesterday's 8 miles and Friday's 6 and Thursday's 5) I'm at TWENTY!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

Busy girl!

I have lots to write about, but in between training clients, putting finishing touches on May newsletter, doing my own workouts, and being a wife and a mom, I just haven't had the time to write!

Every single comment about the race was SOOOOOOOOO appreciated and put huge smiles on my face!

On a slightly negative note, if my period doesn't start soon, there may be no more food left in Rocklin, so if you're a local, you may want to stock up!

Race results

8th place out of 120 women in my age group.
Am I excited? You betcha!
Happy Sunday, everyone!

Race report

Post race, sporting the technical t and my finisher's medal.

The short version is I FINISHED IN UNDER 2 HOURS! Don't know official time, but it was 1:55 when I crossed the finish line, which means I maybe did a 1:53 or something like that. I'm checking to see when results will be posted. My Garmin thinks I did an 8:37 pace for the entire race, and I'm very happy with that!

Here's the longer version.
I got to the race an hour early. I checked my weblog from my Blackberry, and read the comments from Take One and Shelly -- thanks girls -- your comments warmed my heart and were with me throughout the race!

I lined up with the 9 minute mile people, and met a wonderful woman, age 66, who loves to run. She told me she started when she was 35 and hasn't stopped. I asked her how her training has changed, and she said that she's gotten slower (just finished her last marathon in 4:20 -- yikes, that's slower???) but she's still loving running, and is considering ultras. My new running friend looked wonderful and had the kind of energy and enthusiasm for life that I want to have forever. Great way to spend the last few minutes before the starting gun!

Miles 1 and 2 were run WAY too fast. I haven't downloaded Garmin data, but I think I was sub-8:00 for both miles. I tried to run slower, but it was just so fun! (Ok, so now I've downloaded Garmin data, and I was wrong. Although at times my pace was fast, I did the first mile in 8:37 and the second in 8:26, so I didn't run as stupid of a race as I thought!)

Miles 3 - 9 went great. Course is beautiful (click here for photos of the route) and the weather was perfect -- crisp, light breeze.

Mile 10 was when it started to feel hard. But I kept thinking about Tim and Austin and Tucker at the finish line, and that cheered me immensely.

At mile 12, SURPRISE -- there was Tucker! He had walked from the finish line back looking for me, and I guess there was about 3/4 of a mile to go when I saw him. Let me tell you -- my kid is an awesome race partner -- encouraging, sweet, willing to go at my pace (which was about 8:30 at that point -- still gotta download Garmin data!), and just wonderful.

Like I said, I crossed the finish line with 1:55 showing on the display, and hearing the cheers and whistles from my husband!


Me and my last mile partner!

After the race, we took pictures, I ate the BEST oatmeal raisin cookie, and then we headed to my parents house (they live a mile or so from the starting line). Had a nice visit there (although what I really wanted was a shower!). Then Tim stayed to work on their computer, and I headed home with the kids, with a quick stop by Noah's Bagels for my favorite indulgence: a super onion bagel with veggie shmear.

Lucky me -- I have 3 great guys to support my race!

If anyone local wants to run a great half marathon, Parkway is one to consider. It's well managed, there are lots of aid stations, the course is flat and fast, and the atmosphere is super duper fun, with lots of great free stuff at the end!

Now I'm showered and my tummy's full and I think it's time for a nap.

Wish me luck...

I haven't gone running since Tuesday, so I've got fresh legs. My iPod is charged. I'm wearing my favorite hat, shirt, and running skirt. I'm nervous, but that's just part of being me. If this race is anything like every other race I've ever done, I'll have tears in my eyes as we line up at the starting line. The last-picked little girl in me will be amazed and grateful to be standing among all the athletic people, realizing that I FIT IN!!!

My goal is a sub-2:00 half marathon. Wish me luck...

Then vs. Now

May 2004, Hawaii

May 2008, Rocklin

I think I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing now!