Monday Motivation: You can be Jealous now

Love sees sharply, hatred sees even more sharp, but Jealousy sees the sharpest for it is love and hate at the same time.

~Arab Proverb

Talk about motivation. I am someone definitely motivated by food. These fantastic veggies made their way into my tortilla soup last night. Ignore the blueberries, they were just hanging out. If you like squash, you have to try Chayote, it's my favorite squash for soups.

The soup was topped with fried corn tortilla slices, fresh slices of avocado and shredded cheese. Delicious! To top it off, my husband made barbacoa style beef for shredded beef street tacos.

This week I get to look forward to a short 4 day work week and a girls weekend. Super Hubby and the boys head to Lake Tahoe for Superbowl weekend each year and the wives usually do a girly something. This year a bunch are going on a 3 day cruise to Mexico. We have done this trip before and once was enough for me. Since I am not going to gain 17 pounds on a boat with 24 hour buffet, I thought I'd plan something a little more my speed. A couple girlfriends and I are doing the following:

• Saturday:
• 9:00am Trail Run
• lunch
• head to quiet cabin in the foothills
• 4:00pm Massages and maybe pedicures
• 7:00pm Dinner at a super fancy restaurant
• Afterward we will nibble on See's chocolate and gab like teenagers

• Sunday:
• Wine Tasting in the foothills

Really it doesn't get much better than this for me. I love trail running, massages, gourmet food and wine. To get it all in one weekend completely rocks!

Why I Kick A$$: Um, hello the perfect weekend above was planned by yours truly. 

Thankful Three

1. For Cold Days and Hot Soup
2. For Quiet time
3. For fun things to look forward to

Saturday Sampler: Do You Know the Muffin Man?

Oh, do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, do you know the muffin man,
That lives on Drury Lane?

Oh, yes, I know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Oh, yes, I know the muffin man,
That lives on Drury Lane.

• Went for a great run this AM. 2.27 Tempo and another 1.82 walk/sprint...can I call that intervals?
• Krav Maga was great, my elbows apparently are lethal weapons
• When I got home from my run and self defense class I sent my husband out on his run. While he was gone Duder and I made him blueberry muffins.
• I got a nap today, oh it was amazing. I slept on the couch and woke up groggy. You know you slept hard when wake up groggy.
• I am almost finished with my vision board. There is a spot open for my training schedules to get posted. My goal is to finish it by months end. Yes I know it is taking me a while and really I have only spent a total of 1 hour putting it together, I just haven't made more than 15-20 minutes at a time to work on it.
• Yesterday while I was at the Fish Hatchery I got to see lots of cyclists on the river trail. I was jealous. My TRI club is going for a 2 hour ride tomorrow and I can't make it. I think I would like to ride more if I had such pretty Trails to ride like the ones by the Hatchery.
• My son says the funniest stuff. While watching dinosaur train we learned about "PREDATORS," for some reason this term trips my son up and when we were playing dinosaurs recently he said, "Ah, the CREDITORS are coming."
• I eat food at the most inappropriate TV times. I am usually having some sort of high calorie treat when I watch biggest loser and tonight, I am watching CSI and eating Rocky Road. Ice Cream and dead bodies is just kinda wrong. 

Why I Kick A$$: My "Tempo" run felt too easy. I am going to get back on track for a couple weeks and re-test my mile time and adjust my training schedule accordingly. I hear people are supposed to update their speed markers regularly. 

How often do you retest your speed capabilities?

Thankful Three

1. Star Wars clothes, not like costumes, but shirts with images/logos etc.
2. Schezuan Chicken and Green Beans
3. Rocky Road Ice Cream

Friday Five: Playing Hookie

"Of all the rights of women, 

the greatest is to be a mother."
-- Lin Yutang

My husband's cousins are visiting from the east coast so Duder got to skip school and we had a fantastic day!

1. First we went to the Fish Hatchery. I wish the picture of him sitting in a giant size fish egg wasn't blurring because my spawn looked so cute sitting in it. I had a general concept of how hatcheries work, but really I had NO.IDEA. We watched a little movie about how hatcheries work in the visitors' center. I love how the Parks System communicates efforts at sustainability so honestly. There was a portion of the video that was quite violent, but all the kids ranging 3-12 watched and understood it as part of the effort to sustain the Steelhead and Salmon species and less like the brutal and violent scene that it was.

Duder gave it two blurry thumbs up.

2. Then we took one of our cousins to the zoo while the rest of the family headed home to rest. It was so fun to be at the zoo today. All the animals were lively and we made perfect timing for the train and the carousel. While the boys had a great time, we only lasted an hour before they were both obviously exhausted.

3. Super Hubby is finally ready to let go of the beast. This is his blue F150 long bed. We replaced said truck in October, but it is only now that Super Hubby is ready to let it go. This truck was very manly with all kinds of fly fishing equipment installed in the camper, a great big Lebowski bumper sticker on the back (now removed) and he had even had a beer bottle opener welded on the hitch (also now removed). The long bed made it easy to car camp and we had a great trip in this vehicle this past fall. I will miss it too. Anyone want to buy a truck?

4. I have a running partner for tomorrow! Woo Hoo. We are going to log 4 miles and then I am going to Krav Maga. Lunch with our visiting cousins early afternoon and I think we have something Saturday night, but I can't remember at the moment. Saturday is going to be freak'n awesome.

5. Since I was sick and didn't run for a full week and this week I have taken it easy by only doing cross training, my half marathon PR is looking a little lofty. Sure I have 7 weeks so all is not lost, but It would have been nice to have had a stronger January. I have revamped my plan with my new circumstances and it has changed my a ton. Lower easier miles during the week and a few weeks of 8 mile long runs. I don't mind 8, whatever, that is fine. But to have 3 days a week of running with a couple low 2 mile easy runs and either a speed or tempo run in the middle of the week. I have never followed a plan intended for "performance". Does anyone have advice for me on accepting 2 miles 2 days a week with a quality speed/tempo day sandwiched in between, as sufficient effort? I am used to 3-6 daily, 10% increase in long runs with an ultimate goal of just finishing the distance. Actually the more I look 2 miles 2 days a week sounds great, but I wonder if it is enough?

Why I Kick A$$: I let my son have dessert before lunch. Yeah I am reckless that way. I ran up and down rows of fish-runs as excited as a three year old, managed two small people at the zoo and not once lost my temper, my cool or my patience. Letting my son skip school and me skip work and hanging out with my three year old is the best thing ever!

Thankful Three

1. Out of town visitors
2. Fiesty Sumatran Tigers and Lemurs
3. Finding 4 different socks on the side of the washer machine 

The Turn Around: and like... and then...and then

Young people tell what they are doing, 

old people what theyhave done and 

fools what they wish to do.

~French Proverb

Wednesday HUMP day sounds funny, but like an out and back run it marks the turn around to the work week. This week is extra special because I have Friday off so Wednesday is kinda like Thursday, right? If that wasn't awesome enough, I have 4 day work weeks next week and the week after too! Any of you who read my blog even somewhat regularly know I am a teenager trapped in a 31 year old body. Today I feel like that is exaggerated because I have a bazillion things I want to talk about and I can hardly breathe in between thoughts about what I want to say. I remind myself of my niece who when she tells stories, doesn't take a breath, doesn't finish sentences and runs 4 different thoughts into one run on thought. I seriously envy the fancy bloggers who keep their thoughts so focused. I will do my best, but here is a list of the things I want to tell you about. I won't go into detail on all of them, but at least you'll have some idea of what is swimming in my brain. Maybe if I dump them all out, I will have declutter and tempered the excitement in this teenage brain. Ok, duck, the bullets are about to come flying:

• I slept great and could breath all night! Thank you generic musinex
• Last night I dreamt my husband and I was cruising along on a 4 mile run and decided to make it 8 and we were in my home town running around the little lake that is there. I was so happy.
• I only worked 8 hours
• I got Starbucks for breakfast today and my skinny vanilla latte sucked. I ordered 3 petite vanilla scones. I ate the first one and it was not yummy. I was so happy! I felt so bad about the junky McDonald's visit yesterday that I loved having an excuse to get out of this mornings poor food choices. So I dumped my drink and gave away the 2 other scones. Old me would have made myself miserable and crammed it all down.
• Yesterday before the McDonald's debacle I had the most fantastic breakfast at work.

• I went on both my breaks at work. 1/2 mile each glad I walked, wish I had a warmer jacket today, freezing! Ok, freezing for Central California.
• I went to Krav Maga tonight and completely bruised my knuckles. I can't even make a fist on my right hand. IT.IS.AWESOME. I have this weird thing about bruises. I love that it makes me look hard core. On the flip side, I have bruising from poor form on my jabs and we were not wearing gloves tonight. Lesson? Correct punch form and wear wrist wraps to every session just in case we don't use gloves that day.
• I did 300 CORE exercises today. I am feeling fit today.
• Hubby ran 2 miles again tonight. It's so cool. Maybe some day in a Galaxy Far Far Away my Padawan husband will become a running Jedi.
• I am fine tuning my training plan, but am using google docs and am hoping to uploaded for all you fancy people to critique sometime soon.
• No my vision board isn't done, but I am ready to add some none fitness goals on there. Where to start? What fun none fitness things are on your "vision boards'?
• I went to book club last night and we met at a trendy upscale Mexican restaurant. The food was amazing. I grew up in a very tradition Mexican home and am a harsh judge on food. This place nailed the traditional flavors while also elevating the flavor profiles to a please even the most refined palates.

• I love book club. I love wine club. I love book club and I love that my wine club representative is in my book club and personally delivers my quarterly wine club bottles.
• Conversation once we briefly discussed this months book ranged from Paleo diet to calling donut shops to ensure our favorite donuts will be hot and fresh when we want to pick them up.

Ok, it's all out. I don't know which one that I want to elaborate on, I just feel super happy, hyper and excited to be me today. So maybe I'll pick one and talk more about it another time.

How are you feeling today?

Why I Kick A$$: Today I did everything right. I got everything done that I wanted to get done and just over all feel like a damn rock star. I.LOVE.MY.LIFE.

Thankful Three

1.  For sodium packed microwavable chicken pot pies
2. Mangoes
3. For good reading time with my little ones tonight, I have really cool kids.

Monday Motivation: The Mojo is coming Back

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.  

~Abraham Lincoln

Reason's why I think the Mojo is coming back:

• I went to bed before 10:00PM last night.
• I didn't sleep throughout the 8 hrs I was in bed, but the fact that I was in bed for 8hrs increased the amount of sleep overall. This is way better than what I was getting going to bed after midnight + waking up in the middle of the night for no reason.
• My coughing fits are fewer and farther between which meant I got to go to my Krav Maga self-defense class tonight, so needed the work out.
• I got 75 CORE exercises done...could've done more, but I'm happy to start slow
• Awesome dinner (I still eat too much, but this was just so delicious):
• A couple thin slices of cold Tri-tip with a couple small slices of sundried tomato bread
• A couple pieces of San Joaquin Gold cheese with a couple small slices of Sunflower Honey bread and honey for dipping
• A handful of Blueberries

• Despite a very full day of work work work, I was in great spirits all day!
• I tracked all my food today.
• My hubby went for a 2 mile run with one of the dogs and I am just so excited he went. He hates running and when I asked him how it went he gave me the death stare, but the fact of the matter is Super Hubby ran 2 miles and I am so proud him!

Why I Kick A$$: Because I like to try new things. There is a hot pot of amaranth prepared like oatmeal on the stove so that I can have breakfast pre-made for a few days. 

Who eats Amaranth? How do you prepare/use it (seed form, not flour)?

Thankful Three:

1. For dumb ass boy movies like "Forgetting Sarah Marshall"
2. For Melatonin
3. For my new book find, "The Maze Runner"-why have I not discovered teen books before Hunger Games and now The Maze Runner. So fun to read!

Saturday Sampler: The Sicky Saga Continues

A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.  

~Irish Proverb

Sick Update:

Still sick. Yes I am still sick and therefore still not working out. The phlegm is still in my chest, the coughing is still making my throat sore and I have developed some head congestion because the party just wasn't cool enough as is. Tonight I plan to watch a funny girly movie, go to be early and wake up a new woman.

Workout Update:

So while I have been sick, my main reasons for not working out have been #1 the lungs # the fatigue. I didn't realize I would totally end up slacking. I could have been doing my CORE work. Oops, missed that. My cough has felt better here and there, but it still hadn't occurred to me to try a bike workout on the trainer. I my end up feeling too fatigued to finish, but I haven't even tried.

Food Intake:

Well there is not much of a story here except I am reverting back to some really bad habits. I have been staying up later than usual. Midnight sometimes. So I am not getting enough sleep. In addition, the other byproduct of staying up late has been eating late. Like after 10PM late. Not snacks, FULL ON 2nd DINNER! I haven't looked at my scale and honestly, I am afraid to. I will look on January 31st and see what the Junky January has done to me. Oh wait I mean what Junky things I did to myself in January. Wait again! I shouldn't write of January as a loss, I have a whole week left. Yes you are reading my schizophrenic ramblings of negative self talk vs. positive self talk. Entertained yet? This is what couped up no exercise does to your brain people, don't get sick, it makes you sick in the head too.

Taking care of myself:

Since I have all this free time, no self defense class, no running, no biking etc. I thought I would do fun stuff for me. Thursday Toesies Day:

Nikki my nail gal was too shy to smile for the camera. She did a great job. I actually felt bad for her, not only were my toes a bit on the gnarly side, when she took off the old polish she was a little startled by the black toe on my left foot. She looked up at me with a sad, almost pained face and asked if I exercised? I confirmed that I run and gave me the look of "why do you do this to yourself?" Needless to say I was proud of myself.
Friday I learned about Mexican Curanderismo "Healing." I was all about it. My grandpa was an herbalist and growing up I didn't take much medication, my family had a tea to cure just about anything. Here are some pictures of the herbs presented and some teas we got to try.

Saturday-Today wasn't exactly about taking care of myself either. I went into for a half day of overtime. So I guess you could say I was financially caring for myself? It was just me and 1 other co-worker in our big empty office. We're both sick so the only thing cutting the silences were coughing fits from each of us, nose blowing, sniffling and sneezes. It was quite hysterical when we noticed our music making. My mom is super fantastic and watched the little ones while I was at work since Super Hubby is out dominating at a golf tournament. I put the kids down for their nap and am now consuming two of my favorite things.

I HEART pancakes and strawberries.

Why I Kick A$$: Because at work we have an outreach initiative. Friday night at the Curanderismo workshop I did a little networking and met an executive for a local Latino newspaper (print and online). Yes it was a night out for me and I was not officially working, but I also know that our outreach to the Latino community is lacking and was hopeful I would get some leads. I had no idea I score one that promises to be so fruitful. Score one for me!

Thankful Three

1. For pizza birthday parties this afternoon, I don't have to worry about the kids lunch
2. My mom. Not only did she watch my kids, The Bug scored a new outfit including shoes, the diaper pale was cleaned, the laundry was done and I came home to kids winding down for their nap. She's got like super powers or something
3. For realizing I could be doing some CORE or cycling. Better late than never. I am sick yes, but I am thinking of making a move for some exercise. This just rest business isn't furthering my agenda.

Thoughtful Thursday: Sicky is Sucky

Leave all the afternoon for exercise and recreation, which are as necessary as reading. I will rather say more necessary because health is worth more than learning.

~Thomas Jefferson

Why do I do this to myself? I am totally superstitious. I am all about not talking during a no hitter. Never tempt fate. Well Amanda B HERE posted recently a question: Do you sweat out sickness or take time off. I of course threw my 2 cents in citing my vast experience sweating it out as a basketball player....uh, yeah that was 11 years ago. My body is not quite up for sweating it out anymore. Saturday I ran, it was more of a jog, but I got out there and it didn't kill me. Sunday I got to run with my niece which was supposed to be a treat! An easy run while chatting it up. Uh, yeah again, didn't exactly work for me. 1. I was still sick 2. my niece is way faster than I am. Did I stop there? Nope. Haven't I told you lately that I am brilliant? Actually I was on a runner's high because I ran my fastest mile in 11 years with her that night. So Sunday my throat is obviously shredded with all the heavy breathing. I could consider a job with a sexy hotline with the new raspy voice I have and my recent training to become a professional heavy breather. Ok, so any way, Monday I wake up and I have the day off. Did I rest? Nope, went for another run with my niece. Great run, but I totally crashed in the afternoon. Completely fatigued, light headed and dizzy. Needless to say I skipped my Self Defense class Monday night and again last night. It has been two days since my last run and I confess, I JINXED myself. I am sick. Like actually sick. It started in my chest last week and started to go away until Saturday-Monday when I decided to "sweat it out." Since Saturday, my sickness has spread to my throat and yesterday morning for an bonus sucky points, it spread to my sinuses.

The real question here is, will I attempt to sweat it out next time or rest? Well maybe I did learn a little lesson, I didn't force myself to go to self defense and I have taken 2 full days off so far. Maybe I'm learning?! Who am I kidding? If I could stop coughing for more than a couple minutes at a time I would totally be working out, unfortunately I am afraid I might cough up a lung and I kind of need mine. Ok Mr. Jefferson, great quote, health is more valuable, but while I nurse myself back to health, I am going to have to opt for some reading, blogs count, right?

Why I Kick A$$: For finally scheduling a pedicure. It takes a real women to take responsibility for neglected gnarly toes. 

Thankful Three:

1. For girlfriends who value pedicures as much as I do
2. New followers, welcome!
3. For Costco Churros and Berry Sundaes

The Turn Around: Into My Own

Into My Own

One of my wishes is that those dark trees, 

So old and firm they scarcely show the breeze, 

Were not, as 'twere, the merest mask of gloom, 

But stretched away unto the edge of doom. 

I should not be withheld but that some day 

Into their vastness I should steal away, Fearless of ever finding open land, 

Or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand. 

I do not see why I should e'er turn back, 

Or those should not set forth upon my track 

To overtake me, who should miss me here And long to know if still I held them dear. 

They would not find me changed from him they knew-- 

Only more sure of all I thought was true. 

~Robert Frost

Wednesday HUMP day sounds funny, but like an out and back run it marks the turn around to the work week. It's been a short week so far since we had Monday off from work. I am still sick and wish I could call in sick to work, but it is just not in the cards, too much going on. Yes I know I am dispensible and the world will still turn even if I don't show up, but I feel like I would be burdening my peers this week when I can really just tough it out. 

I went with a long quote today by chosing one of my all time favorite Frost poems. Yes I know, I love his work way too much, but it's my blog so I guess I get to make the rules. All weekend I read so many inspirational posts about why people run, TRI and/or blog. I read about people judging eachother, judging themselves, trading healthy eating and fitness tips and sharing experiences. I love blogland and truly feel it has helped me come into my own. If you have read any posts in the last few weeks then you already know my role as wife, mother, friend etc is soaring to new heights. My fitness is the best its been in years, my weight looks good on me and I am really feeling like things are falling into place at work. One of my favorite things is leadership and team building. My current boss is so supportive of an improved office morale that he adopted my idea for a team activity to be used office wide. This year we are going to do "Quarterly Quotes" and the first quarter the quote is:  

Positive Energy Nets Positive Results

The idea being to own the work that we get and not focus on whether it had previously been mishandled, which employee or office maybe passed the buck and just own the assignment and see it as an opportunity to make it better. Instead of judging our peers, make an earnest effort to elevate each other through positive learning exchanges and vocal positive reinforcement. That is not to say we have any of these problems in the office. I am a firm believer in being proactive, why wait until there are problems to promote team building. I think the most successful teams are the ones who are constantly striving to better themselves no matter how successful they already are. I have some draft ideas for future quarters and smaller scale activities for each quarter to keep the momentum going. Doing these types of things are so ME, it is what I enjoy. So that brings me back to the poem I am feeling so much more "sure of all I thought was true" and it sure shows in my home, health and work life.

Why I Kick A$$: Because I am a natural born leader.

Thankful Three:

1. For Pancakes at 10:50 PM
2. For a Hubby who will eat pancakes with me at 10:50 PM (Monday night)
3. For in laws who invite us over for dinner so we don't have to think about what to make

Monday Motivation: Deceived

We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Back to normal:

I have had a weird couple of days. No I am not about to whine about my husband being away on his fishing trip. He's back and life is back to normal. You now get to resume the regularly scheduled programming of eating, running and everything in between. 

Running Recap

Saturday: I had a nice little 3 mile run. Pushing the kids in the double jogger was tough since they were a little antsy, so we stopped at the University Soccer field so they could run around. While they ran in 6 inches of wet grass, I made sure to get in about a half mile worth of butt kickers, high knees, zig-zags and sprints. I am tyring to be a bit more dynamic with my running so that I am using my muscles in a more balanced way.

Sunday: While hanging out at my parents thinking my chance at a run was gone, my 19 yr old niece got home early from her CPR class. She had just eaten McDonald's and I knew my chances she'd run with me were low, which is exactly why I asked. I was still feeling sick and really didn't want to run, but to my surprise she said yes. She was particularly excited that we were going to map her usual run using my fancy new Garmin. Because she was full, she warned me she was going to be extra SLOW. I asked her how fast she runs, and she responded with, "Uh, I don't know, SLOW, like 10 minutes a mile?" I told her that 10 minutes was fast for me so we should be fine if she wasn't up to running fast. I was deceived. SHE LIED, ok well she was lying to herself not me. I should've known better, my niece has no concept of running time. In the first quarter mile we were moving at a 7:15 pace, thankfully I got her to slow down a little, yep a whopping minute 6 seconds slower. Our first mile was at an 8:21 pace, in case you were wondering, this is my fastest mile time in 12 years! We rounded out her 2.27 mile loop in 20 minutes 26 seconds...a 9 minute mile pace. I wanted to round this up to 3 miles, so I had her do a cool down with me at an 11 minute mile pace for .77 miles(yes I know this adds up to 3.04 miles). She was shocked at how SLOW the cool down felt. I told her fast people train slow on their long runs. We talked about a friend of hers who is running a half marathon in March and how my niece wanted to sign up too. 

Not the most flattering picture, but a great shirt.

My niece was so motivated by our run she asked to stay over and do one of my usual routes Monday morning. We stayed up for an hour or so Sunday night playing with the Runner's World tools predicting her finish time, creating a training plan with Smartcoach and fiddling with the route program in the training log application. It was so much fun.

Monday: Today we woke up and headed to my favorite 4 mile loop. I told her I was going to teach her to run slow. Yeah, slow was not exactly in the cards either. The Garmin website is down today so I can't give you splits, but we did our 4 miles in 40:46 (10:11ish pace). This is still really fast for me. Slower for her, but still not slow enough. I think her target using Smartcoach for easy runs is supposed to be about 11:30 and today was more like a Tempo run. I loved having a partner today and one that pushed me. I think we are going to try and get together for a run 1x per week. Here are some fun pics from today.

Hate when the glasses fog up.

I love this one, my husband is great at catching sweet moments. 

My niece is genuinely a happy person all the time.

New Goal: Instead of breaking 8 minute miles by the end of 2011, 

I am shooting for my birthday-June of this year....

I am also feeling pretty certain that this goal will change again, 

but I don't want to get too ahead of myself. 

Why I Kick A$$: Because even when I am sick I run my fastest mile

Thankful Three:

1. For Hostess Donettes. I kinda like the fake feeling of the chocolate coating
2. For nieces who think running is so fun they might tryout for the Junior College cross country team next year
3. For sunflower seed honey bread, delicious!

Saturday Sampler: Tequila-Breakfast of Champions

Things without remedy, should be without regard; what is done is done.

~William Shakespeare

Who knew moving forward would be so hard. While December delays most, I am barely slogging through January. I am doing my best not to dwell on the past and move forward, but I need to start seeing poor choices from the day before or earlier in the day as the PAST and move on. For your enjoyment a little Saturday sampler.

Feeding Frenzy:

I had been blaming my eating on the endless meetings at work this week and trying to cram a week's worth of work into a short week. Then I realized my monthly visitor, who I respectfully refer to as My Moon, is scheduled to cycle this week. Super Hubby is gone this weekend Steelhead Fishing and I have been eating to dull missing him. Yes! Didn't you know missing your husband is 100% curable? Just consume chocolate donuts, It's It's Ice Cream, cheese its, trailmix and anything else in sight and magically you won't miss him anymore. I'll will patent this method as I know how truly brilliant an idea it is. Looking at these three possible cause of my eating bender is like looking at the eye of a storm where my belly button is the eye and the big swirl around is my waistline. Then I looked at the scale. BAD.IDEA. turned GOOD.IDEA. After looking at the inflated number, I knocked out 250 core work thingys (push-ups/situps) and headed out for a 3 mile run.

Tequila-Breakfast of Champions

I can't kick this damn cough. I haven't taken anything for it, but today I broke down and went for the family recipe. I must move forward. A shot of this:

...a spoonful of this swallowed whole, not mixed in, and a cup of lemon tea.

It's been a SHITTY weekend so far:

I don't mean this in a bad way, just literally. Last night Duder and the Bug were in the bath. The Bug found it appropriate timing to shit in the bath water. Nice huh! I evacuated the tub, sanitized it and the toys, threw the kids back in the tub and still got them down for bed on time. Nothing like Super Hubby being out of town for my super mom super powers to kick in. Then I woke up this morning to find that one of my dogs shit on the carpet. He is not a puppy, he is a grown up! I guess I was just too sound asleep last night to hear him wanting to be let out and a dogs gotta do what a dogs gotta do. If you thought this was it, you are wrong. I went outside to find a neighbor dog had shit on my lawn, as if I didn't have enough shit of our own to clean up. I hate irresponsible dog owners, even if I fall in that category sometimes.

Swimsuit season is 6 months early:

Today we have a swim play date. My best friend has been displaced do too severe flooding in her home. So she is staying in a hotel appartment type thing with an indoor pool. So today we get a swim play date, but I also get to see myself in a swimsuit for the first time since August and in case you missed the first part of this post, the scale is pissed off at me and I am guess my swimsuit will be too.

Turtle Theater:

Sure my babies, poop, cry and don't always pick up their own toys, but they are cute. Super Hubby took the carseats out of the truck before heading out. My sweet babies set up theater style to watch Oscar eat his breakfast. I love these moments.

  Why I Kick A$$: For registering early for my half marathon in March. Now all I have to do is figure out my goal finish time, work backwards and fill in my training plan with some pace workouts. Remember my goal this year is to be faster which means my runs need to have a focus every now and then.

Thankful Three

1. Best Friends
2. Tequila that goes down smoothly
3. A hot shower while the kids are napping

Friday Five: How I spent my Thursday

 A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.

~anonymous

I had an awesome day at training yesterday and have more to come today. We did lots of learning, but also some teambuilding and leadership exercises. I capped off my night with fun and relaxation. For your viewing pleasure a photo tour of my Thursday.
1. Learning about leadership. I am awesome, but even the great can be better.

2. My team effectively constructed the best shelter using available resources. This isn't our shelter, but just an image I could find. I need to remember to take more pictures.

3. Capped off my night with a few of these:

4. One of these:

5. And a little of this:

Why I Kick A$$: Because I have run two marathons and a colleague flattered me (and another marathoner) by asking us questions about running and giving us a face of amazement. I love it, I really felt accomplished to talk like I am a real marathoner.

Thankful Three

1. Professional Development...have I told you how much I value the time and energy that goes into quality and effective training.
2. Pacifico
3. Way too many snacks last night...so yummy!

Thoughtful Thursday: Stylish, Me?!

Style is the mind skating circles around itself as it moves forward.

~Robert Frost

I am surprised and honored that someone as super cool as Amanda HERE found me to be worthy of a Stylish Blogger Award, "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy" said in my really stylish Wayne and Garth voice. 

Here’s how being *stylish* works, there are 4 duties to perform to accept this award:

1.  Make a post + Link back to the person who awarded you this award.
2.  Share 7 things about yourself.
3.  Award 10 recently discovered great bloggers
4.  Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won!

I am mostly following the rules, some of my 11 bloggers aren't recently discovered, just people I would love to learn more about. Oops did I say 11, yeah, well I went over.

And now on with the show:

1. I am the slowest reader ever, but still think it was a past-time I was destined for.

2. When I went away to college my sophomore year I weighed 172 lbs. and when I graduated I was 222 lbs. My husband has literally stuck with me through THICK and thin. Here is a picture of me and my nephew at my grad party, face round, arms full, but I think 50 pounds for a BA degree is not a bad trade off. Good thing the deal for my Master's was to lose the weight.

3.Before I was a runner, I was a basketball player. Long, lean and mean in the post.

 

4. I had some serious hair issues in Junior High, who didn't right? Am I alone here?

5. I was named after Sophia Loren. My sisters got family names, I got Sophia Loren. Yeah, my dad thought she was the stuff, maybe that is where I get my inflated level of confidence, I was meant to be hot stuff.

6. When Super Hubby and I got married, we skipped the traditional music and play Star Wars Sound Track Songs. The guys walked into to yoda's theme, the girl's to Leah's theme and I walked in to Throne and Finale, it actually starts out sounding like the wedding march

7.Super Hubby and I have an open relationship. Just kidding, actually this trip was our first to Italy so far. I was about 6-9 weeks pregnant. The trip was booked as a last hurrah before kids, who knew actually people get pregnant their first time "trying." Touching Giuletta's boobie in Verona is supposed to be good luck. My husband wanted a boy and we got the Duder. Guess that boobie works afterall.

Ok, now time for the tags, please post if you have time, if not my feelings aren't hurt as long as you know I think y'all are Super-Duper Stylish!

Average A at Diary of an Average Runner
P at Adventures of an Average Athlete
One Crazy Penguin
TheRunningDiva
LifebyMelissa
RunTeenieRun
Meredith at Theraputicrunningsofamom
Molly at Imasleeperbaker
Kevin at HalfTri-ing 
Laura Live Well Laugh Often Run Much 
JustOneMoreMile

Why I Kick A$$: Duh, because I am so freak'n stylish that's why.
Thankful Three

1. A three day weekend. Yes I know I have 2 days to go, but it feels like Friday since I'll be a FUN training tomorrow and Friday. I.HEART.PROFESSIONAL.DEVELOPMENT. no sarcasm, it's just really cool. 
2. Sack lunch dinner, PB and J, orange slices and cheese sticks
3. My little ones who were extra snuggly tonight

The Turn Around: Pre-missing Super Hubby

There is no doubt that it is around the family and the home that all the greatest virtues, the most dominating virtues of human society, are created, strengthened and maintained.

~Winston Churchill

Wednesday Hump Day sounds funny, but like an out and back run it marks the turn around to the work week.This week it virtually marks my Friday, but not in a good way. Here is how my week is going to play out. 
Monday: work and Krav Maga. 
Tuesday: work, but half day was meetings + Hood to Coast Movie
Wednesday: today is work day with half the day full of meetings and Krav Maga
Thursday: Away over night for work training thru Friday
Friday: My hubby will be gone on his fishing trip before I get home from work and will be gone thru Sunday
So you can see how Wednesday is not just Wednesday. It is my last full family day until Monday and that makes me so sad. I have many virtues, I know I am awesome, but seriously all that I have I owe to my family in one way or another and Super Hubby's absence for a few days will definitely be felt. I also have the added pressure to do a weeks full of work in 1 full day plus two half days. Totally doable, just not exactly what I want in my recent state of bliss. Such is life.

Hood to Coast and Coconuts
I went and saw the movie tonight and it was fabulous. I wonder how many runner blogs will be devoted to Hood to Coast movie recaps, feelings about or stories of personal Hood to Coast adventures? It is definitely something I'd like to try in my life time, but I can't see how I could fit that in my life at the moment...worse, I am not sure I know 11 people who would do something so wild and crazy. If anyone out there needs a 12 that might be able to crank out 10-11 minute miles, I am your girl! I love my new coconut water, but my toes were crazy crampy today. Like panic, I might die, please to twist into permanent deformation kind of cramping...BOTH feet! I am also a little sore from Krav Maga Monday night and Sunday's 10K run so I was stretching in the theater. I had one of the cool seats with the railing right in front. How cliche is it that I was in a theater full of runners, watching a running movie and I was using the rail to stretch? I know super lame. As for the toe crampy business, my husband is sure it was a result of a high heel day at work. I busted out another coconut water and Super Hubby said, "Why not just plain water? It's worked for everyone else." I then corrected him to say that it worked for people eating all their nutrition through food and I have not been the healthiest eater as of late. He then asked why I didn't eat much broccoli at dinner, to which I replied, I am more of a stocks girl and tonight we just had florets. So here I sit drinking my coconut water and I have water bottle on my head board to sip before bed. I am determined to rehydrate and squeeze a few more fruits and veges into the diet. (not that there is a diet) I eat the broccoli stocks, my hubby eats the florets. A friend of mine loves the soft centers in a box of chocolates and I am the nuts and chews gal.

 Do you have a perfect eating partner? What do you split?

Why I Kick A$$: Because I can do things alone. I went to tonight's movie alone. Some people have this thing about not going to movies alone or eating alone. My hubby can't sit at Taco Bell alone, but I can sit at a fancy white table cloth restaurant alone and feel completely comfortable.
Thankful Three:

1. For the privilege of attending training for a couple days. It is a big deal when one's employer invests in its employees.
2. For new Follwers, thanks everyone I am so excited meet you all!
3. For hot chocolate

Tuesday Tidbit: Potassium is Yummy!

Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?

~Monty Python

If you read potassium and thought bananas, you are bananas. All the rage these days is coconut water. As a child this was the best treat on all our visits to Mexico. Here in the states, I could count on getting a coconut water at the "Pulga" (flea market). Now it is perfectly packaged and available in the grocery. Safeway had it a couple weeks ago and today I scored a case at Trader Joe's. Not only is it delicious, it tastes like it is straight from the nut itself.

I love the nostalgic taste of my childhood and even better, it has more potassium than a banana so I can pretend I am buying it for health reasons. Do you eat what you need? Cramps? Bananas. Anemia? Leafy greens and meat. Sweet potatoes for the vitamin A to counter act the damage we are doing to our eyes with all the computer monitor time our eyes get. I love when I am having an issue and simultaneously have a specific food craving and realize my body is naturally seeking a solution. It makes me feel like I have not lost all my primal senses. I wonder what it means when I crave a glass of wine?

Why I Kick A$$: Today I kick ass because I made breakfast at work. It was only an instant oatmeal, but I did not spend money on anything and it made it easier to track my food for the day. I have semi-decided to count calories again just to reaquaintment myself with what 2000-2500 calories feels like. I think I have been hanging out in the 2500-3000 range. Everyone needs a refresher to stay on top of their skills and this is my way to brush up on my calorie intake. Yes I know 2000-2500 is alot, but that is my maintain current weight calorie intake (doesn't take into account physical activity).
Thankful Three

1. For coconut water-duh!
2. For potato soup and crusty bread
3. For fun girly movies, love "Tortilla Soup"

Monday Motivation: So Excited

Joy in looking and comprehending is nature's most beautiful gift.

~Albert Einstein

I don't even know where to start! I am super excited about everything these days. Do you ever go through periods of sheer joy? I am delighted to just be breathing. So I am excited about this:

My husband's mother got one and he has been wanting one since. Leave it to Costco to knock $75 bucks off the price. Tonight we celebrated with some hot chocolate and way too many mini marshmallows.

Tomorrow is the screening of Hood To Coast. Are you going?

I am going and I am really excited about it! I love pre-sale.

What else is fantastic? Um, well I am excited about my new scale. It promises to get me down to 124.1 pounds isn't that fantastic?!

Ok weight wait, apparently that is just a sample number. I totally got screwed, this should be considered false advertisement. I am pretty excited that the scale was only $15 bucks...yes, I love Costco. I got the scale because I thought mine was off, but they match up. I am still keeping this one because it's fancier. I promised not to weigh until the end of January to see how Krav Maga and running helps my weight, but since it is a new scale I had to calibrate it. I think I may need to focus on my eating, but I am not motivated to do that yet.

In other amazing news, my hubby said he'd let me put him on a workout regimen. Week one didn't go so great cardio wise because he has had a little chest cold. On the upside, he has completed week 1 of our 52 week CORE challenge. That means he did 1000 sit-ups this week, YAY Super Hubby! I asked what I could do to help his cardio efforts be more palatable. You see, I though he liked the bike so the bike trainer got set up in the man cave. He has not used it. Apparently he likes biking outside, inside trainer, not so much. He said he'd rather run. So guess what? Yup, he is going to start running. He is only committing to 2 miles or 20 minutes of cardiovascular effort. It's start and certainly leaps and bounds more than he is doing now. My fingers are crossed he magically learns to like running.

Why I Kick A$$: I solved the mystery of husband and wife getting enough individual time by setting up a joint online calendar at iGoogle. I know I am a terrific ideas person, please hold your applause to the end. My generous husband does a few big guy things a year (back packing trips etc.), but he tries to keep the schedule open for all my madness. With the calendar I initiated, there are more of the simple activities on the calendar for the hubby including golf, football drafts and fishing. Now he gets to continue to reign as SUPER HUBBY, but I scored big time points which has elevated me to SUPER WIFE who created the joint electronic calendar---we are never without our iPhones. Yes we tried paper, but were unsuccessful despite them being posted to the fridge.

Thankful Three:

1. For being deliriously happy for no specific reason
2. For the short week ahead, I get to go to really dynamic training Thursday-Friday
3. For my hubby voluntarily trying the running thing as a means to cardio fitness. Yippy!

Sunday Summary: Garmin Nightmares

I have had dreams, and I Have had nightmares, I overcame the nightmares because of my dreams.

~Anonymous

Today was my first race of the year. It was a 10K, the same event as I did last year, but on a different course. Last years was completely F-L-A-T. This one was pretty flat, but had a few little ups and downs because of road overpasses. I blogged yesterday about the amazing sleep I have had over the past few weeks. Last night was almost no exception. I still slept 8 hours, but I dreamt alot. I even had a nightmare that my Garmin battery was dead for this morning's race. I woke up, got dressed, had a piece of toast and got in the car to drive the whopping 3 miles to the race. While my car was warming up I put on my Garmin only to find that the battery was dead by race time.

Yeah, nightmare come true. I was bummed and focused on all the runners with Garmin's and iPods and stayed jealous too long. I went out with what I thought was the slightly faster than 10 minutes group, only to find they were the 8-9 minute group that leaned on the 8 min side. Mile one was about 9:35 according to a guy hollering out times, but I had slowed significantly prior to this point, the first half mile was too fast. No other mile markers were on the course except the turn around and I didn't have a watch to see how I was doing. The other mentally challenging part of this race was my familiarity with the course, I knew it was taking long to get to certain points and I had to constantly remind myself to run and not shuffle. I allowed myself a 20 foot walk break at a water station which was nice, but it made me realize my hamstrings were still really cold. I got back to the mark where the guy was hollering out times. This time he said, "1-mile to go, 53:05." I was momentarily discouraged because I had secretly hoped I would break 1:00. I didn't tell anyone because I knew it was a pretty lofty goal. That moment passed and I booked it to the finish. It is amazing how a 9:36 mile at the end of a 10K feels like you are run sub-7. I was huff'n and puff'n. My lungs hurt and I was trying so hard to finish and leaving it all on the course.

Final unofficial time: 1:02:41. We'll see what they post in the next couple of days. This was not a chip timed race, but the field was small so I don't think I lost too much time at the start. In case you were wondering, this is a PR. A pretty BIG PR. Woo Hoo, Yay for me!

My biggest fan.

Why I Kick A$$: I just PR'd my 10K time on a harder course by 12 minutes and 5 seconds. (That is my happy dance below)

Things to consider for next time:

• Warm up pre-run. Being a slow runner, I have never wanted to "waste" energy on a warm up, I need it for the course, right? I am re-thinking this.
• What does going all out mean? I pushed really hard the last mile, I felt it, I focused on it, I needed to walk for a couple minutes just to catch my breath after. Then 10 minutes later I ran effortlessly the quarter mile to the breakfast line. If I had gone all out, wouldn't I not have energy to run?

Thankful Three

1. My PR prize is having a lunch date with the hubby and watching Country Strong. It will be torture for the Hubby, but he loves me that much.
2. That I have fans, thanks for the applause Bug
3. For my sweet skull gloves from the $1 bin at Target over Halloween, I always get compliments.

Saturday Sampler: Everything is Going Perfectly

Insist on yourself; never imitate.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ok so not exactly perfectly, perfect would've been having 2 runs done during the week. Since that is the only thing missing, I'm going with perfect!

Fortune Cookie Follow Up
Sometime last month I got a great fortune in a cookie for once...usually there are more lame statements rather than fortunes. You can read that post HERE. So the fortune said I was going to make a change for the better within the year. I played with the language a little and wondered if that meant by the end of 2010 or a year from when I got the fortune. Well I can't pinpoint which is right, but it has happened. CHANGE.FOR.THE.BETTER. For the last couple weeks I gone to bed in peace, woken up in peace and dare I say HAPPY, and have had very little if any anxiety. So here are some reasons why all is right in the world.

1. I cleared my schedule in December. It is amazing the perspective you get when you give yourself time see what's going on in life.
2. I was forced into some extra responsibility the last couple of weeks at work. Net result was that I focused more on my organization so I could fit everything in and found out I was slacking too much. Not slacking in a super bad way because I am excellent at what I do, but I did find myself not pushing myself harder. So now I am doing more of the above and beyond more consistently.
3. Not being stressed or bored at work means I go to work with a smile and come home without being worried about what is due the next day.
4. Freeing up my schedule has meant lots more time with my family.
5. Being home more has gotten my husband and I in better sync. He used to have to do everything, now we have a dance. We share pick up and drop off responsibility, making dinner, doing dishes, doing laundry and coordinating bath time. I am happier to be contributing more consistently and my husband seems happy that we are more of a team.

KRAV MAGA Update
This was my first full week of Krav Maga. I was concerned being gone during dinner would negatively affect the progress clearing my schedule made, but it was good this week. The family did dinner. I came home and folded laundry while they were doing bath time and did dishes while they put their PJ's on and brushed their teeth. This left plenty of play time and wind down time before bed. I played team mate with my hubby and still got family time. SCORE! Ok, back to Krav Maga. I love it. I.LOVE.IT! Every session I have learned something new and gotten a great work out. Even better, they stretch before hand and integrate cardio into the instruction. There is plenty of lateral movement and I totally feel my hips getting the workout they need. Between 2 kids and running my hips need some work. I am not talking flabby fat kind of work because they do need that too, but really just strength work. I think I need to get contacts again. My glasses are starting to get in the way of knee kicks to the face. The down side is I have found I am pretty visually impaired. I hate how it creeps up on you, but my vision is getting progressively worse.

CORE Work Update
Super signed up to do this with me and he has done fantastically so far. The goal is 52,052 CORE in 2011. This breaks down to 1001 per week for 52 weeks. Why not a straight 1000? I don't know, when I was doing math that is how it came out. So now that I am belaboring the issue, I will probably just change it to an even 52,000. Today at Krav Maga I did 265 different CORE things including: Push-ups, Sit-ups, Hindu Push-ups (?), Climbers and Burpies. So Much Fun!!!

CRAVINGS
Do you believe cravings tell you something? I don't know what this means, but this is my post workout meal. I know too much food, but I was starving and all this sounded so yummy. I know I won't lose weight eating like this, but some times I can't help it. Yams, yogurt, boiled eggs, waffle with peanut butter and Tillamook cheddar cheese, HEAVEN!!

Why I Kick A$$: Because today I woke up and realized I feel 100% like myself. Not what anyone wants me to be, not what I think I should be, JUST ME.

Thankful Three

1. Yams for breakfast
2.  Finding new bloggers I can totally identify with
3. CORE work