The Turn Around: Miracle Drug

How beautiful it is to do nothing, 

and then to rest afterward.  

~Spanish Proverb

Wednesday HUMP day sounds funny, but like an out and back run it marks the turn around to the work week. Ok, so confession...I skipped missed my Monday swim workout, Tuesday run workout and today's swim workout. Monday I woke up, put on my swim suit, realized I'd be a little late to the pool and was super tired and took off the swim suit, crawled into bed and slept. I then proceeded to beat myself up all day for not working out because I packed on 5 pounds on my 3 day weekend. Three weeks to lose it and I gain it all back in 3 days. Boo. Tuesday I had no running partner and was just not motivated to run alone in the morning. I ran 1 mile that evening so the day wasn't totally shot, but it certainly wasn't a workout either. I just ran to my inlaws instead of driving there. Two birds, one stone. I stayed up super late watching The Voice, even though I was also DVR'ing and could have gone to bed at a decent hour. So morning came and there was no way I was going swimming late. I can usually show up somewhere late and not care, but I am more self conscious now that I have a serious coach. Yup I am that lame that now I'd rather skip a workout then show up late. Too embarassing.

On the upside I lost 1 of my 5 pounds so only 4 more to go. I got into some crazy energy tonight and cleaned my whole house. Pretty random if you know me. I also have a running partner for tomorrow morning. Nope not at 5:00, but at 5:50AM which feels pretty luxurious. Plus, we are running in his neighborhood for the first time so I am excited for the change in scenery. In terms of marathon training I am not totally off track. I had a 3 miler scheduled for Tuesday and ran 1, better than none! I had a productive day at work today too. I think I just needed sleep. Not a brand new idea by any means, but adequate sleep is a pretty genius idea. A Miracle Drug if you will. On that note, I think I will hit the hay and try not to think too hard about how I am going to balance sleep, workouts, work and family time. I wish there were more hours in the day or that I was independently wealthy so I could get 40+hours of my life back to balance family time, workouts and sleep.

Why I Kick A$$: It only took me 2.5 days to stop beating myself up and recognizing I just needed sleep. Could've lasted way longer.

Thankful Three:

1. For Pizza
2. For Target with my Duder, he is so wonderfully helpful
3. For The Bug's school outfit today, she is so freak'n cute

Monday Motivation: Birthday Weekend Recap

Gluttony is not a secret vice.

~Orson Welles

Where do I start? I totally thought I would post a short Friday 5, maybe a picture for Saturday and do a full Sunday Summary....uh, nope WAY too busy enjoying birthday weekend. So here is the recap. May I just say returning to business as usual today was tough. Literally had a 5 hour meeting me 12 men and myself. How these men did not have to pee this whole time is beyond me. I had to excuse myself from the meeting. And am I the only one who gets hungry at lunch time? 10:00 start time, 2:30 finish time. Unfortunately by the time we finished I was D-O-N-E and "treated" myself not only to In-n-Out, but opted for the chocolate shake. Learned a bunch, but not how to "hold it," still working on that. Without further adieu, here's the weekend recap:

Friday

• 5:30 am swim practice-sprints
• 10:00 French Toast breakfast...so yummy
• Sometime that afternoon we did a lovely short hike to Eagle Lake across from Emerald baby. This is such touristy hike, but we had never done it and we had a short afternoon to fill. What was great is that there was so much snow, that manuvering around to the opposite  side of the lake scrambling over rocks got us some much needed quiet time for lunch.
• Our cabin was great, with a lovely view of the Nevada side of Kingsbury Grade
• Sushi Friday! All you can eat sushi Friday, made to order. Wish I took pictures, but alas, I was so hungry I only remembered after we were done stuffing ourselves eating.

Saturday-Hang Out Day

• While we were waiting to be seated at a late breakfast, my friend wondered allowed why we didn't book massages on this trip? GOOD QUESTION! I love my iPhone, last minute massages BOOKED!
• French Toast, eggs, toast, bacon, HOT CHOCOLATE....ugh, breakfast had a little too much grease, but yummy

We took a little walk until we found a secluded part of the Carson River and set up camp while our spouses walked the river to flyfish. We drank Shock Top Raspberry beer, ate gummy bears, gummy worms, beef jerky and read magazines. Pretty delightful.

After hanging by the river we walked a couple outdoor markets before we got out massages. I picked up a cute pair of earrings that if you look closely you can see them in my dinner picture. Massage was wonderful. It was a small very unassuming place, but the sports massage was perfect. Dinner was at Riva Restaurant on the water. Free Valet, but I think they should comp the corkage fee once the dinner price hits a certain number, among the 4 of us we did some damage to our pocket books. A Menu: Caprese Shooters-strawberry, tomato, basil, mozzarella and balsamic. I have heard of this recipe with watermelon, but the strawberries were a brilliant addition. Salad sucked, but I enjoyed some of my husband's extraordinary french onion au gratin soup. My main course was probably the most gluttonous dish I have ever had. I have done steak and lobster, but this was 2...T-W-O 6 oz lobster tails, a 7 oz bacon wrapped filet, garlic mash and perfectly prepared asparagus. The price was listed as "market price" and that old saying about "if you have to ask you can't afford it"....well that was kinda true. We all laughed so hard at the price when it came. That was the wine talking. Good thing birthdays are only 1x per year and I worked a little overtime the week before. Speaking of wine, we enjoyed an amazing bottle (that we brought) from a winery along the Northern California coast called 10 Degrees. It is a pinot with a great story, read it HERE. For dessert we ordered and shared 3 different desserts: Coffee and chocolate ice cream with Skor bar bits-delicious, lemon and blueberry cheese case with blueberry sauce and candied lemon zest, Champagne sabayon with fresh berries-strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry. The sabayon was a little thinner than sabayons that I have had, but still wonderfully delicious. Gluttony at its best Saturday night.

Sunday
I was pretty bacon'd out so we went with orangep-carrot juice and oatmeal from Jamba juice. We picked up sandwiches from the grocery and headed on our "big" hike. This is usually a moderately difficult 1000 ft elevation gain hike on a well maintained trail. Well, it's been a bit cold in tahoe and most of our trail was covered in snow or was soggy. At the .75 mile marker that was flooded with ice cold run off. While we only had to walk through about 30 yards of 2 ft deep water, it was so cold that it was actually painful. Crying, whinning, stinging kind of painful. Then we got to walk through a quarter mile that looked like this.

At the top we saw this:

Then we dropped down 1.5 miles to get here

Where we saw this

I wish I took more pictures. I laided out on a rock and napped, read magazines and panic'd that we wouldn't figure out the way back. The trail was so super snow covered. It took us 1 hour 40 minutes in, only 1 hr 18 was moving time to go 3.5 miles. We had to stop and take shoes on and off for the water crossing, stop at the top of snowy hills to figure out which way to go, and just rest on occasion. It took 1 hr 30+ minutes out. It was a gratifying hike, I am glad we had the creek overflow crossing and snow to make it more challenging.

We hit Mel's drive in on the way home where I realized I do not need anymore bacon (again). I do however need more chocolate banana milkshakes. The bomb!

I get the best birthday trips

Thankful Three

1. My husband, 10x over I love him the most
2. My in-laws. Facetime via iPad2 to hear see and hear my kids sing Happy Birthday was such an awesome gift
3. For great friends to spend the weekend with: Thanks SB and BD, you're the best!

Thoughtful Thursday: Peace vs Anxiety

A crust eaten in peace is better 

than a banquet partaken in anxiety.  

~Aesop, Fables

I have been doing so well with my weight loss, counting calories, but not counting out my favorite foods. Week 1 totally sucked and after 4 days I quit. I went a couple weeks of not counting and got to my highest weight since losing weight this past year. Yuck! Over this past spring I have gained a legitimate 5-6 pounds due to the family stress of losing two loved ones in a matter of months. That high weight a few weeks ago was 3-4 pounds above the spring weight gain. So I tried week 1 of calorie counting again. That icky extra 3 dropped quickly which was the motivation I needed to stick with the calorie counting. Week 2 I lost 3 more and here I am week 3 with only 2 (ish) pounds to go to my initial goal weight of 182. This is the weight I was able to maintain most of last year even without peak marathon or TRI training. How exciting is that?! What's even better is that besides the first week, calorie counting has not be very difficult.

This weekend I get to take a break from my busy life and relax. Like the quote says, better to eat in peace. I have had my fair share of anxiety and now it is time to find peace. No half hour lunch break for me tomorrow. I will not be counting restricting myself based on calories for the weekend. I will enjoy good food and good wine. I will enjoy sleeping in, staying up late and hiking the great outdoors in one of the most beautiful places in California or is it Nevada? LOL guess it's Both! Lake Tahoe promises to be beautiful as always and PEACEFUL! I still plan to hit swim practice tomorrow before we leave. House sitter and babysitters are all in place, I have the day off tomorrow so we can make it a long weekend and in addition to my hiking boots, I plan to pack my trail shoes for any exciting dirt paths that call my name. I may not actually run, but I certainly will be prepared to. Happy birthday to me!

New Goals:

• I don't want to gain a ton of weight this weekend, indulge yes, punish myself with food, no.
• With my initial 182 goal within reach, my next goal is 180. I believe 180 is sustainable early in the training season
• Long term: low weight during peak training 177, off season high weight 182) I think a 5 pound swing is the easiest to control
• July, begin weight training, focusing on back and pectoral strength, core and hip flexor strength and flexibility

Why I Kick A$$: I have nailed every workout this week so far!

Thankful Three

1. Family to take care of my family
2. Friends to enjoy the coming weekend with
3. Being in control again, damn it feels good

Monday Motivation: Give...please

Unless someone like you

cares a whole awful lot, 

nothing is going to get better.  

It's not.  

~Dr. Seuss

This is a repost for a something I put up in May. My birthday is just 6 days way and I wanted to do something fun and different for my 32nd birthday and got this recommendation: Get 32 people to donate $32. Thanks for the idea DS! I was afraid to post this right away for fear I couldn't do it, but if 1 person donates, then this effort will be a success. Please feel free to make a charitable contribution to any organization you want. Below are some of my current favorites. Please choose one of these or one of your own and leave a comment that you donated.

Please do this by June 26th and help me meet this goal of inspiring 32 people to GIVE $32. Shoot, pull out $32 singles and pass them out to 32 homeless people, it doesn't have to be an organization, the idea is just to give.

Thanks in advance for participating. 

Temple Israel Stockton-rebuilding the school fund

Hospice of San Joaquin-In Memory of my grandparents

Saint Joseph's Hospital-In Memory of my cousin, their ICU team was amazing


Why I Kick A$$: I have inspired people to give. Will you give?

Thankful Three

1. For my hubby who made fajita lettuce wraps for my diet conscious self
2. For Chocolate cake, with chocolate butter cream frosting and a dark chocolate shell (not diet food)
3. For my birthday count down

Saturday Sampler: Single Parent

The love of a family 

is life's greatest blessing.
~unknown

This week has been a little unusual. Super Hubby took off Tuesday night for an amazing few days of fishing, actually he still isn't home but should be any minute now. What that meant for our family was me solo: getting kids up, to daycare, to work on an amazingly busy week, and all the evening routine details. High five to all single parents out there, it is a tough job. What made this week easier is that I had plenty of support. Friends over for dinner Wednesday, friends come and join us for farmers market Thursday and my in laws pick up the kids Friday after daycare, a friend invited us to a picnic dinner Friday night, then today all day with my cousin and her daughter including lunch, park, swim, dinner and then ice cream. Phew. Couldn't have done it without my family and friends. When you fill up your day with love, it makes missing one of the biggest parts of our life just that much more tolerable. Still missed Super Hubby, but am so thankful for distractions.

Upside: Great time with the kids, an even deeper appreciation for my husband (if that is even possible), kept my eating undercontrol

Downside: REALLY missed my husband, workouts are off schedule and did I mention I really missed my husband? LOL

Why I Kick A$$: While I would never, ever, in a million years, ever, want to parent without my husband, but I know I can do it.

Thankful Three

1. For beautiful people in my life
2. For control
3. For coconut pineapple ice cream from Baskin Robins

Tuesday Tidbit on Wednesday: Momentum

Success comes from taking the initiative and 

following up...persisting...

eloquently expressing the depth of your love. 

What simple action could you take today 

to produce new momentum 

toward success in your life?

~Anthony Robbins

It is pretty late Wednesday night and my Tuesday post didn't post because of a stupid internet connection thing late last night when I typed this so I will just squeeze in the fact that  

I.HAVE.M-O-M-E-N-T-U-M! 

You read that right. I have momentum even though the long post I wrote yesterday didn't save when I went to post it and I didn't work out today and I could easily feel like I have lost momentum (gasp for breath because I am rattling information off like a 7th grade girl). Ok, no time for a long post, so here is a bullet recap of what I wrote yesterday:

• Sunday 20 mile ride rocked (14-15mph) 1hr 20 min
• Sunday basketball game: WIN, Points 16, Score 44-40
• Eating? Calorie counting no longer feels like a struggle and I doing well staying within a healthy 1-2 lb per week. I love eating what I want, just in moderation. Calories in and Calories, so simple.
• Monday swim: 1600yds, I need to get to practice on time so I can get that extra 10 min of swimming in. Also: Flip Turn: Success!
• Tuesday was my first run on my marathon training schedule: 3 miles, check!
• Wednesday: no sitter, no swim. Thought about jumping on the bike trainer, but a day off isn't so bad and I have a few core things I going to do once I hit "publish"
• Challenges this week: No sitter, means no running or swimming during the week. Not the best start to marathon training, but not world ending either. At worst I will miss my 3 mile run Thursday and a couple swims.
• Nervous Energy=Clean House
• Momentum: I finally feel like I have regained control over myself: food & exercise, now just to find my stride with work. It's only been a month, but I feel like maybe I expect too much of myself because the momentum at work is not moving at the same speed as the other successes in my life recently. I am doing fine, but I want to be excelling already and I am just doing fine.

Why I Kick A$$: My bestie stopped by today and thought maybe I had a maid come over because my house was so neat....Flip side? Maybe my house is so bad regularly that it couldn't look this good without hired intervention? I'll just take the compliment.

Thankful Three

1. 21 Season Salute from TJ's
2. Friends; Thanks D for today and thanks in advance to WC and AW for what is sure to be a great evening
3. For my precious kids, what can I say, they are just perfect

Saturday Sampler: Make up your mind

Indecision becomes decision with time. 

~Author Unknown

I was so stoked about my Thursday morning run. My partner usually texts me when he is on his way. When he didn't text I felt like maybe he wouldn't make it. When he was 10 minutes late I knew he wouldn't make it. During this time I paced my dinning room with my workout clothes and sneakers on. I was thinking that I was so tired and how nice it would have been to sleep in. I was also secretly hoping he wouldn't come so I could crawl back into bed. Then came the guilt. I don't want to be fat. I want to be fit. I should always choose working out over being lazy. This particular night my daughter had gotten up in the middle of the night so it was a great excuse to say I need sleep. Instead I had internal dialogue from 5:15 to 5:55. I considered hopping on the bike trainer too. The fact is I really wanted to sleep, but felt too guilty giving into that. I crawled into bed at 5:55 for "10 minute" which turned into 20 which turned into speeding to make it to work on time. Do you do this to yourself? 

If you are wondering why I didn't just go run alone you'll have to read this POST from last fall that has me a little skiddish about running solo. The other part is that it was garbage day and that tends to bring in visitors to the neighborhood. They are harmless I am sure, but strangers nonetheless. I just need to go for it and get over the fear, maybe take one or both of the dogs...something?!

Lesson: Have a plan B. I woke up tired, I should have made the decision right then and there that I would go back to bed. Instead I neither got a workout or sleep. Total lose-lose.

Thursday night was almost fantastic, farmers market with my friend W was great. I got enormous organic carrots, golden beets and stopped in the cheese shop for a few sampler sizes of cheese. They are generally .1-.3 lb in size. I got three!

 

The cheese actually turn out to be the perfect lunch or breakfast size portion. I took a Fiscalli badaged wrapped cheddar and a few slices of baguette to work Friday morning for breakfast. That and a few fresh apricots. Delicious! Why was it only "almost" fantastic? My Bug had a complete blow out as we were leaving. Stripping down a 1 1/2 yr old in a parking garage and going through what seemed like an entire pack of wipes turned out to be quite the adventure. Ah, the joys of parenting. My friend W, totally elevated to saint status for salvaging the wreckage called the stroller the Bug was sitting in.

Yesterday's pool workout turned into a flip turn lesson. I was doing great in the shallows, no problem. I am generally good at mechanics so I wasn't surprised that I was good at it quickly. Then we moved to the deep end and I failed. Seriously, totally failed. I looked like a damn clown flipping and coming up hitting my head on the lane line for pushing off crooked. Then coming up a lane over another time. My coach wants us to flip and be totally face up to the sky when are feet hit and as soon as we push off then turn over. I being the impatient person that I am, got to the deep end and was starting to turn before I pushed off and my feet were totally landing on the wall wrong. Everyone says I'll get better with practice. I personally am frustrated that I wasn't awesome at it before I left the pool. This is how I decided to wreck my diet at 10PM Friday night. I don't know why I do this to myself. Actually I didn't eat any pizza, but devoured like 5 breadsticks.

Today Super Hubby is at a golf tournament and left at 4:30 this AM. I got a text at 7:45 am inviting me to run. The kids were still in bed so the double jogger wasn't an option, I was totally bummed. Although I had to decline that invite, I got to say yes to the next which was for a 20-25 mile bike ride tomorrow morning. If that wasn't a great start to my day, we had a great tot t-ball game and we have a birthday party this afternoon. Wahoo! If my hubby is back early enough maybe I can run tonight.

Why I Kick A$$: I decided against the oreo cookie milk shake Thursday, all 810 calories of it.

Thankful Three

1. My extended family. I love that my kids have so many cousins to play with
2. My cheese finds
3. My nap time so I can type this post