Hello lovely bloggies!! I have moved my whole operation over to wordpress due to many reasons.
Please update your google readers, and rss feeds. I would hate for you to miss anything! Because you just never know what's going on with Destination 26.2!! :)
My new home is www.destination262.wordpress.com
Come over and say hello! Even if you don't normally comment I would love for you to at the new place so I can finally say HI back. Since wordpress allows you to comment back easier. I think? Oh gosh, I have ALOT of figuring out to do.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Just me and the mill
Last night I embarked on a solo run. It was the lonely treadmill and I. After a few moments of running in silence trying to find my groove I ended up plugging in my ear phones and zoned into The Bachelor for a bit until I couldn't stand it anymore.
Immediately thoughts started popping into my head. Darn! I instantly thought of Kim at iLaxStudio. A few days ago she said that she usually keeps a pad of paper and pen at her treadmill just for these moments. I tried to remember whatever it was I thought was so interesting at the time, but as I fell into the rythm of the treadmill all thoughts were lost.
But then around mile 2 another thought hit me... I am currently reading "Runner's World's Complete Book of Women's Running" by Dagny Scott Barrios.
I just finished chapter 6 which opens up the question on When do you decide to call yourself a jogger or runner? Because to a lot of people this is a big deal. I know it is for me.
I was thinking about this question as I was huffing and puffing my way through mile 2. Does running on a treadmill make me a runner? Does running in a race make me a runner?
I personally have never even thought about labeling myself a jogger. I think of joggers as those who go out in their sweat pants, maybe with a dog on a leash just breezing by without a care in the world.
I think of runners as the intense ones. The ones who have that look of determination and focus. They may not be running fast but they are in the zone and are running with their hearts.
Now I am noone to judge the difference between a jogger and a runner. Hell, people probably pass by me and label me a 'jogger'. Whatever, they can call me whatever they want.
I think the important thing is what you call yourself. I have never once called myself anything other than a runner. Because ulitmately that is what I am and what I strive to be.
I run in races. I will run in many more races. I may have only clocked in my longest run at 6 miles but to me that is success. Some may have only a 5k under their belts, but to them that is a running achievement.
So as I finished up my 3 mile run with the mill I decided that as long as my feet are litteraly moving toward my goal of running in a marathon then I am a runner.
What are your thoughts on runners vs joggers? I am curious to hear what you call yourself and why.
Immediately thoughts started popping into my head. Darn! I instantly thought of Kim at iLaxStudio. A few days ago she said that she usually keeps a pad of paper and pen at her treadmill just for these moments. I tried to remember whatever it was I thought was so interesting at the time, but as I fell into the rythm of the treadmill all thoughts were lost.
But then around mile 2 another thought hit me... I am currently reading "Runner's World's Complete Book of Women's Running" by Dagny Scott Barrios.
I just finished chapter 6 which opens up the question on When do you decide to call yourself a jogger or runner? Because to a lot of people this is a big deal. I know it is for me.
I was thinking about this question as I was huffing and puffing my way through mile 2. Does running on a treadmill make me a runner? Does running in a race make me a runner?
I personally have never even thought about labeling myself a jogger. I think of joggers as those who go out in their sweat pants, maybe with a dog on a leash just breezing by without a care in the world.
I think of runners as the intense ones. The ones who have that look of determination and focus. They may not be running fast but they are in the zone and are running with their hearts.
Now I am noone to judge the difference between a jogger and a runner. Hell, people probably pass by me and label me a 'jogger'. Whatever, they can call me whatever they want.
I think the important thing is what you call yourself. I have never once called myself anything other than a runner. Because ulitmately that is what I am and what I strive to be.
I run in races. I will run in many more races. I may have only clocked in my longest run at 6 miles but to me that is success. Some may have only a 5k under their belts, but to them that is a running achievement.
So as I finished up my 3 mile run with the mill I decided that as long as my feet are litteraly moving toward my goal of running in a marathon then I am a runner.
What are your thoughts on runners vs joggers? I am curious to hear what you call yourself and why.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Confessions of a non-food blogger...
I have a confession to make...
I think I secretly wish I was a food blogger.
I say I think because I am not always so sure. I might have a commitment problem. Sometimes I know that it would be a good thing for me because then I would be more aware of what I was eating. As well as be more accountable for what I was eating. I also think it would tempt me to make more fun, healthy and interesting meals.
Then sometimes I am glad I haven't committed because then I wouldn't feel so conflicted when I have eaten Ben & Jerry's or frozen pizza. Which is exactly what I ate for dinner last night - case and point.
So I guess I will just do what I have been doing and that is showcasing my favorite meals. The ones in which I think are fun, look pretty, or have some spunk to them.
Which brings to me to my sunday funday breakfast! I knew I was going to hit up my favorite cardio kickboxing class today and wanted to be full of energy. I was inspired by an episode of Iron Chef where they made these mini dessert pancake sandwiches. Sounds a little bizaar I know.
To which I created my EggPanwich.
You may have wondered to yourself what's the dealio with this girl and pancakes? Who really knows? I hated them my whole life. Seriously. Then in the past few months I started experimenting with bananas, pumpkin and pretty much whatever I can find.
So the EggPanwich was created this morning and was ridiculously amazing.
My pancakes had a little maple kick.
Once you make the pancakes, you top with a fried egg.
Then add one strip of bacon and a tiny squirt of maple syrup for taste.
Holy yum! This breakfast was incredible and it filled me up! It also gave me tons of energy to kick and punch it up at my cardio kickboxing class.
What a great way to start my sunday! Now I can't honestly say that I won't be turning into a food blogger any time soon, as it has been something in the back of my mind. But for the next few months I will just keep you all on your toes, as I will be a lot more focused on mine. Well my feet anyways. Since this blog is supposed to be about the marathoner in the making!
I think I secretly wish I was a food blogger.
I say I think because I am not always so sure. I might have a commitment problem. Sometimes I know that it would be a good thing for me because then I would be more aware of what I was eating. As well as be more accountable for what I was eating. I also think it would tempt me to make more fun, healthy and interesting meals.
Then sometimes I am glad I haven't committed because then I wouldn't feel so conflicted when I have eaten Ben & Jerry's or frozen pizza. Which is exactly what I ate for dinner last night - case and point.
So I guess I will just do what I have been doing and that is showcasing my favorite meals. The ones in which I think are fun, look pretty, or have some spunk to them.
Which brings to me to my sunday funday breakfast! I knew I was going to hit up my favorite cardio kickboxing class today and wanted to be full of energy. I was inspired by an episode of Iron Chef where they made these mini dessert pancake sandwiches. Sounds a little bizaar I know.
To which I created my EggPanwich.
You may have wondered to yourself what's the dealio with this girl and pancakes? Who really knows? I hated them my whole life. Seriously. Then in the past few months I started experimenting with bananas, pumpkin and pretty much whatever I can find.
So the EggPanwich was created this morning and was ridiculously amazing.
My pancakes had a little maple kick.
Once you make the pancakes, you top with a fried egg.
Then add one strip of bacon and a tiny squirt of maple syrup for taste.
Holy yum! This breakfast was incredible and it filled me up! It also gave me tons of energy to kick and punch it up at my cardio kickboxing class.
What a great way to start my sunday! Now I can't honestly say that I won't be turning into a food blogger any time soon, as it has been something in the back of my mind. But for the next few months I will just keep you all on your toes, as I will be a lot more focused on mine. Well my feet anyways. Since this blog is supposed to be about the marathoner in the making!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Fruity Friday: The Hawaiian Inspired Edition
You probably eat it all the time, but did you ever wonder what it tastes like straight from the nut? Well I am here to tell you how it is!
Meet Coco, The Coconut! 
But before I go into depth on the fruit of the week I have tell you what inspired me to buy Coco in it's full form.
J. Alabama (the bf) and I decided to branch out of our normal routine and try this Hawaiian Restaurant called Ono Hawaiian Cafe.
We decided to start our dinner off with an appetizer. When I looked at the menu I saw that they referred to it as PUPUS. Teeheehee...this made me laugh.
Our Pupu of choice was the coconut shrimp. (This may have been the start to coconut adventure.)
After we indulged in the delicious coconut shrimp it was time for my main entree. I settled on the Moanalua.
(the flower was my favorite part, oh yeah besides all the yummy stuff!)
Moanalua: Chicken Katsu Curry marinated chicken breaded in panko fried til crisp served with coconut curry sauce. I can't forget to mention the side of coconut infused rice!
Okay, so it probably doesn't sound all that healthy but the meal was amazing. I am a huge fan of curry too, so this was a perfect combo for my taste buds. It was also alot of food. It took at least two meals for me to finish it off.
So needless to say, after this coconutty experience I decided that I had to have one all of my own. And I was really interested in experience the task of opening one.
So folks, I welcome you to the Coconut Experience.
To open Coco you need tools. Seriously? It's a fruit right? Or is a nut? Heck I don't know and quite frankly I don't really care. I just want to get this thing open!
Get your pliers, hammers, nails, drills... whatever you think you will need ready. It's gonna be a chore!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention they now sell the "easy to open" coconuts!
First step: You must really nicely convince your boyfriend that he has now been dubbed 'opener of thy nut' as you act as the assistant taking lots of pictures and maybe handing him a tool or two if he needs them.
The goal is to puncture Coco in three spots. We used a hammer and nail. It's very important that you see Coco's face. (Do you see it? Eyes, nose, mouth?)
By hammering in nail holes you are relieving some of the pressure. After that J. Alabama actually had to take the thing outside. Because pounding really hard on my counters with a hammer and coconut probably sounded really horrible to my neighbors. Once outside he cracked that baby open. I was squealing with delight.. ooohh coconut milk. Yeah! Like real coconut milk from a real coconut!
This is what he brought in with him.
An empty nut. :(
I got ripped off. My coconut was milk less. There was not a drop in there.
After I pouted for about 30 seconds I grabbed a knife and helped deshell Coco. We were now down to the fresh coconut meat.
I put a small piece into my mouth to savor the experience. What I tasted was coconut.
I mean what did you expect me say? It wasn't juicy, it wasn't sweet.
It was just coconut.
But it was kind of disappointing. Maybe because my coconut was milk less it was dryer than usual? But I didn't even think Coco tasted as good as it does out of the bag from the store. (that is the saddest part I think).
Well I was definitely determined to put Coco to good use. So I had a plan.
Coco meet cheese grater. Cheese grater meet Coco.
I will just make my own coconut flakes. Because quite honestly I did not know what else I was going to do with a bunch of dry pieces of coconut. You will have stayed tuned to see how I creatively use my very own coconut. YAY!
In case you really wondered, this source refers to Coco as a fruit. But there are many debates on whether it actually is a fruit, nut, or seed. Interesting huh?
And don't forget to stop by Aneta's Blog to check our her take on the Coconut!
But before I go into depth on the fruit of the week I have tell you what inspired me to buy Coco in it's full form.
J. Alabama (the bf) and I decided to branch out of our normal routine and try this Hawaiian Restaurant called Ono Hawaiian Cafe.
We decided to start our dinner off with an appetizer. When I looked at the menu I saw that they referred to it as PUPUS. Teeheehee...this made me laugh.
Our Pupu of choice was the coconut shrimp. (This may have been the start to coconut adventure.)
After we indulged in the delicious coconut shrimp it was time for my main entree. I settled on the Moanalua.
(the flower was my favorite part, oh yeah besides all the yummy stuff!)
Moanalua: Chicken Katsu Curry marinated chicken breaded in panko fried til crisp served with coconut curry sauce. I can't forget to mention the side of coconut infused rice!
Okay, so it probably doesn't sound all that healthy but the meal was amazing. I am a huge fan of curry too, so this was a perfect combo for my taste buds. It was also alot of food. It took at least two meals for me to finish it off.
So needless to say, after this coconutty experience I decided that I had to have one all of my own. And I was really interested in experience the task of opening one.
So folks, I welcome you to the Coconut Experience.
To open Coco you need tools. Seriously? It's a fruit right? Or is a nut? Heck I don't know and quite frankly I don't really care. I just want to get this thing open!
Get your pliers, hammers, nails, drills... whatever you think you will need ready. It's gonna be a chore!
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention they now sell the "easy to open" coconuts!
First step: You must really nicely convince your boyfriend that he has now been dubbed 'opener of thy nut' as you act as the assistant taking lots of pictures and maybe handing him a tool or two if he needs them.
The goal is to puncture Coco in three spots. We used a hammer and nail. It's very important that you see Coco's face. (Do you see it? Eyes, nose, mouth?)
By hammering in nail holes you are relieving some of the pressure. After that J. Alabama actually had to take the thing outside. Because pounding really hard on my counters with a hammer and coconut probably sounded really horrible to my neighbors. Once outside he cracked that baby open. I was squealing with delight.. ooohh coconut milk. Yeah! Like real coconut milk from a real coconut!
This is what he brought in with him.
I got ripped off. My coconut was milk less. There was not a drop in there.
After I pouted for about 30 seconds I grabbed a knife and helped deshell Coco. We were now down to the fresh coconut meat.
I put a small piece into my mouth to savor the experience. What I tasted was coconut.
I mean what did you expect me say? It wasn't juicy, it wasn't sweet.
It was just coconut.
But it was kind of disappointing. Maybe because my coconut was milk less it was dryer than usual? But I didn't even think Coco tasted as good as it does out of the bag from the store. (that is the saddest part I think).
Well I was definitely determined to put Coco to good use. So I had a plan.
Coco meet cheese grater. Cheese grater meet Coco.
I will just make my own coconut flakes. Because quite honestly I did not know what else I was going to do with a bunch of dry pieces of coconut. You will have stayed tuned to see how I creatively use my very own coconut. YAY!
In case you really wondered, this source refers to Coco as a fruit. But there are many debates on whether it actually is a fruit, nut, or seed. Interesting huh?
And don't forget to stop by Aneta's Blog to check our her take on the Coconut!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
My Purple Monster
Well this morning was definitely not as productive as yesterday, that's for sure! However, I still managed to find a wee bit of time this morning to try out one of my christmas presents that I have been dying to use. (A big thanks goes out to my mom & dad!)
I present to you the Smoothie Blast!
I was complaining that my blender was acting up and probably going to die on me any day. I don't know what I would do if that happened because I pretty much start everyday with the infamous green monster smoothie.
So my parent's take good hints and got me this awesome smoothie blender. Well this morning I decided to try something new in my new blender. It's not too far from my usual, but when I looked at the fruits I had to work with I thought what a better way to break in the smoothie blast then by switching it up a bit.
Well the base is always good ole spinach. A few handfuls does a body good!
This little guy was looking like he needed some smoothie love today.
To change it up I added about 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries. This was new and exciting for me.
A handful of fresh blackberries for good measure.
Oh and an unpictured scoop of protein powder for added ooomph!
Then blend away! The best part about the Smoothie Blast is the stir stick thing in the middle. It helped alot to push all the spinach down. With my old blender it was not such an easy process to do this and I usually ended up making a huge mess!
Check it out, it even has a convenient pour spout!
And look, no hands!
And then the purple monster was born.
My Purple Monster!
Okay the straw didn't work so well in the wine glass. I like to drink out of classy glasses sometimes because it makes me happy. Funny huh? I sometimes think it's the little things that can bring so much joy.
P.S The Purple monster was berry-licious! It's a keeper of a recipe.
What is your favorite fun smoothie concoction? (I am usually a peanut butter & banana girl).
I was complaining that my blender was acting up and probably going to die on me any day. I don't know what I would do if that happened because I pretty much start everyday with the infamous green monster smoothie.
So my parent's take good hints and got me this awesome smoothie blender. Well this morning I decided to try something new in my new blender. It's not too far from my usual, but when I looked at the fruits I had to work with I thought what a better way to break in the smoothie blast then by switching it up a bit.
Well the base is always good ole spinach. A few handfuls does a body good!
This little guy was looking like he needed some smoothie love today.
To change it up I added about 1/3 cup of frozen blueberries. This was new and exciting for me.
A handful of fresh blackberries for good measure.
Oh and an unpictured scoop of protein powder for added ooomph!
Then blend away! The best part about the Smoothie Blast is the stir stick thing in the middle. It helped alot to push all the spinach down. With my old blender it was not such an easy process to do this and I usually ended up making a huge mess!
Check it out, it even has a convenient pour spout!
And look, no hands!
And then the purple monster was born.
My Purple Monster!
Okay the straw didn't work so well in the wine glass. I like to drink out of classy glasses sometimes because it makes me happy. Funny huh? I sometimes think it's the little things that can bring so much joy.
P.S The Purple monster was berry-licious! It's a keeper of a recipe.
What is your favorite fun smoothie concoction? (I am usually a peanut butter & banana girl).
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Success = Pumpkinchip Pancakes
Do you set yourself up to succeed?
If you haven't noticed I love to make goals. And I love to achieve them. But what I have found to be the best method to success is that you still must put a lot of effort in before you even start.
Yes, this may mean to simply pull out my workout clothes from the dryer and set them neatly in a pile ready for me to grab in the morning.
It means to dig through my closet to find my designated spinning shoes ahead of time.
And this refers to the lovely task of finding two matching athletic socks and putting them in range of the shoes.
Now this doesn't seem like such a chore to most people, but at 5:00 am in the morning it makes all the difference in the world. I am not usually a happy camper until the spinning class is over. But then I'm high on life!
So this morning was a test. A test of my strength and will. I set myself up to succeed. I laid out my clothes the night before. I set my alarm clock for the earth shattering time of 4:50 am and went to bed before the strike of 10:00 pm, all in efforts to get in a 50 minute morning spin class.
Well let me just assure you that it worked wonderfully! I was excited when I woke up and it was easy for me to get ready and make it my spin class early. I am so glad I was so prepared because when I got there I only saw 2 available seats left. And class didn't start for 10 more minutes. These spinners are hardcore!
I was excited to see a familiar face upon my arrival to spin class, Paige from The STP Experiment. She is the person who first got me started on running and spinning! She is currently training for her own adventure of riding 206 miles on bike from Seattle To Portland in 6 months. Now that is intense!
Well the class kicked my butt. I was sweating up a storm in a matter of minutes. But I remember how good I felt last year when I regularly attended these early morning spinning classes. I have noticed that is really helps my endurance when running. I was also especially excitable when the spin instructor said to stand up on our bikes and run. I did envision myself running with purpose and intensity, though I was still on a bike. It rocked!
Being done with my workout and showered before 7:00 am gave me lots of extra time to do things I wouldn't normally do on a work day. I had time to eat a real breakfast.
I was craving pumpkin & chocolate so that's what I had. I had a little pumpkin left over and threw in a handful of carob (which tastes similar to chocolate and seems more healthy to me). But it hit the spot nonetheless!
And let me just preface my breakfast by saying I have actually never, by myself, made pancakes. I usually pawn this job off to the boyfriend, because he is SO good at it. But today it was just me, all by myself.
So the first batch was a little over done. Oops!
Second batch, a little battery in the middle. Double oops!
But all in all I could taste the sweet pumpkiny-chocolaty taste of success in my mouth. I accomplished more this morning (and feel amazing) than I do in most days. I found that taking the extra time to set myself up to succeed really made all the difference in the world.
What are tips you do to set yourself up for achieving your goals?
If you haven't noticed I love to make goals. And I love to achieve them. But what I have found to be the best method to success is that you still must put a lot of effort in before you even start.
Yes, this may mean to simply pull out my workout clothes from the dryer and set them neatly in a pile ready for me to grab in the morning.
It means to dig through my closet to find my designated spinning shoes ahead of time.
And this refers to the lovely task of finding two matching athletic socks and putting them in range of the shoes.
Now this doesn't seem like such a chore to most people, but at 5:00 am in the morning it makes all the difference in the world. I am not usually a happy camper until the spinning class is over. But then I'm high on life!
So this morning was a test. A test of my strength and will. I set myself up to succeed. I laid out my clothes the night before. I set my alarm clock for the earth shattering time of 4:50 am and went to bed before the strike of 10:00 pm, all in efforts to get in a 50 minute morning spin class.
Well let me just assure you that it worked wonderfully! I was excited when I woke up and it was easy for me to get ready and make it my spin class early. I am so glad I was so prepared because when I got there I only saw 2 available seats left. And class didn't start for 10 more minutes. These spinners are hardcore!
I was excited to see a familiar face upon my arrival to spin class, Paige from The STP Experiment. She is the person who first got me started on running and spinning! She is currently training for her own adventure of riding 206 miles on bike from Seattle To Portland in 6 months. Now that is intense!
Well the class kicked my butt. I was sweating up a storm in a matter of minutes. But I remember how good I felt last year when I regularly attended these early morning spinning classes. I have noticed that is really helps my endurance when running. I was also especially excitable when the spin instructor said to stand up on our bikes and run. I did envision myself running with purpose and intensity, though I was still on a bike. It rocked!
Being done with my workout and showered before 7:00 am gave me lots of extra time to do things I wouldn't normally do on a work day. I had time to eat a real breakfast.
I was craving pumpkin & chocolate so that's what I had. I had a little pumpkin left over and threw in a handful of carob (which tastes similar to chocolate and seems more healthy to me). But it hit the spot nonetheless!
And let me just preface my breakfast by saying I have actually never, by myself, made pancakes. I usually pawn this job off to the boyfriend, because he is SO good at it. But today it was just me, all by myself.
So the first batch was a little over done. Oops!
Second batch, a little battery in the middle. Double oops!
But all in all I could taste the sweet pumpkiny-chocolaty taste of success in my mouth. I accomplished more this morning (and feel amazing) than I do in most days. I found that taking the extra time to set myself up to succeed really made all the difference in the world.
What are tips you do to set yourself up for achieving your goals?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Weighing the Costs
Who knew that the sport of running would be such a costly hobby?
Seriously?!
I thought by picking running out of the many other hobbies my wallet would be safe. I mean really - when running what else do you need besides a pair of running shoes?
The shoes are the most important part, I agree. They are the soul of your sole.
I just realized though that my new "investment" aka my pink runners are not going to do it for it me. I mean, they will get me through a good chunk of pre-marathon training, but they will only be pair 1 of shoes that get me through 2010.
I am sure atleast 1-2 more pairs will purchased between now and October 17th, 2010. And that is not all. There is the changing seasons to account for. The new running shorts, wicking tanks, wicking shirts, running skirt (must have), running socks, sports bras, the glide, the gu AND the race entry fees (to name a few)!
Do I sound like I am whining? Maybe a little. I guess I just thought I was buying a pair of shoes. I thought I might run in one little 5k race because well who buys a $100 pair of shoes and doesn't show them off? Duh! So naturally I had to sign up for that race.
I didn't head the warnings. People said I would get addicted after the first race. The rush of hundreds of people swarming past you. The sounds of feet patting the pavement. The smell of sweat and determination in the air. And let's not forget the feeling of accomplishment and excitement when you cross that finish line. Whether it be the first time or the 49th time, it's a damn amazing feeling.
I actually started this running adventure as a way to lose a few pounds. I thought what the heck, running seems like a great form of cardio and it's a great excuse to get outside once in awhile.
It's been about 9 months since I first slipped on my old New Balance running shoes. I don't miss the shin splints, the chaffing ( I hadn't received the memo of cotton being the devil yet), and the feeling that my chest was going to expode out of my body.
But I am loving the feeling of freedom as I run through the greenbelt. I am loving the comraderie that was formed with The Will Run For Wine running group. I am amazed everyday at how I am able to push my body in new ways. And I am thankful for the support of people in my life.
Running may be slowly draining whatever life savings I might have had, but in the long run (pun intended) I know it's the way to go! My body, mind and spirit seem happier after each and every run. So I have to conclude that for me running makes sense. If only I could find a way for it to make cents, I'm sure my mindbodyspirit would be even more delighted.
Happy Running!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Workout Weekend
It's amazing how my mind set changed once I wrote out my goalutions and made them official. I feel as though I am more aware of my every action and it seems easier for me to do the things I wrote down.
This process was more powerful than I thought. I decided to hang them on my wall so I can look them every day and remind myself of what my intentions are.
A weekend update...
I accomplished many things that were on my 10 for 2010!
- I lived an active lifestyle.
Thursday I went to my favorite cardio kickboxing class for a 60 minute sweat-fest. This was my first official visit to the gym in 2010 and was surprised that it wasn't as overcrowded as I had thought it was going to be.
Friday I decided it was time to get the first run of the year under my belt. My goal was to just run for 30 minutes. I didn't care how far I went or how fast, just 30 minutes. Well I fell into a groove on the treadmill, maybe it was my new running shoes or the peacefulness of running with no music but the sound of my feet hitting the tread. I started going faster and felt amazing. I managed to bust out 3 miles in 31:30 which is a crazy amazing time for me on the treadmill. I was feeling good afterwards!
Saturday I felt the need to just sweat a little. I hit the gym up yet again for a nice 40 minute cardio session. I did 20 mins on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the bike.
Sunday - Fun day! Okay so today was the highlight of my weekend because The Will Run For Wine running group had it's first group run of the year. Wahoooo! It was also one of the nicest days we have had in long while - 44 degrees! We ran a beautiful run along the greenbelt and got in 4 miles . Today was mainly about getting back outside and having some fun. I love the girlies that I run with. They make it fun and exciting.
On an exciting note, I am happy to say I was tagged by Katie at Fit to Wed with the beautiful blogger award! This is my first ever blog award!
The rules are that I am to write 7 random facts about myself and then pass this lovely award on to 7 lovely bloggers! So here goes...
1. I am obsessed with Italy. I had the chance to study abroad for 9 months and have visited there one other time. I would choose to live there again if it were possible. I just love the language, the food, the wine and the culture!
2. I love to car dance! I am so one of those people who is rocking out, singing at the top of my lungs and busting a groove in my car. I just pretend that people aren't gawking out their windows at me and I can continue on as normal.
3. I have a this problem where I literally fall asleep while watching movies. It is usually about 9 times out of 10 and it doesn't matter where I am. I have slept through I-MAX 3d movies, I have fallen asleep in theatres and almost always while watching movies at home. I think it really bugs the bf because we rent a movie and have to watch in like 2-3 increments over several days.
4. My favorite singer of all time is Jonny Lang. He is a beautiful blues singer. I never considered myself a blues fan, but his music moves me.
5. I was a sorority girl! Yeah it rocked! Boise State University did not have your typical greek scene, so it was actually more like a club. But I learned so much about myself & life in those years and made the most amazing friends. I heart you my Delta Beta Nu sisters! (Many of the Will Run For Wine group is comprised of my sorority sisters, crazy to see how strong the bond is).
6. A trait passed on to my by my lovely mother - an obsession with calendars! It's true, we like to hang them in every room. And we can't feel at peace starting a new unless we have atleast 3 calendars purchased. It's almost sick, but there is just something so gratifying about writing things on calendars.
7. I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I used to write stories all the time and hoped one day I would publish a book. I actually got out of the habit for many many years until I found blogging. It seems to be a great creative outlet for me. And who knows, I can still dream about a book deal in my future. It seems to be working out for a lot of bloggers these days.
So now I would like to pass along this Beautiful Blogger Award to these 7 beautiful bloggers!
1. Karathon @ Kara's Marathon
2. Gina @ Looking Forward
3. Aneta @ Confession of a Rambunctious Runner
4. Paige @ The STP Experiment
5. Dana @ Darting Through Traffic
6. Springs. Steel Springs.
7. Sami @ Eat Breath Run 13.1
I am excited to hear your 7 random things!! :) Happy week everyone!
Friday, January 8, 2010
My ten for 2010
Okay so who said my new year's resolutions/goals had to be declared by 01.01.10?
I mean really?
I think any day is as good as ever to decide to make a change. And as I mentioned yesterday, today is that day. HOOORAY! :)
Once I reveal my Goalutions (lol, I mixed resolution and goals teeehehehe), it's official. No more bitching. No more whining. No more excuses. Game on!
And to preface my Goalutions I would like present my mantra for the year. I am sooooo a mantra person.
I dubbed "2000 - Great" for 2008
I dubbed "Time to shine in 2009"
And now "Doing it Again in 2010" (This refers to having an amazing and productive year such as that of my 2009)
I now present you with My Top 10 for 2010.
{Body}
1. Choose to live an active lifestyle and do it with purpose & intensity
Mini-goal: Run alot. Complete a half-marathon, Relay Race & Marathon. Participate in kickboxing, yoga, spinning and body pump classes each week. Ride bike to work more often. Lose 25 lbs.
2. Eat with intention and for health
Mini-goal: Eat & drink in moderation. Choose healthful things to put in my body. Continue to cook new and interesting meals. Drink tons of water.
{Mind}
3. Continue to feed my mind
Mini-goal: Read 1 book per month. Continue to learn about things that interest me, running, being healthy, cookbooks...etc
4. Cultivate my Culture
Mini-goal: Practice Italian language. Read books, watch movies and cook unique dishes. Learn more about my heritage.
5. Find a financial balance in my life
Mini-goal: Conscious saving. Budget. Live within means.
{Spirit}
6. Act with my heart
Mini-goal: Continue to take opportunities to give back and think bigger. Community Service projects monthly. Inspire others.
7. Embrace my Spirituality
Mini-goal: Delve deeper into my spiritual faith. Continue to learn and be open-minded. Practice meditation.
{Social-Emotional}
8. Connect within my relationships
Mini-goal: Plan meaningful gatherings and be present when I am there. Take time for life. Write more cards & make more personal phone calls.
9. Mindfully express myself
Mini-goal: Blog with purpose. Inspire through my words & experiences. Create art.
10. Be Happy with Me.
Mini-goal:Celebrate my victories. Take time for myself. Don't be so hard on myself. Do things that make me "The Linz".
I am committed to these things and I am joyed to take charge of my life. I am ready to do things differently and with passion. I have no doubt that 2010 will be the year that I find my inner Linz. And I am so happy that you will be there for me to share it with you! :)
I mean really?
I think any day is as good as ever to decide to make a change. And as I mentioned yesterday, today is that day. HOOORAY! :)
Once I reveal my Goalutions (lol, I mixed resolution and goals teeehehehe), it's official. No more bitching. No more whining. No more excuses. Game on!
And to preface my Goalutions I would like present my mantra for the year. I am sooooo a mantra person.
I dubbed "2000 - Great" for 2008
I dubbed "Time to shine in 2009"
And now "Doing it Again in 2010" (This refers to having an amazing and productive year such as that of my 2009)
I now present you with My Top 10 for 2010.
{Body}
1. Choose to live an active lifestyle and do it with purpose & intensity
Mini-goal: Run alot. Complete a half-marathon, Relay Race & Marathon. Participate in kickboxing, yoga, spinning and body pump classes each week. Ride bike to work more often. Lose 25 lbs.
2. Eat with intention and for health
Mini-goal: Eat & drink in moderation. Choose healthful things to put in my body. Continue to cook new and interesting meals. Drink tons of water.
{Mind}
3. Continue to feed my mind
Mini-goal: Read 1 book per month. Continue to learn about things that interest me, running, being healthy, cookbooks...etc
4. Cultivate my Culture
Mini-goal: Practice Italian language. Read books, watch movies and cook unique dishes. Learn more about my heritage.
5. Find a financial balance in my life
Mini-goal: Conscious saving. Budget. Live within means.
{Spirit}
6. Act with my heart
Mini-goal: Continue to take opportunities to give back and think bigger. Community Service projects monthly. Inspire others.
7. Embrace my Spirituality
Mini-goal: Delve deeper into my spiritual faith. Continue to learn and be open-minded. Practice meditation.
{Social-Emotional}
8. Connect within my relationships
Mini-goal: Plan meaningful gatherings and be present when I am there. Take time for life. Write more cards & make more personal phone calls.
9. Mindfully express myself
Mini-goal: Blog with purpose. Inspire through my words & experiences. Create art.
10. Be Happy with Me.
Mini-goal:Celebrate my victories. Take time for myself. Don't be so hard on myself. Do things that make me "The Linz".
I am committed to these things and I am joyed to take charge of my life. I am ready to do things differently and with passion. I have no doubt that 2010 will be the year that I find my inner Linz. And I am so happy that you will be there for me to share it with you! :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
A Step Toward Resolution
My process of translating New Year's Resolutions into goals is becoming harder than you would think. I wanted to put thought, planning and heart into each one. Every day that has passed since January 1st has given me more to think about when crafting each goal and some anxiety since well New Year's Resolutions usually happen on the first day of the year.
I was inspired by Tricia's posting of her amazing transformation and took to heart that attitude & determination is everything. She decided one day last year (it was the 5th of January to be exact) that she was ready to live her life differently and she did just that. Her story got me to thinking that any day is as good as ever to change your life. So I didn't feel so bad that my resolution/goals had not been announced to the world yet.
I also attended a Franklin Covey seminar earlier this week about organization and goal planning which also bombarded my brain with great ideas. A tip that stuck out in my mind was "Do not set goals based on a feeling when you make that goal".
There are just going to be days when you do not feel like doing whatever it is you declared you were going to do. And you have to realize that the excitment & newness feeling will wear off eventually.
But if you have set the right intentions, identified your values, made a game plan and are commited, you will succeed. You must realize that you are not always going to feel that runner's high like the day you did when you decided you were going to make the goal to run a marathon.
So don't make the goal because you feel amazing after a run. Make the goal because you value your health and body and would like to push your limits farther than they have been pushed.
How to achieve your New Year Resolution/Goal:
1. Start today. (the waiting period just gives you more time to stew over it. It's like a bandaid, just rip it off already!) What are you waiting for?
2. Do it everyday. (Consistency is the key. Commit to daily actions that will further you toward your goal)
3. Finish it. (Easy enough?)
Now intermingled in this 1,2,3 is setting yourself up to succeed. Making a goal is all fine and dandy until someone gets hurts. So you need to take your goal to the next level of a weekly and daily plan. It seems like a lot of work, but this plan of attack is imperative for you to reach your destination.
Taking a day each week to plan a full week's workouts takes the thought out of it. If it's part of the plan for the day then you won't stress or tempt yourself into straying away. This can also go with planning a food menu for the week.
Stay tuned, I am going to reveal my goals/resolutions tomorrow! I am excited to have taken so much time to work them into real attainable goals.
I was inspired by Tricia's posting of her amazing transformation and took to heart that attitude & determination is everything. She decided one day last year (it was the 5th of January to be exact) that she was ready to live her life differently and she did just that. Her story got me to thinking that any day is as good as ever to change your life. So I didn't feel so bad that my resolution/goals had not been announced to the world yet.
I also attended a Franklin Covey seminar earlier this week about organization and goal planning which also bombarded my brain with great ideas. A tip that stuck out in my mind was "Do not set goals based on a feeling when you make that goal".
There are just going to be days when you do not feel like doing whatever it is you declared you were going to do. And you have to realize that the excitment & newness feeling will wear off eventually.
But if you have set the right intentions, identified your values, made a game plan and are commited, you will succeed. You must realize that you are not always going to feel that runner's high like the day you did when you decided you were going to make the goal to run a marathon.
So don't make the goal because you feel amazing after a run. Make the goal because you value your health and body and would like to push your limits farther than they have been pushed.
How to achieve your New Year Resolution/Goal:
1. Start today. (the waiting period just gives you more time to stew over it. It's like a bandaid, just rip it off already!) What are you waiting for?
2. Do it everyday. (Consistency is the key. Commit to daily actions that will further you toward your goal)
3. Finish it. (Easy enough?)
Now intermingled in this 1,2,3 is setting yourself up to succeed. Making a goal is all fine and dandy until someone gets hurts. So you need to take your goal to the next level of a weekly and daily plan. It seems like a lot of work, but this plan of attack is imperative for you to reach your destination.
Taking a day each week to plan a full week's workouts takes the thought out of it. If it's part of the plan for the day then you won't stress or tempt yourself into straying away. This can also go with planning a food menu for the week.
Stay tuned, I am going to reveal my goals/resolutions tomorrow! I am excited to have taken so much time to work them into real attainable goals.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Shed it & Share it
Tuesdays have become my favorite day, because that means I get to watch The Biggest Loser!
I am happy to see that they are doing things to challenge America to lose weight all while giving back. I have been moved to pledge to the Pound for Pound Challenge.
I was happy to say I ended 2009 15 lbs lighter but had a bigger goal in mind. I am pledging to you that I will lose 25lbs in 2010. I think this is a reasonable goal and I know I have what it takes to do it.
I would also like to pledge that I will personally donate the amount of food in pounds that I lose, to my local foodbank. So I lose 25 lbs, I will donate 25 lbs of food to the Idaho Foodbank as my way of personally shedding this weight and giving it a purpose.
Let me know if you are interesting in joining me in this pledge! I think it would be inspiring to start our own pound for pound challenge. So Shed it & Share it!
The Biggest Loser has touched the hearts of millions. I have been a fan for about 4 seasons now. I realize the show has changed a bit over the past few seasons and has become a lot more dramatic and has pushed people to their breaking points. But I sort of wish I had this pressure on me to do the same. If I had Jillian hiked up on top of the treadmill staring down on me telling me to RUN FOR MY LIFE! I know I would get it done without question.
This show has also showed me that with a lot of hard work and determination your goals can be accomplished. I am not agreeing necessarily with all the methods of the Biggest Loser, I can't imagine they are always healthy and proper. But the underlining message is that "You can do anything you put mind to".
I would like to live my fitness life with intensity & purpose. I took last year to warm my body up to the idea of doing physical fitness. I don't think I have really pushed myself to the limits in fear of hurting myself or burning out. But I have hit a point where it's time. It's time to kick it into full gear!
So thank you for following me as I make my way to becoming fit and into an official marathon runner. I will tell you now that I am going to run for my life! :)
I am happy to see that they are doing things to challenge America to lose weight all while giving back. I have been moved to pledge to the Pound for Pound Challenge.
I was happy to say I ended 2009 15 lbs lighter but had a bigger goal in mind. I am pledging to you that I will lose 25lbs in 2010. I think this is a reasonable goal and I know I have what it takes to do it.
I would also like to pledge that I will personally donate the amount of food in pounds that I lose, to my local foodbank. So I lose 25 lbs, I will donate 25 lbs of food to the Idaho Foodbank as my way of personally shedding this weight and giving it a purpose.
Let me know if you are interesting in joining me in this pledge! I think it would be inspiring to start our own pound for pound challenge. So Shed it & Share it!
The Biggest Loser has touched the hearts of millions. I have been a fan for about 4 seasons now. I realize the show has changed a bit over the past few seasons and has become a lot more dramatic and has pushed people to their breaking points. But I sort of wish I had this pressure on me to do the same. If I had Jillian hiked up on top of the treadmill staring down on me telling me to RUN FOR MY LIFE! I know I would get it done without question.
This show has also showed me that with a lot of hard work and determination your goals can be accomplished. I am not agreeing necessarily with all the methods of the Biggest Loser, I can't imagine they are always healthy and proper. But the underlining message is that "You can do anything you put mind to".
I would like to live my fitness life with intensity & purpose. I took last year to warm my body up to the idea of doing physical fitness. I don't think I have really pushed myself to the limits in fear of hurting myself or burning out. But I have hit a point where it's time. It's time to kick it into full gear!
So thank you for following me as I make my way to becoming fit and into an official marathon runner. I will tell you now that I am going to run for my life! :)
Bronco Nation Represented
So you may have heard about that football team that plays their games on the blue 'smurf turf'. Well they come from a land abundant with potatos. But let me just tell you, we may like our potatos, but we LOVE our broncos! Yep, these guys are my team and today they are two-time Fiesta Bowl Champions!
I was excited to watch the game last night and was even more excited when I realized I would be watching it with almost the whole WILL RUN FOR WINE gang! Okay so we weren't running but we definitely talked about doing it! Since the incoming of this cold, snowy, icy weather we opted to take a few weeks off until the sideswalks were no longer a danger zone. It seemed that everyone misses our runs so much, you might even see an appearance from the gang this week if the snow holds back. Woo hoo!
I have made a few New Years Resolutions just as a way to keep myself motivated and focused for the new year. I will be revealing them to you later this week. But one of them is to cut back on my alcohol consumption. I really don't drink that much, it may seem otherwise considering all my posts on wine! (I love it!) But I would like to concentrate more on putting good things into my body. This proposed an interesting dilemma at a football party.
Well my solution was the Pom-Spritzer!
All you need is Lime Spritzer, Pom Juice and some cut up limes.
It made for a fruity fun drink that has some healthful benefits and if you don't tell people they will never know it's alcohol-free. It's the mock-tail of all mock-tails! Yum!
But, it was still a football party. So we had to throw in the not-so-healthy Fiesta Bowl tradition... Orange Jello Shots w/ Blue sprinkles! :) We only took one when we we scored a touchdown.
(sorry for the horrible picture quality, I really wanted you to see the sprinkles!)
Score!
It was a fun night with friends and I was super proud of myself for sticking to a healthier way of being. And proud of my Broncos (17-10)! They keep proving everyone wrong and have finished off the football season as the only undefeated team.
What tricks do you have for choosing healthy at partys, tailgates, etc?
Sunday, January 3, 2010
SNOW DAY!
There are typically only a few days per winter season that I am NOT jealous of all you floridians basking in your 70 degree heat, while we are up here freezing our you-know-whats-off in the snowy, icy, freeeezzing weather. Yesterday was definitely one of those days.
With a new year upon us I am always looking for a fun and creative way to get in a little workout all the while enjoying the beautiful nature around me. AKA as embracing this gawdawful cold snowy weather.
So what a better way to burn a few post new years drinks and get the bootie moving then by SNOWSHOEING!
What I can tell you about snowshoeing is that it's a full body workout. You are hiking through the snow but the added resistance of the snow really works your whole body. No kidding around - my butt, back, arms and calves are feeling the burn today. And while we were trekking along it definitely didn't seem hard, but I was working up a sweat for sure!
We began our 2 hour and 2 mile snowshoeing adventure. I love the stop sign almost covered in snow!
Also, It's very important to pack water with you when you are engaging in this type of activity. Working up a sweat makes you thirsty.
I was also really excited to try out my new camelbak!
This thing was a must have for this type of adventure. It was my first time using the camelbak and I absolutely loved it! It held about a liter of water and the pak was great for holding other things like snacks, keys or whatever. And it was convenient to be able to drink water hands free, since we had ski poles in our hands. I originally wanted the camelpak for my running which I am even more excited to be able to get my full usage out of it.
Note to self: Sometimes you just need to take a break to make snow angels. And that's okay.
We stopped every now and then to take pictures. We found it a little difficult at times as there were no real good spots to set the camera for a timed picture. Everything was covered in snow! At one point we even went so far as to rig our own tripod with our ski poles.
The verdict....
Well we got 3 out of 4 in the shot - not too bad.
We had to keep going until we found the perfect place to stop for another family picture. Success!
Snowshoeing was great fun and we were able to find a local sporting good store that rented the snowshoes and poles for $10.00/person. That doesn't seem to pricy for a day of burning calories in nature!
The key to great snowshoeing fun is to bundle up, bring lots of yummy-healthy snacks for after (you are starving when you are done), hot chocolate, and have good company. I had it all!
Oh yeah and make sure your brother dresses up like a rockstar. That helps in the fun! :)
Have you ever tried snowshoeing? And did you consider it a workout?
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