Good intentions and a do-over?

The past week has been spent in the Keys of Florida.  And what a lovely week it was.  Lots of sun, sand, beer/liquor/wine.

Robert enjoying the nature of Islamorada

There was a wedding (my gorgeous friend Heather and her handsome groom, Will) and it was perfect.  I'll post pictures of that later!

Me and the hubs

I also packed 3 days worth of running clothes.  Three tops, three sports bras, three pairs of socks, three pairs of capris, and my Mizunos.  Guess what??

I didn't run.  Not once.  Whop whop.

So to make up for it, I did 2.9 today.  I ran at lunch on Monument. It took a bit longer than I would have liked, but who am I kidding, I didn't run for over a week, it's what I had coming!

So I've got a week of runs before the Corporate 4-miler next week, and then before I know it, the half-marathon training team will be starting.

I just read a new blog today and it annoyed me that they didn't have any pictures, then I realized that I don't use a lot of pictures either, so I am going to start making more of an effort to post pictures with my blogs.  I think this means I need a phone with a better camera. Like, maybe, an iPhone. (I don't get an upgrade until this time next year, so I'm not holding my breath)

Anyway, we came home to a crap-ton of veggies in the garden, so I foresee some new recipes coming your way.

Bacon wrapped chicken. Yes.

Bacon-wrapped-anything, really.  There are very few things (I think) that could be wrapped in bacon that I would not eat.  I'll just let your fun little imagination run wild with that for a minute.

Good?

Okay, so now, the good stuff.  Robert had to work late last night and I had a late lunch, so I didn't think much about dinner until I got hungry, then I wanted something delicious and fast!  I popped on over to pinterest (duh) and found this gem of a recipe:

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Brown Sugar (the creator of this recipe calls it "sweet and spicy bacon chicken" but I didn't get the spicy...it was mainly sweet and tangy...glorious...)

And yes, it tastes just a delicious as it sounds.  The brown sugar caramelizes and gives the bacon a flavorful crunch, and the chicken has wonderful flavor from the spices it's rolled in before covered in bacon.  I will note that I added cumin to my chicken spices (in addition to garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper).  Not to mention there wasn't any measuring involved, just put on what you think sounds good.

Check out the recipe - I don't want to take credit for it, so roll on over to Full Bellies, Happy Kids for the recipe.  It's fantastic.

Today's lunch called for a downtown Christopher's visit, so I skipped the lunch-time Monument Avenue run, but I plan on running after work!  Aiming for 3 miles, possibly a bit more, if I'm feeling adventurous :)

Jog Log & the weekend

I was a bum this weekend.

My sister and her hubs came down from DC to pick up their pup, Bacchus, who we watched for 2 weeks while they gallivanted around Europe.  Here's Robert entertaining all 3 of them - doesn't he look miserable? ;)

They were so kind as to provide us with dinner, including steaks, twice baked potatoes, corn on the cob and salad.  All of which was eaten outside on the deck. It was a glorious 'picnic'.

Saturday was Brandon's birthday, so we had biscuits and sausage gravy and bacon for breakfast.  I think I went into food overload/food coma after that because everything else is a blur :)

Saturday afternoon we went out to New Kent for a wine festival with some wonderful friends, then cooked out at their place (they let us bring the pups too, so we could hang out longer!) and we ate, drank and walked (yes, I felt so guilty about my crap food consumption that somehow an agreed-upon 20 minute walk turned into an amazing 1.5  hour walk - it was great!!)

Sunday, we had a football game (we won!) and I did what I could to spend the rest of the day yesterday not eating.

Today at lunch, instead of the usual run around Scott's Addition (where I work), I hopped in the car and drove a few minutes down to Monument Avenue and did 2.75 there - SO much nicer than running around an industrial park :)  I'll be doing that much more often.  It took longer than I wanted (32 minutes), but I had to stop at several stop lights (and apparently there are a lot of Richmonders who don't pay attention to walk signs - I nearly got hit twice), so I guess it might have been a bit less than 31 minutes.

The goals this week are to run 3 more times and go to body bump at least once. If not twice. And maybe yoga.

Jog Log & Panera

Yesterday was a good day, and I made up for missing my run on Wednesday!  I left work and went straight to the gym, where I ran 2 miles (in 24 minutes, not my best, but regardless, it was done) and then spent the next hour doing Body Pump.  I felt much better after class, much more accomplished!

I thought I would share a few things today too:

1.  My 'Life Log':  I created this off of some other 'journals' I have seen around.  On the left, I have a spot for "Body" which includes bits like what my mood is, if I have any aches or pains, what are my measurements (I dont do tha't daily) and what my energy level is. Below that is "Exercise" where I enter in what I did for the day to burn some calories.



On the next page is my food log with plenty of room!

I made it small enough to throw in my purse and big enough to record everything.  I especially like the body part, because I can have and see a direct correlation between my food and exercise and how I am feeling that day and the next day. Pretty cool!





2.  I love Panera - and their Strawberry Poppyseed with Chicken salad is back and I'm SO happy - I love the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad but this one is perfect for summer - check out the fruit! Strawberries, tangerines blueberries, and pineapple. Mmm!

For the large portion:
Calories - 340
Fat - 13g
Carbs - 34g
Protein - 29g

SO GOOD!

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday I had every intention to run after work.  I even put on my running clothes and shoes when I got home from work.  And then it was pouring.  I know I should have gone anyway, but I didn't. I can't kick myself for not going (although I want to), so all I can do now is go today.

And this one, because it is a good reminder and it is so true.

So today it is.

All signed up

Yes, there is a good chance that I am crazy.  Why?  I just signed up for a half marathon.  13.1 miles.

I'm pretty sure Robert  is going to do it as well - and I need to talk more people into it so that I don't chicken out :)  Who's with me?!

I also signed up for the Training Team - so that should be an additional kick in the butt to make sure I'm prepared for what's to come.

Official training starts in August!

Jog log.

I suppose to make things more exciting around here, I'll keep track of my work outs - which hopefully will keep me from slacking.  Hopefully

Today - ran 2 miles in 22:13.  My current goal is 4 miles (for the Innsbrook Corporate 4-Miler in June) in 44 minutes, so I'm on track for now!  Wanted to take it a bit easier today since I'm battling a sore heel, but tomorrow seems to be calling for 3 miles :)

I will also add to this that I did the Carytown 10k on Sunday morning.  I wasn't entirely prepared, meaning I hadn't been 'training' and the most I had run since the Monument Ave 10k in early April was 3 miles.  My time at Monument was somewhere around 85 minutes.

My time at the Carytown 10k was 73:44 - almost 12 minutes faster - not shabby! (my personal best for a 10k is my 2010 Monument 10k time - 73:22 - I missed it by 22 seconds!!)

So my new goal (aside from the 4-miler in June) is a sub-70 minute 10k.  I can do it!

Something new

I'm going to try something new here.  I haven't posted for a while because I haven't had anything 'good' to report.  So every time I'd think "I should post something on the blog" I would draw a big blank because I hadn't really accomplished anything or met any of my goals.  I'd think about that and just get down on myself.

So that's where the change comes in.  I know in my case, I spend way too much time focusing on what I haven't done, what I think I can't do, what I don't feel like doing, and less on what I am able to do, what I'm capable of, and what I have done.

My new goal is to focus the good - learn how to appreciate what I have and how to improve upon that.  Too often I think "I hate my legs." "I hate my hips." etc.  I am going to learn how to love me, my body (which sounds ridiculous but is true) and do my best to improve what I love.  I do this in other areas of my life, why should it be so hard to relate it to my body?

I don't know how this will go, or how hard or easy it will be to learn to stop the negative thoughts and switch from wanting to change something out of dislike, to wanting to improve something to make it better - even though it's fine the way it is. I'm sure it will be a struggle.  But I'm going to give it a shot anyway.

Couldn't hurt, right?