Tricks

Running (now known as "working out")
I had to trick myself to get up and workout this morning. I was not feeling it at 5:00 am, but I went to bed reminding myself that today would be my last workout before Las Vegas. It worked! I almost shut the alarm off and went back to sleep, but then I remembered that this was the last pre-vacation opportunity to get a little sweaty and tone my arms.

I did manage to break a sweat yesterday, and did 60 minutes on the bike. My ankle didn't seem to be impacted at all by the bike, so that was all goodness.

In slightly depressing news, my ankle is still pretty sore. I will not be wearing any of my hot shoes in Las Vegas.

So long, beautiful shoes. (Mine are black)


I'm also worried about my first ever half marathon coming up a week from Sunday. Fingers crossed that my ankle starts feeling better asap.

Outfit:
The sneakers helped yesterday, so they are back for another slightly inappropriate go at work again today.

Details:

• Navy ruffle front sweater - Ann Taylor Loft
• White tank top - Martin & Osa
• Blue drop necklace - Tiffany & Co
• Jeans - Sevens, super old
• Sneaks - New Balance

Food:
Yesterday was a good day, all up, but I've noticed that I'm starting to snack quite a bit when I make lunches for the next day, so I need to work on that - totally unnecessary/snacky calories that could be used for a healthier snack.

• Breakfast: coffee, pineapple, bagel thin + egg
• Snack - dried fruit/nuts
• Lunch - fruit smoothie + salad
• Snack - 3 pieces of gummy candy
• Dinner - 1 mahi mahi taco with mango salsa
• Snack - 1 piece of turkey + 1 bite of cottage cheese

Tomorrow, Las Vegas is mine!



Speaking of Sin City, are you excited to see Hangover 2? Are you planning to see it this weekend? I won't be seeing it on vacation, but I can't wait to check it out. My favorite movie of all time. Hopefully they didn't ruin it with the sequel.

Do you ever play tricks/mind games on yourself to get in your workout? What works for you?

No shame

Let's just say that this outfit is not my normal thing, but my ankle feels much better when I'm wearing supportive shoes, so comfort rules today.

Outfit:

Details:

• Black ballet sweater - Jcrew
• Beige tank top - Ann Taylor Loft
• Silver circle necklace - courtesy of Michael
• Dark wash jeans - 7, Dojo fit
• Sneakers - New Balance

I look exhausted in that second picture. Mama needs a nap!

Food:
I stuck to my calories yesterday, but it wasn't exactly the most healthy & balanced day I've ever had. I made a new mahi mahi recipe, & discovered that there's something wrong with our oven. It never cooked the fish all the way. We need to get a repair person over to take a look, but let's just say that I filled up on edamame & snacks while I packed lunch as a replacement for the mahi mahi I'd planned on for dinner. Way too much snacky/processed food yesterday.

• Breakfast: coffee, pineapple, 1/2 bagel thin, 1/2 serving of oatmeal with pears
• Snack: trail mix
• Lunch: tomato soup, 3 slices deli turkey, apple
• Snack: cherries & 3 mini cookies
• Dinner: edamame, mini luna bar, various bites while packing lunches (cottage cheese, slice of turkey, handful of almonds)

Running:
No workout yesterday, trying to let my ankle heal. I'm feeling much better today, so I am hoping to get in at least 60 minutes of cardio today + strength training. I'd love to break a sweat, so that's my number one gym agenda item. :-) Fingers crossed.

Let's talk Memorial Day weekend - what are your big plans?

Here's the breakout of our Las Vegas *agenda*

• Friday - fly to Las Vegas, have lunch somewhere fun & then spend the day gambling. Finish off the day with a fancy, adult-only dinner.
• Saturday - cabana, pool, champagne, and cabana massages. The.Perfect.Day
• Sunday - shopping, couples massage, gambling, fancy dinner. Yes, I'm addicted to massages & spa treatments of all kind.
• Monday - back to reality. :-)

T-3 Days

Not that I've mentioned it before (ha ha), but I'm going on vacation on Friday! Michael & I are heading to Las Vegas for the long weekend, & my parents are watching the boys. Sweet yes. It's supposed to be a high of 47 in Seattle over Memorial Day weekend, so I won't be sad to leave the chilly weather behind & soak up some rays.

Outfit:
I'm trying to find shoes that don't rub against my swollen ankle, hence the less than appropriate sandals at work. My office doesn't have a dress code, but I usually try & keep things a little more business casual.

Details:

• Pink sweater - Jcrew, Audrey
• Cream tank top - Ann Taylor Loft
• White gold/pearl necklace - courtesy of my mother-in-law
• Black pants - Gap, Always Skinny
• Black beaded sandals - BCBG

 Food:
I tried to really keep the calories under control yesterday, knowing I needed less fuel than usual since I'm not running. I was right around my target for the day and ate plenty of vegetables, but not enough fruit. I'll work on that today.

• Breakfast - 1 piece of wheat toast + egg sauteed with spinach & feta cheese, coffee & pineapple
• Snack - nuts/dried fruit
• Lunch - Mini luna bar, salad, cottage cheese
• Snack - apple
• Dinner - 2 mini burgers (homemade) with mustard & sliced tomatoes + edamame
• Snack - apple + 2 crackers & 1 small slice of turkey as I was packing lunches

Running:
I didn't run yesterday, but I did go to the gym & work on strength training for my arms & abs. I also tried the elliptical & found that as long as I cut the resistance way down (level 5), I could manage. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical until my ankle starting hurting a bit, & then moved on to the rowing machine. I did 15 minutes on the rowing machine. It sucked to be at the gym & barely breaking a sweat. I know it was good just to get in there & get moving, but I love the feeling of sweat dripping off my face after a run, and the endorphin high afterward.

What is the dress code for your office? What do you typically wear to work (if you don't work outside your house, what do you normally wear?)

The best laid plans

I'm trying to shake off my frustration today, because I sprained my ankle over the weekend. I'm worried about my training plan, my first 1/2 marathon in two weeks, & my vacation with Michael - starting on Friday! Is it going to be absolutely terrible if I can't really get in much running before the 1/2 marathon? I'm hoping to really stay off my ankle this week & potentially do a few shorter runs next week. Does that sound at all reasonable? (My first 1/2 is on June 5th.)

What about all of my high heels & cute dresses in Las Vegas? Somehow I don't think they'll look quite the same with flats, but I'm sure I'll survive.

Getting injured put quite a damper on my weekend, but it was still fun to spend time with some of my favorite ladies at the beach.

Running:
No running plan for the next few days (insert groans here). For those of you who have been injured, does it freak you out to not be able to run? I know it's all in my head, but I feel like I'm gaining weight, and I am just not as confident when I'm not running. I know, it's been all of two days, but it's hard. To stay focused & feel good, I'm going to work on strength training of my upper body this week, and if possible, maybe do some rowing? I'll have to see how that feels on my ankle.

Food:
I did fairly well at the girls trip, but did go over my calories on Saturday. I was good on Friday & Sunday, so I'm not terribly worried.

Outfit:
I had to find a pair of flat (non-thong) sandals for work, so I picked up these at Ross for $13 yesterday. Score!

Details:

• Silver & white striped shirt - Olivia Moon (Nordstrom)
• Silver circle necklace - Tiffany & Co, gift from my mom & sister when I had Sam
• Dark wash jeans - Seven (Costco)
• Silver flats - Chinese Laundry (Ross). You can't see it in the picture, but these have an ankle strap that make the shoes look kind of ballet-ish.

I need motivation today! Have you been injured? How did you work around the stress of not being able to run? Any tips or tricks?

Fabulous Friday

Today is fabulous, because it is once again sunny in Seattle, & I have a run scheduled. Maybe this will make up for Sunday's monsoon. :-)

My schedule has been nuts, & Michael has been traveling, so there were no options for me to adjust my workouts. I haven't run since Sunday, so I'm feeling a little behind. I did manage to eek out a cardio workout yesterday & went to the gym at 5:00 this morning to get in a second cardio workout. I have three runs for the rest of week (Friday, Saturday, Sunday). I hate having all of the runs back to back, but it's now or never, kids! :-)

I'm heading out around lunch time for a girls only beach trip to celebrate my aunt's 50th birthday. Yay for girl time!

Outfit:
Here's my outfit from yesterday. It was much cuter without the white sweater, but my office is freezing.

Details:

• White cardigan - Audrey, Jcrew
• Brown tank top with gold beading - Anne Klein
• Printed skirt - Jcrew
• Gold gladiator sandals - Jcrew

Food:
Food has been good, although I had a huge cup of frozen yogurt yesterday, which necessitated a much smaller dinner than planned. Oops. I picked up cherries at Costco on Wednesday, and the taste is like a summer party in my mouth. I'm obsessed with summer produce.

Wish me luck staying on track with my eating at the girls party (only 1 week left until I have to rock the bikini!), & getting my runs in.

What are your weekend plans?

Coveting

It's been a while, so I thought I would show you a few of my current favorite things that I'm admiring from afar:

Jcrew Merkato Sandals:

Jcrew Lace Blouson Dress:

Victoria's Secret Smocked Strapless Dress:

This look, both from Victoria's Secret:

And, if you're an Adele fan, you have to check out this song (Set Fire to the Rain). Seriously - amazing.

It's all about perspective

I did not have a great night last night. Michael is traveling, & I have an absolutely mad house week at work, which means no schedule flexibility for my workouts. I wasn't able to work out yesterday, which frustrated me & resulted in me eating more than normal. (I know, genius to follow up not being able to work out with more calories.)

I woke up this morning, and I'm determined to shake it off & put things into perspective. It was one bad day, with extra snacking in the evening. I'm still down 15 pounds from Christmas, and down 27 since Christmas 2009. One bad day doesn't erase that. To quote an old marketing campaign (I think it was for Dasani?) - It's another day, and another chance to be healthy.

I'm going to do every thing I can to adjust my schedule to accommodate a workout, even if it's something quick. I know it will help my mood & put me back on the right track.

And, it's SUNNY IN SEATTLE!! Will wonders never cease.

Outfit:

Today's outfit was specifically chosen for two reasons - it makes me feel thin, & I have extremely fond memories with it. It always puts a smile on my face.

Details:

• Black short-sleeved sweater -  Banana Republic
• Black & silver necklace - Tiffany & Co
• Black & white printed skirt - Club Monaco (pre kids - maybe 8 years old?)
• Black beaded wedge sandals - Alfani

 Food:

• Breakfast - coffee, strawberries, egg on a bagel thin with 1/2 a laughing cow & sliced tomato
• Snack - trail mix
• Lunch - 1 piece of cheese, tomato soup, cottage cheese
• Snack - apple, 4 mini cookies, handful of vegetables
• Dinner - homemade spaghetti
• Snack - popcorn, 4 mini cookies

What are you up to this Wednesday? Any fun plans, workout or otherwise?

I have a packed day at work, and a thrilling Costco run this evening. Plus a workout of some sort, squeezed in there. As long as it stays sunny, I'm good!

Sleepless nights

Kids:
My four year old (Nick) is on the cusp of giving up his nap, and it's a very unpleasant phase. If he doesn't take a nap, he's like a rabid animal around 4:30 pm. If he does take a nap, he won't got to sleep until 10 pm, and then he's up multiple times a night, standing by my bedside, watching me sleep until I wake up & freak out because I hear someone breathing in my face. He was up four times last night. Suffice it to say that I did not get up at 5:00 and go to the gym. I barely made it out the door for work. When I got to his preschool to drop him off this morning, I asked them to cut out the nap, and one of his teachers mentioned that they let him sleep for over three hours yesterday. Why oh why would you let him sleep for three hours? Do you not like me? Was my last teacher appreciation gift not quite right? Are you just plain evil?! Anyway, enough of that. I have a crazy schedule this week, so it's going to take quite the effort to make up the workout I missed this morning. C'est la vie.

Outfit:
The weather here is trying to decide if it wants to be spring or winter, hence the mixed bag of a cardigan with sandals. Just go with it, folks.

Details:

• Black long cardigan - Ann Taylor Loft
• Black and white striped tank top - Express
• Mixed metal necklace - Nordstrom, courtesy of my lovely mother
• Black belt - Ann Taylor Loft
• Jeans - Seven stretch jeans, circa 9 years ago?
• Black wedge sandals - Alfani
• Bags under my eyes and otherwise messy look- courtesy of my adorable four year old

Food:
I feel like I'm always hungrier the day after a long run. It was a bit of a struggle yesterday to stay on track, but I managed. I needed more fruit than I squeezed in, but got in 6 servings of vegetables.

• Breakfast - coffee, strawberries, egg with sauteed spinach on a bagel thin
• Snack - trail mix
• Lunch - edamame, tomato basil soup, 1 slice of cheese
• Snack - luna bar (between meetings. Should have had fruit, but needed to grab something quickly)
• Dinner - a few bites of random stuff while I prepped dinner & packed lunches (cottage cheese, dried fruit) + my actual dinner of a small serving of barbecued chicken & rice
• Snack - apple

Running:
If you've read the last few posts, you know I was contemplating signing up for an earlier 1/2 marathon. I did it! I'm now officially signed up for a 1/2 on June 5th. I'm super excited (& nervous!). We're traveling a bunch between now & then, so it's nice to have a motivating event to keep me on track.

Tell me what the weather is like where you're at! We're on the cusp of a very late spring here in Seattle. It's supposed to be 70 degrees for the first time in 8+ months this weekend, so break out the sunglasses! I, of course, will be at the beach for a family event, and it's predicted to be 55 and rainy on the coast. Just my luck! :-)

Progress

I'm feeling good this morning, because I put on a pair of previously tight jeans, & they fit perfectly. Best Monday morning moment of today. Please excuse the rest of the way I look. I had a conference call at 7:00 am, so this is the best I could do.

Outfit:

Details:

• Messy hair, courtesy of my early morning call + wind at the school drop off
• Black sweater - Express
• Purple tank top - Banana Republic
• Amethyst necklace - Tiffany & Co
• Jeans that finally fit - 7, courtesy of Costco
• Black patent flats - Nordstrom

Running:

Today is my rest day, and I'm very happy about that. My legs need it after my 12 mile run yesterday. I'm actually feeling okay, but the stairs are killer. My 1/2 marathon is in mid-July, but now I'm thinking I should sign up for one in June. I feel ready. Any suggestions?

Food:

Yesterday was a good eating day. I went slightly over my normal calories in the evening - I was starving & couldn't go to bed without something else to eat. A little short on fruit, but otherwise, a fairly balanced day.

• Breakfast - coffee, strawberries & blueberries, sauteed spinach and egg on a bagel thin with feta
• Snack (right after my run) - trail mix with dried fruit & nuts
• Lunch (I practically shoveled this in my face when I got home) - cottage cheese + tomato soup + 1 pc of bread with turkey
• Snack - apple + pretzel rods dipped in hummus
• Dinner - 1 glass of wine + homemade spaghetti

Michael & I leave for Las Vegas in 10 days, so I'm determined to eat well & keep things together. I want to rock my bikini! I'm a little nervous for an upcoming girls weekend I'm attending this weekend, in honor of my aunt's 50th birthday. I need to get in two runs (10 & 7 miles), & eat well. Always a challenge when most of the meals will be eaten out, and the schedule is determined by others. I'm working on a plan of attack so I can enjoy my weekend, but still get my training in. Fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate & I won't have to suffer through another bitter rainy long run.

What are your plans for the week ahead?

Any suggestions on a fun 1/2 marathon in June? Am I crazy for signing up for one a month earlier than planned?

12 miles

I did my long run (12 miles) today. In the rain, wind, & 45 degree temperatures. Good times were not had, but I do feel like if I can finish the run from today in those conditions, a 1/2 marathon in July should be a piece of cake. I finished in 2:17, which is quite a ways off my normal pace, but I'll take it, given how many times I was tempted to bail.

It was totally a test of mental strength over endurance, not really helped that I did seven miles yesterday (I was supposed to do 6) because I'm a jackhole who can't read a map & got lost. Yes, not even GPS combined with a map can help me.

I was so wet by the time I got back to my car, that I stripped down to my sports bra in the parking lot. As I would raise my hands up & down to run, water would run off my jacket onto my legs. Ahhhh, yes. Spring in Seattle. :-)

But, I did it! I'm proud of myself for putting in the miles & getting it done. When I was about 6 miles in and the wind picked up, I spotted a Starbucks in the distance a ways off the trail. (The trail is pedestrian/bike only, but crosses through various towns.) I would have sold my car for a latte and a ride back to my house, but stuck it out.

Now, please entertain me with stories of your most painful or least successful runs!

In good news, the fuel belt worked well, and I tried a new Power Bar energy chew, & liked the Raspberry flavor. It's definitely chewier than the Clif Bar Chomps, so if you can get past the chewing thing, the flavor is great.

Favorite thing I saw on my run - a guy riding his bike with grocery bags tied to his shoes & the handlebars. Genius! :-)

Making up for lost time

I did actually post on Thursday, but my post never got restored, so I'm giving up on it. :-)

Outfit:
Here's a quick look from Friday:

Details:

• Black sheer polka dot printed top - Limited
• Black tank (under the top) - Ann Taylor Loft
• Black Audrey sweater - Jcrew
• Dark wash jeans - 7, Dojo
• Black Patent flats - Nordstrom

Food:
I've been eating well, & staying on track. I have less than two weeks until my vacation starts, so I am trying to keep the calories under control & eliminate unecessary junk from my diet.

Running:
I've been sticking to my training plan, and ran 4:13 miles on Thursday in 43:02 minutes. On Friday I ran 5:44 miles in 1 hour, 3 minutes. I had a great run today, which I'll recap tomorrow. And, I'm supposed to do my longest run ever - I'll admit, I'm a little nervous about the 12 miles! I did go out and get a belt to hold my water, so hopefully that will be a huge improvement over last weekend. :-)

Oh, and in a non-running related fail, the weather here is awesome & I was super excited to wear a new dress. I put it on, and decided it needed a belt. I belted it, and cut off the tag from my new belt, and managed to cut a hole in my new dress. Uhhh, yeah. Thanks for wasting $30 without ever getting to wear it! I was so irritated with myself. What kind of dork cuts tags off her belt while she's wearing it?!! Yeah, that would be me. I suck.

What are you up to this weekend? Any big runs planned?
We were supposed to go out to dinner tonight (date night), but that got cancelled, so I'm currently watching Berentstain Bears with the boys & tomorrow I have my big 12 mile run. *nervous*

What are your favorite running songs?
I'm currently obsessed with Adele "Set Fire to the Rain". Obsessed.

Giveaway Winners

I'll be back with a regular post soon, but I wanted to get the winners announced via random number!

Prize #1 -rblanton22
Prize #2 - runningonwords
Prize #3 - Kara

Send me email at runningikeagirl@gmail.com and let me know where you want me to send your prize!

Blogger, you suck

I keep waiting for Blogger to restore my post from Thursday & retrieve the post I created with the giveaway info, but apparently that is not going to happen. I'll have the results/prize winners posted this afternoon.

**Edited to add, I just noticed that the last 4 entries have disappeared, likely due to Blogger's snafu. I'll keep the giveaway open until 5:00 PM Pacific Time for any final entries, and then choose the winners.** Blogger, this just keeps getting better. And, can I have my draft posts back, pretty please?

The countdown begins

I'm a little giddy today, because I just realized that two weeks from tomorrow, we're driving to my parents house to drop our kiddos off for Memorial Day weekend. The following day, we're flying to Las Vegas for a kids-only vacation. I am so, so excited. I adore my children, & they are the best thing in the world, but raising kids is exhausting, and a 24x7 job. Alone time with my husband is such a rare treat, but so fun. Every time we go on vacation together, I'm reminded that he is my best friend and just how much fun we have together.

 

The last time we went to Las Vegas, we had a beautiful room and had a cabana by the pool. Pure bliss.

 

 

 

 

I always try to stay reasonably in control of my weight on vacation, while still enjoying myself. I do this in a few ways (and, these strategies may be in complete opposition of how you like to operate on vacation, but sharing in case they are helpful). 1) I do at least some workouts on vacation. They may not be as long or as complete as my normal routine, but they make me feel good and the workouts also help me stay in reasonable shape, so I'm not starting over when I get home. 2) I try and plan my "splurges" for each day. For example, if I know we're going to my favorite steak house (S&W at the Wynn. Holy smokes. Amazing food), I plan my day around that and count on a much bigger than normal dinner. As a result, I may cut out a snack, have a light breakfast, etc. If we're going somewhere with phenomenal desserts, I'll adjust accordingly for the day. I don't stick to my normal calories (1500), but try and stay close to 2000 calories. For me, 2000 calories generally means maintaining my weight, which I'm comfortable with on vacation.

 

Anyway, on to today.

 

Outfit:
I have a meeting today and needed to dress up a bit:

Details:

• Black sweater with gold bead buttons - JCrew
• Black and gold necklace - Jcrew
• Blue short-sleeved sweater - Banana Republic
• Black pants - Gap, Alway Skinny
• Black patent flats - Nordstrom
• And yes, the zit from 2 weeks ago is still hanging around. What a delight.

Food:
Yesterday was a decent eating day, but my plan to have a big chicken salad for dinner was spoiled. After I got everything assembled, Michael pointed out that the chicken was not cooked all the way through. Drat. I recooked the chicken for another meal, but settled on a turkey sandwich for dinner. Boring, & not the 3-4 servings of vegetables I had planned.

•  Snack (pre-workout at 5 am) - Mini Luna bar
• Breakfast - coffee & banana + 2 pieces of Persian bread with feta cheese & strawberries
• Lunch - 1 mini piece of pizza + cottage cheese + edamame
• Snack - carrots, hummus, & Dr Kracker + an apple
• Snack #2 - small handful of trail mix
• Dinner - Turkey sandwich and bowl of sliced fruit

Running:
I got up at the crack of dawn yesterday to squeeze in my cross train workout. I did 35 minutes on the elliptical & stretching. I was still a bit sore from my Saturday/Sunday run combo, so I took it easy. I have to run on the treadmill today at lunch, and I'll admit, I'm not looking forward to being back on the 'mill. My training plan combined with my life requires maximum flexibility & sometimes the gym just works better in the middle of the day, so I'll give it my best shot!

Question for you:
How do you handle eating & working out on vacation? Do you have any tips or tricks for staying on plan, or do you kick back and enjoy yourself?

Lime green

I felt like wearing something bright & cheery (to perhaps counter Mother Nature, who is still determined to prevent spring from arriving in Seattle). I got these capris at Jcrew four years ago, and I think I've worn them twice. The color always feels too "loud", but today they put a smile on my face.

Outfit:

Details

• Jean jacket - Jcrew, circa 2000
• Cream sweater - Jcrew
• Cream tank top - Ann Taylor Loft
• Pearl & gold necklace - Jcrew
• Lime green capris - Jcrew
• Brown floral wedge sandals - American Eagle

Running:
Yesterday was my rest day. I was definitely feeling sore after my 10 mile run on Saturday, & painful 6 on Sunday. Running 10 miles on Saturday totally pumped me up & made me confident for the 1/2 marathon I'm running in July. Maybe one of these days I'll even sign up for a marathon! I know, crazy talk. I did get up this morning for my cross training workout, and it felt good to be moving again.

Food:
Yesterday was not a great food day for me. I was really snacky. Mondays are crazy, because the kids have swimming lessons at 5:45, which puts a serious wrinkle in our normal evening routine. I never really sat down and ate a meal, and as a result, had a bunch of worthless calories & didn't come anywhere close to my 5 servings of fruit/vegetables that I shoot for. Ahhhh, better luck next time. I have less than three weeks until I'm wearing my bikini (Las Vegas - woo hoo!), so I'm going to get serious about making healthy choices, cutting out the snacky junk, and sticking to my calories.

• Breakfast - 1/2 banana & coffee + skinny macchiato + feta spinach wrap
• Snack - 1/2 protein bar
• Lunch - 1 piece of cheese & turkey + edamame + frozen yogurt
• Snack - 2 servings of trail mix
• Dinner - handful of cashews + 1/2 a peanut butter & jelly sandwich + an apple.

Giveaway:
I did manage to take pictures of most of my giveaway swag, and there's still time to enter. If you want to win this fun stuff, go here!

Prize #1 ( NARS lipgloss set & Aquarium Gummies):
The set comes with five sheer shades from the NARS permanent lipgloss line — Easy Lover, Babe, Orgasm, Turkish Delight, and Misbehave.

Prize #2:

A Kate Spade bracelet (forgot to get a picture of it, but looks like this):


Plus two bags of yummy beach treats - Sour Trouts & gummy Hammerhead Sharks:

Why is it rotated like this, Blogger?!

And, finally, something running related!
Prize #3:

A plethora of bars to try, plus salt water taffy (super fresh - I saw them making it while we were there), and gummy/sour ducks.

I'll be drawing three winners via random number at the end of the day on Thursday, so don't forget to enter.

Michael picked out a gorgeous dress for me for Mother's Day. It's a little tight in the chest, so I'm hoping to exchange it for one size up, and have the rest of the dress taken in. I'm thinking this will be perfect for our upcoming vacation!

Questions for you:
1) What is your favorite kind of candy?
2) What is the best gift you've ever received? Michael got me a gorgeous ring for our 5 year wedding anniversary, so I'll definitely go with that.
3) If you use blogger, does it ever rotate your pictures? Is there a way to correct that?

Lady in red

Good morning, lovely ladies! I hope you had a fabulous weekend. I had a great Mother's Day yesterday, and spent it with my favorite people. We stopped by my mom and dad's house on our way home from the beach, and ended up staying for dinner. It was nice to have some unexpected time with the parents, and the boys love hanging out with their Nana and Papa. :-)
Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful Mom.

Outfit:

I tried on an old skirt from the depths of my closet, and lo & behold, it fit! That's always a good way to start off a Monday morning.

An awkward picture, but my memory card was full, so no retakes. :-)

• Black ballerina sweater - Jcrew
• Black tank top - Ann Taylor Loft
• Black drop necklace - Nordstrom
• Red skirt - Jcrew
• Black strappy sandals - Ralph Lauren
• Goofy expression - courtesy of a long weekend!

Bonus picture from the weekend:

Me with my little guy on the beach. Yes, those are pink cupcake rain boots. :-)

Food:
I ate pretty well over the weekend, with the exception of Friday. I was way too hungry & ended up snacking a bunch before dinner, which is never a good ideas.

Here's yesterday's recap:

• Breakfast - broccoli, feta, egg on a bagel thin + sliced fruit
• Lunch - turkey sandwich + pretzels & hummus
• Snack - mixed nuts & 5 cheese nips
• Dinner - 2 glasses of wine, a leftover hamburger patty, handful of baked chips, & 1/2 a piece of corn

Running:
Let's just say this about my six mile run yesterday - fear is a powerful motivator. I ran on a trail at a state park yesterday, even though it was pouring rain & unpleasant outside. I was about two miles in, when I saw this on the trail


Yes, that's a bobcat. To say that I was completely freaked out would be a huge understatement. I wasn't sure how old the bobcat was, or if an angry mama bobcat would be coming after me, so I decided it would be wise to put some distance between myself and the cat. I didn't really want to get eaten by a wild animal - it was Mother's Day, after all.

I ran a 6 minute mile. For those of you who keep track, I normally do a 10 minute mile, so I pretty much needed CPR when I got to the end of the trail. And, I threw up on the road on the way home. Good times were had by all, but I survived, so all is well with the world.

Giveaway:
I'm going to take pictures of my swag tonight, but here's what I'm giving away.

• A NARS lip gloss set + a surprise bag of treats I picked up at a cute candy shop at the beach
• A Kate Spade bracelet (similar to this) + a surprise bag of treats I picked up at a cute candy shop at the beach

• And, a collection of protein bars + a surprise bag of treats I picked up at a cute candy shop at the beach

How to enter:
1) Follow this blog and add a comment below (or tell me that you're already a follower)
2) For extra entries, do any of the following:
   - Post about the giveaway on your blog and add a comment below telling me that you have
   - Tell me your favorite flavor of salt water taffy in the comments.
   - Answer the questions below in the comments

I'll pick three winners on Thursday via random number!

Questions:
How was your weekend?
What's the scariest thing that's ever happened to you while you were running?
Can anyone identify the beach in the picture above?

This is why I run

Because some days you go out there, and achieve something you never thought possible.

 (and, I swear this is correctly rotated, but blogger has a mind of its own).

I ran 10 miles yesterday, and honestly, I'm still surprised about it. I am so, so happy that I stuck with running & didn't give up on all of the days when it was less than fun. And this run? It was one of the best yet in terms of enjoyment. I have had plenty of four mile runs that hurt a lot more. All of you people who have been saying that the first 3-5 miles are the worst? You are so very right! I could have gone further (can't believe I'm even saying that), but wanted to save a little bit for today, as I have another run planned.

Details:
I ran the first three miles with my friend, and then she took off for home, because she wasn't planning to run 10. She's not crazy like me. :-) It took us 35+ minutes for that segment, and then I stopped for a little water. I finished the next 7 miles in 74 minutes, so almost exactly at the pace I wanted to be at of 10 min/mile. I walked the home stretch of .26 miles, and stopped to pick up my water bottle that I had hidden, etc.

I tried fueling for the first time ever,and took one Gu chomp at mile 3, 7, & 9. I had some very mild cramping at mile 8, but not sure if it was related to the Gu, or just the running. Oh, and I brought one bottle of water & hid it in the woods, but planned the last half of the run around the area on the map marked by a drinking fountain. This would prove to be a colossal mistake, because when I got to the water fountain & saw that it was broken, I seriously almost cried. To the old man that saw me at the drinking fountain, & brought me a (sealed) bottle of water out of the back of your truck? You are my new best friend & your kindness was so appreciated. And yes, I was thirsty enough that I drank water out of the back of a complete stranger's truck.

Me, after my first DOUBLE DIGIT run!

I got a little emotional when I walked the last stretch home, because this is honestly something I never thought I could have done. Ever. And, I did it. I started running in February, and couldn't run a mile without stopping. Running gives me a sense of progress & personal achievement, and that's one of the reasons why I run. That, and it helps my butt not jiggle. :-)

Oh, and Mother Nature? For the extremely brief & beautiful sunshine break in the middle of the monsoon yesterday that perfectly coincided with my run? Many thanks. You know I needed it.
PS - I got a TON of beach treats for the giveaway next week. Can't wait!

Question of the day - when was the last time you pushed yourself to a new level (pace, distance, etc)? How did you feel when I was over?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!

I like shopping

Last night during dinner, my sons gave me the Mother's Day cards they made for me at school . Seriously, classics.

From Sam (age 5)

My Mom's favorite thing to do is. .. hug me, and make me dinner.
I love my Mom because. . . she tucks me in bed at night, and brings me to school every day.

From Nick (age 4)
My Mom's favorite thing to do is. . . gose (sic) shopping. Mostly at Costco.
I love my Mom because . . . she says I love you.

Love it!! And yes, my favorite thing in the world is shopping at Costco. ;-)

My favorite cutie pies at the beach Easter egg hunt a few weeks ago:

I believe Nick's expression is due to having a ton of salt water taffy shoved in his mouth. Like mother, like son.

Running:
Yesterday was another cross training (my plan switches back and forth between 1x/week and 2x/week). I did the bike for 40 minutes & then did some strength training (legs, abs, back) & stretching.

I mixed up my runs, and today is actually my 6 mile run. It's cold and rainy, but I'm going to give it my best shot!

Food:
I was dying for a beer & cheesy taco yesterday to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but I kept things in check and stuck to my calories for the day by having a tilapia taco instead, sans cheese. Here's how things went down:

• Breakfast - egg, broccoli, green pepper, tomato and feta wrap on a bagel thin + coffee & strawberries
• Snack - mini Luna bar
• Lunch - salad & smoothie
• Snack - 1/2 a protein bar from the gym + trail mix
• Dinner - handful of cashews + 1 fish taco + apple

Weekend plans:We're taking off after lunch today & driving to the beach for the weekend with friends. I wish the weather was looking better, but it should be fun. I'm planning to run with my 1/2 marathon training partner at the beach, and we all know beach running is da bomb.

What about you? Any big weekend plans? Any races or training runs?

Giveaway:
I'm picking up the last item for my giveaway at the beach, and I'll be kicking things off on Monday. Let's just say that it will include a beauty item (something from this brand), a fashion item (something from this brand), a few running related items, and some fabulous snacks from the beach. You won't want to miss it! :-)

The fine art of flexibilty

When I talk abut flexibility, I'm not referring to this (although, I could certainly use this type of flexibility as well):

I've been trying to drop the baby weight & run a 5K for four years. And now, I'm within five pounds of losing the weight, & I've completed a 5K. I'm hoping to do a 10K soon, and I'm signed up for a 1/2 marathon. Honestly, if you would have asked me about this six months ago, I would have laughed you out of the room.

So, what's changed? I have. I have finally, finally figured out that the key to working out & eating well is flexibility. I'm ridiculously anal, and plan out my workouts and runs weeks in advance. I get them on the calendar, and schedule things around them. Only, guess what? Sometimes life has other plans. My kids get sick. Work requires more time and attention than usual. Michael goes out of town. I need to visit my family. I'm sick. I'm exhausted and/or stressed from a long day. You get the picture, because I'm sure some variation of these things happens in your life all.the.time. And in my previous life? The minute something went off track, I would give up on that workout and tell myself, "well, you know, you tried, but that unexpected work dinner came up." Or insert the change in plans.

How do I handle those things now? I find another time to work out. Planning ahead is still super important for me, and works maybe 75% of the time. The other 25% of the time, I squeeze the workout in around other things. If the only time I can work out is 5:00 am, I do it. If I have to run at lunch & cut it short by a mile so I can be in my office for a meeting? I do it. If the only time I can run is 8:00 pm after my kids are asleep, I do it.

I've become flexible. I don't say this because I do every one of my workouts every day, exactly as I had hoped, or never decide that a day is too much and veg on the couch (because I do that too), but I have embraced flexibility. Because that flexibility is the only difference between the person I used to be, who sat around and hoped/wished that magically I would have time perfectly carved into every day for a workout, and the person I am now. And, quite frankly, I like this new person and the energy I have, the way I can feel my muscles, and fitting back into my clothes.

The same goes with food. Bad days happen. I try to isolate them to one day, versus my previous derailments that lasted a minimum of a week. Good planning takes me really far with what I want to eat. But, when things happen? I call it a day and focus on how to improve the rest of the week. I don't give myself excuses anymore. Oh, it's Easter, let's go crazy. Oh, it's a weekend away, you can relax a bit. Sure, I can do all of these things (and I have had days where I go off track), but right now I'm focused on achieving a goal. And every day, I decide if the goal is more important, if I'd rather eat something I hadn't planned on. As long as it's a conscious choice, I'm okay with it.

Okay, that was long-winded. How did I come to this realization? I put off my run yesterday at least three times. I was planning to get up early, but my son was up throughout the night & I just wasn't feeling it at 5:00 am. So, I was going to run at lunch. But honestly, I was having a terrible day and decided to have lunch with Michael, which is a rare treat for us. My final plan was to run at 7:30 when the kids were in bed. Only, Nick threw up all over the house and me. So I had to mop the floor, settle him down, do laundry, clean up, and by the time I looked at the clock, it was almost 8:00. I was *this* close to throwing in the towel, because I wouldn't be able to do the full six miles before it got dark. I don't know what changed, but suddenly I was putting on my shoes, & I did 4.17 miles in 45:31. And when I got home? I was thrilled with myself.

On to the rest of the day!

Food:
Yesterday was a good day, although not the most balanced choices. I made do and stuck to my plan for calories. I also had a super early dinner so that I could run in the evening.

• Breakfast - egg, tomato, feta cheese on a bagel thin + strawberries & coffee
• Snack - luna bar
• Lunch - trail mix & a slice of cheese
• Snack - smoothie
• Dinner - salad, bread, & 5 fries
• Snack - apple

Outfit:
I had something slightly different planned this morning, but realized my sweater had a stain on it. So, I grabbed this out of the closet & called it a day.

Details:

• Navy sweater - Ann Taylor Loft
• Cream tank top - Ann Taylor Loft
• Pearls - courtesy of my grandmother, college graduation gift
• Jeans - Rock & Republic, new from Costco
• Zebra Print Shoes - Banana Republic. On sale last summer for $15!

Questions for you:
How do you squeeze in your workouts? Do you plan for a certain time, but then adjust if things get off track? What are the biggest obstacles that derail your workouts? Kids, family, work, pets?

Ooh La La

Do you have any favorite purchases or souvenirs that you've brought home from a trip? I went to Paris about ten years ago & bought a pair of red shoes that I adore. Every time I wear them, I'm reminded of that trip, & how I fell in love with the city. I needed a little shot of inspiration today, so I'm wearing them!

Outfit:

Details:

• White sweater - Jcrew, Audrey
• White tank top - Martin & Osa
• Blue necklace - Tiffany & Co
• Blue skirt - Liquid - purchased at an outlet in Orlando 8+ years ago
• Red shoes - not sure on the brand, Paris
• Toenail polish color - California Raspberry, OPI

 Apologies for the crooked shoe picture. It's harder than I thought to take a picture of your own feet. :-)

Workout/Running:
Yesterday was my cross training day, so I got up at the crack of dawn yesterday & did 50 minutes on the elliptical, and used the Gravitron (it's an assisted dip/pull up machine). I'm slated to run 6 miles today. I've done it before, but I'm a little nervous. Any mileage over 5 still makes me a little anxious.  Fingers crossed.

Weight:
My weight has been hovering at the same place for the last couple of weeks. I have less than 5 pounds of baby weight to lose, & I'm starting to get frustrated. I am still trying to figure out the right balance between eating enough to fuel myself as I expand my mileage, but continuing to lose weight. I haven't figured it out yet, clearly. My goal has been 1500 calories/day, focusing on lean proteins, fruit, & vegetables. There are some days when I'm so hungry (yesterday is a great example), that I just can't do it. Or, choose not to, I suppose. My goal is to eat 1500 calories/day for the next 7 days and see how I feel & if I make any weight loss progress. More on this to come.

Food:

As I mentioned, I was starving yesterday, and ate a much bigger dinner than planned. 

• Before workout - peanut butter toast
• Breakfast - Emerald City Surprise (aka spinach, green pepper, and broccoli sauteed with an egg and a tbsp of feta cheese, on a bagel thin) + a pear and coffee
• Snack - 1/2 protein bar
• Lunch - Small serving of leftover chicken, rice, and vegetables + strawberries, hummus & a Dr Kracker
• Snack - apple
• Dinner - 1/2 glass of wine & a handful of cashews + a Greek salad & 7 fries

Questions of the day:

Do you have any memorable souvenirs?

Are you losing weight, or have you had success in the past? Have you balanced that with a workout plan or training for an event?

Green breakfast

This morning I made a very green breakfast (not a smoothie) & Michael called it the Emerald City Surprise. (Seattle is known as the Emerald City). I keep trying to find new ways to incorporate vegetables into various meals, and Michael definitely has to suffer along with my "experiments". He's a total sport, and a veggie lover, so he rarely complains. He will occasionally throw out the time that I made him a broccoli smoothie, and beg me not to duplicate it, but other than that, he smiles and eats. What a keeper!

 

Today's breakfast: I sauteed a TON of spinach with diced broccoli and part of a bell pepper in a little olive oil & sprinkled it with garlic powder. When the vegetables were sufficiently cooked, I added two beaten eggs to the vegetables. I let the eggs cook on one side, flipped, and then added crumbled feta cheese on top. I served the Emerald City Surprise on a toasted everything bagel thin. It was actually better than expected, but there wasn't quite enough egg to hold everything together (we split this, so we each had a total of 1 egg). I either need fewer vegetables next time (sad face), or more eggs. The experiment continues. Next time I'll remember to take a photo.

 

Outfit:

I did actually take a picture of my outfit this morning, but you'll have to take my word for it. When I went to upload it, blogger and my memory card couldn't seem to make things work. I'm wearing a purple Ann Taylor Loft sweater, and Seven Dojo jeans, with black sequined ballet flats.

 

Running:
Today was my cross training day, so I got up at the crack of dawn (5:00) to squeeze in a workout at the gym before my kiddos woke up. I did 50 minutes on the elliptical + the gravitron (arms/strength training). It feels great to have my workout done so early in the day! And I have a ton of energy this morning. Double win.

 

Food:
I was STARVING yesterday. I consumed virtually all of my calories for the day by 2:00 pm. Maybe it was my big workout the day before, or something else, but I couldn't keep my hands off the food. I ended up coming in just below my calorie goal, but it took a lot of self-control in the evening.

 

• Breakfast - spinach, green pepper, egg & feta on 1/2 a bagel thin + 1/2 banana & coffee
• Snack - apple & 1 piece of cheddar cheese
• Lunch - cottage cheese, hummus + Dr Kracker & vegetables + turkey rolls with red pepper, hummus & 1 slice of provolone
• Snack - handful of trail mix
• Second snack - frozen yogurt
• Dinner - very small serving of homemade spaghetti

Giveaway!
I'm going to do a giveaway sometime in the next week. I finally hit 20 followers (yeah!), so I want to do something to thank you guys. You have no idea how much your comments (and blogs) inspire and motivate me.

 

Random pictures:
No post is complete without at least one picture, so here are a few.

 

I think my oldest son (Sam), looks so much like my husband. He also has a habit of falling out of his bed, and not waking up! We find him like this pretty regularly:

And lastly, here's a picture of me rockin' the beach style in December. Check out the long hair!

Details:

• Winter hat - Jcrew
• Blue ski coat - Helly Hansen
• Jeans - Joes
• Pink cupcake boots - Nordstrom
• Sunglasses - Coach
• Cruising the Oregon Coast with my little guy and a metal detector - priceless!