Just say no to Sea World

Here is the headline from this article: "Do 'Killer Whales' belong in theme parks?"

Duh.

The answer is no. And the sooner people realize this, the better. Leave these animals in their natural habitat. The only time we need to intervene is when we can offer positive care (i.e. if one washes up onshore and we may help it back to the water).

I am sorry for the trainer's family for their loss. But it's about time Sea World was shut down and learned that there is NO NEED to train whales (or dolphins for that matter) to act like dogs.

Just my opinion.

Ice Bath (Attempt 1)

FAIL.

After my 5 mile run Sunday and 3.5 mile run last night, my legs were feeling pretty sore. I know that icing after a run is a good idea to help with recovery...I often use frozen veggies to help with my shin splints. And I know that cool water (versus hot) is better for soothing muscles. According to Runnersworld.com,

"cold water constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown. Once the skin is no longer in contact with the cold source, the underlying tissues warm up, causing a return of faster blood flow, which helps return the byproducts of cellular breakdown to the lymph system for efficient recycling by the body."

Many moons ago (when I still lived with my parents in my hometown), I would go for a long run and, due to the Texas heat and humidity, I would literally walk right into the pool after my run. Of course, I took off my shoes and headphones first :). I noticed even then how cool water made my legs feel soothed and less achy. But that was then. And that was in Houston weather.

The temp yesterday during my run was 38 degrees with a cold, dry headwind. My nose was running like crazy (per usual) and I've been sneezing ever since. Needless to say, I was NOT in the mood for an ice bath last night. But after reading up on it, I learned that a hot shower or bath is really not the best for thing for my muscles (hot water increases blood flow, muscles become even more inflamed). So I prepared for my first ice bath. I put on a comfy sweatshirt and some bike shorts, made a hot cup of tea, and headed to the bathroom. I began to fill up the tub with cold tap only (this time of year I don't NEED ice with how cold our water is). I set one foot in there and said, "No way!" I gulped down my tea, stripped out of my clothes, and jumped into a steaming shower. Elite athletes would call me a wimp. But it took a 10 minute hot shower PLUS sitting in a hot bath for 5 minutes just to get warm again. I popped some Advil and slept like a baby for 8 hours straight...but my legs don't feel all that great today.

Check back with me after the first hot run of the spring/summer season...I'll be more ready to take the plunge then.

Spay Day 2010

Four million cats and dogs--about one every eight seconds--are put down in U.S. shelters each year. Often these animals are the offspring of cherished family pets. Spay/neuter is a proven way to reduce pet population, ensuring that every pet has a family to love them.

Humane Society of the United States

A Runner in Training: Breakfast

I call it my mega-breakfast. It's very filling and healthy. I don't eat this every morning, but at least 3 times a week. I sometimes have it for dinner!

1 egg
1 egg white
I whisk these 2 together with a pinch of kosher salt and a splash of milk (I think the milk really makes them fluffier). I scramble them over medium to medium-high heat but don't really mess with them much. Near the end of cooking, I toss in some cheese and fresh salsa.1 Oroweat sandwich thin
1/4 c reduced-fat cheese
1/2 c fresh salsa
1 banana, cut into bite-sized pieces
1-2 T reduced-fat peanut butter

Notice the brown spots on my eggs?? Jenbob likes her eggs very well done ("George likes his chicken spicy!"--name that sitcom--). They are done on the outside but fluffy, creamy, and cheesy on the inside. While the eggs cook I toast a sandwich thin and either slice up a banana with pb OR I make a protein shake (1 scoop chocolate protein + 1 c low-fat milk). I top the toasted bread with the egg/cheese/salsa mixture and fold it over to make a massive sandwich. Delish. Keeps me full for at least 4 hours.

Total meal ~ 400 cal, 12 g fat, 10 g fiber, 26 g protein
(This may seem like a lot of fat to most of you...but remember, I am training hard and exercising 6-7 days a week. Most of the fat comes from the cheese and the peanut butter, but they also have the protein that I need to sustain my workouts)

Product Review: Jell-o Mousse Temptations

I've been a fan of chocolate mousse since I was about 5 or 6 years old. I rarely have it though because I don't make it and don't usually look for it anywhere. But when I saw this product at the grocery store I thought I would give it a try! Even though it is made with an artificial sweetener, I decided that its small portion size was worth it.

Jell-o Mousse Temptations
Chocolate Indulgence
$2.50 (six-pack)
1 serving = 1 container
60 cal, 3 g fat, 2 g protein, sugar-free, 1 WW point

The Verdict: Amazing! I love the light and airy consistency and deep chocolate flavor! The serving size is a perfect way to satisfy a sweet craving. Many products with artificial sweeteners often have a fake, too-sweet taste, but not these little guys!

A+

A Runner in Training: Lunch

Sure, it may look a little plain and boring. But this lunch is fantastic. I've had it everyday this week. Lunch and breakfast are my 2 biggest meals and I try to pack in as much protein and as many veggies as possible. I have a salad like this at least 4 times during the workweek. I just buy a huge tub of the organic spring mix and keep it in the fridge at work. I also keep my favorite dressing at the office AND at home (Newman's Lite Balsamic). The cherub tomatoes are of course a must.

3 oz grilled chicken breast (I cheated--it's frozen--see below)
1 1/2 c broccoli (also frozen--see below)
2 c mixed salad greens
2 T salad dressing
1 c tomatoes

Chicken
1 pkg Tyson frozen grilled chicken breasts
(~3 oz each)
These are really, really good. Only 110 cals and all you have to do is heat them up in the microwave. They taste great and save so much time!!

Broccoli
1 pkg frozen broccoli florets
1 T Penzey's Tuscan Sunset seasoning (a kitchen staple)
1/2 t or so of kosher salt

Cook broccoli according to package directions. Drain and mix with salt and seasoning. Simple. Yum.This will keep me very full until about 3 PM when I'll eat some fruit (to prepare for my training after work--today: 3.5 miles + weights). I'll post breakfast tomorrow! Try to contain your excitement...


[I apologize in advance for my blog posts over the next 2 months...right now my life is all about work, school, and training. I rarely blog about work (but it's awesome) and school is going great. Running, training, food, body weight, bodily functions while training...these are the hot topics. Welcome to my exciting world!]

Frigid 5-Miler: Race Recap

Date: 2.13.10
Time: 9:00 am
Location: Mitch Park, Edmond, OK
Temp: 36 degrees
Route: Hilly, 5-mile trail

[Warning: Race recaps may contain language that is not suitable for normal readers. I will be graphic when I want and may describe situations which will gross some of you out. But it's a runner's life...and a runner with a spastic colon no less. You've been warned.]

This race kicks off the 2010 race season. Unfortunately for me, last week was a bad one...I was in a funk and feeling blah. I didn't train at all except for one short 2.25 mile run on Wednesday. I was also not eating well nor was I drinking my usual amount of water. Hey, we all have those weeks, right? So I really wasn't prepared for the first race of the year: Edmond's Frigid Five. The most I've run in the last month has been 4 miles. The most I've EVER run in a race was a 5k. Needless to say this was a new challenge for me.

I created a new playlist on Friday night and filled it with songs that were upbeat and happy (mostly 80's and 90's stuff). I had maybe half of a banana Saturday morning and headed out to the race. I wore the long-sleeved event t-shirt and some capri dri-wick pants. I also wore gloves that I knew I would toss on the trail eventually (be prepared and wear things you won't miss if you need to toss them during the race--although technically you could backtrack after the race to pick them up). Anyway, it was chilly at first but the morning was beautiful. The sun was actually shining for the first time since we had such bad weather. I positioned myself in the middle of the pack as there were no official pace signs. This is a friendly, small-town neighborhood race. The beginning of any race is annoying crazy because a huge pack of runners/walkers is trying to get ahead and get moving. I couldn't really tell where the starting line was and just started my Garmin. It is very hard not to run very fast with all of these other runners taking off...for me, it's impossible to stay within my usual pace. Perhaps this is a good thing...it kept me moving faster than I normally would have been running. But I was worried about going so much faster...how would I last at this pace??!! Finally, around the 1/2 mile mark, I found my stride, although it was still a good minute faster than normal. I didn't mind people passing me...I knew this wasn't a real 'race' for me and was more about finishing. At the 1 mile mark I chucked my gloves because my hands were plenty warm. I would eventually see many a pair of gloves randomly tossed on the trail. Mitch Park is very hilly, and I wonder how much that affected my overall performance. I don't usually take hills lightly...I want to dig in and get to the top. Unfortunately, that makes for a higher heart rate and more exhaustion in the long run, but I did it anyway. So the music in my ear is great, I'm warmed up and feeling good, smiling at the people stationed at each mile marker calling out the times (which were always 1 minute slower than what my Garmin said, oh well). The only thing that kind of sucked was the weaving of the course...there were several spots where the slowpokes (me) had to pass the sprinters (read: normals). This only brought home just how much further I had to go. But I pretty much kept a smile on my face and tried to stay positive (despite the plethora of spit piles on the ground everywhere I looked--gross). At 25 minutes in I heard the cheers of those who ACTUALLY CROSSED THE FINISH LINE ALREADY. I couldn't believe it! Those psychos people kept a 5-min-mile pace the whole time. Oh, well, I had to remind myself again that this was fun and all about finishing. At mile 3 I grabbed a cup of water and had about 2 sips. I am not skilled at drinking and running and almost choked. Plus, it made me nauseous. But I was happy to know that I was past the half-way point. I was entering into newer territory though, as I usually average about 3-3.5 miles a run during the week. At this point I am remembering the last time I ran Mitch Park trails (maybe last summer) and just how many more hills there were towards the end. But there was a nice flat part for awhile so I just concentrated on moving. I did stop twice during this race...for about a total of 10 seconds. I realized that for me, stopping to walk actually makes it harder to get going again and sometimes even causes pain. Anyhoo, when I hit mile 4 I started to really feel it. Despite the lone half-banana earlier, things were starting to 'brew' if you know what I mean. Come to think of it, there weren't many Port-o-Potties on this trail. So despite the gurgling I knew I wasn't in any real potty danger. I had come to the last hilly part of the trail...this is where the longer, gradual hill was on the course (I HATE gradual hills...they take forever). I was pretty happy with my time at this point and was trying to keep pace with a gal ahead of me who had the same build. She was hilarious and actually stopped to pose for one of the race cameras! At around 4.5 or so we crossed the exit to the park--and people who had already finished the race AND picked up their goodies were leaving! But I smiled and kept going, knowing I was almost there. I was hurting at this point. But I kept on keeping on and could hear the cheers of onlookers as well as runners who were finished and headed back to their cars. I didn't pick up the pace a whole lot during that last stretch to the finish. I'm not sure if I was just tired or what. When I crossed the finish line and saw my time, I was pretty stoked. I had finished the race!! I grabbed a water bottle someone was handing me and walked around to cool off. I noticed just how many people were still behind me and I'll admit I was pretty happy I wasn't last! :) Then I just cooled down as I walked to my car. My nose was running like crazy and I was JUST starting to feel a little chafing going on under my arms (that's never happened to me before--but I have read about it). I was pretty proud of myself for getting up on a Saturday morning and running 5 miles.

Stats/Things I Learned

According to my Garmin:
Mile 1: 12:45
Mile 2: 12:49
Mile 3: 13:57
Mile 4: 13:43
Mile 5: 13:37

Official Chip Time: 1:03:27

1) If I'm going to run more than 4 miles, I'll definitely need some water and fuel. I recently bought some Gu gels but have yet to try them out. But at mile 4 I was definitely feeling weak. The problem is I tend to get nauseous and break out into a cold sweat so I am curious whether or not I'll be able to stomach the energy gels/chews.

2) I need to start using the Body Glide I bought. Chafing is not fun and if I had run any further than 5 miles I would have been hurting.

3) I am a slow runner. But that's okay! Even in middle school and high school when I was in great shape (and young) I never did more than a 9-10 minute mile. I am a distance runner at heart and, even though my pace will improve as I lose the last of my weight, I'll never be a fast runner.

4) After finishing a 5-mile race, I couldn't FATHOM running another 8 miles (aka, the Half). BUT, as a good running friend told me (Jason, aka Jbob), I can't think about the half right now. The next distance is 6 miles...then 7 miles...and so on. And as another running friend reminded me (Chris), a year ago I couldn't imagine running FIVE miles.

5) I could not believe how sore my legs were on Sunday. I did not stretch or ice like I should have (must have been the high of feeling so good). I learned my lesson!


My next race is 3/6/10 and will be a 10k (6.2 miles). I am back in training, guzzling my water, eating right, and feeling good. I WILL DO THIS!!

Somebody loves me...

These beautiful flowers are from the sweetest Valentine I've ever had...my dad.
xoxoxo

my take on french fries

One of the many snacks we had last Sunday...the recipe is definitely a keeper! These actually remind me more of potato skins than french fries. They are great with hamburgers or just for snacking...and my Mommy liked them so you know they're a hit!

Oven-Baked Potato Wedges with Creamy Dill Dip

4 Russet potatoes, cut into wedges
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 t dried parsley
1-1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t smoked paprika
1/2 t black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking sheet with plenty of cooking spray (trust me, you don't want the potatoes to stick). Scrub and clean the potatoes and cut about 8 wedges per potato. In a large bowl, combine all of the above ingredients and toss to coat the potatoes well. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 50-55 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through the cooking time.

For the dip:
1 c sour cream
1/2 c mayonaise
1-1 1/2 t dried dill weed (I LOVE dill and use A LOT--you could cut to 1/2 t)
1/2 t dried parsley
1 T chopped chives
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t black pepper
sprinkle of salt

Mix together and chill until potatoes are ready.

Coming Soon...

Superbowl Sunday Snack Recap!!

Darn groundhog...

Dude.

P-Dog (a.k.a. Punxsutawney Phil) saw his shadow today and guess what that means?? More freakin' winter.

I love his face here...he's like "Man, just put me back in the hole..."

My fingers and toes are cold!

I snapped some pictures around the neighborhood tonight...this is how it has looked for 3 days. I'm ready for some sun!!

Critter tracks...See those branches?? They are coated in a thick layer of ice...I have been lucky this winter that none of my tree branches have fallen!!Icicles outside my bedroom window...My favorite backyard tree...And me in my snow boots!!

12-week Half-marathon training

Today is the official start to my half-marathon training. I'm following a (modified) novice schedule designed by Hal Higdon. I am still going to follow this schedule. I CAN DO THIS! I'm also going to keep up with my scheduled weight training, yoga, and indoor cycling. Unfortunately, with this horrible ice and snow I will most likely do a lot of training on the dreadmill. No matter how much music I listen to, how many DVR'd shows I watch, or how many movies I watch while on the treadmill, it.is.so.boring. I'm usually exhausted when I get off because I've stepped up the pace so fast just to get done!

I am determined to follow this schedule despite rain, sleet, snow, bad moods, bad hair days, pity parties, and just plain laziness.

Say it with me: "Go Jenni, go Jenni, go Jenni..."