The little things that make you ^_^

This morning I woke up early so that I could hike with my dad!  Yay!  Even though we didn’t  go all the way we had good reasons…like it looked like it was going to rain (which it didn’t ).  Fine, I confess…we were too lazy and tired to go all the way.  It’s not our fault!  The last part is really steep!  But we promised ourselves that we’ll get better next time…

I’m planning to go to my friend’s house to do our lovely homework!  Doing the homework is much more fun when you do it with friends…as long as we don’t get too distracted !  And if we don’t understand something, we don’t need to call each other and waste our minutes and texts !

Something made me really happy!  My manager is so nice and sweet ^_^!!!  Even though I don’t work there anymore, my manager called me just to remind me that the store was holding a party for all employees tonight, and wondering if I was planning to come.  Unfortunately, I had to decline since I have school the next day, but I was so happy that she was considerate enough to call me!  She’s my favorite manager!!!  She’s going on maternity leave soon and I wish her the best of luck, health, and happiness!

I love the title of this blog.  We need to appreciate the little things in life because it’s the little things that make up our lives.  Without them, life wouldn’t be fun!

I hope everyone finds the little things that make them ^_^

lots of love!

ash<3

[Via http://0ash0.wordpress.com]

Buying an Elliptical Trainer Online – What You Need to Know!

When I first started working in the fitness equipment industry the idea of customers buying online seemed absurd. But about 9 years ago the company I worked for built a web site and started advertising on Yahoo. Back then Google was still a concept, and pay per click advertising hadn’t been conceived. Surprisingly a few people here and there would make purchases, primarily for treadmills. All sales were conducted through the phone.

Gradually sales increased, so about 6 years ago I suggested we include a shopping cart on our site. The reaction was, “who would buy fitness equipment online without talking to someone first.” Well, how times have changed. When I left the company over 60% of our sales were through the cart. Our minimum price item was $1,000, with our premium products exceeding $3,000.

Purchasing fitness equipment online has become a major industry. There are several benefits from buying online:

There is no sales tax.

The item is delivered to your home.

The Internet is ideal for comparison shopping.

Nothing competes with the convenience of shopping from your home.

Not always, but in some instances you will save money. Elliptical Trainers Grow in Popularity

The fastest growing fitness equipment currently is elliptical trainers. They offer the benefit of providing a low-impact, upper and lower body workout. They have become particularly attractive to the aging baby boomers. And like treadmills, many people are purchasing them online. If you are considering buying an elliptical trainer online there are several considerations:

Buy a Quality Elliptical Trainer

Do not waste your money on a cheap machine, unless you plan to use it to hang clothes. How do you determine what qualifies as cheap and what merits quality? You need to do your due diligence. Check out third party reviews, customer testimonials (epinions.com is a good source), and compare features and specifications. At my site you will find an elliptical trainer buyer’s guide. It explains in detail the important features of an elliptical trainer.

Buy an Elliptical Trainer that has an Adequate Warranty

When you see an elliptical trainer with a 90 parts and labor warranty, you should be concerned about the durability of that machine. It doesn’t say much about the faith of the manufacturer in their products. When buying an elliptical trainer look for models that come with a one year labor warranty, and a 1-3 year parts coverage.

Buy an Elliptical Trainer from a Company with a Good Reputation

When you purchase an elliptical trainer you are not only buying the machine, but also the company that stands behind it. Although elliptical trainers require less service than a treadmill, you may still have maintenance issues and questions. You want to make sure you purchase from a company that is responsive to their customers. Once again customer reviews can be helpful. Whenever I want to get some insight into a company I will do a search on the company name and “complaints”. You could be surprised on the results. I was going to spend considerable money with a furniture store chain and when I did a search I was overwhelmed with the number of customer complaints. Guess what? They didn’t get my business.

There are a number of advantages to buying an elliptical trainer online, but as with any purchase let the buyer beware. Become an informed consumer and make a smart buy.

[Via http://workoutfitness.wordpress.com]

Concussions & ImPACT Test

This is a feature story by ESPN Outside the Lines on the epidemic of concussions in teenage sports and the result of untreated concussions

In 2008, 5 high school football players died during games or practices from getting a concussion on top of a concussion – a condition know as Second Impact Syndrome. A recent study by nationwide children’s hospital in Ohio that found an alarming 41 percent of high school athletes with concussion returned to play too soon. And while football has by far the highest rate of concussions compared to any other sport: hockey, wrestling gymnastics, lacrosse, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, baseball, softball and soccer all have their fair share. Concussions happen when the brain is shaken inside the skull. And even though they’re common in sports many coaches and trainers still don’t know how to manage them. That’s partially because there is no one-size-fits-all guideline for what to do when a player gets one. Some athletes will heal in a couple days and some in a couple months. Researchers are just beginning to unlock the reasons why.

Watch it here

[Via http://brokenbrilliant.wordpress.com]

I've Graduated

Well, it seems like it’s time.

Time to move on to the YMCA instead of just Snap Fitness Bay View.  We’re going to try it out for a month, and then cancel SNAP if the Y works out.  Why is this, you say?  Don’t you LIVE in Bay View?

Yes, I do.  But even with SNAP Fitness being right down the road from me (seriously, it’s ridiculously close) we still drive.  Yes – we really do. Especially in this cold.  It takes 15 minutes to walk there, 15 minutes to walk back.  That’s 30 minutes that I could be working out. No, it’s not eco-friendly. No, it’s not neighborhood friendly. No, it’s not ideal. But it’s the truth.

And it’s time to face the facts. 

Another fact is that the times I want to work out, SNAP is SO packed. In such a small space, that’s a big deal. Perhaps it’s just the aprés New Year crowd, but it detracts from our ability to do what we need to do for ourselves. There are only so many machines, and people are almost always on them. There’s very little space to do floor-based exercises (abs!) when NO one is there, so you can imagine what it’s like when it is busy. When we signed up, it didn’t smell like a gym. Now…it does, and it nearly makes me gag every time I get in there.

The last fact is, really, the classes. The classes are HUGE for me. In taking the Hip Hop class at Danceworks (which is packed to the point of turning people away), I’ve been reminded that I am motivated by teachers much more than I am motivated by myself. Honestly, the motivation to GO to the gym is a massive feat, so the motivation to push myself isn’t there.  Not yet. Which is why classes can* be great.

SNAP has no classes.  And while Bay View Fitness has classes, it doesn’t have all the other amenities that the YMCA DOES have.  The YMCA is also only $4 more than our current membership. I was expecting a much higher number.  And finally, because I’m a planner – the YMCA has lockers, towels, water (SNAP doesn’t even have a water fountain) and …wait for it…daycare.  Because I would like to have kids someday and still work out.

That’s the level of commitment I’m looking to make – a lifetime relationship with the gym.

So tonight, we are graduating to the YMCA. I’ve proven that I can get to the gym regularly.  Now to up the ante a bit.

* I add this note because it really depends on the teacher.  Sometimes, I’m completely a competitive asshole, and decide that I don’t like a teacher’s attitude. This, of course, results in me deciding I would rather go it alone.

[Via http://folkfusionista.wordpress.com]

Murray inches closer to greatness.

Andy Murray’s victory over Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open not only earned him his third Grand Slam semi final, but it showed his main rivals that he is back, better than before.

The way he outplayed the Spaniard for much of the match was a joy to behold, and there can be no excuses of an injured Nadal, as the defending champion was never dominant in this sluggish affair.

Nadal’s injury problems are a blow to not only himself, but to the tennis world. He has the knees of a 40 year old and it is a reasonable assertion to make that he may never reach the giddy heights of 2008.

That, though, is for another day. Murray, on this evidence alone, looks a far more complete player and perhaps most importantly, fitter and stronger.

The Scot’s strengths have always been his movement around the court, the ability to mix up his game and he has arguably the greatest return of serve on the tour. Criticism has been labelled at his poor second serve and his lack of aggression on court. It is clear the amount of gym work during the off season has been intense as Murray looks far more destructive with the ball and he was able to match Nadal’s strength like he never has done before.

Murray was impressive against Nadal.

It was suggested to me by a friend during the match that Nadal looks around 10% less powerful than he used to. In reality, however, Murray appears to be 10% more commanding, and he has caught up with the giants of the game.

The second serve looks be a bit deeper and does not allow his opponent free swing at the ball. It will take time for it to finally be of what is required at this level, but it is making steady progress.

The most impressive aspect of Murray’s game in the quarter final match-up was to play the big points brilliantly. During key points, whether a break point down, or in the second set tie break, he was able to hammer down that ace or punch that forehand down the line. This is what he needs to keep up if he is to win his maiden slam this year.

Now, onto Cilic, and Murray has a fantastic opportunity to reach the final in Melbourne.  The Croat has just faced three, five set matches in a row, including an epic win over Andy Roddick. Or a better statistic, Cilic has played 22 sets compared to Murray’s mere 14 and a bit. The fitness will surely be with Murray and Cilic could justifiably be fatigued.

Cilic also has the ability to go in spells where nothing is going to plan. His game is inconsistent, which explains his underachieving world ranking of number 14. He has though, the potential to be unstoppable, which Murray will be fully aware of after their clash in the U.S Open last year, where Cilic won in straight sets. Murray may have had a wrist injury, but, in truth, he was outplayed in every department, and if he is to emerge victorious, considerable improvement is required.

Murray is the favourite to do so and on his showing versus Nadal, he now looks like a Grand Slam champion. All that is missing is a trophy to accompany his new found game and belief.

 

 

 

[Via http://stewartprimrose.wordpress.com]

Tentang Olahraga

Dari jaman SD dulu, saya paling gak suka pelajaran olahraga. Sampe SMP, dan sampe SMA juga. Orang-orang mah senang ya kalo pelajaran itu bisa keluar ruangan, main-main di lapangan. Ya kalo hal itu saya juga suka sih.. Lantas apa yang bikin gak suka? Nganu.. Saya paling gak jago olahraga. Kayanya nih badan gak ce-es banget sama keinginan gitu. Yang gampang capek lah, gak kuat lari, gak tangkas, dan gak-gak lainnya deh. Haduuuh..beneran deh..malu sebenernya, tapi ya gimana lagi.. kayanya emang gak bakat aja gitu.. *sob sob*. Thanks God, waktu kuliah gak ada itu yang namanya pelajaran olahraga. I don’t feel like anymore in hell *lebay*

But, gladly, I could survive from those bloody sport lesson. Satu hal yang membuat saya ‘akhirnya’ berolahraga dengan riang gembira yaitu waktu ikut ekskul silat jaman SMA dulu sampai dengan kuliah. Waktu itu saya tetep benci pelajaran olahraga kok! Tapi ndilalah waktu ikut silat itu, disuruh lari sampe gempor, push-up, sit-up, banyak-banyakan dalam 1 menit juga hayuk aja. Lompat sana lompat sini, guling sana guling sini, tendang sana tendang sini, udah biasa itu mah.

Memaaaang..kadang ngeluh juga kalo gerakannya susah, gak bisa, capek, de es be de es be.. Tapi rasanya laen aja gitu, merasa tertantang untuk bisa nyelesein semua. Padahal nih ya, tak kasih tau aja, daku juga ndak jagooo.. Kan udah dibilangin kalo emang ndak ada bakat Tapi yang namanya semangat mah cuek aja, yang penting gerak, yang ngerasa manfaatnya kita sendiri kok. Lagian kalo beladiri gitu, gerakannya pasti keren, macho aja gitu.. Dan eike demen yang macho-macho gitu *lho?*

Satu lagi, badan saya tuh stiff banget, alias kaku, alias gak luwes..huhuhuhu.. suka iri sama orang-orang yang jago nari atau nge-dance. Tapi apa daya, selain daku ini aslinya pemalu buat goyang-goyang kaya gitu *kecuali tari serimpi daku mau deh*, emang dasarnya gak bakat aja gituu…

Balik lagi ke masalah olahraga. Selepas kuliah, otomatis saya udah jarang banget latian silat, apalagi olahraga. Boro-boro. Kalo lagi pengen ya paling sepedaan, itu juga yaoloh..bisa diitung berapa kali dalam 3 bulan.. Udah kerja gitu, sulit banget waktunya buat latian. Dan daku memang memutuskan untuk vakum sementara bahkan mungkin selamanya.

Nah, akhir-akhir ini, saya baru ikutan fitness di salah satu klub terkemuka. Udah lama banget pengen ikut cuma belum ketemu tempat yang cocok. Berasa banget nih badan butuh olahraga. Selain kadar lemak yang menumpuk, otot juga kayanya gak terlatih banget. Paling otot kaki doang karena yaaa kemana-mana jalan, naek angkot, di pabrik, dsb. Tapi tetep kurang banget deh.

Selama beberapa kali latian, emang ketauan banget nih fisik udah ngedrop banget. Makanya musti sering-sering latian, biar badan juga bugar, stamina gak gampang ngedrop juga. And I just found a new interisting stuff! Di tempat fitnessnya juga ada kelas yang ada unsur martial artnya juga! waaaaa… daku bagaikan ayam lepas dari kandangnya berasa seneng banget! Udah lama gak latian kaya beginian. Memang sih arahnya kaya tinju-tinju gitu, cuma dikombinasi sama kaki juga. Yah lumayan lah melampiaskan hasrat yang terpendam selama ini

Kalo kamu, kapan terakhir olahraga?

*cari sandsack*

[Via http://ladybugfreak.wordpress.com]

Blood on the Sock

On my first attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon, I blew out my quads. A runner will turn his hat around when his goal is lost.

Here I am. After an 18 mile run I am in bed with a cold pack on my heel and a corn bag on my left thigh. I am a mess and this is only the beginning of the training for the Boston Marathon, my last bastion of freedom.

So I started out this morning, already sore in the heel (now thinking that it is the return of an old injury – Plantar Fasciitis) and new soreness in the knees. At mile nine, a quick stretch on each leg calmed the knee soreness but from there a malaise of pain gradually took over my lower body until around mile 15, when it felt like my legs were on fire. After the run, while slowly unraveling running gear (it was very hard to bend over) I discovered blood on the top of my sock where a persistent hot spot has opened up despite Body Glide ®, and taping. Yes, I am in sad shape and it is only the beginning.

I remember the training for my very first marathon. My buddies and I were experiencing a whole world of hurt that season. I was popping ibuprofen like it was candy. During the carb-loading pre-race dinner the night before the race, I made the grand pronouncement of, “Hey, maybe because we trained so well, it won’t hurt so bad.” My buddies, having run a marathon before, just laughed and laughed at that statement. They laughed again when I discovered that I was wrong – very wrong. I couldn’t go up or down stairs for a week.

I don’t know what is up with my thought process. Yes, I have embraced change. Yes, I am working hard on making my life the life I want. However, I always think, “Oh this will be easy.”  What the hell am I thinking?  My run in Boston this coming April will be my 7th marathon. You would think I would remember how painful the training is. It doesn’t get any easier, and now that I am 50, I have the age thing working against me.

At one point in my life I loved being able to say, “I have succeeded in everything I have done.” It was a hollow statement. I never challenged myself. I never thought that maybe if I took control of my life, I could make a better life. I was in an unsupported career, working with people who were not collaborative or open to new ideas. I ignored a relationship that had become nothing but a conciliatory, domestic partnership. I had the body of a 75 year old, wearing out before its time, and I didn’t care. Of course I am going to be successful accepting mediocrity and compromise. Anyone would. Things have changed. I have given myself monumental challenges in a quest to become the true me with a life better suited for me.  At one point I remember saying, “Changing careers will be a snap. Creating a relationship rich in intimacy, passion and commitment – no problem. Running marathons – bring it on.” Now it is mile 18 and I am feeling the pain.

Break it down into parts

Since the winter season dictates that I leave my bike on the rack, my cross training for this race is swimming. This will serve two purposes; Cross training for the marathon, and streamlining my stroke for a future triathlon this summer. My coach has us doing drills that break down the mechanics of swimming into individual elements. He has broken down the stroke to the point where I have totally forgotten how to swim as I tear apart and slowly rebuild a new, more “efficient forward propulsion,” as he describes it. Again, you guessed it, I found myself saying, “Oh! This  will be easy.” Wrong! I have completely forgotten how to swim! Rebuilding something new after years of doing it wrong is not easy. Frustratingly, painfully, incredibly difficult to say the least. Damn right.

“Rebuilding something new after years of doing it wrong,” that is what I am doing. I have to remember that it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. Breaking each element down into its smallest parts is the best way to approach this. I am not ready for the end result yet. I still need to tear it down, correct the misconceptions, practice each part, rebuild from scratch. You can’t rush the end result if the end result is to be successful. Patience and persistence will get me across the finish line when the time is right. Toss the pain in there as a reminder that this is not easy, but it is going to be worth it – someday.

[Via http://jassnight.wordpress.com]

65.4kgs or 144 lb and 2.91 oz

The scales weren’t kind to me this morning, but I can’t really blame them. I didn’t do Body Attack in the end – I forgot my shorts at home and didn’t have enough time before heading out to collect them from home and make it back to the gym. I then went out and drank a lot of white wine as well as eating an entire pizza. I’m actually surprised the damage wasn’t worse. I headed to the gym with a cracking headache, but at least I felt a bit better about the calorific damage I inflicted on by body from last night.

Anyway, spent the day on a boat and had a lovely time if not entirely comfortable in a bikini. I had a really interesting conversation with a couple of girls about how women refer to their gym attendance and exercise. Their general point was they find it really boring when women talk about what they’ve done in the gym or what they’ve eaten. I stayed very quiet. Very quiet indeed. It did make me think ‘Do I bore all my friends?’ Since doing this blog, I’ve definitely become better with using this as my main outlet for my ‘body obsession/neurosis’, but I know that previously I used to spend a lot of time talking about what I’ve eaten, what I’m going to do in the gym, what I did in the gym, what I was going to eat. I can see why it would be boring, but unfortunately it does take up a lot of my thinking.

The conversation did bring home that not every woman thinks about their body like I do about mine. I almost feel sorry for the amount of stick I give my body. Some women even like their body – imagine that! I really did think I was pretty normal in how I viewed my body and that most women shared similar insecurities about their bodies, but it seems that really isn’t the case.

Maybe what I should try to do it stop talking about it so much, but also stop thinking about it so much. Easier said than done, but definitely something worth attempting.

[Via http://bodyobsessed.wordpress.com]

Running may be a bad idea fro your fat spouse

As a person who used to be an active and successful personal trainer, I’ll tell you that it’s a genuinely BAD idea for someone who is overweight to run or even jog.

I’m going to post some links as to why it’s a bad idea to run if you are overweight but for now let me explain the matter in an easy to deliver analogy.

A woman whose body is genetically programmed to carry 126-154 lbs on their frame at 5′8″ has ligaments, muscle tissue, connective fibers, etc all geared toward that genetic marker for weight.

If a woman weighed 126lbs when she was actively running 5 miles a day, then that is her baseline weight. Take the baseline weight from when she was active and then use todays weigh in weight.

Let’s for the sake of arguement say that this woman weighed in at 176lbs.

176lbs (current) – 126lbs (base) = 50lbs of weight.

To be more blunt, that means that she has a ratio 40% over her baseline weight.

Multiply that 40% by her current weight and you get the equivelent stress to her knees and ankles… which is approximately 70lbs.

That means if you want her to feel what it’s like on her body to run at this weight, then give her a backpack and drop two 35lb weights into the back of it and tell her to try jogging with it.

It will become very clear, very quickly it’s a super bad idea.

So the question is when should she begin running? Can she begin running?

The answer is yes, she can start. But she needs to develop a running strategy that starts from the base and moves up. She has to start with a walking regiment first, then move up to light running focusing on maximizing her glide and reducing her up and down motion (less jarring on the knees). Eventually she can move up to fartlek or H.I.I.T. training.

The thing about running is that it is only good for fat burning up to a point. Long distance runners don’t typically lose as much body fat as interval trainers, because our bodies are not naturally structured for endurance type athletics. Sure we can always train for a marathon, but our muscles work better for shorter sprint distances.

My professional recommendation is that she start off very slowly, and focus on form/technique, etc. It comes back quickly but it’s rough. She also shouldn’t increase her mileage by more than 10% a week.

Another thing you may want to get her is a stick of body glide. It is rubbed on the inside thigh and keeps chaffing away like magic. You can pick it up at any running store.

If you have the money, go to an equipment reseller or craigslist and buy a high quality eliptical trainer or simply get her a gym membership at the YMCA if she’ll go.

The eliptical trainer will give her a decent cardio workout with no jarring to the knees.

If she wants to know if she’s working hard enough, buy her a heart rate monitor watch with a chest band. It’ll tell her how hard she is actually working better than her own guess. And frankly it makes workouts more productive when you have some kind of tracking device as to where you are cardiovascularly.

Speed walking and hiking are great exercise as well. I’d also recommend if she is going to run to cross train and to stretch. If her body starts to hurt at all, switch gears and let herself heal. That doesn’t mean quit working out. It simply means do a non-impact version of exercise until any injury she sustains is gone.

As a former runner I am sure she knows that the warm up and cool down periods are critical to avoiding injury so I won’t go there.

She might also want to consider buying a shoe designed for her increased weight and foot type. Not all shoes are created equally and a good running shop may charge retail, but they are staffed with runners who aren’t highschool students that don’t have a clue about topics like strike, pronation, etc.

If I can find articles about this, I’ll send them your way. Hopefully you won’t need any to convince her to take it very slow.

Mapping out a work out plan and keeping track of goals is a great way to get things done. Try mapping out her distance and times and setting goals weekly.

Sprint training will help with the speed… she just needs to be super careful.

Good luck and I’ll dig for some articles (they are rare because so few obese people run).

Peace,

Crash

Brother Crash wrote posted this on the My Fat Spouse Forum

[Via http://myfatspouse.wordpress.com]

Dynaflex Powerballs

In late December I purchased a Dynaflex blue neon powerball with starter from Amazon.  Actually a total of 5 from Amazon since I also ordered some for my friends. When I fist started using the powerball it worked really well I thought.  Then only a matter of about 2 weeks later it started making a horrible noise.  I opened it up to see what was causing the noise and it appeared to me that the axle holes located on the support ring were enlarged. This could explain the noise so I emailed Dynaflex and told them what I thought was wrong.  They said that they would send me a new ball for 20.95 inlcuding shipping.  I told them I thought it had a lifetime guarantee and they said only on manufacture defects. Also they said that if the powerball is opened that voids the guarantee.  I told them I had purchased 5 of their powerballs and this is the way they handle it.  I sent an email back stating I would not be purchasing any more powerballs from them.  Instead I would be purchasing powerballs from RPM Sports since RPM Sports powerballs have an unconditional liftetime guarantee.  All they could say was sorry that their policy discouraged me.  I DO NOT recommend Dynaflex Powerballs.

[Via http://chris12923.wordpress.com]

Pureed Perfection

So over the past day my food processor and immersion blender have seen quite a bit of love.  What can I say… I have a penchant for foods fit for a baby.  Just look at that delicioso soup!

This was Curried Squash & Red Lentil Soup from Gourmet magazine and I have to say it was pretty amazing… I only partially pureed this, leaving some nice chunks for texture.  Here’s the recipe along with my modifications:

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 (main course) servings

Active Time: 25 min

Total Time: 1 1/4 hr

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 – 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used a combo of hubbard squash, butternut squash and yams)

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like it hot!)

2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 cup red lentils

2 quarts water

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat, then cook squash, yams, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Stir in curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes.
3. Add lentils and water and simmer, covered, until lentils are tender, 25 to 40 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Puree about half of the mixture with a hand blender or separately in a food processor.

This made a huuge pot of soup, which I will be storing in my freezer because I hate having the same thing too many days in a row… boring!!  Next on the menu: Mashed Cauliflower!!!

I basically just used the recipe from CCV and it was lovely.  Thanks girlie!  It’s just boiled about 3 cups cauliflower (drained), a tsp of Better-Than-Bullion Organic Veggie Soup Base, 1 clove garlic (boiled along with the cauliflower), 1 tsp Dijon mustard and salt & pepper to taste.  Throw everything in the food processor and voila!  I added a touch of water to create a creamier texture, but it’s up to you how soupy you want things.

And now the Pièce de résistance… Pumpkin Pudding!!!  I made this vegan-style with silken tofu in place of cream and it was ridiculously good!  To be honest it was a touch sweeter than I hoped because I accidently bought pumpkin pie filling instead of plain canned pumpkin, but I opened it before realizing my mistake so I can’t just put it to waste…

It’s basically just a cup or so of soft, silken tofu and 1/3 cup of pumpkin purée.  Since it was already spiced and sweetened I didn’t add anything, but in the future I’ll definitely be using plain pumpkin and my own spices and a touch of honey or agave nectar.  Oh yeah, I also made this deliciousness… Vegan Sausage & Peppers!

I used a whole green bell pepper and one small red onion sliced into strips, minced 1 large clove of garlic and sautéed them for a bit.  Then I added a few dashes of pizza seasoning, herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of tomato paste and some water to create a sort of a sauce.  I threw in some diced Seitan Sauasage a well as some kidney beans for some extra protein… delish!

Well I’m off to go for a run in my new Vibram FiveFingers.  These get quite a bit of attention in Central Park, let me tell you… but more on that in a different post.  

[Via http://stevianspice.wordpress.com]

P90X Day 3

Hey everybody, Vanessa here.

So, day 3. I’m still sore from day 2 (Plyometrics). Every muscle in my legs is sore. I could feel them starting to lock up while I was still in the middle of the workout. It’s a killer, that’s for sure. Definitely one of those love/hate workouts. You’ll absolutely love the results, but absolutely hate the process. Maybe I can train my body to actually like the feeling of burning muscles? Haha…wishful thinking at it’s best. The best (?) part is that I know my body will be even more sore tomorrow. Thank you…Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Maybe I’ll get Danielle to write about that later…

Day 3 Shoulders and Arms/Ab RipperX

I love this workout. I always seem to be able to see the results in my shoulders rather quickly. It’s another repeat workout. It is 5 sequences (including a bonus round) of a shoulder, bicep, then tricep exercise. You do sequence 1, then repeat it before moving on to sequence 2.  Again, we just did each sequence one time through (80% of the benefit comes in the first set anyway). Tony emphasizes to do 8 to 10 reps for size, and 12 to 15 reps for a lean look. So pick your weight according to your goals. Just make sure the LAST 3 REPS are difficult!!!

Ab ripper was pretty difficult again. I have been doing it strictly by memory for so long that my timing was very off. Tony and the gang go a lot slower in the video, which of course makes it a ton more difficult. So while I fully support doing P90X in the gym, (if that’s what turns ya on) I highly recommend working along with the video occassionally to keep yourself in check and honest.

My sore legs can’t wait for some YogaX!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Leave em!

Vanessa (Get.Be.Stay.FITness)

[Via http://gbsfitness.wordpress.com]

8 Week Fitness Makeover

Achieve total Fitness in 2010!

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Inquire for more details.

[Via http://drbucko.wordpress.com]

Running with Sheila

Today is the first opportunity I’ve had to run outside with Sylvia the Garmin working properly!  (Reading the user’s manual was really helpful, not shockingly.)

I’m doing a lot of shuffling this week because I’m traveling for work and I have Monday off work.  So, everything’s going to be a little early.  I’m planning on running Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, taking Wednesday and Thursday “off” while I’m traveling, and then doing my long run on Friday and some S&S Saturday.  Today’s task?  3.5 miles.

I have to say–I’m proud of myself.  I don’t think people say that enough.  I maintained my perfect goal half marathon pace–9:55–while running on the treacherous hills in my neighborhood.  And it was just kind of innate–I feel like I have muscle memories of that pace and it just is natural.  I COULD have run a little faster on a flat treadmill, but I think keeping up this pace on hills is a good sign, since my half marathon course is flat.  Go me!

Here’s the final stats:

Then I finally installed my Garmin software on my computer to use and played around with a bit.  Here is the actual graphic proof that my neighborhood is hilly to the max:

You can see the six laps around my neighborhood!

I really like being able to see my stats–my only complaints about the Garmin are a) it takes a few minutes for the satellites to load in the beginning and b) the software is all wonky on my computer.  I keep having to re-load it and it keeps telling me that I need to connect my Garmin since it’s the first time I’m using the software.  Lame.  But, all in all, it’s a good tool.

So, crossing another run off the ol’ training schedule.   Now we’re watching Julie and Julia (despite my irrational dislike of Meryl Streep), and generally decompressing.  I might go buy some prenatal vitamins this afternoon–my hairdresser yesterday recommended them for hair and nail growth and strength!  I have a LOT of hair, but it’s very fine, and as it’s getting longer I want it to get stronger too, so hey, can’t hurt, right?

What are YOU proud of that you’ve done recently?

[Via http://thefitbride.wordpress.com]

Day 1

Well, I figured I’d blog quickly before I jump in the shower about today.  I did everything that I think I’m going to do today for it.  I also figured I should clarify something about my weight.  I weigh 156lbs and am 5′6.  I’m of medium build. I’ve never been a tiny girl, but I’ve never be a fat girl. I’m just medium.  And that’s what I’ve always been. I’m in my normal weight range and BMI for my height and weight.  However, I want to improve and instead of being at the top end, I want to be at the bottom end for normal.  I hope to be 131 (well anything in the 130s would make me happy) by March 24th, my 25th birthday.  Well, here we go.  I’ve gone jogging a few times in the past few weeks.  And by few I mean I can count them on one hand. However, it has been really cold here. Now that’s its back up to the 70s, I may get to go out more!

I started out by spending 20ish minutes doing some Wii Fit.

Wii Fit - it works!

I’ve used Wii Fit off and on over the past 2ish years, and it has kept me at the same weight I am even through splurges of eating. I also lost about 5lbs using Wii Fit daily in the past regularly.  I plan on swapping between this, EA Active for Wii, and possibly a new purchase to work-out.  This is more for warm-ups and I always do ab-toning exercises on Wii Fit. EA Active I love using the resistance band.  Maybe I will play with that later today, but so far I spent 20 minutes doing some yoga, strength training (jackknifes, push-ups, etc), some slight aerobics (step anyone?), and a few balance games (I love putting my Mii in a penguin!).

After my 20 minute warm-up, off I went! I went jogging. It was about 70 degrees out. There I went from my run/jog/walk pace.  I run and jog until I push my heart rate.  I normally spend about 80% of my time running/jogging and about 20% walking. I don’t walk slow anyway, I walk fast.

I also have to be careful because I have Asthma which is triggered by sports. Also I love to live dangerously and never carry my inhalor.  I’ve also always been more of a sprinter than a long distance runner. Even though I keep signing up for 15ks or 13ks.

Thoughts: I did notice on this run that it’s getting easier for me to run a bit more for longer periods of time.  I also see myself pushing myself harder. I am glad to see a tiny bit of improvement with minimal effort on my part.  Just imagine if I can get into the habit of running more often how I can improve and how far I can go!

I went around the neighborhood for 20 minutes. Rain was threatening me so I didn’t stray too far from the house, but I stayed dry and I still got in a decent run.

The rest of the day I have chores to do so I will be active. Sheets to change, floors to mop, etc.  And the more and more I think about EA Active I want to work out for a bit, so hopefully I can get in 20 or so minutes on EA Active. That would be an amazing first day.  I understand that I don’t have this much time to do this every day.  However, hopefully I can sneak something in every day with hardcore-ish work-outs 2-3 days a week!

Also making the husbands favorite dinner tonight: Chicken Parmesan.  I will only have a piece and I am using low-fat cheese over it, so it won’t damage me too bad. I just want to keep eating the same way I do!

Anyone have any healthy snack ideas they want to share?

[Via http://twentyfiveby25.wordpress.com]

Um, my dear, that might NOT be a "shin splint"

So, yesterday I tried to be “proactive” by going to a sports medicine doctor for some perceived “might be could be injuries.”  I had mentioned that I was planning on going and had made an appointment.  I was going to go to the 3B’s (Booth Bartolozzi and Balderston) but was referred across the street to Dr. Maenpaa, who trained under “the 3 B’s).

This guy is AWESOME!  The office that I went to is at 829 Spruce St Ste 308 Philadelphia, PA, but he also has offices in Devon and near Rittenhouse in Philly as well.  Ladies- he’s single and waaaay cuter in person   Anyway, Dr. Maenpaa was awesome.  He KNEW I was nervous by the fact that I could NOT shut my mouth (not really abnormal) and the look on my face…

It was SOOO cool.  He had me walk up and down the hall several times and observed my gate, my posture, my feet, etc.  Then he examined my shoulder.  The dude had the NERVE to tell me I needed to work on my abs to help my posture, to which I scoffed and planked it up for him for a few minutes (he asked!)…

Anyway, he was simply saying that strengthening the abs is good for the lower back, where I have pain a lot (due to being TOP-heavy naturally, thank you, and my poor posture).  OK, so here is the low-down on my two “pain places…”

1.  Shoulder- turns out that I have a “larger wing on my left side” (where the pain is behind my shoulder blade).  This means that if my right shoulder blade is, say, 3 inches to the right of my spine, my left is maybe 4 inches…does that make sense? So I am incredible imbalanced. This created much tension and resulting tendinopathy (can include both inflammation and microtears in the tendons, according to my favorite site webMD).  I have to get it xrayed because he fears there might be calcium deposits in there that he might have to “needle out.” I did not even ASK what the heck that meant, because if it is what it sounds like it is, I don’t wanna know!  For now, he is sending me to PT at a place around my house, where they will “work on it,” prescribed 800 mg. of ibuprofen, and after reviewing the x-rays he will tell me where to go from there.

2.  My shin- left shin has been “bothering me” (aka feels like a shin splint that won’t go away and hurts when I walk run and rest…cute).  He is concerned that it is a STRESS fracture!  OY!  Must get that x-rayed.  BUT, I recently had a Dexa scan which would have picked something like that up and it was clear, so if anything is there it is miniscule! 

Either way, when I got home, I jumped right on the treadmill (of course)…I will not “rest” until I am fully diagnosed..I know, stubborn.  I told them though, ” I didn’t get here from resting and I am certainly not going to leave here resting.”  I know, I must be a GREAT patient   NOT!

So, after my run, I was sure to do some great stretching!  I did some yoga moves as follows…

"Butterfly pose" or "Baddha Konasana" to stretch out the groin

Forward fold with treadmill aid… (for the hammies) 

I also did standing forward folds like this:

The sanskrit word for forward fold is Uttanasana

Then, I did Janu Sirsasana on both sides…

(those pictures are from www.yogajournal.com love it!)

Finally, I banged out one of these babies

I had to ask Shiya what this pose was called- she is the best!  By the way, it’s called Bharadvajasana and she kindly directed me to this

which is what it looks like when you bind in this posture   Thanks, Shiya!  Please check out Shanti Yoga Shala…offer is still standing to come practice with me there!  Email me at jessdownes1@gmail.com anytime!

Anyway, definitely comment/drop me an email if you have had any experience with those injuries above…I need all the help I can get, and given the positive mental state running puts me in, I’m not resting

Toodles!

[Via http://upsanddownes.wordpress.com]

From the "what a great idea" file...

So, exactly what is this?

Well it’s a circuit training facility that sits outside, smack dab in the middle of our neighbourhood park. The kids’ swings and jungle gym are still there too, but now the adults have some equipment to play on as well. Brilliant!

This particular setup has a stepper, a recumbent bike, a lat pull down, a chest press, a rower, a cross trainer and a few other machines. Yes, they’re a pretty basic design, but what a great concept our tax dollars going toward something innovative that also helps to address fitness concerns.

They seem to be popping up in a number of parks around Sydney. I guess the weather in Australia makes this a more viable option here than in other countries, but wouldn’t it be great if this was a trend we saw go global.

One thing’s for sure, it’s now a regular stop on our walks around the neighbourhood. And, in related news, I have cancelled my gym membership and am taking my workouts outside. Now, I just have to concentrate on working more of them into my schedule!

PS – on that note, it’s so cool that the nike running app is embedded in my iPhone so I can track all those walks/runs- those folks at Apple think of everything!

[Via http://lindajoh.wordpress.com]

Katherine & Kimberly Corp on Ella Speakes!

Kimberly and Katherine Corp were guests on the Ella Speakes show on Monday, January 11, 2009.  They spoke about Pilates on Fifth and what is was like to own a small business in 2009, complete with the challenges and opportunities for growth and change that 2009 did provide.  You can find more information about her radio show, which is broadcast in the Oklahoma City area, at this link: http://radiotime.com/program/p_124073/Ella_Speakes.aspx .

Ella is one of the most gracious hosts we’ve worked with, and she generously informed her listeners of not only our studio, Pilates on Fifth, and our Pilates video podcast, but also our Ultimate Pilates Workouts website. We were able to speak in detail about everything our Pilates workouts site has to offer, and especially how to do Pilates correctly as well as Pilates for beginners.  We highlighted Pilates exercise routines such as the Pilates Morning Low Back Care Workout, My First Pilates Workout for Pilates beginners, as well as the Pilates Pink Ribbon workout, for survivors of breast cancer.  We stressed that the sort function on the site allows users to sort not only by duration, but also by LEVEL.  If you’re doing Pilates at home, you can select the level that’s completely right for you!

Finally, we encouraged Ella’s listeners to utilize our podcasts so that they know if they’re doing an exercise correctly.  From our podcasts page, look on the right side of the page for the list of exercises that have been covered.  From there, just look for the name of the exercise that you’d like to review!  It’s really that simple.

Ella was also kind enough to encourage her listeners to send in their testimonials, and even send us “before” pictures so that once you’ve embarked on your Pilates journey, you can follow it up with a fantabulous “after” picture with a story of your Pilates experience!  Feel free to friend us on facebook or send us an email at info@ultimatepilatesworkouts.com.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Many, many thanks to Ella Speakes for having us on her fabulous show!

[Via http://pilatesonfifth.wordpress.com]

Day 58—Something's Fishy

Fish oil fights inflammation, so relieves arthritis.

For many of us pre-seniors,      joint pain and inflammation—aka arthritis—keeps us from exercising as much as we need or would like to. Regardless of where the pain resides—knees, hips, shoulders or wherever—it can drag us down and prevent us from keeping our health and fitness commitments.

It’s been known that fish oil contains an ingredient—DHA—that the body converts into Resolvin D2, which reduces inflammation. And, it seems, a little fish oil goes a long way.

Read the report at http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/health_news_detail.asp?health_day=632450 . And stock up on that fish oil (Be sure to get the enteric coated variety, which keeps “fish oil breath” at bay).

[Via http://derice1022.wordpress.com]

How Many Push Ups Can You Do?

I don't think I'm ready to do them in public, on a beach, just yet...

The kind of exercise I like to do has nothing whatsoever to do with weight or body size. For me, working out is about strength, tone, stress relief—just feeling amazing, you know? So when I found out through my friend Anna over at Full On Style about the 100 Push Ups program I was like, Bingo! One part of my body that’s always been weaker than the rest is my shoulders and arms. You’d think they were made of mushy noodles! And I’d love to feel stronger.

This program is like training for a race or something. Basically, you do the initial test to find out how many you can do right now (12 modified on my knees) and then do a personalized “plan” in which you do several sets of differing amounts of push ups three days a week for six weeks. Ten minutes a day, tops. Monday morning I’m supposed to do five sets of push ups (10, 12, 7, 7 and 9), and then, no doubt, collapse in a heap of ache and sweat.

Have any of you ever done something like this before? Want to do it with me?!

xo…Sunny

[photo]

[Via http://healthygirl.org]

Benefits of Boxing Training for Fitness

You may improve your health and have a physically fit body by getting into boxing training fitness programs. This is the best way for you to have a stronger body and gain confidence. Boxing workouts can help you to be at your best fighting form as well.

Many people see positive results from boxing trainings. You may build stronger and more defined arms and legs. These programs and classes also help you to gain a sense of inner strength and emotional balance.

Boxing training classes got across to the mainstream of physical fitness training a few years back. They have seen the benefits on the cardiovascular and toning of the muscles by these boxing training workouts. Tae bo work out videos also popularized these boxing and kickboxing exercises.

Cardio boxing training classes and the innovative variations of the sparring jabs, power punches, defense, and fitness has all blends of aerobics exercises. You will learn the proper execution of the punch and kick combinations for a more intensive workout that can help you become stronger and more confident.

The combinations you perform on the blocks, jabs, and kicks are executed to an imagined opponent. You may see classes where participants throw punches and kicks on the air. You will also find training camps that have quality equipment such as punching bags and you may also have the option of getting a partner that has padded hands.

You may also enjoy more benefits aside from the physical aspects of boxing trainings. Cardio kick boxing workouts allow you to burn out 350 to 500 calories in just an hour. It also helps maintaining the heart rate at 75 percent to 85 percent regular beat. This has been proven to be good and is the recommended range if you are exercising or into training.

Moreover, these boxing training classes improve your speed, resistance, and strength. Flexibility and the reflexes of the muscles are also enhanced. Repetitive motion on arms by sparring and jogging while you punch helps your arms and legs gain strength and power.

These workouts also enable your joint movements to build very efficient fitness results.

These movements require you to develop balance and coordination that enables your body to be stable and maintain a good form.

These physical benefits you gain from boxing and kickboxing are just few of the many benefits that they can provide. You will be able to learn more about defense mechanism skills, which you may use in case of unwanted instances. You will also feel the satisfaction when you punch or kick. Relaxation and self-motivation is also developed.

You will feel a sigh of relief and feel that you are released from stressed. It also helps you to get rid of that anger that is inside of you. Once these things are releases, you may feel lightness into your body and peace of mind as well.

Many aerobic and fitness experts recommend boxing training lessons for beginners. It allows you to workout on your desired pace and body condition. Boxing classes let you to push yourself to the limit as long as you are safe and well conditioned.

Positive results await you with boxing training. You will enjoy a physically fit body and will keep you in better shape. You have the option working out and exercising at your preferred level and skill. Enjoy the fun of these boxing training programs.

[Via http://healthwelfare.wordpress.com]

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia!

Elmer Fudd Chia Bust

Remember  Chia Pets? You’d wet a terra-cotta form in the shape of Elmer Fudd, spread chia seeds on its surface and a few weeks later Elmer magically sprouted green hair. I always wanted one but my Mom never caved.  My cousin Jimmy, on the other hand, had many Chia Pets. I remember the Elmer Fudd bust as well as a Sylvester/Tweety form. I think they had a dude in a sombrero in their vast Chia collection. Green I was, not with Chia hair but with envy.

Why am I going on about chia pets?   Oh yeah, the chia seeds themselves are not only edible but  highly nutritious. You might be laughing now but give me a second.

You might be asking yourself how and why I started ingesting the source of Elmer Fudd’s flowing locks. The answer, as unsexy as it is, revolves around omega fatty acids.

Let me give you a little background info. I don’t eat seafood, never have and probably never will. In my search for better skin and less brittle hair I purchased omegas in various forms including capsules, pills, oils and in every case became violently ill. I tried taking them with food, on an empty stomach, at night right before bed and the result was always the same. A pukfest that lasted several hours. I gave up and figured omega supplementation just wasn’t for me.

Fast forward a few years and I was at the Vitamin Shoppe purchasing some of my usual items and a jar of “Salba Seeds” (brand name) caught my attention. I picked it and read the label and was pretty impressed with what I read, particularly the “…gram for gram, Salba provides eight times more Omega 3s than salmon.” I purchased the seeds and haven’t looked back.

Chia seeds are being pushed hot and heavy by the nutrition industry, it has become one of the new “superfoods.”  Truth is Chia seeds have been around forever. They are native to Mexico and were valued by the ancient Aztec people as both a food and a seed that could be used medicinally. I’m sure there is a Wikipedia page out there dedicated to the origins and historical uses of chia seeds. I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll let you google and research it on your own.

Personally, I don’t care what the Aztecs did or thought of chia seeds. I only care about what chia seeds can do for me. As I mentioned earlier the omega 3 content is 8X that in salmon, but the benefits don’t stop there. Salba brand chia seeds contain 25% more fiber than flax seeds, 30% more antioxidants than blueberries, 15x more magnesium than broccoli, 6X more calcium than milk, 3X more iron than spinach, and on and on and on. There really is no reason you shouldn’t be eating these tiny seeds.

Another great tid-bit about chia seeds are their ability to absorb 9 – 12X their weight in water. The benefit is they keep you feeling full longer.

I’ve noticed my elimination is improved when I consistently eat chia seeds. I usually put 1 TBSP in my cooked oatmeal and stir it in. It does not alter or change the taste of my food at all. I have gotten creative and sprinkled them on my salad as well as used them in chicken recipes. If you go on the Salba Seed website you’ll find many recipes. I plan to print a few out and try them over the next couple weeks.

There are many brands of chia seeds on the market. They are offered whole or ground. I have only had the Salba brand of whole seeds because once I start on and am happy with a product I am slow to change brands.

Sorry Elmer, no seeds for you! I’m keepin my chia and not sharing,

Anamaria Grabowski

© 2009 Anamaria Grabowski

[Via http://nascentfitness.wordpress.com]

This Twin Mom and the Health & Fitness 40 Day Challenge

Can a twin mom compete in a Health & Fitness 40 Day Challenge?

I am so excited. I am one of 8 finalists competing to become one of 4 contestants in Spirit 105.3’s Health & Fitness 40 Day Challenge.  Spirit is a local radio station here in the Seattle area.   The 40 Day Challenge is meant to encourage Fitness, Nutrition and Spiritual Growth in the New Year.  I entered because I am ready to start taking better care of myself.  And, I need your vote to boost me into one of the four contestant positions.  Please head over to their Spirit 105.3’s website, view my profile, and cast your vote for me!  All votes for the contestant selection must be placed by Friday, January 8th, 2010.  Thank you so much for your support!

After some fertility treatments and then 2 twin pregnancies — I had gained about 50 pounds that has stayed with me these past nine years of caring for my twins.  Now that they are all in school full day, I am ready to make it a priority to get healthy again. 

I hope you vote for me — but even if you don’t, I hope you visit back here often for updates during the 40 days. Even if I don’t “make it” into the contest, I plan to follow along and do my best.  I’ll be posting about this 40 day journey regularly.  Hope you can join me.

[Via http://twinparenthood.com]

Whew

All done with this training cycle.  Now for a bit of active recovery this coming week.

But first, I need to give credit where credit is due.  I’m married to a true Goddess.  The one who asks me what I want to do during my holiday break, to which I answer “sleep and run”, and she gives me that “Are you serious?” look, to which she already knows the answer.

So that’s what I did over the past two weeks, which was my last Base period before racing at the end of January.

All told, 110.97 miles of running in the past two weeks; 50.43 miles last week, 60.54 miles this week.  Snow, rain, well below freezing, well above freezing.  The whole stinkin’ gamut.  And it was all good.

I did get a few commutes to/from work on the bike, but swapped one ride home for a run, which served two purposes.  And instead of 35 minutes to get home, it took 1:20.  So it really didn’t impact the home life too much.

And the runs were a mix of short hill runs, medium tempo runs and long steady runs.  In other words, a normal training plan.  But it wasn’t all normal.

- A 10-mile tempo+ run last Monday, which started out slow thanks to the 50 miles of the previous week.  The first three miles were OK, but nothing to get excited about.  Then the gears switched and I was rolling through the forest at a comfortable clip, finding my groove.  The (+) portion of the tempo was when I decided to go visit an old friend, the pain cave, whose threshold I hadn’t crossed in quite a while.  I didn’t want to get too deep in, but decided to head over, open the door, look around the make sure that the drapes hadn’t been stolen.  Nothing was disturbed, but there was definitely a layer of dust from lack of use.  I’ll have to get back there soon.  So even after the slow opening miles, I finished the 10 miles just a few minutes off my 10-mile PR.  But I did feel it the next day.

- The 20-miler on New Year’s Eve was a mixed bag of weather.  It was a steady 45F, rapidly changing from sun to pouring rain and back again.  Since the rain was going to be intermittent, I left the shell at home, which made for a few borderline hypothermic moments.  Luckily it cleared out just before sunset, which let it cool down quickly into the upper 30’s(F).  So soaking wet, cold.  I couldn’t get into a warm shower fast enough.  But that worked out well, since it was New Year’s Eve.

- New Year’s Eve detraining – lots of resveratrol was consumed, which my doc (“drink early, drink often”) swears is good for my heart.  And let me tell you, the German’s know how to greet a new year.  I swear every family up and down the street bought hundreds of euro of fireworks.  It looked like a war zone out there.  It did my teenaged-boy heart good.  And though I was perfectly fine the next day, I just didn’t get out the door to run.

- Today’s 15-miler through the ice/snow was great, especially considering the amount of miles these legs have endured in the past 14 days.  Although after a poor night of sleep, I wasn’t too motivated.  Goddess got me through that (something about “get out now”).  The legs were heavy and tired, but found their rhythm after a few miles.  Then a nice negative split.  Nothing too drastic, but considering the abuse that I’ve put myself through, I can’t be anything but pleased with that.  It was a great way to close out the cycle.

So now it’s a recovery week, which will include some thigh-busting skiing in the Alps.  And if that doesn’t teach the quads who’s boss, I don’t know what will.

=====================================

Year in Review – 2009

Lots of thoughts during these long runs about posting a year in review.  Some discussion with other folks on their year’s in review.  For me, the review is only meaningful to the one posting it, unless the numbers posted are compared to the year’s goals and/or previous year’s totals.  Otherwise they’re just numbers.

So for those of you who want numbers, you won’t find them here (unless you read above).  I look through my numbers fairly often in both Training Peaks and SportTracks.  Matter of fact, I keep a rolling 10- and 28-day chart in my SportTracks to make sure I’m not doing anything too crazy.  With the move to Germany this year, there wasn’t any sense in setting annual goals, since there were way too many variables.  All of my short-term goals were early in the year (March’s LBL 60K and April’s Country Music Marathon) and were resounding successes, even if I didn’t meet certain time goals.  I learned quite a bit, including how much I enjoy a good trail run.

But thanks to the commute to/from work, my bike mileage jumped considerably over last year, which had a six-month chunk taken out thanks to a deployment to Iraq.  No cycling during that time.

And what will 2010 bring?  Who knows.  A 50K at the end of January, then I’ll start searching for something to do later in the year.  The Antwerp 70.3 looks fun (I love that distance triathlon), but finding a swimming pool with good hours is a trick.  The local pool is open 10am-10pm, but is too far from work for a lunchtime swim.  After work I’m usually too knackered to do anything.  Plus, that’s Goddess’ time.  So unless I think I can pull off a 70.3 without any lap time…

So here’s to a great year for each and every one of you.  If you’re one that makes resolutions, I hope that the resolve you currently have lasts through the year.

[Via http://billanders.wordpress.com]

Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly/ Divine/ Desire Mini Eau De Parfum Set Plus Perfume Atomizer and VS Angel Tote Bag - 5 Pcs SET

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• Set of 3 Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Mini Eau de parfum Heavenly, Divine and Desire plus Parfum Atomizer (2.6 mL/.09 FL oz each)

Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly/ Divine/ Desire Mini Eau De Parfum Set Plus Perfume Atomizer and VS Angel Tote Bag – 5 Pcs SET Overview

Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly/ Divine/ Desire Mini Eau De Parfum Set plus VS Signature Perfume atomizer and hard-to-find VS Angel Tote Bag/ Travel Bag.Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly was voted America’s No 1 fragrance.

Victoria’s Secret Dream Angels Heavenly/ Divine/ Desire Mini Eau De Parfum Set Plus Perfume Atomizer and VS Angel Tote Bag – 5 Pcs SET Specifications

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Jan 03, 2010 02:50:43

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