Training Tuesday: resting bookends

Not a lot to say this week. I ended up taking an extra rest day on Monday and switching up a couple workouts because of my schedule and wanting to take advantage of a really nice day.  In all honesty, last week had too many rest days and this week isn't looking much better with Parent Teacher Conferences screwing up my schedule.   Monday 3-3-14: Plan SWIM 45 min / Actual REST - My neck/shoulder/back were still screwed up and after sitting at my chiro's office for my entire lunch and just getting adjusted, I didn't feel any better.  Then, I had a follow-up with my podiatrist after school and didn't get done in time to make it to the pool.  Fail. Tuesday 3-4-14: Plan RUN 30 & XT 30 / Actual - I did a backwards brick in an attempt to make up some of my missed swim.  TM RUN 3.1 in 31 min (10:08 pace) and SWIM 1000m in 27 min.  The swim was a straight swim.   Wednesday 3-5-14: Plan BIKE 90 min / Actual - BIKE 23.23 miles in 90 min (15.5 mph). This was also the first day of Lent and while I never give anything up, I've decided to add at least a couple minutes of strength work every day for the next 40 days.  I won't rehash them all here.  Thursday 3-6-14: Plan SWIM 45 / Actual - I went rebel and threw the training plan completely out the window.  RUN outside and along the river for 3.2 miles in 33 min (10:17 pace). Not too shabby for my first run outside and on hills in over a month.   Friday 3-7-14: Plan RUN 30 & XT 30 / Actual - REST. I had to work the school carnival and other than my Lenten strength work, I did nothing. Fail. Saturday 3-8-14: Plan BIKE 2 hours / Actual - BIKE 30 miles in 2:01:20 (14.8 mph).  This was a LONG time to be on the trainer and my ass was not happy.  I'm also disappointed that I didn't average at least 15 mph but I also didn't try very hard. Sunday 3-9-14: Plan REST / Actual - RUN 4 miles in 40:17 (10:04 pace) - I should have respected the rest day and created that bookend, but I knew I wouldn't be able to run on Monday because of conferences at school.  I mapped a route down at my sisters where we were visiting while my BIL taught my girl some more car maintenance, and headed out for 4 miles.  I was really discouraged by this run, but I'm trying to get past that.  I am getting stronger and my base and speed will come back eventually. So, if you were counting, that was actually 2 rest days where I usually only take 1.  I need to get up earlier on the days when I might have after school conflicts so I don't miss so many workouts.  I just really hate getting up early.  Now, I'm also getting sick.  It looks like this coming week is going to be trashed as well. Are you a morning or afternoon exerciser?

Motivation Monday

I think that speaks for itself.

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Fitness Friday: spring is coming!

I've forgotten how to dress - I was too warm!

Yesterday I skipped my planned workout to run 3 glorious miles outside.  I highly recommend you all do that from time to time.  I might even do this again on Saturday.
Just keep in mind, 3 hilly miles outside will leave you much more sore than 3 TM miles.  Oy vey.
Any fun plans this weekend?  
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Thankful Thursday: Pay It Forward

I'm taking a break from my usual programming to highlight a very remarkable young man.  My good friend, Corey, over at Learning Patience has an 8 year old nephew who has taken compassion to a whole new level.

8 year old Cayden wanted to raise $60 to pay off the delinquent lunch accounts of some of his classmates.  He didn't like that they were only given a cheese sandwich because they had no money in their accounts.  He took back cans, asked friends and family for donations, and within a couple days he had that $60 to pay off those accounts plus add some extra in so his friends could have a real lunch.

credit - Corey's blog

His story has snowballed from there.  Local and national news stations have picked it up and he was on the Today show yesterday.  You can read more about Cayden on Corey's blog here and on the Today site as well.

As of yesterday morning, Cayden has raised OVER 14 THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!!  If you are interested in helping provide a hot meal to a child at school, please consider giving to this incredible cause.  1 dollar can provide 2 hot meals to a child who might not otherwise eat at all that day.  20 dollars can pay for a month of lunches.  You can donate through Cayden's FundRazr site.

I'm so thankful for kids like Cayden.  We should all be so lucky to know someone that compassionate.  Thank you, Cayden, you are an inspiration!

Weigh In Wednesday: the Lent edition

This week I managed to lose 1.8 pounds.  As soon as it posts to Twitter from MFP, a bunch of my friends "favorite" the tweet or tell me good job. I need to turn that feature off.  Now, before we get all excited and celebrate that loss, let's not forget that I basically GAINED that much last week, so it's really a wash.  I'm still in the 150s and that's really too much, especially when you consider I maintained around 138 for so long and now here I sit, 14 or 15 pounds heavier than I should be.

sad but true

I don't doubt that my weight has something to do with the aches and pains while I'm running.  Lugging around this much weight, even though I'm running almost as fast as I was before I got injured again, surely can't be good for my knees and feet.  Plus, it's just a lot harder to run a 10 minute mile right now than it should be.  (10 m/m should be my "easy" pace, 9:40 or 9:30 my "hard" pace)
My CrossFit friends will try and tell me that I'm doing too much cardio, which isn't a belief I share.  Sorry guys. I still think burning calories is important and I like cardio.  But, I will agree that I need to add in more strength training.  
So, for the 40 days of Lent, I'm not giving anything up (because my giving up coffee or beer would be more of a hardship for those around me), but adding in something healthy.  I'm going to do at least 1 strength move every day because 1 is still better than zero in the hopes that it creates a better habit for strength training.  That move might be 10 triceps dips and squats like today, planks, pushups, lunges, bicep curls, whatever.  I'll post what I do on DailyMile to keep track.
Do you give something up for Lent or try to add in a healthy habit?

Training Tuesday: too much too soon

This week I learned the oh-so sucky lesson of trying to do too much too soon.  I feel like I'm falling apart and my podiatrist gave me snake eyes when I said I ran 7 miles on Friday.  Basically the knee pain and foot pain I still have is totally my fault.  I think next week's post will show even more completely blank days, which sucks out loud. Monday 2/24/14 - Plan SWIM 45 min / Actual SWIM 1 mile in 43 minutes (obviously, I'm never going to swim anything longer than a sprint tri since I'd never make the time cuts) Tuesday 2/25/14 - Plan BIKE 90 min / Actual BIKE 23.6 miles in 90 minutes (15.7 mph).  Happy to see my speeds improving on the bike. Wednesday 2/26/14 - Plan RUN 30 & XT 30 / Actual RUN 3.1 in 30:29 (9:50 pace) & XT Arc trainer 1.62 miles in 30 min. Thursday 2/27/14 - Plan SWIM 45 / Actual POOL WORKOUT 1250 m kicking since my shoulder was all messed up in 45 min. Friday 2/28/14 - Plan RUN 30 & XT 60 / Actual RUN 7 miles in 1:13:00 (10:25 pace). I completely screwed up this workout. Got confused on how long my total workout was supposed to be (I was thinking it was only 75 min) and pushed the run much farther and harder than I should have.  I'm still paying for it. Saturday 3/1/14 - REST.  This rest day was supposed to be on Friday but because of other time commitments on Saturday, I flipped them.  I should have probably tried to keep the schedule the same because I didn't have enough rests between 2 hard runs. Sunday 3/2/14 - Plan BIKE 120 / Actual BIKE 15.2 miles in 60 min.  Epic fail.  My neck/shoulder was still very screwed up and I should've taken another rest day.  Instead I struggled and ended up back at the chiro on Monday.
I saw my podiatrist on Monday afternoon and he say "GO SLOW!" but that I could keep running.  He wasn't overly concerned about my knee yet and just said to keep tabs on it.  The doc made a few adjustments to the orthotics and told me to order a new pair of Newtons in a 1/2 size larger to see if that will help some of the toe issues I've started having.  Of course, they're backordered so it will be a couple weeks before I can try them out.
Clearly, I'm in love with my Newton Running Gravitys and I can't wait to try the 2014 Gravity III.  It looks totally different than my current Gravity so I might be scrounging later for a new pair of 2012s but I'm willing to give this update a shot.

2012 Newton Gravity

Newton Gravity III

Pretty radical update, huh?  What's your favorite running shoe?

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Meal Monday: Reuben Casserole #recipe

So, Sunday night I made what is probably one of the un-healthiest meals EVER.  Sometimes you have to live dangerously.

Like when you open the can of crescent rolls. Living on the edge, baby!

 

Reuben Casserole

 

Ingredients: (for an 8x8 pan - serves 4, double for a 9x13)

 

1 tube refridgerated Crescent Rolls (or make your own if you are afraid of the can)

8 oz sliced baby swiss cheese

1/2-3/4 pound sliced deli corned beef (I used 3/4 and it might have been too much)

1/2 can (about 7 oz) sauerkraut, rinced and drained well (I will use more when I make this again)

1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing

1 egg white, lightly beaten

a couple tsp caraway seeds

 

1.  Unroll crescent dough and place half in the bottom of a greased 8x8 pan.

2.  Seal the perforations and bake at 375* for about 8-10 min or until starting to brown.

3.  Layer 4 slices of cheese and then all the corned beef over crust.  Combine kraut and dressing in a bowl and spread over beef.  Finish with the other 4 slices of cheese.



4.  Unroll other half of dough, seal edges and lay on top of the meat/cheese layers.

5.  Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle caraway seeds on top.

6.  Bake at 375* for 12-16 min or until heated through and crust is golden brown.

7.  Let stand for 5 min before slicing.

This was better than I thought it would be.  Definitely going into the recipe book.  I would imagine, it would also be great as a California Reuben with turkey and cole slaw.  

 

Reubens are one of those sandwiches I never make at home but order when I go out.  What's your favorite restaurant sandwich?

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