Because I Can

I've Moved

2011-12-29T21:15:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, just a quick note to tell you that I will no longer be blogging from this site.

Please come visit my new blog at www.runningandcupcakes.com.

If you could all re-follow me over there, I'd love the love! I'm trying to figure out how (if?) I can transfer my followers.

Thanks for all the support reader friends!

Some Big News

2011-12-27T21:13:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I started another post tonight, but it's pretty analytical, it's 9 p.m., and I'm tired.

So instead, I'm giving you a shorty with some important BIG news!

I'm moving!

Yes, you read that right. "Because I Can" will once again assume the name "Running and Cupcakes" (I've had so many comments from people wondering why I ever changed it - and to tell the truth, I actually do like Running and Cupcakes better).

So where am I moving to?!

I'm so glad you asked.

www.runningandcupcakes.com

YES! That's right - my own domain name! I am so excited - oh and it's on Word Press. Double excited.

I will continue to post here until I get my Word Press site up and running - which will hopefully be sooner than later.

Don't worry, I'll keep you guys posted on how the move is going!

That is all for this Tuesday night. Have a great night friends!

Gettin' Back at It (Christmas Weekend Recap)

2011-12-26T21:10:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone - just like that! This weekend was a whirlwind of family, fun, and food.

Now that it's all over it's time to get back at it. I wasn't motionless this weekend by any means, but I cannot wait to get to the gym tomorrow night and get my sweat on. I may have consumed one too many ~~bottles~~ glasses of wine in the past 3 days.

How was everybody's Christmas? Mine was great. Saturday I went last minute shopping with my step-dad and out to lunch, before going to a family Christmas Eve party. We ate, drank, and laughed, played with my cousin's puppy (black lab - she's so cute!), and played Uno Attack. When we got home me and my mom decided to watch Rudolph at 11 p.m. while we washed our wine down with some tea. I think we talked through the whole movie LOL.

Christmas day was lowkey - our typical. Breakfast followed by gifts. After that my brother and I got busy in the kitchen. I baked some red velvet cupcakes - then helped him prepare dinner. We spent most of our day in the kitchen! The grandparents came for dinner and dessert. Afterwards me, bro, and the rents watched Bridesmaids - holy that movie was funny!

Santa was very good to me. Here's a quick rundown:

Cupcake decorating kit for beginners - Ive got the baking part down, but not the decorating.

Not bad for my first try!

Cork yoga block - I need this for some of the more complicated poses

My favorite type of socks

YAY Books!

Hilarious shirt from my brother - it's called "Dangerous Games"

Plus some good old fashioned cash-ola. That came in handy for my shopping trip with mommy to the outlets today - I made out with 3 tank tops, 2 pairs of crop yoga pants, 2 sports bras (HOORAYYYYYYYY the Champion ones I love were on sale at the outlets!), a pair of brown shoes (I really didn't have any winter brown shoes that aren't boots - so weird...), a cute purple dress top from the Gap (for $6), and the sweetest deals of the day: a gunmetal grey pair of dress pants from Calvin Klein (for $27 - original price $89.50!) and a belted Calvin Klein dress (for $41 - original price $140). I love outlet shopping!

It was an amazing weekend - but now I'm ready to get back into a schedule and back on track. Marathon training starts tomorrow - My training schedule is e-mailed to Coachy, and is just awaiting his approval.

What about everyone else? How was your Christmas/holiday? Are you ready to be back into a regular routine yet?

Reluctantly (Kinda) Resting

2011-12-23T20:31:00.001-05:00

Today I very reluctantly decided to take a full blown rest day. I was sitting at my desk at work, not doing anything, and my ankle was sore. So I took the advice that so many of you had for me yesterday:

REST

Source

Thanks guys (err, gals...). I know I need to do it, I've just been on such a hot streak lately, that sitting back and taking a rest day feels crappy. Of course that hot streak is why I'm being forced into a full blown rest day in the first place.

But, then there's the kinda part. When I got home from work, I did this (first and most important):

Then I did this:

Then I made these for me and mom:

Then I had some of this (created by the brother - recipe to follow):

So, I ended up on my feet for 4 hours anyway. Whoops.

Now I'm sitting with ice on my ankle, finally resting.

And watching Serendipity.

So maybe resting isn't so bad after all.

Speed, Interrupted

2011-12-22T20:44:00.000-05:00

Last night I went to the gym for my Wednesday speed workout. On tap for this week - mile warm up, 8 x 400 speed interval, 8 x 400 recovery interval, mile cool down = 6 total miles.

I walked out, with 3 okay miles.

It was so weird. I ran my warm up mile at a 10 minute pace and felt fine. Then I cranked the old 'mill to a whopping 8.6 mph (I figured if I could run mile intervals at 7:47 then I can run 1/4 miles at 6:59 right?). I did my first speed interval, it was hard, but I really just didn't feel "on". I recovered for a quarter mile, then cranked it for speed interval number 2. Something still didn't feel right... I recovered again, and tried again. I didn't make it the full 1/4 mile this time - my foot/ankle/shin on my right foot just hurt. So I slowed it down and lightly ran out 3 miles.

I sprained this ankle last May while I was still doing Couch to 5k - and I feel like I never strengthened it properly because last night was roughly the 4th or 5th time I've experienced this exact pain in my ankle. It hurt to drive home. It hurts now, 24 hours later, not as bad but still sore.

Today, I sat down and reviewed my training log. 11 total speed sessions in November and December (including 2 5k races). Well...

DUH

11 Speed sessions in 8 weeks. That's about 3 speed sessions to many for me. And now my body has something to say about it. You may also recall that I had a less than stellar run this past Saturday. I am convinced my body is saying

I love Smurfs! (source)

I obviously took it too far because now I have pain.

The plan from now until January 1st (My first official day of Marathon #3 training) is as follows:

3-4 Days Elliptical

I'm hoping to try to get a slow easy run in - but my foot/ankle may not want to hear it.

If that's the case:

I plan on going back to strength training Monday. Jill and Carla (both wicked WICKED awesome ladies and both fellow FitFluential ambassadors) both volunteered themselves last night to help whoop my scared of heavy lifting booty into shape. I hope they realize how much I plan on pestering them - I am STILL sore from my Xen Strength Yoga workout the other day. I need HELP.

Speaking of Xen Strength, have you entered my giveaway yet? I'm picking a winner on Christmas Eve morning!

Stretch.
Stretch.
Stretch some more.
Build my ankle strength though any and all means possible, as well as a couple exercises I've learned for shin splints - just to make sure I don't get those bad boys again, they hurt!
Speedwork no more than once a week and not always balls to the wall (thanks for the recommendation Jess!).

I hope, since January 1st is really only 8 days away, that this quick recovery plan works and I'm back hitting the road or the 'mill in no time.

For now, I rest/recover/hope for the best.

Do you have any butt kicking ankle exercises to share with me?

(Mostly) Wordless Wednesday: Natural Beauty

2011-12-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

I do have a couple of things to say today:

1) Please join FitFluential and GNC for a Twitter Chat at 7:30 CST! Hashtag for the chat is #LiveWellNow

2) Make sure you enter my Xen Strength Yoga Giveaway. Trust me when I tell you that you want this DVD.

Have a great Wednesday!

* All of the pictures you see here were taken by me unless otherwise noted *

Randomosity Galore

2011-12-20T20:40:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday! I'm in a wicked silly, random mood. I just got back from a butt kicker of a workout, so we'll start there!

I started with my friend, Mr. No Armed Elliptical trainer - I cranked the incline up to 20 (max) and just torched my quads. What I love about this particular piece of equipment (other than the ability to torch my quads) is that I can tweet, reply to emails, and work while working out. And the half hour FLEW by.

Then I hoped on the treadmill for an easy 3 mile run with 1/4 mile striders. I did 3/4 of a mile at 9:31 (6.3 mph) then I did 1/4 mile at 8:57 (6.7 mph). That flew by too, and I felt great afterwards.

Now for some randomness:

A bagel with cream cheese and raspberry jam is FANTASTIC. (That's what I had for dinner - that and some more of my GNC Lean Shake, it has the perfect post workout carb:protein ratio).

I love Google. A few people have posted on Twitter about going to Google and typing in Let it Snow. How cool is that? I also love how Google does neat things for famous birthdays, etc...

Don't you wish that you could tell how awesome a sweatshirt is going to be when you buy it? Then you could buy 5, ya know what I mean? I have this sweatshirt from Old Navy that I've had for probably 6 years. It's so broken in and the sleeves are falling apart, but I love it. I wish I had 6 more.

Moving Comfort sports bras chafe the hell out of my front bra strap area. Like BAD. WTF? I've tried two. I've tried Body Glide, Vaseline, you name it. Yet I still haven't bought another good sports bra, so I suffer (I'm suffering right now - OUCH.)

After seeing this on Twitter today, I am totally buying it for my dog. She only weighs 30 pounds and has very short hair, she totally needs this.

Oh Mom, are you really going to make me wear a pink puffy vest?

Speaking of buying cool wintery things - I loathe winter. But I love snow. Do I make any sense? However, I am amused when I leave the gym (when it's 36 out) in shorts and a hoody, then make a stop at a store. People look at me like I'm crazy. I find it funny - if only they knew how crazy I really am.

I can't blog while watching the Saturday Night Live Christmas Special - I'm paying more attention to the TV than writing.

Alright that's all folks! I'm going to go hit the fridge (yup still hungry - apparently that workout really ramped my metabolism).

Oh wait, I'm not done (my friends say I write like I talk - today I believe that 100%).

"Join us (us being FitFluential) on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 7:30 PM CST for a Twitter Chat. We will discuss tips on how to Live Well Now with GNC. The hashtag for the Chat is #LiveWellNow." More info here!

Will you be there? I will be, and I hope to see ya'll there (did I really just type ya'll? We don't say ya'll in Rhode Island!).

Okay, now I'm really done. I hope you guys enjoyed my super silly random post tonight!

GOODNIGHT LOVES!

Xen Strength Yoga DVD Review & GIVEAWAY

2011-12-19T21:21:00.002-05:00

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

Holy crow, I just finished the Xen Strength Yoga Video.

I mean really, holy crow. My shoulders are shaking. My legs feel super stretched, but I know I'm going to be feeling this tomorrow.

Let me back up a minute because you're probably going, what the heck is this Xen Strength Yoga she's talking about?

Fellow FitFluential Ambassador Danielle Diamond just came out with a brand new DVD called (don't be too shocked now...) Xen Strength Yoga.

From the Xen Strength Website:

Why Xen Strength Yoga is DIFFERENT than any yoga you’ve done before?

My program offers a UNIQUE approach to traditional yoga by combining a creative flow with light weights. This fusion provides a transformational workout designed to sculpt, lengthen, and challenge every major muscle group. Xen Strength BUILDS MUSCLE, increases FLEXIBILITY, and boosts BODY CONFIDENCE by taking your body further, faster-no matter what your fitness level.

This video is AMAZING.

I was going to record another vlog tonight where I talked all about it, but I didn't think you'd appreciate me vlogging while eating dinner.

I am that excited by it. Seriously.

I am also so excited by this video that I plan on adding it to my weekly routine. The only other thing I do weekly is run. Everything else is scattered (ADD? Muscle confusion? You decide.).

Why am I so excited by Xen Strength Yoga?

Danielle is an awesome instructor. She has a great personality, and shows that even as the instructor you can't keep perfect poses all the time. And when she wobbles, she laughs, and explains that wobbling in a pose makes your body work harder.
Yoga + strength training = two workouts that I like (and need) to do, combined into one, which is a huge time saver.
Danielle offers modifications of all of the difficult poses.

Side note: This video is tough. I took the modifications on a lot of the poses. You still get a butt kicking workout.
You're encouraged to push yourself, but not outside of your (un)comfort(able) zone.

I really enjoyed the video itself, aside from the workout:

It's black and white, which I find very easy on the eyes.
There's nothing more than Danielle, her mat, and her weights - that's it, nothing distracting to look at.
Words of encouragement, assistance, etc. appear on the screen during the poses.

Have I convinced you that this video is amazing? If I have, you can head on over to Danielle's website and buy a copy for yourself. From now until Wednesday Danielle is offering 7 Free Bonuses when you buy the DVD!

Or, you can test your luck here by trying to win a copy. I have one copy of this amazing (yes, it really is, I'm sorry I'm not sorry for going on and on about how awesome this workout is) DVD to give away to one lucky reader.

Here's how to enter (2 Mandatory Entries for this Giveaway). Please leave one comment per entry:

1) (MANDATORY) Visit Xenstrength.com - Look around. Learn about Danielle, her classes, check out one of her videos. Come back here and leave me a comment with something that interested you, or something that you learned, etc.

2) (MANDATORY) Tweet about this giveaway: "Want a butt kicking yoga workout? @runcupcake is giving away an @xenstrengthyoga DVD. Enter here: http://goo.gl/EFDt1"

Or, for those that don't use Twitter: Share this giveaway on Facebook, mentioning my dedicated blog page.

3) (Optional) Tell me why you want to try Xen Strength Yoga.

4) (Optional) Tell me about your favorite yoga pose or favorite strength move.

I will choose one winner using the Random.org Random Number Generator on Saturday Morning, Christmas Eve.

Good luck!

Christmas Cookie Extravaganza

2011-12-18T20:50:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a day! Mom and I (with a little help from the bro) baked like crazy today.

Look at all this deliciousness:

Egg Biscuits

Butterballs

Gingerbread Men - aren't they cute?

Festive sugar cookies

Phew. There's magic cookie bars too, which I apparently neglected to photograph.

You don't think I'd show you all of these gorgeous cookies without a recipe do you?

Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies

These cookies are a mish mash of two different recipes (Linzer Cookies and Lemon Linzer Cookies)

Cookie Ingredients:

1 C Almonds
2/3 C Sugar (divided)
1 C Butter
2 Eggs
1 T Lemon Juice
1 T Vanilla
2 C Flour
Confectioners' sugar (for dusting)

Raspberry Lemon Filling Ingredients:

3/4 C Raspberry Jam (I used Polaner All Fruit)
1 1/2 T Lemon Curd

Roast almonds in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Once almonds have cooled, grind them in a food processor with 1/4 C sugar.

Cream butter and remaining sugar, until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla, until blended.

Mix in flour and ground almonds, until well combined.

Refrigerate dough for at least one hour, until firm enough to roll out.

Once dough is firm, roll out on a floured surface to approximately 1/4" thickness. Cut dough into any shape you desire, I used a round cookie cutter.

You will need bottom and top cookies. In the top cookie, cut another hole in the center, in any shape you want. Mine is shaped like a snowflake. Once you've cut the dough, re-roll any scraps and continue to cut until you run out of dough.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes for the tops and 14 minutes for the bottoms, or until lightly browned..

Allow the cookies to cool completely after baking.

While the cookies are cooling, make the filling. Combine the raspberry jam and lemon curd in a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat until slightly bubbling and combined.

Sprinkle confectioner sugar over the tops of all the cookies.

Spread the filling on the bottom cookie then place the top cookie on top of the filling, creating a sandwich. Spoon more filling into the hole in the top cookie.

Allow the filling to cool after being sandwiched into the cookies so that they stay together.

There you have it. These things are de. freakin. licious. Seriously.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I didn't even try to run 13 miles today. I was tired. My legs still felt sore. I decided a day off before the cookie baking marathon was the best bet. And there you have it. I hope everyone had a great weekend!

GNC Product Review

2011-12-18T12:41:00.003-05:00

Happy Sunday afternoon! I'm about to go on a mega cookie baking spree, but before that happens I have something very exciting to share with you.

MY FIRST VLOG! Woohoo!

Last Monday I received a box from GNC full of awesome products to use and review. Here's my take on the products!

And here are some pictures I took of the products in use throughout the week:

YAY GNC PRODUCTS!

Chia, Blueberry Chobani, and granola = YUM

Chia in my salad!

Chia in my overnight oats!

Lovin' the lean shake!

I hope you guys enjoyed my review of these great GNC products!

DISCLAIMER: FitFluential LLC compensated me for this sponsored post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Some Days the Road Wins

2011-12-17T14:08:00.000-05:00

Do you ever have one of those days where running/workout/whatever just doesn't sound good? That's how I felt this morning. But with some ~~not so~~ gentle nudging from Coachy and friends, I dressed myself and out the door I went.

Yes, Coachy really did call me Powderpuff...

The plan? 13 miles, I even had a route mapped out. A bunch of the hills from last weekend, with some semi-flatness thrown in. 10 minute pace or better (as instructed by Coachy).

One vanilla bean Gu down the hatch (holy sweet) and off I went. I immediately started getting that oh so unpleasant stomach pain that I knew was from the Gu.

I trudged on.

I made it 1.5 miles and thought about stopping then, turning around, and going home. My breathing was off, my stomach hurt, and my legs felt like lead.

But I remember words of wisdom from Coachy (he's pretty wise - don't tell him I told you that though). These words of wisdom are somewhere along the lines of always give a run at least 3-4 miles before throwing in the towel.

So again, I trudged on.

I made it to the reservoir, which is a good place to either turn around or continue, because you have to cross the causeway to get to the other side. I decided then that I would turn around, and slowly make my way home. I knew if things started to feel better that I could always take my 7 mile loop and still have a long run today.

That didn't happen. Things started to feel worse. My left knee was feeling painful and tweaky to the point where it slowed me to a walk a few times.

But I did it. I still ran. I still got 5 miles in today. 10:49 average pace, so recovery type run.

When I got home I stretched really well, and I'm concentrating hard on hydration for the day. I'm hoping for some fresh feeling legs tomorrow so I can get that 13 done. And if not? It's not the end of the world. I still have plenty of time before Marathon #3 - I just want to (as Coachy says) make sure I get all my long runs in!

Tomorrow's another day!

What do you do when your workouts don't go as planned?

Five for Friday: Favorite Things

2011-12-16T13:54:00.000-05:00

I realize that a great majority of my posts are either running or fitness related, with the occasional sprinkling of other things I enjoy, like photography.

Today, I'm going to share a bit more about me that has nothing to do with fitness me.

Five for Friday: Favorite Things.

Five categories.

Five favorite things in each category.

Enjoy!

Favorite Girly Products (Can't Live Without)

When I'm not running, getting sweaty, or soaking up the great outdoors, I'm a bit of a girly girl. Here are my can't live without Top 5 Girly Girl items:

1) Victoria's Secret Love Spell Body Lotion and Body Spray. I love this scent like no other!

2) Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss. My two faves are Yummy Berry (it's SO fruity!) and Mocktail Hour (the perfect neutral shimmer color). I can't live without lip-gloss (or at the very least chapstick - but not Chapstick brand - it has to be Burt's Bees).

3) Maybelline "The Falsies" Mascara in Very Black. My eyelashes are virtually invisible without mascara, and this particular mascara gives them a bold, dramatic look without being too over the top.

4) Aeropostale tank tops. I own them in a HUGE variety of colors (no joke: purple, pink, teal, green, orange, black, etc...). I literally wear one almost every day. I wear them under polo shirts, under sweaters, under t-shirts, with everything. I buy them in bulk whenever I make a trip to the outlet store.

5) Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Lotions. These reside in my purse, on my work desk, on my home desk, in my car, in my bathroom, etc...I can't stand dry hands.

Favorite Non-Running/Non-Fitness Hobbies

1) Reading. I'm a giant bookworm - I am always, always reading something. Here's what I'm reading right now:

2) Shopping. Duh. I love to shop. My fave shopping partner is my mother - seriously, we often joke about it (but I don't think it's a joke really) that no one else "gets it", the way we shop. We can be walking around the outlets, and both look at a store and go "Yup." or "Nah." and we agree, and carry on our way.

3) Photography. You guys pretty much knew this one already. I love to take pictures of everything, I love it even more when I get the pics to come out super pretty. One of my fave nature pics:

4) Scrapbooking/Crafty stuff. When I actually have time, I love to do crafty stuff. I plan on starting a race-bib scrapbook this winter (I have about 20 races under my belt now, I think I better get started!).

5) Singing. I totally love karaoke nights. They're so much fun!

Favorite Bands

Click on the band names for YouTube links to my fave songs by each band!

1) Nickelback. Yeah yeah I know. A lot of people think they're whiny, cry baby b.s. music. Listen to their non-radio play stuff and it just may sway ya'.

2) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. I've seen them live at least a dozen times.

3) Daughtry. Total chick music. Chris Daughtry's hot. 'Nuf said.

4) Godsmack. I love me some ~~Sully~~ metal, probably more often than you'd think from pink loving bubbly little me.

5) Alter Bridge. I am forever grateful to my friend Gary for introducing me to Alter Bridge. Myles Kennedy has a voice that just blows me away. If you've never heard of them (a lot of people haven't - which is shameful) give them a listen. I hope you'll enjoy their music as much as I do.

Not Your Typical Favorite Foods

I could list some other faves, like pizza, cupcakes, and peanut butter, but I don't know very many people who don't love that stuff.

1) Chowdah and clamcakes. Here in Lil' Rhody those items are one "food", always served together.

2) Littlenecks. Also known as steamers. Literally what the name says - they are clams with a "little neck." You can eat them raw (littlenecks on the half-shell) with lemon juice and horseradish or hot sauce (not too much though - I damn near choked myself to death this summer by doing that). Or steam them and serve them with drawn butter. Either way, super yummy.

3) Pasta fagioli. My grandmother's recipe only. I seriously hope my Aunty (that's pronounced on-tee, by the way) learned how to make this before my Grammy passed away, otherwise I may never have it again (unless of course Chef Little Bro thinks he can duplicate it...).

4) Butterballs. Not the turkey. The cookie. I just re-discovered my love for these delicious little babies last night. They're a cookie that is made every Christmas in my family. I'll ask Mommy if I can share the recipe (I believe it came from her Grandma). Lets just say little buttery nutty balls of goodness rolled in confectioners' sugar. What's not to love?

5) My mother's fried chicken. Wicked bad right? I don't care cuz it's sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooooood.

Favorite Beers

I love beer, it's no secret. I love a wide variety of beer too (no cheap-o girly beer here).

1) Guinness. Most recently, Guinness after a hard 5k. I would like to hug the brilliant person that decided to sell $1 Guinness drafts at a local pub after the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. Sheer brilliance.

2) Left Hand Milk Stout. I ordered this one day because I'm left handed, so I thought it'd be fun to try. One of the smoothest beers I've ever drank in my entire life.

3) Dogfish Head 60 and/or 90 Minute IPA. I was never an IPA fan 'til one fateful night in South Carolina when a bunch of runners were gathering for drinks at a pub in Charleston after running half and full marathons...Do I really need to finish this story?

4) Post Road Pumpkin Ale. I really wish I could get this year round. Pour it into a glass that's rimmed with cinnamon and sugar and it tastes like liquid pumpkin pie. Heaven in a glass.

5) Harpoon. This seems to be my go-to draft when I'm out at a restaurant whose draft beer selection is less than stellar (read: Bud Light, Coors Light, ick, gross).

Now that I've written you a novel, tell me, what are five of your favorite things?!

Running Free

2011-12-15T21:00:00.000-05:00

Here in Lil' Rhody we are still having amazing weather. We had some normal December weather for a bit, but today it was 55 degrees outside.

I told Coachy I needed the cattle prod, because I had zero desire to workout tonight. I've had a pretty taxing, exhausting week. He gave me his typical response, "WHOOPSCHNAP!", and told me that if I ran he'd run, an accountability sort of thing. Okay. I can do that.

I got home from work, quickly changed into my sparkle hearts running skirt (I wonder if the sparkly hearts are reflective...hmmm?), and threw on my Saucony running jacket. It may be warm out but the wind is a whipping. Plus, I can attach the awesome Saucony LED light to the sleeve and make it go all flashy flashy so I don't get run down. That jacket is super duper reflective see:

Running Saucony Ad? Yup, the jacket, the ear warmers, the tights, and I had on my bright pink Kinvaras

Once I felt safe enough to run in the dark, I was off!

I immediately pulled my sleeve over my Garmin and told myself I wouldn't peek. I was literally running to the end of a long straight road by my house and back, a little over 3 miles. I can survive 3 miles without Garmin viewing.

While running, my legs felt a touch tired (after last night's speedy treadmill intervals), but not really sore or heavy. I figured I was running about a 10 minute pace, which is an easyish pace for me. I didn't feel like I was pushing myself or running hard, until I hit 3 miles. I did listen to the beeps coming from my Garmin to know what mile I was at.

When I hit 3 miles I decided to stride out and really run for the remainder of the run.

Imagine my surprise when I stopped my Garmin and first saw that my final mile pace was 8:33 (really?!) and that my overall average pace was 9:37! Holy crap, that felt so easy!

And my pace was so steady (that little blip at the beginning was me stopping to adjust my light - safety first!).

I'm currently riding along on one of those ever so beautiful "that was so easy" run high's - ya know, the ones you get when you think you're running slow but soon realize you're actually running at a pretty bitchin' pace?!

When's the last time you had a super kick ass "easy" run?!

I challenge those of you that run with a Garmin, or other time keeper, to run free. I'm going to try to do this more often!

Treadmill Fartleks (A Brand New Speed Workout)

2011-12-14T22:39:00.000-05:00

While I was sitting at my desk at work today, dreaming of my run, a thought occurred to me as an answer to the ever present question:

How can I make running on the treadmill more interesting?

I know! Treadmill fartleks!

You may be wondering, how do I do a fartlek on the treadmill?

How about (this is genius...prepare yourselves):

BY SONG!

I couldn't wait to get to the gym and try this idea out for tonight's speed workout. I warmed up for a mile at 10mm and the remainder of Mile 6 (cooldown) was at the same pace. All intervals were at 8 mph (7:30/mm pace) for the speed, and 4 mph (15/mm pace) for the recovery. I did do a 6 mph (10/mm pace) for the first recovery, but it didn't take me long to realize that I would have a hard time maintaining the speed portion if I did that. My breathing was a bit off tonight, my nose was stuffy, otherwise I think 7:30 pace and 10 pace would have worked fine.

Here's how it went down:

5 total speed intervals over 4 miles. I'd guesstimate somewhere between 2.25-2.5 miles were run at the 7:30 pace.

My end result was 6.05 miles in one hour which is an average 9:55 pace overall.

This was a super fun workout, I never knew what I'd end up with next. I think I'll try it again with an actual running playlist because I did have to skip through some of the songs on my iPod to get to what I deem the "acceptable running songs."

I'd rate this in the "more fun than hard" speed workouts, but maybe that just means I'm getting stronger? Who says that 5 intervals at a 7:30 pace are fun? Next time I try this I will try with running, rather than walking, recovery. As long as my nose cooperates.

I hope you will all give my super fun interval workout a try! If you do, share with me what songs did it for you, I'm always looking to mix up my playlists.

Have a great night my friends!

Some Sort of Balance (A How to Guide for the Holidays)

2011-12-12T21:47:00.000-05:00

I'll be the first to admit that I am always entirely overwhelmed by the holidays. It's like that song, The 12 Pains of Christmas, you know "rigging up the lights" "finding a Christmas tree" "sending Christmas cards"...all of that. But Christmas is also my favorite holiday, and a fantastic time to spend with family and enjoy all that life has to offer.

Right now is the perfect time for me to sit and think about how I maintain balance during this time of year, because I literally have something time consuming to do every single day this week! And I'm only about 25% done with my shopping! (Thank goodness for internet shopping)

Before I throw my tips at you, have you visited the FitFluential Blog? You'll see that we focus on 4 Key Areas for Balance: Eat, Enjoy, Move, and Sleep. I've got some tips for you based around these key areas for balance, so you can maintain your balance during this crazy holiday season. Disclaimer: I *try* to do this year round, I'm just never as busy as I am during the holidays.

1) Eat: This time of year is incredibly difficult to maintain sane eating. I understand that completely. I am not going to sit here and tell you to go into a party with a game plan, fill up on veggies and fruit, and drink water. I'd be a giant hypocrite if I did that. I like to eat, and I like to drink. I plan accordingly when I know I'm either going out to eat or going to a party. Here's what I do, pre-party/dinner out:

Eat light and healthy all day. I'll have a smoothie for breakfast, munch on fruit during the day, and usually a salad for lunch.
Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. 'Nuf said.
Get your sweat on. Burn some calories early in the day, and ramp up your metabolism.

Breakfast and Lunch on Party Day

Now, when it's time to party hardy you can enjoy yourself without feeling incredibly guilty. However, remember these tips for during the party/dinner out:

Don't overdo it. Don't stuff yourself so full of crap that you can't move and you wish you were wearing your pajamas.
Don't eat "out of the ordinary." I've done this one too many times that I think I've finally learned my lessons. Fried food? Not for me. Rich foods? Also not for me. You know what you can and cannot stomach, so don't go for the stuff that doesn't agree with you.
Don't overdo it in the booze department. Okay, once in a while is okay (as long as you don't end up sick on the side of the road blaming it on the food...not that I've done that...). But if you plan on having a couple extra drinks just make sure you have someone to drive you home (I feel so motherly!). 9 times out of 10 when I go out, I have to drive myself, so I have to be very cautious - this helps my life and my waistline. Plus, I can't train for a marathon while hungover. (Coachy made me run 5 miles the day after my birthday last year - it was ugly, but I was happy for it once I finally got my butt out the door. A good run does get rid of a hangover...)

Obviously, not my night to drive

2) Enjoy: Make time for yourself, your family, and your friends. I can't stress this enough, especially during the holidays. Me and my family and friends have lots of holiday traditions:

Me and my stepdad go shopping every year together, just the two of us, for my mom's gifts. We have dinner and a couple of drinks, then shop. (And he pays for it all, how fun is that?)
Me, my brother, and my parents have a sit down dinner together two Sunday's before Christmas, and then we decorate the Christmas tree.
My mother and I have a cookie baking extravaganza the Sunday before Christmas (where I make a giant mess out of her kitchen) (and it always snows - I'm a bit concerned that there's no snow in the forecast for Sunday yet...). There may or may not have been anatomically correct gingerbread people last year (don't ask).
My friend Sara and I always meet for dinner the Saturday before Christmas as our annual "Christmas Dinner" together.
My stepdads brother has a Christmas Eve get together at his house with his family every year. This year will actually be my first year attending, I hear it's lots of fun and I can't wait to go.

Our family decorated Christmas tree

Family Christmas Dinner

3) Move: I can't stress this enough. I know it's hard. Like I said earlier, I have something to do every night this week (when I normally work out). So (aside from today) I have planned to get up and hit the gym before work. I tried to get up to run outside this morning, but it didn't happen. I should know better. I'm scared of (running in) the dark. Combine the dark with 25 degrees and it was much easier to reset the alarm and snuggle with Lexi (she's a super cuddler, and warm!).

But if you plan ahead, you'll get things done. I've literally started using a hand-written appointment book, so I can stay organized. I also know that if I pack my gym bag the night before that I will get up and go in the morning. I don't love going to the gym in the morning, since I have to shower and get ready for work there, and it's a royal pain in the butt, but I do what I gotta do.

Don't let the holidays be your excuse to fall off the fitness bandwagon. Someday's it's just going to happen (like today for me). Don't let it be a habit.

4) Sleep: I do not have a problem with this. I love to sleep! I have almost always been a person that makes sure to get plenty of sleep (minus a few years in my late teens early twenties - but who didn't do that?). I can function well on about 7 hours of sleep, so I make sure I get that.

I also make sure to unplug for half an hour every night before bed. I put my cell phone on silent, and I lay in bed with my pup and I read. A real book. Not a Kindle or a Nook. A physical book. (I just re-read those last couple of sentences and laughed out loud - who am I? Dr. Seuss?) I have a small lamp on my nightstand that I turn on, instead of the bright overhead light, and I read until my eyes get too sleepy to read. Sometimes that's only two pages, other nights it's a whole chapter. But when 10:30 hits, I turn off the lamp, and I go to sleep, with my alarm set for 5:20 (I like to hit snooze once and get up at 5:30 - some days I end up sleeping later but I need to make 5:30 a habit so I can get stuff done in the morning!). This way I know I'm winding down before I sleep and I'm getting enough sleep.

Sleep and enjoy at the same time. If only I could do this in December...

5) Don't Stress: I know, I know, easier said than done. But, it's not worth it. Stress is a bad trigger for a lot of people. I'm not saying don't stress just because you're going to raise your blood pressure or give yourself a tension headache. It's because if you stress you're going to negate all the good you did with Tips 1-4.

You may turn to the cookie jar or eat the fried shrimp hors d'oeuvre, rather than something you'd normally eat, for comfort.
You'll be too busy worrying about your stress that you won't be able to enjoy yourself.
Stress can paralyze you, which will stop you from getting in a workout because you don't want to move from the couch.
Forget sleep when you're stressed, because you can't turn off your brain to fall asleep.

Stress face - too busy to take off my coat? Not attractive at all...

I hope you enjoyed my tips for maintaining some sort of balance, during the holidays and every day!

How do you maintain balance?

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

2011-12-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a bad blogger, I forgot to tell you guys that I was participating in this beautiful event.

But what is the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap? This "event" was the brain child of Lindsay at Love and Olive Oil and Julie at The Little Kitchen. It goes a little like this: Receive the addresses of three food bloggers. Bake three dozen cookies and send one dozen to each of the aforementioned food bloggers (perhaps bake an extra dozen to keep at home too, so your family doesn't feel left out, like mine did when I told them to keep their grubby paws out of my cookies). Receive three separate dozen cookies from three other food bloggers (to make up for not sharing the cookies I made, I'm sharing mine with my family - but you don't have to if you don't want to). Blog your recipe, and about the delicious goodies you received.

Sounds good right? It is! Here's what I made:

Egg Biscuits (My great grandmother's recipe)

Makes approximately 6 dozen

5 C flour
1 C milk
1 1/4 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
5 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp anise extract

Beat eggs.

Sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Add to eggs.

Add oil, flavoring, and milk. Mix well.

Take out of bowl and set on floured board for 5-10 minutes.

Roll dough between hands and place in circle on cookie sheet. Sprinkle dough/hands with flour to keep dough dry.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (Until lightly browned on bottom)

Frosting

1/2 C confectioners sugar

1 T milk

Colored sugars (optional)

Mix confectioner sugar and milk. Frosting should be very thick. Dip the top of the cookies into the frosting and sprinkle with colored sugars, if desired.

And there you have it! One of my fave cookies, we only make them in my family at Christmas.

Try some for yourself, you will love them!

A Renewed Attitude

2011-12-11T20:29:00.001-05:00

After my last half in October, I took a couple of weeks off of running. Then, during November I gently eased back in for a couple of weeks, before beginning a short period of intense speed work so I could PR another 5k before the year ended, which, as you all know, I did last Sunday.

Between the time off, and a concentration on speed work versus long runs for the first time since May, I feel like I am going into Marathon #3 training with a renewed attitude.

I came to this conclusion after today's run, which was Marathon #3 Long Run #1. Coachy's instructions: Run 10-13 (depending on how I feel, since I ran 7 yesterday, and my right foot was a tad sore), at no slower than a 10mm, unless I absolutely had to slow down to run the hills and complete the run. However, he told me, push yourself to "build asskicking strength" and because "them hills will make you a machine."

Well, that's what I did.

Before I started the run I ate a Jet Blackberry Gu. Then, I pushed myself as hard as I could up each hill, and I opened up my stride downhill. (Coachy also says changing up your stride during long runs is good for you, so you don't get stiff and sore by running the exact same stride for mile upon mile upon mile). At 5 miles (which was very close to 45 minutes) I ate a Tri-Berry Gu. A lot of people don't fuel for runs this short - but I am hypoglycemic, so I have be very diligent about keeping my blood sugar regulated. I've learned from previous runs that no fuel on any run of 10 miles or longer means I'm going to get worn out, feel sick, bonk, and it doesn't end pretty. This run ended pretty, my final mile wasn't my fastest but it also wasn't my slowest. My fastest mile was Mile 9 which was a 9:02 mile (9:02 pace in Mile 9 after all those hills? HELL YEAH!).

868 Feet of elevation gain? 9:33 Pace? This girl's getting strong!

Holy. cow. That was CRAZY.

My renewed attitude has taught me that I have to be responsible for every major or minor detail in these long runs, or I'm not going to be successful. It also taught me to squish the little voices inside.

The voices that told me to slow down on that hill because I was having a hard time breathing.

The voices that told me to stop in the middle of the hill because it was so hard. (I did stop a couple of times, once to fuel, once to take a couple of pictures, and a couple other times at intersections).

The voices that said slow down, run this easy, it's so hard, your legs hurt, your lungs hurt.

I shut each and every one of those little guys (gals?) up today. I replaced them with these little voices:

Duh, of course you're having a hard time breathing, you're running UPHILL.

Don't stop in the middle of this hill - getting going again in the middle of a hill is harder than finishing the hill. And, what's that up ahead? Oh it's flat ground, or a downhill, just get there and it will get easy again for a few minutes.

You can't get stronger if you run every run easy. Push up that hill. Keep running, don't stop, push the pace, you've GOT THIS!

I feel so great lately. I'm excited for my journey to Marathon #3.

How was everyone's runs and workouts today? It was a beautiful (albeit chilly) Sunday here! Here's the pics I took on my run today:

Cookies for Kids' Cancer (GIVEAWAY!)

2011-12-11T09:39:00.001-05:00

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Good morning! How would you guys like a giveaway to start your Sunday?

That's what I thought...

A couple of weeks ago I received a package from OXO with two spatulas in it. These aren't just any spatulas though. These spatulas were designed to help raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer awareness.

The purchase of every Limited Edition Cookie Spatula helps OXO support Cookies for Kids' Cancer as 50% of profits benefit pediatric cancer awareness, up to $100,000.

This is such a fantastic cause! You can learn even more about it by visiting www.oxogoodcookies.com.

This is a wicked awesome spatula, trust me you want one! The rounded and squared edges are perfect for scraping bowls, spoons, etc... The soft handle is very comfortable to hold.

Today I'm going to give away one of these spatulas, along with a dozen of these cookies.

Here's how to enter (Leave one comment per entry):

Tweet or post on Facebook about this giveaway (1 entry - Required): @runcupcake is giving away an OXO Good Cookie Spatula for Kids' Cancer! Enter here: http://goo.gl/m3exH
Tell me what your favorite kind of homemade cookie is (1 entry). Bonus entry if you give me a recipe to try.
Send a virtual cookie (1 entry).

There you have it! 4 possible entries in to my Good Cookie Spatula giveaway. This giveaway closes at 9 p.m. (EST) tonight, so be speedy about it!

If you don't win, and you'd like to purchase one of these spatulas to donate to a great cause visit your nearest Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon.com, or OXO Good Cookies Store Locator.

Good luck!

Disclaimer: OXO gave me these spatulas free of charge, in exchange for this blog post and giveaway. All ideas and opinions expressed here are my own.

Super Saturday

2011-12-10T15:25:00.001-05:00

Hey everybody! I hope you're having a fantastic Saturday so far! I know I am.

I started today with a 7 mile run. It was a chilly morning, but I was still able to dress pretty lightly in capris, a short sleeve and long sleeve tee, ear warmer, and gloves. I went out with the intention of running slow, at an "all day" pace, and that's what I did.

While I was running, I decided to finish strong. I know it's good for me, to learn to push past what I think are my limits, and get out of my comfort zone. So I ran my last mile at 9:27. It wasn't easy, since my legs were used to just strolling for the past few miles, and because of the crazy mile repeats I ran on Thursday.

After my run I made myself a delicious green smoothie, and went about some usual Saturday business (aka stuff not worthy of writing about).

While I was running, I realized something. I have a pretty darn good eye for pretty pictures (if I do say so myself). I took a few pics, that I'll share here with you. This afternoon, I started looking through other pictures I have taken, and I have some real beauties.

Early morning at the reservoir

Water flowing out of a pond after some heavy rains this week

Just me and the open road

With that being said, I've decided that you're going to get a lot more Wordless Wednesday posts from me, because I want to share all of my beautiful pictures with you! I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoy taking them.

Now I'm off to go get the Christmas tree with my family, then going on my annual Father/Daughter Christmas shopping trip. This one is fun - I get food and drink, and I get to shop for my mom, and I don't spend a dime. How fun is that?!

Tomorrow I'm off to run 13 miles, I'll check in with you all after that. I hope you all have a great rest of your Saturday!

Five for Friday: Marathon #3

2011-12-09T21:39:00.001-05:00

This edition of Five for Friday is brought to you by:

MARATHON #3! I know I've mentioned it a whole bunch of times, have I made an official announcement? I can't remember...if not, here it is:

ON MARCH 4, 2012 I WILL BE RUNNING THE ROCK 'N' ROLL NEW ORLEANS MARATHON!

Five things I'm taking into consideration training for this race:

Set long run paces. When I trained for my first two marathons I just went out and ran my long runs. If I petered out, I petered out. If I felt strong, that was great too. Not this time. I have set paces per mile for miles up to 10, from 10 to 15, and greater than 15. When I get to mile 15 of a 20 mile run and I feel like I can't push on, I will push on. I will strive to keep the pace set for me. I know I need this mentally and physically so I can run my best on race day.
I will not overhydrate. I run my long runs while wearing my Fuel Belt; however, I refuse to wear it during a race. Honestly, I just don't like it. I only use it because I have to. With that being said, I found myself overhydrating because the liquids were readily available. Come race day, when liquids are only available every couple of miles, I suffer because I can't drink whenever I want. I'm going to train myself to hydrate based roughly around how the water stops are located for the race. I'll load my pockets with gum and gummy bears to keep my mouth happy the rest of the time.
I will not stop taking Gu at Mile 15 just because I'm too worn out to think and still have 5 miles to go. I know the Gu is going to push me through those last 5 miles, so skipping it is not an option.
I will train for a 4:30 marathon finish time; however, I'm going into this race with an open mind because it is a Rock N Roll event. It may be wicked crowded, or I may just want to have fun with it. I won't know until race day comes if I'm going to actually try for 4:30 or not, but I will be ready.
(Coachy will like this one). I will not miss a long run unless I have a damn good reason. I wussed out on my training for Marathon #2 - I was tired, it was hot out, my foot hurt, blah blah blah. No excuses. If I want to run a good marathon that I can say with pride I gave every ounce of my being to, I have to train for it.

I want to look like this at the end of Marathon #3:

Me and Coachy crossing the finish line in Vermont - My first marathon

Does anyone else have anything I should add to this list? Things to keep in mind while training for a 4:30 marathon?

Gimme that Speed

2011-12-08T20:41:00.001-05:00

That is how I feel right now! I had a butt kicking run tonight that, honestly, I was dreading when Coachy told me what he wanted me to do.

I didn't run my normal speed Wednesday, so I told Coachy I wanted to run speed today, but I wasn't sure what I was going to do. I always know he's scheming when he says this, "What's your best 5k pace now?" That means nothing but trouble in my eyes. So, I told him 7:56, which is my pace from Sunday's brand new PR.

So, since I'm getting back into marathon training mode (hello, New Orleans, can't wait to see you!), Coachy recommended mile repeats. Then he recommended I do them at 7:30 (um, what, are you CRAZY?). We chatted about it a bit, and finally agreed on a 7:45 pace, which ended up being a 7:47 pace because of the settings on the treadmill (7.7 mph - holy flying legs).

It went a little like this:

Mile 0-1 - Warm up @ 10 mm
Mile 1-2, 7:47 pace, two totally kick ass songs (Metalingus by Alter Bridge and Adrenaline by 12 Stones). That wasn't so bad, my legs felt fresh and great, and my stride was stellar.
Mile 2-2.15 - Walk @ 20mm. Catch my breath, quickly realize I have to do this THREE MORE TIMES?!
Mile 2.15-3.15: The music this time around was good, but not as good as the first interval, so I concentrated more on the number on the screen and the fire in my lungs, than my legs, my stride, and kicking this intervals butt (whoops).
Mile 3.15-3.40: Walk @20mm again. Longer break, longer time to catch breath after speedy mile #2. I also looked through my music on my phone this time (I forgot my iPod at home) to try to find some good speedy music for the next mile.
Mile 3.40-4.40: Ugh, torture. I did find a kick ass song to start the interval, Burn it to the Ground by Nickelback, I don't remember the middle song, and then Born for This by Flatfoot 56. I couldn't wait for this interval to be over. My hips flexors were sore, my lungs were ON FIRE, I wanted to quit before it was over so bad. But I knew I couldn't, so I didn't.
Mile 4.40-4.75: Longest walk break, same thing @ 20mm. I was dreading the final interval. I didn't want to do it. AT. ALL. But, I tricked myself...
Mile 4.75-5.75: Final speed interval. How did I trick myself? I found two songs in my phone that were not only ass kicking speed songs, but long enough to get through the interval. Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga is 5 minutes and 20 seconds long. I took my towel, hid the timer on the treadmill, and ran through that song. I wouldn't allow myself to look at the clock until the song was over, and by then I was 3/4 of the way through the interval. Then, to finish that interval was Energy by Shinedown - I love the lyrics in this song, "Now I own you." I think I may have been singing outloud by the end of this interval. It did not seem as awful as Interval #3, maybe because I knew it was the last one? Maybe because of two totally appropriate kick ass songs? Who knows. All I knew was at 5.75 it was OVER.
5.75-6.0: Final walk break, final everything. Phew. Done.

If you want to know why I'm running one mile intervals at such a speedy pace for marathon training, check out some articles that explain it way better than I ever could:

These intervals are also good for me, mentally, because they're so hard to push through. They help you work on that mental endurance that is so necessary for marathon running.

One more thing before I retire for tonight.

I wrote down my long run paces in my appointment book, so that I don't have to keep bugging Coachy every week (I have a terrible memory...). Right after my run, I was thinking about how I wrote these paces on the "Frequent Numbers" page, and it totally cracked my ass up. Does anyone else see the humor in this? Running paces, frequent numbers...heh...get it?

Perhaps I'm just overly silly, run-high, and cheesy?

Goodnight!!!!

Simple and Delicious Wednesday

2011-12-07T21:03:00.001-05:00

How about a couple new recipes to spice up this dreary Wednesday? I'm so tired and my brain is fried, so I figured, instead of two night's in a row of no writing, I'd at least give you a couple good recipes. I can't leave my loyal readers hanging now can I?

Sam's Super Simple Sweet and Salty Trail Mix
Makes approximately 16 cups (Don't be alarmed, it goes fast)

3 apples - peeled, diced, and dehydrated. I used two honey crisp and one granny smith.
1 cup shelled walnuts
1/2 cup shelled pecans
2 cups roasted, salted sunflower kernels
1 1/4 cups dried cranberries
1 1/4 cups raisins
3 cups pretzel sticks

Combine all ingredients, except for the pretzels, mix well. Gently mix in pretzel sticks. Dig in!

Variation: Mix all ingredients together, except for the pretzels. Serve mixed in yogurt - it's fantastic.

Black cherry Chobani and trail mix "granola"

Quick and Easy Rice and Beans

Makes approximately (4) 1-cup servings

1 box Rice-a-Roni Spanish Rice Mix
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 14.5 oz can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups water
Tortilla chips (optional)

Prepare rice mix according to package directions.

When the rice mix is browned, add in tomatoes, beans, peppers, and water. Bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

I hope you guys enjoy my simple and delicious recipes!

Work that Upper Body

2011-12-05T20:22:00.001-05:00

Today I created (with the help of some of my Twitter friends - thanks guys!) my own home upper body workout. This workout can be done anywhere - all you need is a mat (or soft surface), a chair, and either some hand weights, a resistance band, or just something heavy. (Jolene, I'm looking at you with this one - I thought of you and all your upcoming travel while I was doing this workout!).

I created this workout because I'm not ready, post-accident, to start lifting a lot of weight at the gym, and because many upper body workout videos also incorporate a lot of lower body work - after yesterday's mega 5k PR, my legs weren't up for any kind of work.

The workout (as I did it - feel free to modify as you find necessary) - do this circuit twice, it should take you about half an hour (also perfect for the 30 for 60 Challenge).

Plank: Hold for 60 seconds.

Source

Side plank: Hold for 30 seconds each side. If you're up for a real challenge do the second picture, it is much more difficult.

Source

Push ups: 15 repetitions (I do modified for now, until my strength returns fully)

Source

Chair dips: 15 repetitions

Source

Rear deltoid raise: 15 repetitions (I used 10 pound weights)

Source

Bicep curls: 15 repetitions (I used 10 pound weights again)

Source

Reverse plank: I held the first one for 60 seconds, the second one for 30 seconds

Source

My arms are tired and shaky after this workout, so I know it did what I intended for it to do! Give my workout a try and let me know what you think (please!).

Downtown Jingle Bell 5k Race Recap

2011-12-04T19:26:00.001-05:00

Today I ran the Downtown Jingle Bell 5k with every intention of at least a PR, at most breaking 25 minutes.

Last night I got ready for the race:

Hooray for festive fingernails!

Totally love the "ruby slippers" headband. It may become a regular wear item.

Then this morning I had my typical long run breakfast, but I ate it two hours before the race to make sure it was fully digested. The race was set to start at 11:15 - I didn't put a single thing in my stomach after 10 a.m., I didn't want to risk any sort of stomach troubles during this race.

Breakfast of 5k PR'ing champions - and coffee, of course, in my favorite mug

Before the race I got to meet Jessica and her family. We live pretty close together, so we're definitely going to try to run together another time (I hope I can keep up!).

Me and Jessica - you can tell by the socks we both love Target!

Me and Santa Mom - the picture does the hat no justice! It's sparkly!

We split up right before the start - Jessica with the really fast people, my bro and I at the 8 minute mile section, and my rents near the back, as they were planning on run/walking the entire race. Huge shout out to mom right now - she ran the entire race, with little to no running training recently, in 38:57. GO MOM!

The 'rents view at the start

The weather at the start was perfect, roughly 50ish degrees. About a quarter mile into the race I told my brother, I feel much better than I did last week (Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot - I didn't write about it, it wasn't worth writing about!).

Mile 1 - I was right on pace. Bro even said to me, "Nice pace!" My lungs hurt a bit though. I think it's because the weather here has been so nice lately (thank you Mother Nature!) that my outdoor runs have not been in temps lower than roughly 55-60 degrees. And my outdoor runs have been limited to once or twice per week since it's dark out so early.

Mile 1.5 - I had to start talking to myself. My lungs had warmed up a bit, but I knew that without some really strong mental endurance I would slow down and I would not accomplish my goal.

Mile 1.75 - The only real "hill" on the course. I've run this course a couple times before, and many of the races that take place in Providence take this exact route, so I was expecting it and prepared for it. I didn't slow, instead I put my head down, pumped my arms, and focused on running strong up that hill. I never lost my goal pace for the entire hill (not that's very long...).

Mile 2.5 - Things start to get ugly (in my head). My legs were tired (Mile 1 was 7:57, Mile 2 was 7:58), my lungs were on fire, and I had to pee. Yup, I peed before but apparently two cups of coffee and 16 ounces of water is too much, even with an hour of nothing beforehand. I started talking to myself (in my head) so loud that I don't even remember what was was playing on my iPod.

Mile 2.75 - I could see the last corner before the home stretch. I feel lucky that I know this course so well, because that totally helped my mental state. I told myself, "You're almost around the corner and it's only 1/4 mile from there." It also helps that it's slightly downhill to the finish line. It's a good thing I was this close, my legs did not want to play anymore. My pace at this point had dropped to 8:20ish, but I was NOT having that. I was so close to reaching my goal, I wasn't letting out of my sight. I finished that mile in 8:

Mile 3 - I'm around the corner and I can see the clock now. The first two digits on that clock read 24, I knew I was golden. I busted into the finish line sprint (holy 6:06 pace!) and next thing I knew, I was done.

I finished 3.08 miles in 24:26 according to my Garmin. Official results, 25:12. I have no freakin idea where they got that number from, it's so far off base to me, so I'm not accepting it. At all. I started and stopped my Garmin on the timing mats, so, I'm taking this 24:26 as my new PR and running with it (pun intended).

That my friends means, I can tell you this:

I JUST PR'ed MY 5K TIME BY ONE MINUTE AND ELEVEN SECONDS!

Post race happiness

After the race me, bro, 'rents, and two of moms friends went to lunch. We tried to eat lunch at the sponsor restaurant, but their service was sub-par, so we ended up at Bar Louie instead. It was great, that's the second time I've eaten at a Bar Louie in 2 weeks and I was impressed both times. They even went so far to buy the table a round of drinks because the kitchen made a mistake on my mom and her friends taco orders. They will be seeing much more of my business.

Here's to wicked awesome PR's

Turkey, ham, and brie with blackberry jam AND dijon mustard on parmesan bread. It was to die for

Hello Mr. Tall Sam Winter, it's so nice to ~~meet~~ drink you

All in all it was a fantastic day spent with my family, I'm so glad they join me on my short distance running events. I also decided that I think I'm going to go outfit crazy for all races from now on, planning outfits and painting my nails, and coordinating everything is way too fun.

I'm also glad that Coachy has me do mega awesome speed workouts, without those this PR would not have been possible. Thanks Coachy!

Up next: More marathon training for Marathon #3: Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon in March!

I hope everyone else had an awesome Sunday/weekend!

How I Became FitFluential (7 Tips)

2011-12-03T16:14:00.001-05:00

I never in a million years thought I'd be a part of the awesome family that is FitFluential. My idea of fitness was laughable, and I was in okay shape. I was only "normal sized" (what does that even mean?) because I didn't allow myself to overeat - through various eating programs like Weights Watchers or straight up tracking calorie/fat intake.

Source

When I realized that at 28 years old and 140 pounds (I'm 5'5", so I was far from overweight...) I couldn't walk up stairs without being winded or having knee pain, I had that moment of clarity. That moment that speaks to you and says, "Do something now, before it's too late." I didn't have one particular person that inspired me, I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I needed to do something. So I did.

What did I do? How did I do it? Here's 7 tips, that are loosely based around what I did, which I think you'll find extremely valuable:

1) Have a goal. It doesn't have to be a huge goal, I learned this one fast. But, still have a goal. My goal was to run a 5k, so I registered for a 5k. Then I took on the challenge of the Couch to 5k Running Plan. And when I graduated the program, I ran my 5k. My point? The goal. Set it. Do it. After you complete that goal, set another one. A series of mini-goals will help you accomplish your end result in a much less frustrating manner than setting one huge goal. Keep your huge goal in mind, strive to accomplish it, but use these mini-goals as stepping stones toward your desired end result.

Source

2) Create a plan. I plan based on my next goal. After tomorrow's 5k, my next goal is the Rock N Roll New Orleans Marathon. I will focus on that and plan accordingly. Once the race is over, I'll recover for a week or two, then reconvene (with myself...well, and Coachy, of course) and start planning for the Cox Rhode Races Marathon. Create your plan based on your next mini-goal - want to lose 10 pounds in a month? Plan around that. Want to run a sub-30 minute 5k? Plan around that. It doesn't have to be set in stone, but a loose plan will make taking action that much easier.

Pencil your plan in, leave it open to changes, life happens! (Source)

3) Make the time. I am almost sure the #1 excuse for not working out is "I don't have time." I call B.S. Make time. #1 excuse for not eating healthy (In my opinion)? "I don't have time to cook." More B.S. There is always time, but you have to make the choice to find that time. I go to the gym right after work. Of course that means I don't get home until 7 or later. So, you have to make time to plan meals accordingly too. If you have a plan, then you know what days you're working out, when you'll be home late or up early, and you can plan accordingly.

Make time for YOU (Source)

4) Spend some money. If you spend a good chunk of change getting started on something you're going to feel pretty darn bad if you just throw it all in a corner and give up, right? Buy a sleek new pair of running shoes, join Weight Watchers, join a gym, whatever fits your current goals. I don't need much motivating during nice weather, but in the winter I usually need a swift kick in the butt to get moving. Luckily, seeing the $19.99 deduction from my bank account every month reminds me that I have a gym membership that needs to be used. That's $5 a week that ~~I could be buying Starbuck's with...~~ I'm throwing away if I don't use the membership.

These oughta make me run another 300 or so miles...

5) Make it a family affair. Get your family involved in your activity. I got both of my parents to do Couch to 5k, and they run races with me!

Me and Mom before the Irish 5k this past March (Part of Tour de Patrick)

Race bags for tomorrow's Downtown Jingle Bell 5k - the whole family is running!

6) Start now. No excuses. Don't say, "It's the holidays, so I'll make this my New Year's Resolution." If you are committed to getting fit, getting healthy, losing weight, etc. then you'll start as soon as you are ready to start. Don't put it off. The longer you put it off, the more excuses you can up with as to why you shouldn't start in the first place.

Source

7) Find some inspiration. When I start to feel down, like I don't want to press on, I look to others for inspiration. I read lots of other blogs. There are way too many people to name here, I'd feel like I was leaving someone out. I regularly read day to day life blogs, running blogs, weight loss blogs, general fitness blogs, or I just take to Twitter. There is inspiration lurking around every corner. Or better yet...

Source

I hope you find my tips useful! Get out there, get moving, and you too can be FitFluential!

A Step in a New Direction

2011-12-02T21:17:00.001-05:00

On Monday I taunted my darling Twitter followers with this:

Now, it's Friday and I am FINALLY going to tell you what it is.

Do you know what it is?!

I am studying to become an NASM Certified Personal Trainer! I am BEYOND excited to start studying. Like Revenge of the Nerds level excited to study.

I'm also nervous though because "science" ~~is not~~ was not really my thing. I have an Associate's Degree in Business with an Accounting Concentration. I was going to school to become a CPA, but that changed after my last semester.

The end of my last semester symbolized what would have been my transfer to a 4-year college, after years of part-time community college semesters working for my Associates Degree. I was accepted to the college I wanted to go to, but before I made the switch I did a little soul searching.

I asked myself:

Do I really want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life?

I don't like paying my own bills, dealing with my own money, or doing my own taxes - am I going to enjoy doing it for others?

The answer to both of those questions was a resounding

NO!!!!

I think I took to accounting because I'm a numbers freak - add, subtract, multiply, divide, fractions - math is easy for me, it just comes natural...But, it didn't take me long to realize that personal training is really a step in the right direction for me.

I love fitness.

I love helping people.

Perfect combination, right?!

Right. So, will you follow along with me as I study and learn how to train people to become the fittest person they can be?

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! I guarantee my studying will start this weekend! I'm just a giant nerd, what can I say?

30 for 60 Challenge - What to Do

2011-12-02T12:18:00.001-05:00

This is where I answer all of your 30 for 60 Challenge questions.

Do I have to tweet every workout? Not at all. Do it for motivation, inspiration, fun, and for new workout ideas! With Day 1 done, I've seen some great new workout ideas. If you choose to tweet your workouts, tweet with the hashtag #30for60.

How do I keep track of my workouts? Here are some suggestions:

Go old school and just WRITE IT DOWN! (Coachy's favorite) Use a simple paper calendar or Download a free calendar template from Microsoft Office.
Create a spreadsheet (this is what my mother is doing)
Active.com : If you don't have an account, sign up for a free one. There's a free "Manage my Training" calendar. It's what I use, and I like it.

What am I tracking?

Type of workout (running, yoga, spinning, weights, etc.)
Amount of time
Miles (if you're running or walking)
Weight lost (If you're joining in the weight loss part of the challenge)

When do you want my data/where do I send it/what do I send?

When: Send December's data no later than Friday, January 5th. Send January's data no later than Sunday, February 5th.
Where: Send your complete data to me: runcupcake {at} gmail {dot} com
What: Everything I listed in What am I tracking as well as your Twitter handle, if you have one.

Feel free to comment, e-mail me, or tweet me any questions!

The Marathon: Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned (Part 2: 24 Hours Until the Start Gun)

2011-12-01T20:31:00.000-05:00

I started this series with Part 1 almost two months ago, and I am finally getting around to Part 2.

24 HOURS UNTIL THE START GUN

Choose your food (and drink) wisely. This is a lesson learned. Funny story time: Me, Coachy, and John (another one of our runner friends) met up at an Applebee's in Charlottesville, VA for a late lunch the day before the Charlottesville Marathon (Coachy was running the full, me and John were running the half). We grabbed a couple of appetizers to share, and of course a couple of beers. Then we went to the expo, and scoped out their not too impressive pasta dinner, so we decided to find somewhere else to eat. The place we ended up at didn't have much in the way of carb selection, so we all ordered burgers and fries. I couldn't eat much, I have a strange thing with burgers - I either like them, or I don't, and most of the time I end up not liking them. It's a texture thing. And then we had a couple more beers. John quit on the beers early (he's the intelligent one, obviously). Coachy and I managed 7 beers (each) from lunch through dinner. Whhooooooops.

Fast forward to race morning - I overslept, probably from the beers, and was running late to meet up with Coachy and John. I met them in the lobby of the hotel with one of my homemade energy bars in hand and a banana. I chowed that down while we drove to the race, which we got to about 30-40 minutes before it started...? Something like that. Needless to say, my energy bar (while good, they're HEAVY, they're not pre-long run energy - they're more like, I need a boost in the middle of the work day energy...oats, nuts, dried fruit, you name it...) was not sitting well in my stomach. That and my food/beverage choices from the day before were not too bright. I felt ill for almost the entire 13.1 miles - and Coachy, being the awesome person that he is, ran the first half with me (and listened to me whine for quite some time). I'm pretty sure the unintelligent food/drink choices weren't doing to well with him too, but he wasn't whining like I was.

I still finished the race in 2:18:42 - which was only 6 minutes slower than my first half, and this one had 800' elevation gain (first one had 222 - but it didn't feel like it, it was in Charleston, SC).

I'm not a "don't drink for days, weeks, or months before a big race" kind of person. I'm a firm believer in everything in moderation. I went a little overboard that day, and I learned that lesson.

Stick with what you know - for food and for drink, 24-48 hours before a big race.

Be Organized: Another lesson learned. May be from the same race, because of the 7 beers. Yeah, actually I think it was.

Lay out everything you need the night before the race. I know, you've all heard this a million times before. But, things happen. Better to be over-prepared. I prepare for a race by going through a checklist in my mind of what I need, and how I get dressed. From foot to head - and everywhere in between. Also, make sure your race day fuel is set up and in your Fuel Belt or Spi-Belt or pockets or whatever it is you use when you're running. That way on race morning all you have to worry about is getting dressed, eating, and getting to the start. And don't forget the Body Glide. Trust me.

Something else I've learned - that can go with both topics I've discussed so far: If you travel for an out of state race, be sure you know where you can get breakfast, coffee, etc. I've been lucky with this - all of the hotels I've stayed in for out of town races have been very accommodating to runners. When I ran Mad Marathon, the hotel had order forms at the front desk for pre-race breakfast. Check with your hotel ahead of time, and if they don't have what you're looking for, make sure you get it before it's too late.

Relax: You've eaten. You've gotten your clothes/fuel/Garmin/shoes/iPod ready to go. You set and ~~double~~ triple checked your alarm clock. Now there is nothing left to do but sit back and relax. You worked very hard to get to this day, whether it's your first, fifth, or fortieth marathon. Get a good night's sleep, and I'll see you on race day.

Stay Tuned for The Marathon: Tips, Tricks, and Lessons Learned (Part 3: Race Day), which I hope won't take me two more months to write.

What are your tips, tricks, or lessons learned in the 24 hours leading up to a big race?

Wordless Wednesday: A Tourist in NYC

2011-11-30T19:00:00.000-05:00

Enjoy, more beautiful pictures from my awesome, fun trip to NYC!

30 for 60 Challenge Update #1

2011-11-29T21:40:00.001-05:00

Good evening friends! Unfortunately my FitBlog Chat moderator debut has been postponed due to technical difficulties! So you get two posts from me in one day instead!

Coachy and I are hosting a 30 for 60 Challenge (In case you haven't heard).

A couple of updates from the challenge:

We are up to 53 participants (not including me and Coachy!)
I've added TWO NEW PRIZE CATEGORIES

Most weight lost (My mommy's idea)
Most workout variety (Coachy's idea)

And there you have it folks! Tomorrow is the last day to sign up, which I should clarify just consists of leaving a reply here or on the original post, or tweeting at me @runcupcake or Coachy @runbikesurf

So put on your workout variety thinking caps, dust off your neglected scales, and lets get active!

You may want to also check out Colleen over at The Fit Bee - she's doing a challenge as well, and the two fit perfectly together. It's called Getting Back to Basics - she's so hard core she's participating in both! Who else wants to be hard core? I'm joining her challenge as well. My major problem this time of year is sweets, so I'm vowing to indulge wisely and not go crazy.

So, who's joining 30 for 60? Who's joining Getting Back to Basics? Who wants to be one of the cool kids and DO BOTH?!

Have a great night my friends!

Foodie Penpals Round 3 - November Edition

2011-11-29T09:25:00.000-05:00

Wow, another month GONE! Can you believe it? Where does the time go?

If you don't know what Foodie Penpals is by now (since this is the third time you're hearing about it from me) check out Lindsay's Foodie Penpal Introductory Post, and my September and October posts.

This month the goods came from Carissa and Kyle from Fit2Flex*. I love the tagline on their blog, "Healthy body, clean food, heavy weights, happy marriage." SO CUTE.

Anyway, on to the goods:

My "birthsgiving" goodies with a pretty pink bow! Carissa tells me that Kyle is almost 30 too, YAY I'm not the oldest person in blog land (sometimes I feel like I am...)

I cannot wait to try this - I don't have a coffee grinder though! Can you take your coffee to Starbucks and ask them to grind it for you?

I've never heard of shelled hemp seed before! (I plan on putting it in this afternoon's salad!)

I forgot I had this, or I would've eaten it after my 5k on Turkey Day. Strawberry-Cranberry is a great fall-ish flavor too. I'm going to have it after my next 5k on Sunday - I'll report back!

This little guy has taken up residence in the pocket of my favorite hoodie. Two things I don't go far without: chapstick and a hoodie! I love Rudolph, he's so cute! (She thinks I'm cuuuuuuuuuuute!!!!)

I'm eating this as I write - it tastes just like a regular Hershey's Bar, but the texture is light and fluffy. I think I prefer this over regular Hershey's!

Yum, yum, yum. I loves me some truffles.

Carissa and Kyle put together what they called a "naughty and nice" penpal package, but I'm calling it all nice hehehe. Thanks guys, this is great!

SIDE NOTE: An update from last month's penpal package: Thank you Kayla, I am addicted to Snackimals and Clif Z bars! My mother thought I was crazy when I came home from the grocery store with a bag of animal crackers LOL

That's all for this month's package! Check out Lindsay's post for all of the Foodie Penpals action for all involved! Want to join us? Email Lindsay and let her know!

Lots to Love this Monday

2011-11-28T19:00:00.000-05:00

Holy moly, there is SO MUCH good to talk about lately so lets get right to it.

1) THE WEATHER. The weather here has been PHENOMENAL lately. Sunny (most days), mild - shorts and tee running weather! I'm about to write a love letter to Mother Nature (maybe it will convince her to keep it this way????).

2) The 30 for 60 Challenge. 50 51 people have signed up so far (and that does not include me or Coachy). Two more days to sign up! I really love how many people are willing to participate in a fitness challenge smack dab in the middle of the holiday season! I can't wait to see how it goes. And speaking of the holidays...

3) I'm moderating FitBlog Chat this week! Yes, that's right! The theme, "Oh Heavens, It's the Holidays Again". We're going to be talking about maintaining fitness habits, avoiding overindulgence, maintaining self control, you name it! I hope to see you all there! Remember, it starts Tuesday night at 9 p.m. (EST) Follow the hashtag #fitblog or sign in to the FitBlog Chat website Tuesday night for all the fun!

4) Learning proper sit-up and push-up form. My brother is in the National Guard, so I asked him to teach me how to do proper sit-ups and push-ups. Turns out, sit-ups are much harder than crunches. And much more effective. Little bro' told me that doing sit-ups versus crunches will work my entire abdomen, as well as my hip flexors (which I so need). I can feel it in my hip flexor area when I do them, this is going to be so fantastic for strengthening my weak, left hip. I can also see how my upper abs are stronger (and more defined) than my lower abs, so I'm looking forward to lower ab definition (and maybe even, *gasp*, a 6-pack?).

5) Compression socks. I have two pairs of Zensah compression socks. I wear them after every run, sometimes I even sleep in them. I don't run in them, but I see a lot of people that do. I'd like to see some arguments for and against running in compression. I lean toward the side of against running in them, right now, because I feel with them on you can't feel if your calves are trying to tell you something is wrong...

6) The amount of time I spent in the kitchen this weekend. I made pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, cookies for a blogger cookie swap (that I totally neglected to promote while sign up was still open...), trail mix (recipe to follow), baked my brother's birthday cake, made honey wheat bread in my parents poor, neglected bread machine...wow, that's a lot. I love my parent's kitchen, it makes me happy, you'll be seeing a lot more new recipes from me in the near future (meals, snacks, cupcakes, you name it...).

7) A BONUS ONE FOR TODAY! I'm feeling super organized - I know how busy I am this week so I have 4 posts already pre-written and scheduled, so my busy life won't leave you, my faithful readers, feeling neglected!

I hope you all had a fantastic Monday!!!!

Listening and Leftovers

2011-11-27T19:43:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday! Did this weekend fly by or what?

Today I truly learned the meaning of listening to your body. I've been trying for some time to understand this, but today I had a moment of clarity. Coachy often tells me to run by feel - run by what your legs want to do. This morning I woke up with the intention of running speed intervals (5k number two is next Sunday), and ended up with this instead:

Not even a mile into today's run I knew I wouldn't be running intervals, so I immediately told myself "Run comfortable, get the miles in, and be careful." Normally I'd be pissed that I couldn't run my intended run - but today, I took it in stride, and just went with it. And I am not upset with it, I'm happy I got the miles in. Plus, it was really freakin hilly.

Listening to my body example #2: Earlier in the week I accepted a challenge that a bunch of Twitter peeps are doing that involves doing at least 100 pushups a day. This is great for me, because I need the upper body work, and I've been put on lifting limitations due to my accident injured shoulder (no overhead lifting or pulling). Friday and Saturday I did 200 total pushups (mostly girly, some real), today I did 25. My shoulders are sore, but more so my left shoulder is hurting again, so I stopped. I'll start again when the shoulder feels good enough again.

I'm now fully accepting of the "listen to your body" mindset - important if I want to stay healthy and injury free!

Are you good at listening to your body? What do you do?

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And now for the good stuff... using up those Thanksgiving leftovers! Friday night my brother created this gorgeous Turkey Pot Pie for me, him, and our mother, and he allowed me to take his recipe and share it with everyone! I hope you enjoy this!

Brother's Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 pie crusts
One fully cooked turkey breast, chopped
1 tbsp parsley
2 quarts turkey/chicken/veggie stock (your choice)
4 large adult (<--brother's word) carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 small onions, chopped
Thyme, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper (to taste)
3/4 cup flour
3/4 stick butter
1 bag frozen peas

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine turkey, stock, and parsley. Bring to a boil and reduce by 2/3, creating a broth.
Saute carrots, celery, and onions until approximately halfway tender. Add remaining seasonings.
Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.
Melt the butter in the same pan you cooked the veggies in. Once melted, add the flour to create a roux. Cook until medium brown in color.
Strain broth and set turkey aside.
Slowly whisk broth into the roux, creating a gravy.
Once the gravy is smooth, mix in the cooked veggies, turkey, and frozen peas.
Transfer pie filling to pie plate and cover with second pie crust.
Bake for 35 minutes or until crust is a light brown.

How are YOU using your Thanksgiving leftovers?

Active Rest Days

2011-11-26T19:39:00.001-05:00

When people started signing up for the 30 for 60 Challenge, I noticed a common theme: I don't know how I feel about not taking a rest day.

I understand that, completely. I used to be the same way. But now, I don't feel good when I take a full blown rest day, unless I'm fully exhausted or feeling burnt out. So, I've implemented one active rest day per week into my routine, on Saturday. Plus, who doesn't like it when the workout log has something logged in every. single. day.

I'm going to share with you some of my favorite ideas for active rest days:

Go for a walk. Get outside, get some fresh air, enjoy some time with friends, family, or your pet! I went for a 3.3 mile walk with my mom today, since she's trying to get back into a fitness routine. It was nice to have someone to talk to the whole time too!
Stretch. Throw on your favorite DVR'ed sitcom, and stretch your body during the entire 30 minutes. It doesn't have to be strenuous, but making a habit of this will help increase your flexibility and get you moving on your rest day. Favorite stretches for runners: Cool Running: Stay Loose: Stretches for Runners.
Do some easy body weight strength training: planks, side planks, pushups, crunches, chair dips. You can easily fill up 30 minutes with some simple strength moves. I did a one minute plank, 100 pushups (only 20 "real" pushups, the rest "girly" or "modified" for those of you that like to be politically correct), and 100 crunches today, along with my walk. Again, these strength moves are something you can do while watching TV (so no excuses really...).
Go hiking. Where I live, the Audubon Society has some nice, easy, short hiking trails scattered throughout the state, that never get old. Plus, they're small and safe enough to go alone if you don't have anyone else to go with. I like to bring my camera, I almost always see something worthy of photographing. And again, you're getting outside and getting sunshine and fresh air - who doesn't love that?
Play Wii Sports or Wii Fit. This is especially fun if you're trying to keep your family active - get everyone involved! I love the ski jump, the soccer one (where you have to hit the balls with your head), and BOXING. You can get a fun little cardio workout boxing for 30 minutes with Wii Fit - and perhaps the title of "Boxing Champion" in your house!

So, there you have it. Some of my favorite ways to spend my Active Rest Days. If you haven't signed up for the 30 for 60 Challenge for the "no rest day" reason, won't you reconsider now?! You have until Wednesday to sign up!

Cupcakes and FitFluential (Opposites Attract)

2011-11-22T21:20:00.001-05:00

I have a cupcake recipe for you! I've been way overdue for a while! Quite some time ago I made these Neapolitan Cupcakes from Courtney.

Then one day I had a brainstorm, that took her recipe, and just tweaked it up a little.

May I present to you:

Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Ingredients:

One box Pillsbury Golden Butter Cake Mix (prepared according to package directions)
1/2 cup Tart Cherry Preserves
Red Food Coloring
1 oz semi-sweet baking chocolate (melted and cooled)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Maraschino cherries

The how to:

Divide your batter evenly into two separate bowls.

In one bowl stir in the cherry preserves and a few drops of the red food coloring until you get a dark pink/red hue to the batter.

These preserves are heavenly, in cupcakes, on toast, on a PBJ sammich...~~off the spoon~~

In the other bowl stir in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder.

Next, line your cupcake pans. Add a spoonful of cherry batter to each cup. Then add a spoonful of chocolate batter on top of each spoonful of cherry batter. (or the other way around as you seen from my picture...)

Bake according to package directions (which I believe is 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean).

One cooled, I frosted these with the traditional Hershey's Chocolate Frosting and garnished with a Maraschino Cherry.

Aren't they cute?!

Chocolate and cherry is one of my favorite combos, and these little guys are to. die. for.

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Now, for something completely different.

Are you interested in joining the FitFluential Family? We're looking for network members AND ambassadors.

Apply to Become a Member. More info on what the FitFluential Family is looking for in bloggers/influencers.

Ambassadors: If you want more information on becoming an ambassador you can e-mail me or e-mail Kelly Olexa. If you e-mail Kelly directly, please make sure you tell her that I sent you!!!!

Fitfluential Membership and Fitfluential Ambassadorship is for MEN and WOMEN. The group could use a few more good men (we've got some great ones already!).

Let me have your attention for just a moment on this:

You WANT to be part of this group. Trust me.

This is a FANTASTIC group of people, from all walks of life.

Don't think that you "don't belong" or "don't fit the requirements"

Everyone in this group is AMAZING. They're supportive, full of advice, funny, genuine, you name it. I am honored to be a part of this group, and would love it if more of my friends/readers were part of it with me.

So, what do you say? Contact me or Kelly as soon as possible!!!!

Toughen Up Cupcake

2011-11-21T20:29:00.001-05:00

I haven't written much about my birthday, or turning 30, or any of that. I spent most of my birthday not doing much of anything, which was GREAT. I did go for a little run, and I did do some Ab-Ripper X, but other than that I spent most of the day chilling until I went out with a big group of my favorite people for some celebrating!

The gang's all here!

Friends since we were 14

Yes, she is wearing her MCM Jacket ;-)

Me and Sara - always a great time when we're together!

Obviously having fun...

Crazy fun... ;-)

Then yesterday I did this:

Right? My thoughts exactly... They were mile repeats, so I did stop to catch my breath/heart beat/etc in between every mile. But this is my fastest 8-mile EVER.

So anyway, what on earth does ANY of this have to do with the title of my post? It has EVERYTHING to do with it. You see, I have goals, hopes, dreams, ideas, thoughts, etc... Roughly 30 of them to be exact.

But I'm not going to tell you what they are. I know I know... Okay, I lied, I am going to tell you one of them.

BE TOUGHER ON MYSELF. Yes, be tougher on myself. I know, you're probably thinking I'm crazy, I work hard already. I do work hard. But, I know I can do better. As you can see it started yesterday. Coachy told me to go out and run 6 one-mile intervals between 8-8:30 mm to prepare myself for my 5k on Turkey Day. I wanted to quit after 4, it was hard, my legs were sore, I was tired. But, I wasn't about to let me or Coachy down. And I know it's beneficial to other future goals. The way I felt after that run is the way you should feel after any hard run - speedwork, long runs, etc... starving and spent. And today - sore as hell.

So, the moral of this very blabby story is this:

I have to set goals and stick to them.

I have to do what I say I am going to do.

Talk is cheap. Action is everything. I can't get faster or stronger without working harder (and oh boy are my legs feeling it).

It's not just fitness, but personal too. Lots to do in this 30th year and I plan on doing it all and making it a great one. Expect to hear LOTS more on this as I accomplish these goals - because I'd rather brag that I did it, than say I'm going to do it then have to report back that I didn't.

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P.S. Have you signed up for the 30 for 60 Challenge yet? We've got about 30 people involved already with 9 days left until it starts. This is going to be a FANTASTIC holiday challenge. I'm so excited to kick it off!

Five Things for Friday

2011-11-20T21:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday friends! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, I know I did.

I started by running a 5k Turkey Trot yesterday morning. I was hoping to break 25 minutes (would be ~ 38 second PR for me if I did) but something went terribly awry. My mouth felt like someone stuffed it full of cotton balls and I had a terrible lower abdominal cramp. My Aunt says (she's a pharmacist) it's because of a muscle relaxer I took to help me sleep, since my left shoulder is still messed up from the accident. By the way, the muscle relaxer did the exact opposite of help me sleep, I hardly slept. Oh well, lesson learned. So I ran a 27:07 which is still a great time (last year at this time I couldn't break 30 mins). I came in 348 of 1605, which is the top 1/3 of racers. I'm happy and I have another PR opportunity on December 4th.

So, onto today's "Five for Friday". I stole this from Jess, who posted it last week. I think it's a great idea as a little "getting to know me better..."

Five things you didn't know about me:

My favorite author is Stephen King. I've read 90% of his books.
I lived in Iowa for a year. I will never do that again. Honestly, I may never step foot in that state ever again. (Except I may have to for 26.2 miles, if I want to run all 50 states? Damn damn damn.)
I can only swim enough to maybe save my own life, but I want to get into triathlons (I guess I better get my butt to the Y, eh?).
I'm extremely claustrophobic. I rode the subway to a concert in Boston once, the same night as a Red Sox home game. I was freaking out the entire time as I was squished in the middle of the car surrounded by crazed Red Sox fans.
I used to be good at snowboarding. It is not like riding a bike. Once you stop for a while, it is very difficult to get back into, but I would love to be good at it again.

Five things I'm good at:

Organizing. I love to organize. Clothes, files, jewelry, makeup, you name it. Give me bins, labels, colored file folders, markers, etc. and a pile of stuff to organize. You'd be impressed.
Writing. I never thought I was good at writing, until I started blogging. I enjoy putting my thoughts down, for everyone to read. People who know me in real life have told me that the way I write is the way I speak, which I enjoy hearing because it means that you're getting nothing but genuine me when you read my blog.
Being a friend. I'd do anything for my friends. My friends mean everything to me and I am always there for them. I'd rather have a few close friends that I can always be there for than a giant pile of acquaintances - that's how my life is, and I love it.
Running. I may not be a world record setting speed demon, but I consider myself a good runner. I run a lot. I run speed. I run hills. I sometimes run slow. This year I ran 14 races (one more to go) (7 5k's, 5 half marathons, and 2 full marathons).
I am disciplined and good at kicking my own ass. I thank Coachy for giving me this one. He's right. No on else is going to kick my ass for me, so I have to do it (well...Coachy is good at kicking my ass too, ~~but it's easy for me to blow him off when he lives 1000 miles away.~~ what? who said that?). Not to mention how great I feel after an ass kicking run, or 100 pushups (yup, I did 100 "girly" pushups today). I lost my discipline for a while, but it's back in full force and I feel fantastic!

Five things I believe in:

I believe that everything happens for a reason. The good, the bad, and the ugly - it's all happening for a reason, even if we don't know what it is at the time - or if the reason seems unacceptable at any given moment.
I believe that everyone should have a pet. And by pet I don't mean a guinea pig or a gold fish - I mean a pet like a dog, or a cat, or some other animal you can interact with. I love my dog, she is the greatest little critter. Pets are loyal, they're warm, they're cuddly, they're great outdoors buddies, I could go on and on and on...
I believe that you should treat others as you want to be treated. Being mean, or rude, or cold will get you nowhere in life. Disrespecting others is unnecessary. I know I don't like it when people are mean or rude or disrespectful to me - so why would I be that way? *Disclaimer: If I am treated poorly, you bet your ass I will return the "favor." However, I always try my best to be nice, sweet, polite, and respectful.
I believe in social media. I have met some of my closest friends this way. I met Coachy this way, I met a whole group of other awesome runner friends this way, I met Steph this way. I'm also planning on meeting so many other people that I know will be great friends and have a major impact in my life, since they already are/do and I don't even know them in real life yet!
I believe that every woman should have one go to outfit - for a job interview, for a date, for a night out with the girls. Something that makes you feel 100% confident, sexy, yourself. Well, not sexy for the job interview...that may be inappropriate. But you know what I mean. Every woman should have these items at the ready at all times. Who knows when that perfect job or man may show up (or if you have your perfect man...perhaps he surprises you with a fantastic night out, better have that outfit ready). Or a great opportunity to hit the town with the girls. You need that outfit. A great hairstyle, perfect makeup, and accessories are also must haves.

So there you have it. My five things.

As Jess said when she posted her five things, I challenge you to answer these questions. They are HARD. I've been working on this on and off all day long!

SIDE NOTE: Have you signed up for our 30 for 60 Challenge yet? You have until Wednesday to join me and Coachy, and about 50 others, in this challenge!

30 for 60

2011-11-20T17:54:00.001-05:00

Are you guys up for a challenge? I hope so because Coachy and I brainstormed one for you.

We're about to be in the thick of the holiday season, when we may indulge a bit more, and workout a bit less. I know I'm not going to say no to that slice of pumpkin pie. With that being said, there is no time like the present to put a little more focus on our exercise habits. Fight the holiday flab, start working out BEFORE New Year's, and if you work out already, stick with it and kick ass!

How it works:

Starting December 1st I challenge you to work out for at least 30 minutes per day, every single day, until February 1st. It doesn't doesn't have to be a bad ass workout every single day, but there should be 30 minutes of body conditioning every single day for 60 days.

Aside from looking hot and feeling great (and not feeling guilty about that extra glass of wine, or piece of pumpkin pie...are you sensing a theme here?) you're in it for PRIZES! That's right, I'm offering incentive for you to join my challenge.

Prize Categories: (I haven't come up with the prizes yet, but I promise they'll be good...)

Most running/walking miles logged.
Most workout hours logged.
30 for 60 Challenge Rockstar: This is for whoever steps up his/her game and really brings it during this challenge. This will be judged by a combination of the most miles, the most hours, and the most days.

What do I do?

Step 1: Workout, every single day.

Step 2: Keep track of your workouts: type, distance, time, etc. Grab a simple calendar, write your workouts in, and on January 1st send it to me (runcupcake [at] gmail [dot] com) so we can see who's rocking in the New Year, and then again on February 1st so we can see who our big winners are.

Step 3: Tweet your workouts to us (@runcupcake @runbikesurf) with the hashtag #30for60

Step 4: Tell all your friends! Get involved! Have fun with this!!!! Be creative with your workouts, inspire others, get your sweat on!

So, who's in?! Think fitness, think fun, think pumpkin pie (seriously, just think about it), think accountability (no excuses people, work those heinies!!!!)

I hope to hear from all of you!

Five for Friday - Fitness Edition

2011-11-18T21:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday Friends! I'm enjoying a chill evening in the recliner, in my sweats, with a couple of beers. I'm presenting tonight's post to you in a Five for Friday style, I know a lot of people do this, and I thought it'd be fun because I have this strange for alliteration. Yeah, I know, I'm a weirdo...

Anyway, enough babbling, here we go:

1) Dear Mr. No Armed Elliptical Trainer (aka Lower Body Cross Trainer): I heart you. My chiropractor told me to take it easy on my shoulder (my left shoulder is tight and has a pretty limited range of motion from the accident, and it goes all the way up into my neck), and Coachy recommended Mr. No Armed Elliptical Trainer to me. So after a boring 30 minutes on the stationary bike, I hopped on Mr. No Arms. I used the program called "Pike's Peak." Oh what fun! No, seriously! It was a great lower body workout, without the impact of running, and it felt like it was actually beneficial for my hip! Win, win, win.

2) It's 5k season again! For me anyway... Turkey Trot on Turkey Day and then the Jingle Bell 5k in December, and maybe another race on December 11... maybe. I'm really hoping to break 25 minutes, which would be at least a 38 second PR. I'm nervous about it, but I'm feeling strong and speedy lately, and I hope to carry that over to my races. My question for you guys is this: What is your #1 song for fast, speedy races? Throw 'em at me, if I'm going to break 25 minutes, a kick ass playlist is SO necessary.

3) Can I ask you guys to do me a favor? As the always awesome, beautiful, and oh so fantastic Fitfluential Leader, Kelly Olexa stated "GNC is going to be a HUGE part of FitFluential in 2011 and 2012." So, here is what I'm asking from you. Can you please visit GNC Live Well Facebook page (here) and like it. If they can reach 500,000 fans by Midnight on November 27th, they will have the Biggest Cyber Monday EVER. So, can you please like their page? And can you please share this: on Facebook, on Twitter, on your blog? Share it with the hashtag #Fitfluential. Let's show GNC some love!

4) I need some help. Post workout I know how imperative it is to get the proper carb/protein ratio in your body within the first 30 minutes. You may recall that last week I tried mixing my protein powder with just water (gack!). Tonight I tried mixing it with orange juice, which was better, but still not all that pleasant. I like to have something I can eat/drink in the car, since it's about a 20-30 minute drive home from the gym. I'm about to start packing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What do YOU have post-workout? I know, I have my very own bodily proof, as to how beneficial this is (Sunday's 10, first long run in a month: I drank one of my protein smoothies directly after and felt GREAT on Monday. No residual soreness, no aches, pains, nothing...)

5) I have only missed one day of working out since I've been back in the game (November 9th). That one day was the day of my car accident. I'm very excited about this. And, more on that later, there may be some sort of challenge in our future (Coachy and I are scheming...trying to get more peeps more active more often...).

That's all folks! Enjoy the rest of your Friday!

Don't forget: I am SERIOUSLY looking for some ass kicking speedy make you want to MOVE songs for my 5k's. And LIKE GNC LIVE WELL (Please, if you really do actually like them...I don't want to force a company on you if you don't actually like them!).

It Hasn't Been All Bad (Happiness in an Otherwise Blah Week)

2011-11-17T21:04:00.001-05:00

Hello darlings! Can you believe it's Thursday? Thank goodness this week is going fast because this is how I feel about it:

Source

It hasn't been all bad. Yesterday ~~two~~ three wicked good things happened:

1) I ran a KICK ASS speed interval session, IN THE RAIN

This included 8 quarter mile intervals ranging from 7:21 avg to 8:14 avg

2) I got a surprise birthday package filled with chocolate and beer. It made my day GREAT. (Other than a small incident at work that ~~gave me a massive heart attack~~ made me slightly nervous, but is now over, and all is well again).

3) I went to dinner with a lovely lady who I hadn't seen in way too long:

And then today I did this:

Pay no mind to that elevation, I think my Garmin started in space...

6 miles turned into 7 because I have an awful sense of distance, but the crazy part is that this run is my best recovery run EVER. Most times when I run the day after running speedwork, my legs protest, my lungs don't want to hear it, and I slog on down the road like a sloth on ritalin.

No, no, not this Sloth (Source)

I think he needs some ritalin (scary, but cute, no?) (Source)

I'm feeling faster and stronger with each run. My hip did protest a bit today, since I'm building back my mileage, so I'm going to treat it to some elliptical rather than running tomorrow.

Anything else?

TOMORROW IS FRIDAY

LETS CELEBRATE!!!!

Have a great evening my friends, thank you all for the kind words this week on my posts, about my accident, etc. It means so much to me!!!! Year 30 is going to be a great one, I can feel it.

I love Snoopy, Snoopy loves Woodstock (Source)

Relentlessly Positive

2011-11-15T20:32:00.001-05:00

This week, birth week, is really not off to a good start. Yesterday was just one of those days and today started like this:

My. poor. car. (Pardon the not so great Photoshop removal of my license plate - I'm still learning)

BUT I REFUSE TO LET IT GET ME DOWN. At no point today did I allow myself to get down about this, because it could have been worse. Airbags didn't go off, no blood, no broken bones.

Then I saw this tweet:

I'm totally with Jess on this one. I do not know anyone that has ever had a good reason to use FML. Yes, we all have bad days. No one wants to start their day off by getting in a car accident or spilling coffee all over their white pants or breaking a heel off of a shoe, or ...I could go on... That is not a good reason to say FML (And these are true examples I've heard of people using FML - no exaggeration). I'm using extremely silly examples, I've seen people use FML in worse situations (such as my unfortunate incident this morning), but I still don't believe a car accident on this sort of scale calls for an FML.

STAY POSITIVE PEOPLE. Try to look at the bright side. Sit back, relax, and think about this:

Positive thoughts

Positive actions

Don't feed into the negativity, don't allow your own brain to get in your way. I am not perfect, and I am a victim of my own brain. But with the start of my 30th year I am going to live with those two statements, I am going to follow them, and I am going to make every day a positive day.

Source

When the going gets tough, and your brain starts to get in your way, remember this:

If this little guy can grin from ear to ear, guess what? I can too. And you can too.

Positive thoughts. Positive actions. Don't feed into the negativity, don't let the negative thoughts seep in. If we all did this, the world would be a much happier place (and I'll run that 4:30 marathon...).

So, who's with me?!