half marathon

today i ran my first half marathon doing a tour of chico. i started at my home in california park and headed south on 8th to ivy. from there, i ran to the college and took the bike path to sacramento. then north to esplanade and the out to the bike path to eaton. then off to the airport. it was pretty amazing and hard.

miles: 13:00
time: 2:36
avg pace: 12:06

longest run...

today was the tour de chico! i started out by the bike path and was going to head up to the airport but it was too hot. so i turned around and headed down the esplande towards the university. fro the university, i hit salem and jogged all the way to 20th. i ended at sierra nevada. ahhhh glad to be home and i'm not feel too bad :)

1st leg: 5.57 mi || 1:03 hours || 11:18 mil/min (best so far on long distance!)
2nd leg: 5 mi || 1:03 hours || 12:40 mil/min

grand total: 10.57 mi || 2:06 hours || 11:55 mil/min

mindful running

while cycling with berta yesterday, i was bitching (surprise, surprise) but this time it included how sad i was to run without music on the marathon. she had a great suggestion: use that time to think about where i was and who i was becoming.

inspired by that conversation, i ran today without my headphones and found it not to be as bad as i dreaded. i ran the bike path near the gym i work out which runs right up against houses on either side. i listened to people talking in the backyards and dogs barking... smelled yummy food cooking... and just enjoyed being there in the moment. it was nice break from the frustration i have trying to find "the right" music to run too.

towards the end of the run, i was getting nauseous (new for me) so i had to walk the rest of the way. next time: must pack food!


run: 3:58 miles || 42:20 minutes || 11:49 miles/min

what have you done today to make you feel proud?

i love this song and i needed it today - i ran my first hill. it was not as bad as i thought it would be and i kept a good average.

run: 3.3 miles || 38:09 || 11:33 miles/min

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
weekly total: 12.4

longest run so far

running is (dare i say it?) easier. my knees were starting to hurt towards the end, but the combo of walking and jogging made it tolerable. Also, best overall time so far.

run: 9.1 miles || 1:45 min || 11:36 mil/min

it's a first

i ran five miles without stopping - hooray for me!

run: 5:00 miles || 59:01 || 11:47 mil/min

i can do it

< panic >
there is always a moment when you begin to panic in training. am i training enough? will i finish? why isn't running getting any easier? yikesy!
< /panic >

today's run: 3.2 miles || 37:33 time || 11:44 miles/min

getting a restart

after taking a week off running, i got back in with some style. this morning i ran my best mile with a new workout format. i'm looking forward to challenging myself.

run: time (27:11) || avg pace: 11:17 min/mil || distance 2.40 miles
personal best mile: 11:02

my last couple of runs

hi there. today was a special day -- i ran nine miles and kept a pace lower than what i have been averaging. go me!

october 1: 3.03 miles || 36:26 time || 11:59 mile/min
october 4: 3.00 miles || 35:44 time || 11:54 mile/min
october 5: 9.00 miles || 01:45 time || 11:45 mile/min

i listened to u2's "numb" twice during the run. this is one of those songs i will have to memorize for the marathon!

do what you say

jlo's "let's get loud" was the highlight of my run :) i ran through upper park and half of lower park to get to the eight mile goal. yeeeee haw!

run: 8.01 mi || 1:40:43 mins || 12:34 mils/min

greeley run #2

better stats than yesterday. more mixed terrain at a different park.

run: 3.60 miles || 45:24 minutes || 12:36 min/mile

greeley run #1

mixed elevation run. very tired.

run: 3.09 miles || 40:00 minutes || 12:56 min/mi

you are source of my horizon

ran my first seven mile run and i was able to run half, walk for a bit, then finish strong for the rest of run. awesome workout.

run: 7.06 miles || 1:27 time || 12:23 avr min/mi

sound of the run: get up stand up by stellar project. now i have a visual to go with this song. :P

chilly morning

i woke up early after a great night of sleep so i thought i'd take advantage of the early start by going for a 30 minute run.

run am: 30:08 minutes || 2.53 miles || 11:52 min/mi

some like it hot (but not me)

ugh. running in 90+ degree weather sucks, but i did it. i went near my neighborhood which is hilly... so between the heat and the hills, it was a challenging run.

wii fit (am): 20 minutes
running (pm): 51:25 || 4.01 mi || 12:48 (min/mi)

song of the run: that's not my name by the ting tings.

it's a beautiful life

i never thought that ace of base would get my through my run. :) this was the first time i ever ran six miles. virtual high five for me!

wii fit: 20 minutes (warm-up stretching)
running: 6:01 miles || time: 1:14:30 || pace 12:21 minute/mile

be your own [blank]

i've begun seeing a life coach. a life coach to people like an independent consultant is to companies: their job is to help you identify what is holding you back from your potential.

i spent an hour and half yesterday with her talking about my life and my goals. i have three homework assignments and one of them is to be your own [blank] - i.e. what would your best friend, mom, dad, sister, brother, son, daughter, coach, mentor, etc. say to you when you do something good.

in retrospect, it's seems so simple. when you are doing something good, you should praise yourself. but why do we find it so hard?

today, i caught myself saying "you can run better"instead of "good job getting back into running!"

why am i so hard on myself? maybe that is the key to being a better me.

it's all about setting a baseline

today's workout:

wii fit: 30 minutes (stretching, balance, and super hula hoop)
running: 2.5 miles / 14 minute pace
** this includes warm-up || jogging || cool-down

the disney marathon

today i signed up for my first marathon. i feel all the emotions i felt when i was training for my first triathlon but at least this time i don't have to swim while wearing a wet suit.

holy toledo - it's happening!

salsa verde

fresh tomatillos = fresh salsa verde. yumsh!

1 small onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (diced)
25 tomatillos (husk removed - halved)
2 jalepenos (diced, seeds removed)
1 bunch cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lime
salt

1. brown onion, garlic, jalepenos. add tomatillos and cook until soft.
2. add mixture to blender or food processor. add cilantro and blend until smooth.
3. add juice of lime and salt to taste.

we used the sauce for tacos and i added about 4 tbsp to the rice water to make verde rice. deliciousness!

creamy spinach deliciousness

i've been traveling for the last few weeks, so i was extremely happy to be in the kitchen cooking yesterday. eric and i went to the farmer's market were we were given an extremely long neck squash - something i've never seen before.

i decided to make a potato quiche with a squash/spinach stuffing. it was awesome.

1 large potato
3 cups squash (cut into small bite size chunks)
5 cups spinach (steamed, water removed)
2 tbsp sour cream (i used tofutti vegan sour cream)
1/8 cup plain soy milk
bread crumbs
1/8 cup cheese (i used a vegetarian pepper jack)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1. brown onion, garlic, and squash in pan - set aside
2. slice potato into very thin circles (mandoline works best)
3. spray pam in pie dish, arrange sliced potato around edges and bottom
4. mix onion, garlic, and squash with spinach, sour cream, cheese, and soy milk
5. add bread crumbs (i added enough until it was slightly stiff - maybe 4 tbsp)
6. mix in salt and pepper for taste. add mixture to pie dish.
7. cook at 350 for 30-35 minutes. during the last five minutes, brown with broil.

our friend jamie came over and the quiche was gone within 10 minutes. it was really tasty!

easy spicy asian sauce

i'm a big fan of stirfrys and love this sauce.

1 tbsp vegan bbq sauce
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp plain yellow mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha or sweet chili sauce
1 tsp corn starch

mix wet ingredients first, then add corn starch with fork. super yummy and super easy.

spicy vegan sausage stirfry

* 1 vegan brat (I used yves)
* assorted veggies (I used onion, yellow squash, tomato, and red bell pepper)
* 1/2 of cooked lentils (I used black beluga)

1. cut veggies in bite size chunks and cook for five minutes (you could use oil - i used pam)
2. cut brat into bite size chunks and add to veggies and cook until brat pieces are cooked through
3. add a few tbsp of your favorite spicy sauce or dried chili flakes
4. add the cooked lentils
5. enjoy

** i ended up adding a little bit of catsup to the mix after it was done. very tasty and filling.

and now it's done

I graduated with a Masters of Science (with Distinction!!!!) in Instructional Design and Technology...

now what?

Oyster Mushroom Risotto

I made this for a dinner party Eric and I had last night and there was none left over *so sad*. Typically, risotto is made with rice, but I was running low so I added orzo to the mix as well. I think this is the recipe -- kind of threw it together last night, so you might need to add more liquid if you find rice/pasta sticking or it is not creamy enough.

Oyster Mushroom Risotto
1/4 yellow onion finely diced
1/4 purple onion finely diced
6 garlic cloves finely diced
1 pound oyster mushroom (or any other mushroom)
1/2 cup white wine
2 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce/tamari
2 tbsp olive oil (I used garlic flavored)
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cup orzo
1 1/2 cup short grain rice
2 1/2 cups no-chicken broth (after reducing, it was slightly more than 2 cups)
3 cups water
5 asparagus (cut into bite size pieces)
1 cup frozen peas
parmesan cheese (or vegan)
seasoning (I added salt, pepper, and italian seasoning at the end with the parmesan)

|:: | :: | :: | :: | :: | :: |
I prepared the mushroom mixture a couple of hours before the risotto

* heat olive oil. brown onion and garlic for 5 minutes on medium heat.
* add sugar and lid mixture for 10 minutes.
* clean and chop large chunks of mushroom.
* remove lid and add mushrooms to pan to brown.
* add butter, wine, soy sauce to deglaze pan.
* add 1 cup of water.
* reduce mixture by half on low heat.

* heat no-chicken broth in pan. boil and reduce for 10 minutes, set aside.
* add mushroom mixture to large skillet on medium heat.
* add orzo and rice to brown.
* add 1 cup of no-chicken broth and 1 cup of water. stir until most liquid is absorbed
* add asparagus and peas.
* add 1 cup of no-chicken broth and 1 cup of water. lid mixture and simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.
* uncover and stir. taste rice/pasta. cook until tender.
* once ready, uncover and mix parmesan (or vegan) into risotto. mixture should be creamy and delicious!

it's been a while...

yea yea i know i know...

been up to a lot of things:
- in the middle of my project
- working on finishing my last classes
- worked at our first user's conference (rave reviews)
- still working on yummy recipes

i'll update later with more info!

happy two-year to me and eric

eric and i have been together for two years. we have a wonderful afternoon planned which includes bbqing at one-mile and beers. afterwards, maybe a scrabble tournament with some of our friends. but first? must work on master's paper.

yes we can

while i'm still on the proverbial democratic fence for a president candidate - i love this video for obama. thanks amber for the link!

Banning of Hallmark Meat Packing Beef

This week, a story was revealed that a slaughterhouse in Chino, CA (not CHICO!) shows cruelty to "downer" cows (cows that are not able to walk on their own and usually left for dead) being shocked, dragged, and kick then processed for meat consumption (the jury is still out if this part is true). The video was taken by the Humane Society uncover agents and it's graphic. raw. heartbreaking.

I choose not to eat meat because I believe this is not an isolated case and this type of activity is more common than any one would want to think. What do you think happens to animals when they are processed for food? They don't just go to sleep and we gently cut them into small packages that stack nicely in the super markets cases.

While the treatment upsets me, I'm glad that it's getting some kind of publicity. I am hopeful that it will educate some people about the treatment of animals, maybe enough to not eat meat for a few days.


"Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."
Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize Winner

---

link to news artcile: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/01/30/ST2008013001224.html

why i love working from home

the top ten reasons why i love working from home.

10. client's don't know that you haven't changed out of your pjs.
9. you can still wear you pjs even if you are in a web cam presentation (waist up baby!)
8. the commute is less than a minute.
7. i can forward my office phone to my blackberry and still keep up on calls/emails while i'm running errands.
6. no temptation to go out to lunch.
5. my office assistants are my cats.
4. no annoying "drop bys" from people i don't want to see.
3. i can yell, sing loudly, or pass wind without bothering anyone else (except my office assistants)
2. on my breaks, i can take a nap in my own bed.

and the number one reason?

1. i can compose lists like these as long as my work is done.

amazing veggie stew

i've been having a hankering for some type of veggie stew and came across this recpie and decided to try it out with a few variations:

• added zucchini and mushrooms


• did not use the turnip or celery


• substituted leeks for the onion


• browned the veggies (except peas) before adding any liquid


• used no-chicken chicken broth (no tomato like most veggie broths)


• added about 6 cups of the no-chicken broth and 2 additional cups of water


• made a bouquet of sage and added it with the bay leaves (tied a bunch of sage together with a long green part of the leek


• did not use the tamari

verdict: omg was this delish and EASY! the hardest part was cutting all the veggies and not opening the lid after the dumplings were added. eric and i could not believe how tasty this dish was and he didn't miss the chicken at all. i served it with a pinot grigio and it was perfect.

this made about 7 large servings at a measly 4 points a serving. so worth it.

soy pudding (vegan friendly)

last night i was craving pudding like crazy. after looking up a few recipes, i put together a few of them and came up with the following at only 3 WW points for a serving. not bad for a yummy, guilt-free dessert!

vanilla soy pudding
3 cups light vanilla soy milk
1/3 cups sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp vegan cocoa mix
1 large banana

1. Mix sugar and corn starch in pan. Turn heat to medium and slowly add 1 cup of soy milk at a time (to avoid lumps).
2. Stir constantly until thicken (about 5 minutes)
3. Mix vanilla extract, cinnamon, and cocoa mix until blended.
4. Cut banana and place in four bowls.
5. Ladle pudding mixture over bananas (roughly 3/4 cup per bowl). Cover with plastic (if you don't like pudding skin).
6. Chill in freezer (20 minutes).

Verdict: Rockin' vegan dessert that tastes like a chocolaty horchata but better. I like the banana, but might try it next time without.

Counting calories on fast food menus

Finally. I hope more states follow New York's lead! As Sue points out in the comments -- hopefully this will lead fast-food chains to pursue more healthy options for their patrons.

CNN.com - Paging Dr. Gupta Blog

jamie at home

i'm so excited for the new series jamie at home which shows how to take "real" food from a garden and prepare it to make delicious meals! at first i thought i was a vegetarian show, but looks like he will be incorporating meats.

either way, i hope it inspires some people to start a garden of their own or buy locally grown produce.

experimenting with food

i've experimented with two new recipes and they are delicious!

the first is tzatziki sauce which is a greek sauce that is served inside of pitas and gyros. after reading a few recipes, i came up with the following:

• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream


• 1/2 cup of fat free/plain yogurt


• juice of two lemons and zest


• rough chopped cilantro


• 1 cucumber (seeded)


• tsp of dill weed


• handful of cooked spinached


• diced onion and garlic

i mixed this up and served it with a pita stuffed with soy sausage and soy chicken patty (cut up and heated in a frying pan) and lettuce. Eric said this what he ate most of the time Eastern Europe, but with real meat of course! It was pretty darn tasty and the left overs have been great for snacks.

the second is i made taco "meat" last night with yves ground round (fake beef) and taco seasoning. it was darn delicious and is going to become a new staple in our home.

happy healthy new year!

in the spirit of all things new years, i'm going to resurrect this blog as my personal journal to continue improving on my passion to live a healthier life style. thanks brian martin (aka bm) for the inspiration.

2008 is full of personal goals:

• complete master's degree (project, written component, and defend)


• continue to develop training skills with mentors at work


• move to washington, dc by the end of the year with eric


• raise money to cycle in the 2008 AIDS life cycle ride


• keep writing in my blog/journal/reflection space for more than two weeks

and of course...

• continue defining what a"healthy" lifestyle means to me.
  

*virtual clink* here's to 2008.