Author Archives: yearsoffirsts

June Race Recap: Head for the Cure

I’ve been putting off this June race recap because, well, I sucked it up on this one.

After the Mini I gave myself a training break that extended even longer than the initial 2 weeks I had planned when life, as always, go in the way.  The past two months have been very slow in terms of training as I work to balance out my “new normal” with a new job, new schedule and, what feels like, a new life.

The scale has been kind enough to let me know, this week, that that break is very much over.  As has the extra 5 lbs that has pleasantly situated itself in my mid-region.  I’m back in the saddle now, though, which is probably why I finally feel ready to post this misery of a “race” recap that really should be called a lazy Saturday run/walk.

The Saturday of the race, I was geared up despite lackluster (okay, straight lazy) workouts the two weeks prior to the 5k.  I showed up expecting to be slower than usual, but I was in no way prepared for my body to totally fail me in terms of endurance and speed.

The 5k turned into a half run/half walk as opposed to the full run I had anticipated.  It was hot that day, and the heat took it’s toll on me and didn’t help at all.

The race itself well pretty well run.  There was a good number of people racing, not too many, and the course was nice.  The start went off about 15 minutes later than expected and it was pretty messy, but the rest of the event was very well organized with very nice volunteers pointing the way.  The last .1 of the course was a zig-zag straight up hill and it was a nice, unique way to end the morning.

A race I would consider again, but one I would most certainly train for in the future.  Now that this month/training break is out of the way, onward to the next chapter of this year’s races.

I joined a new gym to inspire me to get back to it, I’m armed with a few groupons for cross training (2 yoga, 1 bootcamp) and I’m scheduled to start training for this fall’s 1/2 marathon this weekend.  Almost a month into my “new normal,” I feel confident that I’ll be able to gear up for the second half of the year and get back on track with fresh legs and a fresh outlook.

 June Race
3.1 Miles
13:50 pace
42:53 total time

Plan of Action: Part 2

I started the year off with a resolution: Run one race per month, each month, for one year.

So far, I’ve had great personal success pushing through new experiences and goals as moved through the first 5 months of the year’s races.  Each race was a milestone and a benchmark.

The last race was the Mini Marathon, a goal of mine since I began running in December 2010.  It was a huge accomplishment, and as soon as it was over, I immediately signed up for two more 1/2 marathons.  But, I also decided that I needed a training break.

It’s important to listen to your head and your heart while training and moving forward, and my body needed a bit of a break after the push through the mini heat, so I rested for two weeks.

The first run back was painful, but it was worth the weeks of muscle recuperation.

So, now I’m back training for the next few races and I’m very excited for the races I have coming up, especially the ones where my friends are running with me!

So, at not quite the 1/2 way point of the year, here’s the schedule so far for the remaining months. Nearly all are chosen and registered for, with just a few months still pending.

June:
Head for the Cure 5k
Carmel, IN

July:
The Color Run 5k
White River State park

August: 
Probable: Debating between my first trail run 5k or a 5-miler

September:
Probable: The Popcorn Panic 5k
Valparaiso, IN

October:
Probable: Wine at the Line 5 mile
Bargersville, IN

November:
The Monumental Half Marathon
Indianapolis, IN

December:
The Santa Hustle 5k
White River State Park

Ch-ch-ch-changes

“It’s not you, it’s me.”
“I just need to focus on me right now.”
“I just don’t feel the same way any more.”
“We want other things.”

Pick the cliche and run with it, because this is a breakup post.

Before you spit out your coffee/beer/water… this is not a breakup from my wonderful husband, but rather from my life-encompassing job of the past 4.5 years.

I gave notice about 3 weeks ago and wrapped up my work at the place that has been my second home (and sometimes, my first home) since college.  It wasn’t the first job I quit, but it was the first full-time job I left.

I know, unequivocally, that I made the absolute correct decision.  I’m excited for the future and know that I left not a moment too soon.

I know the following to be truth:
I’m going to do big things with my career.
I am smart.
I am creative.
I am a hard worker.
And, I am damn good at what I do.

I leave with the confidence of those statements, listed above, along with the excitement of getting to learn every day in my new position and new role.

I will always keep learning and growing, both personally and professionally, and I am at peace with the fact that when the learning stops, it’s time to move on.

I’ll sleep well at night knowing that as I enter my new career phase, I’ll keep learning and growing in the future with my integrity and confidence in tow.

May Race Recap: 500 Festival Mini Marathon

Good Luck Flowers

I think I went through every emotion possible during this race.

There were feelings of pain, euphoria, anger, happiness, tears of joy and tears of exhaustion.

Leading up to the race, I had the best support from my husband and friends.  I never imagined the kind of support I received.  Cards, flowers, sweatbands, bracelets and Gatorade.  Not to mention the countless texts, facebook posts and tweets cheering me on before I even laced up.

The morning of the race I woke up at 5 a.m. and I barely even needed the alarm.  Adrenaline was pumping through my as the first then I did was look up the temperature.  Mid-60s – sounds perfect!  And then, I saw it… the humidity was a lung-crushing 97%.

Crap.

Good luck bracelet

That humidity and I were going to battle that morning and I had to flush all my time dreams down the toilet. But, I couldn’t stop now.  The game plan was to run hard, but be smart, and just finish.  I gave up all my time goals and decided with this being my first half-marathon, my goal is just to finish.

And finish, I did.

Miles 1-2 were solid.  I was feeling good and started out a bit slow with the crowds.  It was a course I was familiar with and I felt good going up the hill around the Zoo that I normally hate.  I even got to see an elephant watching the runners!

As I approached mile 3, things got hot and the humidity started to play tricks with my head.  I had to walk a bit and started pouring water over my head at the pit stops.  Mile 4 was okay and around mile 5 I got a pick-me-up as I took a Bayer AM to ward against upcoming pain and get a little caffeine boost.  I also took my first set of Powerade Energy Gel Blasts.  I felt strong and good heading into the track and almost cried once as I ran down the hill and walked up the steep incline into the track.

Good luck Gatorade

I loved every second of the track as I pushed forward, ready for the main straightaway.

Heading out of the track I was on cloud nine, if not a bit tired, as I looked for my husband outside the track.  We had set a few places to meet on the course, but missed the first mark, so I knew this was the one he’d be at, if no other.   He was waiting right as I hit 16th street and I happily attacked him with a smile, a kiss and a hug before taking some ice cubes and running on.

The ice cubes were a huge help as I turned back toward downtown and the yellow flags came out on the course to warn of heat and telling us all to slow down.  I didn’t have to be told twice, because my body was fighting the heat  more than my mind was. Every time I picked up my feet to make a run for it, it seemed like shortly thereafter the heat beat me back down.  There was a sweet old nun around mile 10 that was standing by herself, cheering, who nearly sent me into tears when she cheered me on by name and told me to keep going, that I could do it.

SUCCESSFUL FINISH!

I used up every bit of energy I had left to push through the last few miles and the last few feet, my legs wanted to just shut down, but I kept pushing so I could finish running.  And when it was over, runner’s high was an understatement.  I was full of pride and exhaustion and happiness.

Less than a week later, I’ve signed up for the Monumental Half Marathon and signed up for next year’s mini.  After finishing my first, I’ve set my sights on time goals and I’m ready to keep pushing forward.

The idea of this race is what inspired me to begin running 18 months ago, what inspired me to do what I told myself I never could.  When I started running I couldn’t make it to the end of the street.  I started running as an experiment.  I wanted to prove to myself that I could learn to love what I’ve always hated.  I wanted to prove that at my mind was stronger than my body.  And I succeeded in ways I never dreamed of.

So, onward, to keep running and prove even more in the future.

May Race
13.1 Miles
14:23 pace
3:08:27 total time

April Race Recap: Race For The Cure

Milestones and Benchmarks

Originally, my plan called for a the 500 Festival 15k this month.  Unfortunately, I was sick that weekend and couldn’t race, despite how much I wanted to make it to the 15k this year.

I wasn’t feeling well the night before, took some medicine in hopes of feeling better, but was doubled over the next morning after trying to get ready for the race and it was clear I wasn’t going to make it happen.  I was really bummed.

So, I had to find a new April race.  Work had gotten pretty crazy and that coupled with being sick landed me with almost 2 weeks of no workouts at all thanks to working nearly every waking hour to get ready for Opening Night.  It was hard enough to find time to eat and sleep, there was no time at all for working out. So, I knew I needed to wait until we got through our first homestand to pick up a race.

That led me to this past weekend to choose a race.  I contemplated picking up the 8k in Carmel, but changed my mind after a really tough long run this past Wednesday.  As soon as I was reminded the Race for the Cure was on Saturday, there was no doubt that’s the one I needed to run this month.

Race for the Cure was the first 5k I ever ran, as a sophomore in high school.  I ran it with my high school softball team.  We ran it again the next year.  I remember a few things about running those races, but most of all I remember the pride I felt when they were over.  Without running those races in high school, I’m not sure I would have had the courage to start running last year.

So, I picked up the race this year, forgetting a little bit about how unlike any other race this is.  It’s unlike any other race because, for better or worse, it’s not typically runners.  That means a lot of really excited newbies and just a few crankies (of all ages… there was a 15 year old who could use a lesson in manners).  It meant tripping over walkers we lined up at the front, and mix-ups in timing tags and non-timing tags.

But, more inspiring, it meant seeing thousands and thousands of people walking for a common cause, for individuals and for themselves.

This year’s race was another milestone and another benchmark.

The last time I ran a 5k the entire way through was in high school, for the Race for the Cure.  This weekend, I ran the entire thing all the way through again.  It wasn’t the fastest 5k I’ve ever ran, in fact last month was quicker.   What it was, was a mental breakthrough.  I broke through the mental wall that I couldn’t keep running – that my body wasn’t capable of just running, that I had to take walk breaks.  Instead, I just kept running.

And, I can’t think of a better race to have broken through that wall.

April Race
3.1 Miles
11:46 pace
36:31 total time

Free Run

I was knock down, pass out exhausted today.

After pushing so hard the past few weeks to do everything, I hit my limit today. I could have fallen asleep while walking down the hall.

Just a reminder that you can’t do anything if you don’t take care of yourself.

But, with a 15k planned for this Saturday, I was overdue for a training run. Exhausted as I was, I hit the pavement for my first “free run” in probably a year. No watch, no heart rate monitor, not even any water. Just lacing up and running out.

It wasn’t a fast run by any means, nor was it a long run. But it was nice to zone out and listen to my feet, legs and the rest of me instead of watching the clock.

Dessert So Nice, I Made It Twice

Peanut Butter Bars: DELICIOUS!

This is anther Pinterest recipe courtesy of Six Sisters’ Stuff blog.

Five reasons I love this recipe:

1) These are no-bake.
2) No eggs means licking the batter spoon with no guilt.
3) Simple ingredients means no time at the store searching.
4) Not too rich, not too bland.  Just the right amount for dessert.
5) Chocolate + peanut butter… what’s NOT to love?

I made these on Wednesday night after I got home from my 8-mile run.  No, I’m not superwoman, these are just that easy to make.  They were demolished over the weekend with my in-laws in town and I promptly made another batch on Sunday night.  (Because when you have the 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs, there really is no excuse not to make more of these.)

No more selling, just make these.  They are fantastic.

Ingredients Needed:

1 cup peanut butter (I used Peter Pan Creamy)
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used boxed)
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 foil baking pan (I used 9 x 13)

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup melted butter, 2 cups graham cracker crumbs and 2 cups powdered sugar.  I mixed with my KitchenAid mixer.  Mix until well blended.

2) Press mixture in bottom on ungreased foil baking pan.

3) In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and 1/4 cup peanut butter in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.

4) Pour melted mixture on top of mixture already in pan.

5) Place in the fridge.  (I do this overnight.)

6) The next morning I pop the entire mixture in one sheet onto a cutting board.  The foil pan helps to pop the sheet out in one piece.  I cut into squares and put back in the baking pan.

**Note, keep these in the fridge to make sure they don’t melt again.  I made the mistake of keeping a few in my purse until dropping them off at my husband’s work at lunch and they were melted by that time.  He assured me the tasted fantastic after an hour in the fridge, but still… I’d keep them in the fridge next time.

Enjoy!

First Foray into Crock Pot Cooking

Another Pinterest recipe we tried this weekend: Slow Cooker 7UP Chicken & Rice

This recipe comes from one of my favorite new blogs to follow- Six Sisters’ Stuff.  Spoiler alert, I’ve got the ingredients and plan on making Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe this week from the same blog.

This is the first time I’ve ever used a slow cooker and I think it turned out pretty well.

Overall, the recipe was pretty good.  I would add a little more spice next time, there wasn’t enough of it this first time.  Even a little pepper and salt would help.

However, here’s the original recipe, from the blog:

4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can of cream of chicken soup
Sierra Mist (or 7-Up, or Sprite)
1 cup minute rice
1/4 cup chicken broth
Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Cover with Cream of Chicken Soup and soda.  Cook 2-3 hours on low.  Add rice and broth and cook for 2-3 hours more on low.

If I were to do the recipe over again, I’d season the chicken with salt and pepper during each stage.  Overall, a 6 out of 10 on the scale.

Lazy Dinner: Rice Pancakes

What to make for dinner in the middle of basketball craziness?

The dishes hadn’t been done in a few days, we spent about 6 hours in a bar watching games during the day and sometime around 8 p.m., needed to figure out some dinner.

Going out wasn’t an option and the frozen pizza didn’t sound good.  I did have some basics, however, including some rice in the fridge left over from earlier in the week.

Voila, rice pancakes would work!

This recipe is something my mom used to make on occasion.  They are fantastic re-heated.  Rather than top with syrup, I top with butter and a little salt.

Ingredients required:
– Cold rice
– eggs
– milk (I used silk vanilla almond milk)
– bisquick or jiffy baking mix

The recipe can be adjusted to work with just about any ingredient.  Need a gluten-free version? Just replace the jiffy mix with a gluten-free flour or corn muffin mix.  Potato flour might work, too.

Step 1:
– Heat skillet on medium-high

Step 2:
– Place cold rice in a bowl (I used about 2 cups)
– Add eggs (I used 2 eggs)
– Add milk (I used about 1/2 cup)
– Add jiffy mix (I used about 1/2 cup)

Step 3:
– Stir items together

Step 4:
– Make pancakes

I don’t have specific measurements for the ingredients, it’s pretty hard to mess up.  You just want a thick enough to make a cohesive pancake.  If you like it more pancake-like, add more jiffy mix.  If you like it more rice-like, add less.  More milk if  it’s too thick, less if it’s not thick enough.

The recipe, with ingredients listed above we made 4 large pancakes.

The calorie low-down:
2 cups white rice: 426 calories
2 eggs: 200 calories
1/2 Cup milk: 30 calories
Jiffy mix: 130 calories

Total: 196.5 calories per rice pancake

Top with a bit of butter and salt and you have a yummy dinner under 500 calories!