Thinking Out Loud – Somehow We End Up Talking Running

 

Just about every day, someone asks me what I do when I have nothing to write about. Truth is, I always have something to say and sometimes don’t know what to say first.

There are those times though, like this week for example, where my schedule is so overwhelming that I don’t have the time to devote to getting my thoughts out of my head and organized into posts.

Enter Thursday for Thinking Out Loud – My opportunity to sit down and just write what comes to mind.

Let’s see where this goes today, yes? Yes. Thanks Amanda for the link-up fun!

Remember how I needed to get into the city yesterday morning super super super early to attend the bris?

I am always up early, but up and out, into and out of Manhattan all by 10:00 am?

I could say that my motivation for getting out the door so early in order to deal with city traffic came purely for the love for my family and desire to see this absolutely adorable and precious little cousin of mine, but that would only be part of the truth.

I will arrive just about anywhere at any time when I know an abundance of good food will be readily available.

A fabulous food spread including bagels, lox, muffins, cookies, rugelach, fruit, french toast and who knows what else was a major driving force for me here. There. I said it.

I couldn’t even blame my little boy for grabbing slices of French toast in one hand and muffins in the other as I prepared his bagel and lox plate – he is so my child.

As I made my way through my loaded plate that was topped off with serious amounts of fruit, I was reminded of how I fuel up in the days before a race.

I always rely on fruit, especially watermelon, to hydrate me properly. I swear, the extra doses of watermelon work every time.

Remember when I took a fall season hiatus from racing?

Oh yes. I AM BACK. Fitness Magazine Women’s Half here I come. April 13, 2014.

I knew my hiatus from racing would be short-lived.

All I needed was a break. I knew that, accepted it, honored it and now I am over it.

I registered yesterday for the More/Fitness Magazine Women’s Half Marathon and I think before we know it, April will be upon us.

I feel like it was just yesterday that I ran this half but really, it was almost a year ago.

If you asked me what my exact finish time was for this race, I honestly couldn’t tell you.

Is that weird? Most runners know their times to the second. I can’t rattle off one accurate race time of mine if I tried.

It is becoming quite clear to me that numbers of any kind really don’t matter to me.

In fact, MapMyRun sent me my training log for 2013. Their stats are based only upon the runs I actually logged meaning I ran even more than the statistics in the chart claim.

 

2013 WORKOUT SUMMARY view all

245 workouts 196 routes 1,503.3 miles 315.1 hours 125,434 kcal burned

 

Interesting. These numbers seem like they should be a big deal, some type of motivating factor to better myself in 2014 yet I don’t think they hold much value to me.

Sure, I am proud that I am out there just about every day yet I have no intention of trying to go above and beyond 2013’s statistics.

I just run for me. Not for the numbers. Not for the races, not to win. Just for me.

I run for my daily dose of endorphins. For the mental clarity it gives me. For that crazy confident feeling it gives me each and every time.

As I looked at how beautiful and amazing my cousin appeared yesterday only 8 days after giving birth, I thought about how I felt after having my son.

If you have gone through childbirth, you may be able to relate – I felt as though I was the only person in the world to give birth.

Sounds crazy, right? But I recall the feeling. I recall thinking I just did such an amazing thing, I brought a life into the world and yes, I was the only person in the world capable of doing so.

Now, we all know this is not true. We all know that babies are born every day.

Where am I going with this? Well, when I run, I feel the same way. I feel as though I am the only one out there.

Each run is mine and each run I set out for and complete is some form of a crazy amazing achievement.

Imagine having such a wonderful feeling several times a week? No matter how crummy a run is, you feel the accomplishment.

Each run requires me to show up. Getting through those miles, as fast or as slow as you go, requires mental and physical stamina.

And when you complete what you set out to do, you have yourself an achievement.

I haven’t addressed New Year’s Resolutions because I really don’t believe in them.

I do believe in the power of running though.

I feel pretty confident in saying that running (or at least a daily workout routine) will give you confidence into everything else you set out to do.

This positive mental boost achieved through the power of exercise will help to keep you motivated in your weight-loss goals, healthier eating goals and just about any other goal on your list.

There’s your New Year’s Resolution pep-talk. I feel much knowing I finally mentioned something towards the resolution hoopla.

I am such a planner but I think I enjoy posts like this that just happen as I type.

Make sure you check out the rest of the Thinking Out Loud fun!

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Have you registered for any spring races?

Do you remember your race finish times?

Why do you run?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I Ate Wednesday – Blinded By Oatmeal Love

 

It’s been a while since my last What I Ate Wednesday post, hasn’t it?

I am popping in quick this morning because I have to be out the door super super early for a family event in Manhattan.

Remember last week when my cousin had a baby? Today is the bris.

For my local readers, I picked up the gift at Spoiled Rotten – LOVE this store and I do believe you can order online!

Anyway, I wanted to talk to you today about what I ate on Monday because I made a really bad decision blinded by love.

I shall explain:

Breakfast:

More often than not these days, I am back on the two-ingredient pancake topped with peanut butter and cranberry apple butter.

I usually make a second pancake after my workout or at least have some form of a snack with protein.

I was in a hurry to get out the door and get into the city early on Monday so right before I left the house, I think I grabbed a few apples slices and some peanut butter.

LUNCH MEETING:

Here’s where the problem occurred.

My meeting took place at Sarabeth’s.

If you aren’t familiar with the restaurant, you may be familiar with Sarabeth jellies and preserves available around the world.

I have this little issue – if oatmeal is listed on the menu, I can’t resist it. So many lovely things were available to be eaten but my heart goes out to the warm bowl of oats.

Love is blind. It really is. This beautiful bowl of oats was A BIG MISTAKE.

Plain oats, as delicious as they are, even topped off with fresh fruit, aren’t going to do a thing for anyone’s appetite. At least not mine.

Oatmeal served without yogurt or peanut butter OR SOME FORM OF PROTEIN is a recipe for crazy hunger just waiting to happen.

Who was I fooling ordering an extra bowl of berries on the side? What I needed was a bowl of protein in order to not only be satisfied, but remain conscious during a meeting.

Telling you ravenous to the point of nausea about an hour later is an understatement.

The fact that I was nibbling on a Quest bar while still in a lunch meeting is just not OK.

The truth is, I know better. I know a meal needs protein. Especially at lunch when I am in a meeting and need brain fuel as well as energy to get me home for dinner.

And most importantly, as I sit here and think about that lunch, I needed protein to simply be full and not distracted by a growling stomach and the overall feeling of needing to eat before I hurt someone.

I am pretty confident I will never order “wrong” again. I have learned my lesson.

I also learned to not get all excited about the waiter offering to keep refilling my cup of coffee before driving home from the city. Not only are we lucky I made it home without wetting my pants, we are lucky my friend gave me watermelon when I dropped her off because I was completely dehydrated from the caffeine overload.

DINNER:

By the time I got home to make dinner, all I wanted was a giant bowl of roasted vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts and tons of butternut squash) along side a large omelette made with peppers and onions… topped off with lots of avocado.

I do want to mention though those meatless meatballs I said I was going to attempt to make a few weeks ago using the kidney beans.

I made them earlier this week and totally love them – just need to figure out the exact recipe in order to share it with you.

 

DESSERT:

Peanut butter cup apples are still winning as my nightly dessert of choice. They don’t photograph that well but really, consider yourself lucky that I even manage to take a picture without eating them first.

If you haven’t made these apples yet, you need to. You really really need to.

Warm and gooey, coated with peanut butter and chocolate? Yeah, you really need to.

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I NEED TO KNOW:

Do you feel sick when you get too hungry?

Do you get ravenous if you don’t eat “right” – as in not enough protein to satisfy?

What emergency snack is in your bag right now?