10 Things Thursday (on Saturday!)

I've been less bloggy lately - but I've been reading faithfully!!! I decided to do random bullet points today, since I don't have many cohesive thoughts. 1. I just finished Week 6 of Couch-2-5k. I was terrified of the 20 minute run at the end of Week 4, but Trainer and I came up with a plan, and I did it!!! Week 6 is the last of the intervals, and then the last day is a 22 minute run, which I'm happy to report I crushed yesterday. By crushed, I mean it was easy. At no point did I have doubts, unlike every other single run I've done. Onto Week 7, where it's a 25 minute run! 2. I GOT A JOB!!! Kinda fell into my lap and all happened very quickly, but Trainer set up a swim date for me and another one of his clients, and we were chatting, and her company was looking for someone. She emailed me the next day, I went in for an interview, the person they were looking for describes me to a tee (organized and bossy, um...have you been stalking me?!)...and so I start Monday. I'm excited! 3. I'm not going to make it to Chicago this year. I've kinda known for a while, as so hadn't put myself on the attendee list...but finally made the official decision. To all of my friends I met last year, I'll miss you! To everyone knew who is going, you'll have a blast!!! 4. Weight is still the same. Apparently my plan to focus on eating right and not the number on the scale is a big fail. Since my brain turned it into "we're not on a diet anymore, woo!" 5. As soon as I figure out the landscape of the new job (hours, kitchen space, lunch time, etc)...time for another re-commit. I tend to do better with this while I have structure, which is something I've not had too much of lately. This week, though, I plan on being easy with both diet and workouts. 6. I'm putting school on pause again. It's too much for me right now! 7. My mom's pool is open, and we went in the other night. 'Twas glorious. I plan on spending a lot of Sundays at Mom's house. 8. My apartment is thisclose to being fully decorated, after 20 months of living here. Just in time for my lease renewal, which is always a scary time. Ahh, NYC living. 9. I'm covered in bruises, and have no idea where any of them came from. I think someone is sneaking into my apartment and beating me in my sleep. Not cool. 10. I think I need an unfill. My band has been angry lately. Not sure when I can get in to see Dr K, though...with the new job. Sigh. xoxo, Liz

More Running and and a Recipe!

I've been reading faithfully, and even commenting...but haven't been writing much myself because I feel boring. In a good way, but boring nonetheless.

My life is currently revolving around the gym. Yep, that's right. I'm a gym rat. I'm only working a few nights a week (which requires no brainpower), and finally got a good handle on the demands of my schoolwork (current class requires very little!), so my brain is focused on my workouts. Being proud of myself for my last one, recovering from it physically, prepping for my next one, etc. When there are 7-8 workouts a week, that takes up a lot of time!

Running is still going really well. The way Trainer and I have been working it is that Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, I do the Couch25k program, and then Friday, he and I do something complementary to whatever is going on in the program before moving on to strength training. I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was terrified of the 20 minute run in Week 5...so I decided to repeat Week 4 in order build a better base and squeeze an extra session with him in. Well, it seemed to work - last week's repeat of Week 4 seemed much easier, and then on Friday, he had me run 15 minutes. FIFTEEN MINUTES STRAIGHT!!! We were going to follow that up with a 10 minute run (after a walk break, of course), but my knee was feeling wonky, and it was affecting my stride, so we nixed that idea after another few minutes.

Which means this Thursday is the dreaded 20 minute run. Except it's not as dreaded anymore, since we built up to it in a more logical way than the program. I'll be really excited when (please note usage of when, not if!) I complete it. The program just builds from there, but that was the big, scary hurdle I had to get over (get it? Hurdle? A running pun!!! Sorry...)

SINCE the running is going so well (a few injuries notwithstanding)...I've been playing with the idea of a few races this fall. I had already decided to sign up for a mud run near my mom's house in September (5k), but since that's trails, was going to run/walk that one. I think I'm also going to do a 1 miler down Fifth Avenue, and then contemplating a 4 miler in Central Park later in the fall. Have I lost my mind?! Yes probably.

On tap for today: yoga in a little bit (intense vinyasa flow - kicks my ass and I love it), then later tonight, Week 5/Day2 of C25k inserted into an hour on the t'mill, followed by about 35 minutes of strength training.

OK. Enough boring workout stuff. Let's move on to...FOOD! Last year, I bought an ice cream maker attachment for my beloved pink Kitchen Aid mixer. I spent too much time being overanalytical about the recipes I was looking at, and never ended up making anything. This year, I vowed that I was going to get out of my head, and just make something. After poking around a few recipes just to get an idea of proportions...I took the plunge and made Frozen Peach Greek Yogurt. And it's delicious!!!

Frozen Peach Greek Yogurt

Makes 8 servings (1/2 cup each)

Ingredients:
4 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
16 oz. frozen sliced peaches, thawed (I used Dole, you could probably also use fresh, but they're more expensive for me!)
1/2 cup Splenda for baking Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

In a food processor or blender, combine peaches, Splenda, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse until chunky (I wanted big chunks of peaches in mine, but this is up to you). In a large bowl, fold peach mixture into yogurt. Follow directions on your ice cream maker to freeze, then transfer into a container to ripen. Freeze for about 2 hours, or until desired firmness.

Nutrition (as per MFP):
Calories: 101
Carbs: 11
Fat: 0
Protein: 12

The next time I make it, I'll probably double the peaches. The lemon takes over (not in a bad way, I just wanted peach yogurt, not lemon yogurt). It tastes like a creamy lemon ice. I divvied it up into 1/2 cup containers as soon as it came out of the ice cream maker, so it's already portioned out. It's got a great balance of sweet and tangy. Yum!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

xoxo!

I Ran 10 Minutes Straight!

Just a quickie to report that. And actually, I ran 10 minutes, walked 5, then ran another 10. Oh, and then I got off the t'mill, and had a major case of the lightheads. Apparently watching me walk across the gym to the next set of torture devices was hilarious, since it looked like Trainer was going to pee himself, or at the very least strain something, he was laughing so hard. Evil, I tell ya.

As far as the "move on to Week 5 or repeat Week 4" dilemma, we decided I should repeat Week 4. He still thinks I can do the big scary 20 minte run at the end of Week 5, and I tend to agree, but I am not ready mentally. So we did the 10 minute run today...I'll do Week 4 again next week, and we'll probably do a 15 minute run or something like that next Friday, THEN I think I'll be ready for Week 5. Yikes.

Apparently, I'm allowed to call myself a runner now, since I ran for 20 minutes, run 4 times a week, and have had 2 running injuries (knees crapped out and a bruised toenail). So, uh...I'm a runner? OK, then...

I'm headed back to the gym for a stretch session. It's the only thing that makes him kicking my ass regularly worth it, I swear..!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

xoxo

Running Is Not Killing Me!

I finished Week 4 of C25k today. This week's runs were all the same: 5 min walk to warm up, run for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds, run for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, run 3, walk 90, run 5, cool down for 5 minutes. On Day 1, I did the runs at the speed I've been doing all of the other weeks (~5.2mph)...and it was HARD. I had to double the walks just to catch my breath. On Day 2, my trainer happened to be at the gym when I was getting ready to start my workout, and I mentioned to him that I'd doubled the walks...and he urged me not to, and to follow the program. (Methinks he's just looking for another running buddy!) He suggested dropping the speed to about 4.7mph. Well, surprise, surprise...it was much easier, and I was able to do the prescribed run/walk intervals. Today I did Day 3, and it was wayyyy easier. I was pretty impressed with myself.

Which brings me to Week 5...with its dreaded 20 minute run. I'm so scared of this run that I'm considering repeating Week 4 to just get another week of base training before I try to tackle it. I'm going to run it by Trainer tomorrow during our session...but I know he's going to tell me to try it. What does he know, silly athlete?

In my last blog, I mentioned that I was going to not focus on the number on the scale for a while. I'm still weighing during this time...but not letting it get me down. Since I've shifted to focusing on making sure my input and output are on track...I'm hoping that it all falls into place from there.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

xoxo