With the moseying in of spring I thought I would share a fun recipe for the season. This is served cold so you can make it up in advance and refrigerate it for later.
This is one of my favorite recipes to make. Quinoa is a very high protein pasta like grain shaped like couscous. You can find it most inexpensively in bulk in a health food store or food coop and a cup made will feed a family of 4 for two meals.
I love to mix and match veggies and things that I have on hand to give the salad different flavors depending on my mood. Here is my version of a Greek Salad however I also like to give it a south west flare as well and have commented on substitutions below.
Greek Quinoa Salad
(serves 8) high in protein and vegetables.
Can buy Quinoa in bulk and throw in whatever veggies are fresh. A little goes a long way.
1 cup quinoa (find in health food or bulk food section of market)
2 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth
1 avocado chopped into ½ chunks
½ cup low fat crumbled feta cheese
6 – 12 kalamata olives diced
½ red, yellow and or green peppers chopped into ½ chunks
1 tomato chopped into ½ chunks
1 can of black beans
A splash of lemon juice
Seasons to taste (I use a little garlic and pepper)
Boil water/broth and add quinoa reduce to medium heat and cover 10 – 15 minutes
Fluff the quinoa once cooked and toss in everything else.
Goes great with salmon or other light fish like Halibut or Cod as well as lean pork.
Avocado, feta and olives can be swapped out with mushrooms, asparagus bits or corn to give different flavor mixes.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
Gestures of Love Challenge
Ok, so I was sitting here wondering what another valentines day will bring... and came across this article. If anyone reads this I implore you to try out some of her ideas for the next ten days. I plan to have some fun with this... I will blog a follow up after valentine's day to let you know how I did. :)
Excerpt below By Monica Wilcox
My single girlfriend has been counting down the days until Valentine’s Day since mid-January, as if it’s a court date for a romantic misdemeanor. Now that the calendar is flashing February, she’s warped herself into a V-day panic. WHAT will she do with herself on this dreaded day? Sit alone in her condo, slurping bowls of Special K, watching reruns of Sex and the City? Huddle in a crowded bar with her single girl posse? For Anita, “love” has become a battle hymn.
Here’s the odd thing, I’m just as disgruntled with Valentine’s Day, even though I deeply love my husband of 18 years. Manufactured romance just doesn’t do it for me; like a Husky pulling the Hallmark sled, dashing to the store for some F.C.C (flowers, chocolates, and a card). Spending around $128 (men average $166 while women average $90) before my husband and I retire to a restaurant to suffer through a 90 minute wait for a small table near the kitchen. Valentine’s Day is as poorly scripted as a XXX flick.
Somewhere along the way (probably when caveman A noticed cavewoman A kept dragging flowers into their cave) we got off track in this love thing. We’ve stopped listening to the call of our hearts, beating the same song every moment of the year: love, love, love. Tell me that love, to give AND to receive, is not your life’s highest purpose? That’s the IT, the WHOLE, the ALL: just love. If you were to unabashedly love every day until the end, would that not be a life well lived? Would that be love well owned? And here is the miracle, you don’t have to have “romance” to experience love, because you’ve got loads of impressive stuff within you waiting to be loved, and if you’ve already paid homage to your own soul, there are a trillion other life forms on this planet ready to share your heart.
The Challenge
Don’t let another day pass, February or not, before you open your heart. I’m challenging you to commit to 10 gestures of love over the next 10 days; simple gestures that pack a lot of love with a minimal amount of effort. If you promise not to let a lack of a mate stop you, I’ll promise I won’t let having a long-term mate stop me. Can you imagine where this could take our spirits, our energy, and our lives if we were to really celebrate the greatest emotion we will ever share? Go ahead; let’s toss our love pebble out to see how far the rings will travel.
The Doing — Love Thyself
To hear “I LOVE YOU!” from your own heart — it took me a long time to hear that, entirely too long. To know that you are more than enough — just as you are, before the name or titles, the relationships and achievements — is one of the hardest and mightiest things we can grasp. I believe to be on this planet as a mysterious bulk of biological mass working in perfect synchronicity, is a gift of love in and of itself; a chance to experience, learn anew, feel, and sense. Consider this — I can sense the power of an ocean through the tide crashing on my purple painted toenails…sipping a fruity drink…eating chocolate. Now that’s a Valentine!
Are you squeamish at the idea of loving your own soul first and foremost? Don’t you think it’s time, (cue The Judds) don’t you think it’s time? Close your eyes, take a deep gut busting breath and speak the words “I love you.” Take another deep breath, and think these words, then think them three more times. Now sit in silence and say it not with your mind or your voice, but with your heart. There, see how sweet self love is — and it was calorie free and didn’t require a reservation. You’ve already accomplished your first gesture of love.
Now let’s get creative. Write a love letter to your soul. Spend an extra hour one morning trying a new hairstyle. Take a nap in the grass and sunshine at the city park. Plant your favorite inspirational quotes in the pockets of your summer clothes. Give yourself that romantic gesture you’ve always hoped someone else would do for you? Why wait another day to tell your soul how happy you are to BE?
The Doing — Love a Stranger
One of the greatest gestures of love is an unconditional one. Don’t let an opportunity to commit a gesture of love for a perfect stranger pass you by, especially if you can stay anonymous. Pay for the person’s order behind you at the drive-thru. Tuck a valentine under the front wiper of every car you park beside in the next two weeks. Doorbell ding your neighbors with heart shaped sugar cookies. The crazy, cool miracle of committing a gesture of kindness for a stranger is the state of giddy joy that overcomes you as you sneak away.
The Doing — Love Something
What do you love: your garden, a pet, yoga, cooking, crafting, Facebook? Commit a gesture of love by showing your gratitude to have this wonderful thing in your life and all the joy it has brought you. Fertilize those roses. Take Frisky to the dog park. Fit in an extra class. Craft a special something for another. If you love something deeply, make sure the Universe knows how much it means to you!
The Doing — Love Someone
Why do we have to be 8 to give everyone in our life a valentine? When did love become restricted to a romantic partner? Who is it that you think of often but never have time to contact? Who do you love but keep forgetting to tell? Commit a gesture in the next two weeks for every long term relationship you have: romantic or not. Mail them homemade valentines. Meet for coffee. Send a text reminding them which trait you love most about them. Leave a meaningful quote on their office desk with their favorite candy. Even better, do something kind for someone they love.
Taking up the Challenge
Go ahead, redefine Valentine’s Day. Take up the challenge with me and see if 10 days of loving gestures will change your February. What do you think happens to our soul when we focus on love? Do you think it may trigger those who receive it to embrace love themselves? Be careful, you may enjoy this so much; you’ll be spilling love right into Christmas.
Monica Wilcox
www.femmetales.com
Excerpt below By Monica Wilcox
My single girlfriend has been counting down the days until Valentine’s Day since mid-January, as if it’s a court date for a romantic misdemeanor. Now that the calendar is flashing February, she’s warped herself into a V-day panic. WHAT will she do with herself on this dreaded day? Sit alone in her condo, slurping bowls of Special K, watching reruns of Sex and the City? Huddle in a crowded bar with her single girl posse? For Anita, “love” has become a battle hymn.
Here’s the odd thing, I’m just as disgruntled with Valentine’s Day, even though I deeply love my husband of 18 years. Manufactured romance just doesn’t do it for me; like a Husky pulling the Hallmark sled, dashing to the store for some F.C.C (flowers, chocolates, and a card). Spending around $128 (men average $166 while women average $90) before my husband and I retire to a restaurant to suffer through a 90 minute wait for a small table near the kitchen. Valentine’s Day is as poorly scripted as a XXX flick.
Somewhere along the way (probably when caveman A noticed cavewoman A kept dragging flowers into their cave) we got off track in this love thing. We’ve stopped listening to the call of our hearts, beating the same song every moment of the year: love, love, love. Tell me that love, to give AND to receive, is not your life’s highest purpose? That’s the IT, the WHOLE, the ALL: just love. If you were to unabashedly love every day until the end, would that not be a life well lived? Would that be love well owned? And here is the miracle, you don’t have to have “romance” to experience love, because you’ve got loads of impressive stuff within you waiting to be loved, and if you’ve already paid homage to your own soul, there are a trillion other life forms on this planet ready to share your heart.
The Challenge
Don’t let another day pass, February or not, before you open your heart. I’m challenging you to commit to 10 gestures of love over the next 10 days; simple gestures that pack a lot of love with a minimal amount of effort. If you promise not to let a lack of a mate stop you, I’ll promise I won’t let having a long-term mate stop me. Can you imagine where this could take our spirits, our energy, and our lives if we were to really celebrate the greatest emotion we will ever share? Go ahead; let’s toss our love pebble out to see how far the rings will travel.
The Doing — Love Thyself
To hear “I LOVE YOU!” from your own heart — it took me a long time to hear that, entirely too long. To know that you are more than enough — just as you are, before the name or titles, the relationships and achievements — is one of the hardest and mightiest things we can grasp. I believe to be on this planet as a mysterious bulk of biological mass working in perfect synchronicity, is a gift of love in and of itself; a chance to experience, learn anew, feel, and sense. Consider this — I can sense the power of an ocean through the tide crashing on my purple painted toenails…sipping a fruity drink…eating chocolate. Now that’s a Valentine!
Are you squeamish at the idea of loving your own soul first and foremost? Don’t you think it’s time, (cue The Judds) don’t you think it’s time? Close your eyes, take a deep gut busting breath and speak the words “I love you.” Take another deep breath, and think these words, then think them three more times. Now sit in silence and say it not with your mind or your voice, but with your heart. There, see how sweet self love is — and it was calorie free and didn’t require a reservation. You’ve already accomplished your first gesture of love.
Now let’s get creative. Write a love letter to your soul. Spend an extra hour one morning trying a new hairstyle. Take a nap in the grass and sunshine at the city park. Plant your favorite inspirational quotes in the pockets of your summer clothes. Give yourself that romantic gesture you’ve always hoped someone else would do for you? Why wait another day to tell your soul how happy you are to BE?
The Doing — Love a Stranger
One of the greatest gestures of love is an unconditional one. Don’t let an opportunity to commit a gesture of love for a perfect stranger pass you by, especially if you can stay anonymous. Pay for the person’s order behind you at the drive-thru. Tuck a valentine under the front wiper of every car you park beside in the next two weeks. Doorbell ding your neighbors with heart shaped sugar cookies. The crazy, cool miracle of committing a gesture of kindness for a stranger is the state of giddy joy that overcomes you as you sneak away.
The Doing — Love Something
What do you love: your garden, a pet, yoga, cooking, crafting, Facebook? Commit a gesture of love by showing your gratitude to have this wonderful thing in your life and all the joy it has brought you. Fertilize those roses. Take Frisky to the dog park. Fit in an extra class. Craft a special something for another. If you love something deeply, make sure the Universe knows how much it means to you!
The Doing — Love Someone
Why do we have to be 8 to give everyone in our life a valentine? When did love become restricted to a romantic partner? Who is it that you think of often but never have time to contact? Who do you love but keep forgetting to tell? Commit a gesture in the next two weeks for every long term relationship you have: romantic or not. Mail them homemade valentines. Meet for coffee. Send a text reminding them which trait you love most about them. Leave a meaningful quote on their office desk with their favorite candy. Even better, do something kind for someone they love.
Taking up the Challenge
Go ahead, redefine Valentine’s Day. Take up the challenge with me and see if 10 days of loving gestures will change your February. What do you think happens to our soul when we focus on love? Do you think it may trigger those who receive it to embrace love themselves? Be careful, you may enjoy this so much; you’ll be spilling love right into Christmas.
Monica Wilcox
www.femmetales.com
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Stress and Burdens... a little story to share... enjoy.
This little story makes a really good point....
A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and
Explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and
Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half
Full?'....she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she
Inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I
Hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it
For an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it For a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same Weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly Heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest
Before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the
Burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up Tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax,
Pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now
'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"
1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're
The statue!
2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
Them..
3 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their
Maker.
4 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague
5 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was
Probably worth it.
6 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you
Won't have a leg to stand on.
7 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
8 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
9 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be all the
World to one person.
10 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
11 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
*Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!*
A young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and
Explaining stress management to an audience; with a raised glass of water, and
Everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half
Full?'....she fooled them all... "How heavy is this glass of water?", she
Inquired with a smile. Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. To 20 oz.
She replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long I
Hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it
For an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it For a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same Weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." She continued, "and that's the way it is with stress. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly Heavy, we won't be able to carry on."
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest
Before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the
Burden - holding stress longer and better each time practiced. So, as early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don't carry them through the evening and into the night... Pick them up Tomorrow.
Whatever burdens you're carrying now, let them down for a moment. Relax,
Pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it and the now
'supposed' stress that you've conquered!"
1 * Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're
The statue!
2 * Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
Them..
3 * Drive carefully... It's not only cars that can be recalled by their
Maker.
4 * If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague
5 * If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was
Probably worth it.
6 * Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you
Won't have a leg to stand on.
7 * Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
8 * Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
9 * You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be all the
World to one person.
10 * A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
11 * Have an awesome day and know that someone has thought about you today.
*Save the earth..... It's the only planet with chocolate!*
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Race season closeout
On October 16th I wrapped up another season of racing. I had big goals this year. I accomplished the biggest of them but fell short on others leaving me with more goals to hit next year.
My race schedule this year looked something like this...
Training started in late December with the addition of more running miles and a core class.
April 30th - 1st 1/2 Marathon - Minneapolis, MN - Running in a lite rain for 2 hours 20 minutes and real discomfort for the rest of the day with inflamed IT bands.
May 22nd - 1st Olympic Triathlon of the season - Ogden, IA - water temps in the high 50s so the swim was shortened and a huge set of hills on the bike reaffirmed I need to spend more time in the saddle, but had a strong run.
Jul 9th - Midnight Madness, Ames IA - 5k as a family pushing the kids in a buggy and it wasn't half bad.
July 24th - 1st 1/2 Ironman - Chisago Lakes in MN - Swim was foggy and slow, Bike was bumpy and had some serious mental issues the second half. reaffirmed I need to do the distance I am racing in training as my longest bike was only 45 miles and the race was 56. My run was four minutes faster than in April but over all missed my time goal by 10 minutes. It was an amazing experience and I have already signed up to do it again next August at the Wisconsin Dells.
Sept 3rd - 10k run - Clear Lake IA - Course was .5 miles too short but was a fast run for me even so.
Sept 25th - Peregrine Charity Olympic Triathlon - Set a goal of 2:45... last years time was 3hrs and 1 minute. Pounded through the swim (gasping for air in transition), road hard on the bike 17.5 mph ave, and had an ok run. Final time 2:48 so did go a bit faster than last year.
Oct 16th - Des Moines 1/2 marathon - My goal was to run 10 minutes miles or faster. Got jumbled up at the start and was behind the pace sign for 2:20. The first three miles were a bit slow because of all the people running. Then I just got faster and faster and faster... I kept looking at my watch in disbelief when all my splits after three miles were between 9:45 and 9:15 with one at 8:45. I blew away my two earlier time with a 2:06. Next year I want to break 2 hours.
Lessons learned...
* I trained harder than my body could handle at the beginning for the first 1/2 marathon and felt the pain. Once I got into a more mixed training plan (1-2 swims a week - one sprints and one distance, 3 runs a week - one sprints, one hills and one distance, 2 bikes a week - one 25-30 miles and one 35 - 45 miles, one yoga/Pilates core class) my body responded with more speed and less discomfort.
* I still have deficiencies so I need to work on strengthening my left ankle, hip and shoulder so I am more balanced. I rolled my left ankle re-injuring a 16 year old tear 5 weeks before my 1/2 ironman which messed with my swim training but was able to run through it.
* There is always room to improve. I fell a few minutes short on a couple of time goals and with some hard work and focused energy I know I can reach those goals next season. I need to have a ride training plan to work on speed and distance. I need to keep working on my running strength to improve my speed and learn how to have consistent splits mile after mile. I can't slack off on the swimming just because I am good at it.
* I can achieve my goals even when people think I am crazy. It just takes planning, family coordination, a little luck and hard work.
* I get really lazy after my season is over so I need a better maintenance plan to keep the body moving so I don't loose my fitness or pick up extra pounds.
* I have to listen to my body. I put a lot of strain on my thyroid and adrenals this season because I didn't balance my stressors and my training.
Yes I am already looking forward to next years season. Formulating a race plan gets a little more complicated these days though because I have to factor in travel, Kiddo activities, and other events. It is crazy to have things on the calendar already into August of next year. So with that I leave you with the message that with a plan and some follow through you too can achieve your goals. Happy fitness to you.
My race schedule this year looked something like this...
Training started in late December with the addition of more running miles and a core class.
April 30th - 1st 1/2 Marathon - Minneapolis, MN - Running in a lite rain for 2 hours 20 minutes and real discomfort for the rest of the day with inflamed IT bands.
May 22nd - 1st Olympic Triathlon of the season - Ogden, IA - water temps in the high 50s so the swim was shortened and a huge set of hills on the bike reaffirmed I need to spend more time in the saddle, but had a strong run.
Jul 9th - Midnight Madness, Ames IA - 5k as a family pushing the kids in a buggy and it wasn't half bad.
July 24th - 1st 1/2 Ironman - Chisago Lakes in MN - Swim was foggy and slow, Bike was bumpy and had some serious mental issues the second half. reaffirmed I need to do the distance I am racing in training as my longest bike was only 45 miles and the race was 56. My run was four minutes faster than in April but over all missed my time goal by 10 minutes. It was an amazing experience and I have already signed up to do it again next August at the Wisconsin Dells.
Sept 3rd - 10k run - Clear Lake IA - Course was .5 miles too short but was a fast run for me even so.
Sept 25th - Peregrine Charity Olympic Triathlon - Set a goal of 2:45... last years time was 3hrs and 1 minute. Pounded through the swim (gasping for air in transition), road hard on the bike 17.5 mph ave, and had an ok run. Final time 2:48 so did go a bit faster than last year.
Oct 16th - Des Moines 1/2 marathon - My goal was to run 10 minutes miles or faster. Got jumbled up at the start and was behind the pace sign for 2:20. The first three miles were a bit slow because of all the people running. Then I just got faster and faster and faster... I kept looking at my watch in disbelief when all my splits after three miles were between 9:45 and 9:15 with one at 8:45. I blew away my two earlier time with a 2:06. Next year I want to break 2 hours.
Lessons learned...
* I trained harder than my body could handle at the beginning for the first 1/2 marathon and felt the pain. Once I got into a more mixed training plan (1-2 swims a week - one sprints and one distance, 3 runs a week - one sprints, one hills and one distance, 2 bikes a week - one 25-30 miles and one 35 - 45 miles, one yoga/Pilates core class) my body responded with more speed and less discomfort.
* I still have deficiencies so I need to work on strengthening my left ankle, hip and shoulder so I am more balanced. I rolled my left ankle re-injuring a 16 year old tear 5 weeks before my 1/2 ironman which messed with my swim training but was able to run through it.
* There is always room to improve. I fell a few minutes short on a couple of time goals and with some hard work and focused energy I know I can reach those goals next season. I need to have a ride training plan to work on speed and distance. I need to keep working on my running strength to improve my speed and learn how to have consistent splits mile after mile. I can't slack off on the swimming just because I am good at it.
* I can achieve my goals even when people think I am crazy. It just takes planning, family coordination, a little luck and hard work.
* I get really lazy after my season is over so I need a better maintenance plan to keep the body moving so I don't loose my fitness or pick up extra pounds.
* I have to listen to my body. I put a lot of strain on my thyroid and adrenals this season because I didn't balance my stressors and my training.
Yes I am already looking forward to next years season. Formulating a race plan gets a little more complicated these days though because I have to factor in travel, Kiddo activities, and other events. It is crazy to have things on the calendar already into August of next year. So with that I leave you with the message that with a plan and some follow through you too can achieve your goals. Happy fitness to you.
Thanksgiving - Giving Thanks
So as another Thanksgiving has come and gone along with another Black Friday I am taking a few minutes to reflect. Anyone who knows me knows I hate that the American society is overly focus on consumerism. Black Friday is an obvious example and things seem to be worse the last couple of years as stores are opening earlier and earlier as people try to get great deals to reduce the impact on their pockets books. People at stores at midnight with their children pepper spraying others in the holiday spirit. It all makes me really sad.
The kids and I went to mass this weekend to celebrate the beginning of Advent in preparation for Christmas and the celebration of the coming of Jesus. While were there Father John told us a story about a group of nuns living together that all have some sort of physical limitation living in harmony and taking care of each other. His message was that if we were more aware we would see that God has given us all we need to be happy we just need to be open and willing to accept God's gifts.
Last week I got an email from Andy Andrews a motivational speaker that I have seen live and whose books I have read. He has an excerpt from one of his books at the link below. It is a story about Wade a minister who is struggling through a family Thanksgiving meal. He has found that he is preoccupied by all the things that wear him down and has lost site of the good things around him. Andy asks us to reflect and write down 10 things we are grateful for.
Andy Andrew's Short story about being thankful.
Things I am grateful for:
1) Having a new day presented to me with each sunrise where I can breath another breath and find the opportunity to learn and be a better person.
2) Having all my faculties, limbs, functions working for the most part, and the ability to listen to my body and manage my health.
3) Having two beautiful children and a husband who love me and support me through each day. Having time to spend/share with them each day.
4) Having a great job that challenges me and allows me enough to cover my family essentials.
5) Wonderful family members (parents, aunts/uncles, cousins, grandparents, brothers/sister) who I am close to, who accept me, and share thoughts and experiences with me.
6) Wonderful friends from around the country who treat me like family.
7) Living in the USA, in a safe and beautiful country that I love to explore nature and learn the history of.
8) Technology that lets me do my job, share my thoughts, hear from friends and family, and experience new things.
9) Hobbies that help me wind down, create, learn and share.
10) The ability to set goals, challenge myself, and achieve my goal as well as the desire to keep building and learning and striving towards my goals.
So with that I ask you to think about your blessings, what are you thank you for... that doesn't mean that the things that bring you down are not real, but I put forth to you that it is possible to realize these things and then let them go so they don't damage your health or relationships. Focus on the good positive things in your life and spend your energy nurturing those things instead.
Thank you for being a part of my life.
The kids and I went to mass this weekend to celebrate the beginning of Advent in preparation for Christmas and the celebration of the coming of Jesus. While were there Father John told us a story about a group of nuns living together that all have some sort of physical limitation living in harmony and taking care of each other. His message was that if we were more aware we would see that God has given us all we need to be happy we just need to be open and willing to accept God's gifts.
Last week I got an email from Andy Andrews a motivational speaker that I have seen live and whose books I have read. He has an excerpt from one of his books at the link below. It is a story about Wade a minister who is struggling through a family Thanksgiving meal. He has found that he is preoccupied by all the things that wear him down and has lost site of the good things around him. Andy asks us to reflect and write down 10 things we are grateful for.
Andy Andrew's Short story about being thankful.
Things I am grateful for:
1) Having a new day presented to me with each sunrise where I can breath another breath and find the opportunity to learn and be a better person.
2) Having all my faculties, limbs, functions working for the most part, and the ability to listen to my body and manage my health.
3) Having two beautiful children and a husband who love me and support me through each day. Having time to spend/share with them each day.
4) Having a great job that challenges me and allows me enough to cover my family essentials.
5) Wonderful family members (parents, aunts/uncles, cousins, grandparents, brothers/sister) who I am close to, who accept me, and share thoughts and experiences with me.
6) Wonderful friends from around the country who treat me like family.
7) Living in the USA, in a safe and beautiful country that I love to explore nature and learn the history of.
8) Technology that lets me do my job, share my thoughts, hear from friends and family, and experience new things.
9) Hobbies that help me wind down, create, learn and share.
10) The ability to set goals, challenge myself, and achieve my goal as well as the desire to keep building and learning and striving towards my goals.
So with that I ask you to think about your blessings, what are you thank you for... that doesn't mean that the things that bring you down are not real, but I put forth to you that it is possible to realize these things and then let them go so they don't damage your health or relationships. Focus on the good positive things in your life and spend your energy nurturing those things instead.
Thank you for being a part of my life.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Road to my first 1/2 Ironman - Final installation
Ok, so I have been really busy the last two months with Missouri river flooding working some weekends and then traveling for a family reunion and then for the 4th of July holiday.... plus of course training, family time, etc...
Here are my final stats with me falling about 10 minutes short of my goal...
Swim: 35:51 (1.2 miles… plus a couple hundred yards) – Goal under 35
Bike: 3:09 (56 miles… was the hardest part for me mentally) – Goal close to 3 hours
Run: 2:16 (13.1 miles and was a new PR for me by 4 minutes from April) – Goal under 2:30
Transitions were really slow because I took my time to regroup before the next leg.
My race report will have some “excerpts” from my 16 year old training buddy Chris who did his first 1/2 Ironman with me and a link to his dad William’s blog also which both provide some extra insight to the race course. This is pretty detailed mostly for my future recall so bare with me.
Joe, JJ and I drove to the race site Saturday afternoon as a big storm front was coming in so I could pick up my race packet and survey the situation. I noticed the bouys were not in a straight line, there was a lack in potties in transition, and we were going to be pretty well crammed together in there so was prepared to deal with this the next morning. We drove the run course so I had a good picture in my mind of how that was going to work. Now the picture in my eyes was another story as I misplaced my contacts which I ironically found after my post race shower... so I raced with ok vision for the swim and mostly looking over the top of my regular glasses for the bike but tried not to let it get to me.
A little mobile motivation on my arms...
“The Transition Area: For a ‘State Championship’ it’s pretty unorganized and obviously low-cost. They crammed about 1800 people into a transition area up and down a hilly tree covered area, so things were tight.” But it was nice having an assigned space and mine was near the bike in and out opening.
Before the race I caught up with the three teammates I had racing with me that day including my riding buddy Galen who ended up having a fantastic race after two rough ones the last couple of years. We were all pretty grateful for the weather Mother Nature had dished up. It was overcast and cool in the morning and humidity was pretty much gone. What a blessing after weeks of scorching heat and humidity in Iowa.
I had my typical nervous stomach which is good as it helps clear out anything that might be an issue later in the race. As I was heading down to the beach for the race start they still had transition open and folks in the registration line really not well organized. I don’t know why folks wait until the last minute to arrive for the race start (enormous lack of parking in the area) and it really did complicate things to have a sprint tri going on at the same time as a ½ Ironman.
Just as the race was queuing up to start a”huge fog cloud rolled in, and you could barely see 2 buoys from the start line. For some reason they decided that it apparently wasn’t an issue and started us on time, a decision I hope they don’t make again. The swim started off fine and we all dealt with the fog. The course itself was supposed to be straight out and back but curved to make a J kind of thing. So after the turn around, we couldn’t see the next buoy or much of else for that matter. The only logical thing was to swim in what I thought was the right direction, which, of course, it wasn’t.”
I am pretty sure I did an extra couple hundred yards and at one point was way off course beyond oncoming traffic which really pissed me off because I couldn’t get into a good rhythm due to great difficulty sighting the buoys. I really couldn’t use my swim skills to a time advantage like I usually do which likely added 3-4 minutes to my time but I did manage to stay calm and just kept sighting off the largest group of green caps in front of me going the same direction.
Another thing I had never experienced before was the mixed group start. They had us in waves of 40 – 50 people by when we registered so there was a mix of ages and genders at the start. We also didn’t have the normal age marking on our leg (the body markings they did do were pretty much useless and were mostly gone by the time I finished). There was pretty much no way to know where you were in the pack of folks in your competition group which was probably ok since I was only focused on competing against myself. The last cool new thing about the swim for me was the wetsuit strippers so I ran out of the water got my suit down to my hips and lay down on a mat and my suit was off in 3 seconds flat… SWEET!!
Bike: “Small rollers and flats the whole way except for one rather large downhill with the uphill being made up slowly over 5-6 miles. By all means a fast course, but not flat.” The weirdest part of the course was a hard right straight into an uphill with a water stop part way up it at around mile 32.5. I planned to carry my own nutrition on the bike so I wouldn’t have to swap out water bottles and such and for the most part that worked out for me however I wish I would have had two water bottles and one “Gatorade” instead of the other way around as it wasn’t a hot ride and I would have rather taken in more food nutrition instead of liquid so ended up with a full bottle of “Gatorade” at the end of the bike and probably was a little deficient in nutrition going into the run.
There was an obvious lack of course officials on the bike course. In the last couple of miles before the sprint tri folks and the ½ Ironman folks separated, I was passed by a group of 15 riders, quite obviously drafting, who nearly ran 2-3 of us off the road. It is an individual sport people (and highly illegal), so very annoying when people are blatantly cheating.
For about 5 miles (felt like more) in the second half of the race, we rode on perhaps the worst roads they had to offer and it was a legitimate challenge to put forth effort and not crash. Sadly my mind got the best of me here and my planned mph dropped way down so after about 15 miles of smooth, then rough, then rough and windy, etc changes every couple of miles I had to pull myself together and focus on getting the last 12 – 14 miles cranked out. This being my first time doing a ½ on top of my longest training rides being in the 40 mile range, I really didn’t know how much to hold back and I think that didn’t help the situation any.
Run: The run started by meandering for 3-4 miles through the edge of town along the lake neighborhoods. I saw William and Chris bring it in while I was still in my 2nd and 3rd miles or so… God bless all the people who were running sprinklers for us and all the people working the corners and water stops!! The sun had come out with around 14 miles left on the bike and the run was going to get hot with temps in the low 80s by the time I finished.
After the town miles we spit out on a county road running the wide shoulder with runners going in both directions in about a four foot space. There was a long shallow uphill section with no shade from around 4.5 to the turnaround loop. This was the section where I just kept focusing on putting one foot in front of the other (thanks cousin Jen for that advice in April). The turnaround was about a mile with mostly gravel but with some very welcome shade. Historically I know I start to bonk around miles 5, 8 and 11 so I tried to make sure I was taking in a gel or Gatorade a mile before those points, and taking in water, and the blessed ice down the shirt for the rest of the aid stops. We had aid around 1.5, 3, 5.5, 6/7, 9.5, and 11.5 so it seemed to be perfectly spaced for my needs.
On the run course I saw a couple of great quotes but now can only remember one… “Someday you will not be able to do this anymore… (and on a second sign behind it) but today is not that day”. This was posted around mile 7.5 on the run and I thought hell yeah!
Things nagging me besides the hot sun on the run were my right pinky toe (missed the glide there apparently and got a blister) and my left ankle (the one I twisted in June) which I stupidly put my timing chip strap on. I pushed through all that and strangely between the ‘smile’ and ‘have fun’ I had written on my arms I managed to experienced a serious runners’ high around mile 9 so I had to hold myself back for a mile or two before I cut loose and pushed it to the finish line. I am pretty sure I smiled all the way in from mile 9 or so.
Smiling at mile 10.5...
The end… I felt really strong coming in to the finish like I still had more in the tank. I was really emotional in a good way when I crossed the finish line as I usually am and Joe asked if I was ok and I said just happy. Chris put this quote out: “Why do people run? Because it feels so good when you stop.” -? And I could so relate.
Pushing through the finish line...
So how am I two days after? I went to yoga/Pilates class yesterday and my quads are a bit sore like I was lifting weights but all in all I feel great. I am anxious to get back to training and will be heading to the pool today and getting a run or two in this week but mostly taking it easy for two weeks (hiking in Colorado and puttering in Kansas City) before getting back into ‘training mode’ again. I have three more races on the plan for the year… a 10k run where I am shooting for a PR in early Sept, an Olympic tri race where I hope to improve on last years time at the same venue, and another ½ marathon this time with Joe in October… then maintenance mode or something like that anyway.
So in hindsight... did I learn something? Heck yeah... Will I do another 1/2 Ironman ... MOST DEFINITELY... Will I do a full Ironman someday... uh... my logical mind says you are nuts, but my heart says probably. In the meantime I feel like a super hero undercover as a full-time working mom of two young kids... I wish I could shout out my joy of my accomplishment to the world. I love to train (yes the more I exercise... the more I want to exercise) and have goals for my fitness so as Chris said to our triclub in his race report “I must be crazy. But aren’t we all?”
William "mister hard core triathlete" race report blog... http://wsjinames.blogspot.com/2011/07/0-0-1-1501-8557-iowa-state-university.html
Here are my final stats with me falling about 10 minutes short of my goal...
Swim: 35:51 (1.2 miles… plus a couple hundred yards) – Goal under 35
Bike: 3:09 (56 miles… was the hardest part for me mentally) – Goal close to 3 hours
Run: 2:16 (13.1 miles and was a new PR for me by 4 minutes from April) – Goal under 2:30
Transitions were really slow because I took my time to regroup before the next leg.
My race report will have some “excerpts” from my 16 year old training buddy Chris who did his first 1/2 Ironman with me and a link to his dad William’s blog also which both provide some extra insight to the race course. This is pretty detailed mostly for my future recall so bare with me.
Joe, JJ and I drove to the race site Saturday afternoon as a big storm front was coming in so I could pick up my race packet and survey the situation. I noticed the bouys were not in a straight line, there was a lack in potties in transition, and we were going to be pretty well crammed together in there so was prepared to deal with this the next morning. We drove the run course so I had a good picture in my mind of how that was going to work. Now the picture in my eyes was another story as I misplaced my contacts which I ironically found after my post race shower... so I raced with ok vision for the swim and mostly looking over the top of my regular glasses for the bike but tried not to let it get to me.
“The Transition Area: For a ‘State Championship’ it’s pretty unorganized and obviously low-cost. They crammed about 1800 people into a transition area up and down a hilly tree covered area, so things were tight.” But it was nice having an assigned space and mine was near the bike in and out opening.
Before the race I caught up with the three teammates I had racing with me that day including my riding buddy Galen who ended up having a fantastic race after two rough ones the last couple of years. We were all pretty grateful for the weather Mother Nature had dished up. It was overcast and cool in the morning and humidity was pretty much gone. What a blessing after weeks of scorching heat and humidity in Iowa.
I had my typical nervous stomach which is good as it helps clear out anything that might be an issue later in the race. As I was heading down to the beach for the race start they still had transition open and folks in the registration line really not well organized. I don’t know why folks wait until the last minute to arrive for the race start (enormous lack of parking in the area) and it really did complicate things to have a sprint tri going on at the same time as a ½ Ironman.
Just as the race was queuing up to start a”huge fog cloud rolled in, and you could barely see 2 buoys from the start line. For some reason they decided that it apparently wasn’t an issue and started us on time, a decision I hope they don’t make again. The swim started off fine and we all dealt with the fog. The course itself was supposed to be straight out and back but curved to make a J kind of thing. So after the turn around, we couldn’t see the next buoy or much of else for that matter. The only logical thing was to swim in what I thought was the right direction, which, of course, it wasn’t.”
I am pretty sure I did an extra couple hundred yards and at one point was way off course beyond oncoming traffic which really pissed me off because I couldn’t get into a good rhythm due to great difficulty sighting the buoys. I really couldn’t use my swim skills to a time advantage like I usually do which likely added 3-4 minutes to my time but I did manage to stay calm and just kept sighting off the largest group of green caps in front of me going the same direction.
Another thing I had never experienced before was the mixed group start. They had us in waves of 40 – 50 people by when we registered so there was a mix of ages and genders at the start. We also didn’t have the normal age marking on our leg (the body markings they did do were pretty much useless and were mostly gone by the time I finished). There was pretty much no way to know where you were in the pack of folks in your competition group which was probably ok since I was only focused on competing against myself. The last cool new thing about the swim for me was the wetsuit strippers so I ran out of the water got my suit down to my hips and lay down on a mat and my suit was off in 3 seconds flat… SWEET!!
Bike: “Small rollers and flats the whole way except for one rather large downhill with the uphill being made up slowly over 5-6 miles. By all means a fast course, but not flat.” The weirdest part of the course was a hard right straight into an uphill with a water stop part way up it at around mile 32.5. I planned to carry my own nutrition on the bike so I wouldn’t have to swap out water bottles and such and for the most part that worked out for me however I wish I would have had two water bottles and one “Gatorade” instead of the other way around as it wasn’t a hot ride and I would have rather taken in more food nutrition instead of liquid so ended up with a full bottle of “Gatorade” at the end of the bike and probably was a little deficient in nutrition going into the run.
There was an obvious lack of course officials on the bike course. In the last couple of miles before the sprint tri folks and the ½ Ironman folks separated, I was passed by a group of 15 riders, quite obviously drafting, who nearly ran 2-3 of us off the road. It is an individual sport people (and highly illegal), so very annoying when people are blatantly cheating.
For about 5 miles (felt like more) in the second half of the race, we rode on perhaps the worst roads they had to offer and it was a legitimate challenge to put forth effort and not crash. Sadly my mind got the best of me here and my planned mph dropped way down so after about 15 miles of smooth, then rough, then rough and windy, etc changes every couple of miles I had to pull myself together and focus on getting the last 12 – 14 miles cranked out. This being my first time doing a ½ on top of my longest training rides being in the 40 mile range, I really didn’t know how much to hold back and I think that didn’t help the situation any.
Run: The run started by meandering for 3-4 miles through the edge of town along the lake neighborhoods. I saw William and Chris bring it in while I was still in my 2nd and 3rd miles or so… God bless all the people who were running sprinklers for us and all the people working the corners and water stops!! The sun had come out with around 14 miles left on the bike and the run was going to get hot with temps in the low 80s by the time I finished.
After the town miles we spit out on a county road running the wide shoulder with runners going in both directions in about a four foot space. There was a long shallow uphill section with no shade from around 4.5 to the turnaround loop. This was the section where I just kept focusing on putting one foot in front of the other (thanks cousin Jen for that advice in April). The turnaround was about a mile with mostly gravel but with some very welcome shade. Historically I know I start to bonk around miles 5, 8 and 11 so I tried to make sure I was taking in a gel or Gatorade a mile before those points, and taking in water, and the blessed ice down the shirt for the rest of the aid stops. We had aid around 1.5, 3, 5.5, 6/7, 9.5, and 11.5 so it seemed to be perfectly spaced for my needs.
On the run course I saw a couple of great quotes but now can only remember one… “Someday you will not be able to do this anymore… (and on a second sign behind it) but today is not that day”. This was posted around mile 7.5 on the run and I thought hell yeah!
Things nagging me besides the hot sun on the run were my right pinky toe (missed the glide there apparently and got a blister) and my left ankle (the one I twisted in June) which I stupidly put my timing chip strap on. I pushed through all that and strangely between the ‘smile’ and ‘have fun’ I had written on my arms I managed to experienced a serious runners’ high around mile 9 so I had to hold myself back for a mile or two before I cut loose and pushed it to the finish line. I am pretty sure I smiled all the way in from mile 9 or so.
The end… I felt really strong coming in to the finish like I still had more in the tank. I was really emotional in a good way when I crossed the finish line as I usually am and Joe asked if I was ok and I said just happy. Chris put this quote out: “Why do people run? Because it feels so good when you stop.” -? And I could so relate.
So how am I two days after? I went to yoga/Pilates class yesterday and my quads are a bit sore like I was lifting weights but all in all I feel great. I am anxious to get back to training and will be heading to the pool today and getting a run or two in this week but mostly taking it easy for two weeks (hiking in Colorado and puttering in Kansas City) before getting back into ‘training mode’ again. I have three more races on the plan for the year… a 10k run where I am shooting for a PR in early Sept, an Olympic tri race where I hope to improve on last years time at the same venue, and another ½ marathon this time with Joe in October… then maintenance mode or something like that anyway.
So in hindsight... did I learn something? Heck yeah... Will I do another 1/2 Ironman ... MOST DEFINITELY... Will I do a full Ironman someday... uh... my logical mind says you are nuts, but my heart says probably. In the meantime I feel like a super hero undercover as a full-time working mom of two young kids... I wish I could shout out my joy of my accomplishment to the world. I love to train (yes the more I exercise... the more I want to exercise) and have goals for my fitness so as Chris said to our triclub in his race report “I must be crazy. But aren’t we all?”
William "mister hard core triathlete" race report blog... http://wsjinames.blogspot.com/2011/07/0-0-1-1501-8557-iowa-state-university.html
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Road to my first 1/2 Ironman - First Olympic Tri of the Season
I am eight weeks out from my first 1/2 Ironman... I am terrified and super excited. I am busy collecting information about nutrition, about what to expect on the race day, about what gear I need to implement (I just bought a new bike seat this weekend). I am busy trying to figure out how to get 12 hours of training into my week and have it be quality and preferable not all solo so I have someone to push me.
So I did my first Olympic Triathlon of the season and have the stats from that one (May 22nd, 2011) as well as from my first one in Sept 2010. Things are looking good but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The two races are really apples and oranges with times because the swim was cut way back for the one I did last week due to water temperature issues.
Bluff Creek Olympic, Ogden, IA Lucky number 4 F35-39
500 meter Swim (This was very short... was supposed to be 1500 meters)00:10:57 VERY COLD WATER - 56 degrees at start... wetsuits recommended.
T1(wetsuit shimmy,socks,shoes,helmet,shades,bike)00:01:43
25 mile bike 01:33:22 Very Hilly Windy Bike
T2 (shoes, hat, number) 00:01:35
10k (6.2 mile) Run Personal Record 00:56:28 Very Hilly Windy Run
Total Time 02:44:05 Fourth in my Age Group 4
Overall 18 / 27 total women
Peregrine Olympic (Cedar Falls, IA) Last Sept. - Air temp at the start 64 degrees... about the same as the water temperature... BRRRRRR!
Overall Swim 25:46 (noodles lined the swim like a lane rope...very fast swim)
T1 2:22 (wetsuit shimmy, shoes, toweling off, helmet, glasses)
Bike 1:30:29 (very flat bike)
T2 0:56 (slip on shoes, hat, number)
Run 1:01:44 (pretty flat albeit warmish) Total Time 3:01:14
I missed my goal in Sept. by just over a minute but had a great experience in my old home town with a couple of great triathlon racers of Iowa ladies along. I plan to do this one again this year and hope to drop 10 minutes over my total time so in the meantime I will keep working it. More to come as I get closer to Ironman...
So I did my first Olympic Triathlon of the season and have the stats from that one (May 22nd, 2011) as well as from my first one in Sept 2010. Things are looking good but there is still a lot of room for improvement. The two races are really apples and oranges with times because the swim was cut way back for the one I did last week due to water temperature issues.
Bluff Creek Olympic, Ogden, IA Lucky number 4 F35-39
500 meter Swim (This was very short... was supposed to be 1500 meters)00:10:57 VERY COLD WATER - 56 degrees at start... wetsuits recommended.
T1(wetsuit shimmy,socks,shoes,helmet,shades,bike)00:01:43
25 mile bike 01:33:22 Very Hilly Windy Bike
T2 (shoes, hat, number) 00:01:35
10k (6.2 mile) Run Personal Record 00:56:28 Very Hilly Windy Run
Total Time 02:44:05 Fourth in my Age Group 4
Overall 18 / 27 total women
Peregrine Olympic (Cedar Falls, IA) Last Sept. - Air temp at the start 64 degrees... about the same as the water temperature... BRRRRRR!
Overall Swim 25:46 (noodles lined the swim like a lane rope...very fast swim)
T1 2:22 (wetsuit shimmy, shoes, toweling off, helmet, glasses)
Bike 1:30:29 (very flat bike)
T2 0:56 (slip on shoes, hat, number)
Run 1:01:44 (pretty flat albeit warmish) Total Time 3:01:14
I missed my goal in Sept. by just over a minute but had a great experience in my old home town with a couple of great triathlon racers of Iowa ladies along. I plan to do this one again this year and hope to drop 10 minutes over my total time so in the meantime I will keep working it. More to come as I get closer to Ironman...