Monday, June 4, 2012

Mother's Day Run 2012

This year, D and I completed the 2012 Sport Chek Mother's Day race!  I ran a personal best for a 5K race (I think), which was 41:01.3 minutes.  This was pretty good for me, since I have not trained for a race at all!  I was hoping to finish in under an hour, so I wouldn't embarrass myself too badly! ;)

This was the FIRST race where I felt like I got bitten by the racing bug and want to do another 5K and try to beat my time!!! :)  I did 5 and 1's instead of my normal 10 and 1's.  With the 5 minutes, I was able to pace myself better and keep my form in check during my minute walk breaks.

At the end of the race, I found some extra go-juice and pushed myself to the finish!  I felt amazing afterwards!!!  It was a fantastic race!

Once life gets settled, I'll be looking to get back into it and do another 5K!  Gotta find one with a nice, flat course :)

Monday, April 16, 2012

San Francisco Calls

UPDATE: Change of plans - sometimes, that happens in life and you gotta roll with the punches!!  I know I will do this one day, even though I've decided not to do it next year!  It's still an important matter to me, and it's a goal, for sure :)

One month from today, I'll be at the Tech Shop for a Team in Training information session.  I decided that I WILL sign up and run the half marathon at the Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco on October 14, 2012.  As a part of team in training, I will have to raise $4250 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  I'll be raising money to find a cure for blood cancers...supporting those going through it and their families.

Although blood cancers is not something that has directly affected me, I have known many close to me that have battled cancer.  In my efforts to raise money and find a cure, I hope that the research to cure blood cancers will also help in the effort to cure cancer in general.  That's the optimist in me speaking.  People who fight this battle go through so much, this charity run is the least I can do to help.

I'm nervous for both the distance and raising the full amount.  Back in 2010, I ran 2 half marathons and was in running shape.  Fast forward 2 years and my body is not the same as it once was. I'm hoping this training will help me get my energy back and shed some weight along the way.  Also, fundraising is something I've never done before.  It's hard for me to ask others for money when I know it's so tight, but it's for a good cause.  I will try my best to conquer this and use as many techniques as I can.  With my fundraising, we can be that much closer to finding a cure.  I CAN do this.  :)

I've felt this "calling" for a while...you know, the one where you feel like something within you is urging you to do this.  Quotes have been appearing (or I've just been noticing them) reinforcing that I have to get out of my comfort zone and do this! 

Life has no limitations, except the ones you make. -- Les Brown

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. -- Mark Twain

Don't let the barriers you see define what you do. -- Sonal Shah

Moral of the story is...life is short and you only live once!  I'm excited beyond belief and scared outta my wits, all at the same time.  Strangely enough, it's a GREAT feeling :)

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

First Solo Run

I did my first outdoor solo run last night around the resevoir!  It was super scenic and a perfect night to get outside to test these legs!  They have been out of commission with outdoor running for quite some time (aside from the few I've squeaked in with D).  I have been trying for 3X a week at the gym (or being active).  So far, I've been pretty good!  But I've always said that running outside was a whole different ballgame.  It's tough!!  After last night, my half marathon training seemed like another lifetime...I used to run long distances and 5K was a breeze!  What happened to that!??!

With the Mother's Day run about a month away (May 13), I have to really get serious about training to run the full distance!

Since I just started reading Chi Marathon, I hoped to employ some of their running techniques.  I tried to run keeping my body straight with only a slight lean, and to strike the pavement midfoot.  I also tried to keep my body relaxed and keep my strides under me. 

The first 5 minutes was a nice jog.  However, at the one minute walk break, I was already winded!  I alternated jog/walk in a random fashion for about 2.5K.  At the turn around point, I decided to use my couch to 5K app!  I needed some tunes and motivation!

I had some trouble with it at first, missing my cues because the app turned off.  I wondered why my 5 minute brisk walk was so long!  Once I discovered that I could lock the app, it was smooth sailing.  I really liked the quick 1 min jog/walk intervals - that seemed totally manageable.  Toward the end, I felt comfortable with the pace, even though my calf and leg muscles were flaring up and really sore.  (I'm sure I'm still running incorrectly as it should NOT be this painful!)

All in all, I was happy to complete the 5K jog/walk with the aid of my "trainer".  I really dig this app.  It showed me that I CAN run on my own!  I'm not sure why I was so nervous about it in the first place.  I'm excited to continue this journey and learn to run with better form.

I've enrolled in two sessions and am so excited to learn how to improve my running.  They come to me with RAVE reviews from my very kick-ass and inspirational running coworker! :)

- Smart Runner by Dale McDonald
- Fitness Fix - run analysis

Monday, April 2, 2012

April Goals

In April 2012

I choose...

to ride my bike on weekends.

to do the April Ass-kicking workout.

to be active 3X a week.

to write on my blog at least once a week.

to run outside on my own at least once.

to organize my clothes closet.

to finish reading one book on my to-read list.

to maintain my Sunday night cooking and not eat McDonalds (my guilty pleasure).

Monday, March 26, 2012

Mom's Handmade Wontons

My Mom is the most AMAZING cook that I know!  She spends weekend afternoons simmering her broths until they are flavoured to perfection and puts only the freshest ingredients in all of her cooking. 

As I'm trying to become a better cook and eating more healthy, I am aspiring to learn as much as I can from her tricks of the trade.  Unfortunately, my Mom never uses recipes or measurements.  Of course she doesn't need to - she knows it all by sight and smell!  So here is my attempt at trying to pen up her authentic recipes!

A few weekends ago, I made some of her hand-wrapped wontons.  They were incredibly delicious and surprisingly easy to do!  I have them frozen so whenever it gets cold, I can just make a broth, throw in some veggies and a few of these wontons.  A quick, easy and delicious dinner for a snowy day (like today!)


Mom's Wontons (makes about 50 pcs)

1 lb lean ground pork
5-6 pieces of raw shrimp, cut into small pieces
1 egg
Double Happiness wonton wraps

1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp salt
pepper

In a large bowl, mix the pork, shrimp, egg, and all spices together with the water.  Ensure the mixture is moist and a bit sticky.  At this point, you can wrap up the bowl with saran and leave it to marinade overnight.  (I have made this recipe and wrapped right away and it was still tasty).

Take about a tsp of the meat mixture and put it in the middle of your wonton wrapper.  Fold it over into a triangle, taking the pointy ends and bringing them together.  If you let the wrapper touch the meat, it will bind better.  Then do one more fold on each end to completely seal.  It takes me about 1/2 an hour to complete all the wrapping - call on a friend to help!  Makes it go that much faster (and more FUN!!) :)

When you are ready to eat, boil the wontons in water first to remove the flour coating from the wonton wrappers.  Once the wontons float to the top of the water, they are done!

Then cook up your broth, add whatever veggies you like (I enjoy shanghai bokchoy and green onions) and throw your wontons in too!  You've got a healthy and delicious soup for any meal of the day :)

Friday, March 23, 2012

Morning of Motivation/Inspiration/Goals

I've been reading about motivation and goals this morning and feeling SO pumped up.  I always do this though, get really jazzed initially and then lose it somehow.  But this time, I've gotta keep it up.

I've been looking at ways to motivate myself to run again and came across an amazing blog called Enjoy It! by Elisa.  She writes about how she tracks her goals.  Instead of yearly ones, she does monthly goals - takes a photo of herself, writes down her monthly goals, posts them on her blog and then tracks next month to see how she did.  I'm going to try this method of goal setting.  This is so much better because your progress is tracked in shorter spurts rather than dragging on and on.

Some secrets to motivation I found in my smorgasbord of info:

1.  Chart your progress - blog, write about your goals
2.  Set a future goal (ie. for running, a PR or sign up for an exciting race)
3.  Get a workout buddy - or cheerleaders:) - a great support system
4.  Just get started!
5.  Make a big public commitment
6.  Think Positive - squash your negative thoughts :)

I wrote down a bunch of words that inspire/interest me to gain a better understanding of who I aspire to be.  My two main things are: I want to be more creative and healthier. 

Food & Cooking
Travel
Photography
Run
Love

Family
Friends
Kids
Design
Knit
Goals
Read
Write
Adventurous
Honest
Compassionate
Healthy
Courageous
Cheerful
Calm
Patient
Loving
Kind


I have plans and I feel very excited for life!  House shopping, getting back into fitness, eating healthier, being more creative and blogging!  Also going to pick up the "Born to Run" book Elisa highly recommends after work today!

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

First Utterance of Paris...

So I have been kicking around the idea of Paris for a while now...wanting to go back to visit at some point with D to experience the culinary delights and amazing culture...I think it'll happen in the next year or two for us.  Between house searching, we've got a lot on our plates at the moment!

I started to have delusions of grandeur yesterday and thought how incredible it would be to run a half marathon in Paris.  I mentioned this to my bestie and she kicked it up a notch (which is why I LOVE her!)....Paris...marathon...goal...before we're 35?!

Could we really do it!?  With training, could these legs really carry me through a MARATHON if we get to experience it in an amazing city!?

Something within me is ignited! I'm feeling super charged :)

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Calgary Co-op Food & Nutrition Speaker Series

Yesterday, D and I attended a healthy eating session put on by the Calgary Co-op for their Whole Health Challenge.  Julie Van Rosendaal (food blogger – Dinner with Julie) and Lindy Kennedy (Registered Dietician) from FitNut Consulting were the hosts!

It was an informative, hilarious session filled with nutrition tips and food demonstrations.  They broke their segments into breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks to give us tips for the entire day.

What I took away:

Breakfast:
  • Greek yogurt provides more protein than regular yogurt.  Stay away from the 0% regular fruit yogurt.  There is more sugar in one of those containers than you may think!  Try plain yogurt and add your own honey & fixin’s.
  • Use pureed white beans in recipes such as pancakes, chili to increase protein.
Lunch:
  • Even pop that says 0 calorie or "diet soda" are not good for you!  A large soda with your lunch has 22g of sugar in it!  And that's A LOT!

Dinner:
  • Freeze your bean puree to use in other ingredients
  • There are many different kinds of flour you can use (quinoa, soy etc) in your baking/cooking
  • Don’t forget about lentils & beans!

Snacks:
  • Your 2:30-3pm snack is the most important meal to get you through the rest of the day until dinner (so you’re not eating dinner while prepping dinner – something I do!)  Have something hearty at this time to keep you going.
  • Think of your meal/snack time as “nutrition bursts”.  So don’t count calories (the C word was banned in the workshop!), but read labels to determine which foods will provide you with the most nutrients.
  • Nuts (any kinds) are a great source of protein.
  •  Try different food combinations like parsley, roasted beets or carrots in hummus.
  • Try baking the leafy part of kale to make chips as a delicious snack.
It really is a great series that they have put on!  Next up Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod on Thursday!  SO EXCITED!! :)


Ambitious Day


So…I was suppose to start my Couch 2 5K training on Friday after work it didn’t happen.  What happened!?  Cold and the white stuff!!  BRRR!!  I know I used to run in the rain/wind/sleet/snow while training for my half marathon but as I’m attempting to ease back into running and exercise, I decided that the gym might be a better bet!

While D played field hockey, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the stand up bike.  It felt great and I burned over 400 calories in one go!   It was still a great work out, even though I had planned to run outside.

I read that if you are starting a new workout regime, not punish yourself if things change or you fall off the wagon for a day.  Just get back on it and keep going!

As I did my workout, a disabled man in a wheelchair inspired me.  He was also at the gym and working out his arms with his nurse/gym trainer.  I felt so moved!  I thought, if he could motivate himself to get to the gym in his state, surely I could too!  I felt so fortunate to be able to use my legs.  Thank you, strong-willed gentleman, for that inspiration!

It blustery and cold out today and our plan is to stay in and cook some nutritious goodies for the busy week ahead!

On the menu are: Dinner with Julie’s Cottage pie, Hummus, Overnight steel-cut oats in a jar, and my Mom’s wonton recipe.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Overnight Steel Cut Oats

For the past week, I've been using a quick and easy way to prepare my breakfast.  I'm usually running late in the morning - no matter how early I wake up!  Time is ALWAYS a factor and every minute counts!  I was SO stoked when I found this quick method to prepare overnight steel-cut oats!



With a little bit of prep on a Sunday (when you have the extra time), you've got breakfast for the entire week!  I'm happy to report the results were FANTASTIC!  I didn't have any issues with leaving the jars out overnight, since the oats were just boiled in water. 

We have a winner and I will DEFINITELY be using this method to prepare my breakfast from now on :)

Some things I like to add:
Holy Crap! cereal (love the name!)
Cocoa nibs
Peanut butter
Almond slivers
Walnuts
Ground flax seeds
Cinnamon
Raisins
Honey

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Kickstart Running!

Well, I’ve decided that it’s time to get my butt into gear!  One of my fitness goals for 2012 was to work out regularly 3X a week!  (So far...not good!) So....I've decided to start running again, this time on my own.  I had a short stint where I ran with my BFF <3 for about a year.  We started off with a learn to run at the Running Room, then advanced to 5K, 10K, and finally ended 2010 running two half marathons in one year!  We ran the Harvest Half and the Vegas Rock and Roll half marathons and it was an incredible experience.  Many days, I miss pounding the pavement with her as we chatted and enjoyed the incredible views.

That all being said...I've made the first step!  Since I'll be running alone this time, I've decided to use an iPhone app to get started and keep me going!  I've downloaded the Couch-2-5K app by Cool Running and plan to kickstart the running on Friday after work!  I'm a little nervous about running by myself but hey...if I can do it in the gym, I can run outside for 20-30 mins!

Also looking forward to March when my benefits kick in and I can purchase my gym membership!  YAY for full time employment :)

Other than that, I'm also still trying to eat healthy (making better food choices and preparing more meals at home).  I've found some great tips, so will be posting them on the blog shortly.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

First Post!

Today, I've decided to revive my old blog.  I've always written a blog just for myself (my "secret-blog") but I've decided to challenge myself by sharing with the world!

Hello World!

Exciting day :)