Just Breathe

Blogging?

I have no good reason as to why blogging hasn't happened as frequently as it once did.  Perhaps having computer issues have slowed things down a bit, and I'm not big on phone blogging, especially when auto correct gets in the way.

Everyone in my house had a cold.  It wasn't anything tragic, it was just more annoying than anything.  Now that the cold has diminished it has been rather hard getting back into a groove.  I kind of feel as if my energy was taken away from me, and I can't quite get it back, especially when it comes to running.  I should be able to keep up with the group, but I just can't.  I'm quickly out of breath, but having asthma factors in. I'm sticking with the training as best as possible, still getting in the miles, albeit slow.  This too shall pass.

The kiddo has turned 8 years old and is counting down to when he can finally get his driver's license. I don't want him to rush things because he's still cute, says funny things, and thinks we're still cool.  I'm soaking up this phase of his life as much as possible.  I know it won't be very long before he thinks we're creepy, but it's currently a blissful time. The other night he brought me a hot cup of herbal tea.  The hot tea was his idea and his Papa helped him out. Yes, it was a warmish summer night, and he brought me hot tea so we could spend time together.  How could I resist?

Compared to my last job, my current job calm,  REALLY calm. I have coherent, linear thoughts and don't feel like my head is going to explode.  I'm doing pretty much the same things that I was doing at my last job, but now I'm dealing with "normal" people for employers.  It's so refreshing to work for people who don't micro-micro-micro-manage their business.

In my head. Calm.

I'm always on the hunt for natural, non-dairy treats.  Not having having ice cream during the summer months kind of sucks.  I have an allergy to cow's milk products which triggers skin issues and asthma.  While grocery shopping I discovered Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss Bars.*

I happen to like coconut, and was overjoyed to see that these contained NO DAIRY.  Every time I look in the frozen foods section to find something that resembles ice cream, it contains some form of milk. Finally, I found something that is palatable with the consistency of an ice cream bar. It's not like I'm going to wolf down the entire box (only 4)  in one sitting, but when I have a small splurge, these will fill the no ice cream void. 

In addition, I've also discovered that coconut water is a great electrolyte. I've stocked up on Zico.

The only thing about coconut water is that it's best served COLD.  It's not so great at room temperature. I've also noticed that it's easy on the digestive system, and doesn't mess with my system if I drink one of these before running. I haven't ventured into the other Zico coconut water flavors, like chocolate, but the natural coconut is just fine with me. *


Song from Monday, July 18, 2011:
Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder

PEACE


*These reviews are my own.  No one gave me anything to say my 2 cents.

Walk With Me

Tecolote Park Trails

Taper time! The Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll half marathon is next Sunday!

I think this is the first time I am taking a taper week as a no run week.  After two ridiculously busy weeks back at work, my body is just saying "no."

I am listening.

In addition to my body just saying "no," I am dealing with some allergies that I haven't had to deal with in YEARS.   This time I can't pin-point the triggers, but I've looked as if I've aged 10 years over the past two weeks due to the itchy eyes, dry skin around my eyes, and darker than normal allergic shiners (under my eyes.)  There is no concealer or cream that will camouflage any of this allergic reaction.  I have two theories to my allergy dillema.  The office where I work is right next door to a lumber retailer, and they create plenty of dust, OR it's the scented oil diffuser bottles my boss has put in the office since I was last working there full time.  I'm guessing it's the scented oils causing the issues.  I'm going to ask my boss take those out for a week to see if it makes a difference in how I feel/react.  My boss did give me a sample Rx for a newer allergy eye drop, which does offer relief, but it's just a temporary fix.

Did those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving have a good one?  I'm certainly thankful for all of my blogging friends.  Running and reading would not be the same without you all. 

Thanksgiving was quiet this year.  Hubs and I opted to sleep in instead of run in a 5k Turkey Trot.  We both needed the rest.  Most of our relatives were in other states and cities this year.  There were only about nine of us at my sister in law's house  for Thanksgiving dinner, compared to the 20+ people we're used to.  I did host a day after Thanksgiving dinner for my side of the family, but that was easy, since I swore NOT to use leftovers.

This year Evan wanted to help.  I showed him how to use an apple peeler, how to use the food processor, how to measure ingredients, how to roll out a pie crust, and how to saute' mushroom.  These new cooking skills beat out watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Evan is demonstrating his mad rolling pin skilz.

A future chef?

I also stayed away from the Black Friday sales. I did partake in some internet shopping, but there was no way I was going to set foot in any mall or store, even for groceries. I'm all for a good deal, and kudos to those of you who camped out to get a good spot in line for a good deal on that wide screen TV or computer. Working in retail many years ago sort of ruined the thrill of shopping for me. I did work all of those crazy retail hours and had to deal with the aftermath when it was all over.

Hubs and I did get in a couple of walks:

and


For both walks we tackled Illion St, which is what I refer to as "The Hill." This street has a 16%  grade, and I would equate it to doing stairs, just because you need to use your legs as if you're ascending/descending stairs. I've mentioned this street before because we've seen Marines train by running up and it over and over again.  The only thing worse just as good is the steep hill that goes through Torrey Pines State Park towards USCD.   Since I have the La Jolla half marathon in my future, and the route goes through Torrey Pines State Park, I will be utilizing "The Hill" as much as possible over the next five months. I hope shin splints will no longer be an issue...

Yikes.


Finally, this:

Evan - Watching TV with Transformers.

Monday's Song:
D'yer Mak'er- Led Zeppelin - Running With The Black Knight

PEACE

PS

Check out this sweet giveaway at Run Faster, Mommy for really cool Sporty Girl's jewelry!

Whatever

Randomness

I haven't felt much like blogging lately.  No reason.  At the moment, short sentences or updates on Facebook and Daily Mile seem to suffice.

Last week, after our Saturday run with the track club, about 12 of us went out for breakfast.  Chatter about  different events to run and everyone's upcoming runs was the bulk of conversation as we ate.   Towards the end of our meal, one of our running friends, Kate, pulled out a deck of Osho-Zen tarot cards, and had each of us select a card, randomly.  Kate had mentioned that she preferred the Osho-Zen cards because they aren't dark, but more positive, more calm, more zen-like.  I  have mixed thoughts about things like tarot cards, because I'm not sure how much of it is made up by the person doing the reading, or how much of it has some truth, psychology, or foresight behind it. I was rather surprised how close to home some of the readings were -- and one person began to tear up -- but in a good way.   Kate only knows us as running friends, and not much about out personal lives. She also phrased what she had to say in terms of running, not just for me, but for everyone.  Here's the card I selected:

Flowering

According to Kate,  this is one of the  rainbow cards, a good and beautiful card in meaning.  She said that what I need to do now is to plant "seeds" and nurture what's going on around me, to slow down and wait for those "seeds" to grow, and that I need to be patient. I will achieve what I want to do, but not just now, no matter how much want whatever it is now.  I suppose that could apply to anyone, but maybe it's not as generic as it seems on the surface since this applies directly to me.  There is a lot that I want NOW.  She said that I have a "spirituality" about me, so I should understand what this all means in the larger picture.  I'm keeping and open mind. 

Summer has finally arrived in Southern California.  I knew it wouldn't be a gradual thing.  It went from cold to hot right away. I actually like the warmer temperatures and longer day light hours, however, I need to plan my runs early in the morning or late in the day OR run on the air conditioned gym's treadmill.

The grand-kiddo has a birthday on Sunday.   He'll be 7.  For the past month he's been insisting that he's 5 going on 6, but I think this has more to do with friends he's made at day camp.   Hubs and the grand-kiddo were at the grocery store, picking up a few items for dinner.  The cashier asked the kiddo how old he was and he replied, "I'm 5 going on 6."  Hubs immediately corrected him and said, "no, your 6 going on 7."  The kiddo insisted that he was 5.  The lady in line behind them chimed in with, "young man, only older women are allowed to lie about their age!"

Intensity has increased with each run and workout.  Bryan switched up what I'm doing at RU and what I do on my own.  At RU I'm getting back to doing some of the things I have the most fun with, such as throwing a weighted ball (about 8 pounds, maybe?)  at a wall and catching it while lunging.  I love workouts where I get to throw stuff.  Pylometrics are slowing coming back, too, and I love those types of exercises -- reminds me of being a kid.  The biggest change is intervals.  Last week the intensity was slow to moderate.  This week it's moderate to fast with shorter interval ratios*, but (still) not an all out effort.  I ran my intervals on the gym treadmill -- it's easier to keep track of time and intensity.  It was still tough, but good tough, and I was a soggy, sweaty mess when I was done. 

At RU on Wednesday there was another lady also working with Bryan at the same time. He often has two to four clients at the same time. Even though her workout was different than mine, she still had an equally intense work out. She began to complain a bit, how hard it was. Then she noticed what I was doing and also noticed that I wasn't complaining. One of the PT assistants told her that I never complain. The lady asked me, "well, why aren't you complaining?" It's times like that I wish I could come up with some snappy remark right off the cuff. I just said something about the injury and this is better than drugs, which is true.  I'm much happier being able to do a hard workout than being injured doing nothing.   I'm just slow on the uptake with witty remarks.

The garden is finally holding it's ground.  I actually had enough  kale, romaine lettuce, zucchini and yellow squash to actually use in a meal. Here's what I did with the yellow squash: 

Pizza on a store-bought crust with yellow squash from my garden, vidalia onion, garlic, buffalo mozzarella cheese, reduced fat  feta cheese, and red sauce.

My sister's eldest son has been busy over the past 6 years or so.  He started out in the Marines but was injured at boot camp with a hip fracture and received a medical discharge.  Since being in the Marines was no longer an option he went to college with the focus of becoming a lawyer.  He earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science, did well on the LSATS,  was looking ahead to law school, and was hired to work at a prominent law firm in Chicago.  After working a year at the law firm he realized he wasn't truly happy with his career choice.  He wanted to become a lawyer to make a difference, but it wasn't working out that way, at least in his eyes, since the law firm dealt with foreclosures. He quit his job at the law firm and enrolled in a culinary arts school in Chicago.  A few months ago he graduated from the culinary arts school as a pastry chef, had a job at a golf club as the main pastry chef, and was recently hand picked by Disney Orlando for a paid internship program, assigned to a restaurant at Epcot Center.  Disney is also covering his living accommodations -- he shares a place with three other guys, plus he has unlimited access to all Disney parks.  Needless to say, he's extremely happy, and now he feels that his possibilities are endless.  He did a complete about-face.  I know it surprised  my sister and her husband, since they footed the bill for college, but they also want their children to be happy.   I'm thrilled for my nephew because it isn't too often that your career makes you truly happy.


Wednesday's Song:
Fresh - Kool & The Gang

PEACE


*This is how the workout was written:
10 minutes warm up.
Intervals - numbers are the minutes, first number fast pace, second number moderate pace:
1/2, 2/2,3/2, 3/2, 4/2, 3/2, 2/2, 1/2
10 minute cool down

Cherry, Cherry

Product Review

About a month ago, a rep from Cheribundi contacted me to review their juices. I was more than happy to oblige, and she sent me 4 bottles of cherry juice to try.

This is what I received:
Two regular, one lower calorie and one with protein.

This all-natural juice is cherry intense! I like intense flavors, and the tart cherry just bowled me over. It has the consistency of pomegranate juice, yet has a more powerful flavor. I never drank an entire 8 ounce bottle in one sitting, maybe I would drink just half of it or mix it in with lemonade or limeade. The "Tru Cherry" and "Skinny Cherry" versions would probably make good bar mixers for a cherry martini, cherry mimosa or just mixed with soda water and a lime wedge for a refreshing non-alcoholic spritzer.

Cheribuni offered three versions. The "Whey Cherry" has 8 grams of protein, but I'm allergic to whey protein. I was able to taste it without any major consequences, but Hubs drank the rest of it. He must have liked it because it went down fast. The added protein made the juice a little thicker, but not by much. The "Skinny Cherry" version was a little milder in flavor, and is only 90 calories, compared to the 130 calories of the "Tru Cherry." The "Tru Cherry" was true cherry, in your face, knock your socks off flavor.

I would purchase Cheribundi on my own, as I really do like the extreme cherry flavor, but I would experiment mixing it with other fruit juices or drinks, or recipes, such as some sort of marinades, sauces or syrups.*

PS...
It's good for you, too, packed with antioxidants and is a great source of potassium.

Yesterday's Song:
Through My Eyes - Phil Collins

PEACE

*Ooooh, cherry syrup over waffles... Must . Have . Waffles.

Miles In These Shoes

I'm still busy not running.

Yesterday I attended an outing with my office gang. It seemed fitting that we would have dinner at PF Changs for Oriental-ish cuisine, seeing how it was Cinco De Mayo.* Actually, it was a birthday/good-bye party for a coworker, and PF Chang's was her choice since she can easily navigate around the menu with her allergies -- Mexican cuisine, not so much, especially if it's typical tourist food. Since I work on call and haven't been needed lately, it was a grand opportunity to catch up with everyone as best as possible.** Long tables don't lend to conversation with everyone, just with the people across or to the sides. I still had a wonderful time listening to coworkers plans for the summer and filled them in about my fun at Costco and a broken foot.

Since PF Chang's is at a mall, after dinner I visited Macy's to check out some Fit Flops. They have a thick sole and are relatively light, and they would beat wearing that blue boot with the velcro or the Frankenstein boot. Don't tell my doctor. They had quite a selection of Fit Flops, just not in my size. I did find one pair. This is what I ended up with:

Bling!

Yep. White with gold sequins. Not quite my style, but they beat the ortho boots, hands down. I was kind of looking for something neutral that I could wear in the garden and not worry too much if they got dirty. They're actually not too bad, and with a pair of jeans they're not all that glitzy. Too bad they weren't red sequins and then I could of had a Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz moment.

There's no place like home, or nothing like being injury free.

I wore the Fit Flops home. Hubs noticed them right away and said, "are those the shoes that make your ass big?" I responded with,"no, they're supposed to make it tight." He came back with, "yeah, make your ass big." *GAH!* He's an ass man. What else is there to say? Any way, the Fit Flops are very comfortable and do not bother my messed up foot. As far as the workout aspect of these shoes, I really can't tell much of a difference. Time will tell, I suppose.

My next doctor's appointment is in two weeks. I better see some progress on those x-rays, or I'm really going to have a moment in the doctor's office, and not a good moment. I am so over this.

Yesterday' Song:
Shine Through - Elton John

PEACE

*Cinco De Mayo really isn't a true Mexican holiday, but it sure is a good excuse for a damn good party.

** It makes me miss being at the office on a more regular basis. I keep checking to see if they need me, but they have been fortunate with a solid group of people. There was a time that I was called in just about every other week because someone would flake out and not show up for work, quit without notice, or be so inept that they would be asked to leave. Some people just don't live up to their resumes.

Waiting In The Weeds

PROGRESS REPORT. Sort of.

I set foot in Trader Joe's. I was guarding my foot so no one would step on it or ride over it with their carts, but TJ's has dinky little shopping carts and most of their wares and food items aren't that heavy, and there was nothing to worry about. I did go sans ortho-boot so I could wear my new orthotics. Sure, this really isn't earth shattering news, but I haven't really gone to the store since the Costco incident. I did go to Target once, but with that ortho-boot, and my ankle hurt something fierce afterward, and it's not my ankle that was injured. This time was rather uneventful, other than the timing, which was when hoards of college and high school students began to take their lunch breaks.

My skin IS breaking out in a itchy rash around the nape of my neck and around my left collar bone. I can't figure this one out, so it's back to selective food elimination. I can't think of what's causing the itchiness, since I haven't tried anything new with food, soaps, lotions, etc., or have done anything differently, but I've found that allergies come and go. Now I get to play food detective.

Gardening is in swing, and I should have a full garden in about a month. Snails or gophers ate some of my marigolds and zinnia seedlings, and I'm having to start all over with those. I knocked out some tall weeds and tilled a large section of the garden area by myself*. My vegetable seedlings are still separate, as I started those in small pots and used K-Cups. Those are doing well, so far. Corn was a bust, as none of the seeds germinated, but the seeds were from last year's seed batch. I'll start over with a new corn seed packet in about a week. Planted in the garden area are a row of strawberries transplanted from another section in the yard - last year's plantings, rosemary, jalapenos and poblano chilies.

Some of my babies.

I enjoy gardening, but I just don't get the same adrenaline rush from gardening as I do from running. Unless I'm tearing up soil with a hoe and pick ax, there's no adrenaline. Gardening tends to be a "Zen" type of thing, and I suppose it can be therapeutic and calming, but I need my running fix. I've also realized that I put all of my eggs in one basket with the running. Many people have suggested triathlons, but I'm not quite at that point in my head. I have the ability, I'm just need to be 100% on board with the idea, and I'm not right now. Maybe later. I need to figure out some sort of activity that gives me the same rush that running does, which does not require feet.

The San Diego Rock 'N' Roll Marathon/Half Marathon is looming with about one more month to go. Hubs did an 18 miler last weekend, but has just discovered that he has plantar fasciitis. I have to get on him about stretching and icing the foot, since he complains about it, but does nothing to remedy the situation. He's thinking about switching over to the half marathon. I'm encouraging him to stick with the whole. He's put in the miles already. I'm (mentally) set for the half. It concerns me that I haven't been able to do ANY training, but it will be around that time when I'll be able to at least walk/jog 13.1 miles. Unless there's some miracle, it will be my slowest half marathon ever, but I'm OK with that. Just being able to participate makes me very happy.

Thursday's Song:
Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of - U2 - Run-DMZ

PEACE

PS
May the 4th be with you!

*The dog supervised.

Life is Beautiful

Since I'm busy not running, I've been doing a lot of gardening. I did manage to start some vegetable seeds, plant some flowers, pull TONS of weeds, and turn over the soil. It's the turning over the soil part that's giving me the best workout, but it's a lot of work. I just strap on the "Frankenstein" boot** and go. I have a huge backyard and I feel like I've barely put a dent in things. Gardening is not a weekend project in my yard. It's probably about a 4 month project, especially since things went by the wayside. I've also become acquainted with a few bugs I've never seen before, like this one:

Potato Bug or Jerusalem Cricket

I've lived in Southern California forever and haven't seen these bugs until recently. I shot that picture and posted it on Facebook just to find out what it was. I tried looking for it on the internet, but there are only a zillion bugs in the world, maybe more. My FB friends gave me the info.*

Last Saturday, Evan came up with this outfit, and I felt it was worth a picture, but he would only have his picture taken if he could show off the marble he found in his room:

Yes, he has a unique sense of fashion...

Here's the marble, which is now lost inside his Great Grandma's piano.

I've also been faithfully tracking calories, which is helping to prevent weight gain. This week I'm working on getting in more protein, which is tough since I had relied on ready to drink protein shakes. I didn't have to think about it, they were ready to go, no blenders or mess. The last one I used was Muscle Milk, which is lactose free, but for some weird reason my system no longer likes it. I'm itchy right after drinking a serving. I'll probably go back to soy protein, but it would be even better if I could find a decent one that tastes good, is an RTD, and cheap. I'm trying to keep foods as natural as possible, but sometimes an RTD is good to have on hand in a pinch. Suggestions are welcome!

Friday's Song:
Life in Technicolor - Coldplay

PEACE

** AKA: The ginormous overkill boot they gave me in orthopedics. I might as well use it for something!
*Justifying that Facebook is not a total time suck.

Life in Technicolor

This Week's Recap:

1. Taxes - Done, and with several hours to spare! Woohoo! Paid some to Federal, getting some back from State.

2. Healing - Still in progress. 4 more weeks, I hope. Still using the bone stimulator.

3. Doctor's/orthopedics visits and Rehab United - Back to both in two weeks.

4. Marathon - Switched to the half. See #2.

5. House - Clean. I had someone else clean it.

6. Work outs - A lot of upper body bands stuff, push-ups, abs work, plus some squat matrices within reason.

7. Nutrition - Back to tracking. Trying to stay with in 1500 calories per day so I don't turn into an Oompa Loompa due to the lack of running. Will fine tune the macros later. Calories first.

8. Sugar Free Jello - A lifesaver.

9. Muscle Milk - No longer works for me. I broke out immediately, even though it's lactose free. *sigh* Back to square one and soy protein.

10. Daytime TV - Still sucks.

11. Dreams - Been having some weird ones. I had a dream I was a shopping at Macy's in Chicago, went to the top floor, but could only get to the first floor by getting on a water slide. In another dream my PT Bryan carried me across a football field while I was sitting in a Igloo ice chest. The crazy thing is that I've stopped taking pain meds 2 weeks ago, so I can't use the drug excuse. Analyze if you wish, but on the surface it seems I have travel issues, but how in the heck did I end up in an Igloo ice chest?

Yeah, I look *just* like this when I sleep. *cough*

12. Lentil stew with brown rice and warm, crusty bread - It's what's for dinner.

Wednesday's Song:
Winner - Justin Timberlake

PEACE

Same Ol' Situation

Not running is really messing with my blogging and Daily Mile updates. It's more of not being as mobile which throwing things off. I'm attempting to keep busy with in reason, but when you're used to doing certain things as a part of your daily life it puts a kink on the chain of daily events to not do THAT thing, and running is that thing for me. Yes, this is a temporary situation, and I hope I'll be back to doing some sort of running and training in less than three weeks.

Gardening has been the activity of choice these days. It really isn't the fun part of gardening, yet, it's the prep part, like pulling weeds and digging up the dirt with a pick ax*. I have a big back yard, but it has gone by the wayside since May 2008 when I had the hip fracture and surgery. There's no problem with the lawn, that gets mowed and trimmed regularly. It's the planter and garden areas that have become unruly. Those areas were sort of my thing, and when I could no longer squat and easily get up and down after surgery, gardening was out of the question. When my grandparents were around, gardening was a serious thing. They planted just about everything, apricots to zucchini. The garden area was beautiful and always lush. They also had a beautiful array of of flowers growing, no matter what the season. It seemed like the Land of Oz to me when I was a kid because the yard was so pristine and colorful. I've told this story before, so I won't recap it, but I'm back on the gardening thing, perhaps not with the same verve my grandparents had, but at least it will be less unruly. Hubs and I thought putting in a lap pool(fire pit, new patio, granny flat/office, etc...) would solve most of the gardening issue, and it would, but maybe when the economy turns around and we actually have funds for something like that. Meanwhile, it's just me, a shovel, and some seeds.

Photo from May 2005- Currently looks about the same - Sad, I know....

Hubs celebrated a birthday on Wednesday. Since it was a work/school day, and everyone's schedules were all over the place, it was just Hubs, the kid and me celebrating. The three of us went out for sushi at the neighborhood place just blocks away, then we came home for cake.

I swear, I do have some mad cake decorating skilz and a degree in Art, I even own special cake decorating tips, paint brushes and gear, but that would have required a trip to the store, and I wanted to use what I had on hand. I made a cake from the Cooking Light cookbook , "Old Fashioned Caramel Layer Cake," decorated with fridge magnets and an Ikea tea-light candle.

OK, not my finest moment in artistic creation, I'll never work for Ace of Cakes, but the cake was delicious.

"Happy Birthday dear Papa..."

Thursday I attended a "Pants and Pinot" party at AKA Alice's home. Her sister brought over a really great inventory of jeans, tops, dresses and accessories. There was also a friend who was buying gold jewelry on the spot, but I didn't think ahead of time to look through my jewelry for things to sell. I wasn't planning on drinking wine (the allergy thing) and planning on buying just one pair of jeans. It has been AGES since I've had a decent red wine, but a certified wine snob told me that my best option for wine would be pinot noir** (less likely to have a reaction, not sure why) so I indulged in a glass of wine. I keep trying because I really miss red wines, and it's a crap-shoot with the taste of organic wines which don't warrant an allergic reaction. After a glass of wine and some really good nibbles of food, I was really relaxed, took a look at the awesome selection of jeans. I grabbed a few pairs to try on , just thinking I would purchase just one, but I also found a pair of jeans with my name on them. I rarely run into anyone who has my same name, unless they're 80+ years old, and to find my name on a pair of white jeans was just hysterical. Amazingly, the jeans fit well, so I had to purchase those in addition to the one pair I was already planning to buy. Score! This was a very smart retail event -- Alcohol and shopping. Fun for the guests and a major score for the retailer with all of those relaxed shoppers. I also saw some of the herd at the party. The funny thing is that we looked so different from our running selves, that we were not readily recognizable. One of the Heffers, Betty, walked right past me and said she didn't recognize me with my hair down, and I didn't recognize her when she walked past me - she had just come from work. We're used to seeing each other in running garb, all sweaty and dusty.

Oh, by the way, AKA Alice puts on a really good party. :)

Tomorrow is the Carlsbad 5000. I'm still not able to participate. I was hoping I'd be able to at least walk it by now, but I'm not there yet. I will be attending since Hubs and my friend Rich will be running, plus the Herd, RU buddies, and track club friends. *sigh* I'll bring the big ass camera and take pics. This so sucks not being able to run this one since the timing is chipped, and it's a 5k. Next year I'll be all over this one.

Wednesday's Song:
It Amazes Me - Tony Bennett

PEACE

*I really need to get a roto-tiller.
**Bummer. I still broke out, but it was so good!

Spring

Since I'm out of the run for a month +, I took pictures of the runners and scenery at today's 2 hour marathon pace run, at Hospitality Point.

Just after 7 AM, anxiously waiting to start the clock.

Lone runner, heading into the sunrise.

A beautiful Spring day in San Diego.

Michael and Tara encouraging each other.

Since I couldn't run today, I invited my friend Rich to run in my place. He had a really good run, and did about a half marathon distance in about 1:50!

AKA Alice looking strong, and managed to hand off a couple of bandaids to me (while running) for Michael, who was plagued with blisters.

Other stuff:

This foot injury is annoying. I know, that goes without saying, but last night I had a mini meltdown because, well, it hurt so much. I think I normally handle pain OK, do a lot of breathing techniques and do the R.I.C.E. thing. It's the freekin' little boot that's making me hurt. It makes my entire foot want to go flat, since the inside of the boot is as flat as a board, and I have super high arches. I realize I need to keep the foot stable, but I sort of feel like it's defeating the purpose, since it's causing me pain elsewhere. Orthopedics also gave me a big black "Frankenstein" boot with 8 giant Velcro straps that goes almost up to my knee. They gave that to me for even more stability if needed, but it's sort of overkill. I put in a call to my doctor's office today for some pain meds. I know I was pretty happy not needing pain meds at the start, but after a full day of wearing that short bootie, my entire foot, ankle and parts of my leg really hurt. Thank goodness they OKed an Rx for Darvocet. The hubs is picking that up tonight. *sigh of relief* Today I wore my old Pearl Izumis, which offered plenty of support, and I didn't feel like crying after spending the morning with the track club. I also iced the foot and sat with it up for a long while once we returned home.

Since this injury I've been eating crap. The healthy lifestyle I've been adhering to for the past 10 years has flown out the window. It's not a emotional issue, it's just that crap food is what everyone is bringing home since I don't feel like making meals at the moment. Meh. I've had my share of burgers, high carb, high sugar foods, nothing super healthy. I'll get back on the bandwagon again, in about a week.

AKA Alice reminded me about the Nike 2010 Women's Marathon & Half Marathon sign-ups. I received the e-mail reminder from Nike, but that was about the time I found out about my foot, and my mind wasn't all there. I'm gong to attempt AGAIN to get into the half marathon. I've only gotten in once, in 2007, and have tried every year since then to get back in. Maybe this is the year? I hope so.

Wednesday's Song:
Give Peace a Chance - John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band

PEACE

Pretty Persuasion

Saturday's Song:
Pocketful of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield - Run-DMZ

PEACE

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

Wordless Wednesday





Monday's Song:
Start Me Up - Rolling Stones - Miss Rachel

PEACE

Come Away With Me

IXTAPA/ZIHUANTANEJO, MEXICO, WEDDING TRIP/MINI VACATION, NUMERO UNO

I really wanted to get this entire trip recap in one blog post, but I made the mistake of using my husband's camera for most of the trip. He took the camera to work. GAH!

For some weird reason we couldn't get flights from San Diego into Mexico. Most of the flights went north to either Los Angeles, San Francisco, or even Phoenix, Az and Seattle, Wa. Really. San Diego is a border town. It seemed ridiculous to drive 2 hours to Los Angeles, so we opted for a short 20 minute drive to a friend's house, then another short 15 minute drive across the border to fly out of Tijuana. Easy. Smooth flights, little to no turbulence, no problems. No pilots slacking on laptops overshooting the destination...

We had one short layover in Mexico City. We had no time to leave the airport or explore the city, but the airport was ginormous. It reminded me of a Legos building...

Benito Juarez International Airport

Arriving at the little Ixtapa airport, greeted by the tropical foliage and 90+ degrees and humid weather, was the beginning of vacation mode.

"Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore..."

We took a taxi to Las Brisas Hotel. Each room has a view of the ocean. Here's a shot looking out to the patio of our room . I would have slept in that patio hammock all night if it weren't for the insects, iguanas, coati and other unusual jungle critters...

¡Cómo es escénico!

At our first evening at the hotel, we joined the parents of the groom at the hotel lobby lounge for happy hour.

Consumición de los cacahuetes en la barra de hotel.

Happy hour offered two drinks for the price of one, but they'd bring out the two drinks at one time. These margaritas were loaded, made from scratch, and not the syrupy sweet mixes you get in the states at chain restaurants. These were wicked.

¡Aclamaciones! My Spanish speaking skills were MUY BUENO after these.

What is it that they say about good intentions? I had intended to run, either at the hotel gym or somewhere, but after a few times up and down this set of stairs at the hotel, I figured I was good to go. My GPS didn't pick up a signal at all and it was too hot and humid to wear socks and shoes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Stairway to heaven... or at least the hotel lobby.

Sure, we were there for a wedding and to visit with people, but we also spent a lot of time doing this:

My husband is one of those dots out in the water. Yes, I did join him to body surf every time we went out.

We bought Gatorade while there, in Ixtapa, thinking that it was the standard yellow lemon/lime flavor. Little did we know it was mango flavored until we had a swig of it and THEN read the label.

¿Mango? ¿Quién sabía?

Más a seguir...

Last Wednesday's song:
Mexico - James Taylor - Pat's Running Blog - Nine Oh Nine

PEACE

Penny For Your Thoughts

...It's more like my two cents

Miscellaneous blab:

Summer has finally arrived in Southern California and we're all complaining how hot it is! I know we're rather spoiled here, but guess what? It is hot! When it gets into the 90s on the coast, which is usually the coolest place to be, it's in the 100s everywhere else. I sought refuge in the air conditioned gym to do my "track" workout*.

Brief gym rant:
To the woman next to me on the treadmill at the gym: Get off your damn cell phone! Even with an iPod plugged into my ears and Nickleback's "Burn It To The Ground" is blasting away, I can still hear your conversation! ("But I love you more... but I love you even more... but I love you more than that"...) PS: Ease up on dousing your entire body in vanilla scented cologne. I wanted to pass out. After my 10 minute warm up on the treadmill next to vanilla cell phone diva, I switched to another treadmill.

I would like to see more run events with chipped timing. After the 4 mile Fire Run on Sunday, I turned off my GPS after I made it out of the finishing corrals, giving me extra time and distance, and it came out to about a 9:02 minute mile. Technically, I finished under a 9 minute mile, probably about an 8:55 minute mile. When the results were first posted I was given a 9:06 minute mile. I just rechecked my results and I now have a 9:07 minute mile finishing at 36:25. I know it's a few seconds, but when you're looking for PR's and improvements every second counts. I think I've blogged about this before, but with so many more people running, the margin for error in manual time recording goes up. Can someone explain to me how much more complicated is it to come into the here and now and have all races chipped? If it's expense, I'd love to be given the option to have a timing chip and pay a few extra bucks for it.

I have an appointment with radiology and my endocrinologist scheduled for next month. These appointments include a DEXA scan (bone density testing) and a mammogram. I'm not quite sure if the endocrinologist is going to order more follow up tests, as he did last year. Good times ahead...

Popsicles, lemonade, and Propel are being inhaled at an alarming rate my house as I type...

Cupcakes. I need to hit up a bakery. There's no way I'm baking anything right now. I just want one and I'll be fine. It just takes one to get the craving out of my sytem.

Photo from Women's Day

My friend Rich, the guy who ran with me at the Fire Run 4 miler, has been seen at my blog before. A few years ago I made him a pirate (Jack Sparrow) costume coat:


My brother will be in town for a few days. I've invited him to run with us and the track club on Saturday morning. It should be interesting. He's one of those uber fast types with a whole lot of energy.

Mel of Tall Mom On The Run is having a giveaway for her 200th blogpost. The swag is a Pearl Izumi running shorts. Go on over and enter and please mention that I (Irene of Magazine Smiles) sent you!

Sunday's song:
Like A Virgin - Madonna - Barbie2be

PEACE

*It was too hot to run outside on an actual track, so I used the virtual track on the computer readout of the treadmill instead.

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere

Well, now...

I've been a tad busy since about Thursday. Thursday there really wasn't much to discuss other than I ended up with food poisoning from a fish place we went to after an industry/vendor thing for my husband. I'm thinking it was the tuna tartar that did me in. I'm kinda thinking it wasn't supposed to be served at room temperature. I was up all night and in the restroom about every couple of hours, had to cancel my chiropractor appointment on Friday morning at 8 AM , and got in more sleep until about 10:30 AM Friday morning. Good times. I was a bit concerned because we had a dinner/show/room thing planned FRIDAY EVENING at 5:00 PM. Yikes. With a Pop Tart (I know, but that's what I could deal with) , Chicken & Stars soup and a couple of pretzles, I was OK, and by the time dinner rolled around I was ravenous. Thank goodness.

The dinner/show/room package was for Jim Gaffigan at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay. Ever since the one time we did the dinner/room/show pacakage, we always plan to attend another show the following year. Last year was Robert Plant & Allison Krauss. The year before it was Heart. This year we were looking for a music group or singer, but the shows that we were interested in sold out quickly, and there were good seats still available for Jim Gaffigan. It was a great choice. After a fabulous dinner and dessert, we sauntered* out to the venue. I'm not sure why, but we ended up with third row, center seats. (I just asked for best availabe, and we didn't even get the uber package.) Gaffigan was hysterical without being raunchy or using curse words. A lot of people brought their kids, which was different, but nice that you could bring your kids to see a comedian. He had a lot of new material, but also went into the "bacon" and "Hot Pockets" routines he is know for. It was so much fun. We laughed to the point of crying. We were lauging at other people laughing. We finished off the evening at the bar while listnening to a blues band and then called it a night. We were done.

Saturday morining we woke up kind of late, about 8:30AM, which means we missed the 8 mile run event out at Balboa Park, but we weren't in condition to run. You can't call a Grey Goose martini and two vodka tonics carb loading. I don't even think there's a carb there, unless you count the olives. I don't normally drink that much in one week, let alone one evening, which explains the late wake up time. Once we got ourselves together, we wandered around Point Loma for a breakfast haunt. We ended up at the Red Sails Inn. Service was so fast it was almost scary, but impressive. It's a place to return to, for sure.

Still waking up! I can't even muster a cheesy smile yet!

Once we had our breakfast and felt more awake, we went walking around, but didn't get too far because we found a place that sells a lot of European and organic wines. I just about did a happy dance because I've had a really hard time finding organic wines that taste good, and most European wines are organic, although they aren't classified as such. I'm extremely sensitive to the sulfates in most non-organic American wines -- I break out in an itchy, dry, rash (excema), and it really bites. I've been missing a lot of my favorite wines. We came out of there with 4 bottles, three from Europe and one from Argentina. I plan on saving those for another weekend. -- I'm not quite ready just now.

We ended up going back to the hotel to soak in whatever time we had left, asked for a late check out, and spent a few hours at the pool area. While we were there, the cabana bar had opened... Gee, a couple of Coronas and lime sounded really good with a plate of calamari, especially sitting poolside... It felt like a vacation, we might as well take advantage of it.


While we were enjoying drinks, we started looking around at the pool area. I kept saying "this is how I would like our backyard to look, but on a MUCH smaller scale."

No lawn to mow. Then after the second Corona, we decided it would be a good idea to install a running track around our backyard, made out of that cushy stuff they use on high school and college tracks. Then we decided it could be a multi-purpose track so that our grandson could ride his bike around it and also have a place to use his remote control cars. Luckily, we stopped after two Coronas; heaven knows what else we would have decided to do with our backyard.

Wednesday's song:
Reebok Tacos** - eCID

PEACE

*Waddled

**"I rock Nike socks with Reebox."