Friday, March 30, 2012

Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (Muffins?)

When I was younger my mom made these AMAZING banana cookies. She would sometimes frost them with butter cream and sometimes not. You really didn't need the frosting, the cookies were great on their own. I've since made them my self and realized that even though there was banana in them and they sound healthy, they really weren't. There was a whole stick or two of Crisco! But I still crave those cookies! I've developed a better and healthier recipe......
Mix the following,
-3/4 cup flour
-3/4 cup whole wheat flour (you can make this with all whole wheat, it's just a bit dense)
-3/4 cup sugar
-1t baking powder
-1/2t baking soda
-1/4t salt
-3tbs ground flax

In a separate bowl mix
-1/2 cup melted butter
-3-4 smashed ripe bananas
-2 large eggs
-splash of vanilla extract

Combine the two bowls till sufficiently mixed and add 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips. The amount of chocolate depends on you. I made mini-muffins and baked them at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes in a greased pan. You can get away from the cooking spray if you use mini-muffin liners. I just didn't have any.


This recipe made about 40 mini-muffins. Calories per muffin was about 70.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

A Bitch?

Maybe. Sophie says I am sometimes. But this is ridiculous! I have a life.

He seems easily upset and offended. I'm not the type for constant reassurance. You ARE wasting my time.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Routine

Edvard Munch, The Scream
I am a master at habit. I have a routine down for days, weeks, and months. Not so much for years, unless you count staying with my parents for a week at Christmas and July 4th. I wake up at roughly the same time every day, arrive at work at 8-8:30, leave around 4:30 and then do various things around my house. Every Saturday I do a long run, shower, go to the market and do all my shopping. Every Sunday I do all my cooking for the week. I eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week. Everything has a place at my house and everything is in their place. I live by my planner. If I lost it my life would go to hell in a hand basket.

And I am currently in HELL!! My life has descended into anarchy and chaos. For the past couple of weeks I never know what I'm going to be eating. If I'm going to get my run in. I have not been swimming for at least 3 weeks. My house is a disaster area. Nothing is where it's supposed to be! I've only ridden my bike twice since I've been sick.

This slow downward spiral began with the cold. Two weekends out of town did not help. My mother wonders why I can't come home for Easter. The answer, because I will die a little more inside if I do not get this train back on the tracks. A trip home will only derail it more.

I did not run Monday. Why? Because I was still recovering from the weekend.
I did nothing yesterday. Why? Because I am lazy.
I have not done my run today. Why? Because it would have been on the treadmill, for which I need my computer and and auxiliary jack hooked up to my speakers, to watch Dexter. The jack was in my car, from the drive to Cinci (which I never used) and I was to lazy to go get it. Mind you, I was fully clothed and ready for the run. But I just crawled back into bed for an hour. I'm still hopeful I'll run after work. 

I can be flexible. But that's for an evening or just moving the long run from Saturday to Sunday. I can not be flexible for months at a time. This ends now. I need to regain control!
My aviator glasses. The Blue Angles are the epitome of control and precision.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Review Week 8, Upcoming Week 9

Last week I got all my runs in except the time trial. Saturdays long run, that I was hoping to be 13-15, ended up being 12. Which is fine. It was what the schedule called for. I blame the hills. And the bridges! In case you didn't know, I was in Cincinnati helping a friend celebrate her wedding. I had a fabulous time and enjoyed seeing all my friends. While there, I stayed in the Mount Adams area and was able to do some great runs.

Fridays 4 miler was in Eden Park, almost directly across from my hotel. It was a beautiful run.
Eden Park


Southgate on left, Purple People on right, Newport  in the center
Saturdays loooooong run took place in downtown Cincinnati, OH and Newport KY. I started off in Mount Adams and ran to downtown, across the Southgate bridge and then through Newport. I came back across the Purple People bridge and then along the river front. I then headed back to Newport on the PP bridge and back again with the Southgate bridge. After 4 bridges I was beat, so I headed back to my hotel. But not before I got lost in downtown. Don't worry, I wasn't lost for long. I recognised the area and knew where I needed to get but could not figure out how to get there. After about 5 minutes, I had it worked out.


A map of my run
I got to cool it for a bit in the pool before I had to head out for photos and the wedding. At the reception hall I realized my quads were not as loose as I'd hoped as I attempted to walk down some stairs in these amazing shoes.
Marc Fisher
This is what's up for next week and Saturday I have a group run planned with a local running club. I'm testing a couple of them out this spring and am hoping to join one of them. I'm a little worried about pacing. I'm not that fast but would love a good challenge, as long as I don't die along the way.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Time I had Coffee With a Toothless "Man"

I want to give you guys another good dating story but I just don't have the time today to remember and tell it with pizzazz! So, you will have to glean it from my texts with friends. (All names and pics have been blacked out to protect the innocent.)
Picture it, Cleveland 2011. A rainy spring day.






He contacted me and wanted to meet up right away (I now know why.) He also wanted to meet at the local park. A lot of guys seem to think this is ok. It's kind of creepy. Anyways, I said no and we agreed on the local Starbucks. I should have turned away!!Oh, he wanted to continue the date but I told him I had stuff to do. We did not speak again.
ps, He was on disability for multiple reasons. One being he tried to "lift" weights and dropped them on himself, tearing some muscles in his shoulder. The dude was seriously 90lbs and could barely lift himself out of his chair.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Review week 7, Upcoming Week 8

Week 8, the time trial is out and did Tuesdays 4 today.


Not me but you get the idea of whats going on on my back/butt!
 I did all my runs except one last week but had to shorten my long run from 15 to 11miles. It was still difficult and I think my endurance took a hit from the cold. The weather has been really nice lately and I've been able to run outside in the mornings with a skirt and either a tank or long sleeved running shirt. Saturday was my first long run in a skirt this season and I expeinced instant chafing! I'm not sure if it was from a lack of adequate Glide sticking or the fact that my water bottle leaked profusely down my butt and legs. Needless to say, I also have chafing along my lower back upper butt area from the rubbing of the hydration pack. It's never happened before, so I'm leaning to it being caused by the leaked water. The leak also hindered my long run in that I only had 3 inches of water instead of the presumed full bottle. I drank a large glass of water and a Sprite zero when I got home (which is NEVER allowed).


My waist hydration pack, except mine is gray and bright green/yellow. Ok, and slightly different but you get the idea.

This weeks long run is supposed to be a fall back to 12 miles with next Saturday at 16. I'm going to try get 13-14 miles in. It might be difficult since I'll be in CINCINNATI for a BFF wedding. I don't have roll call till 2pm so I'm extremely hopeful. Just have to keep Fridays drinking to a minimum!

My Inner Animal

Is this not how everyone "attracts" men?!
THE GREAT WHITE SHARK

"You are often misunderstood. You have somewhat of a standoffish exterior, but underneath it you have a really big heart. You are very powerful and have a keen sense of awareness. You prefer life on the water and would like to spend all your time engaged in water activities."

Inner Animal Quiz-WWF

This is oddly true in almost all contexts!




Friday, March 16, 2012

SPRING!!!!!

I'm so excited you guys!! I ran OUTSIDE this morning in a skirt and a long sleeved tech T. Half way through the run I was ready to strip off the shirt and run in my bra. My run went rather well considering I'm still a little stuffy. My time was back to normal and not the extra 15 minutes I saw on Wednesday. I'm very hopeful that tomorrows 10-15 mile run will go well.

On the dating front.....Last nights date did not happen. Not sure what went wrong but Jason says he "got into something." I'm not really sure what that means. I'm 50/50 on giving him a 3rd at bat. Tired of the whole thing but kind of interested in what the something was. I'll leave it in his court. I might have a 2nd date with a guy named Rob this weekend. Nothing spectacular but nothing hideous either. He is a bit of a talker and sometimes I'm tempted to say "It's quiet time," but at least there's no awkward silences. In the batting lineup is  also Douglas and Barney. Douglas is older, a runner and we have A LOT in common. Barney is younger, a short distance runner but bikes, share common interests but I'm just not sure I'm attracted to him. He is quiet a bit darker than I like my men. EH, we'll see.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

A Clever Title

For the past couple of days this is how I've woken up:
Squished into about 4 inches of my queen size bed. And if you try to move her, she bites!! She might not take up the whole bed but laying in the center prevents me from rolling over and finding the cool spot on the other side.

My run was 3 miles long on the treadmill. 3 miles that should have taken me 33 or so minutes but ended up taking 45-50. Treadmill always takes me longer than outside but that was ridiculous! I did get a good hour long bike ride in.

I have a date tonight with Jason, aka Radio Boy. We'll see what happens. A girls gotta eat.
*Sorry this is such a sucky post. Hopefully, my life will be interesting again in the coming spring.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

AGH!!

Should be "Out Sick this Week"
I'm not going to do my usual Monday post, where I list what I have going for training this week and what I did last week.

I have been sick for a WEEK with an upper respiratory infection. I'm 99% sure it is/was viral.I'm never sure when to work out and when not to when I'm sick. Is it better to rest or sweat it out? This last sickness I mostly felt fine, energetically that is. But breathing was the main issue. I did most of my runs but shorter. Friday was 4 miles instead of 5. Saturday was 8 miles instead of 12, on the treadmill. I tried running outside and the cold air was too much! And the 4 I was supposed to run yesterday never happened. But that's all I did. No swimming. No biking. No weight training.

I'm hoping to get back to my normal training tomorrow with a 4 mile easy run. Should be hills but I don't want to push it.

Here is a good article and a rule of thumb for running when sick.Should you run?

Friday, March 9, 2012

ACCHO!

Hola my friends. It's beautiful outside and I mentally can not wait to get out of work and go run my 5 miles. My lungs may have different ideas. I woke Wednesday with a slight cough but thought nothing of it. I actually did my run and bike that day. Yesterday, however, my chest hurt terribly. Walking up one flight of stairs was a chore and the coughing was worse. I've been throwing everything at it in the hopes that I can keep it contained and minimally disrupt my life. Everything includes orange juice, grapefruit, zicam, tea, cough syrup and rest. I canceled a date last night in favor of trying to head this off. I don't have time to get sick until maybe 3 weeks out but it would be best to hold off till July. I'm feeling slightly better today!

*My cat is not liking me being sick. She runs and hides every time I cough or sneeze.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Dating and Training

I love Juanita! Thanks Bloggess!
With all the holidays behind us dating and training have taken off. It kind of sucks for me, though. My down training time is late fall to late winter. Basically, November to March. I have ample time to be cozy on the couch, hit up the latest and greatest restaurants and catch up on movies. The problem is NO body wants to start dating at this time. You've got Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the dreaded Valentine's Day. And for me, my birthday. The holiday season is fraught with perils. Do you invite them to Thanksgiving dinner? Is Christmas really the right time to spring a racially diverse boyfriend on your racially conservative family? Do you get them a present? Do you want to start the New Year with THIS guy? And Valentine's day? Please!

I get it! But now that Valentine's day is safely behind us the dates have come out of the wood work! I had two first dates this past weekend. And, if I had been motivated I'm sure I could have shoehorned in Radio Boy Jason (currently in Maintenance Mode). Issue, all that time in heels wrecked my long run this weekend. My days now consist of training. Ok, it did previously to this post but I was a little more flexible with it. With races zooming up on me I can't be anymore. My life would be infinitely easier with someone who understands and can partake in my training. I have found a couple recently but the one I'm most interested in has stuck me in Maintenance Mode. It hurts, people. But I won't fight the system. Much.

OH! My point is that just as I'm ratcheting up my training, dating too has ratcheted up! They are directly proportional. Maybe, I'm just hotter?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Review Week 5 and Upcoming Week 6


Week 6
Ugh!! Last week was going so well. I did all my short runs and my hills. I got to the pool at least once and I did 2 bike rides. My problem last week was my long run. Saturday dawned cold and very blustery. 30 mph wind gusts! I, therefore, postponed my run in the hopes that Sunday would be better. It was not. Instead of heading outside for a 10 mile run I did my run on the treadmill. And I only got in 5 miles before my legs gave up. My feet and legs have been sore ever since and I think it even goes back to Friday. I gave myself 2 rest days and will be hitting the hills tomorrow. I need to get this back on track or I won't be ready for my full in May!

I'm not sure if I'll get 12 in this Saturday. I have a lot of things going on this week, like friends in from Cali. But, I'm going to give it a good try!

Friday, March 2, 2012

HALF IRON MAN!!!

I've been sitting on this post for awhile but with radio spots, dating and training, writing it has been on the back burner.

I've officially signed up for the Pocono's Half Iron Man. I'm super excited for it and extremely terrified all at once. This will be the second year that the Iron Man competition has held a triathlon in Stroudsburg, PA. It's a qualifier for the world 1/2 Iron Man championships in Las Vegas and while I don't think my time will be great you never know what could happen.

While shopping around for a 1/2IM  to do I thought the Muncie, IN would be ideal. The problem though, is that I have no idea how these are run and what the set up is. I, therefore, will be volunteering at this 1/2IM to get a feel for the race and to calm my anxiety a little.

The swim will be a wave start; so much nicer then en masse
When I chose my race I knew I wanted something in the fall. It won't be too hot nor too cold. I wanted something about a month after my short distance TRIs and I wanted I freshwater swim. I don't suppose biking and running with a salt crusted body would be all that great. These parameters left me with several options, Branson, MO, Augusta, GA, Austin TX, or Stroudsburg, PA. I ruled out Austin, too far and I didn't want to deal with shipping my bike. The others were a bit of a drive and I honestly could have done any of them. I settled on Stroudsburg simply because it was closest to me. The bike routes were equally hilly in all of them. The run route, although, seemed a more flat in Stroudsburg. And, let's face it, that's when you want go easy. What sold it really was that the swim in Stroudsburg went with the current. I could potentially gain minutes there. POCONO'S it is then!





I will be swimming in the Delaware water gap area
After signing up I discovered that the swim was canceled for the first race due to an elevated river and strong currents. They also then did the bike portion as a time trial and the whole race was extremely short. Well, compared to the 70.3 it was supposed to be. I'm hopeful this year will be a full course and will be prepared to ride the hell out of some hills.

One thing I am sad about is that I will be unable to the Akron Half Marathon. They have the best expo and it's a great race. Plus, it was a measuring stick to see my running progress!