"It's not starting over...

It's starting stronger."  Yeah, that's what I kept telling myself as I went through my pre-run ritual.  Sunscreen, hair clip, tight capris, tight race shirt, socks, shoes, heart rate strap and watch.  I didn't want to get too excited, I didn't know what I'd do if my third try failed.  I'd die, that's what would happen.  Maybe not that dramatic, but I'd be angry and bitchy for weeks.

Anyway, here it is.  It's only a mile but it was a beautiful hot one!  All I kept thinking was how much I had missed it.  Not even the heat could make me stop.

Pure happiness.

My mother tagged along with the kids in the stroller.  They walked around the park while I prayed in my head for my knee to stay quiet.  So far so good!  I warmed up with almost 3/4 of a mile and ran at an easy pace.  We then walked back and I came home to stretch.  A real stretch, 30-60 seconds per move on each leg.  I think it's a good step forward!

I don't know if we're ready (the knee and I) to start an actual training program again.  The race in December is not an issue, it won't be the last race and I know I won't come in first place anyway so there's no worries.  I'm just happy I can wake up early for a reason again!!!!  I could not be happier.

Strength training moves for my knee tomorrow.  Maybe I'll run again in two days.  I don't want to anger the knee.  And maybe I shouldn't celebrate until tomorrow if there's no knee pain during the night or later on... I pray there won't be.

Duckies!

I made it to BodyPump, I wanted to celebrate that seeing that today wasn't such a great day.  Long story short, anxiety is and will never be my friend.  It's ok, I can deal with it as long as I take long walks (or RUNS) and do some type of other activity.  Anxiety attacks aren't great and I feel for e/one else who deals with them.  There, anxiety can go suck it.

I walked with my mom and my Little Bear passed out.  She had been feeling sick (still!) or something or another.  She was not a pleasant child to be around today!  Goodness, I hope she feels better.  She barely ate until my mother came and made me look like I never feed her.  Always.

Pictures from today's walk:

Staring at the clouds instead of looking at Garmin to not look crazy.

There's a lake facing our complex so there's always hungry ducks around.  For a while, there were a bunch of duckies quacking and begging for food, then they disappeared.  At the same time.  My mom and I thought someone had eaten them.  Who knows, there's crazy people everywhere.  Anyway, we found them today!

I guess they're smart and stay around where the food's at for free.

My mom counted 14 duckies and one faithful duck mom.  She was watching us and threatening to attack.  My mother and I are afraid of bigger-than-cats birds.  A goose attacked and chased my mother once, I just hate their little icky feet.  And eyes.  Their eyes can see through your soul.

No kidding.

We finished and came home to give the kids a bath and feed them dinner.  I felt like a mother duck.  Both fell asleep without a peep (lol) and I am now getting ready to go to sleep while batting Olivia the Kitten away from the laptop screen.  She doesn't get it.

Wore knee band.  No pain!

I have a date with the elliptical on Sunday, I am very excited to try out some real cardio again!

Another mile and no pain.

Had to deposit some money at the credit union before business hours so I woke up at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m.  Yes, there was no BodyPump for me at 5:00 a.m., and no, I don't regret it.  I am just not a morning person and will never be.  I got back home and instead of making all the noise I could while trying to be quiet, I left for a quick walk.

Enjoyed some sun while my phone died.

There were a lot of pictures to be taken, but my phone died and the camera was dead (and at home).  I never promised great pictures.  I had the knee band on and regretted not buying the one with a little more fabric, sweat on the pressure tube made it move around a little too much for my comfort.  I'm not totally ok with having some plastic tube press on a tendon.  It creeps me out.

Food was all over the place again, having no cardio doesn't motivate me to eat all the healthy stuff in the pantry and fridge.  We are also out of almond butter (main source of sweetness in diet) so when people bring over more enchiladas, I have one.

I had three cups of coffee today, one isn't pictured because it's just hard to stay awake when you stop sleeping regular hours.  I took a nap right after I finished my second cup.  It was a very nice and quiet nap.  Olivia, our kitten, woke me up with a nose kiss.

It seems I won't be going to bed early, the Gummy Bear is awake and playing with Olivia.  They're having a lot of fun but I need some rest or I may just snap and run away.  I'm trying overnight oats with chia seeds in the jar for breakfast tomorrow.  We shall see how much they're enjoyed, the husband will be the second judge.  I'm thinking about breakfast because it's 12:17 a.m. and it just seems we are not sleeping at all.

I'm meeting my mom at the gym tomorrow for BodyPump at a normal time, 11:00 a.m. is regular-people-time.  I miss running and running is the only reason why anyone should be awake before the sun.

Painless walk.

We take our bodies for granted.  I remember begging my husband to walk the dog when we lived on the third floor.  I used to be so lazy, I used to hate going up the stairs when we had groceries.  And now I'm complaining about not being able to walk.  Well done, life.  Well done.  I get the irony of it all.

But not today, I won't.  I don't get to complain, see here:

Today I celebrate freedom from pain!

I took a short walk with my mother today, it was unplanned and she was wearing the wrong shoes.  The weather was great, a little breeze, a little shade.  We walked around the apartment complex with the double stroller and both of my kids hated me for taking them away from the A/C.  They can suck it, they need to learn to be active adults.  They're under 3 years old, they've got a long way to go.

I wore my knee band during the walk to get used to the feeling of it, I don't know if it helped.  Maybe it's all the resting I've been doing but my knee didn't hurt when we got back.  It still doesn't hurt.  I iced it right after.  I also did a series of strengthening exercises for my knee, foam rolled and stretched.  I'm doing alright, right?

Right.  Tomorrow at 5:00 a.m., BodyPump.  I'll have to wake up at 4:30 to get there in time.  Goodness, I miss running so much.

Do Life Tour 2012 - Race Recap

Race: Do Life Tour 2012
Date: Saturday, June 30 @ 10:30 a.m.
Distance: 5K (2.89 mi by my count)
Time: 35:01
Average Pace: 12:09 min/mi
Course:

I'd always wanted to run there!

Man.  Oh, man.  I've really done it now, my knee is out of commission.  It's not even wanting to walk (the little f*cker!) or be shy like the other one and not bother me during the day.  Patellar Tendonitis, it seems, will be my middle name.  I'm icing it as I type, trying to not be too hard on myself for going ahead and doing this race.  I could've walked it!  I could have stopped and warmed-up, but NO.  I was too excited to run again.  *sigh*  As of today, this is the third time I try to write this recap and I've changed my mind, I SHOULD HAVE SKIPPED THE RACE.  Yes, or walked it.  Whatever, my knee is f-ed up.

Enough whining.  I skipped this race last year because I was pregnant and it was way too hot to even bother driving there.  I also didn't want to drive there by myself, I get lost going outside my apartment.  So, I picked up my newest running buddy and her kiddos, dropped them off at their dad's job and she and I continued to get get lost for another 20 minutes.  Downtown Houston is a PITA, I couldn't live or work there.

DO LIFE!

We got there and signed in after meeting Ben, dad and brother.  They're the first running celebrities I meet, I was nervous.  I kept it together, though.  Very proud!  They asked us to share how much weight we each had lost, I wrote 40.  That's both of my kids combined, crazy.

Cloudy with a chance of tornadoes!

I didn't think it would rain, but it started getting dark quickly.  End-of-the-world dark.  I shared my fear of tornadoes and realized it was a mistake.  You don't talk about the Boogeyman at dark, ok?  It rained as soon as I hit start on my Garmin and off we went.  I told my running buddy how hard core we were and we both smiled.  We were both thinking of lightning, though the trees covered the view.

I thought it was pretty cool that Ben ran with us for a while, it is really nice to connect to people you have just met through running.  There's nothing nicer to share than a good run.  I miss running and it's been only two days.  2!

I was taking it easy!

I thought the rain had messed with the satellites (sounds like something my mom would say) because my watch showed a 9:46 pace... That was our best pace, I forgot to switch to the other display.  D'uh.  We finished in 35 minutes and met up with the rest of the people, I bought a shirt like this one:

Go here to get your own!

I've been so bummed out about my knee I haven't even tried it on.  It's a tech shirt, small, with an awesome running gal on it.  I got it in black because I plan on wearing it around as a normal shirt.  It's hot in Houston!

Random leg picture.

I dropped off my friend and then headed home to ice my knee.  Since then, I have been icing four times a day for 20 minutes each time.  I have also learned to use a towel between ice/skin.  Frostbite's real, people.  I purchased a knee band at Academy today.  I wore it while picking up the mail because I was planning on power walking there.  I had both kids and it was about to rain (false alarm).  I'm not sure how helpful it will be, but at least the little walk didn't hurt me afterwards.

No news so far, just dull ache and no activity but strength training my butt and inner thighs.  Really fun stuff.  I am ready to start walking again, it's like I'm starting all over.  I'm not complaining, just commenting.  Ok... I'm whining.

My Patellar, Your Patellar? We'll find out in 13 weeks.

Ugh, so Garmin is down and I can't upload my race results.  Awesome, Garmin.  

My knee was super while the race took place, we cooled down and while walking to the car, it starting acting out.  Stupid knee.  Well, stupid me.  I found a great article full of useful information at fix-knee-pain.com, and I realize now (again, for the third or fourth time this week) that I overtrained, that I didn't "watch it" or let it rest... yes, yes, I know.  It's my fault.  Question is, how do I fix it?

Well, the article is thorough.  It is exactly what I've been researching for the past 6-7 days.  I've found great inspirational blogs about injuries but nothing about what to do about them.  Sure, there are great "you should've been doing this stretch" topics, but I already fucked it up, ok?  Give me something to do.

This article does.  It goes into detail about a 13-week long (if you do the max recommended weeks per phase) "Anti-knee Tendonitis Program."  I can follow programs (except the one that I didn't while I got injured)!  So, today was day one.  I'm ready to stop running (yes) and start to prepare my knee for real training.  I mean, go big or go home.  Right?  Damn, right.

Phase I is a set of basic steps every new runner (athlete) should follow before doing anything else.  The one thing all articles have agreed on, is that runners get injured because we just don't know.  There are a million things that go on while running, any one of them done over a period of time will take you out.  We are naive and wishful about the wind on our faces, the crunch of gravel under our feet, the better legs... We are all guilty.

The only thing I need to get is a stretchy band that I was hoping to buy anyway, I can find it at a discount store with a little looking around.  I'm really excited about this injury now.  There are a bunch of butt exercises (!) and inner thighs touch ups.  It'll be a good 13 weeks, I say.

Food was all over the place today because we are out of food.  My husband did a quick run to the store to get what the kids needed to survive for another day (diapers, wipes, juice, milk) but my job was to cook a meal for two with frozen meat and a box of salad.  Done and doner.

 I'm not posting pictures today, the Gummy Bear is crying like there's no tomorrow.

Guns.

I've been doing these two videos on my week off running to strengthen my chicken arms.  Wings.  Whatever.  I've always had thin wrists but my biceps/triceps are regular sized, it makes me look funny.  They're only 10 minutes each and the instructors give really good secrets about each workout.  I like that you can use lighter weights and switch.


And this one:

I followed it by Sparkpeople's 15-min ab workout that I did the other day.  My arms feel wobbly, I'm glad I'm about to go to sleep.

Food today:

Skull coffee cup!

The day started with almond butter/honey toast, an open-faced chicken sandwich with lettuce, avocado and fat free Greek yogurt.  Oh, and coffee.  You can't forget the coffee.

Recipe from YOU: On a Diet

I hadn't had any lentil soup in a while.  I used to cook a soup a week and have it between breakfast and lunch.  It helped me lose weight and saved me on having to look around the kitchen for something to eat.  With two kids, I need all the free time I can get.  Each cup is supposed to be under 100 calories, it was tasty.

We used up the last carrots and GBP in the soup.  Time to
go grocery shopping!

Subway with avocado (from home) and fat free Greek yogurt.  I do like Greek yogurt, why do you ask?

Oatmeal cookies and almond/honey toast.
Oh, and more coffee.

Big salad while visiting with my sister.

Tried new bread recipe, topped with honey.

After workout, MILK.

I need to buy more peanuts, I don't really like almond butter when there's peanut butter around.  It'll do.  We are slowly running out of things in the pantry and fridge.  It's time to go grocery shopping but there are SO MANY people at the store during the weekend.  I'll have to wake up crazy early.

I'm picking up my running buddy tomorrow to do the Do Life Tour 2012!  It's a free 5K and I get to RUN.  I mean, I'll jog.  But inside, I'll be running my butt off.  I don't know if my knee will act up, it could've all been in my imagination.  I hope so!

Just a walk.

What a long day, wasn't it? I woke up later than usual (catching up on sleep) and got cleaning. Well, I fed the bears and then cleaned and cleaned. Sad thing is, the apartment now looks as messy as when I started! Those kids, always finding something to flip over.

Anyway, food and exercise. I took a walk with my mom at 8:00 p.m. because it was finally cool enough to walk outside.  It was short but made a huge difference in my mood.  I'm planning to take another walk with the kids as soon as we get up.  It'll be not so hot, I hope.

First walk since Sunday?  Glad to get out!

There was a freak storm (rained twice, wind was crazy) early in the day and then it went back to oven-hot. I took a picture because I'm trying to add some adventure into my life:

From inside my apartment.  I'm adventurous, not crazy.

Food was alright, getting tired of the same thing but I'm not going grocery shopping tomorrow. I have a date with my weight lifting instructor for BodyPump at 11 a.m. I haven't been there since... last Wednesday? I'm not sure, being inside so much is driving me insane.

Breakfast: coffee, egg sandwich w/avocado and a small apple.

While looking at houses to lease, half an almond butter sandwich.

Chicken strip salad with peanuts, avocado, grapes and queso fresco.
Some baby carrots for crunch.  I'm loving avocado right now.
That's the Gummy Bear jumping in the picture.

Coffee and oatmeal cookies before the hubby goes off to make money.

Leftovers, pasta with veggies and toast.
Greek yogurt, just because.

Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, almonds and Cheerios.

I need a bigger second meal.  I was still hungry.
Almond butter, best-jelly-in-the-world on toast.

After the walk.  Chicken sandwich, Greek yogurt,
pecans, lettuce, avocado, salsa... and cold water.

I'm sleepy and I should take it as a hint that I need to go rest.  It stinks to have to go to sleep right after the silence takes over the apartment.  Both kids had a hard time going to sleep tonight, one's teething and the other one's too happy to go nite-nite.  That's my conclusion, anyway.

Day Three: The End is Near

So, today marks day three of bed rest. I wish. There's a race on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. that I've been waiting for since I missed it last year (pregnant and hot days don't mix) so I'm bummed that I won't be able to run. The good thing is that the whole point of the running tour is to celebrate life and living it in any healthy way possible. At least that's what I got from it so I'm going to walk and jog a little if my knee doesn't mind. We shall see!

Today's meals, I tried to add more veggies (notice the spinach underneath egg). I also made sure to have two servings of fruit, can't miss the fruit!

Morning started with eggs, salsa, and ff Greek yogurt. Coffee, so the world could still spin.

Protein shake that only kept me full for an hour.

Subway and baby carrots, with bread NOT extra crispy.  *sigh* The husband didn't hear my pleas.

Added a small Gala apple because I was craving something sweet.

Something sweet and coffee. Homemade almond butter on homemade bread.

**

Some veggies and pasta, paired with bread and butter. My hubby and daughter stole ate one of my slices.

Went to the $1-store and craved some PB and chocolate cups. Came home and had chocolate milk with almond butter toast topped with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Way better.

Picture at grocery store.  PB and Oreo's... Chocolate-filled Oreo's!

My awesome salad in my awesome new bowl. Peanuts, Greek yogurt, baby carrots, chicken breast, mixed greens, grapes, black pepper and anything else that fit.

One oatmeal cookie because I'd been craving the ones my hubby ate from Subway.

Besides visiting stores and leaving the kids with the husband, I got my hair cut and (FINALLY) my eyebrows waxed. I was sporting a uni-brow, not very lady-like. My new running buddy that I have yet to run with, texted me about the half-marathon coming up next year in January. The organizers sent out an e-mail with a special price available only tomorrow. $55 for a medal and a sweatshirt (I think)? YESSS.


I told her we should form a team, running is better the more people involved. I'm really excited, I was training for a half marathon just because I had always wanted to while pregnant, but I got sidetracked with classes at the gym so maybe it's a good idea to do it now. The way the schedule meant me to do it and not the way I did it. I got injured that way, that way is no good.


Anyway, I finished the day with this video because I am not taking off the week to just eat while my knee buckles down:

It was only 15 minutes long and I did 98% of all the sets! I'm excited, that's huge. I guess all the running, yoga, Zumba and e/thing else really paid off. Tomorrow's arms/chest, then abs on Friday and hopefully, a 5K on Saturday. I'll be praying to the running gods and Saint Sebastian (Patron of Athletes). I'd post a picture of Saint Sebastian but they're pretty gory...

**this post was recovered, ignore the tacky way blogspot edits pasted things!

Run for Wellness 5K Series (June) Race Recap!

Race: Run for Wellness 5K Series (June)
Date: Saturday, June 24 @ 7:00 a.m.
Distance: 5K
Time: 29:27
Average Pace: 9:32 min/mi
Course:

Nice trail, but it's small when the cyclists show up.

I did this one with no music, I just hadn't prepared a good playlist and didn't feel like clicking through the 90 songs I like and somewhat like.  I'm not a music person.  There were a lot more people, close to 125?  It's getting to be a bigger and bigger race every month!  There are more sponsors helping out, I really like this race series.

I was 9 seconds slower (D'oh!) than last month, which is fine because my knee was hurting and it has been a crazy weird week in the work out department.  But damn, 9 seconds!  It's ok, it's ok.  It is ok.  I took more pictures this time around and warmed up for 0.7 mi which I think made a huge difference at the start.  I wasn't trying to get my heart rate up at all, it was a good run.  I have to remember to warm up with a slow run from now on.

...the pictures weren't as great as I thought, LOL.  Here are the few that made the cut.

59 was the best number there.

I didn't participate in the warm-up... too much jumping.  Too early.

It's hard to find the right spot at the startling line!

I always end up too far back, it seems.  I have to pass a lot of people and it's stressful because you're so close to each other.  Ew, sweat!  I'm pleased with today's results, my knee is still bothering me.  I may have to take off a few days and let it do whatever it needs to do.

I met a nice woman who invited me to participate in her group's early morning runs. They start at around 5 a.m. and do 4-5 miles. She said she wanted to do longer runs but her group was stuck at 4 mi. I know the feeling, past 5 mi and there are no running buddies. I liked her! Determined to not let her running affect her mommy duties. Her kids wake up at 6:30 a.m., those are some early risers. Mine wake up at 8:05 on the dot, every morning. Sigh. But on to the recipe.

I made these last night because it'll be a long day and I won't be back in time to feed the Big Bear. I prepared the plate by adding cooked brown rice and fresh broccoli. He'll just have to add some of the strips and heat it all up. There, wife duties done.

My mom makes Milanesa all the time and brings it over. She makes the breading with crushed saltines, fries the coated chicken in oil, and tempts me to run 10 miles the next day. God bless that woman, she can make a meal out of twigs and salt. (No, I didn't get those genes either.)

Heart Healthy Chicken Strips
Serves 4-5

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts, skinless/boneless, sliced into strips

1 medium egg
1 tablespoon fat free milk

1 cup Cheerios (powdered in food processor or crushed with whatever heavy thing you can get--a can works)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Check it

Red and black, always a good combination.

In one small flat bowl, mix the egg and milk together. Whisk until frothy. Place another small flat bowl next to eggy one and add the crushed/powdered Cheerios, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and cumin. Shake until well combined.

Slice your chicken breasts however you like them, I didn't want to spend too much time trying to flip little nugget bites so I made them into strips.

Chicken--dipping.

After washing your hands, use one to dump a few pieces of chicken into the egg mixture. Using the same hand, pick up ONE piece and let some of the extra egg slime off. Just hold it over the bowl, the less liquid, the better the coverage.

Dumped chicken.

With the same hand, drop the chicken into the Cheerio bowl and shake back and forth. Don't touch the chicken yet, just keep shaking the bowl.

Coated chicken.

After the chicken has been completely coated with the dry ingredients, use your other (egg-less) hand to take the chicken out and place it on an extra plate until all pieces are coated and are ready to be cooked.

Oil or no oil?

I used Pam to spray the pan, but you can use whatever oil you like (changes nutritional value). My mom uses canola oil but I don't like having hot oil anywhere near me.

Done!

Brown both sides and cook until... cooked. I usually cover my pan with a lid because I'm afraid of under-cooking the chicken. I'm a newbie. Let the chicken pieces rest on a cooling rack until ready to eat or ready to pack up and throw in the fridge.

I have a thing about breading falling off the chicken so I waited until completely cooled before I put them in an airtight container and then in the fridge. If I'd had more time (and less children) I would've made a nice dipping sauce out of peanut butter, soy sauce, chicken stock and some pepper flakes. But I didn't have time, so the Big Bear will just have to just eat them with ketchup (the American way).