tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84820069284230241162024-03-19T07:23:50.098-05:00Run, Cavegirl, RunLizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-8425362335997499602013-04-19T14:21:00.001-05:002013-04-19T14:21:51.549-05:00And They're Off!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The race is on! The Inaugural Pink Elephants on Parade Virtual 5K race weekend officially begins today and goes through Monday, April 22nd. Of course that's just a time frame in place for registration and to get medals out after - we have already had a few eager beavers complete their mileage already! Grats to them! These beauties will be on their way to you very soon...</div>
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As for me, I'll be running at 9AM on Saturday, April 20th with some local friends through a nearby park before celebrating with circus themed goodies and Dumbo's bathwater refreshments (pink champagne and lemonade - yum!). I hope you have a fun time on your run as well. I would love it if you posted any pre/post/during photos on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/431539093598435/">Facebook Event Page</a>! It'd be a great way to encourage the other 73 folks running with you. :) That's right - we have a total of 74 participants! So exciting.</div>
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While Pink Elephants on Parade already has a larger purpose - raising funds for Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for cancer research and patient services - it's impossible to have a run this week without thinking of Boston. It's hard to fathom such senseless violence against so many innocent people, but the fact that this was a joyful crowd at a celebratory event makes it even more heart-wrenching. The running community has been understandably rife with emotions, but mainly we wish there was something more that we could do in response to this tragedy. Which is so similar to the feelings behind TNT as well.</div>
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<a href="http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/articles/lifestyle/6-ways-and-6-reasons-you-should-commemorate-boston-by-supporting-the-run#.UXFmWbXvty2">An amazing article</a> written by Laura Williams on Girls Gone Sporty breaks down 6 ways (and reasons) we should commemorate Boston. There are plenty of runs out there now in honor of Boston and many folks are also dedicating their regular runs to Boston. So I hope all us Pink Elephants can do the same - keep the families and friends of the runners of the Boston Marathon and the emergency responders and the people of Boston in general in mind during your mileage this week. While the victims heal and law enforcement continues their investigation, we can do our own small part to stand up against terrorism by not allowing it to change us negatively. My favorite quote from Laura's article is "The ultimate act of defiance in the face of fear is to keep on keeping on."</div>
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So keep on, Pink Elephants! And thank you so much for your participation in this 5K!</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-25359988115976172882013-03-28T17:16:00.004-05:002013-04-18T20:40:02.323-05:00Pink Elephants on Parade Virtual 5K<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of the fundraising events I am most excited about for Team in Training is easily the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/431539093598435/">Pink Elephants on Parade Virtual 5K</a>! I had never even heard about Virtual 5K's before and now I think I might be hooked.</div>
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A Virtual 5K basically means that anyone and everyone can join in - on their own time and their own terms. You can run or walk the event whenever and wherever is convenient for you during the time frame of the race. Most organizers tend to give a long weekend window of four days, but I have also seen an event span over a week or even a month. As completion time's cannot be recorded officially, most folks don't even tend to request them, while others will have participants email or submit a form with the information for a fun finisher's certificate. But the best part, as with all races, is the bling! </div>
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And my race will be no different. While the point is for the majority of the registration donations to go toward my fundraising goal, I am still working very hard to make sure everyone has a great experience with this race. I am giddy about getting some spectacularly sparkly pink medals made and putting together my finisher packages. </div>
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Because a major factor in a Virtual 5K's success race is <i>theme</i>. Sure, runners love bling, but it helps if they care about what is on the bling. I was wracking my brain for a good theme that could tie into Disney's Dumbo since I'm training for Disneyland's Dumbo Double Dare. At first I really wanted to do something with Timothy Q. Mouse. That mouse is adorable and most Disney fans already love one famous mouse - I figured he could be a hit! But then, while searching through Dumbo screen caps, inspiration struck - Pink Elephants on Parade! Those crazy elephants from Dumbo's drunken clown juice hallucination. </div>
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But, I don't know about you - those things are the stuff of nightmares in my opinion. I don't know if this was some kind of public service announcement by Disney against drinking or what, but these guys are frightening! A huge part of my excitement regarding all this has been the fabulous original artwork created by my amazing and talented friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArtOfLahela">Lahela Schoessler</a> to overcome this issue. She is a wonderful artist and animator and with her love of Disney she came up with the perfect compromise - the psychedelic power of Dumbo's pink elephants with the cuteness factor of Winnie the Pooh's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heffalump">Heffalumps</a>! Yeah, yeah; ya see it now? GENIUS.</div>
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So here I will house my Race FAQ for anyone interested in signing up or that has already signed up and might have some questions! </div>
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<b>RACE FAQ</b></h3>
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<b>Details</b><br />
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Cause: <a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/vtnt/disneyh13/lchepul#home">Leukemia & Lymphoma Society</a></div>
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Event Page: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/431539093598435/">Facebook</a></div>
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Cost: $20 </div>
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Distance: 5K - 3.11 miles</div>
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<b>Swag</b></div>
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Printable personalized race bib</div>
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Printable finisher's certificate</div>
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Spectacularly Sparkly Pink Medal from <a href="http://www.crownawards.com/">CrownAwards</a> with original artwork by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArtOfLahela">Lahela Schoessler</a></div>
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Fun themed goodies</div>
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<b>Registration</b></div>
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REGISTRATION IS CLOSED - THANK YOU SO MUCH!</div>
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Fill out <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1froaiDAzQofKReQ5h8hp7BzzrEMwcv9XzaKiY-BTWJk/viewform">this online form</a> after your run if you'd like your time on your finisher's certificate</div>
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<b>Additional Gear</b></div>
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<a href="http://g33klete.logosportswear.com/">LOGOSPORTSWEAR</a> : Running shirts</div>
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<a href="http://www.zazzle.com/g33klete">ZAZZLE</a> : T-shirts and water bottles</div>
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<b>Timeline</b></div>
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April 19th-22nd: race days</div>
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April 22nd: final day to register</div>
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April 29th: all swag bags will be mailed out by this time</div>
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Please feel free to comment with any questions! Thank you! Otherwise, I'll just leave this here...</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-73500934069937088022013-03-25T15:56:00.000-05:002013-04-05T11:29:41.350-05:002013 WDW Marathon Race ReportThis post has been over two months in the making. Which seems fitting since I disappeared from this blog two months before the marathon! I have no legitimate excuse beyond what I referred to in my cavegirl post - I wasn't feeling very cavegirly. I was feeling a bit like a failure. I was consuming Thanksgiving grains and Christmas dairy. In copious festive amounts. I was running! And I did not miss any major long runs, but I wasn't very consistent with my weekly practices. Anyway, that is neither here nor there - I was not there, but now I'm here. ;) So on with the belated race report!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Balance Wall o' Names at the Expo</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">My
Mister (Michael) and I arrived in Orlando to join my family for our epic
reunion the Wednesday before Walt Disney World's Marathon Weekend. Our flight
was delayed, which was an annoying start and led to a slow, sleepy start the
next day. We only had two cars and a total of 10 people, which made for some
chaotic scheduling issues from time to time. Especially considering that all of
us kind of wanted to do different things at different times. But we managed to
get to packet pick-up by midday on Thursday. I had to pick up the 5K for
myself, Half for my niece, and full for my friend Kimlee and myself. I only bought one
item – the Mickey runner Vinylmation with marathon medal. I’m pretty picky
about Vinylmation’s, I don’t think the majority are very cute – but I had to
have this one. I also talked my siblings into getting some Balega socks. I
should totally be a spokeswoman for them. I bought all my running friends
Balega’s for Christmas, too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">That
evening was a whirlwind of EPCOT. We really only saw Japan – which is
hilarious, since after this trip we decided to take a trip to Japan and will be
in the actual country in two weeks. I deeply regret not finding a way to go see
Captain Eo with my sister. We saw the original in EPCOT when we were kids
around 1986. It’s one of my only vivid memories from that first trip to Disney –
that and donut holes at a character breakfast. I have priorities. But it was
good to spend a little time with the majority of the family and we even got to
see Desiree for dinner in France!<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister, brother, fella, and me <br />
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Friday
we started out with the Family Fun Run 5K. My sister does not consider herself
to be much of a runner, but she has done 5K’s in the past – including a
Spartan. She also hikes and cycles. Michael hates running, but he did the
Half-Marathon in 2008 and currently does Crossfit. Point is, they’re both in
pretty good shape. And they ran like champs! Not that my brother and I are
speed demons or anything, but I’m just saying – they didn’t seem to have any
problems keeping up and I was so proud of our family for doing a race together.
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Afterward,
Mister and I went to Universal Studios. Neither of us had ever been – I’d only
visited the Universal in Osaka, Japan. It was pretty neat. The lines weren’t
too long, but we were trying to take it easy so we focused on the bigger rides
with themes that interested us. For some reason I was ridiculously nervous
about the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. That steep climb is a little shocking. But
we both chose some No Doubt to listen to and got through it! Otherwise, we
enjoyed The Mummy, the Simpsons, MIB, and Despicable Me. We had to leave before
the water show to pick up my friend Kimlee from the airport, but we were pretty exhausted by
then anyway.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJx1DBxxtz5-ZtXuQPSxcbRxt6si5rFXn_JgtFigRfgehtJPh4wWz1eUlLob4Ndr1LjIuAK7rweTTxo5iyXjyB11H3FpVzdC3NrEy7W0OHX2DC3ImJebPMfiesGk4MDtNfc-MZyK1Na-6/s1600/Scan+5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJx1DBxxtz5-ZtXuQPSxcbRxt6si5rFXn_JgtFigRfgehtJPh4wWz1eUlLob4Ndr1LjIuAK7rweTTxo5iyXjyB11H3FpVzdC3NrEy7W0OHX2DC3ImJebPMfiesGk4MDtNfc-MZyK1Na-6/s320/Scan+5.jpeg" width="219" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother and niece after the Half-Marathon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Saturday
we were originally supposed to be going out and cheering on my brother and
youngest niece in the Half, but the week before we left my mother suddenly suggested
going to Discovery Cove – a small park outside of Sea World where you can
snorkel and swim with dolphins. Michael and my mom both had swimming with
dolphins on their Bucket List, so it was kind of hard to pass up the
opportunity. So we spent the day before the marathon with my parents out in the sun and the
sand and the water. (I didn’t say I was smart.) But it was well worth it. We
saw all kinds of amazing wildlife and the dolphins were incredible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">But
Sunday came all too quickly. We got up and out of the house in good time – my brother,
my friend Kimlee, our spectator extraordinaire Michael, and myself. We found a
decent parking spot and left Michael to nap while we headed to the starting
line where we met up with two of my brother’s friends, one of which was doing
the Goofy with him. Kimlee went ahead to her corral and Desiree decided to stay
ahead as well, but I came to the conclusion that it made no sense for me to
leave my brother when we were there to celebrate having done the Goofy together
five years before. He might later come to regret that I had made that decision,
but oh well!</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsPYy1NTx3cI4iYO9Zpd8fHO_eod245sndkR951_q1nbHO6_3PvCRu4eAZiNCPqBhIKS72n6CbI3_nkE3eOpAZK4ALtJdhVC-5HrXR8XPvQmSukov5oBVQvbZdZzOo8Yp2xOdjZhCD0EV/s1600/Scan+6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsPYy1NTx3cI4iYO9Zpd8fHO_eod245sndkR951_q1nbHO6_3PvCRu4eAZiNCPqBhIKS72n6CbI3_nkE3eOpAZK4ALtJdhVC-5HrXR8XPvQmSukov5oBVQvbZdZzOo8Yp2xOdjZhCD0EV/s320/Scan+6.jpeg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only photo we took on the course -<br />
you can tell this was early on!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Here
were the issues:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">We were in corral G, thus way in the back and had to stand around
waiting to start for over an hour and a half from when we arrived. I always find
this draining.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Discovery Cove. While wonderful, spending the day before swimming
in the sun took a lot out of me. Plus, walking around on the sand had
aggravated an old injury on my right foot which was flaring up on the run.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">The Sun. I always say I’m the Anti-Superman because the Sun is my
Kryptonite. And the heat and humidity did not help. I may be from Austin, TX,
but we have a dry heat and I always trained in the cooler early hours of the
day or did poorly.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Upset tummy. It’d been a long week of some vacation foods and I was
drinking a lot of Powerade when I’d mostly trained on water. I don’t know what
the exact causes were for certain, but I do know my stomach was tore up. I felt
like I was constantly stopping at port-a-potties or just stopping to walk in
general due to cramps.</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Bottom
line and all excuses aside? It wasn’t pretty. I felt fairly miserable the majority of the run – hobbled and
slow. Around mile 24 I felt like crying, but there wasn’t enough fluid in my
body for the tears. It really wasn’t that it was that hard, I was just so
disappointed in myself and felt so bad holding my brother back who was
insisting on sticking with me. He was also battling the flu and had just run
the 5K and Half, but still – I think he could have done the Marathon must
faster. I finished with a time of 6:44:14. About an hour longer than my
marathon time when I did the Goofy. <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT2u7G647rTkzSrNo25VycuGRk24NPZQXW7fEk9kueLdLFeH08snJoLDyDes0SRSzJRpdNLgXbLnmvfyX62sUHqDpOi1pk2-xco2NYxl4CJ3fq830pnQ_fhou7S5aCQ9lcttPtDyi84oo/s1600/IMG_4120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOT2u7G647rTkzSrNo25VycuGRk24NPZQXW7fEk9kueLdLFeH08snJoLDyDes0SRSzJRpdNLgXbLnmvfyX62sUHqDpOi1pk2-xco2NYxl4CJ3fq830pnQ_fhou7S5aCQ9lcttPtDyi84oo/s320/IMG_4120.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kimlee and me after the Marathon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">But.
I did it! My third marathon. And my last. Or so I keep saying. But man if it
isn’t frustrating to have your last marathon be your worst time. So I guess we
will just have to see what the 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary of our first Goofy
has in store for us. They did just announce that Dopey Challenge… Just kidding,
Michael! </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Maybe.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Kimlee
did great, especially considering the heat and having spent the day before at
the parks. She finished about an hour and a half before me. Desiree was doing
her first marathon ever and finished just in time. Her tales of the balloon
people and folks cheering her into the safe zone of EPCOT sounded harrowing,
but she made it and is also signed up for the Dumbo and discussing
possibilities of Dopey! She has definitely been bitten by the run Disney bug
and it’s fun to see. Unfortunately my brother’s friends weren’t so lucky and
got picked up at mile 16. The husband had hurt his leg during the Half and just
couldn’t make it through the Full. It’s easy to forget how grueling these races
can be and how incredible it is for folks to even attempt them, let alone
complete them. Amazing accomplishments all around.<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBCC9LTX-mvbECXkUTCVmJz7koChKCyxFppEZ-W7TIkJAoxmzuGaC604ErufYHn-agR2Mkh1bssFaL9oVKEZDDrGRAzDTekg1PMiGHhYA1Wqx55iZlCLchlYo8CCodBzL_5Za7jGq24eK/s1600/IMG_4123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBCC9LTX-mvbECXkUTCVmJz7koChKCyxFppEZ-W7TIkJAoxmzuGaC604ErufYHn-agR2Mkh1bssFaL9oVKEZDDrGRAzDTekg1PMiGHhYA1Wqx55iZlCLchlYo8CCodBzL_5Za7jGq24eK/s320/IMG_4123.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My friend <a href="http://blog.desireeburns.com/" target="_blank">Desiree</a> is very DONE with the Marathon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">Michael
brought the car around and we headed home for ice baths. We’d hoped to make it
out to the Downtown Disney after party, but we just passed out. Which was probably
for the best since we were spending Monday at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
It was awesome to finally visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and with
two of my closest Potterheads! Michael, Kimlee, and I have often dressed as
Dumbledore, Cho Chang, and Harry for movie premieres and Halloween parties. My
sister joined us as well and we had a blast getting behind the scenes tours of
the Potter ride lines from some magical cast members, downing Butterbeers, riding
the Incredible Hulk multiple times, snapping illegal photos on the Dr. Seuss
train, and escaping Jurassic Park. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;">The
next day wasn’t quite as smooth – it was meant to be the happy go lucky day that
Michael and I celebrated three years of marriage at Magic Kingdom, but we started
out late, had to pay for park entry we thought we’d had covered, and managed to
make Kimlee miss her flight due to our concern at missing our $106 pre-paid
breakfast reservations. I was sobbing on the way to Cinderella’s castle for our
breakfast with the Princesses. Obviously at this point everything had just come
to a boiling point – days of amusement parks, running, family, and
miscommunication had just come to a big, ugly head and I felt exhausted,
guilty, angry, and just plain sad. But Michael insisted I let it all go for
that day. There was nothing I could do to change anything at that point; all we
could do was have a great anniversary celebration. <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6HigbiEk_DvwRmZP5MZHkjIfCrYGHYrq6zjN94MK2WoQgz0GVvxVj7ez9LZnJAC0lqHVGWGyZ3aClOM-l6bDg5s7vUpgKkhEfLcVHimAITlvYj3MjMxNpMtgbyAks5BaamCdn18iNRrU/s1600/DSC02022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6HigbiEk_DvwRmZP5MZHkjIfCrYGHYrq6zjN94MK2WoQgz0GVvxVj7ez9LZnJAC0lqHVGWGyZ3aClOM-l6bDg5s7vUpgKkhEfLcVHimAITlvYj3MjMxNpMtgbyAks5BaamCdn18iNRrU/s400/DSC02022.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cinderella's Castle Fireworks</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">So
we did. Breakfast was charming and we loved our waiter. And when we told
management how much we loved our waiter we got two free Fast Pass/Snack coupons!
But we had to work hard to find a way to use them because ride lines were
non-existent. We even got given an immediate Fast Pass to Space Mountain when a
cast member saw our Anniversary buttons – but we’d just gotten one from the
machine. So we went straight to the front almost back to back. Storytime with
Belle was fantastic – I got typecast as the Wardrobe and did a mean vibrato. We were able to enjoy the 3 o'clock parade with Desiree and her husband Tim. Dinner was spectacular – I’d made reservations at Be Our Guest the first week
you could. Our waitress was a treat and we got to try the grey stuff! Then we
grilled the Haunted Mansion host for fun things to look for and discovered the
new official location of Constance’s ring before catching the fireworks right
in front of the castle with some popcorn and free sodas since we never managed to use our
second free Fast Pass coupon as an actual Fast Pass. (The first one we ended up
spending on Peter Pan!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Quite
easily one of the worst and best days I’ve had in a very long time. I could
have done without the worst part and all the drama, but stuff happens. Prime
example, the next day we woke up to a dead car battery when my folks were
trying to get us to the airport. Luckily we were leaving very early so they
could get on the road back to NC, but still. Not ideal. And yet life goes on
and lessons are learned.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Lessons
learned?</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Get
up earlier than you think you need to. All the time. On race days. On vacation.
On normal days. Just get up, it’ll likely save a lot of headache and heartache.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When in doubt - rent a car; you won’t regret it. Even if you need to rent it for other people to use, it’ll likely save a lot of headache and heartache.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Either
do parks or do races or do both and accept the fact that one or both will
suffer.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Family
first. The memories you make with your family (and friends who are like family)
will be the most important, so make those memories happen as best you can.</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
I can't thank my family enough for making this reunion possible. Especially my parents, who so selflessly love having us all together that they covered us all staying at a gorgeous villa with its own private swimming pool. They do so many wonderful things for us, I'm so glad we had that week together. Next time we should probably try to do a little less so we can spend more of time actually together - but it was a treat nonetheless! </div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-5934008189634601332013-03-14T14:41:00.000-05:002013-03-19T15:36:44.591-05:00Team in TrainingOkay, I am reusing a post from my <a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/vtnt/disneyh13/lchepul" target="_blank">fundraising blog</a> to announce here that I am running the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge in Disneyland this August with <a href="http://www.teamintraining.org/" target="_blank">Team in Training</a> on behalf of the <a href="http://www.lls.org/" target="_blank">Leukemia & Lymphoma Society</a>! :)<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;">
<img height="118.84615384615384" src="http://pages.teamintraining.org/EtoolsBaseDir/2013/3/5/15/members/2427289/disneyrun_white-640x254.jpg" style="border: 0px; padding: 5px 10px;" width="300" /></div>
<div align="left" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It's no secret that I got into running for two very distinct purposes. Thanks to a Team in Training flyer that found its way into my mailbox in 2006 and the fact my friend Laura had been doing a charity run around that time, I made it out to a TNT info meeting. I was certainly touched by all of the stories of heartbreak and hope shared at that event, but I cannot deny the fact that The Mouse had a hand in me taking the plunge.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I worked in Walt Disney World's Fantasyland as a Disney College Program Intern from 2001-2002, right before I met my husband. And well before then I had been an avid Disneyphile. My parents raised me on Disney - the Disney Channel, Disney movies, Disney princesses. They took me and my sister to WDW when I was 5. I went to Disney in high school with my school orchestra, which I think played a huge part in me pursuing the College Program. I spent my entire 8 month internship either working or playing in the parks. After I left, I pined for it. I even managed to visit Tokyo Disneyland (twice) while studying abroad in Japan. And instead of having Michael visit me in Asia, we actually took our first vacation together down to Orlando upon my return. By this point, I was basically pumping the Disney Kool-Aid instead of blood. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
So it’s no surprise I managed to talk myself into my first marathon when I knew I was running for Disney gold on top of cancer research. I raised $3000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and met some incredible people. My angels and mentors and coaches and teammates made the entire event epic. I tackled that first 2007 Marathon and followed it up with a double feature – the Goofy Challenge – in 2008. My brother Gregg (not to be outdone by his little, non-athletic sister) insisted this was a great idea. This challenge is a half-marathon on Saturday, followed by a full marathon on Sunday. It was easily one of the hardest things I’ve done, especially considering that Michael and I had just moved to Austin when we decided to do this. I was struggling to find a job and make a home in a new town. Training alone was extremely tough, but we made it work and it was a great accomplishment. One followed shortly after with the inaugural Expedition Everest 5K Scavenger Hunt and Obstacle Course later that year, where Michael proposed.</blockquote>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span><br />
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><img height="214.02777777777777" src="http://pages.teamintraining.org/EtoolsBaseDir/2013/3/5/15/members/2427289/Goofy%20Logo.jpg" style="border: 0px; padding: 5px 10px;" width="201" /></span></div>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">We took a break from Disney after this to focus on wedding planning and work. But then another inaugural race was announced – the Tinkerbell Half at Disneyland in 2012. And my friend Kimlee offered to join! It was too good to turn down. A chance to finally see Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and another inaugural race. I’m pretty sure I promised that would be it for a while, when my brother pointed out that the 2013 Walt Disney World Marathon would be our 5th anniversary since the Goofy and the 20th anniversary of the race itself. He’s very convincing. But not too convincing. At first I insisted on only running the Half. But then the Full’s medal was revealed and I knew I was done for. No more Goofy’s for me, but I was going to go for one more Full.</span></blockquote>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">After that, I definitely promised that would be it for a while. And I’m pretty sure I meant it. But then the murmurings I’d been hearing about this Dumbo Double Dare Challenge started to pique my interest. Wait, this was an Inaugural 10K? The day before the Disneyland Half, a race I still hadn’t done yet? Doing both would get me 3 medals, like Goofy? Doing it the same year I’d done the WDW Marathon would get me the Coast to Coast medal? How had I missed all of this important information??</span></blockquote>
<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The race understandably sold out in mere hours. I actually talked myself into signing up days after I unknowingly couldn’t even sign up anymore. But like a child who’s been told they can’t have something, now it was all I wanted. So I reached out to my local Team in Training Chapter, remembering my amazing experience the first time around. At first I was placed on a waiting list and I was resigning myself to the idea this was just not meant to be. But then I got a heart stopping email that there were 6 Flex slots opening up for registration. I was out at lunch when I got it and raced back to the office to fill out the form, scan it, and email it in within the hour. And later that night I got the good news that I had a spot!<span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></span>I find it so fitting that the Double Dare is the race that has finally motivated me into working with Team in Training again. I had let fear of fundraising and putting myself out there hold me back for far too long. Looking back, I can only imagine how much easier and more meaningful my training would have been for my other Disney races if I had stayed a member of the Team. Seeing the Purple People on the race course always made me nostalgic for my NC Chapter and I am proud to be working as a member of the Flex Team within my new Austin Chapter. It took far too long to get there, but the wait did allow for some positives – my friend Tatjana trained with them for years and has proven an excellent introduction to the group and I am more comfortable and confident within my new home city to really tackle the training routes and strive for some awesome fundraising goals.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It just feels so nice to finally be working toward the two factors that got me into running in the first place again. I’m just saying, Disney plus TNT is going to equal some explosive magic. ;D Oh yeah, I went there. :P So remember, spread the word! Any and all donations are so greatly appreciated.</blockquote>
</span><br />
If you are interested in taking part in any of my fundraising events, here's a breakdown of what all I have coming up. A lot of it is here in Austin, TX - but there are a few virtual events, including a 5K!<br />
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<b><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">March 19th - </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/327045224084648/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">March Madness bracket contest</span></a><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> begins</span></b></div>
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10 for a chance at $100 Amazon gift card</div>
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<b><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">March 21st - </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/495915553798044/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Water 2 Wine wine tasting</span></a></b></div>
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$20 for wine tasting and hors d'oeuvres</div>
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<b><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">March 30th - </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/139432316231981/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Poker Tournament</span></a></b></div>
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$20 buy in for a chance at prizes for top 3</div>
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<b><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">March 31st - </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/553744257993525/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Snap Kitchen raffle</span></a></b></div>
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$5 for chance at $100 giftcard</div>
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<b><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">April 20th - </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/431539093598435/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Virtual 5K Pink Elephants on Parade</span></a></b></div>
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$20 for personalized bib and swag bag with medal and certificate (register by April 15th)</div>
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Hope you can join in!</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-61511400636201088442013-03-09T21:25:00.003-06:002013-03-10T01:10:22.012-06:00The Anatomy of a CavegirlOkay, it's time to come back to my blog with my tail between my legs. I have to admit that ever since the holidays hit, I have had a very hard time blogging on RCR. We fell off the Paleo wagon - hard. And I am coming to terms with the fact that I'm not actually that much of a "cavegirl".<br />
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But my sweet fella hasn't let me give up that easily. He insists that it's honestly up to me to decide what a cavegirl is and isn't. So, let's do some research.<br />
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When I type "cavegirl" in Google, I get the following results on the first page:<br />
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088891/" target="_blank">Cavegirl</a> movie: A 1985 film classified as a romantic comedy, where some bumbling college kid finds a magic portal to the stone age - and the beautiful Eba. It is apparently extremely absurd and the only redeemable quality, depending on your personal opinion, would be the gratuitous nudity.</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavegirl" target="_blank">Cavegirl</a> show: A British TV series that follows the adventures of a teenage cavegirl - set in prehistoric times, but with modern references. Cavegirl is described as a pretty, feisty individual and a bit of a tomboy. Many of the storylines involve her becoming more mature</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cave_Girl" target="_blank">The Cave Girl</a> book: An Edgar Rice Burroughs lost world novel published in 1913. The male protagonist finds himself shipwrecked on a paleolithic island. The title character Nadara teaches him the language, how to swim, how to fish, and basic woodcraft, as he begins to realize that his book smarts can only get him so far. (However, it conveniently turns out she's actually modern day royalty whose marooned mother died after giving birth to her on the island.)</li>
<li><a href="http://cavegirlcafe.com/" target="_blank">Cavegirl Cafe</a>: Grass fed, Gluten free, Paleo fun! And Coffee, too! An online cafe where our you can get artisanal, sustainably sourced coffee, and greeting cards that express your love for the primal lifestyle. With a background in economics, athletic coaching, agriculture and bodywork, the co-owners are committed to creating quality products with a sassy flair.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.thecavegirldish.com/" target="_blank">The Cavegirl Dish</a>: A national span blog (just California and New York) of paleo eating adventures and experiments by two cavegirl friends, Jenn and Tiffany.</li>
<li><a href="http://cavegirlinthekitchen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Cavegirl in the Kitchen</a>: Personal blog of Jocelyn Rylee; Owner/Trainer/Coach CrossFit BRIO. She loves getting out of bed everyday, eating eggs, and making people sweat. Looks forward to cheat days and can eat an enormous number of chocolate donuts.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cavegirl.com/" target="_blank">Cavegirl Productions</a>: Website for Actor/Filmmaker/Editor Kelley Slagle. </li>
<li><a href="http://cavegirlcuisine.net/" target="_blank">Cavegirl Cuisine</a>: Lard. Lift. Love. Eating Paleo...one bone at a time! A clean paleo cooking blog written by a stay at home mom with a Marketing and HR background. </li>
<li><a href="http://www.cavegirlfieldhockey.com/" target="_blank">Cavegirl Field Hockey</a>: A USFHA sanctioned partner organization directed and coached by Amanda Rogers, who has many years of playing and coaching experience at various levels.</li>
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So, what is a cavegirl? A cavegirl is fiesty. A cavegirl is sporty. She enjoys teaching and learning. She strives to eat clean, but has her off days. A cavegirl is always in search of likeminded friends and fun new ideas. In these ways, I suppose I still am a Cavegirl at heart. And I hope you'll forgive my moments of doubt and continue this journey with me as I step forward with an open mind and the best of intentions!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUgFIVVfIW3iYvydvqGij-8DWM4nAhC7S2BRtFgxaiOLUfGZD2jLlNI7wgqy_0m4V39T_FyRKdJnoN8VY6ZMHew0UxY-z6sbTcO5LsrUjlTeJsH6suzZOvIuzHZ-3VQtF38nOKVVgstD-/s1600/CaveGirlMenu.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTUgFIVVfIW3iYvydvqGij-8DWM4nAhC7S2BRtFgxaiOLUfGZD2jLlNI7wgqy_0m4V39T_FyRKdJnoN8VY6ZMHew0UxY-z6sbTcO5LsrUjlTeJsH6suzZOvIuzHZ-3VQtF38nOKVVgstD-/s400/CaveGirlMenu.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave Girl Menu by <a href="http://www.chrissandersart.com/" target="_blank">Chris Sanders</a></td></tr>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-63981578287606716342013-01-22T21:54:00.002-06:002013-01-22T21:55:07.447-06:00She Lives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQz2NO-T36f9lUhc7KA1j9LgE_Mj66fA8vdcbUY_gn0jBZv05-E9ucTvb-tdflMf0kncJfTJAKwTQlZHK_yWhxToDLR8L8YMdv3YpkyK7_aYUX3JPpBs77zPO13uGz5AcRxNsIaVQzCyJ/s1600/DSC02043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwQz2NO-T36f9lUhc7KA1j9LgE_Mj66fA8vdcbUY_gn0jBZv05-E9ucTvb-tdflMf0kncJfTJAKwTQlZHK_yWhxToDLR8L8YMdv3YpkyK7_aYUX3JPpBs77zPO13uGz5AcRxNsIaVQzCyJ/s400/DSC02043.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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...barely. ;)</div>
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I promise to explain myself and recap soon. </div>
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But the important part is I did it! Again! But never ever again! ;D</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-25346970575010977832012-11-01T16:26:00.001-05:002012-11-01T17:10:47.477-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Another late-y mclaterson, argh.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b style="font-style: italic;">Marathon Training Week 7</b></span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Miles Ran:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 19</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Long Run:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 14 miles</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cross-training:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Not so much.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Pros:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> That 14 miler is one of the best runs I've ever had. I even ran the first 13.2 faster than the Tinkerbell half back in January. And I didn't listen to a thing. This is really starting to freak me out, but hey - it's working!</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cons:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> We are not eating nearly as well as we should. Chips and salsa have been a constant snack. We've let paleo suffer for quick bites here and there. But I have a long holiday break coming up so I'm hoping to get us settled into a nice schedule of cooking, including our own paleo menu based on what we loved from the Paleo Plan and what else I come across as we go along.</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Tunes:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I continued Shiver on my short run and I've got the new P!nk album to try out.</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Talkies:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Thanks to political coverage and the like a lot of my shows have actually been off this week, thank goodness. But I am starting to spend more and more of my Sunday's actually watching Football. I am doing so well in my Fantasy League! As I should, since I have the best team name ever - <i>The Honey Boo Boo Badgers</i>.</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Favorite Recipe: </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I think Week 6 of the Paleo Plan might just be the best week ever. We just loved the majority of everything we ate. But my absolute favorite had to be the <i>Cocoa Nib Pork Chops with Butternut Squash</i>. Remember how I said how amazing acorn squash was? Well, Butternut gives it a run for its' money!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><i>Cacao Nib Pork Chops</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Serves 2 for dinner, with leftovers for lunch. Approximate cooking time: 40 minutes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u>Ingredients</u></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">4 (4-6 oz) boneless pork chops, trimmed of all fat</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1/3 cup raw cacao nibs, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">butternut squash (about 1-1/2 lbs), peeled and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">2 Tbs raw honey (optional)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">3 tsp coconut oil, divided</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u>Instructions</u></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1) Pound both sides of each pork chop to tenderize the meat.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">2) Whisk egg in a small bowl. Coat pork chops with egg mixture and season each side with 1 tsp chopped cacao nibs. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. Set aside.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">3) Heat 2 tsp of coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Once hot, add diced butternut squash, stirring often.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">4) After about 5 minutes, place 1 tsp coconut oil in a different pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, place coated pork chops in skillet and cook to desired temperature (145° recommended).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">5) Meanwhile, add honey to the butternut squash as it cooks, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">6) When squash is tender, serve over a handful of spinach, and serve pork chops on the side.</span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-43661041289179282182012-10-25T10:56:00.003-05:002012-10-25T10:59:36.381-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Latest of lates - my bad!</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em><br /></em></strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"></span><strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em>Marathon Training Week 6</em></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Miles Ran:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 20</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Long Run:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 10 miles</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cross-training:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Still struggling.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Pros:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Actually stuck to the training for the most part this week!</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cons:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Been having some ups and downs with food. Still trying to find the right balance of energy providing foods for my runs.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Tunes:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> It expired, sadly - so now I'm trying out Shiver until I can check It out again.</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Talkies:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Added in Dexter, Walking Dead, and American Horror Story: Asylum. Seriously, I should write down all of the shows I watch and some point and really take stock of how I spend my free time...</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Favorite Recipe: </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">For Week 5 in the Paleo Plan I'm going to have to go with <i>Maple-Walnut Chicken with Roasted Acorn Squash</i>! I did not realize how incredibly delicious acorn squash was. We only just discovered the joys of spaghetti squash this year and now to see what a variety of different squash is out there is just astounding to me, haha. Do yourself a favor and try out a few in your recipes. You will not regret it. Seriously, this didn't even really need the additional honey and coconut oil. I only put in a touch of each because it was already tasting so yum.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><b><i>Maple-Walnut Chicken</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">Makes dinner for two adults, with leftovers for lunch. Approximate cooking time: 30 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Ingredients</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">4 (4-6 oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbs olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbs fresh thyme</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 tsp sea salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Instructions</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1) Combine olive oil, thyme, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">2) Rub chicken with seasoning and let stand.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">3) In a 12” nonstick skillet, toast walnuts over medium-low heat 4-6 min. or until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. Note: walnuts may burn quickly if left unattended.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">4) Transfer walnuts to dish, and turn heat up to medium under the hot skillet.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">5) Add chicken to same skillet. Cook 12 minutes or until done, turning frequently.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">6) Transfer chicken to a clean plate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">7) Add vinegar to the chicken drippings in the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">8) Add maple syrup and water, and simmer 6-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts and serve on top of chicken.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><b><i>Roasted Acorn Squash</i></b></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 75 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Ingredients</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 acorn squash, cut in half length-wise </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbs coconut oil </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1/4 cup walnuts, lightly toasted</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 Tbs raw honey</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Instructions</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1) Preheat oven to 400°.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">2) Place squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking dish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">3) Add 1/4” of water to the baking sheet or dish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">4) Bake for 60 minutes, or until peel is soft to the touch.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">5) Remove from oven and carefully turn over. Remove squash from peel and add coconut oil, honey, and sea salt (optional).</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">6) Top with toasted walnuts to serve.</span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-85493357984291872772012-10-15T14:23:00.003-05:002012-10-25T10:56:55.898-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" /></a></div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em><br /></em></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em>Marathon Training Week 5</em></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Miles Ran:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 18</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Long Run:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 12 miles</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cross-training:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Still sucking at this.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Pros:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I did the 12 miler. Seriously, I'm just so glad I actually did it. We had a wonderful wedding to attend on Friday with some delish free wine I was not about to say no to. So I indulged and told myself I'd just run Sunday instead of Saturday. But we still kind of indulged on Saturday. So it took me forever to wake up on Sunday and I didn't manage to start my run until after 10am. On a clear, warm, muggy day in Texas. I thought I was going to die. My pace was abysmal. But I did it.</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cons:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> We're still indulging too much. And I got a sunburn from my run. I swear to goodness - I start hitting all the right spots with my Body Glide and my body still finds some way to punish me. There was not a cloud in the sky, so I got good and toasted.</span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Tunes:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> It continues.</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Talkies:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> My normal TV lineup, plus I started watching Nashville. Also watched The Descendants and Audition. Both a little sad, really. I need to find me a good comedy.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Favorite Recipe: </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I'm going to cheat on this one because we really didn't follow the plan well last week at all. But last night we made Paleo Plan's <b>Lascaux Chicken Waldorf Salad</b> for our lunches today and it is super tasty!</span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><b><i>Lascaux Chicken Waldorf Salad</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This salad has a sweet and salty combination and is also packed with protein and vitamins. Best served shortly after being prepared. Makes lunch for two.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Approximate cooking time: 15-20 minutes.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u>Ingredients</u></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">2 (4-6 oz) chicken breasts, cooked and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1 large tart apple, cored and diced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1 large stalk celery, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1/2 cup walnuts, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1/4 cup omega-3 mayonnaise</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><u>Instructions</u></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">1) In a medium bowl, combine chicken, apple, celery, and walnuts. Set aside.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">2) In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, and honey and mix until well blended.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">3) Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">4) Spoon dressing over chicken and toss to coat completely. If making salad ahead of time, keep chicken mixture and dressing separate until just before eating.</span></span>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-58092256270838717372012-10-07T18:58:00.000-05:002012-10-25T10:57:03.630-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" /></a></div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em>Marathon Training Week 4</em></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Miles Ran:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 17</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Long Run:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 11 miles</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cross-training:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I bravely ate my way into my 30's? No? Ah well. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Pros:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I managed to pull a major binder of a birthday week and still ran 11 miles. The morning OF my birthday party. Not too shabby!</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cons:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Well, again - I managed to pull a major binder of a birthday week, haha. </span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Tunes:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> I finished Bossypants and started It! Yes, very different - blame my library for not having many options for free downloads. But I've always wanted to read it. So far so good!</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Talkies:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> We spent the week watching my favorite movies and eating dinner to match. So we saw Lilo & Stitch with sushi, Princess Bride with a Ploughman's, Serenity with Chinese, Aladdin with Indian (yes, a stretch), and The Goonies with pizza. My party was themed after my seven favorite fantasy worlds so we had them playing in the background - Sailormoon, Alice in Wonderland, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, Neverending Story, Peter Pan, and Harry Potter. Then today we went and saw Looper! Still catching up on my usual tv, too. Geesh.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Favorite Recipe: </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Nothing I made this week was paleo and I (almost) regret nothing. I did make a Shepherd's Pie - or more accurately a Cottage Pie. So I thought I would share my friend Kendra's <a href="http://southerndisposition.blogspot.com/2012/09/paleo-shepherds-pie-cheese.html" target="_blank">paleo version</a> that I hope to attempt in the future myself! (Note, she was inspired by <a href="http://www.elanaspantry.com/paleo-shepherds-pie/" target="_blank">Elana's Pantry</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span class="il">Paleo</span> <span class="il">Shepherd</span>'s Pie</span></span></b><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1lb grass fed beef</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 cup (1/2 can) chicken broth)</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 chopped carrots</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups chopped celery</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp paprika</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 tsp salt</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp black pepper</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 medium yellow onion diced</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 strips uncooked bacon</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 heads cauliflower</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tbsp cream cheese</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 tsp garlic powder</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Time: 1 hr 15 mins</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serves 6</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Heat olive oil in an extra large frying pan</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-evPgIyaYSi8s-AQ1TdWAWUqIKvXScrrkUZbhRNPPLZFLSxeNTkfdYyL_P9ZWQP8TA6uFfN9P7avlstVoa-D31QmEMiEHHOZpyudmRapLugC-VkXGbN8KSbofsTfYV6GByHpTNgLAyqCi/s1600/IMG_2579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-evPgIyaYSi8s-AQ1TdWAWUqIKvXScrrkUZbhRNPPLZFLSxeNTkfdYyL_P9ZWQP8TA6uFfN9P7avlstVoa-D31QmEMiEHHOZpyudmRapLugC-VkXGbN8KSbofsTfYV6GByHpTNgLAyqCi/s320/IMG_2579.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Saute onion for 10 minutes until slightly browned and clear</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K2FYBuz9C-lABJftXW0_ogN30i4pSe_p1rh61b1qsUw7JLv2GmLmz2_63oL72k8Kmw8cILiQdpTW0TC1pN75s2zlyiNvvlPIeCgIuWwFUaArGSYl9wMiUCNayj8Q6pAfgnYEMwwGqsgd/s1600/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K2FYBuz9C-lABJftXW0_ogN30i4pSe_p1rh61b1qsUw7JLv2GmLmz2_63oL72k8Kmw8cILiQdpTW0TC1pN75s2zlyiNvvlPIeCgIuWwFUaArGSYl9wMiUCNayj8Q6pAfgnYEMwwGqsgd/s320/IMG_2580.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Add bacon slices by crumbling into pan - saute for about 10 minutes</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4MtWgAjEkW6d8EDHM_aBnZQR3Ja4R9sB3-jzq0a6BXmZYsbdr8vXunIkhlMIpqLy0MFvZ9RleMGv_jXFg3cEaD6tLs9J_bE5lRqoGlyavH0i9RsgYWIUI92F3B38jOixiBjy0Ei4WX1h/s1600/IMG_2585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX4MtWgAjEkW6d8EDHM_aBnZQR3Ja4R9sB3-jzq0a6BXmZYsbdr8vXunIkhlMIpqLy0MFvZ9RleMGv_jXFg3cEaD6tLs9J_bE5lRqoGlyavH0i9RsgYWIUI92F3B38jOixiBjy0Ei4WX1h/s320/IMG_2585.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
(please ignore the hot dogs in this picture...use whatcha got, yeah?)</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Add carrots and celery to pan and saute in bacon and onion for 10 minutes</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCgPhbpGdMCCGZ9aYuaUyZC5SSb8D3gKXqTKjzppccLQDTy9tWKNrmG3QoSaHBOZcTfA8AXou27kYy1L-aqqKo5TRxscGGk2gNDnqjkAncgqgHWNqJD-6LIopEcjG4JImrlovL2COkTXh/s1600/IMG_2587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCgPhbpGdMCCGZ9aYuaUyZC5SSb8D3gKXqTKjzppccLQDTy9tWKNrmG3QoSaHBOZcTfA8AXou27kYy1L-aqqKo5TRxscGGk2gNDnqjkAncgqgHWNqJD-6LIopEcjG4JImrlovL2COkTXh/s320/IMG_2587.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Add ground beef to pan and saute until browned</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJF67sB6Lv7wkn641-VOFa5QVsVy6o19Xn0F9CLBqE1B3KHEzi7kzzDKEKUraH5wGcQvbQEhCgLdJxJlI-dXd5epJKS1Q9C5tahxfRtk8N71_HwUP72ny-dnWG55UeZsrLL5vxfWlFb6S/s1600/IMG_2592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJF67sB6Lv7wkn641-VOFa5QVsVy6o19Xn0F9CLBqE1B3KHEzi7kzzDKEKUraH5wGcQvbQEhCgLdJxJlI-dXd5epJKS1Q9C5tahxfRtk8N71_HwUP72ny-dnWG55UeZsrLL5vxfWlFb6S/s320/IMG_2592.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">6. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8MdSTuTE7LUuvxb3yOc5vYULQAoGup-0iqjcw34sHTgk5Bgo8TqzMZHkJQc3J_O42M5fkYfGwAPaN2-N4Fe-xBd6kn9p31gmmHPiaw2QWooI9TMMeCQblvoTwJzOX1CX3JIPHK1YCoEA/s1600/IMG_2593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8MdSTuTE7LUuvxb3yOc5vYULQAoGup-0iqjcw34sHTgk5Bgo8TqzMZHkJQc3J_O42M5fkYfGwAPaN2-N4Fe-xBd6kn9p31gmmHPiaw2QWooI9TMMeCQblvoTwJzOX1CX3JIPHK1YCoEA/s320/IMG_2593.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">7. Add chicken broth and cook broth down until 60% evaporated</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzqn8ccBc9KU2A1NK5-ZjrSb-3zI7ocIN4CN9xMsn8gNZJEvpJ-jvZaJWgwgNdeijgSW0t1osjD3RKhsJIgoCtrKJwQrV81x-eqBIB5DNA6H3tiLYXZ82R2iV74HgbkR3uHtCBywHm7aF/s1600/IMG_2595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzqn8ccBc9KU2A1NK5-ZjrSb-3zI7ocIN4CN9xMsn8gNZJEvpJ-jvZaJWgwgNdeijgSW0t1osjD3RKhsJIgoCtrKJwQrV81x-eqBIB5DNA6H3tiLYXZ82R2iV74HgbkR3uHtCBywHm7aF/s320/IMG_2595.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">8. Place beef mixture into a 9x13 baking dish</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8nvD4IXN2UTcNl6PSQ7bxMSrv_zr15coQK9c15TavGomdjNQMpj1nqyUjDJ-dYN37e_7RkHH8mjIhjeVzaIWFHVuZsDMv5CSemjdqrJ_MaH-vfkh4uAb3yFp0ULZofOgjar3Rm50SO9h/s1600/IMG_2596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8nvD4IXN2UTcNl6PSQ7bxMSrv_zr15coQK9c15TavGomdjNQMpj1nqyUjDJ-dYN37e_7RkHH8mjIhjeVzaIWFHVuZsDMv5CSemjdqrJ_MaH-vfkh4uAb3yFp0ULZofOgjar3Rm50SO9h/s320/IMG_2596.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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9. <a href="http://southerndisposition.blogspot.com/2012/04/mashed-cauliflower-success.html" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Make mashed cauliflower</a> (I start my water boiling around the same time as I'm adding celery and carrots - timing is almost perfect for my range).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94KHHyD-iAcUMTi2ybAoj_biDxxkuDwW61s78XXyrAZk6Qqxj5V1rLlT6M9DxZu0N4jBp3K_cx9R1yvJPjaYR5ZL9C5Z-qQpMqj1xt9_DbVIHDpNlmvJ6kDw0p4zAXpbbvvSu_w5GWu69/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94KHHyD-iAcUMTi2ybAoj_biDxxkuDwW61s78XXyrAZk6Qqxj5V1rLlT6M9DxZu0N4jBp3K_cx9R1yvJPjaYR5ZL9C5Z-qQpMqj1xt9_DbVIHDpNlmvJ6kDw0p4zAXpbbvvSu_w5GWu69/s320/IMG_2582.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">10. Pour mashed cauliflower on top of beef mixture in baking dish and spread evenly to edges</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-VQ5AU-_2EY5QDEAS3gIgbG_vqeMTHOEbraxoLnS62PVRMkm6Uer45Jh1PJEN0NXr_DG6eNhb_anNZd49D9V54Fhj-V9Ys_ow2cfjo0zIawsaIHarMHdQx8EQj61VK-GVd5wyrFIA09W/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-VQ5AU-_2EY5QDEAS3gIgbG_vqeMTHOEbraxoLnS62PVRMkm6Uer45Jh1PJEN0NXr_DG6eNhb_anNZd49D9V54Fhj-V9Ys_ow2cfjo0zIawsaIHarMHdQx8EQj61VK-GVd5wyrFIA09W/s320/IMG_2598.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BiKtK5dAFgeMkqfVUDr23H2NEFrhrwNWto-Tgt9jLZjOZxaRbjV7lUa2OZhoaAEVpNT3KXvaeRNm5xWp68jZ7LFRxSE5zAqZn7CqaBIXWf5kbmkPHuiFTICgJLNnlpfe2LlMAflWcSJL/s1600/IMG_2599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BiKtK5dAFgeMkqfVUDr23H2NEFrhrwNWto-Tgt9jLZjOZxaRbjV7lUa2OZhoaAEVpNT3KXvaeRNm5xWp68jZ7LFRxSE5zAqZn7CqaBIXWf5kbmkPHuiFTICgJLNnlpfe2LlMAflWcSJL/s320/IMG_2599.JPG" style="-webkit-box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; border: none !important; box-shadow: transparent 0px 0px 0px !important; padding: 4px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Top with cheese if desired and serve</span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">!</span></div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-85631536983148241732012-10-02T10:48:00.001-05:002012-10-25T10:57:14.553-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" /></a></div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em><br /></em></strong>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Late again! Can't be helped. Had a big out of town weekend and then I've been busy with lots of birthday type activities and plans as today is my 30th Birthday! (CRAZY.)</span></span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em><br /></em></strong>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><em>Marathon Training Week 3</em></strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Miles Ran:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> 3</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Long Run:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Became 4 mile walk</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cross-training:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Walked through the rainy Dallas Texas State Fair? No? Ah well.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Pros:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Got some rest...?</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Cons:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> Strained my neck on Tuesday so I took it easy the rest of the week and then we were in Dallas for the State Fair with some friends on Saturday and it was rainy and there was a group and it was an unfamiliar area so what was supposed to be a 6 mile run turned into a 4 mile walk. But I'm glad, really. It was a very nice walk. :) </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Tunes:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> More of Tina Fey's Bossypants. Also started listening to the new No Doubt album.</span><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Talkies:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"> So worried about the return of TV, argh. Revenge, Once Upon a Time, Modern Family, New Girl, Castle, Bones, Up All Night, Raising Hope... I'm sucked right back into all of them.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;" />
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Favorite Recipe: </strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">I actually did not love this week in the Paleo Plan Quickstart Guide. It started out so promising, the recipes sounded amazing. But they all kind of fell flat for us. I think I'd like to try the buffalo chicken wing "peanut" sauce on just some regular chicken, maybe that would improve it. But favorite recipe will have to go to <b>Crockpot Pork Loin</b>. </span><br />
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<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><i>Crock Pot Pork Loin</i></b><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">Makes dinner for two, with leftovers for lunch. Approximate cooking time: 7 hours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Ingredients</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1-1/2 lb pork loin </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1-2 Tbs dried basil</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">2 medium (6”-8”) zucchini, sliced </span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1 head cauliflower, separated</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">into medium florets</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;"><u>Instructions</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">1) Add all of the ingredients to a large crock pot.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">2) Cook on low for 6-7 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri;">Can't get much easier at least! It was very tasty, though. We had to use thyme instead of basil, so I'd be interested in trying it with the intended spices next time to see how it changes the flavor. It was definitely nice to have dinner ready and waiting when we got home. Saving an hour and a half in the evening is pretty nice once and awhile! </span></div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-6944054647534177202012-09-24T12:30:00.000-05:002012-10-07T18:59:52.723-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" /></a></div>
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I'm not sure I'll ever get these posted on Sunday, but I'll keep trying!<br />
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<strong><em>Marathon Training Week 2</em></strong><br />
<strong>Miles Ran:</strong> 19<br />
<strong>Long Run:</strong> 9 miles<br />
<strong>Cross-training:</strong> Not so much this week.<br />
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<strong>Pros:</strong> Got some unsolicited encouragement on my 9 mile long run Saturday by unwittingly running through a neighborhood 5K. Was kind of awkward getting cheered by middle school cheerleaders and having people try to hand me water, but also very sweet. Though I couldn't help thinking, "I'm actually running 3 times a 5K today, but thanks..."<br />
<strong>Cons:</strong> Had a few more slips than usual this week thanks to poor planning on our part for lunches. And Friday night seems to get troublesome - we're so ready for our weekend we sometimes just feel too lazy to cook.<br />
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<strong>Tunes:</strong> I decided to try something new this week on my runs - audio books! I downloaded Tina Fey's Bossypants and it is hilarious. But it will only last me another few runs, so I am on the lookout for my next choice.<br />
<strong>Talkies:</strong> Not much TV beyond football this week. The fella's taken over the living room most nights with Borderlands 2. I did catch a few of the return shows as the new season begins - Happy Endings, Parenthood, The Office. And I'm already into Go On and The New Normal. I'm going to run out of hours, I swear.<br />
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<strong>Favorite Recipe: </strong>We were on week 2 of the <a href="http://www.paleoplan.com/resources/quickstart-guide-and-paleo-challenge/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #bc572b;">Paleo Plan Quickstart Guide</span></a> and this week wasn't as strong as the week before, so this is actually very easy to answer this time - <em>Coconut Chicken with Zucchini and Squash Saute</em>. (No photo, I'm afraid. We were starving that night and just dug in!)<br />
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<strong><em>Coconut Chicken</em></strong><br />
Makes dinner for two, with leftovers for lunch. Approximate cooking time: 20 minutes.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts <br />
1/4 tsp sea salt<br />
1/2 cup almond flour <br />
1 egg<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut <br />
2 Tbs coconut oil<br />
<u>Instructions</u><br />
1) Mix almond flour, shredded coconut, and sea salt together in a bowl.<br />
2) Beat egg in separate bowl.<br />
3) Dip chicken breast in egg and roll in dry mixture.<br />
4) Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat and add coconut oil when hot.<br />
5) Pan fry chicken until fully cooked.<br />
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<strong><em>Zucchini and Squash Sauté</em></strong>Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 25 minutes.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1 Tbs coconut oil<br />
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
2 (6˝-8˝ ) zucchini, cut into<br />
3˝x1/4˝ matchsticks<br />
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<u>Instructions</u><br />
1) In large skillet, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and cook 3-4 minutes until onion is tender and translucent.<br />
2) Add zucchini, summer squash and garlic, and cook until almost tender (5-6 minutes).<br />
3) Stir in tomato sauce and cook until heated through.<br />
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This was seriously scrumptuous. The flavors and textures were delicious. I love crunchy, so the coconut flakes really make the chicken pop for me. I hope you'll try it!</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-52019839111746246022012-09-21T20:00:00.000-05:002012-09-21T20:00:02.448-05:00Methods to My MadnessI've talked a lot about eating philosophies and running theories, but what am I actually up to? Well, let me tell ya. <div>
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I consider myself to be a mix of Primal and Optimal Paleo in terms of how we are trying to eat. Our current Paleo Plan 6 week program doesn't include any dairy, but we allow a bit of cheese and dark chocolate outside of it. We also follow the 80/20 approach right now, with an Off Day on Saturdays - generally so I can get a bagel after my long runs. I'm sorry, but one of my favorite things about running is how bagels and bananas get passed out like candy at races and I just can't give them up completely! Besides, with our stomachs getting smaller and our tolerance getting lower we can't actually go too crazy. But we do enjoy some beer and tortilla chips. Otherwise, we don't eat after 10pm and we mainly drink water or occasionally red wine. And just for full disclosure, I have also been getting a pumpkin latte on Monday's because it's autumn and they're heavenly and I like a boost at the beginning of my work week.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59DI_4j928oDB-7lYPrA6GU19jpLElJaI2YBPlCjtS9gCs4V_YiXuA7LdBDazohX8vy_Xqz77VY1Bvj0Too_4SYRCOh6NfyPcIEPPii_CxVFWQ4kdevcGKqwkq0rLbVB3FjBGXHPb-cBx/s1600/pl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59DI_4j928oDB-7lYPrA6GU19jpLElJaI2YBPlCjtS9gCs4V_YiXuA7LdBDazohX8vy_Xqz77VY1Bvj0Too_4SYRCOh6NfyPcIEPPii_CxVFWQ4kdevcGKqwkq0rLbVB3FjBGXHPb-cBx/s320/pl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin flavored anything doesn't count against me.</td></tr>
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I have had just about every brand of shoe out there - Asics, Mizuno, Brooks, Saucony - I never seem to be able to stick with one kind. New models of the same shoe can feel so different. I currently run in a pair of bright blue Nike Pegasus 29 trainers and they feel like running on clouds. I named them Helios - a billion nerd points to anyone who gets <i>that </i>reference. And before you judge, they are named because you name your shoes in Nike+ - an app I adore. I just love having that woman tell me how far I've gone. Plus acheesements and NikeFuel are like crack to a gamer. I've been running to music most of my running life, but I've recently been trying nothing and audio books. My favorite sports bra is the <a href="http://www.graciesgearandtraining.com/html/bra-benefits.php" target="_blank">Pocket Bra</a> by Gracie's Gear and my favorite socks are <a href="http://www.balega.com/" target="_blank">Balega</a>. I discovered both of these at the 2007 WDW Marathon Weekend Expo and against the advice of everyone ever I bought them the day before the race and wore them the first time while running my first marathon. And I felt fantastic afterwards. So. Take from that what you will. I have a <a href="http://www.fuelbelt.com/" target="_blank">FuelBelt</a> that I barely fit into these days, but it is helpful. I like dry weave race shirts and I've really enjoyed my pair of <a href="http://www.underarmour.com/" target="_blank">Underarmour</a> running shorts. I am also discovering the joys of calf compression sleeves post workout and I'm interested in trying compression socks for running. (My friend <a href="http://blog.desireeburns.com/" target="_blank">Desiree</a> has recommended <a href="http://www.cepcompression.com/1928-Running-Compression-Socks.aspx" target="_blank">CEP</a>.) I believe <a href="http://www.bodyglide.com/" target="_blank">Body Glide</a> is essential and <a href="http://www.biofreeze.com/" target="_blank">BioFreeze </a>is like Christmas for your aching muscles - followed closely by a good old fashioned ice bath. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius5wPmXExiRVU4fy4VMc1eQY2xU1oce6ObN1ULTtinyPY28HxBycDUy7foRpQl1HdQCDqMob5k0tJKwfyh4eL1Icl11rAky9VQkj99B9-0xymmO1YxlUv0MJyFxEpkF-1alIER0h92BVa/s1600/helios.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius5wPmXExiRVU4fy4VMc1eQY2xU1oce6ObN1ULTtinyPY28HxBycDUy7foRpQl1HdQCDqMob5k0tJKwfyh4eL1Icl11rAky9VQkj99B9-0xymmO1YxlUv0MJyFxEpkF-1alIER0h92BVa/s320/helios.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nike Pegasus 29 - "Helios"</td></tr>
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So that's me in a nutshell! I've also finally decided on my training schedule. It's a hybrid of Hal Higdon and Team in Training, with the intention of doing longer runs during the weekdays if I can but understanding that my schedule may not allow for it. Most folks suggest that your long run should be around 20-30% of your weekly mileage and some of these weeks don't come close to that, but we'll see how it goes.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UMwi-7RMr6stxrVcDejnYZu_86vBjrM1EC9b6v7pWavjSUbQb3cO93o8NZzD03ZvC9PG-pLsyQDjxju6KRosD7P7-4zPJfsZwTPnbRgJ-_mdBrO4I4o4qYoe7-c0Ff27Ma1wunMKVsFl/s1600/schedule.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1UMwi-7RMr6stxrVcDejnYZu_86vBjrM1EC9b6v7pWavjSUbQb3cO93o8NZzD03ZvC9PG-pLsyQDjxju6KRosD7P7-4zPJfsZwTPnbRgJ-_mdBrO4I4o4qYoe7-c0Ff27Ma1wunMKVsFl/s400/schedule.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I will try to actually Crosstrain on R days, but definitely on Sundays after short, easy runs.</td></tr>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-31432928582712548692012-09-18T19:30:00.000-05:002012-09-18T21:21:48.193-05:00How to Train - You're Draggin'<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJn-A4oCTqoYt0EO4Rk6S3i26EI4TmYUkb7O3kYFMQAcxZmD9L2nhzhbu9pFtOYAztaxuhC2rS3qD-yJP8L85UJX1kMZAXZEr2E2Im5CSPV_tUdbPh3L3lp3VuV1ZgsaXK61NleJ6VtAy/s1600/toothlessisunamused.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJn-A4oCTqoYt0EO4Rk6S3i26EI4TmYUkb7O3kYFMQAcxZmD9L2nhzhbu9pFtOYAztaxuhC2rS3qD-yJP8L85UJX1kMZAXZEr2E2Im5CSPV_tUdbPh3L3lp3VuV1ZgsaXK61NleJ6VtAy/s320/toothlessisunamused.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">© DreamWorks</td></tr>
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Yep, I'm a sucker for a pun. But my cheeky little title does have meaning! As I run best with a race goal ahead of me, it only makes sense that I then need a plan of action to really get my booty in gear. Outside of my racing seasons, motivation and mileage go way down. I'm hoping to change that in the future by doing this race right and keeping on track even after I nab my bling. Of course, that might require signing up for another race - but hey! Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.</div>
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As far as training goes, I trained for my first marathon with <a href="http://www.teamintraining.org/" target="_blank">Team in Training</a> and I actually still have their training schedule. I even used their half and full schedules to fashion an outline for my Goofy training. In general, I do like this schedule. Monday/Friday rest days are the best. I like the idea of a recovery run and it's a nice slow, steady increase. There are 4 run days, 2 rest days, and 1 crosstrain day. The longest run is 20 miles. Here's an example week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7WtNeiPDCFPoUBTfxQaqDf7JDguRg1wQvZFmt0ZVsMod3Cu_N4iPeQxBFw5UMfCWgVFmnNM0B0CT3YH_AvoKdBqbp-ity50R2GtUVjXrhMX9XCitlFlEAg0j5iputRC4KC1xKN-M5UfH/s1600/tnt.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="35" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii7WtNeiPDCFPoUBTfxQaqDf7JDguRg1wQvZFmt0ZVsMod3Cu_N4iPeQxBFw5UMfCWgVFmnNM0B0CT3YH_AvoKdBqbp-ity50R2GtUVjXrhMX9XCitlFlEAg0j5iputRC4KC1xKN-M5UfH/s400/tnt.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This time around, I have been looking into what other options are out there. <a href="http://www.rundisney.com/" target="_blank">runDisney</a> is a huge proponent of <a href="http://www.jeffgalloway.com/" target="_blank">Jeff Galloway</a>'s training methods. His schedule kind of shocks me. There are 3 run days and 4 rest days. While there is some variety to the running workouts, the long runs seem to be all over the place. And the longest run is 26 miles - a marathon before the marathon! Here's an example week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JpdqPg-2SI8NoCtaSYViqp5302B1HwjJMLRR0IkHaYndl6oOP3scGzhTknrnyVY7dMucpCmsNrEyw6CsJ3gJWO_N12JqP3ehKtUYFyuE2b-gpJpuRATFDKjzlgzST6kdAIkiCEReaCIA/s1600/jeffgalloway.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_JpdqPg-2SI8NoCtaSYViqp5302B1HwjJMLRR0IkHaYndl6oOP3scGzhTknrnyVY7dMucpCmsNrEyw6CsJ3gJWO_N12JqP3ehKtUYFyuE2b-gpJpuRATFDKjzlgzST6kdAIkiCEReaCIA/s400/jeffgalloway.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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I don't think this is for me, considering that I want to work on pace. And it just kind of freaks me out. I am slow and a 30 minute run is not going to get me all that far. I'm glad it's helped so many racers reach the finish line, but I don't think I would have felt confident with this schedule my first time out. <br />
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So then I came across <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/" target="_blank">Hal Higdon</a>'s website and learned that he has contributed to <em>Runner's World</em> longer than any other writer. He also ran eight times in the Olympic Trials and won four world masters championships. He seems like a pretty cool cat. And his schedule is simple and straightforward, with 4 run days, 2 rest days, and 1 crosstrain day. The longest run is 20 miles. Here's an example week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKzf9LhEmL8pfSQdEJU4HXGd7vC0SvPMh9SoP9Amc__kG30h6xa6E34afQFcoez9vC0_lTIznB1XHm2rN_S56K6XYsUf5ySSiCYBwYpffDxRpLfLRDIqxu0VZAWip6ygDDgdW4adqP0yS/s1600/hal.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="36" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKzf9LhEmL8pfSQdEJU4HXGd7vC0SvPMh9SoP9Amc__kG30h6xa6E34afQFcoez9vC0_lTIznB1XHm2rN_S56K6XYsUf5ySSiCYBwYpffDxRpLfLRDIqxu0VZAWip6ygDDgdW4adqP0yS/s400/hal.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A lot of similarity to TNT, really. The only big difference is the Thursday/Sunday swap and the weekday mileage never goes above 6 miles with TNT whereas it's up to 8 with Hal. I also feel like TNT has a slower climb to the longest run and tends to stay around 10, 12, and 13 mile runs. In Hal's schedule you never do the same mileage, even if it's just a one mile increase. Then there's the fact that my Crossfit box has open gym on Sunday's, which I thought might work out nicely for my Crosstraining. <br />
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Even though I have begun my official countdown and training has technically begun, I'm still a little torn between TNT and Hal Higdon. I started with Hal, but I'm struggling to get longer runs in during the week, so TNT could be a better fit. Plus, I've been getting really tired by Thursday. Breaking it up so that I never run more than two days in a row might be good for recovery. I'm still not 100% sure.<br />
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Well, if there are any runner readers out there, what training method do you use? I know training schedules are just about as unique as the runners running them, but I'd still be intersted to know what works well for other folks.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-31948641908769637852012-09-18T13:00:00.000-05:002012-10-07T19:00:20.770-05:00WRD<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGxkIsxA-idiEMQ_RxymWkkQzoUP8A8HON8ljqzdmLmodHqh-oagrohwVYGqUZBnNTudwxauB7ZwSt8XdUXQtkt3kqPTizQoC2xuEDu9LxW4O05PhpByqJs3gv96uLv4y5Y5TWs2RMqhr/s1600/wrd.png" /></a></div>
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I plan to actually do these on Sunday nights, but as I forgot to start it up this week we're going to have a little belated version. Nothing like starting out late!<br />
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<em><strong>Marathon Training Week 1</strong></em><br />
<strong>Miles Ran:</strong> 18<br />
<strong>Long Run:</strong> 8 miles<br />
<strong>Cross-training:</strong> Mini-WOD of planks, sit ups, push ups, and jump rope. First time in awhile for many of these, ow!<br />
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<strong>Pros:</strong> Did my first run around the downtown lake in years and found it invigorating.<br />
<strong>Cons:</strong> Succumbed to a few cheats here and there - beer, bread rolls, office cupcakes. Eep!<br />
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<strong>Tunes:</strong> Been trying out running sans music, but did throw a No Doubt powersong in my Wednesday 4 miler. Fella's been rocking out to a Mumford and Sons Pandora station while cooking. <br />
<strong>Talkies:</strong> Saw Bourne Legacy with friends. Love me some Hawkeye, so I'll forgive the lack of plot. Still trying to educate ourselves on Doctor Who, but somehow managed to just get sucked into Drop Dead Diva. Still not even sure how that happened.<br />
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<strong>Favorite Recipe:</strong> We were on week 2 of the <a href="http://www.paleoplan.com/resources/quickstart-guide-and-paleo-challenge/" target="_blank">Paleo Plan Quickstart Guide</a> and there were honestly a great amount of tasty recipes - Zucchini and Ground Beef, Chorizo Scrambled Eggs, Grilled Bacon Wrapped Rosemary Chicken. DROOL. But I think I'll have to go with <em>Easy Pork Loin Chops with Pomegranate Lime Sweet Potatoes.<strong> </strong></em>(We'd forgotten to pick up the coconut milk and flakes, so I can say this works just as well subbing in almond milk!)<br />
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<em><strong>Easy Pork Loin Chops</strong></em><br />
Makes dinner for two adults, with leftovers for lunch. Approximate cooking time: 50 minutes.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
1/2 tsp sea salt <br />
1/4 tsp dried thyme<br />
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper <br />
4 boneless pork loin chops<br />
1/4 tsp paprika <br />
1 Tbs coconut oil<br />
1/4 tsp dried sage <br />
1 onion, sliced thin<br />
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<u>Instructions</u><br />
1) Preheat oven to 425°.<br />
2) In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, paprika, sage, and thyme together.<br />
3) Sprinkle both sides of each pork chop with the seasoning mixture.<br />
4) Add coconut oil to a skillet over high heat.<br />
5) When good and hot, brown both sides of each chop.<br />
6) Place the browned chops on a large piece of heavy foil and layer with sliced onions.<br />
7) Close the foil into a tight pouch and place on a baking sheet.<br />
8) Bake for 30 minutes, or until pork reaches at least 145° internally.<br />
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<em><strong>Sweet Potatoes with Coconut, Pomegranate, and Lime</strong></em><br />
Makes 4 servings. Approximate cooking time: 50 minutes.<br />
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<u>Ingredients</u><br />
3 medium sweet potatoes <br />
sea salt (optional)<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk <br />
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped<br />
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted<br />
1 lime, cut into wedges<br />
1 pomegranate, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qfQ3_N7S6Y" target="_blank">seeded</a><br />
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<u>Instructions</u><br />
1) Preheat oven to 400°.<br />
2) Cut off ends of sweet potatoes. Using a heavy fork, prick several times around the surface of each potato.<br />
3) Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender (about 45 minutes).<br />
4) Let cool slightly, then mash sweet potatoes with a fork.<br />
5) Stir in coconut milk, coconut flakes, and pomegranate seeds. Season with sea salt if desired.<br />
6) Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.<br />
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I was seriously blown away by the way the pomegranate and lime intensified the taste of the sweet potatoes. I would have never imagined putting these things together and they go so well! Paleo Plan's Quickstart Guide is honestly like a gourmet cookbook. They pair foods expertly!<br />
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Thanks to this recipe I also got to learn this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qfQ3_N7S6Y" target="_blank">amahzing pomegranate seeding trick</a> from Chef John of Foodwishes. His YouTube video is informative and hilarious. YouTube has been invaluable to our cooking the past few weeks. Not only does it help us learn to do the basic things we have never had to do before, but we've found much easier ways to do everyday things as well. Yay interwebs!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-83308222479225936082012-09-17T16:38:00.000-05:002012-09-18T14:38:06.245-05:00Runner's WorldMy interest in running began with a fitness test in college. I was taking this Fitness and Wellness class as an elective to try and get into shape. We learned about lifting and aerobic exercise. At the end of the semester we had to complete a fitness test as our final exam and it included a 3 mile run in a set amount of time - I want to say 30 minutes, but maybe it was 45? Either way, it seemed impossible at the time. <br />
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I had never really ran for exercise. Maybe in volleyball in high school, but probably not considering I was the manager and never actually made the team. I focused more on violin and theatre and my love of all things Japanese back then. I didn't run. The most athletic I got was dance rehearsals for the summer musicals. <br />
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But I trained and I tried and I blasted some Melanie C "I Turn To You" and I managed to do it! I remember feeling rather smug as some of the fit college guys actually gave up halfway and opted to make it up later. While little old chubby, nonathletic me had made it through the never ending loops of that dismal track. (Granted, I think they might have been hungover.)<br />
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Around this time I received a flier in the mail for <a href="http://www.teamintraining.org/" target="_blank">Team In Training</a>. I'm sure I just made it onto the mailing list somehow, but for some reason I was convinced my old college roommate from England had signed me up because she had recently begun training for races and I thought she was absolutely insane. Either way, it was meant to be. Somehow I talked myself into attending a chapter meetings which turned out to be led by my boyfriend's roommate's girlfriend. I seriously had no idea she worked for them at the time. All of these random coincidences already had me reeling and then I saw that one of the race options was the 2007 Walt Disney World Marathon.<br />
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I am a proud Walt Disney World College Program Alumni. I participated in the program from June 2002-January 2003. I had always been a huge Disney fangirl and that experience really only cemented my love for life. I was a "Merchantainment Hostess", which basically translates to souvenir seller. I worked in Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom and I was one of the last people to hand stitch the Mickey Mouse ears before it all went computerized. I had seen runners while stopped at crosswalks on my way to work, so I knew these races existed, but I had never imagined doing one myself.<br />
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But now, almost 5 years out of the program and 2 years since my last trip to WDW, I was eager to return. I was daunted by the $3,000 fundraising goal, but I decided to go for it. Now if you're ever looking for the best way to do your first marathon, I cannot recommend TNT enough. Their training schedule is simple, but effective. And I had such an amazing time with my chapter. They made the long runs feel short and definitely helped put the fun in my fundraising. I held poker tournaments and raffles and begged openly on Facebook until I'd gotten to $2,500. Then my mentors stepped in and offered their extra funds to get me to my goal and they managed to do so without making me feel like a failure. Honestly, I hadn't done bad for a college kid thanks to the support of my friends and family. But they made sure I hit the mark.<br />
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TNT took such good care of us. We stayed at Port Orleans and went to the pasta party before the race. Then on race day - let's just say I am convinced that no one cheers louder than the TNT supporters. And while I was slow as molasses and my pace partner with a wonderful middle-aged dad with a knee injury, I still did it! My very first marathon...<br />
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And then I was hooked. My brother signed us up for the 2008 Goofy, my husband proposed to me at the 2008 Expedition Everest, and my first trip to Disneyland was for the 2012 inaugural Tinkerbell. There is something so special about Disney races for me that just keeps me coming back for more. Of course there's the Disney magic - running through the parks and seeing tons of characters and epic swag/bling - but for me it's also a return to my time as a cast member. Being behind the scenes and seeing a side of the parks most guests don't see. Having Operations cast members waving you through. Passing by costuming and seasonal floats. Watching the fog rise off the hosed down asphalt as the sun rises. It makes me nostalgic for a time when that was my normal side of the parks and those are all good memories. <br />
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So while I do enjoy running for the sake of running and my health, I don't think I'll ever run a race further than a 10K anywhere but Disney. An important fact that I have learned about myself from my running experience these past 6 years is that I need a race goal in order to keep my training strong and on track. And nothing motivates you like the Mouse.<br />
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-69319680722363745132012-09-13T15:19:00.003-05:002012-09-19T10:01:03.636-05:00What is Paleo?My husband and I were first introduced to Paleo about 6 months ago by our Crossfit coaches. At first I was incredulous. This diet seemed odd. Sure, they cut out carbs and sugar, but they ate copious amounts of bacon, they were making tons of Paleo pastries, and they were totally binging on their Cheat Day. Some even had suspicious guidelines like "alcohol is okay as long as it's a clear liquor!". I wasn't so sure how any of them were able to keep the weight off and get so fit eating like this, but to be fair most of them were working out at the box 5-7 days a week. The Paleo portion just made them feel better.<br />
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I never thought it would be for me. I love cheese and I love bread. How on earth would I manage? But we had been doing Crossfit for a month and we weren't really losing any serious weight. Which our coaches, rightfully, attributed to our diets. We would leave the box and stop by the Mexican place or grab a pizza and wash it all down with wine and beer. Not every night, but more often than we had a right to if we really wanted to make a serious change. So we decided to give it a try. We followed the basic tenants - meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts. No refined sugar, grains, dairy, legumes, corn, or potatoes. We felt fantastic within mere weeks. The only downside was that we had very limited palettes or cooking skills. We made a few staples (steak, pork chops) and tried a few new things (spaghetti squash, where have you been all my life?!), but it was already getting a little old. Then my husband had his accident and we were out of commission.<br />
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But now that he is almost fully recovered we have been building our way back into eating Paleo. And this time, I started with more research. What exactly is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_diet" target="_blank">Paleo</a>? As soon as you call it the Caveman Diet I think folks get the gist. Eating like our hunter/gatherer ancestors - only the foods they could get and the way they would eat them. But that seems to be interpreted differently by different people. For example, what's Primal? Or why do we hear so many different rules regarding Paleo depending on who you talk to? Looking deeper down the rabbit hole can make it all seem more difficult, when really - like any <em>lifestyle</em>, versus a <em>diet</em> - it just all depends. There are so many variations and the names often get used interchangeably. (Aglaee does a great job of breaking down most of the "real food diets" <a href="http://www.eat-real-food-paleodietitian.com/support-files/dietcomparisonguide.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.) <br />
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Honestly, I feel like it all boils down to one thing - finding what works for you. Do you want your body to feel better, cleaner, and healthier? Seems logical that cutting out artificial food could help in that area. Are you trying to lose some weight? Kind of obvious you will need to cut down on fruit and carbs. I think my friend Kendra broke it down well for me on <a href="http://southerndisposition.blogspot.com/2012/07/paleo-for-beginners.html" target="_blank">her blog</a> and between her and my reading and my own initial experience I came to five important conclusions for myself:<br />
<ul>
<li>Don't deny yourself. Weigh your options and make a decision based on what you think is more important to you. Do you want that cookie? Okay, you might need to do an extra workout but that's up to you. Denying everything all the time will cause you feelings of resentment and make it all seem more difficult than it is.</li>
<li>If you decide to eat something less than healthy, move on. One moment of weakness does not mean you're a failure - it just means you're human. I often find that I regret those decisions enough to not make them again. </li>
<li>Like everything in life, moderation is key. You want to have a cheat day or cheat meal? Fine, but don't go too crazy or your body will pay for it unnecessarily.</li>
<li>Variety is the spice of life. Try new foods. (Oh hai kale!) Try old foods in new ways. (Pomegranate seeds in mashed sweet potatoes - who'da thunk?!) Discover the joy of <em>spices</em>! My spice rack has tripled in size and I'm loving it.</li>
<li>The point of these changes is to get your body to burn good fats for energy, instead of carbs. So you're basically retraining your body and training for anything takes time, effort, and perseverance. </li>
</ul>
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At the end of it all, I just want to be eating healthier. For myself, for my family, for any possible future family. Now, if in the meantime I could lose some of my extra, unhealthy weight in the process - that's icing on the Paleo-friendly cake. And certainly an important component to that goal is exercise - but more on that next time! For now I'll leave you with some great Paleo Resources, stolen from around the web:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://balancedbites.com/start-here" target="_blank">Balanced Bites</a></li>
<li><a href="http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/" target="_blank">Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fitbomb.com/p/why-i-eat-paleo.html" target="_blank">Fit Bomb's Why I Eat Paleo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/" target="_blank">Mark's Daily Apple Primal Living</a></li>
<li><a href="http://paleomg.com/" target="_blank">PaleOMG</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.paleoplan.com/resources/paleo-plan-food-guide/" target="_blank">Paleo Plan Food Guide</a></li>
</ul>
And my husband and I have personally been using the <a href="http://www.paleoplan.com/" target="_blank">Paleo Plan</a> Quickstart Guide and it is <em>phenomenal</em>. I cannot recommend it enough. They really know their stuff and pair their food combinations in unique and delicious ways that work so well together. Plus the shopping lists and food menus make life so much easier for us lazy cooks!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8482006928423024116.post-15859352584109203302012-09-02T14:20:00.000-05:002012-09-18T14:45:37.161-05:00IntroductionsWell, you gotta start somewhere! So let's jump in.<br />
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My name is Liz. I grew up in North Carolina and moved to Austin, Texas in 2007. I studied English Literature at NC State University and Japanese Language and Culture at Nagoya University. I enjoy acting, video games, and toying around with graphic design. I currently work in Human Resources in the video game industry. And I have always been a lil chubs.<br />
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I love food! Food was always used as a way to show love in my family. But only recently have I begun to believe that there can be better ways to love food than to just eating anything that looks, smells, or sounds good in the moment. So about 5 months ago my fella and I attempted Paleo and we started off strong. We went with the one cheat day a week rule and otherwise stayed true. We were also involved with Crossfit at the time. Unfortunately, at the end of June he had a freak ziplining accident that put him out of commission for quite awhile and we fell off the wagon hard. I've tried picking myself back up a few times the past two months, but it just hasn't been sticking as well as it did before. So this blog is my way of holding myself accountable.<br />
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Lucky for me, I also love running. Well, mostly. I am pretty lazy, so I don't love it all the time. But once I get out there - and especially once I'm done running - I love how it makes me feel. Strong, empowered, and healthy. I ran my first marathon in 2007 with Team in Training at Walt Disney World. I actually worked in the parks for the Disney College Program in 2002 and I remember driving into work and watching runners go by during races and thinking... "good gracious, these people are crazy." Yet 5 years later, there I was doing it myself. I think my family was a little astounded that I'd actually managed this feat and my older brother, not one to be outdone, insisted we go back the next year and do the Goofy Challenge.<br />
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After that I only did a few 5K's here and there, including the inaugural Expedition Everest where my fella and I got engaged. Otherwise I mainly focused on work and wedding planning until January 2012 when I participated in the inaugural Tinkerbell Half-Marathon in Disneyland. Being back at a Disney event was so incredibly motivating and now I have added a big goal to my proverbial Bucket List - to get a medal from every Disney race! Of course, having said that, my brother then insisted we go back for a repeat of the WDW Marathon Weekend for the 5th Anniversary of our Goofy. My Goofy days are over, so I originally planned on sticking just to the Donald (half-marathon) and marking off a new race by doing the 5K Family Fun Run. But then Disney announced their 20th Anniversary Mickey (marathon) Medal and I was a goner. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8I6Sr4TPoKo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Who could resist such craftsmanship?!</a><br />
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So here I am. Attempting to meld my two worlds into one and see if this is what it takes to get me to the healthy place I want to be. I believe Paleo + Running might be just what I need to shed excess pounds and improve my pace. I am aiming to share my experiences - the successes and the failures - with running and recipes. I also hope to find other folks in the blog-o-sphere like me to share tips, tricks, and support. Thanks for reading!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04693637112599130279noreply@blogger.com0