The Countdown Begins

So in just 73 short days, I'm competing in this little thing called a marathon. When I signed up for the race back in February, it seemed like I had all this time to train and prepare, but with just over two months left, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

I was sticking to a running schedule and then went on my work trip for three weeks, which definitely stalled some of my training. But I'm happy to say I started a new 16-week schedule once I returned and have stuck to it for the past month. I'm up for a ten mile run on Friday and will brave 11 miles in the Arizona heat next week, while I'm on vacation with my parents.

I would be a total liar if I said I wasn't scared to compete in this marathon. Let me tell you now, I am terrified and in all honesty have no idea how I'm going to finish it. Don't get me wrong, I have confidence in my abilities and every time I complete a long run, it's never as bad as I thought it would be, but let's get real people, 26.2 miles is a friggen long way to go.

I keep thinking about how I felt after my half marathon last summer. When I hit mile 12, I was "seeing Jesus" as they say and verbally praying aloud for God to help me finish the race. When I crossed the finish line, I remember my cousin grabbing me and yelling for one of the race officials to give my my medal. I remember her putting the medal over my neck and me just saying, "Cheryl, I hurt. I hurt a lot." My knee was swollen and not feeling too hot because of my overly tight IT band and I ended up working with my trainer for a few months after the half, just to get my IT band back to normal. I remember going to bed that night, after the half marathon, oddly enough on an air mattress (I was staying with my cousin, so real bed space was limited). I remember being in so much pain that when I went to readjust or move in my sleep, I woke up with the searing pain of aching muscles.

And thus I admit to you, I am terrified to run this marathon.

So what's my plan for the next 73 days? Well, I'm definitely sticking to the schedule. When I trained for my half, I kind of made up my own schedule and I think maybe ended up adding too much mileage each week. This will not be the case for the marathon.

I'm going to run the Lynchburg half for a second time in August, about a month before my marathon, so that should gauge how well I'll do. I'm also going to be joining the local Crossfit here in Danbury after my vacation, which should help with overall fitness and maybe help me shed a few more pounds before the race.

I'm also purchasing my very own foam roller, which I've been putting off for far too long. This means I'll be a stretching, foam rolling machine up until the big race.

And finally, I plan to overhaul my diet over the next two months, to really focus on consuming food as fuel and not simply because I like it. Although I lost 40 pounds over the past two years, I've been lazy and allowing myself one too many indulgences. Yes, I've kept the weight off, but I haven't lost anything either, and that has to change. But it's really less about the weight and more about giving my body the energy it needs to friggen run 26.2 miles. This means more veggies, more fruit, more high protein and less low fat mini cupcakes (yes they do exist), cups of cereal before bed (hate that I've reverted to that nasty habit again), and carb binges.

The good thing about all of this is that I committed, I paid the money, I'm running the race. Whether I run, walk, or crawl to the finish line, I will complete it. I don't care how long it takes me, because this is one of those moments in life, where it's all about the journey.

Let the countdown begin  . . .

The Reality of Miss Advised . . .

So it's that awkward part of summer in TV-land - the period where all the great shows have wrapped and the late summer shows have yet to begin. It's what I like to call reality-TV Hell. While I never got into Jersey Shore and always thought when you'd turn the TV off after having watched that show you were significantly less intelligent then when you turned it on, I have to admit, I have a pretty long list of reality TV taking up precious DVR space. My list of guilty pleasures includes: the Real Housewives (Jersey, New York, and Ocean County), the Bachelorette (she's totally visiting Prague next week!), Sister Wives (seriously, I can't get enough of them), Tia & Tamera, Kendra on Top, and as of 24 hours ago Miss Advised, a new show on Bravo.

I watched Miss Advised for the first time last night, the premier episode. The show, which is produced by Ashley Tisdale believe it or not, is about three relationship experts living in NYC, San Fran, and L.A. Each one has their own take on relationships and even has their own rules, but as luck and reality would have it, they have trouble actually following their rules.

As I watched the show, I was amazed at how horribly inexperienced my dating life seems to be. I mean don't get me wrong, I have some pretty good dating horror stories (yes, I'm talking about you Mr. Know It All, who said because I was smart, educated, had a good job, and understood business, it was hard to believe I was a woman), but these ladies seem to find a guy around every corner, have a date every night, and blog to tell about it the next day. It's clear these ladies didn't just move to Danbury, Connecticut, because let me tell you, the dating scene isn't exactly booming here. I digress!

I'll admit, I definitely saw some of myself in two of the ladies - Amy Laurent, a NYC matchmaker meets up with her ex-boyfriend who's in town for the NYC marathon. After meeting him for dinner she realizes maybe she's isn't quite as over him as she thought. Yeah, been there, done that. And Julia Allison who goes on a date with a guy with personality potential, but not so much looks. She even asks him to help her move boxes into her new apartment, only to let him know that evening that she really just wants to be friends - oh yes, been there too. Julia even has a 75-point checklist for what she wants in a future husband - don't we all?

I'm not really sure why I let this suck me in last night - I sometimes wonder why these dating shows exist at all...yes it's a guilty pleasure and I'm sure it's supposed to inspire women to take their dating life by the ... well you know, and find that perfect guy. Or maybe it's supposed to demonstrate the pitfalls of other ladies dating escapades, just so we can feel better about our less than lackluster dating lives. I'm not really sure, but at the end of the episode, I think it made me feel worse about the whole dating scene. I'd love to see a reality show that wasn't focused on women trying to snag a guy - is it really that horrible for a career-focused woman to be single? Is it really that awful to not have a boyfriend? Sure, sometimes it feels like it, but mostly I believe women should embrace singlehood - get to know themselves first, understand what really makes then happy, before they start following someone else's rules for hunting down Mr. Right. Just my two cents!

Back on U.S. Soil

Well, I made it to Europe and back! My attempts at super packing were successful and I was under the weight limits every time. Had a wonderful trip, really learned a lot and met so many new people. Although I had a wonderful time, more than two weeks away from home can be a bit taxing at the end. I have to say, when I left Spain that last day, I was ready to go home.


Some of my trip highlights:

View of Prague

1. This trip solidified my belief that taking this new job was one hundred percent the right decision. Throughout my time away, I met people from more than 20 different countries and really enjoyed the folks I worked with. Overall, the amount of drama I encountered was minimal and honestly, a breath of fresh air. It feels good to know I took a giant leap of faith and it paid off. To those who supported me and continue to do so, thank you. To those who didn't or continue to contribute negativity, you don't matter and honestly, never really did.

2. I met some amazing co-workers from Texas and Canada. We had a great time out to dinner in Poland and even found time to partake in some karaoke at the event finale, which resulted in an impromptu, "Hold On" karaoke session on our bus back to the hotel. Great people. Looking forward to some upcoming trips to Toronto and Austin and reconnecting in Russia.

Inside of the restaurant

3. Prague was simply breathtaking. Everywhere I looked there was a postcard photo opportunity in the making. Although the city was awfully crowded (due to a beer festival and hockey season), I can finally cross "See Prague" off my list of to-dos. Such a beautiful city.

4. I didn't have much time in Spain, but I had the opportunity to go into the city for a really fantastic dinner. I randomly chose the venue, La Capilla de La Bolsa, which happened to be the home of the former Madrid Stock Exchange and a church with ties to the Knight's Templar. I was nervous, since it was a random Google selection, but in the end, it paid off and everyone was thrilled with my choice. The interior of the restaurant was phenomenal and there were opera singers who put on a performance every fifteen minutes. I also had my first taste of lobster paella, which was to die for. And we enjoyed some sangria, which was nothing like I've ever had here in the U.S. Despite this amazing meal, I managed to lose almost four pounds over the course of the two weeks!

Overall it was a great trip. I plan to blog more in-depth about it later, but wanted to give a quick blog update.  Now it's back to the real world . . . marathon training,  etc. But I have some incredible memories to last me a lifetime.

Already looking forward to Russa, et. al. next year!

An Update on the Packing Saga

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm making a real valiant effort to be a savvy packer for my trip abroad in a mere 11 days. Here's an update on my successes/failures thus far:

1. I bought new luggage and actually got a great deal on it too. Quick sidebar: I went to Macy's, where they had a 50% off luggage sale. I ended up going for a Calvin Klein set (three pieces, big, medium, small). Together with a 25% friends and family coupon, a slew of giftcards (Thanks CS, LS, & TC), I ended up snagging more than $700 worth of luggage for only  . . . get ready for it  . . .  $200! I consider this a success, not just because of the awesome deal, but because I know have a matching set of luggage and a good sized check-in piece, plus a great little carry-on. Ok, it's not really a success, but I'm still excited about my new luggage . . . and wow, I'm excited about luggage.

2. I took a trip to the local Christmas Tree Shop which is essentially Mecca for all things travel-sized. I snagged some great little finds, like the perfect sized bottle of body wash. Simple pleasures my friends. I also had a great 20% off coupon, so that didn't hurt.

3. I've slowly started to make a pile of things I need to pack - My goal is to do a test run next week.

4. I've tested out how much lotion, contact solution, etc. I REALLY need for two weeks and am now taking about a third of what I normally take on a trip. This has to make a difference, right?

5. I've almost convinced myself that it's impossible to bring my scale with me. When I told my best friend Lindsay about this, she said, "wow Amanda, that's so weird." So I guess I really shouldn't do it, but I'm still on the hunt for a light weight-travel scale. Should one exist, it's mine.

6. I suppose this is somewhat of a failure - One of my coworkers asked me to play tennis in Madrid...which is awesome, but now requires me to pack my tennis racket. I suppose I could not be a tennis snob and rent a racket in Spain, but I feel like I should bring my own. This could put a real wrench in my packing - we shall see.

Just a quick update. Still can't believe I have 11 days left to make it all work!

Staying Healthy while Staying Abroad

In just a few short weeks, I'm off for an extended work trip abroad. I'll be spending about a week in Warsaw, Poland, a few days in Prague, and four days in Madrid, Spain. While I'm certainly excited and happy for the opportunity to travel, I'm a little nervous about two things: 1 - How will I manage to pack all that I need for two weeks in one suitcase and one carry-on and still make the airline weight restrictions? 2 - How will I stay on track with my marathon training and eat healthy? Big problems, right? Yeah, I know, they're fairly minor, but still important, especially to a PR, clothes/shoes-loving, woman!

Let's tackle the suitcase issue first. I've already started making a list of things I need to buy and things I want to pack. I think I've come to the realization that I will need to do some laundry in the hotel sink, and I'm alright with that. But let's be honest, I'm totally one of those girls who brings eight pairs of shoes and too many "just-in-case" outfits. It's going to be tough. I just don't want to get into another situation like I did in China, where my bag was too heavy and in broken English I was told I needed to pay $500 U.S. dollars - Nightmare of a story for another blog post. Anyways, my goal is to be extremely practical about my packing - I said, it's my "goal." I also need to some how leave extra space for all the gifts I need to bring back. This will be a real challenge folks. I plan to document my packing extravaganza and offer some tips as I go along. So wish me luck!

As for my training schedule and eating, that's another story. I know the hotels I'm staying in are equipped with gyms, so that's a start. Working out isn't really going to be a huge issue, I seem to make time for it on work trips. Sometimes though, the fatigue and time differences make me lazy, so I'm going to need to fight the urge to sleep. My shorter runs won't be too bad, but I have a seven and ten mile run to complete while I'm away - that's going to be one boring treadmill workout. Here's hoping I stick to it!

Now eating is a totally different beast. I'm a little compulsive when it comes to weighing myself, so I usually bring a scale with me. Yes, I pack a scale in my suitcase. I'm not sure I'm going to have the space for it this time around, although I refuse to give up and am on the hunt for a lightweight travel scale, if such a thing exists. Worst case, I'll see if the hotel has one. I'm also bringing a lot of my own food, which also contributes to the packing issue. I plan to bring low fat English muffins, a small container of peanut butter, oatmeal packets, some craisins, cheerios, 100 calorie snack packs, and I'm sure that's not all. Part of the reason I bring my own food is strictly health reasons (i.e. calories), but the other reason is due to food allergies - It's not easy being lactose intolerant abroad! I'll also continue food journaling, which should help keep me on track. When all else fails, order the salad.

If you have any tips on packing or keeping a healthy lifestyle while abroad, please do share! I'll keep you all posted on my attempts!

Baking for a Cause - Monkey Bread!

So in an effort to be a good person, who gives back to the community, I frequently volunteer (when I can and when I'm at home) with my parents' Lions Club. Truth be told, I'm actually a member, and one of the youngest at that. Twice a year, the Lions have a breakfast and bake sale for the community to raise funds for scholarships for local seniors. For the past few years, I have been put in charge of the bake sale, mainly because no one else wants to run it and also because I'm the only one who's been able to make a significant profit. I enjoy it though - mainly because my mom and I bake up a storm the day before and I get to give back by doing what I love, engaging my inner-Betty Crocker.

The next breakfast is in two weeks and once again I'll be reprising my role as bake sale leader. I try to come up with new items to bake. In November, I made mini cheesecakes and they flew off the racks. Some of the staples that tend to sell really well include: Tandy cake (peanut butter/chocolate/vanilla cake), blueberry cake, apple turnovers (I make them every year), apple pie, and cookies. With a couple weeks to go, I'm making my list of items to bake this year, which includes: mini strawberry cheesecakes, peanut butter cookies, apple pie, AND mini monkey bread muffins!

I tested the mini monkey bread muffins last night and thought I'd share the recipe with you all - it's incredibly simple, and incredibly delicious. I riffed off a recipe I found at Pinch of Yum. I had to get rid of some rapidly aging bananas and this recipe included them in the monkey bread. So here's how you do it:

Ingredients: 
1 package of Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 
1/2 cup of Splenda or other sugar substitute (my attempt to make these healthy)
1 teaspoon (or more if desired) of cinnamon
1-2 bananas (if you desire)
1/2 of butter for topping (optional)
2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar (optional)

Directions:
Break the biscuits up into clumps of varying sizes - I got between four and six pieces out of each biscuit. Although the recipe I found suggests putting the sugar/cinnamon in a ziplock back and adding the dough to coat, I found this to actually not work very well. So, I'd suggest putting the cinnamon/sugar in a bowl and rolling the pieces, a few at a time, in the mixture. Coat a muffin pan with nonstick spray and add in the pieces of dough. If you want to add banana, just cut up into piece and coat with the sugar/cinnamon mixture and add with the dough. Pop them in the oven for twenty minutes at 350 degrees and there you have it.

I think you can probably get between nine and eleven mini monkey bread muffins out of eight biscuits, which is between 150 and 124 calories a muffin- the average monkey bread made with real sugar is about 400 calories a serving. If you want, you can melt butter (or in my case Smart Balance) and brown sugar (my case Splenda Brown sugar) and add to the top of each muffin, before baking, for a more gooey texture. This will add a few calories of course.

I think these taste pretty good - If you use real sugar, they might be a little gooey-er, but of course more calories - your choice! I only allowed myself to eat two - one with bananas, one without and froze the rest - I think they'll be a nice treat one morning after a quick spin in the microwave.

I think I may just have to add these to the bake sale table after all! I think I could get $2 a piece out of each one!

Enjoy!

Easter Preparations

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I relocated to Connecticut for my job in February. My parents spend the winter in Arizona and finally returned home to the East Coast this past week. Since we hadn't seen one another for three months, it was Easter, and my birthday right around the corner, my parents spent Easter with me here in Connecticut.

For the first time in my life, I felt like such an adult, preparing for their arrival. From furiously cleaning my apartment, to buying bagels and cold cuts at the grocery store, to making dinner reservations, I meticulously made sure everything was perfect for my parents. I guess in some ways, I wanted them to see just how grown up I've become and know they taught their daughter well.

The weekend was really wonderful and I guess what I realized was all the preparations didn't really matter. What was really important was just being able to spend a great weekend with family. I won't lie though, it did make me feel pretty good when my parents called after they arrived home on Sunday night and said, "We had an absolutely wonderful time and can't wait to come again!" Mission accomplished - I am officially a qualified and successful hostess - and my parents are so proud! But I won't lie, once they left to head home, I passed out on the couch. Being a hostess is exhausting!

Happy Easter everyone!