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Showing posts from February, 2013

So Done with Winter

I've recently sworn back on to a weight lifting routine.  Monday I spent nap time lunging, squatting, and pushing up in the basement.  I guess I thought that after 3 months off, I should just do the same routine with the same weights as when I left off.  Ouch.  What better thing to do then, on Tuesday, but run speed intervals and get some more time on my bike.  Dead legs.  Lots of whining.  Pain.  Ibuprofen. Riding the bike trainer, running on the treadmill and following the black line at the bottom of the pool is making me psychotic.  Okay - the black line is my friend because fish are NOT.  At the beginning of Indoor Training Season, I always say that I don't mind it, but by now - I'm whining like everyone else. I am now half way through training for my first Marathon.  Saturday I get to run the longest distance I ever have.  Fourteen miles.  I'm ready and excited, but not sure if I will be able to do this outdoors. :(  BIG SAD FACE.  I did twelve miles on the tre

Bike Fitness

I did my first brick workout of the season, yesterday.  I haven't given my bike much attention this winter - I dislike riding on the bike trainer more so than I dislike the treadmill. I've logged only half a dozen rides since Thanksgiving (shame).  Losing fitness of any kind is a shame - but the bike leg is the longest one in tri.  I will try not to let that happen again! Yesterday's ride wasn't as disastrous as Sunday's cycling slog-fest, but getting OFF the bike and on to the treadmill was as much fun as it was the first time I ever tried it.  I had only had my usual green smoothie breakfast about an hour prior - but my stomach totally rejected this activity.  I know from experience that the stomach calms down after a bit, so I "gutted" it out for a couple of miles.  Total workout time was just under an hour, so not a long brick - but solid training and THAT'S what really matters. Today, we are having our second snow day in a row!  The kids are

My Vegetable Lasagna

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I created a delicious vegetarian lasagna tonight that I just can't wait to share with you!  I started out with a recipe that I found in my folder and had purchased ingredients for.  It had ground beef in it, which I already anticipated substituting or just omitting, but then I had some eggplant that needed to be used...and zucchini looked good...had a little Provolone sitting around...  You get the idea.What I ended up with was wonderful - and even good enough that our 10 and 14 year olds liked it.  Our 3 and 5 year olds didn't appreciate it quite as much. Here's a play-by-play...scroll to the bottom if you just want the ingredients without the how-to. I began by cooking 9 lasagna noodles according to package directions.  While that was going, I sliced a large eggplant into quarter inch slices.  Eggplant is very spongy and watery, so I sprinkled it with large grain salt and put it in a colladar over a plate to draw some of the moisture out. After draining the

The Worth of It All

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So far, 2013 has been a year of discovery already.  I have been fortunate to experience the pain of growing into a few important principles.  I'm sure there's more to come - but here's what I've learned in the first two months of this year. 1.  That people WANT to help. I can't even list the many people in the last couple of months that have rushed to my aide.  Most of them don't really want to be recognized, anyhow.  Such humility is rare.  I've learned to practice a little humility myself.  Sometimes accepting  help is a hard thing to do.  From anonymous packages, to gift cards, to loaner vehicles and quite literally the kitchen sink...all things that have been needed have been supplied.  I always freak out a little and doubt, but I forget how big my God is AND how loving His people are. 2.  That I don't have to do it ALL. Sending the kids to public school and ending home schooling was such a hard thing to do.  I felt somewhat excommunicated f

Sunday No Church - Again

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Oh my goodness, I got owned this morning.  By my bike.   I used to ride every Sunday morning in addition to a few times per week.  Once upon a time, in a land far far away...  But due to illness, and the fact that I signed up for my first Marathon on May 5th...I've had to run when I can and rest the remainder of the time.  I could NOT believe how difficult 30 minutes on the trainer was.  My handy dandy Garmin Speed and Cadence Sensor ($30 and hooks into my phone!) just HAD to be wrong.  I was only averaging 13mph and had sweat dripping ALL OVER MY BIKE .   After being made a fool of by my Trek, we drove to GI to get my Mom's van back to her. What a gal - loaned us her beautiful red van for over a month until we could afford to fix ours.  Momma supports us in not going into debt.  "Aint nobody got time for that."  Love my sweet Momma.  She drove sub-standard while we were riding luxury.  Even at my age, my Mom takes care of me.   Cameron had to wear his

Saturday Something Else

Today I basked in the glow of my training comfort zone.  I ran 12 miles in the wee morning hours (on the treadmill, where's my Bucky Beaver Badge?) and next week is a low mileage week where my long run will be six.  In two weeks, my long run will be 14 miles.  My longest run *ever* is 13.1 miles.  I'm scared, now.  My only hope is that I can do the remainder of the long ones out doors. Distance running always surprises me.  Your body is so amazingly resilient and adapts "on the run."  My left hip played games for a couple of miles and then stopped.  My left knee that whined and fussed last week didn't say a word.  I stopped to change the movie that was playing after I had run about 8 miles.  I wasn't stopped more than 90 seconds.  In that time, my feet had a strange reaction and my first few steps back on the treadmill felt like they were ballooned to double!  It was disturbing and painful for about a mile - and then I was okay.  So weird! I was tired by t

Things That I Love

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Happy Valentines Day!  Here's a list of things that I love...in no particular order. :) Coffee with coconut oil. Best show, ever. Though I try not to - I do loooove cheese. Which is a good thing I love running. Kids - any and all.  Yours, mine, theirs, short or tall. Need to move to a warmer climate. Dark chocolate...on top of... PEANUT BUTTER! And my David.  Sweet, handsome, smart and funny.  I married UP!

Laughing Kids, Generosity & Swollen Nodes

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Oh - and Jalapeno Cheetos.   But I digress... Tonight at AWANA it struck me what a joy it is to hear a child laugh.  After a day of taking care of other people's kids, it's sometimes difficult to *want* to go and do it some more at church.  I'm always glad that I do - 100% of the time.  I walked in to Council Time and 3rd grade Sarah patted the seat next to her "Sit here, Miss Andrea!" she said.  My whole existence warms at an invitation like that! After club, I was talking to a friend and she was dutifully listening to my recent news.  This sweet lady is always so good at listening - I sometimes walk away and feel badly that she got the full story.  Tonight she one upped even herself by pressing a grocery store gift card into the palm of my hand.  She said "It's not much, but maybe it'll help."  I just hugged her and said thank you.  What more can you do?  So humbling and yet makes me feel so important as a loved human at the same time. Wo

Good to the Extreme is Not Good

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I've long been a proponent of good living.  Now, I know that's subjective, but just go with me on the generally accepted tenants of a healthy lifestyle which include: 1.  Eating a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. 2.  Avoiding processed foods. 3.  Limiting "extras" like candy, fried foods and alcohol. 4.  Drinking water with your meals and in between to thirst. 5.  Moving your body at least four times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes. 6.  Getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. These things are not easy in today's world.  Life moves fast, there are a million things to do and stress is a killer.  But with a little prioritization, you can make this work.  No need to strive for perfection, just being aware of your choices yields big returns.  But choices - so many choices!  What are the right ones? Last year I went vegetarian, and at the beginning of this year, I tried a vegan diet.  I stared reading books by vegan endurance athl

Groundhog Run 10k Race Report

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We were excited to race the 31st Annual Children's TLC Groundhog Run in Kansas City on January 27th.  My sister lives in KC and graciously hosted 3 silly runners and 4 sillier children for the weekend.  Thanks sis!! This race is a unique fundraiser that is entirely underground in the Hunt Midwest SubTropolis .  It is a two loop course that began near the mouth of the cave and wound around and past the many business that make their home underground. We passed Hallmark, a U.S. Post Office and many more.  The floor of the cave is paved as a street would be and the pillars are covered with a protective coating to (presumably) combat crumbling.  The ceiling was unfinished and reminded us, as we ran, that we were in a cave! The mouth of the cave. We parked across the highway and were bused to the entrance of the cave.  It worked out great!  The weather was a little chilly, but the buses were heated and we didn't have to wait long.  We noticed folks that parked and walked -