RUNNING and RECIPES!

After church we went to Panera for lunch. I just left church and was already irritated. I decided that the best thing for me to do was to not use to many words. To stuff down my aggravations and try to convince myself with a SMILE that everything was gonna be FINE! We are always joined with mom and dad for breakfast.  Mom knew that I was not my normal self. Mom  slyly asks "So Nita what are you gonna do  today?" With the BIGGEST SMILE I could dig up I tilted my head and squinted my eyes and said." Hmm, I think I am going to run into tomorrow." Mom responds "Tomorrow huh?" "That's a long run!"

It was going to be a long run. 10miles. I had full intentions of running outside. Mom and dad at breakfast made me promise not to run outside. I didn't promise but did one of those."Yeah, Yeah" things that would keep them from getting mad at me. I already had my clothes picked out in my head and my route mapped!

Problem was I took a nap. When I woke up I didn't look outside. I got al1 ready THEN looked outside. There were neighbors all bundled up with their snow blowers going full speed. The snow was coming down like a winter wonderland. Everything was white and fluffy like a big cotton ball. By the looks of it I knew my running shoes were not going to get me to 10 miles out there much less to the end of the street.
Snap Fitness here I come. 10 miles on the Dreadmill sounded like total torture. I packed everything I could think of to keep my attention. Magazines, gummies, gum water, ipod, and pen and paper to log my run.

There was no radio or sound for the TVs at the gym. "Yup this just went to a new level of misery." I thought. I got on the 90 minute treadmill, set the speed at 7.1 and looked up at the TV. The captions were on and next thing I new I got totally sucked into this movie. 10 miles came pretty easy. People came and went. I decided that I should do 11 miles. I thought of a few people I knew who are running the same marathon I am running this spring and they ran 12. I put one more mile under my feet with thier training in my mind. It felt good. I had even increased my speed the last few miles. But I felt REALLY good now that it was over!

RECIPES:

Maple Granolaliscious Granola: Easy 25 minutes total time!!

RECIPE: Granola

2 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup Coconut

1/2 cup Sliced Almonds        

1/4 Cup Canola Oil

3/4 Cup Real Maple Syrup

MIX ALL INGREDIENTS IN LARGE BOWL

PLACE SPREAD OUT ON COOKIE SHEET

BAKE AT 350 for 20 minutes (I flipped the granola after 10 minutes)

Cool on wax paper

Agave is a alternative to Maple Syrup..Also add raisins and cherries after cooled!

This recipe is a re-post. I took this Granola to work and the girls wanted the recipe. Here You Go "Stephanie" Love ya..Enjoy...Bring me in some when you get it made!!

QUINOA AND BLACK BEANS ..Recipe by Jill.

Saute 1 onion and 3 tsp. garlic (or 3 cloves) in 1 Tbsp oil until brown.  

Add 3/4 C quinoa, 2 1/2 C vegetable broth, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

Boil about 20 min and add 2 cans cooked rinsed black beans.

I added about 1/4 C barley (cause I had it) with the quinoa and didn't put in the called for 1 C yellow corn (cause I didn't have it).

What did You Do Active this Weekend?

If you are training for a marathon this spring how long was your long run? How did it go??

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
Beverly Sills

ANITA~

5 words or less....A little Piece of ME

It is late, I am tired, so I am gonna have fun and just keep it simple. 

5 THINGS I DID TODAY:

1. Got kids off to school.
2. Met Katie at Indian Springs.
3. Coffee with dear friend, Jill.
4. Target, simple shopping...lol
5. Pickney, Austins Basketball tournament...LOST

5 THINGS THAT MADE ME SMILE:

1. Listening to kids breakfast prayer.
2. Prayer about me and my yelling!
3. Laughed getting to quit running!
4. Cashier at Target made me Laugh.
5. Whistled at Andy at game.

5 PEOPLE I PRAYED FOR TODAY:

1. The Huggins Family
2. Matt and Becky Harless Family
3. Linda Haberman
4. My brother Bobby and Wife
5. My Husband, Andy

5 THINGS I CAN CONFESS:

1. I hate hearing myself YELL.
2. Smelled like funk after running!
3.Discovering I am a PROCRASTINATER.
4. I play to much W-W-Friends
5. My legs are really sore.

FAVORITE VERSES FOR TODAY:..Exception to the 5 letter rule!
1." For God has not given us the spirit of Fear: but of Power, and of Love, & of a Sound Mind." 2 Tim1:7

2. "My Flesh & my Heart Faileth:But God is my Strength of my Heart and my Portion for ever." Psalm73:26

When Running and Life Collide: Today Katie and I got pretty quiet right around mile 5. It was just her and I out there this morning on the trail doing our 8 mile routine. I was trying to teach Katie how to listen to her breathing and her feet hitting the pavement. That if she listens closely and studies herself she will learn so much about her speed and stamina.

 "Anita, shhhh." I tell myself this aften too late. Reminding myself to listen more and talk less.  I have never struggled in the talking department, but being quiet..I need work. I think that is why running is so therapeutic to me. You have to be in your own head with out ANY interruptions. And it can be really CONVICTING in there. In life when there are less distractions and more times of silence we can really learn so much about ourselves. . Sometimes we may not like what we hear. But we are all in training. There are times when I hear myself breathing while running and it makes me so upset to hear the exhaustion of my inhale and exhale. Well there are also times in my quietness that I hear my imperfections, my anger, my lack of patience, my snap judgments....It is powerful to be still and just listen...Be careful though...You may not always like what you hear..

How was your day today? Any confessions? Did you say your prayers tonight? If so...Remember me as you saw all my confessions...Those were only 5!!

Anita

Honoring our Body and Mind

 "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."  Cor. 6:19,20 NKJ 

 My mother had a petite frame and I wouldn't say that between 3 packs of cigarettes and all the beer and vodka, marijuana and pills she consumed she took great care of her body. Of course if you looked at her you wouldn't know that. But even with her 5'2 frame, weighing in at 110 lbs her body shut down from years of abuse way before her time or mine.

You can only fake it for so long, eventually it is going to catch up with you. Sure you see that person like my mom who lives to be as old as Moses abusing their body, but that might not be you...

Most Christians feel convicted about lying, or gossiping or we describe sin as pornography, addiction or adultery, all the obvious but no one wants to touch on gluttony with a ten foot pole. 

A lot of our churches encourage over eating. My teen age years I went to a Baptist church and there was always a potluck and the coffee table after service was almost hidden behind dozens of donuts. I have even watched Pastors grab their bellies laughing about their figure and the food they consume. It has almost become a joke. I don't think it is a laughing matter when you look at the obesity in the United States.

The number one KILLER in the United States  is coronary heart disease, which often appears as a heart attack.  No it wasn't alcoholism or drug overdose. We weigh the obvious sins and hide our "little indulgences." Most of even our Pastors are over weight. We hear all the time the Reverend who drinks but never the one who is overweight.

It is not about going on a diet, it is changing your diet for life. It is NOT about being skinny or fat..IT is about being Healthy!

You are What You EAT!!

Some people do not even know that they are unhealthy. They think that chronic fatigue, headaches, soreness or acne is just a way of life. They don't know anything else. There is so much more. Life has so many more possibilities. I never realized the signifigance of the foods I consumed affected my daily outcomes till running.  There is Proof  In The Pudding!..LOL..Pudding!  When I ate proper foods I could run longer, I recovered faster and I was able to pursue my day without exhaustion or a bad attitude.

A BAD ATTITUDE. GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT!!!

When we learn how to eat properly a bi-product of eating right is thinking right! When we are honoring God with managing the body he gave us we will also be honoring him with a mind that is disciplined, dedicated and sacrificing.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." Rom. 12:1

You can't serve the Lord on the earth from an early grave. You won't do all you could for Christ from your sickbed or sleeping off the sugar blues. You won't serve the Lord to full capacity if you're too ashamed of yourself to minister to others. Our health is vitally important to God. Christians, more than any other people, need to eat to live, not live to eat.

Does that mean I never indulge? HA..I ate almost a whole tub of popcorn at the movie theater this afternoon. But I planned for it. I ate healthy all day. The popcorn was not mixed with cookies, fried foods, processed foods or white breads.

I love chocolate, ice cream, root beer, oh and Girl Scout Cookies.. But I watch portion, I look for healthier alternatives and sometimes I just treat myself. We all need a day to enjoy. Dieting is not DAY by DAY it is a way of living. So with doing all our routines a day of rest is good.

I would love to hear what you think of this post. I pray I did not offend anyone. At 38 years old I am so thankful to God for allowing me to do the things I can. It hasn't been easy for me. 2 knee surgeries should have couched me. I praise GOD every time I run. I give God all the Glory remembering how thankful I am for each breath of air he has given me. So for each breath I give him the honor and remember HE GAVE ME Life not to take for granted but to glorify him~

People Who Encourage me with their EATING: KELLI T. She is so awesome at eating properly, with many salads and homemade dressings, low fat, and lots of COLOR.

Do you struggle eating Healthy?

Do you have physical symptoms that you think would be different with a better diet?

Do you take supplements but eat unhealthy?

12.99 on sale at MC Sports. Danielle had these when we ran in the snow.

Who motivates you to eat better? Do you Know how?

RUNDOWN:

Time: 1:14

Pace: 8:14

Distance: 9:01

ANITA

Not every RUN is a good RUN...But it is a done RUN!

Danielle and I...We didn't see another person!!

 "The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep."   - Robert Frost

What can I say. Today was tough. The 3 of us, Danielle, Katie and I all made it to Indian Springs about 9 safe and sound. The road were beginning to get slick and the weather man said that the morning was going to be the worst of the weather. Great I thought..This sounds like fun!
Aside from it being terrible weather the path at the metro park was very icy.
I just struggled from mile 3 all the way to the end of our 8 mile run.
I mean I could blame it on the horrific snow, the freezing temperatures, the icy path or the wind that was ripping ice across my bare face.  But the reality was I was just hanging on by a thread.
I am sure that all that contributed to my miserable run today..I tried to laugh, and engage in conversation but I just wanted to finish. Actually I didn't even want to finish. I wanted to go home and take a hot bath.

The path was snow covered and hidden underneath that delicate layer of snow was a nasty layer of slippery, pain staking ICE. The wind was blasting us, NO SERIOUSLY. It was carrying snow that felt like tiny razor blades across your face. And the snow was coming down so hard that you couldn't even see. They were the great big, wet fluffy snowflakes. They were innocent enough as long as the trees blocked the wind. The only damage they did was blinding you. When you wiped them off your eyelids and were able to see again it was breathless. The beauty of the heavy snowfall covered the woods like a white blanket.
The beauty of the snowfall was not the only thing that was breathtaking. This entire run had all together left me winded and out of breath.

CAN YOU SEE WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?????

"Tough times don't last but tough people do."   - A.C. Green

Running in the snow is hard, you run differently then you would normally, using muscles that may be dormant. This leaves you a bit more winded...But it still wasn't comforting to me. I could hardly put one foot in front of the other.
Well that was hours ago. I am still exhausted. I am so thankful to my girls for committing to run no matter what. It was one of those days when you wouldn't have pushed yourself half as far as you went. When I finished I felt like I had really accomplished something great. But boy, did I feel less than great.

Not every RUN is a Euphoric experience.  Even though I know that it doesn't make it any better. This is why I encourage you to have a partner or two. They pick you up when you are down, they encourage you, they hold you accountable and even on those bad days they make them so much better~

"Every day is a good day when you run." -Kevin Nelson

RUNDOWN
Distance:8 MILES
Time: 1:14
Pace: 9:05

Anita

Competing Against yourself..Are you up for the challenge?

I was slightly laughing to myself as I was scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees. I was wondering how many calories you burn doing this thankless job. 30 minutes and I could feel it not only in my knobby knees but I actually think I even felt it in my abs. Wash with one rag then dry with another. According to the Livestrong Website I burned over 100 calories. There's a perk to those who are wanting to burn some calories but have to much housework to do and can't get to the gym! For other housework calorie burners check out this link http://www.livestrong.com/article/356409-how-many-calories-does-housework-burn/

You can out-distance that which is running after you, but not what is running inside you.  ~Rwandan Proverb

I was thinking of the competitive spirit today. Andy and I sat together watching the Olympic Trials last night.  Last night I watched it as a Cheerleader. Cheering on Desiree Davilla and Ryan Hall. Encouraged by the passion of these runners and just left awestruck. The amount of pain they put their bodies through, the power their mind held trumping all voices against defeat and doubt. They were more than Runners, the were Fighters. Strength, Discipline, Desire and Stamina amongst many other characteristic traits defined them. One by one they crossed the finish line, some cried, some laughed, and some praised God. But all of them embraced one another. 
Today I watched it as a competitor. I watched it through my mind a second time. Revisiting the runners response to one another. I was thinking about competition. Healthy good old fashion competition. People and their competitive spirit...It is sad to watch it from the outside looking in. You see it all the time. 

Healthy competition focuses on doing one’s best,working hard, learning and growing.Running Your Own Race. Those who give a strong effort and strive to improve themselves personally and professionally. Healthy competition expands the boundaries of what you believed was possible for yourself. And it encourages you to admit to others that you’re ambitious. It is about YOU.

 Unhealthy competition focuses on winning, being the best, or being better than others. I find that as I speak to people or listen to people that jealousy and envy often prevents people from healthy competition. People break others down, minimize or degrade others so they look better themselves. 

Unhealthy competition is when your reaction to others’ success is negative, rather than inspiring and motivating to you.

There is a woman who got into ING NYC and I didn't. At first I was jealous, wanting to know how she did it and I didn't. But then I thought, Wow, what and accomplishment. I KNOW how hard she had to work to get into that race. I was no longer jealous, I was awestruck. 
I know I have caught myself in this room. The ENVY room. But the room has a door, do not stay in it to long or you will always be a nuisance to yourself and others.
 Where are our cheerleaders today? Where are those people who can look at you FOR you, who can see not just your achievement but your process that went into it. Those who can encourage you, and love you without checking you out and breaking you down. Without criticism, excuses or passive aggressive comments? 
It takes courage to pull out a compliment or encouragement and motivation but it feels good to everyone. Sometimes we have to dig deep, and look within to speak out. We have to do some self inventory. Sometimes we have to work harder on ourselves then the work we put into looking at others with a bad attitude.
RUNNING IT ALL TOGETHER: Today at the gym I knew my program. I didn't look at what anyone else was doing. FOCUS. I had my pen and paper out to right down my miles and times. I was competing with myself, my program, my routine and my training. 
By mile 4 I was determined to finish running this 7:19 pace through to mile 5 which was not the initial plan. 
I told myself like Ryan Hall to just relax. I was inspired by last night Olympic qualifiers. I know I will never be a Kara Goucher but there is a lot to learn from her. I used their strength and discipline
not to trip me up with envy but rather to motivate me and encourage me to work harder. "Turn them over Nita, breath, steady and calm." I just kept talking to myself, I know what I can do, I just do not always want to do it. "One step closer, One minute down, 4miles behind you, you can do this Anita, keep your head up, move those legs, move em!"
I moved my Runners World magazine and to my surprise see I only have a tenth of a mile to go...But I feel so good, so calm, I have beat Myself...I decide another mile would be the cherry on top. I drop my speed and enjoy those who inspired me today. I am grateful for even those runners last night that didn't qualify, their strength is just as deep. They Never GAVE up even knowing they would not be on the Olympic team. Because it was about RUNNING for Themselves. Their Race. Their Journey Within.

2012 U.S. Olympic Team - Marathon: (Left to right) Desiree Davila, Ryan Hall, Abdi Abdirahman, Shalane Flanagan, Meb Keflezighi, Kara Goucher

Rundown:
Miles: 6 Miles
Bike: 5 miles
300 Sit ups
Power Song: Flo Rida -Good Feeling
Anita

When does Training begin?

I was at work on Saturday and heard a familiar voice, "Hi Nita". It startled me for a moment because I could hardly see her disguised by hair covering her face from her blow dry. "Hi Carrie, How are you? Did you run today?" Carrie responded "Yes, I ran 10 miles today." I thought for a second that is  lot of miles to run this time of year unless you are training so I asked, "Carrie have you started your training?"  Carrie and I are both running Bayshore at the end of May. I wasn't scheduled to start my training until February, could she be starting hers already? "Yes, I have started training."  That answer through me into a tail spin. The first thing I thought of was I have to check out my training program. Am I behind the gun?

For a 20 week Marathon program..if started NOW it would be a marathon around the end of May. Memorial Weekend..Bayshore Marathon.
Program for Intermediate runners..Those who run between 25-50 miles a week
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/128.shtml

That is my Program. But here are some other programs for those of you who may be just beginning.
Beginners:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_4/130.shtml

Here is a link for a 12 week HALF Marathon training program for BOTH beginners and intermediate.
http://www.marathon-training-tips.com/12-week-half-marathon-training-schedule.html


I am not behind. Even though I have scaled back I have maintained a 8 mile base. Every Thursday I meet some friends and we run at Indian Springs. We run No Matter What! Rain, Snow, Ice, Cold, we are out there. So I feel pretty confident in my training...I just do not want to be in "Training Mode" yet.

This past week I was pretty consistent about getting to the gym and running. I did my basic 4 day workout out week, nothing more unless you count stretching and sit-ups at home and I don't. I didn't over do anything because I am still enjoying bringing it down a notch.
Wednesday I was at the gym for almost 2 hours. I brought the Kindle to read. So I rode the bike then walked on the DREADMILL on an incline....doing nothing to crazy because I wouldn't be able to read!
Problem started there...On Wednesday..Walking On a INCLINE...then a few miles of speed work resulted in 5 days of calf soreness. REALLY Really bad calf soreness.

So today when the sun was shining I knew I wanted to get a few miles in. I knew that even though it was bright and cloudless it was colder than it looked, like 20 degrees cold.
My back was hurting which I think is a downward spiral from my neck being sore this week and my calves are still making me wince in pain with each step. But I decide to put my whining aside and take advantage of the day.
Bundling up I headed toward outside. Earphones in, gloves on I found myself adapting to the snow covered road and chill of the outside air..
The first mile was comfortable. Stride for stride. Just relaxing in myself. As I approached mile 2-  I could hear my breathing and feel legs moving faster than my lungs wanted to go.
I haven't felt this much pain in a while. Between my back,and my lungs I entertained the idea of slowing down...But I quickly dismissed that idea as I secretly embraced the pain. Reminding myself the pain brings presents. Gifts of endurance, speed, confidence and achievement.
So as I had this conversation with myself I realized I was approaching mile 3 and needed to make a decision. No more debating, Shut up and RUN.
I thought about "Katie". I was encouraged just thinking about her running with "Danielle" and I on Thursday. She came out all smiles and determination to keep up. We pushed Katie to the max and she took the invitation. She ran most weeks being pushed to her limits. I remember her face on Thursday as I turned around to check on her in the rain. She was determined. "Katie" was tired, but she new the finale was in the finish. I was looking at these next couple miles through her eyes, with her lungs and her determination. "Katie" did this most weeks, she felt like this on the Thursdays she ran with "Danielle"and I, she knew this pain every week. It was time to reintroduce myself to pain...Let the Training BEGIN....


Anita