Currently: July

Current Book - Cutting For Stone -- Abraham Verghese (so far, so good!) 

Current Celebrity Crush - Tom Colicchio (when I googled to find a photo, I found this! Haha. I have never seen him with hair!) There is just something about a guy that can cook. He is sometimes a bit sarcastic, but then he will say something so nice 2 minutes later.

source

Current Drink -  Creamsicle -- 8 oz Orange Juice, 2 tbsp plain yogurt, ice. Blend up and enjoy!

Current Excitement -  This weekend K and A and the babe are coming to have a beach day with us! I can't wait to take them to my favorite burrito place! Or maybe that pupusa place I have been wanting to try.

Current fashion trend - I bought a couple of brightly colored tops, which I wear with jeans when I am feeling frisky. I wear it with these shoes.

Current Favorite Blog/Website - You've probably already heard of it, but I really love Read it Later, which is now called Pocket. It allows you to "bookmark" a page to read later offline or transfer to your eReader to read at a later date. It is also very easily searchable. I use it a ton! 
 

Current Favorite Film - I went to the movies and saw To Rome With Love. It was okay but not great. Other than that, I haven't seen a movie in AGES. 

Curent Food - Steel cut oats. I have them almost every day for breakfast. With whatever fresh fruit I have on hand, plus craisins, chia and sesame seeds, it's so good!

Current Guilty Pleasure - Booze. I normally don't drink very much, but lately I have had a few nights where there have been one too many glasses of wine. It's been great but it's making me a lot less motivated to run the next day!

Current Indulgence - Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee. I am still trying to figure out how to order though. Since when does "light on the cream" mean EXTRA cream?

Current Mood - Good!

Current New Find - The store down the street from me has the best bulk aisle. They have pretty much anything you could ask for -- spices, baking products, herbs, nuts, seeds, grains...you name it. It's so great when I need a bit of cinnamon for a recipe to be able to just get $0.13 worth!

Current Outfit -  Right now? I am in my pajamas. Pants are overrated.

Current Peeve -  People who are untidy/unorganized. I had a dream last night about it. I started a new job as a manager and the place I took over was a mess! 

Current Song - I have that Payphone song stuck in my head. I don't LOVE it, but there it is.

Current Triumph - I ran every day this week so far. I know it's only Wednesday, but I will take my triumphs where I can get them! 

Current TV Show - Top Chef Season I

Current Wish-List - I want a new iPhone. Little by little, things on mine are slowing down/stopping.

Currently Delaying - Buying a new iPhone. I figure I will use the old one until it's gone completely.

What's currently going on in your life? Do you like Top Chef? Do you ever shop in the bulk aisle?

Monday Misc

- The other day I met up with Jill and B for a couple of drinks and some chatter. We had a bunch of great conversations, one of which was the fact that Jill did not put on pants and I was wearing a sports bra. B was of the mind that we should have both tried harder to look presentable, but I was happy that Jill and I were of the same mind set. I guess what I am trying to say is that most bloggers I have met have been exactly how they seemed like they would be from their blogs. Thank goodness. I hope that I am the same!

- Speaking of other bloggers, I don't think I mentioned S & R. I have probably talked about them before, since they were the ones who gave us the tent. We met this couple while traveling in Malawi a couple of years ago. They were nice and fun and we ended up hanging out together for a few days before parting ways. We have kept in touch and VOILA, last week they had a wedding to go to in Santa Cruz and they came and stayed with us and we had a great time! This is why I love travel. You meet people that are kindred spirits. You invite them to come and stay with you and you MEAN IT! It's great.

- I don't have TV at home. No TV. No cable. No satellite. I like it this way. This is not strange to me. I grew up without TV and never really got into the habit of watching TV as a way to wind down. Don't talk to me about Gilligan's Island. I know there is a hot girl and a sailor, but I am not sure about the rest of the show. A lot of people find this weird. I find it weird that we have gotten so used to having TV that it seems strange NOT to have one. I am not saying that if you do have one and/or watch it that there is anything wrong with that. I am not saying that I don't watch Top Chef from time to time. I am just saying that there is a lot of crap on TV these days and I don't want to get sucked into it. And I would, because I DO have an addictive personality. So I just avoid it all together.

- I have not felt like running lately. I still want to run, but I don't really want to do the work. I want the effect I get from running, because afterward I always feel great, but I am feeling super, SUPER lazy and unmotivated these days. I think I hit a tiny training wall. Luckily last week was a step back week, so hopefully I will start this week off on the right foot!

- Right now for book club, we are reading Cutting for Stone. I am about half way through. So far, so good! Have you read it? What do you think? No spoilers!

How was your weekend? Do you ever meet up again with people from  your travels? What about blog friends? Do they seem the way they portray on their blogs?

Just Call Me Baby

I have a confession to make. I eat baby food. It makes me run fast.

I was volunteering for a 50k a couple of months ago and in the process met some great guys who put up with my incessant questions about Ultra Racing. What do you eat? How often do you train? How many miles do you go for your long runs? Do you walk up all the hills? What is a good time for a __k? How much water do you carry? What shoes do you use? They were very patient with me. We ran 20 miles together; they had no choice.

I learned...they run runs by the hour, not the mile. For instance, on the weekend, they may go for a 4 hour run, regardless of the number of miles. I learned that they mostly use hydration VESTS, rather than belts. I learned that they use Montrail and Asics and Some Weird Shoe with a bigger heel. And, as far as fueling, I learned that some of them eat baby food.

So I tried it. I tried a few different kinds. Each were apple based and were in those squeezable packages. I know, it's landfill, but I am only using one a week at the most. Here are a few I tried.

Target Up and Up Brand Baby Food -- 1 x 3.5 oz $0.79 each  -- $0.23/oz
Trader Joes Crushers -- 4 x 3.17 oz packs for $2.99 ($0.75 each -- $0.24/oz)
Safeway Brand Squeeze Applesauce -- 4 x 3.17 oz packs for $2.50 ($0.63 each -- $0.20/oz)**

The results? I love it. It goes down MUCH easier than Gu (which I am not a huge fan of but will use if I need to). It's about 50 calories per pouch, so you may need to carry several, which could be a drawback. I used them in tangent with my other favorite fuel, honey stinger chews. I take a shot of applesauce around the 1 hour mark and a few chews about an hour afterward (2 hr mark) and probably about a half an hour after that (2.5 hr mark). I've never been big on fuel, and so far, this seems to work for me. I may start to carry two of them (hey, that's why I wear a bra, right?) and take them on the hours and the chews on the half hour. Who knows. I still have three 20+ mile runs ahead of me to test it out.

What kind is the best? Seriously, just go with **the cheapest one. They all taste the same to me. Just make sure there is no added sugar. They should be made from fruit, which is already naturally sweet!

Now that I mentioned this, you may wonder why I need to worry about all this stuff. It's because I got a wild hair and finally signed up for my first ultra (after hemming and hawing and watching the price rise and the number of available spots drop!) Which one!? It's the Skyline 50k which is right near my place in Oakland! Click the icon to go to the site!

The race is on August 12. That means I have about one month to complain, ask more questions, be nervous, get over my fear train! I have decided NOT to buy new shoes. I will probably wear my regular old Asics that I have been wearing on the street and trails for the last few months. I am still not sure about a hydration vest. I am not sure I need the water, but the added storage pockets may be nice. Also, for my marathon training, I still have 2 more 20 milers. I can decide whether to do one of them on trails in preparation for the 50k. Does anyone have any advice for these issues? 

Don't forget to stop by Jill's for more Fitness Friday posts!  Also, happy FRIDAY the 13th!


Have you ever eaten baby food? If people ask you lots of questions about something you are knowledgeable about, is it annoying or flattering?

A Weird One

Yesterday was a weird day. First thing in the morning, I got into a stupid argument (when are they not stupid!) with Mr. L. We made up quickly but it's still not the best way to start your morning. After that I was low on patience. I decided to go for a run to shake it off. Instead of it getting better, at first I just got more annoyed. WHY are these families taking up the entire sidewalk with their dogs and their coolers and their pool noodles and their 17 kids? WHY do they have so many kids anyway!? Why can't people have a low number of well behaved kids who stay off the middle of the sidewalk?!

Why is this car parked on the shoulder? Don't they know the shoulder is for bikes and runners, NOT for your convenience so you can be 20 feet closer to the beach so you don't have to walk your dog and your cooler and your 17 kids and your pool noodle that much farther!? Why should I have to suffer because you decided to come to my neighborhood today? You probably need the extra 20 feet of exercise because I bet your cooler is stuffed with hot dogs and Cheetos and sugary sodas anyway!

It was not my day. I was being totally negative. In my head of course.

I am passive aggressive. I would probably never actually say anything to anyone. Actually the other day I really and truly ACCIDENTALLY bumped into one of the bathing suit clad ladies carrying a pool noodle. The reason I bumped into her is because the pool noodle is kind of long and I was trying to devise a strategy for getting around her as I was coming up behind her. I mean, do you go to the right around the shorter end of the noodle, or to the left around the bigger end? I decided to go left, as you normally would when passing a slower moving vehicle. Just as I was about to go around her, she swung herself, and the noodle, around and I kind of rammed into her elbow/the noodle. On accident. Then of course I felt bad, as if she wasn't taking up the entire sidewalk with her noodle AND making moves without giving any warning.

But yesterday was not that day. I swerved around the kids by going into the bushes on the side. I jumped over the dog leashes, did the crip walk (<------ if you don't know what this is, you have to click here and imagine me in my running shorts doing this on the sidewalk) around the coolers and did the limbo under the pool noodles.

I got halfway through my run and my calf was hurting. It had been hurting for several days. In fact, I cut my run short on Sunday and skipped my run on Monday and Tuesday because of it. It was probably karma. When  I reached the turn around point, I was in Capitola, which is a little beach town near Santa Cruz. I decided to take a break and "ice" my calf...in the ocean. So I did. I took off my shoes and waded in. I stood there for about 15 minutes, just enjoying the COLD water, the sun, the waves, and yes, even the families and their pool noodles. Afterward, I sat in the sun and dried off a bit. And saw this.

Just so you know, there were tons of people in the water -- "swimming, surfing and doing other water sports". Tons of kids actually. Not so many parents. Maybe the parents are as sick of their kids this summer as I am. Oh my gosh, I am just kidding! Wow. Don't get all riled up.

How embarrassing; you can see my sock tan line.

Anyway...sitting there, watching the waves, listening to the sound of people enjoying themselves and thinking about things restored my inner peace. I know it sounds kind of hippie-dippy, but really, after a bit of a run and some sun and sand and water (and thinking about all the pool noodles getting eaten by sharks), I was in a much better mood. The second half of my run was much better. EVEN THOUGH I still had to do the crip walk from time to time!

Who needs mood altering drugs? I have exercise and fresh air. Sometimes they just takes a little longer to take effect. 

What do you do when you are in a funk? Why do you think we let certain things get to us? If you don't let things get to you, what's your secret?

Cabbage

I am on a cabbage kick lately. I used to only think of it as:

(a) something very soft and mushy that comes with corned beef (ps I actually like it this way too!)
(b) something that gets thrown at you at the St. Patty's Day parade in New Orleans (yes, you pick it up off the ground and then cook it according to situation a)
(c) something that was in nasty, mayonnaise filled, sweet, gross coleslaw. I always hated coleslaw.

BUT.

During my travels I have seen it in many a dish, so I thought I would try to experiment a bit. I have to admit, Mr. Lovely also spurned this, as we went to a Vietnamese place and got their cabbage salad and he asked me if I could make it for him. So I did.

Mr. Lovely's Vietnamese Salad

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
2 medium carrots, grated
Several Basil Leaves, chopped
Peanuts, ground

Sauce:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Squirt of Sriracha (hot!) 
1 heaping tsp minced ginger (I'm lazy. I use this)
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar/honey (or more to taste)

Optional: 1 tbsp peanut butter / 1 tsp finely minced garlic / chopped broccoli

Mix everything together. Eat. Enjoy. Simple and tangy and crunchy! This will even last for a few days in the fridge without losing it's crunch. This is also really good on a fish taco instead of lettuce!

Trying to Make Teriyaki Stir Fry

Sometimes I try things and I don't have all the ingredients but it comes out just fine! This was my attempt to do teriyaki chicken, but I didn't have soy sauce, which you may know is the main ingredient in teriyaki sauce, but it ended up turning out pretty good actually.

3 - 5 baby bok choy, quartered
1/4 cabbage head, shredded
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 mushrooms
2 chicken breasts, diced

For not really teriyaki sauce (here is the real recipe in case you would rather make that):
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp flour (recipe calls for cornstarch)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 minced garlic clove
1 tsp ginger

In small saucepan, put all sauce elements. Heat slowly, stirring frequently. Once sauce reaches desired thickness, take off heat (about 10 minutes). Heat large pan. Once hot, add oil of choice. Add chicken. Once chicken is browned, add veggies. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are cooked but still crisp. Add "teriyaki" sauce. Eat. Enjoy.

I admit, it may have been better with soy sauce, but it was still really good without it! It just wasn't teriyaki!

So, cabbage is not just for gross coleslaw! In fact, I even have discovered that all coleslaw is not gross! I think my next cabbage attempt will be sauerkraut! I love sauerkraut!

Do you have a favorite cabbage recipe? Do you like coleslaw? Have you ever thrown a cabbage or had one thrown at you?

Tuesday Training (3)

I know some of you get bored with training posts, so, if that is the case, instead of reading the below post, read THIS, about the time I missed the bus in Argentina due to an unknown time change and met a local in the process.  Week 1 - 4 and Week 5 - 8 can be found by clicking the links <----.
 
Santa Rosa Marathon Training -- Week 9 to Week 11

Week 9: Luckily this was a step-back week, because I was really not feeling it. I had to go to the city on Thursday and it threw off my run for that day. Saturday was a stress ball day of broken cars and Sunday was the drive to Oregon, which meant 8 hours in the car. This week was a lot of trail running, which some may consider "junk" miles, but I call them hill workouts!

Monday: 1 hour of P90x Core
Tuesday: 13.1 mile trail run @ 10:20 pace
Wednesday: 8.5 mile trail run @ 10:13 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 8.2 mile trail run @ 10:09 pace
Saturday: 6 miles @ 8:20 pace
Sunday: Rest

Total Miles: Goal 35.6 / Actual 35.5 / Long Run 13.1

Week 10: This week I was in Oregon until Friday, which I thought would cause me to have LESS miles, but in fact, with three ladies trying to get ready plus a baby to get ready, feed and give naps to, there ended up being extra free time, which I used to run. Also, my friend is trying to get back into running, so I also did run/walk intervals with her. I put them in parenthesis.

Monday: 7 miles @ 7:40 pace (+ 3 miles @ 12:53)
Tuesday: 2 miles @ 7:15 pace (+ 3.5 miles @ 13:36)
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:03 pace
Thursday: 9.5 miles @ 8:43 pace (on Peterson Ridge Trail -- mostly flat)
Friday: (3.75 miles @ 14:14 pace) Flight home
Saturday: 19 miles @ 8:40 pace (8:20 - 9:20 is the pace suggested by McMillan for my long runs)
Sunday: Rest

Total Miles: Goal 47 / Actual 56 (*my highest ever!) / Long Run 19

Week 11:  This week was a difficult one, physically and mentally. First of all, I went out and had a few drinks on Sunday, so I took Monday off. Then there was 4th of July and more drinks, so I took Thursday off. My schedule calls for 6 days of running, but I often combine the two shorter ones (this week it was 4 and 5) so I can have two rest days. This week I needed them! Wine + little sleep Does Not = happy runner.

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 10 miles @ 9:05 pace
Wednesday: 9 miles @ 8:22 pace
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 6 miles @ 8:26 pace
Saturday: 20 miles @ 8:58 pace
Sunday: 8 miles @ 9:54 pace (my legs were SO tired from the long run. Remind me to keep Sunday as my rest day if my long run is going to be on Saturday. This was NOT a fun run. McMillan suggests a recovery pace of 9:20 - 9:50, so I missed my mark on this one).

Total Miles: Goal 54.5 / Actual 53 / Long Run 20

Luckily this means next week is another step back week because I will be traveling again and who knows what the conditions will be. I have to admit, I know that I am SUPER lucky to be training in a place where the high usually doesn't reach the 70s. I am a bit worried that the marathon is going to be HOT and I am going to keel over because I am not accustomed to it. So this weekend there may be a few hot training runs just as a test to see how I will do. Wish me luck!

Taken from Running Ahead

Verdict? 20 miles is not that bad anymore. What IS bad is the run the day after. I think I need to have a short run on Friday (or a rest day) and a rest day on Sunday (or a shorter run). I also don't know how some people can run 100 miles a week when training. I am pretty tired. My feet are tender. I have listened to all the This American Life episodes and 3 audio books. What keeps me going? Views like the one in the photo above. If I was running 20 miles on the street or a bike path or in the heat, I would be an emotional wreck.

A quick note on fueling. Jelly beans? Too sweet, but good because I can take one by one when I want them. Gu? Sticks in my belly UNLESS I eat it over the course of several miles which is okay but can get messy (I fold it and tuck it into my wrist band).  Nuun? So far, so good, but I think better to take before or after rather than during, since I just don't like sweet stuff while I am running. I also found that watering it down a bit helps. I have a new favorite fuel, but I think it deserves it's own post, so stay tuned!

Also, congratulations to Amber, a fellow marathoner and blogger who just got married yesterday!

Are you training for anything? When you travel, do you exercise less or more? What is your favorite distance to run?

A New Place (3)

Remember I talked about some of the things I looked for when moving to a new place? In case you missed it, I always try to find out about: running paths, grocery stores, burritos and libraries. I already talked a little about some of the great places to run that I have found. I will also have a list for you pretty soon regarding burritos and grocery stores.

But right now, I want to say that although those staples were and are important to me, here are a few others that I forgot about or have found as well. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone and sometimes you don't know what you are missing until you find it! In this case we have some examples of both!

Thrift Stores: I am an avid thrift store shopper. NOT a vintage store shopper. This time especially, since we are only living here for a couple of months. We did not want to move stuff from my storage, which is 200 miles away, to then have to just move it back in 10 weeks. Mr. Lovely lives 3000 miles away, so of course there is no point in moving his stuff! So we decided to get by on the bare minimum. With a few trips to the thrift store, we pretty much had all that we needed! Also, not only are the thrift stores plentiful here, but the prices are awesome! (A few to try if you are in the area: Thrift Center, Salvation Army, Bargain Barn) If you are willing to dig a bit, you will find gold. I found a pair of Anne Taylor slacks for $2. (FYI. Other places with good thrift stores? Kansas City and New Orleans.)

Yard Sales: Who knew I would also be a yard sale person. I guess really it's just a step above (or below?) the thrift store. I am sure what doesn't sell at the yard sale will end up at the thrift store, so it's really just cutting out the middle man (and getting a better price to boot!) Mr. Lovely has decided he is an art connoisseur and has gone on a painting buying spree and I picked up four of these seal-able glass jars for $5!

People Watching: I have seen many a beard, deadlock, tattoo, and backpack. I have seen people playing trumpets, saxophones, guitars and a violin while walking down the street (not to mention the percussion groups and bands on the sidewalk). There are 90 year old surfer dudes and 5 year old ones. There are a plethora of Westfalias and Subarus. There are painted vans and motor-homes. There is a guy selling fish tacos from his truck near the beach. There are skateboarders, bikers, surfers, runners, walkers, paddle boarders, unicycle riders and mini motorcycles. There are punk kids and yuppies and everything in between. It's a beach town. It's great. I love it.

Fish tacos and surfing accidents

People Power: Their mission: "We promote the use of bicycles, utility tricycles, bike-trailers, skateboards, walking, and other non-motorized transit. We are committed to helping government, cititzens, and businesses overcome their dependence on the automobile. Our goal is to demonstrate that better alternatives to the car exist, while improving conditions for bicyclists in Santa Cruz County." A little bit hippie? Sure. Do I love it? Yup.

The Weather: I love the weather. On average, it's between 50 and 70. This is great for running and just being outside in general. Also, plants barely need water, as there is plenty of moisture in the air. If I get lazy and don't feel like running in the morning, I can wait. It's awesome!

Farmer's Markets: I am not talking about the froo-froo ones where everything is 3x more than you would normally pay and there are specialty cheeses and oils and other froo-froo stuff and it's filled with a bunch of stiff white people wearing Ferragamos who are feeling all superior because they are buying cherries for $5.99 a pound. I am talking about the ones who picked the fruit are there, letting you taste everything and selling you the stuff mere minutes after it's come from the ground. I am talking about the place where the peaches are still warm, and the whole family is tending the stall and where you can get a bunch of beets or a couple of fat tomatoes for less than a dollar.

These also go hand in hand with Roadside Fruit Stalls. I saw them in New Orleans (Oranges, shrimp. Yes, shrimp) and in Missouri (Watermelon), but I think California is where I have seen the most. Usually you can stop at the actual farm and buy whatever they are growing. You can also stop at the roadside stall where the food is always cheaper than at the market. Oranges, Cherries, Peaches, Kiwis, Pluots (a cross between a plum and an apricot), Olives, Artichokes...the list goes on. They are all grown locally (in most cases mere feet from the seller) and are fresh, cheap and delicious.

Anyway, there are so many more things that I am loving and am finding and am forgetting that I even needed, wanted or loved! But I am remembering the old ones and finding more new things I love!

What do you love about where you live? Have you found something new that you didn't even realize was there and now it's your new favorite thing? Do you have road side fruit stands in your area?

Last Week (4)

Whew. I have been a bit MIA the last week or so, because of the holiday, an unplanned trip to San Francisco, friends visiting and more. So hold on to your hats, grab a PBR or your favorite summer cocktail and check out what's been happening while I was gone.

Men. You can't live with them and you can't send them to the grocery store. 

Exhibit A: Make coffee. 

1.5 cups of grounds + 6 cups water = something resembling Turkish coffee.

Exhibit B: Go to the grocery store. 

Meat, cheese, condiments and...booze. Lots of booze (not all pictured!)

Running. 

Top: Santa Cruz's Wilder Ranch

Bottom: Three Sisters, OR

I ate my first garden veggies. Basil and chives. 

Small but delicious. 

I am also growing (not killing!) several others and can't wait to eat them.

We had friends over for the 4th.

There was wine and conversation. 

Good times.

I took them on a hike through the redwoods. 

You want the free tour? Come visit! I still have limited availability!

Oh the bookstore. I went, but instead of buying books (since I am banned) I wrote down some new finds.

A few on the list (pictured below):

Up: A Mother and Daughter's Peakbagging Adventure

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of the Little House on the Prairie

A sign inside a local store. 

Are we allowed to say this in public now? 

The temperature while I was in Oregon! 

Summer? Hello? And I hear people are having a heat wave. 

I dropped a jar of pickles. 

My biggest regret? I wanted the jar to store beans in. 

Also I got glass pretty much EVERYWHERE. I was finding it in corners for days afterward! 

On my runs, I go past these every day. 

Do you know how hard it is not to run with scissors and a bag and bring some home next time? 

Beer fest. 

Verdict? I can't drink $30 worth of 4 oz beer. 

But I tried. 

How was your week? Who does the shopping in your household? Do you like artichokes?

Protein Boost

I used to lift weights a lot. I had guns (and buns) the size of Texas. Okay, not really. When I did, I would sometimes use protein powder. The ones I tried were all very chalky tasting. Since I have been running more and lifting less, I stopped taking the protein powders, as I didn't see the need to gain weight or bulk up, which is what I though that the protein powders did.

Luckily, I was recently given the chance to try a few different ones. In the process, I learned a little more about the different proteins and how they can each assist you in different ways. The ones I tried were:

GNC Pro Performance Soy Protein -- Chocolate  -- This is a plant based, easily digestible protein. It is known for it's antioxidant capabilities. Helps support muscles during exercise.

Vega Sport -- Vanilla -- This is a plant based protein to be used for recovery. It replenishes your system, repairs muscle tissue and reduces inflammation to assist in recovery.

GNC Pro Performance Egg Protein -- Chocolate -- Good for people with lactose intolerance. Take either right before or right after a workout. 

GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein -- Strawberry -- This is a fast absorbing protein found in milk. It is in your body for a short time. Best used after intense workouts.

GNC Pro Performance Casein Protein -- Chocolate -- Casein is the main protein in milk. It is slow absorbing and remains in your body for a long time. Best used between meals or before bed.

According to an article in Runners World, the FDA suggests .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For someone who weighs 130, this equals roughly 47 grams of protein. If you exercise a lot, this could increase to approximately twice that much (see this WebMD article). Protein is good for muscle recovery, maintaining a strong immune system and for helping muscles heal faster, which can mean less injuries for runners.

The order they are placed in above is the order in which I liked them. The Soy Protein was my favorite, as it tasted really good, is low in cholesterol and also had 25 grams of protein. This one is good to take before a workout or a run in order to deliver protein to your muscles during your workout.

To test these out, first I made a batch according to the recipe on the label. This usually includes adding one scoop of powder to 8 oz of water. When doing that, the two that tasted the best were the Soy Chocolate and the Vega Vanilla. However, Mr. Lovely, who is an old pro, whipped up a batch of the When Strawberry with a banana, some OJ and some ice for a delicious smoothie. I also tried a bit of the Soy Chocolate in my regular batch of steel cut oats. It tasted great and gave me a nice boost of protein for the day ahead!

I have also seen recipes online that I am looking forward to trying, like Elle's Protein Pops, Jess' Vanilla Almond Cran Protein Bites, Gina's Protein Pancakes or Livestrong's Easy Vanilla Cheesecake.

These products were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

Are you getting enough protein in your diet (if you are active, you should have 1 - 1.6 grams per kilo of body weight)? Do you use protein powder?  Do you have any good recipes to share?

An Unmarked Grave

I have read several books about World War II, but not as many that are set during World War I. That is why I was excited to read this one! What did I think? Read on. 

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Set in 1918 in both France and England during World War I, an English nurse working in a French hospital sees something that she shouldn't. During the time of the Spanish Influenza, a patient in the pile of the deceased seems to have died of causes that seem a bit suspicious.

The nurse, Bess Crawford, takes it upon herself to find out the details of this man's death. In the process, she encounters danger and intrigue and suffers attacks on her very life.

I am a sucker for a good murder mystery. My go to beach read is something with murder, suspense and danger. This book did not disappoint. The authors hook you from the very beginning, when Bess discovers the body while working at a clinic in France. Throughout the story, you are always kept guessing as to who the killer is and what their motive could be.

The characters, who consist of Bess, her family and a couple of male friends and officers, are all very likable and the book had a sense of realism to it, which I prefer. There is nothing I dislike more than a book that is supposed to portray real life but when you are finished with it you are left thinking, "that couldn't happen!" This book did not leave me with that bad taste in my mouth. I finished it in a couple of days because I had to see who the killer was! The authors also added in some facts about the war, the enemy lines and the countries (have you ever heard of the Cheddar Gorge?), which always makes me like a book more, as I feel like I am learning something while I am being entertained.

I rate this book a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. I liked it! I would definitely read another book by these authors (it is a mother and son pair).

For other tour dates, go to the TLC Book Tours website. For more information, go to the authors' website and their Facebook page. 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.


Have you ever heard of/been to the Cheddar Gorge? What is your favorite genre of book? Have you read many books about WWI?

Then and Now: June

Goodbye June! No matter what year it is, June is a month full of birthdays, trips to places with mountains and trees, time with family and friends and lots of fun summer activities. Here we have, once again, June 2011 vs 2012, the who, the what and the where!

The Who:

In 2011, I spent time with my family in CA and coworkers in Missouri. In 2012, I have mostly hung out with Mr. Lovely, but also got to hang out in Oregon with these lovely ladies!

2011: Family time!

2012: Mr Lovely and the Lovely ladies

The What:

Books:
2011: 2 / 2012: 8

Having done a lot of travel in June, I had plenty of time to read on the bus, plane or train. Some of my favorites from this month were: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The Book Challenge is going well, as I have not bought ONE book this year! For more book reviews, check out my Bookshelf page.

Miles:

2011: 5.5 / 2012: 205

This month sets a new miles per month PR for me. I think living in Santa Cruz, as well as vacationing in Oregon, are both conducive to wanting to be outside and loving to run! I also had a few extra runs with a friend who is trying to get back into a workout routine, so I ran with her on a couple of my normal rest days. Notice that before I was showing up with all zeros for mileage for the previous month. This month marks the first month of my getting back into running last year! I had two runs last June, a 2.5 mile and a 3 mile run, both at a pace of about 9:45.

Races:
2011: 0 / 2012: 1

I only had one race this month, which was the See Jane Run Half Marathon in Alameda. This was my 6th of 12 in 2012 races and was a new PR!

The Where:

Last year I spent a lot of time doing some repair work at home, as well as working in Missouri. My time this year was spent between Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Oregon!

2011: California and Missouri

2012: Santa Cruz, Oregon, Oakland, San Francisco

The verdict? June is great! I love summer and can see that June definitely brings more time outdoors and with friends and family! You can't beat that!
 
What were you doing in June last year? Are you doing anything differently than you were last year?

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: June

This month' was a little hectic, as I moved at the beginning of June and had a busy few weeks in which I was moving boxes, picking stuff up from the old place, buying things and getting used to the new place. So having a foodie pen pal box come from "out of the blue" was awesome. I didn't have to think too much about what to buy, food-wise!

This month, my foodie pen pal / snack angel was Melissa from Treats With a Twist. I think she and I would be great friends in real life, since she likes to take her favorite treats and give them a healthy twist, which I like to do as well. She is also very friendly and positive and she picks great snacks!

 Food included: Maple Vanilla Coffee, Justin's Nut Butter, Dried Tropical Fruit Mix, Clif Bar Gary's Panforte, Dinstuhl's Assorted Truffles, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Square and Blueberry Covered Pretzels

My favorite? The dried tropical fruit and nut mix.

Kiwi, Mango, Papaya, Coconut, Pineapple, Macadamia nuts and Cashews. 

It is SO GOOD. Much better than candy!

I had a good time trying all the snacks. The coffee was just flavored enough without being overpowering. The Gary's Panforte was a new Clif flavor for me, even though they are made only a few miles away from my house. The blueberry pretzels were surprisingly great. Mr. Lovely tried to eat them all so I had to hide them from him (yes, I do that sometimes). 

Thanks to Lindsay at the Lean Green Bean for hosting. If anyone wants to do it, and it's a great way to discover new treats, go and check out her blog! 

Have you ever done a food swap? Have you ever tried the dried tropical fruit and nut mix?

Oregon in a Nutshell

Today as you read this, I will be flying back from Oregon. I did not have internet the entire time, so I will spend tomorrow catching up on things, blogs, news etc! Until then, here is a list of what we did in Oregon -- in a nutshell.

- Running: I had a great time exploring the running trails and roads, including a nice loop around the neighborhood as well as running in the Peterson Ridge Trail System. More on this later.

- Eating: We went to Costco and Trader Joes and Rays and Food For Less and bought SO MUCH food. I traveled with my friend and her daughter and her mom. You wouldn't think 4 ladies could eat so much, but our fridge was stocked! The good thing about being with ladies? The items mostly included vegetables, fruit, fish and SNACKS! It was my kind of party. 

- Hiking: Every day we took a walk around the neighborhood, and some days we hiked to the tops of small mountains in order to see the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and the mountains were hiding some days, but we had a few days of clear views and they were spectacular.

- Mountains: As you may know, the Cascade Range was formed by volcanoes, and it is beautiful! We spent lots of time enjoying the view! (not this one; we were closer to the ground)

source

- Relaxing: Many a book was read, many a magazine was perused. Many a movie was watched. Many a conversation was had. It was good times.

- Biking: It was about 8 miles RT to town and I had a great time biking along the highway (eeek) to get to town for some fun. "Town" is one main street and 2000 people and reminds me a lot of the "town" I grew up in.

I hope everyone else also had a great week and that you all have a great weekend as well! I can't wait to hear all about what everyone has been up to!! Good luck if you are racing this weekend!

What is your favorite relaxing activity? If you are with a group of ladies only, what does the menu look like?

Finish This: June

A couple of great blogger friends did this, and I think it's fun (plus I am a copycat), so here goes!

Maybe I should go to the conversational Spanish meetup at the local library.
I love living near the ocean.
People would say that I’m brutally honest.
I don’t understand people who are late, flaky or don't follow through with things.
When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is start a pot of coffee.
I lost my way when I tried running on a new trail (and do almost every time)!
Life is full of difficult decisions.
My past is full of carefree days at the beach, good memories and great experiences!
I get annoyed when things don't go my way.
Parties are something I don't really go to/have very much anymore.
I wish I had more patience.
Dogs are slobbery and stinky and hairy.
Cats are snide and snooty.
Tomorrow I’m going back to CA (I'm in OR)!
I have low tolerance for people who try to strike up random conversations in public places.
I’m totally terrified of failing.
I wonder why I have such high expectations (of others and myself!)
Never in my life have I been to Yellowstone.
High school was a fun and easy time of my life.
When I’m nervous my sweat is really stinky. (**and I put my fingers in my armpits and I smell them like this. That's gross**)
One time at a family gathering we had a food fight. My uncle started it. Or maybe it was my Dad. Bad!
Take my advice:
Making my bed is a must every day as soon as I get out of bed.
I’m almost always on time or early to meetings, parties and events.
I’m addicted to coffee, the internet and running.
I want someone to take care of any and all car issues for me. I hate dealing with them. I would rather do dishes every day for the rest of my life.

What do you wish you had more of? What are you terrified of? Finish a few yourself in the comments below!

A New Place (2)

Remember I talked about some of the things I look for when moving to a new place? So far, I am having a great time trying to find them! One of the main things I have worked on from my list is places to run.

I have gone for several different runs near my new house. I am still exploring, but I have found a few nearby which are worth mentioning.

Star = My House, 1 = West Cliff, 2 = Wilder Ranch, 3 = East Cliff, 4 = Pogonip

Run 1: West Cliff Drive: This is a great path on the cliff side of the ocean. It's paved and runs from the Boardwalk to Natural Bridges State Park, which is about 4 miles one way. I have run this section several times. The only downfall for this one is that if you run it on Saturday any time after 9, it is pretty busy. However, I normally run this one on the weekdays, earlier in the morning.

Run 2: For my longer run, I ran along West Cliff, but added a few extra miles. I ran the bike path on Highway 1, as well as running the final loop through Wilder Ranch State Park (where I saw the snake eating the mouse!) The Highway portion is a few miles on a paved path and then the WRSP section is about a 2 mile loop along a dirt trail, which is partially along the cliffs and partially a bit more inland. 

Run 3: I went on a nice 17 mile run a couple of Sundays ago along the East Cliff Drive, which is a road which goes near the ocean most of the time. It veers off a little, but tends to have a good view of the waves and the beach and the cliffs most of the time.

Run 4: Pogonip and UCSC. This one is uphill, on trails most of the way. It goes through the Pogonip, and if you want, you can continue to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park and/or Wilder Ranch State Park. 

I am still having fun exploring, and think my next one will be through Pogonip and then around to Wilder Ranch and back home.  Or maybe I will run farther along East Cliff. Who knows? It's fun trying new routes and seeing new scenery each day!

Do you prefer the mountains or the coast? Do you like the river, the ocean or lakes better? Do you like to explore new places or once you find a good spot, you stick with it?

Looking Forward

June is almost over and that means it's time for another Looking Forward post.

Today I am looking forward to going hiking! Here is where I am planning to go! There are dozens of choices for where to go and we haven't figured it out just yet, but I am sure that no matter where we go, it will be fun!

This week I am looking forward to a fun weekend back in Santa Cruz, including a long run of 19 miles. I love mapping out where I am going to go, as well as finding new, cool places with each extra mile I go. Last time I ended up here.

Where will I end up this time? Who knows. Also, Mr. Lovely and I are kind of establishing a weekend tradition of going out to eat at a new restaurant and then watching the Euro cup. So far, it's been fun. We have tried Chinese, a few different burritos and a Hawaiian place. What's in store for this weekend?

This month I am looking forward to many things! In July, we have plans to see some friends from Madison, WI who will be here for a wedding (hi S&R!) Also, beach days with Bay Area friends are in the works. Also, Mr. Lovely's brother may come for a visit. To top it off, it's my Mom and Aunt's birthday, 4th of July, my friend's birthday and much more! July is a busy month! I am also considering signing up for a longer trail run in July to find out if I am ready for a 50k in August.

This year I am looking forward to figuring out the future a little. Things have been kind of up in the air for the past year or so. Mr. Lovely decided to go back to school to get his Structural Engineering License (PE). I have been wondering about my future, both professionally and personally. Hopefully after this summer, I will have more of a handle on where we will be, as well as what we will be doing, at least for the next year or two. We have many decisions to make, but many of them are reliant on what happens now, in order to figure out what happens later. I hate waiting and will be glad when the future is a little clearer.

What are you looking forward to? Have you been watching the Euro Cup? What will you be doing in July? (want to come visit for a beach day?)

With My Body

A middle aged woman finds herself stuck in a rut of laundry, kids and marriage that she doesn't know how to get out of. She feels trapped, and wonders what happened to the fresh young girl that she used to be, the one who was adventurous and erotic, the one who had dreams of becoming something. 

She finds herself remembering her teenage years in Australia, where she was an uncouth bush girl. She remembers her first sexual experience with an older man, where she learned everything there is to know about sex and love and reciprocity. She thinks about the present, and her sexless marriage with her husband, and longs for that feeling of first love again. This feeling takes her back to Australia to find the man who she lost. From her journey, comes a new understanding of herself.

This book was quite graphic. I won't say that it was a bodice ripper, but there was plenty of sex. However,  it was really raw, emotionally. She is a young girl, and she wants to learn everything. In trying to learn about sex, she also learns a lot about life. It really kept me reading. I wanted to put it down because at times it was a little overwhelming emotionally, but at the same time, I couldn't, because I had to find out what happened next. It really made me remember those days of young love and that carefree, give-it-your-all feeling. Relationships now seem very complicated comparatively.

The only thing I did not like about this book was that there are over 200 "chapters". Each one is only a few pages long and there is a quote at the start of each one. I found that the quotes distracted the flow of the story, as did the short chapters.  However, they didn't stop me from reading this book in one day.

If you are looking for a book that is a little bit racy but also poignantly honest, you should give this book a go. I may not have immediately chosen this one off the shelf, but after finishing it, I am glad that I gave it a chance!

You can find the rest of the tour info and other reviews here. Here's the author's website,  Facebook page, and the Facebook page for With My Body. Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Booktours in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Do you remember your first love? How have things changed for you, relationship-wise, since then?

Active Vacation

Next week, I will be in Oregon, spending some time at a friend's house near Bend. I am really looking forward to this, as it will not only be spent with friends and family, but from the house, within walking distance, there are several running and hiking trails. So this will not be a rest and relaxation vacation, although I am sure there will be plenty of time in the evenings for reading and other relaxing pursuits. This will be an active vacation, with lots of fun and physical stuff going on!

As you know, where I grew up is in a National Forest, so I am kind of assuming the part of Oregon we are in will look similar. Here is a photo of where I grew up.

Bald Eagle Mountain

Here is a photo I found online about the area we will be in.

The Three Sisters (source)

Okay, so maybe it's a little different. But there are mountains, and trees and water!

Where we will be staying is not actually in Bend, but in a cute little town (Population: 2,000, Elevation: 3,100) nearby. Besides hiking, the 15 Must Do Activities list says that I should also do these things:

- Eat an ice cream (I think I can handle that!)
- Go fly fishing (I LOVE fly fishing)
- See some live music
- Enjoy a coffee drink (naturally!)
- Bike around the area
- Paddle on one of the local lakes

I want to do all of those things! Also, I looked around a bit and I may also see many animals, including Elk and an animal called the Water Ouzel, which is a bird that flies underwater. I think I am going to have lots of fun and I won't be short of things to see and do! 

I have been to Oregon before and I loved it. I had a great time in Portland, eating my way around the neighborhoods (and I found some GREAT food!) I did some hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, which is beautiful. I also went to the coast and ate cheese and stared at water and fog and houses and rocks. I loved my trip last time and so I have high hopes for this one as well!



Have you ever been to Oregon? Do you normally stay active or try to relax on your vacations? 

*Don't forget to stop by Jills for some more Fitness Friday posts!*

Living and Learning

As you know, I have an interesting relationship situation. Let me quickly remind you, in case you forgot. 

Boy from MA. Girl from CA. Meet while working together in New Orleans. The situation is interesting, as in, neither are "in their element". Living out of a hotel does not give you a very good chance of learning who someone is completely (aka. are they messy? are they a hoarder? do they make their bed/wash their dishes/clean their toilet?) And yes, this matters.

2 months later Girl goes to South America for a year of travel. You would think this would be the end, but it's not. They keep in touch. Boy comes to visit a few times. When girl comes home, she goes to work in Iowa. Boy is still in New Orleans. They try to see each other when they can, which is usually once a month, in a city in the middle, where they are tourists, living in a hotel (aka. not real life). 

After several months of this, Girl gets a job in New Orleans again. For about a year, they both live in the same city. Sometimes in a hotel, sometimes in an apartment, but still, it is a temporary thing. After this, Boy and Girl decide to travel the world for a year, once again living in hostels, hotels, campervans and even a tent (that was an interesting situation). 

Boy and Girl get back home from traveling and go to their separate corners, him to MA, her to CA, where they have been ever since. They see each other every couple of months. 

BUT NOW: Boy and Girl are both in CA. Living together. In a house. Once again, it's temporary. It's strange to be together for more than a couple of days, and for more than once a month or once every couple of months. 

We are very different, but so far are making it work. How are we different? 

- He is not a good sleeper. I sleep like the dead. 

- He doesn't care where things are placed. I am a type A organizational freak. 

- He is spontaneous. I am a planner.

- He would rather pay for dinner out than cook and clean up. I let him. :)

- He splurges. I am frugal. 

- He is always hot. I am always cold. 

- He likes beer. I like water. 

We are also the same in many ways. 

- We both prefer savory over sweet. 

- We love taking after dinner walks.

- We both love photography. 

- We like looking at houses for sale even though we can't afford them.

- We both love exploring new places. 

- Food is important to both of us. 

I know that even though we have been together for almost 5 years, we still have a lot to learn about each other, not only the little things, like what is someone's favorite cake flavor, but also bigger things. We haven't really had the chance to go over all of our life goals, since we are always on the move. We are not going to figure it all out here either. We still have a ways to go, but I am looking forward to it! 

Have you ever had a long distance relationship? Would you rather pay for dinner out or cook it and clean it up yourself? 

** also, I have a guest post up over at Her Sunday today! Go check it out when you get a chance!**

Food Firsts (4)

On Sunday, Mr. Lovely and I had pizza. I made the dough (my first attempt) and it didn't even suck!

The recipe was adapted from here.

4 1/2 cups  whole wheat flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting

I am not going to go into the making of the dough in detail; if you want more information, you can go to the original site. Basically, add together all the dry ingredients. Then add the oil and water and stir, using a metal spoon kept cold, or your hands, which you should keep dipping in ice water. Once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 5 mins), split it into 6 equal portions. Each portion should make about a 9 inch pizza.

I kept two portions in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer to pull out later. When you are ready to use the dough, take it out of the fridge about 2 hours beforehand. Flatten out the ball and cover loosely with a piece of saran wrap until it's time to cook. When you are ready with all your toppings, you can throw the crust or you can just roll it with a pie roller. I put cornmeal on my baking sheet and placed my crust on it, then poked holes in it with a knife to keep it from rising.  Put your toppings on and then cook on your oven's highest setting (mine is 550) for about 6-10 minutes (mine took 7).

The Topping Bar

Serve and enjoy! We had a ton of fun and this is a great idea for if you are having people over, because each person can make their own pizza with whatever they want on it!  As you can see, some people like to heap stuff on theirs and some people take a more simple approach. You can try to guess whose is whose.

Do you ever make your own crust? Or add your own toppings? What is your favorite pizza topping?

Tuesday Training (2)

Well, it's time for my monthly training post. The post about training week 1-4 can be found here. For those of you who get bored by these training posts, feel free to check out some posts that are more interesting but little read, due to the fact that I wrote these back when I was but a wee blogger, like a post I wrote about The Latte Factor, or maybe you would prefer one where I ask, "Why Weight?"

Training is still going strong. I have had fun exploring new places as well as getting to run in a coastal city in the summer, which beats running in Missouri in the summer (which is what I did last year)! 

Week 5: May 21 - 28: 41 miles

For week five I ran a couple of fast and flat runs around the lake and then I did the group trail run, where I got to wear test the Brooks Connect. After that, I decided to explore the BA Ridge Trail and ended up doing a 17 mile trail run just for fun. I saw a few snakes, stopped and took dozens of photos, got lost, got rained on and had a great time! I wish all long runs were like that. I experimented with fuel: I tried Nuun (on the uphills) and a mocha Gu, which I took half at 1 hr and half at 2 hrs and they both seemed to settle pretty well.

Week 6: May 29 - June 3: 42 miles

In keeping with my exploration of the BA Ridge trail, for week six, I decided to run on the trail to meet a friend for a walk and I got lost again, so this one became an 11 mile trail run. I really didn't mind, except the next day's 3 mile run was pretty lead legged! I also did some 800s with an average pace of 7:40 for the entire run. My long run (13.1 miles at 7:26 pace)for the week was the See Jane Half Marathon. I did not use any fuel for the race.

Week 7: June 4 - June 10: 45 miles

Week seven was the week of the broken down car, and therefore I was stuck without my Garmin for a few days. I actually enjoyed not knowing what my pace was, although I missed having the data to analyze later. My average pace was around an 8:30 without it. My long run this week (16 miles at 8:52 pace) was in Santa Cruz along the West cliffs. The highlight was a snake eating a mouse. I also experimented with Gu Chomps, which are okay, but not great.

Week 8: June 11 - June 17: 47.5 miles

I was sick for the majority of week 8, which was a bummer. It's hard to run and breathe through your mouth the whole time. It's also a pain to have any extra reason to spit. However, I rested for the first couple of days and then made myself get back outside (it was beautiful in Santa Cruz this week -- weather in the 60s and low 70s) and just do it. I did a quick tempo run in the Kinvaras, which was like running on air. I also did a hill run, which was a 10 mile trail run uphill most of the way (I took the bus back down the hill). My long run (17 miles at 8:51 pace) was on the East Cliffs. I got a little lost but had another beautiful view (albeit a bit foggy).

Aside from the running, I have been walking approximately 2 miles (or more) a day, just to do normal things like walk to the bus stop, the grocery store, or just a leisurely after dinner photo walk. I have not done any strength/cross training, aside from carrying boxes, moving things, gardening and cleaning the house.

Are you training for any races? Do you do any strength training? How do you feel about working out in the summer time? (**Do you like to mess around with Excel?)