Movin' it with Michelle

I went into this race with few expectations. I got lazy (too busy more so) with my training and just prayed I had enough left in the tank to get this race done, and done strong.

I woke up at 4 am, got ready and hit the road to Naperville to meet up with the gang. I texted Andrea, letting her know I pooped…LOL. On going joke…sorry haha!

I got to Naperville at 5:45 and waited in the warmth of my car for everyone to arrive. Everyone arrived safely at around 6:15, and we had plenty of time to get settled. I ate my cereal bar, chugged my 5 hr energy and we were off!

11-9sunrise — What a beautiful sunrise…and I am NOT a morning person!

11-9group — These amazing people…I can’t say enough about these girls.

11-9start — The starting line was lined with flags, and I was truly moved by the beauty of it all!

We lined up at the start, getting in to our respective corrals and bid each other high fives, hugs, and good luck. I turned and saw Claudia, a woman I met during the Fox Valley training runs I paced, so we agreed to start together. YAY! The national anthem was beautifully sung, (sang?) and the race kicked off…it only took about 10 minutes to cross the starting line. (They could’ve spaced this a little farther apart, as the course was slightly crowded the first few miles).

We stayed together the first couple miles, and she caught me at mile 9 walking-thankfully her motivation got me running up that terrible hill!

The first several miles felt great. I thought to myself, HEY…I can DO this…but my excitement got the best of me and I went out too fast. Rookie mistake. Beginning mile splits: 9:33, 9:03, 8:58, 8:58, 9:02, 8:51, 9:11, 9:53 (took a walk break to fuel during the 8th mile. I saw Karen at mile 8.5 and nearly sobbed! A friendly face, YAY! We hugged quickly and I kept moving.

And then came mile 9…the hill from hell where it felt we were out in the middle of no where. I walked briefly and then saw Claudia…I tried to stick with her, but it just wasn’t happening. But I kept her in my sights, along with her awesome hubby who was on his bike throughout several spots on the course. Seeing him helped me keep going…

I decided the sub 2 just wasn’t going to happen…I had a stitch in my side that refused to go away.

So I high fived all the kids. I thanked all the volunteers and spectators. I dug deep and searched for my smile. And I ate a piece of bacon from some amazing dude grilling at around mile 11…and I kept running as fast as I could.

Miles 10 and 11 were 9:51 (another walk/stretch break), 9:20 and my right ITB was SCREAMING at me, making my right knee, and foot feel like they were on fire. I was done. I lost sight of Claudia, and I sincerely just wanted to stop. But I saw her husband at mile 12 and he reminded me “You are doing this for fun,” to which I forced a smile and kept going.

And then…I saw THIS. (Thanks, Andrea for the picture).

No "Oh I wish I was running the full" feelings here. AT ALL. — No “Oh I wish I was running the full” feelings here. AT ALL.

The stitch in my side was almost unbearable…but as I hit mile 13 and barreled up the .1 hill to the finish line (having a hill at the finish is just MEAN), I was satisfied. Slight disappointment for yet another NOT sub 2 half briefly hit me, and the tears brimmed in my eyes. But I reminded myself I wasn’t properly trained, having only run ONE 9 miler since the Fox Valley half marathon in September. So instead I celebrated all of my awesome friends finish times, and PR’s. Final miles were 9:30, 9:13, 3:18 for the last .1. I was blessed to have received my medal from Bob Miller, marathon maniac, and after a hug and smiles, I felt better.

Oh…and all the massages….all the food…and all the beer.

11-9beer — Two Brothers pale ale? You betcha!

11-9massage — AHHHHMAZING perk to this race. Stretching AND massage tents.

11-9sammich — I may have eaten two of these…don’t judge.

At the end of the day I did what I set out to do. Complete this race in under 2:10. And of course, spend time with some pretty cool people.

Yes...I had about 57 layers on and STILL was cold, while Andrea was in shorts, LOL — Yes…I had about 57 layers on and STILL was cold, while Andrea was in shorts, LOL

I also got to see Carolyn finish her race, PR, AND qualify for Half Fanatics! YAY!!!!

Pros of the race:

Plenty of port a johns at the start.

Lots of aid stations.

The spectators were amazing

Stretching AND massage tents. SCORE!

The food/beer was warm/cold respectively

Having the gym open for the runners/spectators

Volunteers! I can’t say enough about these amazing people

Cons of the race:

Disorganized gear check causing lengthy waits after the race

Not enough signage telling discombobulated runners where to go after the race

Mean security cops/guards. Cut us some slack fellas…we just ran our butts off!

All in all I had a WONDERFUL time despite some self inflicted pain. I would definitely do this face again!

Also, I was successful in my November goals by 99% only having missed out on doing yoga. Score!

Did you race this weekend? What is your favorite perk of the after race events?

❤ Michelle

running

Naperville Half marathon preparation and packet pick up

November 9, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Today is a new day. My daughter, the tough little cookie she is, is doing fine…I think Mom took it harder than daughter when reality slapped us in the face.

But today, after not a lot of sleep, I rolled out of bed and hopped in the shower. It was time to pick up my race packet and hit the expo for a race I haven’t trained too terribly hard for, but that I know I can complete. My #doepicshit friend Andrea was working the expo until 1 o’clock, so I wanted to make sure I got to see her.

And see her I did! She graciously handed me my packet, and I shopped around while I waited for her to finish her volunteer shift.

Free chair massage? yespleaseandthankyou!

Meet Rico...my massage dude that was stuck in the 80's sporting his spray tan and gold chains. But hey, he worked the knot in my back like a mad man. WIN. — Meet Rico…my massage dude that was stuck in the 80’s sporting his spray tan and gold chains. But hey, he worked the knot in my back like a mad man. WIN.

Afterwards, we decided to grab a bite to eat to celebrate having some time together. Living an hour apart, and both working crazy hours we don’t get to see each nearly enough.

Blue moon beer counts as carb loading, yes?

After talking race strategy (run..walk…move…don’t die, and finish), we parted ways and I headed home to get my flat runner ready.

Upon my arrival home, my hubby asked what our dinner plans were? What? I am running a half marathon tomorrow…I’m. not. cooking. LOL! So he prepared some yummy pasta for us…DELISH!

And now, with my gear set out, my Garmin and IPod charging, I am relaxing in an almost too quiet house. Wait…is that possible? LOL…

My plan for tomorrow is quite simple…take all the stressors I’ve been dealing with the last few weeks, and let that energy fuel me for 2+ hours. Leave the yuck on the road, and run with my heart. I nearly tried to wimp out and either 1. not run the race or 2. just finish it half assed…But my friends know me far too well, and I just don’t work that way.

So I’ll meet up with my amazing friends before the race…shiver, hug, and embrace all that is right in the world by surrounding myself with these people. Will the race lead to a PR? Doubtful…realistically I am just a little rusty from the last few weeks. But I’ll finish, and give it my all!

Thanks to you all, for your amazing support these last 2 days!

Cheers to my last major race of 2014!

dedication, moving forward

Decluttering

November 7, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Having been in the military for 20 years, I have found myself with the stigmatism of being a hoarder. Be it clothes, receipts, paperwork, junk drawers, and old tee shirts that I just MIGHT need one day…I KEEP. ALL. THE. JUNK. I believe this also stems from having gone from living pay check to pay check to well, still living pay check to pay check at the age of nearly 42. What if I ‘need’ that such and such…what if I run out of ‘whatever’…I must. keep. it. ALL. I remember back in the day, taking toilet paper from the gym locker room home because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to afford to buy more…Yes…I was that girl.

But in all honestly, despite bills and debt, I have enough. I can let ‘things’ go…finally.

But it’s hard…I am only human. That pair of earrings I wore in 2002 can be donated…really. That race shirt I earned at a local 5k that never really fit can be given to charity. That cute top I wore in 2006 when my husband commented how pretty I looked, yet it no longer fits can be set aside for my Goodwill donation…really.

BUT. I will keep the dress I wore, over 10 years ago to meet my husband’s plane when he returned from Afghanistan. Sorry hoard police…that one will stay hanging neatly in my closet, collecting well deserved dust. It’s not going anywhere. Some things, I just can’t let go…

I tackled my bedroom tonight. My closet and my dresser are my enemy when it comes to hoarding…am I the only one that couples clothes with memories? Ack, make it stop! After nearly 2 hours I had 1 bag of trash, 1 bag to sell at consignment, and 2 bags of clothes to donate. I felt accomplished. I tied the bags up neatly, and walked away. This is my preemptive strike to move forward in all aspects of my life.

I got my work out in as well, although short in length, I felt I got my ‘swole’ on, LOL

And now, after venting about my long day to my husband, I am listening to Josh Groban, “You raise me up” and am reminded to hold those close to me, who lift me up…Constantly, consistently…and always.

Sweet dreams, gang…

Questions…do you purge? Do you have a hard time letting things go?

dedication, food, goals

Surgery and smiles, and some shrimp too…My nearly Wordless Wednesday post

November 6, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I finished this hump day with a quick dready run. I didn’t want to run (bite my tongue, I know) but needed to keep moving…

During the work week meals are usually prepared within less than an hour. This shrimp dish, prepared with a marinara sauce bought from my favorite local Italian market to which I added – sautéed garlic, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and celery along with added oregano, parsley, basil and crushed red pepper flakes was a WIN. I served it over rice pasta, and it truly was a hit. I love how the simplest yet healthy meals can make my family happy. Who needs take out?

My daughter came to me last week in tears. Her BFF had an injury…”Mommy, can you fix him?” She asked with tears in her eyes. Sigh…I am not crafty AT ALL. But I went to Hobby Lobby on my day off and purchased stuffing and a sewing kit. “Yes, baby…Mommy can fix him.” Sigh…please, Lord. Let this work…

So after dinner, we got our instruments ready, and our “transplant material” aka stuffing, laid out. It was time for surgery.

The entry wound was located…and after finding an additional wound I knew we had to be careful…so every so slowly we stuffed, packed, and made sure each piece of stuffing we transplanting was in the correct place.

entry wound number one... — entry wound number one…

And after spending 15 minutes trying to thread the needle…we had great success. It was time to start closing the wound.

Don't worry, no one was hurt! — Don’t worry, no one was hurt!

After 30 minutes of preparation and dedication, Pink Bear was himself again. And my youngest daughter found her smile…

Mommy! He's good as new! — Mommy! He’s good as new!

I can now rightfully say my resume has broadened…adding in the fact that I am now a Mom, a wife, a friend, a photographer, a Chef, a housekeeper, a maid, a lab supervisor, a runner, a mover, a shaker, and yes…a surgeon. To stuffed animals only, LOL.

Today I left the stressors of life behind me…and I nurtured the needs of my kids. Today, my youngest needed me. And who doesn’t feel good being needed?

At the end of the day, I made time for me, my family, and with that my heart is full. My decluttering for the day included not feeding into negativity although it was tough…

What have you done lately to ‘step outside of your box?’ Do you believe in decluttering both mentally and physically?

Day 5 and I am still on track for my November goals. YAY! How are you doing?

❤ Michelle

food, goals

Two things, Tuesday…Soup and dreams

November 5, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Tonight’s dinner was a new recipe I came up with after several rough days at work. I wasn’t sure what I would make with the chicken thighs I pulled out of the freezer, but I knew it would comforting regardless. And what’s more comforting than a yummy soup to warm the soul after chilly temps and a few harsh days at work.

ONE:

Chicken and gnocchi soup

Who doesn't love a good bowl of soup? — Who doesn’t love a good bowl of soup?

What you’ll need:

4 chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces

4 cups of low sodium veggie stock

4 cups of water

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons of butter

2-3 tablespoons of garbanzo/fava flour (can be found in the gluten free section of your local market)

1 red pepper, diced

1 red onion, diced

2 celery stocks, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

Cayenne pepper, taco seasoning, cilantro, oregano, basil, parsley, salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of grated parmesan to garnish

I used store bought gnocchi, but plan on learning to make this from scratch

In a large sauce pot, add your butter, and flour and cook through stirring with a whisk. Add in your veggie stock and water, stirring well. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, and add your heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne and Worcestershire sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer while you prepare the ‘meat’ of the soup.

In a separate pan, add extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat the pan) and bring to a medium/high heat. Cook your chicken through, seasoning with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside.

Drain the grease from the pan, but don’t wipe any excess oil. Add a splash of oil, and add in all your veggies. Season with salt and pepper until cooked 3/4 of the way. You still want a slight crunch to your veggies.

Add your chicken to the large sauce pot with the stock as well as oregano, basil, cilantro and parsley and let simmer for 20 minutes. While this is simmering, cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. This takes about 7 minutes.

Next, add in your veggies, stir well, and prepare to plate. Just before serving, add your gnocchi to the soup, stir gently, and serve!

I garnished with parmesan cheese!

TWO:

As most of you know, my ultimate dream is to work in the food industry. Be it as a Chef, a writer, a critic, or restaurateur I know my place is in the food industry. As I was driving home from work today, I had my one on one time with God and asked for His ultimate guidance. I hate the feeling that although I have a good life, I long for so much more for my family. I chased that dream recently with my MasterChef audition, but sadly that journey was short lived despite months of preparation. So as my family hunkered down to watch the season premier MasterChef Junior I couldn’t help but to have to fight with that nagging tug at my heart.

That tug was quickly replaced with a renewed sense of pride in the children of today’s society. One young Chef presented raw chicken, and instead of competitive hatred, these kids rallied around this little Chef and I found tears pouring down my face. My youngest sat nestled in the crook of my arms, and she squeezed me a little tighter when she saw what the kids did to comfort the little Chef. So at the end of the day, I may not be a MasterChef…but I am teaching my kids a love for great food, compassion, and the importance of dreams. Despite an ache in my soul some days…I know ultimately my dreams are still very real. Don’t get me wrong. I am still choosing to be content with the gifts God has given to me. But I do refuse to settle. I’ll keep chasing those dreams…just watch me! 🙂

Keep movin’ forward gang. Always.

❤ Michelle

goals

November goals…

November 2, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Oops, I am a day late in my November goal post I promised myself I’d write.

Better late than never, right?

With running/racing season nearing it’s end for me, I decided I would make goals for myself for each month of winter. Last winter was brutally rough for me, between being injured and living in Chiberia with the Polar vortex nearly wiping me out I knew I needed to start this winter off with a positive force.

November goals:

Yoga at least once per week

Weight training 3 times per week

Dreadmill running 2-3 times per week, even if its just a couple miles

Epsom salt baths, weekly

Continue decluttering at least ONE space in my house/life EVERY week (I will post for accountability)

Continue cataloging/blogging my recipes so I can get enough documented recipes to work on my e-cook book.

I’ll do a blog post each Sunday, reporting back how I did for the week. If you’d like to join in, HOLLA!

What are some of your November goals?

running

I’ve lost it…

November 1, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

In the past several weeks, going on just over a month actually, I have lost my motivation to run. Between the MasterChef gig, and ITB issues, running has been on the back burner in my life since my last half marathon in late September.

So looking at the calendar with my last half marathon for 2014 steadily approaching NEXT weekend, I find myself terrified.

For the first time I am toying with a DNS (did not start) because I just have no motivation/desire to run this race. I can’t believe I am saying those words but they couldn’t be more true. My longest long run was last weekend with 9 miles ran at a super slow pace.

Pretty sure I will look a lot like this next Sunday... — Pretty sure I will look a lot like this next Sunday…

But.

I paid for this race. I committed to run this race. So…I’ll run this race. Lord willing at least…

The forecast is terrible, with cold temps and rain/ice on deck.

Someone…help me find my motivation, QUICK.

How do you tackle lack of motivation in regards to running/racing?

❤ Michelle

food

Mid week recipe

October 30, 2014October 30, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I came home from work with no idea what to make for dinner. I had taken out chicken to thaw but couldn’t decide what to make. An easy casserole sounded great on this crisp day.
Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
I package of chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces
I small onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 hot chili pepper, finely diced
1 head of broccoli, chopped
5 baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
Add all this to a wide pan and sauté in extra virgin olive oil for about ten minutes. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika and oregano to taste.

Prepare 1 cup of jasmine rice, cooked al dente.
1 can of cream of mushroom soup, mixed with one can of water and a dollop of sour cream. Add salt, pepper and cumin and stir.

Layer the casserole with rice first. I sprinkled some dry cilantro on the rice.

Next after draining any remaining grease, add your chicken and veggie mixture on top of the rice.

Lastly, add the soup mixture by pouring evening over the top of the casserole. I topped it with some Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Bake for 30 minutes and serve!

Tip: spray your casserole with cooking spray for a quick and easy clean up!!

How do you come up with creative mid week meals?

food

Tuesday truths-part 2…Family and Food

October 28, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Two of my all time favorite things are my family, and food. If you have been around my blog for a while, you have read of my trials and tribulations, but more so the glue that held my life together this last decade or so…

My family. No matter how near or far we are physically, we always come back to one another welcoming each other with open arms. Here are some good shots from my eldest nephew Jack’s Confirmation this past weekend.

A couple weeks ago, we were blessed to have our pictures taken by Missy Donovan Photography based out of Geneva, IL. WOW…I can’t stand my picture getting taken, but the sneak peaks today were amazing. Here’s one of my favorites, so far…

Yup...these people. Crazy, goofy, silly, serious, driven, moody, and best of all-TOGETHER — Yup…these people. Crazy, goofy, silly, serious, driven, moody, and best of all-TOGETHER

I’ve been slacking with my cooking since my MasterChef audition, so decided to keep our dinner tonight simple. In 20 minutes I prepared jasmine rice according to package instructions, adding salt, pepper and thyme.

While the rice was cooking, I sautéed garlic, shallots, and Portobello mushrooms in a wide pan. I added a teaspoon of pomegranate infused vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of veggie stock and let reduce down. After ten minutes, I added chopped asparagus and cooked for 5 minutes until still slightly crunchy. Lastly, I added the shrimp that I marinated in the pomegranate vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. The shrimp was precooked, so I simply had to heat through.

Serve the shrimp and veggies over the rice, and you’ve got a healthy meal in less than 20 minutes.

Do you have any go-to recipes you use during the week? What size family do you have?

❤ Michelle

moving forward

Tuesday truths-part 1…can you say no?

October 28, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

For years I was a person who aimed to please people’s lives…I wanted to make everyone happy, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness. Call me a people pleaser if you will…

But today, after an uncomfortable situation at work I found myself starting to steam…my cheeks flushed, and I felt the anxiety creeping in with it’s quiet demeanor. Darn it…here we go again. WAIT.

I stopped, drafted an email explaining my concerns with what I was asked to do, and set it aside.

I waited, nearly 10 minutes and came back to it to reread what I had wrote.

I hit send…to the powers that be and then…

I waited again for a response…

I got confirmation that I was in the right, and that I didn’t need to do the task I was originally asked to perform as it was out of my scope.

And then,

I smiled. I stood up for myself. I said no.

This was a welcomed milestone in my moving forward mantra, and I am still smiling.

Do you have a problem saying no? If so, how have you dealt with it?

❤

Michelle

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