


Running, Recipes, and Real life adventures!



Last week was a whirl wind of work, work, and more work.
We missed our long run today voluntarily due to a 99 real feel temp after I got home from work. I hated missing our scheduled 10k, but hey, I am smart too…even at 10 pm it shows a real feel of 88 degrees. Sorry, can’t do it. The humidity stabs my head with a thousand pound hammer, and I just can’t do it. I have had a nagging headache for 4 days, and when I got home from work today at 3 pm I changed into my jammies and napped for 45 minutes. Productive? Nope…but much needed.
I have made a goal of having Sunday Suppers each week, regardless of schedule, time, or energy.
I have spent so much time studying the basics of cooking, so why not put it into play in my own kitchen?
So tonight, I made goat cheese and fig crostini’s with baked salmon that was topped with a garlic herb butter. Our side was a simple cucumber, red onion, and tomato salad that was tossed in my favorite vinaigrette.
For the figs:
Thinly slice French bread and spread with goat cheese. I used a garlic herb blend. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice figs, placing on top of the bread, add lightly fried bacon, and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.


For my salmon, it was an easy prep. I took one stick of unsalted butter brought to room temperature and added 2 cloves of garlic, minced, the zest of one lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper, kosher salt and pepper, oregano, and parsley. Mix well, and spread generously on your salmon. Cook at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until the salmon flakes lightly with a fork.

I served the salmon with basmati rice, and a simple salad of red onions (soak sliced in cold water for 10 minutes to reduce the bite), cucumber, and tomato’s. Dress with a simple lemon/Dijon vinaigrette, and serve!
I sent in my pre-registration for Master Chef on Friday, and am terrified. I keep getting comments and posts asking “Do you have what it takes?” basically…and now I am second guessing myself, just like I did last year.

SO I am trying to remain focused, while continuing to study. Research. And practice the skill I love so much.
We shall see!
How was your week with exercise and eats?
Tonight marks the eve of school starting in the Chicagoland area. My oldest starts her journey in HIGH SCHOOL tomorrow, and my youngest starts her 3rd grade year in elementary school.
Firstly…
My nostalgia is at an all time high, so I spent the evening helping the girls clean their rooms, pack their bags, and pick out their first day of school outfits since my work hours don’t allow me to see them for more than a few minutes in the morning. I choked back the tears after just hugging my eldest “J” wishing her a good day at school tomorrow. “Don’t cry, Mom” she said…”I’m not crying” I responded despite choking back the tears. THIS girl, who has given me more grief than I care to admit, holds a special place in my heart for it was just her and I for nearly 4 years. I divorced shortly after she was born, and from then on out it was me and her. Her. And me. And we make a pretty darn good pair despite butting heads more days than not.
My youngest is my spit fire…my little zest for life who could care less about schedule or time. Her passion for life makes my heart sing, and my head hurt as I struggle with teachers to get her to focus vs. daydream and want to create. I don’t want to squelch her zest, but reeling it in the last few years has caused me more stress than I care to admit. How does one balance this passion? I know, with time…she’ll get it. But in the mean time, her passion and smile keep me singing…both on the trails and in my home. Look at these smiles…life. is. good.
Secondly…
I have reclaimed my love for running with a partner. And this just isn’t any ole partner. It’s my husband.
I came home from work today tired. Last night we were hit with crazy thunderstorms and I slept all of maybe 3 hours. I wanted to crawl into a tiny little ball on my recliner and nap. Yet as I walked into the door after work, there was my husband ready in his running clothes and welcoming me with a smile and a kiss. I ensured the kids and dog were fed, and changed my clothes for our 5k run that was on our training schedule. It was hot. Nearly 90 degrees hot. But we ran. I had a hard time the first mile, but settled in quickly at a 9:30ish pace. Not where near where our race pace needs to be, but less than our long run pace lately. And I found myself running, singing, dancing to my own beat…settling in on a cadence only I know…we stopped a couple times to drink, complained about the humidity, and continued on. And despite the humidity, we smiled…high fived. And moved forward. In just four weeks we will be crossing the finish line for my husband’s first half marathon. And I am in awe already of his dedication for training.
So my two things Tuesday encompass family and friends. You know…the ones that are always there despite all time lows or all time highs. And, a little bit of this…
Sweet dreams, Movers. Remember to hang on to those constants. They won’t let you down.
❤ Michelle
I caveat this post with a disclaimer. This post (and all my posts) are simply a journaling of my thoughts, experiences, hopes, dreams, struggles as lived and breathed by yours truly. They in no way are directed to anyone, nor are my opinions directed toward anyone other than…ME. I share these said experiences as it helps me, by hopefully inspiring, helping, or provoking thought by others.
Moving on…
Ack, I haven’t blogged in a week. Mind you, it’s always been in the back of my mind to take the time to sit down and write…but the time just escaped me last week. My girls go back to school on Wednesday with my eldest entering high school and my youngest starting 3rd grade. It’s been a scramble to get school supplies, shoes, registration, dentist appointments, physicals and lastly gym shoes with ‘free time’ being sparse. But…we got it done…and Wednesday my first born will be walking the halls of high school where life will bring her challenges, heart aches, and success stories all wrapped up in four crazy years. Lord help me have patience and strength to help her…My youngest starts 3rd grade (and pray her cold subsides, please!)…and I pray she finds her groove this year. Prayers all around!
My hubby and I got in two amazing 4 milers this week, and I have now been using Myfitnesspal app for a week and am down 2.6 lbs. YAHOO.


Friday was our date night…it’s been a while, so we planned an amazing tapas style dinner at a local Italian place. It was. AMAZING.

We went to see the movie, “The hundred foot journey” and we both really enjoyed it. Although I wasn’t pulled in emotionally by the acting, the story itself was profound. It highlighted the fact that if you truly have a passion for something, you can achieve your goals! A home cook turned Michelin (sp?) star Chef what??? Yup…GREAT motivator to not give up on my dreams.
Saturday we ran errands and finally after three years of living in our home bought curtains for our bedroom. Baby steps, right?

Saturday night was carbloading for our 10 mile run. I haven’t ran double digits since my half marathon in May, and this was my husband’s FIRST double digit run.

We got up before the sun on Sunday, and headed out to Geneva running outfitters for our 10 miler. I was pacing the ten minute mile pace group. And my Garmin died. Just like that. GAH….but thankfully one of my runners said he would pace us, if I would direct us…and we finished strong. What an amazing group.


We got home early, pigged out, and tackled house cleaning. I spent the afternoon on the couch watching “Divergent.” GREAT movie.
I asked my hubby why he decided to run a half marathon while we shared a celebratory glass of wine…”To do something with you, of course.” My heart sang. After 11 years together, and 10 years (nearly) of marriage this man never stops taking my breath away.
This week marks my monthly 6 day work week…and tonight, after work I rushed home to shower, change, and head out to the marathon committee meeting and I still find myself learning so much that comes to planning a race. Please, take a moment to thank your local race committee and directors. It’s a job that doesn’t pay monetarily but makes you feel so darn good.

At the end of the day, I find myself counting my blessings this past week. My family #truths:
We don’t have a lot of ‘disposable’ money. We get our hair cut at Cost Cutters. We shop consignment, 95% of the time. We don’t take lavish vacations or have fancy cars or home(s). But we do treat ourselves once every couple months to a nice dinner or a cool running outfit (for example). We celebrate our laughter, and embrace our tough times…together. We may get frustrated with each other…but we always work together. We don’t compromise who we are…instead, we figure out how we can meld together as a cohesive unit. It’s not easy…
But we do it.
Together.
Have you ever volunteered for a race?
Does your family support your dreams?
❤ Michelle
Last week was a whirlwind of work, school clothes shopping, birthday party planning and cleaning house. I realized yesterday I hadn’t run ONCE in ONE WEEK. Ack…this does NOT hold well in my heart for half marathon training. But I was reminded by a dear friend last night, that I have a lot of hay in the barn. But do I? I took most of the winter off due to Chiberia temps and injury coupled with a true hatred for running on the treadmill. Despite my Achilles tendon tear in late September of 2013 after my full marathon, I squeaked out a half marathon in October of 2013 with a 2:14 finish time. NOT my best to say the least. Injuries suck…but good friends make these injuries more bearable. I managed a handful of runs over the winter months, and completed half marathon training in a mere 4 weeks time. I finished my PR half marathon in May with a 2:01. Yup…

2:01. WTF.
I remember running most of that race alone. But I wasn’t really alone. All of my friends were on the course with me. And somehow I caught the tail wind and ran…My sheer mental strength moved me forward every single mile…but that last mile I realized I’d miss my sub 2 goal by one minute. And I had to choke back the sobs at the finish line. Yeah…I was that runner…never satisfied with how far I had come beating my previous PR by over a minute. Shame. on. ME. I forgot to CELEBRATE my finish line feeling. Lesson learned…My mental strength is what keeps me moving, and I should (and will) celebrate it daily.
So this spring/summer I have taken it easier. But pushed myself harder. Does that make sense? I guess I am listening to my body MORE…and my mind, LESS.

So with less than 6 weeks out for my hubby’s first half marathon, we laced up our shoes after work today for our first run in the last week. My goal was a 9:15 pace, and despite quirky garmins/apps, we just about achieved our goal at a 9:25 overall pace. Not bad for taking a week off. I have to note, how wonderfully proud of him I am…when we started he could barely run 2 miles without stopping. Sunday marks our 10 mile run (his longest to date) and I know he will rock it. I am still working on tweaking my macros, but struggle with my fat intake. It will come with time! I am down 1.6 lbs and pleased regardless!

So my truth’s today include…I have chosen to surround myself by people who lift me up. I have chosen to not make repeated mistakes in life, instead I learn from them and grow. I have realized that not everyone does the same, and am ok with that, but can’t be bothered by negativity and sheer lack of self worth. And…I am counting my blessings tonight despite a tough week because I have amazing friends/family, a husband who still sweeps me off my feet, and goals in my pocket that I am addressing daily. As an ode to my goals, I cleaned out my desk and book shelves tonight, discarding all of the CRAP I have accumulated. After filling a huge trash bag of JUNK, I found myself smiling. I am moving forward…
How do you keep moving forward despite tough times? What do you hold true to your heart?
❤ Michelle
I don’t often blog about my history of depression. I’ve shared my story in the past, but in moving forward I’ve tried to keep the details and situations I’ve dealt with where they belong…and that is in the past. I have learned, grown, and pushed myself out of some pretty dark places in my life. And I know that does not make me special in any way, nor do I feel like I am someone to be looked up to or held at a higher esteem because I didn’t give up.
Because I wanted to give up.
More times than I can count.
I’ve cried, screamed, and pounded my hands on my steering wheel while driving home because it was the only place I could do it privately.
During many a run, I had to stop and hold back the tears…
I wanted to just throw in the towel, believing at the time(s) that the world would be a better place without me in it…Yet I thankfully was reminded quite quickly I’d be missed, and that I was loved. No matter the darkness I often embodied…
I was loved. I just needed to love myself.
I needed. To love. Myself.
And it took nearly 4 decades to do just this…
Wait for it…
I love who I am becoming. It’s a daily challenge, and I am taking it full force.
Finally, I have found my true north, within my own soul. I am, my own compass.
I still hate my hair…my mid section…oh, and that darn cellulite that has dug it’s ever living claws in to my back side. Oh, and can someone pass over the Botox for my wrinkles? LOL! jk
But inside, I am finding out who I am more and more every day. I have remained tried and true to my beliefs. I don’t let others dictate how I feel most days daily.
Yet today, I found myself choking back the sobs in hearing the news of Robin Williams death. Not only because we’ve lost a true SMILE that visited millions of lives, but because I’ve been there…in that dark hour where there seems to be no way out. I used to actually get mad at my Mother for smiling/staring at me because I hated myself so much. Gosh I was such a shit.
But we’ve moved forward…reconciled and I am reveling in the fact that it is NEVER too late.
Yet sadly, it’s too late for Robin Williams. The social stigma and criticism of depression has so many people hiding behind clothes doors refusing to ask for help. And sadly this case is no different.
With that, I ask you to be kind. Be real. Embrace the fact that you may not understand what other people are going through, but a kind thought, word, or message can make someone’s day.
This week, my miles are dedicated to those suffering from depression. Both past and present.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Robin Williams:
“I used to think the worst thing in life was to end up all alone, it’s not. The worst thing in life is to end up with people that make you feel alone.”
“You will have bad times, but they will always wake you up to the stuff you weren’t paying attention to.”
“I believe in destiny. There must be a reason that I am as I am. There must be.”
So my challenge for you this week, is to dedicate one mile to someone that is suffering. Who’s with me?
❤ Michelle
I didn’t run this weekend. Nope. Not one single mile. This past week I haven’t felt 100%, and between party planning, work, house cleaning and cooking for my daughter’s birthday party I was only able to manage one 4 miler this past week, two walks, and one strength training session. And guess what? I am totally ok with that. My stomach seems to get very angry when I am under stress, so I did what I could to keep moving.
Monday-4 mile run in terrible humidity
Tuesday-2 mile walk
Wednesday-cleaned my house and got ready for the bday party
Thursday-1.5 mile walk and stretching and painting my front porch (that counts, right?)
Friday-The birthday weekend started so no workout! I had to work late, so found myself zipping through town to pick up a gift for my friend Jitka’s surprise birthday party.
Friday night was just a blast. We all planned a surprise party for my dear friend Jitka. Seeing her face as she walked in the door of the restaurant was priceless, and the sheer joy could be felt throughout the room.



Saturday I was up early to get ready for my youngest daughter’s 8th birthday party. My parents were driving in, as well as my sister and her family and so many awesome friends and neighbors. Slight drama ensued as my toilet lid broke off the night before, so after 2 trips to Home Depot (note-universal toilet seats go by the shape of your toilet. I learned my bowl is ROUND, not oval, LOL), a trip to pick up balloons, and picking up the cake and we were ready to get this party started!!!!






I was blessed to have my oldest niece spend the night, and today was her 15th birthday. WHA???????????????? Where did the time go? I woke up the eldest children early despite grumbling and we enjoyed a yummy birthday breakfast.

My day ended with a much needed nap, and now as I sit here writing while listening to my laundry whirl in the dryer I find myself feeling so very blessed. Despite a rough week last week, it all came full circle and I realize I have the best friends and family EVER. Ok, I may be partial, but it’s true. I thank you ALL for being a part of my life.
❤ Michelle
I have really tried to keep up with my blog, as I truly love this outlet for writing and sharing my story. But sometimes, life tends to get in the way of allowing us ‘free time’ for things we love.
But this week I spent the week doing things I love. My job, running, spending time with family and friends, and cooking.
Here is my week, (more so weekend) in pictures.
My work week was busy to say the least, and despite wanting to crawl in to bed Friday night and ignore life and my upcoming alarm that was set for Saturday morning at O DARK 30, I knew I needed to get my gear ready for my 9 mile run. It still amazes me that 9 miles is now LONG for me, but I embrace it all the same as I’ve taken this year off for full marathon distance.
I made my obligatory pasta, set my gear out, and hit the hay by 10 pm.


I wish I could say my 9 mile run was great. But it wasn’t. It sucked. It was humbling. And I thought back to last year when I was at 16 miles at this point…I couldn’t hold pace…I thought I was going to #pantsmypoop and I wanted to die…a little. But I finished. And despite major suckage, I felt strong regardless. #nowwhereismyfoamroaller

I came home, showered, and tried to nap before heading out to my nieces and nephew’s bday party. Sleep was not happening, so I got up showered, and was blessed to spend time with my immediate family. I love these people. More than life itself, and I found myself hugging them all a little tighter.
It truly baffles my mind that my kids, and nieces and nephews are growing up so fast. Where does the time go?
I spent the evening later, with my amazing friends who live next door, talking, laughing, and drinking wine/water while sitting by a fire.

Today was a busy day filled with school clothes shopping at Once Upon a child and Plato’s closet. I refuse to buy brand new, and simply can’t afford to do so…200 dollars later, my kids are set. Plus we had fun planning for my youngest daughter’s 8th birthday party.

At the end of the day, I realize this…my training runs may not always go as planned. I may not always have enough time or money to keep things moving forward. BUT. I always have my friends and family to keep my spirits UP.
Tonight I made stuffed zucchini that I acquired from my amazing next door neighbors. It was easy, healthy, and delish!


My youngest daughter turns 8 on Tuesday…which means no more car/booster seats in my future, and another milestone knocked off my list. My kids are growing up, and I find myself growing up with them….
I have a bad temper, lack of patience, and have too much on my plate most days. But THEY have helped me be a better person, Mom, and friend.
But all of these joys that I continue to pour myself in to each day make all the bad just a little bit better. I used to tell myself that one day things would get easier. Yet I’ve realized things DON’T get easier, EVER. You just get better at dealing with it all….
And it’s never easy. But you get stronger, every single, day. If you choose to do so…
So this week will be crazy busy, and I am ok with that…because I choose…to keep movin’ forward.
How was your week?
Do you lay your running gear the night before?
Do you like to cook?
❤ Michelle
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