I have always loved New Years. I love the thought of having a clean slate, a new start, an open book to start the year off. In the last several years we’ve celebrated the New Year with our dear friends that live next door to us, and we will be doing the same, this year.
I don’t do resolutions, but more so set mini-goals for myself. Last year I wanted to de-clutter my life, both in material items as well as spiritually. I was tired of being weighed down, and I can honestly say in this last year while I haven’t purged as many material items as I’d like , I have definitely let go of some internal and external demons I’d hung on to for far too long. My second goal of running a sub-2 half marathon was ALMOST achieved, but I was 11 seconds too slow. LOL, I can only laugh at it now. I’ll get it, eventually.
This New Year’s is a little different, however. I finally admitted to myself, and my Mom last night via text, that I am dreading the New Year. I suppose because it’s a reminder that my husband leaves in just a couple months, and that next New Years he won’t be here with us physically. And I’ve never NOT celebrated the New year without him since we’ve been married. And that breaks my heart, just a little more.
I do have an interview for a Nanny on Sunday, and the bonus is that she does light housekeeping. I pray we like her, and that she likes us, because this would be a huge weight lifted off my shoulders despite the dent it’ll cause to my pocket book.
With that, I wish you all a very Happy New Year!!!! Do you have goals or resolutions? How do you celebrate?
Here’s my Friday fives from the work week and mid year check in, in no particular order…
I contemplated briefly, running a fall marathon. Yet after my 4 mile run in the heat and humidity, I changed my mind, immediately quickly. I’ll focus on speed and getting my half marathon time under 2 hours, instead, like I initially planned.
LOL! Photo Cred: Princess and the Frog movie
I have continued to work on my moving forward mantra with lots of self-talk, doing things I love, and surrounding myself with positive people. I’ve also made more effort to reach out to people who I know too, are struggling. Yay for forward progress!
Or this…lol Photo cred: Myfitnesspal
I have been eating REALLY well for a few weeks now, (You can read about my shocking revelations here) and have lost maybe a lb. but that’s reaching. Argh. Someone pass me a cheeseburger and fries, PLEASE. I’m truly at a loss…and not the weight kind. Is it so much to ask to drop 5-10 lbs.?? LOL!!!
BAHAHAHAHA!
My legs/body is tired this week. I physically feel ok, but every time I run it’s like I am carrying two lead filled bricks vs. legs. I ran my last 4 miler in my long run pace of 10:30…seriously? Why does everything hurt? I am half contemplating skipping my 12 miler tomorrow…but am on the fence. Even if I’ve cut long runs a bit short, I’ve never skipped one that I can recall…
pretty much how I feel this week, and when my alarm goes off at O’Dark 30 for my long runs.
After no more than 1 day off consecutively in the last 2 weeks, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy it’s Friday. I’ve got lots of plans filled with power washing my deck, staining said deck, and a baseball game with my family tomorrow night. Sunday is my nephew’s 8th grade graduation and I can’t wait to see my sister and her family. It always does my heart wonders to be near my peeps.
Photo cred: giphy.com
Have you ever had issues with coming to a stand still in regards to weight loss? Have you ever skipped a long run during marathon training? How are you coming along with your goals this year?
I preface this post with the fact that I have only been working on speed every so slightly, once or twice each week on short runs in the last few months, and that I am an idiot for not being completely thrilled with my PR.
I’ve done this race now three times, and was excited to possibly break my course record of 2:01, as well as maybe crush that good ole sub 2 goal I’ve had for the last several years. The weather was nearly perfect at the start, with the temps in the low 60’s and a nice breeze. I was giddy as I got to hang out with Wendy from Taking the long way home, as well as the fact that this was my first race of 2015.
With that, I took off too fast, and only was able to hang with Wendy momentarily. But I felt GREAT so heck, I was going to give it my all. “The faster you run, the faster you are done” rang sweetly in my head along with “Slow down you idiot or you’ll burn out!!” I honestly could picture my PR/Sub 2 the entire race, and gave it my ALL. I tried my best to keep my pace at or below 9:09, only faltering on that goal for a couple separate miles. But as the temperature rose, and the sun came out in full force I could feel my head throb and hands swell by mile 11. The spectators and volunteers were amazing, and after a couple high fives from some VERY cute little dudes I picked it back up.
But then, there’s that last mile of the Great Western trail half marathon that isn’t for the faint of heart or weak of mind. It will take everything you have, and more to get through the winding hills, and never ending trail that seemingly is about to end…but then it doesn’t. I pushed, feeling as if I was going to pass out, and then pushed some more. I crossed the line with an official time of 2:00:11. And I cried. Sobbed nearly as big sweaty, salty tears stung my eyes.
And then I got mad, for not being happy that I got a PR, and that I finished strong WITHOUT passing out. My awesome friends were there to hold me up, and celebrate with me all I had accomplished and I am so very thankful I didn’t feel sad for very long.
A huge shout out to the Fox River trail runners, the race organizers, volunteers and spectators. I love this race! (Minus that last mile, lol)
Teri from Reinventitude, Wendy from Taking the long way home, and Karen from Trading in my Heels ❤This pic, truly says it all. Thanks to Dave Sheble from the Fox Valley Marathon for capturing it! What AM I doing with my hand, though?
I finished my day by prepping/cooking Sunday Supper. Tonight’s theme was Asian inspired. I even got my mandolin out, and if you recall from my Christmas post the mandolin and I got in a fight. I decided to tackle my fears. Heck, if I could PR in this heat, I can use a mandolin right? Mandolin 1-Michelle 1!
My husband is just hilarious, right? LOL
Asian inspired short ribs
What you’ll need:
Short ribs (we used beef, but pork is fine too)-season with kosher salt and pepper and set aside
Marinade
1 cup of low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup of chili garlic sauce
2 cloves of garlic-grated
Fresh ginger-grated
Juice of 2 limes
Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
5-6 green onions, chopped-use all of white, and some of the green
Drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil and mix well. Pour over your ribs and let refrigerate for a couple hours.
Bake the ribs for about an hour (covered) at 325 degrees. I might try lowering the temp next time, but they were amazing. I served with ginger infused mashed sweet potatoes and a fennel, green apple and baby bok choy salad. YUM!
Yum!!
Did you race or run this weekend? Any new recipes in your rotation? How do you handle missing your goals?
Have a great week, y’all!! It’s time to retire to the couch!
I’ll admit, I’ve been slacking on my recipes and research in regards to my goal of writing my own cook book. As most of you know, I cook by taste, smell, and texture vs. exact measurements. In the last year or so I’ve really tried to quantify my ingredients and document my journey in regards to my love for food.
But then came marathon #3 training, and my goals have since fallen to the back burner (haha, get it?) unfortunately. So I’m back at it, with a goal to publish ONE recipe (at least) each week. Who’s ready for our first week’s exciting recipe? Ok…it’s not that exciting, but it’s simple, tasty, and a healthy choice for a mid week meal.
Avocado dressing/puree’
In a bowl place the following:
1 avocado
1 tablespoon of low fat sour cream
The juice of one lime
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder to taste
1 pinch of dried cilantro
Mix well until a creamy consistency is achieved. Serve over fish, chicken, or on your favorite salad in place of dressing. YUM!
This entire dish took 10 minutes to prepare!
Doesn’t get much easier than this, and my entire family enjoyed it thankfully!
What’s on your plate these days? Do you find it hard to balance work, training, and other hobbies?
I didn’t sleep very well last night. The never ending thoughts of, “Can I do it all” haunted me as I rushed around packing lunches, drying snow pants, and signing the infamous “daily folder” to avoid the nasty note from the teacher. Oh, and did I wash S’s ballet uniform for Monday night? Crap…her tights need to air dry. Lemme throw that last minute load of clothes in at 10 p.m. LOL
But we had a mostly successful Monday morning with only minor drama as I dropped off S at the neighbor’s house before taking J to school. This calls for a win in my book. I also woke up to a loss of 1.4 lbs. Double WIN for a Monday!
But as I drove to work this morning sipping my yummy protein shake, (insert sarcasm here-pass me the bacon and eggs please and thanks) I thought about several things. What motivates me, what inspires me, and what keeps ME movin’ forward.
The last few years have been pretty huge for me. Between Marathons, my MasterChef tryout, and moving on to a new job this past year-I finally feel like I am finding my groove. But that underlying voice saying “GO chase your dreams” is still very real.
repeat, sorry, but a darn proud moment! (MasterChef try out)
See, I’ve always been an oddball. A stand out…a person who never really fit in with any crowd. I’ve always felt…well…different. And that’s ok…truly. I like who I am…who I’ve become. But I’ve always felt I had a bigger purpose in life…
So while driving home tonight, I decided to think, pray, and reflect on what motivates me to keep movin’ forward. Here is the list I came up with, in no particular order:
1. To be a better Mom. I’ve failed sucktastically at this more times than I can count. But may my girls never have to feel an ounce of the sadness I did growing up. (To no fault of anyone-just life circumstances).
2. To be a better Wife. See…there’s this dude, that I call B around here, whom I love dearly. He’s made me a better ME. I can only hope to do the same for him.
and lastly…
3. To be a better ME. I have done more, pushed myself further, and tried harder to live life to the fullest in the last 3 years than I did in the last 42 years combined. And isn’t this the example I want to give to my girls?
You’re darn right it is.
Truth! Pic from Pinterest
I drove home tonight nearly in silence as I thought about ALL of this. And I realized, no matter what, my voice matters and I need…to KEEP MOVIN’ FORWARD.
And in perfect time for this post, my J came downstairs to say goodnight, in tears. Someone told her today she looked ugly, and immediately my Mama bear came out in full force. I took a deep breath, reminded her of the importance of kindness and hugged her tightly. Being a parent is so tough, yet rewarding…And THIS fuels my fire. daily.
In 2013 I ran my second FULL marathon. I swore I’d never run a second full, but got the bug after the first training run. I PR’d by nearly an hour (58 minutes to be exact, I SHOULD know the seconds, but don’t, lol) and I SWORE I’d never run another full marathon. I ran a couple half marathon races in 2014, to include my husband’s first half…did you read about it? You can read about it HERE!
I love this guy…
So today while on my break I decided to catch up on blog posts. My friend Kim asked when training for the Grandma’s Marathon started, and after scratching my head and thumbing through my calendar I realized official training starts in TWO weeks. WHA???? Here. WE. GOOOO! In two weeks I need to be back up to a steady 6 mile run. Easy peasy, right? I’m a marathoner for goodness sake…Ack…I haven’t ran more than 13.1 miles in 4 months…but I’m ready. And a little scared, too…<3
Yup…
Have you heard of this race? If not, read here! For those that don’t know, this is my hometown race, where I grew up watching marathoners crossing the finish line, thus my dream of being a marathoner began.
And a marathoner I am…to me, this is one of the hugest mental and physical accomplishments of my life. I have loved, I have lost, and I have ran 26.2 freakin’ miles. yeah…quote THAT. 🙂
But the last 2 days I fought with some mental demons, past hurts, and irrevocable YUCK that just can’t be forgiven forgotten. I ALMOST let it get to me….but NOPE. Sorry y’all, I’ve got a marathon to train for…#movinforward
So I thank you all for your positive feedback in regards to my last post. I know we all struggle, we are all human, and we all have those negative forces that try to creep in…BUT…I also know, only some of us decide to move forward…and not let that crap in. (Yes, I was literally shaking my head today)!!!!
LOL
At the end of the day, I managed to finish my plank challenge (Day 2) and added an additional 10 seconds, as well as did the push up challenge I am participating in this month. Tomorrow is mill day, and I hope to get in at least 3 miles. I’ll be taking all of my fear and frustration and ‘running it out’ tomorrow…who’s with me? Let’s leave the crap behind us, right?
#this
What are your plans for the week? Do you have any upcoming races?
I have had a bit of a rough week physically. I’m not sure if it is the weather, crazy storm fronts or lack of good sleep but I’ve just felt a bit off. My sinus cavities aren’t happy with all the weather changes, and my stomach has that “Are you two months pregnant?” look to it that means it MUST be that dreaded time of the month or I have been eating too much crap aka salt. Crap…it’s only Tuesday!
As I drove to work today on my 0.1 nano-seconds of sleep I decided to reflect on how my year has started. (In reference to the nano-second please, PLEASE tell me you know who Mork and Mindy are…). I use my commute to think, reflect, and devise my daily plan for forward movement. That is my mantra….right?
Firstly, I started off my year by NOT running due to my accidental idiot mistake to lop off part of my thumb. I almost let this incident get to me, but remembered last year’s winter and decided it best to keep movin’ forward. So last week I started running again and yeah…a month off can hurt a person’s mojo. I can’t get my breathing straight, I hate the dreadmill, and it truly is hard to get motivated enough to get movin’ after a long day of work. But I’ve kept at it despite not feeling 100%…and although my mileage/speed is crap, I am at least MOVIN’…right?
After work, while dinner was cooking-THIS happened…lol
Secondly, sometimes winter gets to my emotional well being. Ok…I hate winter, more eloquently said, winter hurts…ROFL. That being said, I started to let the negative forces creep back in to my life…until I promptly kicked them to the curb. Be gone! People, stuff, events, you name it…I refuse to get sucked back in to it all. So sorry if I am a bit absent from the negativity…#noroomforthatcrap #sorrynotsorry
Pic from writerscafe.com
Yet tonight I had SEVERAL text messages from friends both near and far that wanted to check in on me/say hi/chat. Score. My heart was re-filled and I knew I was on the right path yet again.
photo credit, Pinterest
And now, as my hubs heads off to his late night soccer game I bid you all good night, and sweet dreams.
Questions…how do you keep yourself movin’ forward during tough times, winter months etc?
This weekend was a blur to be honest. But it was a wonderful weekend I have to admit. I am having a hard time forming my thoughts, so please bear with me.
My husband had reserve duty this weekend, which means the household is my responsibility. It is one that I have taken on, and have been doing for over 15 years of being a single mom/Army wife. I’ve done my fair share of bitching, whining, and complaining. Yes. I suck sometimes. But this weekend was different, and let me tell you why…
First, I spent the weekend with my girls, shopping, eating, and getting pampered as we got our hair done. Our awesome friends/neighbors came over last night for a pre-celebratory drink, and my sister and her family came to my hubby’s ceremony today. Stack on the feelings of happy and bliss because my cup truly is over flowing.
Me and my girls!SILLY!
I have always preached to do what you love, and do it with passion. I have not always lived this statement, but this last year has been different. I’ve cooked more, ran a lot, and chased dreams that still have yet to be caught. But mostly, I have smiled more this last year than I have in the last 5 years. Because I realized something…
I AM enough. I HAVE more than enough…
And this is greatly due in part to the fact that I have the most amazing family and friends, well…EVER. I’ve got a job I enjoy, a roof over my head and food on my table. And did I mention the best family and friends ever? Oh yeah, I said that already…lol
Secondly, this weekend was my husband’s weekend to shine. And shine he did. He took command of his first unit. I always joke and say he loves the Army more than me, (totally kidding) but this afternoon as he spoke to his soldiers, his face was all lit up and shining…you could FEEL the energy, and my heart sang a little song just for him…HE is doing it. He is chasing his dreams, and achieving SO much in his career and I simply couldn’t be more proud.
My hero…
To wrap it all up, I finished the week with a total of almost 8 miles of running, my ab challenge, and a smile on my face.
What brings you the most joy in life? Are you living and pursuing these passions?
Ok, so I started last year at a pretty dark place, but managed to finish on a pretty high note with lofty yet achievable goals. Running, writing, and researching recipes are high on my list this year mixed in with some awesome photography…Right? Um…so yeah…about that…
Then, I cut my thumb on Christmas day, and my running, motivation, and goal making days halted all too quickly. BUT…thankfully only for just about a month. Whew…bullet dodged. I caveat this with saying I DID NOT/DO NOT want a repeat of last winter. Ever. Both the weather, and my mood were beyond frigid.
So here we go…
First:
I started running again last week. My miles are minimal and my pace is slow as can be…but I’m MOVIN’…can I get a yahoo??? Today at work I had a leadership workshop of sorts to attend so my 8 hour day was squashed in to 4 hours of playing catch up. I was tired by the time the final ‘bell’ rang, so upon arriving to my daughter’s school I texted my Maria…”I’ll be on the dreadmill in 30 minutes in case you want to join me.” Of course she did, despite battling a migraine for 5 days, and her virtual hug and push helped get my on the mill. 2.6 miles, complete.
My pace may have slowed, but the passion is still very real.
Second:
I hit the restart button after the holidays to try and lose my 5-7 lbs of marathon training/winter weight/I’m lazy and just ate all the food weight…so I’m back on MyFitnessPal for anyone else who uses this app, tracking my food and fitness and REALLY trying to stop eating all. the. chips. I have to giggle when it says I should weigh a certain weight if I continue to eat the way I am because yeah-pre-menopause obviously isn’t calculated in to the equation, and well yeah…I don’t see that number on the scale. BUT…I’ve just restarted in the last week or so, so baby steps, right? With that I have been eating high protein/veggie/fruit type of diet, so here is tonight’s easy peasy dinner recipe!
Baked Pork chop with white wine, onion and caper sauce over baby spinach salad
Easy peasy pork in just over 30 minutes!
What you’ll need (pork chops):
4 thick cut boneless pork chops, seasoned with kosher salt, pepper, and a dash of lemon pepper seasoning on all sides-apply liberally and set aside for about 5 minutes while you get everything preheated.
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Pre-heat a non stick pan and add extra virgin olive oil and 1 pat of unsalted butter. Heat to high heat, and pan sear chops on both sides (5-7 minutes each side-don’t over crowd your pan!) until golden brown and transfer to a baking sheet. *Tip-line your pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up! Place in your pre-heated oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until your chops have reached 155 degrees-let rest for 10 minutes minimum-chops will reach required temp of 160 degrees by this time. *Tip-cover with foil while resting your meat. It helps hold the temperature.
While your chops are baking, make your “sauce.”
Sauce
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons of Kalamata olives, chopped
Zest of a lemon
1 cup of white wine
1/4 of cold water mixed with cornstarch to thicken
Kosher salt, pepper, and oregano to taste.
In the same pan you seared your chops, deglaze with the white wine (make sure it’s wine you’d drink!)
Add your onions, garlic, capers, and olives. Reduce down the liquid by half, and add your seasonings and cornstarch water to thicken. Add zest just before serving. I served the spinach and pork with the sauce, who needs dressing/gravy? Not this girl!
So in order to stay on track with food, fitness, and life in general my TRUE goal this year is to BE CONTENT. I have said it before, but I’ll say it again. I am, and I have, ENOUGH.
Who’s with me? How are your eats and exercise lately? How do you battle off season eating/motivation?
For the last 42 years, ok not that long but for a LONG time, I have hated my birthday. I wish I could honestly figure out where this hate comes from, although I have a few sneaking suspicions that I will keep to myself. Yet as I have grown into a middle aged adult, I truly have worked at embracing my birthday as a day of celebration of life vs. a battle of time.
And this weekend, I was reminded how very blessed I truly am. I was surrounded by friends and family, and made to feel more special than I can even describe in words…
So this post will have less words, and more pics, because I truly can’t find the words to describe the blessings I feel today, and always. And of course…food pics. Because isn’t this why we run so much? LOL!!!
Make a wish! You’re never too old, right?Cherished gifts from my first Chicagoland friend, Carolyn. XOMy kind of birthday cake….Crème BruleeBirthday wine at Fox Fire in Geneva IL, delish!These amazing people planned a surprise birthday brunch for me. #sighBirthday dinner of twin lobster tails, YUM!Me and my friend Melissa ❤Walked today, for #megsmiles
So after quite a bit of deliberation I found myself looking hard at my circle of friends once again today. I am cutting back more on social media, removing negative forces from my world, and realizing not everyone has the best wishes for us in life.
But…some people DO want nothing more than the best for us…and those are the gifts that I hold true to my heart on days/weekends like this…
Here’s to a new week, more miles, amazing relationships and even better food!
Questions….Do you enjoy your birthday? What’s your favorite birthday treat?
Movin' it with Michelle 