Every journey begins with a single step.

Two years ago I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without feeling exhausted and out of breath.  A year ago,  it was a challenge to run more than two miles without stopping to take a break. Six months ago, I never imagined that four miles would be my easy run.  Today I ran ten miles.   

To some that is a small number.  To others, it is astronomical.  For me it is an enormous milestone.   Was today easy?  No.  Was it fun?  Part of it was, part of it hurt and challenged every ounce of my will power. It also reminded me how far I've come.  How every step in my journey has led me to this point and beyond.

It started as a standard run. . .easy pace for the first four miles; slow down to hydrate every two miles (because I haven't yet learned how to drink and run without choking). When I hit mile six I was laughing because I only had four miles left.  Four miles was yesterday's run!  That's nothing; I knew I had it. The last two miles challenged my body and my mind. My legs were tired.  I could feel my brain kicking in with the self-defeat talk.   I refused to quit, refused to give in to the pain and exhaustion.  I haven't quit on anything so far, why start now?

When the Garmin finally beeped that I'd hit mile 10, I slowed down to a walk and hit stop on the timer.  I looked at the watch and immediately realized what I'd accomplished.  Pride and gratitude hit me like a ton of bricks and I started to cry.  I cried for the me of two years ago, the one that struggled and fought to become the me of today.  I cried for the ability God gave me to run, for the sheer gift of legs that carry me from one place to another (sometimes at a pretty decent pace), for the people that believe in me and encourage me (because I could never have gotten this far without my support system). 

I couldn't be more grateful that I never gave up. . .on running or my journey in general.  Running is a great metaphor for life.  Sometimes it is easy, sometimes it hurts.  There are hills and valleys, personal bests, and challenging days.  The point is, keep putting one foot in front of the other; the finish line is ahead!  Don't give up on your goals just because you don't see results immediately.  I didn't see results for a few weeks after I started working out and eating right.  And I didn't see results with running until I really put 100% effort into it. 

Give your goals your all.  Find your motivation and run with it.  Your motivation lies within, by the way.  Only YOU can determine what you're working towards and why.  Mine lies in finally getting a first in a 5K and finishing a half-marathon with a smile on my face.  

The key is to keep the goal in mind.  As long as there's a goal there is a journey. 

It's Really a Giant Thank You Note

My journey to good health doesn't just include learning to eat right and finding the right workouts.  It is more than physical; it is emotional, too.   Every day I not only work to improve my physical self, but also my emotional self.  It is much easier to work on the emotional stuff if you have a great support system, which I do.  I start and finish every day by listing things I am grateful for.  Friends show up on that list daily.

I am blessed and lucky to have the people in my life that I do.  My friends are amazing.  I wouldn't be half of who I am without them.  Each of them brings something different to my world.  I love the diversity but also the common themes that run throughout my friendships. Silliness prevails; there is also extreme intelligence; a shared love of books and music (though we don't always agree on genre); running (if they don't, they respect that I do); and good beer.  My friends give great advice and know when to shut up.  Some of my friends have only been around a little while, some have been around for years, and some parted ways with me but then came back years later (YAY).  

For most of my life I have believed that people come into our lives for a reason.  They stay as long as we need them to and then they move on.  Perhaps we stay in their lives as long as they need us before we are the ones that move on.  I could spend hours analyzing why I think certain people have come into my life.  Instead of doing that I am going to appreciate what my friends give, appreciate the lessons we are learning from each other.  Most of all I am going to enjoy every minute I get to spend with these folks.  Be it a text message from hundreds of miles away, a phone call from down the street, face to face over dinner/lunch/brunch/cocktails, or side by side as we cross a finish line (yeah, that meant a lot to me).  Every laugh, every smile, every word of wisdom, every great conversation and the dumb ones, too.  I'm soaking it in and loving it. 

I am a firm believer in surrounding yourself with those that build you up, that make you smile, that let you know it's okay to be you. Learn from the people that share your life.  Allow them to learn from you, too.  Embrace them and be grateful every single day. Share the celebrations and the sorrows.  The people I have surrounded myself with don't make me want to be a better person--they make me want to be a better ME.   They are full of love, wisdom, and humor. . . all things I need to continue to be successful on my journey.  

"A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself."  ~Jim Morrison

Forgive my absence, it's been a heck of a few months!

So last time you heard from me I had just started back to school.  Still on track, still working out and doing what was needed to stay in shape.  It was a rough school year, folks; I can't lie about it.  I learned a ton about myself over the course of the last nine months and am more than happy to take my life lessons.  There are a few, but the biggest is how I feel about running.  I warned you last year that I probably wasn't done posting about this activity.  Now's your chance to bail. . .

Since I last wrote I've gotten even more serious about running. Last summer I ran a few miles here and there, never anything over three.  Many days I never even hit three.  As the fall became winter, I got a little slack with running and wasn't putting much into it. I let my head get the best of me and was giving up way to early in the run.  In November someone entered my life that I not only respect as a person, but as an athlete.  We ran together once and it changed my entire outlook on running.  As I took off on the beach trying to seem like a "real runner," I realized I had no clue.  My head took over and my self confidence crashed.  I made it barely a mile before throwing in the towel, embarrassed and knowing I needed work. Lucky for me my run partner that day believed in me and started helping me get out of my head and push myself. Together we set a goal to run the Cooper River Bridge Run in April.  For someone that had never run more than 3 miles, this was a pretty exciting (and kind of scary) goal.

I started training.  Actual training with a run schedule and everything.  Because I was running more I had to tweak the diet.  That was actually fun and scary all at once.  I knew I needed more calories to fuel my runs, but I was paranoid of the dreaded weight gain.  What I failed to remember is that I'm armed with all the information I need to keep my diet in check to fuel my body appropriately and not gain weight.  I was successful with maintaining my current weight while upping the calories until I got injured.  I did something to my hip thinking I was Super Runner and increased too much too soon.  Just a little overuse injury that hurt like hell and grounded me from running.  While not running, I forgot to lower the calories and gained 5 pounds.  (I know you're all going, "oooh, a whole 5 pounds."  Well for me, 5 pounds is a lot)  This was an easy enough fix and I was able to drop it pretty quickly.

In April I crossed that bridge with several thousand of my closest friends and my AMAZING run partner, Steve.  My original goal for Bridge Run was to finish happy.  As my training progressed I decided I wanted a time goal and set it for under an hour.  Then injury happened and I had to return to the original goal of finishing happy.  I finished two minutes over that time goal with a smile as big as the moon on my face.  Within seconds of crossing the finish I said, "next year. . . "

Since April my hip has healed thanks to a lot of patience from various trainers, my chiropractor, my run coach, and my own body. My mileage has increased along with my endurance. My training continues as I race a few 5Ks this summer and move towards what's next.  That half marathon is looking pretty enticing right now.  The other day as I headed out for my long run I started to laugh at my own appearance. For someone that once thought running was a cheap way to keep fit I was loaded down with a lot of gear. . .  CamelBak handheld water bottle, Brooks Launch, Garmin, heart rate monitor, sport beans.  While I may look like I know what I'm doing; I really am clueless.  The one thing I know for sure is that I love it and it makes me happy; so I'll keep lacing up those shoes and running out the door.

Accountability and Partnership

Working out with a partner or at least having someone to encourage your efforts really does make a difference.  I've been running alone for about six weeks now and can definitely see a difference in the effort I put forth.  I don't need to impress or compete with myself so I tend to have what I call "sissy runs."  A sissy run starts out fantastic.  I can conquer the world and win marathons (ok, maybe a 10K). About half way through, I lose steam and want to stop. I make deals with myself--"if you go to that lamp post, you can walk to the next drive."  This is where my partner would encourage me to keep going and feed me lines about how great I'm doing and how I'm going to PR on this run.  I know he's full of crap, but I love him for the encouragement.  It works and I miss it. 

No one can force us to work out, go for a run, or eat healthy.  We have to do that for ourselves.  But we can ask our friends and/or family to hold us accountable.  We can ask a friend to be our partner in exercise or nutrition.  A colleague asked me the other day to be her accountability partner.  That isn't what she called it, but that's what it is.  She asked me to check up on her to make sure she was going to the gym.   I am more than happy to be an accountability partner. This is actually a huge compliment to me.  It means she trusts me enough to share this journey with her. When  you ask someone to hold you accountable, remember YOU are the one that asked.  Don't go getting all pissy when they do what you asked.  And when your person rolls her  eyes at you for making lame excuses, remember they are just helping you.  Also, quit making lame excuses.  (I was once the queen of lame excuses so I can say this)

Having a partner to workout with makes coming up with excuses difficult because you've set a time, date, and place to meet.  It becomes a commitment.  Making an excuse won't just affect your own workout anymore.  It will affect someone else's. Having a partner also gives you someone to compete with (if you're into that, which I am), someone to encourage, someone to share struggles and successes.   I used to prefer solo workouts.  Now I crave the companionship, the shared journey.  

Here's the thing though; no matter how awesome your workout partner or accountability partner is, only YOU can be responsible for YOU.  It isn't up to my running partner to get me on the running path every day.  It isn't his fault that my solo runs are embarrassing.  It is my fault and mine alone.  I am perfectly capable of pointing out that I can run harder, faster, longer.  I am more than capable of pushing myself through that last half mile.  While I miss having someone to set my pace for me I know that this is something I need to learn how to do on my own.  So this week I'm setting goals for my runs; no more making deals with myself.  No more excuses, no more blaming the lack of partner, no more sissy runs. 

Back to School

Y'all it has been a fantastic summer.  I experienced a bunch of new things, maintained a healthy lifestyle, and pushed myself towards new training goals.  I still can't believe I agreed to train for a half marathon. I also can't believe I ran more than one 5K, didn't pass out or vomit, and placed in two of them!   I've enjoyed reflecting on all the changes I've gone through in the last year.  Looking forward to celebrating more milestones.

With the start of the school year comes a return to diligent meal planning and prep.  Gone are the days of just making sure I have food in the house and cooking when it's time to eat.  No more eating off actual plates with a napkin and time to enjoy what I'm eating. Back to eating out of plastic (or glass) containers while doing at least five other things.  Back to carting around the big lunch cooler and answering the never-ending question, "what exactly do you have in there?"  (The answer is:  Meals for the entire day and about half-gallon of water.  I also carry a protein bar in case I'm held up somewhere and don't have a meal.)
Also gone are the days of working out whenever I feel like it. From now on, my workouts are scheduled.

These may seem like simple things, but for me the end of summer is a little scary.   I run the risk of skipping meals and workouts as school starts and my life becomes hectic again. Skipping meals isn't too much of an issue since I've learned to stop caring where I am when I eat.  If it's time to eat, I eat.   Even though I have learned how to say, "I can't. I have to go workout" it's still difficult.   I also struggle with the excuse of being tired or having been on my feet all day.  Neither of those are legitimate excuses in my world.

So, the fridge is loaded once again with assorted BPA-free containers of food that will nourish my mind, body, and soul.  The new lunch box (ruined the other one with too many trips to the beach; tee hee) is ready to be packed with meals to get me through my first day.  Water bottles are filled and ready to hydrate. I've mentally prepared for when I'll be working out and which days will be devoted to certain workouts.

I'm saying good-bye to summer, but not to my commitment to my own well-being.  Be good to yourself, folks.  It pays off in the end.

PS-- New recipes on the recipe page this week.

Breakfast IS Important

"I don't have time."

"I'm not hungry."

"I don't like breakfast."

"I'm trying to eat less." 

Stop making excuses for why you don't eat breakfast. It really is the most important meal of the day. It sets your tone, gets you moving. How do you feel a few hours after waking up when you skip breakfast? Crappy, right? Now consider how different you feel when you remember. . . Nice, huh? So why are you still making excuses?!

Let's see if I can talk you out of your excuses.  I talked me out of mine. . . 

"I don't have time."   Okay, maybe you don't  have time to cook breakfast in the morning.  Make breakfast part of your prep.  You can make healthy muffin sandwich with egg whites, Canadian Bacon (or whatever meat you like) and an English muffin that can be microwaved and eaten in the car.  I used to do a breakfast wrap that could be eaten on the way to work. Both of these things can be prepped the night before. My personal favorite is the protein smoothie.  I prep all the ingredients the night before.  While I'm loading my lunch box and pouring coffee into the go cup, I hit the button on the blender.  Voila!  Multi-tasking and breakfast.  I'm not going to even attempt to convince you to get up 30 minutes earlier because that would make me a world-class hypocrite (I like my sleep). 

"I'm not hungry."  I'm not hungry about 90% of the time that I eat, but I know my body needs food.  Remember you eat to fuel, to keep your body energized and ready to face your day's challenges.  Breakfast is the first meal of the day.  If you skip it because you aren't hungry that will come back to haunt you around lunch.  Chances are good you'll overeat at your next meal.  And we don't want that, do we?  

"I don't like breakfast."  (I've actually heard this one)  All right, eat something that isn't a breakfast food.  Have lean chicken, yogurt, fruit.  Just because we call it breakfast doesn't mean we have to eat traditional breakfast foods.  

"I'm trying to eat less."  Well, that's great but you will end up eating more the next time you eat.  Skipping breakfast will ruin you for later in the day. 


As someone who used to use at least one of those excuses (okay, 3 of them), I can tell you it's easy to overcome.  I really don't like eating as soon as I get up.  That's why I started prepping food that can be eaten in the car. Protein smoothies are awesome because you can change them up whenever you want.  It's a quick, easy way to get a jump on the day.  I know a lot of people are anti-smoothie because of blood sugar spikes an what not.  Again I remind you that I'm no expert, but I am an expert in what works for me;  and smoothies suit me. 

Want more information about why breakfast really is the most important meal of the day?  Click here or here or even here.  No more excuses!  Eat to live; don't just live to eat.  

Breakfast Ideas

Gazpacho (and other goodies)

I regularly crave bold, fresh flavors.  One dish that consistently meets this craving is Gazpacho.  It also meets my need to be barefoot in my kitchen for a significant amount of time.  Gazpacho could be a lot easier to make if I pulled out the Cuisinart.  I prefer to hand chop all of the vegetables which means I end up with an enormous blister on my hand from wielding the knife (knife skills are more important than a lot of people realize).  I also like my gazpacho chunky and the Cuisinart doesn't really allow that.

I've been using the same recipe to make my Gazpacho for years with very few changes or additions along the way.  The recipe came to me from the owner of Brown Bag Deli in Columbus, Ohio (it's in German Village under different ownership). This year I decided I wanted to make a couple of changes so I googled and looked at other gazpacho recipes.  What I discovered is that there really is little variation and that my recipe is filled with the most flavor.  One interesting variation was the addition of zucchini.  As a fan of all things squash, I decided to give it a shot. (This doesn't make a huge difference, but I know it's there and I like it)

What follows is the gazpacho recipe including all the changes and tweaks I've made to it over the last several years. If you prefer yours smooth, put it in the Cuisinart or the blender.  If you like it spicier, add more Tabasco.  I use a TON of cilantro; if you don't like cilantro as much as I do leave it out or half it.  As with all my recipes, I leave the salt out.  Feel free to add salt if you like.  I also chose to use 2 different kinds of tomatoes just for fun  this time. I'm sassy like that.  Adjust the tomatoes as you see fit.  I don't like green peppers which is why I use red and yellow; adjust that if you want also. One of the beautiful things about Gazpacho is that it's easily adapted.  Use more or less of the spices as you see fit.  If you follow my recipe, it will be mildly spicy with a bold tomato and cilantro flavor. . .very fresh.

Gazpacho


2 medium/large yellow tomatoes (or red, you choose)
4 Roma tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Red Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Zucchinni
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 46oz container of Vegetable Juice or Tomato Juice (I prefer the veggie---low sodium, organic)
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 cup Light Olive Oil
Fresh Ground Pepper
Tabasco Sauce (I use 12 drops)

Chop vegetables to desired size.

Stir to mix.  Add vegetable or tomato juice, stir.  Stir in oil and vinegar.  Add pepper to taste. Add Tabasco to taste.  Cover and chill to let flavors soak.  Add more spice as desired.  

Y'all this makes a TON of Gazpacho.  It doesn't freeze well so don't even attempt it (trust me). Just find some friends and share!  I like to eat mine with boiled or grilled shrimp (local, of course).  Cook those bad boys and dump 'em in.  Many people top their Gazpacho with sour cream.  I sometimes do, sometimes don't.  Again, I'm sassy like that. 


Here's a few of the other things I whipped up yesterday. . .

Oatmeal Pumpkin Muffins (because I have a wicked craving that needs to be met) These look gross but taste sooooooooooooooo good.  I added almonds instead of walnuts (because I think walnuts are evil).  They taste like Fall. 

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread (because I had extra bananas that were going gross in the fridge).  This bread tastes delicious; perfectly sweet despite the lack of sugar.

I hope you take time to dance in your kitchen like I do.  Be creative.  Let loose.  Get moving. Get cooking.  Enjoy summer!