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By kilax, February 21, 2010 2:07 pm

Day 120 | February 15, 2010: strength + abs

Steven and I did the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs, followed by Level 3 of The 30 Day Shred. It was our first time trying Level 3. I had a glimmer of hope before trying it, since Andrea said she found it the easiest of the three levels – but I sure didn’t! Walking planks? Traveling push-ups? All those crazy plyometrics? I was out of breath. I had to pause a few times, and do the modified version of some of the moves. Level 3 will definitely be something for me to improve on.

If you do The 30 Day Shred, which move to you find the most challenging?

Day 121 | February 16, 2010: 5 m run + strength

I finally had a chance to talk to the personal trainer while doing my run on the treadmill in the morning. She gave me some (crazy?) interval/cross-training ideas:

1. “around the world” on the treadmill – you set the treadmill at a slow speed then do sideways and backward shuffles, followed by one minute of sprinting – CRAZY
2. “extreme” workouts on the elliptical – including backward pedaling
3. walking on a very high incline

She also gave me some advice on my form (to try to run with my feet more “under my hips”) and showed me some new rotator cuff and shin exercise ideas.

For the shin exercises, you use the “shin developer” in the photo below. You sit on a bench lengthwise with your shins barely hanging off the end and move that thing up and down. I did three sets of 20, with a 10 lb. weight on the end.

During lunch I ventured down to the gym to see how long my new strength routine takes. I am supposed to do the entire list below twice. I got through it once in 20-25 minutes, then decided I had had enough when I was tripping while doing the second set of Step Ups w/Dumbbells.

This workout is intense. I was sweaty right away. The Smith Machine and Lunge n’ Jump on the Bosu are the hardest parts for me right now.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:05 | 1: 10:11 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:50 | 4: 9:41 | 5: 9:23

Step Ups w/Dumbbells: 20 ea. leg @ 10 lbs (ea. hand)  x2
Smith Squats: 15 @ 40 lbs, explode up
Isolated Lunge with Hammer Curls: 30 sec ea. leg @ 5 lbs, fast paced
Crunch Fly (on exercise ball): 20 @ 5 lbs
Bosu Lunge n’ Jump: 20 ea. leg
Bosu Push Ups: 15
Bosu 1,2s: 30 sec
Rotator Cuffs (lie on back): 20 @ 3 lbs (ea. hand)
Calf Raises w/Triceps: 25 @ 20 lbs
Rotator Cuff w/Band: 10 ea. side

Day 122 | February 17, 2010: cross + abs + stretch

Ha ha ha, my quads were pretty sore on Wednesday from Tuesday’s strength workout! Luckily they weren’t too sore to keep me from pedaling during lunch.

In the evening, Steven and I did the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs and 10-minute YogaWorks PM Relax & Restore. During the Fit Abs segment, I made a joke about doing a one-armed plank, and Steven couldn’t hear what I said, so I just started laughing and couldn’t stop. Laughing + yoga = bad combo.

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.53 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 123 | February 18, 2010: 7 m run + stretch

We’ve had warm temps all week (low 30s) so I decided to fit in a long run in the reasonable 25°F weather before work. I actually felt pretty warm at times. I even ran without my gloves on for the middle 4 miles!

I woke up at 4:00 am to run, so I would make it to work by 8:00. I am a bit paranoid about the drivers in our neighborhood, especially when it is dark, so I just ran loops around the park, wearing…

this head lamp I found in our silverware drawer. Schweet!

Two thoughts on this run:

1. It may be time to replace the shoes. I definitely felt a lack of support on the bottom outside of my left foot.
2. Negatives splits are becoming natural. Very strange. Must be all of those forced negative splits on the treadmill training my body!

I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up Segment when I got back to the house. You know, I can tell that I am becoming more flexible. How exciting is that?! It almost makes me want to go take a real yoga class. Almost.

Distance: 7.0 | Time: 1:08:12 | 1: 10:12 | 2: 10:00 | 3: 9:53 | 4: 9:49 | 5: 9:40 | 6: 9:26 | 7: 9:07

Day 124 | February 19, 2010: cross

I wanted to do strength but decided not to, since I was going rock climbing on Saturday. I didn’t want to be too sore!

Bike Time: 30:00 | Distance: 5.10 (Set on “Ozark Trails”)

Day 125 | February 20, 2010: 8 m run + cross

Warning: picture heavy!

On Saturday morning, Steven and I went rock climbing at the North Wall Climbing Wall in Crystal Lake with Erin, her husband Jason, and Kate. It was my first time meeting Kate and I really enjoyed our time together! I love her sense of humor. I can’t wait to see her again!

North Wall was offering a free belay class at 9:30, so the five us took that and bought a day pass for climbing. I must say, I was really impressed with the employees at North Wall. They were very good-natured, and great teachers. I was kind of nervous about belaying for someone else, but it was super easy!

Kate, me and Erin

They taught us how to tie our own knots for climbing

A Figure Eight Knot

and how to loop the rope and belay when someone else is climbing.

They also taught us commands between the climber and belayer for climbs. After the class, we got to explore the gym and do whatever we wanted! I thought it was so cool that they turned us loose.

We all climbed. I did much better here than before! I think the fancy shoes helped (and the fact that the walls weren’t as tall).

Kate climbing

Kate belaying Erin

Jason climbing

We tried bouldering – climbing without rope –

and slacklining. Erin was really good at it!

We were at North Wall from 9:30 until almost 1:30! We were all pretty hungry afterward so we went to lunch. Then we said our goodbyes to Kate (sad face!), Steven and Jason went to Panera, and Erin and I visited Lippold Park to tackle the snow.

I ran a 5K at Lippold Park in November, on a TRAIL, but we were having issues finding the trail. We ran on the roads in the park until a cop told us the trail is not cleared. Huh. No wonder we couldn’t find it!

We eventually saw what looked like the trail and ran on that, on and off, for eight miles. Can you guess which miles where in the snow from our splits?

At one point, the snow was well above our shins! It was definitely a challenging run. But I loved running with Erin again. The time just flew by.

Erin and I are shoe twins! Same model, same color!

It was a very muddy run… but I LOVED running in the 40°F weather in capris. Woo hoo!

Distance: 8.0 | Time: 1:22:16 | 1: 10:00 | 2: 10:06 | 3: 11:01 | 4: 11:15 | 5: 9:50 | 6: 10:15 | 7: 9:41 | 8: 8:31 | 9: 00:33

Day 126 | February 21, 2010: rest or yoga

I’m not sure if I am going to be able to fit anything in today. I like to get up early on Sundays and get my workout done, rather than wait all day. It’s time to start doing that again.

Week Summary: 20.00 miles

It might be time to actually develop some sort of half marathon training plan. I’ve just been trying to keep my mileage up, and focus on not getting injured. But, I have been doing the same old runs… just trying to run negative splits. It’s time for interval and tempo runs. Yeah, I say that now…

Do you try to have one tempo run, one interval run, and one long/easy run a week?

A link to share:

Shut up and Run! had a great post up this week about runners being judged by non-runners (you know, the whole “running is bad for you!” argument). Check it out!

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By kilax, February 20, 2010 6:15 am

What would it be like if you lived in a world where people were unable to lie?

Have you seen The Invention of Lying with Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Garner (and many other famous actors)? That is essentially the plot – no one lies – everyone is brutally frank and honest. Things like fiction and religion do not exist. People say exactly what is on their mind. The words “lie” and “truth” don’t even exist in their vocabulary.

And oh my goodness – it is so funny. The dialogue and random spurts from the characters completely cracked me up. If you like films that make fun of society, you* will love this one (but… if you are offended by films that poke fun at religion, you will dislike it).

The plot of the film is simple, but it delivers a very strong message. It really got me thinking.

In the beginning of the film, the main character, Mark (played by Gervais), is a bit down on his luck. He knows he is getting fired, his mother is dying, and he goes on a date with the woman of his dreams – but – she tells him she thinks he is fat and ugly, there are no prospects for a second date, he doesn’t make enough money, and that she is only at dinner with him as a favor for a friend. She tells him flat out – she’s out of his league.

He gets fired at work, and his coworkers (Rob Lowe and Tina Fey) proceed to tell him that they never liked him, they think he’s a loser, and he’ll never succeed in life. Harsh, but I guess that is what people say when they cannot lie!

Through a funny encounter (which I won’t spoil for you!) Mark figures out how to lie. At first he uses it to help himself and other people, but eventually, he uses it to create fame and extreme wealth for himself. Oh yes, and to create religion.

He ends up becoming close friends with the woman of his dreams, Anna, but even though she calls him her best friend, she is still shallow and will not date him. Like everyone else, she only sees people artificially – as who they appear to be. She is only looking for a “genetic match.” So, despite having fame and wealth, Anna still will not date Mark. You will have to watch the film to see how it all ends!

The story was very interesting, and really got me thinking about a few things:

1. What would it be like if you lived in a world where no one lied, or really, where people didn’t withhold their true feelings? It would be so freeing to be able to stay whatever was on your mind, and people would certainly toughen up… but would there be any negative consequences? I hate to say it, but some things are best left unsaid. The people in the film are so harsh to one another. I don’t think we should live in a false reality, but I also don’t think every evil thought that crosses my mind should be spoken.
2. What would it be like to live in a world without fiction? In the film, the “movies” are all just someone reading about history. What if we didn’t have art, theater, music… creative expression?
3. What if relationships were only based on genetic matching (looks) and money? It could have the potential be completely unsatisfying!
4. What if people forever treated you based on their initial perception of you? Now, that isn’t too far-fetched – I think it happens now. But in the film, everyone does it. If you appear to be a loser, you will forever be a “loser,” no matter what you do.
5. What if religion was non-existent? How would people change if they didn’t have something to believe in, and tell them the difference from right and wrong?

Have you seen this film? What do you think – does it seem like one you would like to see? Do you have any thoughts on my questions listed above?

*I am thinking this is a film that Andrew, Diane, Erin, Kim** and Nilsa would like.
**Too funny, I was catching up on posts, and sure enough, Kim has seen it already!

Comments (41)

By kilax, February 19, 2010 4:54 am

Are you an asker? When you want something (a raise, a refund, better service, directions, forgiveness, a date, someone to treat you differently, etc.) do you ask for it immediately or do you hesitate?

There was a story in the March issue of Women’s Health about an author who was going to a party to celebrate the publication of her first book. On the way to the party, she ran into a famous columnist – Maureen Dowd – in the airport. She got up the nerve to ask Dowd to attend her party and Dowd accepted and attended, and the two developed a relationship. The author wrote:

I shudder to think of what an awesome connection I would have missed making had I not worked up the nerve to approach Maureen. But all too often, fear gets in the way of bravery. Think about it: When was the last time you asked for something with big risks and potentially big consequences? The kind of ask that can make your heart pound and your palms sweat, such as asking for a promotion, asking for forgiveness, or—scariest of all—asking a guy out on a date?

I love that! Don’t let fear get in the way of bravery! And I have to include the last two paragraphs of the article:

As with most things in life, the more you do something, the easier it becomes. So start small and build up to the Big Ask. When my family and I go to a restaurant and don’t like our table, I’m the one who asks to move. I ask for directions and for advice from strangers. I even ask to use the discount-club card of the person standing next to me in the line at the grocery store if I’ve forgotten mine.

Here are a few things I’ve learned about asking: The minute you’re afraid to ask for something is when you should do it. It’s nice to offer something in return, even if it’s just a compliment or a kind gesture. It also helps to take a few deep breaths and imagine the worst possible outcome. Usually, it’s simply getting a no, which is not exactly life threatening. Whether the result is life changing (like it was with Maureen Dowd) or disappointing, asking is always a significant accomplishment. Because if you ask me, it’s the questions in life—not the answers—that really count.

I AM an asker. When I want something, I do ask for it. Sure, I get the nerves and the pounding-heart, but I know it would bother me more in the end, NOT to have asked*, then to hear “no” or not reach a solution by asking.

I mentioned on Monday, I have asked for items to give away here. Many have said no or not gotten back to me. But I kept at it, and received that awesome necklace to give away.

At my last job, I found myself frequently talking to my bosses about company policy and how their decisions affected me. I know that seems bold, or maybe out of place, but to me, it felt better to get things off my chest. Now, I commonly find myself being the “voice for the group,” when other people don’t want to speak up.

I either lack a filter I should have, or am simply not shy. But I cannot remember a time when asking has caused me any harm!

*A few months ago Erin and I had lunch out, and the waiter threw away my leftovers instead of boxing them up like I asked. I didn’t want to… get nasty (let’s say) in front of Erin, so I didn’t ask for a refund. I wish I would have. That was effin’ bs and I am still pissed about it.

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By kilax, February 18, 2010 6:42 am

Friends, I need your help.

What do you do to ensure you get a quality night’s rest?

I’ve noticed that I go through cycles where I am not sleeping well at night. Usually it will last a few weeks or longer, then I sleep well for a week or two, then it starts again. I have noticed that it seems to hit Steven at the same time too. We are waking up often during the night, or really struggling with that “I feel like I was awake all night” feeling (you know, you did get some sleep, but it was confused sleep and you thought you were awake).

It is crucial that I (everyone, really!) get quality rest at night. I only get about 6.5 hours of sleep – I go to bed at 10:00 and wake up at 4:30. So, if that sleep sucks, I feel drained and LOOK drained most of the time.

I’ve been trying to figure this out, and here are some of the things I have noticed disrupting my sleep:

• Stress/Anxiety – if I have something in the back of my mind, even if it is NOT bothering me, I will dream about it and wake up constantly throughout the night. Example – my plan this morning was to wake up at 4:00 am and run 7 miles then do 10 minutes of yoga (which I did). BUT, I kept waking up every hour last night, dreaming about waking up at 4:00 to run. Last week, while staying in Iowa, I kept waking up because I was dreaming about my grandfather, and his funeral. If I have a big meeting, or have to get up early, I will wake up constantly throughout the night, even if I am not worried about it.
• Temperature – I am a sweaty sleeper, or, as Steven likes to call me, “The Human Radiator.” I get really hot when I sleep. We keep our house at 67°F – I think it may even go down to 65°F during the night – but I still wake up drenched in sweat from time to time. I wear a sheet, and a fleece blanket. That’s it. And I try to dress in lightweight clothing. It’s awful when you wake up, drenched in sweat and have to go get a new sheet or towel to lay on.
• Food – if I eat too much before bedtime, or too close to bedtime, and have too full of a stomach, it can keep me awake at night, or make me have to get up and go to the bathroom.
• Water – the same with water – I have to consciously stop drinking it before bed or only take tiny sips or I will be up peeing, one or two times. I HATE that.
• Vivid Imagination – if I see something scary/disturbing on television/in a movie, I will have a vivid dream about it. On Monday, Steven was watching the original V (is that what it’s called?) series on SyFy and I had a disturbing dream that I was getting raped by a giant lizard man. No joke. And, you may or may not remember the Wustöf dream (As a side note, I was inspired this morning to write a post about kitchen knives. Watch for that coming soon!).
• Data – Sigh. Data. We love you. We love your furry little body. But you get in our way in bed! When Data sleeps with me, I half-consciously try not to disturb him by tossing and turning throughout the night, meaning I might be uncomfortable.

Interestingly, when I told my therapist last summer I was not sleeping well because I kept having to get up to pee, she just told me to get used to it. She said it happens to her every night and it has become part of her routine.

Ugh, no thanks, lady. I need quality sleep. Getting up once or twice a night does not equal quality sleep to me!

Can you relate to any of my sleep disruptors? Do you have any of your own to add? Do you wake up often during the night? Do you think that’s normal? Any tips/suggestions?!?!

Update: Amy‘s first comment made me realize I should mention – I do not drink any caffeine products, or typically eat products with caffeine in them. So I don’t think that is part of the problem for me. I know many people have a caffeine cut-off time though!

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By kilax, February 17, 2010 6:00 am

This is part of a series of thoughts and reviews of Alicia Silverstone’s book, The Kind Diet. The first three parts of the series are the General Review, The Importance of Putting Yourself First and How Well Do You Chew Your Food?

Last year for “Lent”* I gave up “sweets” – 40 days without cookies, candies, chocolate, muffins, my beloved Dots… you get the idea. I still ate fruit, granola bars and sports beans, but that was it. No indulgent baking at home (which you know we love to do).

Yeah, it was a little difficult at first, but then I started to feel wonderful, and saying no to an after-dinner sweet was no big deal. At the end of the 40 days I was nervous about adding sweets back in to my diet. I saved a sugar cookie for myself to eat, and remember eating it, thinking it didn’t taste so great.

Then I eventually built my sugar tolerance back up and forgot all about it. What a waste, right?

I am still trying to decide if “No Sweets” is something I will pursue again this year. It worked really well for me, and I didn’t have many feelings of restriction. But it’s just… kind of easy, because there already aren’t many sweets I can eat, being vegan. What I would love to do is 40 days without processed foods. We just aren’t prepared right now. We would have to make our own bread and cereal, which I am sure we can do, but haven’t been experimenting with.

Oops, I am babbling! And that is one thing that is annoying me big time in my life right now (other people babbling… get to the effin’ point!). So, I would like to share some of the discussion on white sugar from The Kind Diet.

As I mentioned in the General Review, Alicia Silverstone devotes an entire chapter to White Sugar and Processed Foods. She points out that while they are not as harmful to animals or the environment as meat and dairy, they still wreak havoc on your body.

She recommends cutting out white sugar, high fructose corn syrup, organic evaporated cane juice, and honey, and replacing them with brown rice sugar, barely malt, agave syrup, molasses and fruit.

So, what is so “wrong” with white sugar anyway?

• It’s highly processed – when we eat foods that have had bits and pieces of them removed during processing, our bodies get stressed out and try to make up for the missing elements, creating an imbalance in the body.
• It steals vitamins and minerals from you – to make up for the “imbalance” and process white sugar, our bodies attempt to fill in the missing vitamins and minerals. But by diverting this vitamins and minerals from other parts of the body, we get tooth decay, bone loss, weak blood and depression.
• It suppresses your immune system – when you eat something very sugary, your blood sugar soars, so your pancreas releases insulin to handle all the extra sugar and bring your blood sugar level back down. Once all of the sugar has been metabolized though, the extra insulin remains, creating an imbalance in your hormones and immune system. Sugar also overworks the liver, as it takes on toxins during processing, which the liver deposits in your system, also weakening your immunity.
• It puts you on a roller coaster – the extreme peaks in blood sugar cause nausea, headaches, and fatigue, and as the sugar wears off, it can bring on irritability, anxiety, heart palpitations, crying and depression.
• It’s linked to cancer – the extra insulin produced to handle the high amounts of white sugar promotes the growth of certain types of cancer cells.
• It makes you fat – excess refined sugar converts to fat.
• It contributes to insulin resistance and diabetes – if you are constantly eating sugar, and your pancreas is working in overload to create insulin, the insulin will lose its effectiveness, creating insulin resistance. Your blood sugar remains high, but your cells are starving, so the body craves more sugar. If the pancreas stops working, you could get diabetes.
• It’s not animal-friendly – Silverstone didn’t mention it in this section, but most white sugar is processed on bone char.

Whoa, that is a lot of information to process. I’ll admit, some of these points seems a bit extreme to me, but then again, I can completely relate to the feelings in the “roller coaster” point.

Silverstone is recommending cutting back on white sugar, and replacing it when possible, which I think is very reasonable. The scary thing is, most people probably don’t realize just how much sugar is added to almost everything processed. When they think of sugar, they think back on their day and say “I didn’t add sugar to anything!” But, it is already in so much. I suspect that is a huge contributor to Type II Diabetes and Child Obesity – but I am not well-versed on those topics.

What do you think about white sugar’s affect on your body? Can you relate to the “white sugar” roller coaster? Do you try to limit your white sugar intake?

Do you participate in Lent at all? What do you “give up” or how to you “give back” to the community?

I have to give a call out to my buddy sizzle – our conversation yesterday inspired me to finally write this!

*That’s Lent in quotation marks because I am not Catholic, nor do I follow a specific religion, but can appreciate the theory behind giving up something.

Comments (61)

By kilax, February 16, 2010 4:56 am

Last week, someone was preaching to me about the benefits of fasting. This particular person fasts for health and religious reasons, and told me they do it 2-3 (consecutive) days a week.

Of course, I was skeptical, especially after the person cited references to fasting testing done on worms. Sure, worms may live longer if they fast, but how long do they live anyway? And aren’t our digestive systems just a teeny bit different?!

The person preaching to me couldn’t give me any answers (of course), so I did a bit of research with my good buddy wikipedia, and am here to ask you your thoughts. Note, this is just about fasting for health reasons, not religious reasons.

What is fasting?

Fasting is the act of abstaining from all food and drink for a period of time. There are different types of fasts – certain ones allow water, raw food, or a very limited calorie intake. I am discussing a fast where you only drink water for a day or more.

What happens to your body when you fast?

Glucose is the body’s primary fuel source. When you fast for 4-8 hours, your body converts glycogen from your liver into glucose to use for fuel. Your body also uses protein to supplement the glycogen. This fuel will last for up to 12 hours, then your body will turn to muscle for glycogen. If glycogen is unavailable, the body will turn to fat as a fuel source. The body will continue to use fat until it is unavailable, at which point the body will switch to using protein for fuel, and will be in a state of starvation (fasts are normally broken before this point).

What are the benefits of fasting?

According to Dr. Mark P. Mattson*, fasting every other day (known as Intermittent Fasting) shows beneficial effects as strong as those in caloric-restriction diets (I would hope so…).

Other possible benefits:

• increased life span
• reduced risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, insulin resistance, and immune disorders
• stress resistance
• increased insulin sensitivity
• reduced morbidity
• detoxification – there is no evidence supporting this, and our bodies are naturally designed to remove toxins through our skin (sweating) and liver, colon and kidneys, but this is what the person was preaching to me

What are the dangers of fasting?

Intermittent fasting (eating every other day, typically) causes lowered blood sugar and blood pressure, which can lead to dizziness and blackouts. Oh yeah, and it makes you possibly feel weaker and CRANKY.

As you fast, your body lowers its metabolism to conserve energy; when you go back to your normal diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy – a possibility of gaining weight.

If you fast for too long, your body will lack a variety of vitamins, minerals and nutrients, which can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, constipation, dehydration, gallstones, and cold intolerance. Fasting for too long also causes your body to go into a starvation mode. From wikipedia: “Medical complications associated with fast-induced starvation include electrolyte imbalances, thinning hair, lanugo, cardiac arrhythmia and renal failure.” Also, what distinguishes fasting from essentially starving yourself? Is there a risk of it getting out of control?

Will I try fasting?

Probably not. As I told the person who was preaching this to me – I eat every 3-4 hours now, or I get a headache and feel unwell. They assured me that I could build up to fasting – similar to how I told them they could build up to running, slowly. But, I just don’t think this is something I need to get in to. As someone who prefers to participate in endurance activities and exercise regularly, I prefer to be “fueled.” (Although some say it is fine to exercise when fasting… not sure that is for me).

Sometimes, I do a lighter diet for a day, sort of a “detox” to get myself back on track. I guess that is the closest I will get to fasting.

What do you think about fasting? Have you ever tried it? Do you think it could be beneficial? Do you think it’s a load of crap?

Side Note #1: Don’t forget to enter my Love to Run Pendant Giveaway!

Side Note #2: If you voted yes to read my Training Week 17 poo story (18 out of 21 did!), it has been updated here.

*Chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging

Comments (62)

By kilax, February 15, 2010 4:55 am

I am really excited about this giveaway! A few weeks ago, I was thinking about how much I love my “running gal” necklace I purchased myself from Tarma Designs in 2008.

The running gal necklace (click to see larger)

“I should contact Tarma Designs and see if they will give away a piece of jewelry for my website!” I thought. That thought was immediately followed by “yeah, right.” I have tried contacting companies I like to see if they will sponsor giveaways and have had no luck.

But, by chance, I got Tarma Design’s monthly newsletter in an email the next day, and took it as a sign that I should contact them… which I did, and they immediately replied that they would be happy to have me select a piece to give away! They even looked at my site a bit and we chatted about Chicago architecture.

So, I selected the “Love to Run” Pendant!

Here is the description from the Tarma Designs website:

Tarma’s Love To Run series offers a new cast collections that’s lightweight and fun to wear. Can also be worn as an anklet. Pendant is about the size of a dime on a 2 mm cord with Adjustable Button Toggle. The pendant is 316L recycled stainless steel (min 60% post consumer content). The RePly cord comes from recycled PET bottles made in the same mill that produces Patagonia’s recycled fleece program.

I found out about Tarma Designs from an ad in the back of Runner’s World. I was intrigued by their focus on spirit and adventure in their jewelry and also by their earth-friendly manufacturing process, re-use of materials and shipping methods. I’m sure if you check out their site, you will find many beautiful pieces you love!

So, how do you enter this awesome giveaway? Read below!

Contest Rules:

1. To enter the contest, visit the Tarma Designs website, then leave a comment below telling me what your favorite piece of jewelry is from the website. Make sure to check out all of the different categories – my favorites are “Running,” “Tagua,” and “Nature.”
2. To get an extra entry, link to the giveaway in your blog, and leave me another comment linking to your post.
3. This contest is open until 5:00 PM CST on Sunday, February 21st. I will probably use the old “name out of a hat” drawing to select a winner on Sunday evening. I will announce the winner on Monday, February 22nd.
4. This contest is open to readers everywhere.

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By kilax, February 14, 2010 12:34 pm

Day 113 | February 8, 2010: yoga + strength

I woke up at 3:30 (crazy, I know) to fit some sort of workout in before my crazy visit to pick up my computer at work and long drive to Iowa. I did the 10-minute YogaWorks AM Wake-Up (which I think is going to be PERFECT for pre-run stretching) and the 10-minute YogaWorks Fit Abs, followed by Level 1 of The 30 Day Shred.

My YogaWorks complete review is up here if you want to read it!

Day 114 | February 9, 2010: yoga

I did the Core Yoga Flow segment of the YogaWorks Fit Abs DVD. It was a nice workout, but not enough for me. I wanted to run, but couldn’t (not enough time in the day – filled with family activities).

Day 115 | February 10, 2010: 5 m run

Ugh. I could only think three things during this run:

1. I shouldn’t have eaten so much last night
2. I’m so cold. I’m so cold. I’m so cold.
3. Are my eyelashes frozen?!

Okay, four things:

4. Is this over yet?

It was 7°F outside… and it felt like 7°F. My lower body stayed cold the entire run. I think this was the first time I wore my Under Armour Hood up almost the entire run.

Ha, how many pictures do I need to show you with me and my Under Armour Hood?

I have a great poo story about this run to share with you, but I told my family I was going to post it and they all advised me to do a poll instead, to see if anyone wants to read it. So please vote below.

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Since 85% of the people voted “yes” to post the story, here it is…

At the last half mile I got the urge to go poo. I finished the run then did my little speed walk back to my aunt’s house. My stomach wasn’t having it. A few houses away from her place I started feeling like… my body was going ahead with the pooing process without my permission. “Did I just poop my pants?” I wondered.

I got inside the house, scrambled to take my shoes off then ran to the bathroom, where I fumbled around with the drawstring on my pants. I sat down on the toilet and the poo started coming out before I even tried. My butt was like a poopy faucet. Some got on the toilet seat before I even sat down! Yikes. That is so weird.

And yes. I did have poo in my underwear.

I had all of my gear on and was turning to grab more toilet paper and I knocked a little porcelain sandal off of the back of the toilet and broke it. Nice.

The good news is. I didn’t clog the toilet.

End of poop story.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 49:51 | 1: 10:25 | 2: 10:23 | 3: 10:02 | 4: 9:43 | 5: 9:13

Day 116 | February 11, 2010: rest

Day 117 | February 12, 2010: 5 m run + yoga

This run went much better than Wednesday’s. It was 19°F outside, but it felt great.

And guess what I had on… can you tell from the tracks I was making?

YakTrax!

This was my first time wearing the YakTrax. We had a sporting goods store giftcard, so I used it to buy the Pro version.

I ran on streets with very compacted snow – there were only a few spots where the snow was still fluffy. The YakTrax made me feel super stable. I only felt myself sort of slide on an icy spot once! I felt very confident wearing them. I was definitely running slower, in the snow, but oh well.

I did YogaWorks AM Wake-Up (with my aunt!) when I got back, to stretch out.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 51:04 | 1: 10:12 | 2: 10:16 | 3: 10:18 | 4: 10:09 | 5: 10:03

Day 118 | February 13, 2010: rest

Day 119 | February 14, 2010: 5 m run + yoga

My heart really wasn’t in this run, which is a shame, because it was a beautiful, sunny 24°F outside. I had intended on running 10 miles, but got out there, and just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe next week.

Steven and I did the heart-pumping Body Slim yoga workout after my run.

Distance: 5.0 | Time: 51:18 | 1: 10:17 | 2: 10:18 | 3: 10:24 | 4: 10:15 | 5: 10:01

Week Summary: 15.00 miles

This was such an off week for me. I just wanted to sit around all week… and eat (which I did). I didn’t want to work out. I think I will get back into the swing off things this week.

Make sure you come back tomorrow – I am going to be posting a giveaway I am very excited about!

Comments (23)

By kilax, February 13, 2010 6:35 am

What do you think the secret ingredient is?

Can you tell from this photo? Probably not…

I can’t keep it a secret any longer…

It’s potato chips! Ha ha. Steven and I saw a special on Unwrapped about potato chip cookies in November or December and have kind of been wanting to try them. My grandma had a recipe, so we got to work!

Ingredients:

• 1 c. margarine
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs or 2 tbsp. flaxseed with 6 tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c. coarsely crushed potato chips
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 package (6 oz.) butterscotch chips or 1/2 c. peanut butter

Directions:

1. Cream together margarine and sugars. Add eggs or flaxseed mix and vanilla and beat well. Add crushed potato chips and butterscotch chips or peanut butter. Sift flour and soda together. Stir in creamed mixture.
2. Drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 375° F.

Muchos simple, no?

We made one half of the batch without butterscotch chips or peanut butter, and I do not recommend that – they are not sweet enough. We all really liked the peanut butter ones.

The potato chips only leave a slight crunch in the cookie, so it’s hard to distinguish they are in there! The most fun is telling people these are “Secret Ingredient Cookies” and trying to get them to guess what the secret ingredient is.

These are fun cookies. Definitely not my new favorite or anything, but fun.

What is the strangest thing you have ever baked?

Comments (24)

By kilax, February 12, 2010 5:35 am

What traits do you admire most in other people? Whose personality do you find extraordinary?

Confession – I stole the idea for this Friday question directly from this article – “6 Personality Traits to Admire and Acquire.” The author talks about how she’s always writing articles about negative personalities, so why not cover some of the positive ones? You know, those people you just feel wonderful around, and bring out the best in you.

The six personality traits listed in the article are:

1. Selflessness
2. Tolerance
3. Genuineness
4. Sensitivity
5. Integrity
6. Humility

What a great list. Most of those traits focus on considering others – which I think so many people don’t do. Just think of how different people would act if they first considered how their actions affect others!

Anyway, I would add to the list:

1. kindness
2. generous
3. open-minded (similar to tolerance)
4. hard-working
5. enthusiastic
6. fun-loving

Our neighbors are like this. They’re incredibly generous and loving to everyone. We feel lucky to know people like them! Too bad they are moving to New Mexico. I’m really sad for us, but very happy for them at the same time.