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By kilax, February 10, 2013 4:51 pm

Highlight of the Week: Feeling awesome during my weekend workouts! I kind of had a stacked weekend*… and I felt fabulous!

Monday | February 4, 2013: cross + strength
Loc: home, bike trainer, Time: 50:00, intervals, Difficulty: medium, Felt: sweat dripping off me
Strength: Shred-It with Weights, Difficulty: medium, Felt: spent
Tuesday | February 5, 2013: 5 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 8°/10°, Time: 46:16, Pace: 9:15 avg, Difficulty: easy.medium, Felt: like I was flying
Wednesday | February 6, 2013: strength class + 6 m run (w/Bobbi)
Strength: kettlebells, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Grayslake, Temp: 32°/33°, Time: 1:04:06, Pace: 10:41 avg, Difficulty: easy (snowy and slow), Felt: great
Thursday | February 7, 2013: 6 m run
Loc: hood, Temp: 32°/31°, Time: 1:07:56, Pace: 11:19 avg, Difficulty: easy (but super slick!), Felt: good
Friday | February 8, 2013: rest
Saturday | February 9, 2013: cycling class + GRC A Half with Heart 
Loc: Essential Fitness LLC Multisport Club, Time: 50 mins, Difficulty: medium/hard, Felt: good
Loc: Libertyville, Temp: 30°/30°, Time: 2:11:27, Pace: 10:02 avg, Difficulty: medium (hills), Felt: great
Sunday | February 10, 2013: cross + 14.2 m run (w/Erin)
Loc: Millennium trail, snowshoeing, Temp: 30°/31°, Time: 49:13 (2 miles), Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Around Round Lake, Temp: 33°/34°, Time: 2:14:25, Pace: 9:28 avg, Difficulty: medium (more hills, RAIN!!!), Felt: great

Notes:

• Ha ha, my biggest struggle this week was getting a cold Tuesday night – and trying not to act too whiny about it at home, so Steven would not say anything about me continuing to work out. What can I say?! I love to workout! And I still do when I am sick, until it’s in my head. Do you ever try to “hide” how sick you are feeling from someone?
• Jube Jel Candy Hearts make good (and YUMMY) long run fuel! Do you use any unconventional fuel for your long runs?
• My running club put on a half for club members yesterday. It was the third in the “DIY Half” series, but my first to attend! We met at someone’s house, ran the 13.1, then had a fun party after with LOTS of food! We each paid $5 and had bibs and that cute medal in the “Saturday run” pic above. I can’t wait for the next one!
• One week until our relay in NYC! And two weeks to my first 5K of the year!

*Despite having snow since Thursday I couldn’t fit in snowshoeing until the weekend! Still gotta take that rest day…

Comments (34)

By kilax, February 9, 2013 7:55 am

Finally.

Getting a lot of snow this week has made me so stupidly happy. It’s wonderful.

What is making you stupidly happy today?

Also on my list:

• No work for two days
• I slept from 11:00-7:30 (only got up twice and only had two REALLY weird dreams*)
• I get to spend time with friends this weekend!

*One involved Lady Mary Crawley and Christian Grey.

Comments (26)

By kilax, February 8, 2013 11:27 am

1. Overdoing it on Exercise (pdf copy)

This popped up in Google Reader today, when I was already feeling kind of sick but really wanted to work out… oops, one of the signs of exercise addiction. This is an interesting read on people who exercise so much it’s negatively affecting their work, relationships, and health. Have you ever thought you might be an exercise addict?

2. Does your diet influence how well you sleep? (pdf copy)

This article really piqued my interest because I’ve been eating healthier and have had so much energy I am not sleeping through the night well AT. ALL. According to the article (among other things) – “For the study, very short sleep patterns were defined as less than five hours a night, short sleep was five to six hours a night, standard sleep was seven to eight hours, and long sleep was nine or more hours a night. Short sleepers consumed the most calories, followed by normal sleepers, then very short sleepers. Long sleepers consumed the least calories. Normal sleepers, however, showed the highest food variety in their diets, and very short sleepers had the least variation in what they ate.”

Hmm. I am calling BS. It is true that I sleep like crap when I eat like crap, but why am I still sleeping like crap now?!

I am calling BS on this too (from the March issue of Men’s Health):

Or maybe my lack of sleep is due to item #1 above?! Hmm…

3. Most Americans take breaks from Facebook (pdf copy) & Dad pays daughter $200 to quit Facebook (pdf copy)

You guys know I love reading articles about the social dynamics on Facebook, so I had to share these two! People’s comments on why they take breaks from Facebook was amusing to me. What causes you to take Facebook breaks? I actually know a few people who periodically go on and off of Facebook. I go to tag them, and they’re gone and then I realize they are taking another break. 

4. Getting into your exercise groove (pdf copy)

An interesting article explaining how our bodies want to stay at their preset paces for running/walking, and that a strong rhythmic beat is a good way to overcome that (if you want to speed up step frequency). I would love to use this as an excuse to start listening to music on my runs again!

What are you reading this week? Any interesting articles you want to share?

Comments (26)

By kilax, February 8, 2013 6:50 am

Do you do the whole Valentine’s Day thing? Are you romantic?

I have never been big on it. But I do like to send cards,

eat my favorite (and stupidly hard to find) candy,

and secretly hope Steven makes me this (or a heart shaped pizza).

I do think it’s silly to have holidays (this one and the many others) that remind us to show love and affection – because I try to do that year round. But the truth is, I am not very romantic, so Valentine’s Day may be a good reminder for me to continue to try to be more so!

Comments (58)

By kilax, February 7, 2013 11:37 am

I’ve written about Knock Knock products a few times – most recently in my Who needs a social media citation? post. I also have their Fashion Citation Nifty Note and Things You Must Do to Make Me Happy pad. There are also a few other things I want from their site that are not too appropriate… 

Anyways. Knock Knock saw my latest post and contacted me to say they liked it and were happy I was enjoying their products. So I asked if they would sponsor a giveaway and they sent me the It’s Gonna Be Okay Guided Journal!

Here’s the description from their site:

Science has proven that optimism is actually good for your heart, and this amusing writer’s journal affirms the notion that it’s also good for your brain. With playful prompts and witty quotations, It’s Gonna Be Okay is smart yet comforting—like a pair of horn-rimmed rose-colored glasses.

– Featuring over 70 quotes of hopeful wit
– The perfect gift for both glass-half-full and half-empty types 
– Paperback; 7 x 9.5 inches; 160 pages; full-color throughout; ribbon page marker

I took a peek at it and really liked the quotes inside! I think having prompts is a fun way to journal, and to get you to think about something you might not have before. 

Knock Knock Giveaway Rules

1. One reader will receive the It’s Gonna Be Okay Guided Journal.
2. Required to enter the giveaway: leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever kept a hand-written journal before.
3. For a bonus entry: post this contest on Facebook, and let me know in a comment that you did. 
4. For a bonus entry: like Knock Knock on Facebook, and let me know if a comment that you did. 
   
5. For a bonus entry: visit the Knock Knock page and leave a comment telling me another product you like (friends, this is always a good idea, as sometimes I actually buy these things you mention for you later on…).
6. You can leave all entry comments in ONE comment if you’d like.
7. This giveaway is open until 5:00 PM CST on Sunday February 10. I will announce the winner on Monday February 11.
8. This giveaway is open to US readers.

Comments (28)

By kilax, February 7, 2013 5:09 am

Or as I like to say, bestie…

Do you think we ever get to old to use “best friend” as a designator for our friends? Is it immature? Potentially hurtful?

I’ve been thinking about this after reading Rachel Bertsche’s post a few days ago. Bertsche was watching some show where a character mentioned she had more than one best friend, because “best friend isn’t a person, it’s a tier.”  Bertsche goes on to say,

Men have trouble understanding this. “How many best friends do you have?” is a question I’ve been asked more than once. But the truth is there are a number of irreplaceable people in my life who have all been there for me in my toughest times, or helped me celebrate the happy ones. They are a tier.

And she mentions how she has a best friend from college, work, camp, etc.

What was really interesting on the post was the comments! One person said they felt hurt when a woman called her her best friend in writing, but introduced someone else as her bestie in public. One person suggested that maybe it is an American thing to say. One person said it’s a term for younger kids, and that it sets too much expectation on that person. And they also mentioned they like “circle” over “tier,” which they thought was too hierarchical (which I totally agree with!). Another person said they feel discomfort when someone talks about another person being their best friend. 

Very, very interesting (to me, anyway). 

I actually do use this term, as you have probably noticed. And the reason why? Well, until recently, I had never had anyone to call!. Maybe, maybe in grade school. But I had no close female friends in middle school, high school, or college. So for me to become close with a few bloggers, I felt I had developed, in my mind, what was a “best friend” relationship with them. 

But it’s true that I have wondered if it’s silly for me to say that. Why do I need to call someone that to let others know how close we are? Why don’t I just say “my really close friend…”? Hmm, who knows. I guess saying it makes me feel good. 

Maybe it’s immature for me to even think about this. Ha ha. 

Comments (46)

By kilax, February 6, 2013 6:25 am

I happen to be in Salt Lake City the same weekend as the 5K/half marathon/full marathon this year! Which race should I do?

Let’s look at the facts:

• Elevation difference between Chicago and Salt Lake City = 3640′. Less oxygen at higher altitudes = less oxygen delivered to exercising muscles. Acclimatization to altitude can take two weeks to several months. Although, I did read that a loss of air resistance can overcome the effect of reduced oxygen in wind-resisted activities like running. Hmm, do you think there is any truth in that?

• The race is Saturday morning and I arrive Thursday night. 
• The courses (images from here):

• I’ve bonked all 5 marathons I’ve run. 

Epic bonk at Veterans, but Bobbi and I had fun (which is all that matters)!

• Race starts at 7:00 am mountain time – a little more sleep since I am coming from central time? HOWEVER, I will have shared a bed the night before – who knows how much sleep I’ll have gotten!
• As is typical with traveling for races, my eating and drinking may be a bit off. 
• The race is near the end of April. I think it was warm (80s?) last year and cool the year before. 
• I won’t have any spectators (that I know) on course. 
• I have a running base that would allow me to train for any distance at this event. 
• I will probably spend the day before the race hiking. 

So, what should I do?

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I am actually quite excited that the weekend I had the opportunity to go to Utah is the same weekend as the race. What a coincidence! I am sure I would have been looking for a race no matter what, but the fact that it is their marathon/half/5K is really fun!

Comments (39)

By kilax, February 5, 2013 7:17 am

When it was announced last year that my company was going to add more work-from-home days, one of my first thoughts was, “Ooo, I bet I will eat more healthy at home and lose some weight.”

Ha ha. Not quite. Emotional eating does not depend on location! If I want to binge, I’ll do it at work or home.

However, I do think it is a little easier to eat healthier at home – because I have access to a lot of healthy options in my kitchen, and am not close to any restaurants/vending machines. I can make huge salads for lunch, or cook something new. I’m not stuck with whatever I bring in to the office – or run out to get. I don’t have to worry about getting hungry and not having a healthy snack option.

Favorite coworker said she actually feels the opposite – she eats healthier in the office because she does eat exactly what she brings, and is not tempted by yummy snacks in her home. Interesting! I do have to admit, I am more likely to keep a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos in my pantry at home, than at work, and they become very tempting at 3:00 pm… ha ha.

Do you think where you are working (in the office vs home or elsewhere) has an effect on how healthy you eat? Or where you are, in general, whether or not you’re working?

brekkie, lunch and snacks

One thing is for sure – it’s nice not to have to prep a ton of food every night, and haul it in to the office. I look like a freakin’ pack mule when I do!

And the other thing… even if I don’t always eat healthier at home, at least when I do work from home, I have three extra hours in my day (that aren’t lost to the commute) and am more likely to get a workout in!

Comments (17)

By kilax, February 5, 2013 3:30 am

I can’t even come up with my own!

Creativity is NOT my strong suit. I am not a very clever person! Especially when it comes to wording – slogans, titles, team names… I stink!

And of course, I am on a few teams this year that require names. Preferably, clever ones. What do I do when I cannot come up with something on my own? Ask for suggestions!

My sister came up with Team AWKward for the Ironman 70.3 relay. Our participant order is Andrew, Will and Kim – hence the AWKward. And we’re all awkward. Ha ha. 

It was tricky coming up with something for this month’s 3-person 10-mile relay in NYC. I’m running on a team with Steven and his brother, and Gina is on a team with her husband and his brother. We wanted the same names for both teams, just with “Team Last Name” added on the end. We had a few ideas, and I even got a few suggestions, and… we had a few picky team members. Ha ha ha. So Gina came up with The Relayteds – Team Last Name. I loved it! Super clever, Gina!

One of the best team names I’ve seen was at RAGBRAI in 2005 – Team Megasuarus!!!

Are you good at coming up with clever names/etc.? What are the best ones you’ve seen?!

I do have to say, ONE TIME, I did have some good suggestions. Kayla was getting ready to run a Disney race and asked for slogan ideas for the back of her shirt.  She actually ended up using one of my suggestions, and that made me feel super cool. Ha ha. 

Comments (30)

By kilax, February 4, 2013 5:48 am

We didn’t watch the football game yesterday* but we did make party food – loaded vegan nachos!

Includes: tortilla chips, Teese nacho vegan sauce, Dixie Diners’ Club Beef Not, pinto beans. jalapeños, black olives, green onion and cilantro

We started dreaming up the nachos on Thursday***, spent time discussing them on Saturday, and got the ingredients on Sunday. Ha ha ha. We were kind of obsessed with the idea of them. And they did not disappoint! I could have that for dinner any night… that would be super healthy, no?

Party food is so fun. What is your favorite party food? Or the most creative party food item you’ve seen?

My friend Courtney created this 7-layer dip yesterday! So cool!

And someone super creative made this for the Chicago Running Bloggers Holiday Party in December! Who was it?! I wanted to tell them how clever I thought it was!

I think it would be fun to host an Oscars Viewing Party and see what people bring. Maybe items that were puns on the nominated top pictures, or little golden Oscars. Or maybe pick something from a nominated actor’s specific**** diet. Hee hee. 

Oh gosh. Why a post on food so early in the day! Now your comments will be making me hungry all day! I know it! Maybe you’ll give me some creative ideas for lunch… we do have the leftovers for all the nacho items. Hmm…

*Except the half time show – ahhh! My inner high schooler** was so happy to see the Destiny’s Child reunion!
**Don’t really have one – I hate who I was in high school.
***I even emailed my girlfriends about them on Friday.
****Aren’t they all on one?!