January – I bought a car!

February – set a PDR of 9 miles and discovered Tasti-D-Lite as a refuel food.

March – ran 13.2 miles on the treadmill and got my Garmin!

April – ran my first half marathon with Emily in 1:57:55!

May – no blog posts for May, I’m guessing it wasn’t that exciting.

June – found out my “shin splints” are actually a stress fracture.

Also, Emily and I drank pineapple martinis at noon and baked a patriotic cake.

I also traveled to Butler University in Indianapolis for a sorority conference.

Yes, I’m going back to school to become a Registered Dietitian. I am thrilled, excited, terrified, nervous, confident, and scared all at the same time. When I found out, I went back and forth several times – I’m definitely going, I’m definitely not going – back and forth all day. My main concern was money (since I hadn’t heard back and it’s already December, I figured there was no way I was going to be able to save anything for the next semester). My second concern was getting into classes this late into enrollment, but with people dropping and permission numbers, I think it can work it.

To be honest, if I put it off any longer, I will regret it. If I can get into all of the classes I need, plus take summer and winter classes, I think I can finish in two years or less. It’s time to make moves. Now to find somewhere to live …

Why not?

Anyway, I took some Dayquil after sleeping in, had some hot tea with lemon and felt a lot better. After three days off so far this week, and only two days of exercise last week (longest since I started working out again two years ago?), I decided to try to run my cold out. It’s worked in the past. I was going to head to the gym, but a quick look at the weather told me it was 68 degrees out, so I drove down to the beach! It was a windy run so breathing wasn’t so simple but I’m glad I went!

I stopped by Lululemon to pick up some new crops – I’m addicted to the luxtreme material that my Run: Inspire crops are made off. They’re great for spin and running (duh) – it’s light, moisture-wicking, and keeps you all tucked in! I ended up buying a pair of Run for Your Life crops. On my way home, I saw that the Westport Farmer’s Market was running so I quickly turned to stop by. My friend and I have tried both the Fairfield and Greenfield Hill Farmer’s Markets and were incredibly disappointed in them. Seeing pictures and reading about other farmer’s markets in Colorado, North Carolina, and Utah set me up for some major Fairfield disappointment.

I was SO EXCITED when I saw numerous tents and heard music as I parked. It was amazing! Local and organic produce, coffee, pizzas, desserts, flowers, and tons of options. There were probably 35 booths? I did a few laps, had many samples, and came away with a ton of goodies!

Head of escarole, head of green leaf lettuce, head of romaine – $2.50 each. Garlic bulb – free!

All natural, organic, BEST EVER granola bars – 3 for $11, plus a sample.

3 heirloom tomatoes, giant sweet potato, 2 sweet peppers, 1 giant carrot – $8

Of course, I made a big, local, organic salad when I got home!

All three lettuces, carrot, tomato, pepper, plus feta, chickpeas, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Honey + feta + balsamic = delicious.

More on those delicious granola bars later …

Obviously spinning, weight lifting, and the occasional stair master session has been beneficial while my stress fracture has healed. My doctor told me that the area will feel sore for a little while after I start running again, and it does – as long as it is the soreness and not the sharp pain of “shin splints” I’m not worried.

Today I went for 4 miles without stopping. As before every run, I told myself to take it easy, go slow, and stop to walk if I need to. Except then when I’m actually running, I don’t want to stop. Well, I do, but I push through the negative voice in my head and keep going. Where was this motivation in high school??

Today’s run:

Negative splits all under 9 minutes a mile? I’ll take it.   

I know that the fact that I’ve retained so much fitness is amazing and I’m thankful. But it’s still hard to feel like I’m starting over with running. When I had to stop, I could run 6, 7, 8 miles at an 8:30 pace. The last run before I learned about my stress fracture, I busted out my last mile in 7:30. I know that will not happen for a while again. It’s frustrating, but I’ll survive and work hard to get faster. I know I can do it – I have before.

It’s amusing to me that during cross country in high school, I think that my slowest time was probably 28 or 29 something minutes. For girls, the CC race is 2.5 miles. I think my fastest time ever was 23 or 24 something minutes. Considering I really did not care at all and can remember the two times during practice I never stopped to walk over 3 years, I did well. While I’m building back up my distance and endurance, I really want to get faster at smaller distances. I’m going to sign up for at least one 5k this fall and I’m eying a Thanksgiving day 5-miler. I love distance running but I’m willing to do speedwork too.

Yay running! Who wants to sign up for some races??

Mondays are my weekday off from work (a lot of time in retail, as in my store, employees get one weekend day off and one weekday day off). I do pretty much the same thing every Monday. Grand plans of responsibility are schemed: cleaning my car, cleaning my room, getting my oil changed, laundry, reading to blind orphans, adopting baby animals, etc. Today is a great example of what actually happens.

7:30: Wake up! Let the dogs out, make coffee, and cuddle up in bed with my biggest UConn mug, Boy Meets World, and Pinterest.

8:30-8:45: Convince myself to workout. Since I’ve been running again (you know, two times in the last week .. which is more than basically the last 6 months combined), I know I need to build back up my pace and especially my endurance. It’s so nice out (yay fall is coming!) that I drove to the trail by my house, convincing myself the entire way to take it easy and not expect too much of myself coming back from an injury. Know I will do this anyway.

I ran four miles total! And now my quads don’t want to move the rest of the day. They are so tired, I think they have mono.

There are markers every half mile on the trail, and right when I hit each one, I stopped to walk until the next chorus in the song I was listening to came up .. maybe 20-30 seconds each time. As I turned around at mile 2, an older man stopped me and asked if I just ran two miles. I said yes and he asks “Why aren’t you doing more? You’re good!” THANK YOU KIND SIR! I told him I’m recovering from a stress fracture and he said “Good.” Obviously not as in, “Good you had a stress fracture,” but good as in good for me for coming back from an injury! It immediately reminded me of that time at the gym that someone (again, an older man) told me I look better than all the trainers. Neither time have I been creeped out, but proud and thankful for their compliments. Yay old men!

SOMEHOW I ended up finishing those four miles in 36:46. Even with walking breaks. WTF? Clearly my body remembers how to run sort of fast! It averages out to about a 9:09 minute mile – but I did run the second half (18:11) faster than the first half (18:36) so I somehow even managed negative splits. It’s hilarious that during high school cross country, I tried convincing everyone around me, and succeeded in convincing myself, that I was not built for running. I did not have a “runner’s body.”

What IS a “runner’s body” anyway, 16-year-old self? Pretty sure it’s a body that runs. Of course, I did get progressively faster over the season, but as soon as it was done, so was I until next August. So I never really progressed. I didn’t want to. I just wanted an excuse to eat an entire bag of Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks on the bus to the race and two cookies, two brownies, and a cupcake on the bus back. And no, I am not exaggerating.

WOW TANGENT. Anyway, the few slices of dried mango I ate on my way to the trail were long gone, so I headed straight home for a shower and breakfast.

11am: Decide to go to the library. Remember I need new headphones. And tofu. And gas.

11:20am: Arrive at Target for headphones. Leave with all of this:

• Raspberries (2 for $4!)
• Strawberries (cheaper than Stop & Shop)
• Green tea
• Grapefruit La Croix
• Headphones
• Two Synergy Kombuchas ($2.99!)
• Make up wipes

12:15pm: Go to the library. Leave with Jaycee Dugard’s book.

12:35pm: Go to Stop&Shop. They don’t have the tofu I like, but don’t worry, I spent $20 more bucks.

1:15pm: Arrive home. Enter lunch debate: “I should really eat that last black bean burger. I’ll have it on a wrap with avocado and some of those raspberries on the side. So, the whole pint. And some carrots and string beans. Wait, I don’t even want that black bean burger. But I should have it.” Proceed to cut avocado for black bean burger wrap, tell my mind to shut up and make what I really want.

A barbeque tuna wrap with a Laughing Cow wedge, red onion, and lettuce. Kale chips with salt and pepper on the side. Why didn’t I originally want to eat this for lunch even though it’s what I was craving? I had the exact same thing last night for dinner. But it’s delicious, so whatever mercury content. I do what I want.

2-4:30pm: Read A Stolen Life. Cover my mouth and eyes for several parts.

The rest of the afternoon was spent on my couch trying not to nap so that I can fall asleep tonight. I usually nap on my days off and then regret it later. Success! I just ate dinner (shrimp and veggie stir fry with brown rice) and I’m now drinking one of my Kombuchas, watching TV, and researching the next step in my life ;0)

Actually, you can go ahead and call it a comeback.

The Rules
1. Blogger is nominated to take part.
2. Nominated blogger publishes his or her 7 links (one for each category).
3. Blogger nominates up to 5 bloggers to take part next.
4. The cycle continues!

1. My Most Beautiful Post

Hmmm my writing is definitely not the post beautiful, but I am kind of in love with my pictures from the central park zoo. And of course, Ethel the Lonely Penguin is beautiful.

2. My Most Controversial Post

I don’t stir up much controversy (at all), but a controversial topic? My juice cleanse for a day!

3. Most Popular Post

Clearly, we are all Trader Joe’s Hoes.

4. Most Helpful

Need to cook a delicious summer lunch? Here you go!

5. Surprise Success

My first day of work’s outfit and food had a lot (for me) of comments. I guess I just look good.

6. Most Unappreciated Post

I have no idea. Why doesn’t everyone appreciate all of my self-indulgent posts? Rude. But really – help me think of some no sugar added alternatives over at my FreelyBe: Kick the Habit post!

7. Post of Which You’re Proudest   

My recap of the Fitness | More Magazines’ Women’s Half Marathon. My first half, sub-2 hours, on a stress fracture? I win at life. No self-induced pressure to do even more amazing on a fully healed a function leg next year or anything …

I’m tagging ..
1. My girlfriend Emily over at Making Life Fit.
2. Jenny at Peanut Butter and Jenny
3. Kristen, the Swanky Dietitian
4. Lee, my favorite Fit Foodie
5. Jocelyn, another Enthusiastic Runner

Have fun!!

I also want to thank Kristen, aka the Swanky Dietitian, for randomly picking me to win her Gnu Bar Giveaway!

I’ve had the Cinnamon Raisin before and loved it so I’m excited to try the Banana Walnut, Chocolate Brownie, Orange Cranberry, and Peanut Butter flavors. Thanks again, Kristen!

I’m back with another satisfying salad assembly post. This time we’re going spicy!

Step One: Greens/Lettuce

My base for this salad was a head of organic romaine, placed in tupperware big enough to fit a Duggar family casserole in it.

Step Two: Vegetables!

Frozen broccoli (will be defrosted by lunch), frozen corn (ditto), red onion, and carrots. Peppers (any color but green – gross) would have been a great addition, but I didn’t have any.

Step Three: Protein

A crumbled black bean burger via The Daily Garnish. My favorite!

Step Four: Fat

Avocado – the best part of any meal, snack, or other munchie.

Step Five: Flavor!

Salsa! In it’s own container so I can keeping adding it as I eat up the greens. Plus hot sauce, duh.

Step Six: Grains/Carbs!

Two whole wheat tortillas on the side.

The best thing about my giant salads is that the only sugar that occurs is natural! Okay, maybe not those tortillas … I’ll have to investigate.

 ”Our plan is twofold, but the two outreaches are inherently intertwined.

 1) First, we want to partner with already-existing organizations and individuals that we believe have the mission, values, and integrity that it takes to bring freedom to the world. The unfortunate truth is that there are hundreds of amazing charities and organizations that simply do not have the resources to grow and become as effective as the world needs them to be. Some ways we’ll help are:
- work with organizations to develop an effective business strategy by using our resources and knowledge in PR, digital marketing, research, etc.
- serve as a point of contact in NYC to provide a volunteer force and/or plan events
- promote their cause via our own website/marketing tools to raise not just funds but also awareness

2) Next- we aim to reach the public and connect them to these organizations. We want to teach people what genuine and freedom-causing charities look like. So many people in the world want to help, but they just have no idea where to start. We want to show them what that help in action already looks like.

In short, Freely Be is the middleman between organizations and the public. The relationship between the two is imperative if freedom is to be spread in the world, and its our job to cultivate, grow, and maintain that bond.”

I immediately signed up to participate as a blogger and volunteer as a person.  I admire Gracie’s blog for many reasons – her humor, her bluntness, her obvious passion for life and for helping others.  I’m so glad that I can help promote Freely Be as an organization I have a passion for and truly, truly believe in.

Freely Be’s first “event” is called “Kick the Habit.”  Here are the details from Gracie’s email:

Before you can change the world, you need to change your own. To share freedom, one must be free themselves. In an effort to bring that freedom, we are launching a fun FREEDOM rally- Kick the Habit.

Is there something in your life that just isn’t good for you? Addicted to smoking? Spending too much on cocktails? Taking cabs when you could be walking? Can’t stop the urge to shop?

Then its time to kick the habit!

From August 1-31 we want to hear your stories and challenge you for the month to improve YOU!

So get ready to send us your emails, videos, tweets, etc. on how you Kicked the Habit and are encouraging others to do so as well. We’ll also be opening up the Freely Forums so you can discuss your kicked habit with others who might share the same one.

Think you’ll want to take it a step further? We propose taking the finances you would use on that habit, and donate it towards a good cause.

You take on the challenge – help others, help yourself. What have you got to lose (other than yellow teeth and early-onset wrinkles?)

My habit I’m going to kick in August?  Added and artificial sugars.  They’re in everything.  And it’s gross. 

[ source ]

 have actually been thinking of trying to cut out added sugars for a few days and Gracie’s email was all the motivation I needed.

 I already have a bunch of posts in mind to write for August, including: how to find added sugars, sugars’ affect on the body, and natural replacements.  Let me know if you have any other ideas or suggestions!

Now, excuse me while I go bury my face in Pinkberry for the next four days …

What would you give up to gain a better life?  How long?  A month, a year, forever?