milestone

or should i call it 4 mile-stone?  yesterday's objective was to go out and do a 4 mile out and back loop...  this is the first time i was out on the road and incorporated a run.  i had been doing rather well with the run aspects on the gym track loop.  i was excited to give it a try out on the open road.  OK - let's be honest with that - not all that excited but knew it was something i needed to do.
so out i went - my game plan was to walk the first half mile - do a run walk mixe for the middle 3 miles - and another walk for the last half mile
as usual that first series of walk runs goes rather regimented...  and then into the rest of it... my pace falls off
but yeseterday's highlight was my walking pace did not drop to pathetically slow after the run like it normally does
so i ended up doing all 4 miles in under and hour - which is my goal for this upcoming race
so very excited
today is going to be another good day - i am even considering adding a the bike into the mix - hey maybe a brick

headset

true to form - i crimped the wire of my headset...
and so tonight i had to stop at target to get a new headset...
didnt go running
back to the gym tomorrow

yay me

hit another milestone at the gym again tonight...  tonight's pace averaged out so that almost each mile was below 15minutes and the time definitely was below 45minutes


i was proud of the first few laps - i did more than just one lap on at a time - excited to try that again tomorrow...
i was lagging some in the second 2 miles - there some aspects of stiffness that occur after that first mile that i feel like i need to walk out...  and then there's always that feeling like i really have to us the washroom...  most of that is in my head...
then i got a text from a friend - i know silly while running but i listen to pandora on my phone so it makes sense - it reminded me that my day may be stressful but it was tolerable and achievable and that the battles arent that bad if battles at all - just how you choose to percieve them
and it got me motivated to run some more spurts in the mix
and then of course with pandora you get a few good songs and the feet start moving faster again - tonight's fun songs included bullet proof by laroux, a phoenix song that is not on the album i just bought, a vampire weekend song again not on the album i just bought, and randomly a rusted root song...
the next thing you know the 3 miles are complete and i am in the side room stretching....
ok - i actually was in the locker room when i remembered i didnt stretch - so i made the effort to head back out and stretch...  may be the most enjoyable part of the workout....

for dinner i had crock pot (or slow cooker) chicken - it was OK - i always find it a little dry but for the effort and taste and convenience - i will do it again...
started a new regiment of trying to eat dinner at the dining room table instead of the coffee table in front of the tv - i am liking that - the little guy not so much

then it was a 2 hours vampire diary marathon... really feels like a well rounded day...

note for road trip

i did the math with respect to yesterday's road trip...  i would be home in time to make it to the gym. the gym is open to 11pm.  so i can make it to the gym.  i did not think that arriving back to the office at 730pm would somewhat negate my desire to head to the gym at that hour.  i got in the car and did the math...  an hour workout would get me home somewhere around 930

so i went home instead and watched tv
not the best decision but... 
tonight it will be the gym again...
oh and loving the new mattress

OFTR

Observations from the road. Did I mention last week we drove past a guy that was brushing his teeth while driving down a major highway. What do you do with the spit?

Today we approached a car and it had an odd insignia on the side. As we got closer I realised it was a wolf or maybe a coyote. I was thinking wolf. And as we passed I was startled to see a wolf or coyote (given the size I figured it was a coyote) stuffed - you know the taxidermy kind - staring out at me.
What in the world?

i was not paying attention

so i sat down to pay my bills this evening...  i knew the recent trip to the mall and suit purchases were to be addressed this pay period.  it turned out the bill wasnt as bad as i had expected when it finally arrived.  however i was not paying attention to the other bill...  huh?  where did that come from...  kind of threw me off guard.  i was thinking i was on top of it all....  the clincher - ah, the auto re-subscribe function of oh say many things out there....  as of tomorrow when i get in the car there will no longer be sirius satellite radio... that's OK - did you all forget how much money i spent on cds over the holidays - this will give me the perfect excuse to actually listen to them...
also hopefully motivate me to use that gym more as well...
i did go to the gym this evening - did the 3.11 miles around the track - first jaunt with a run walk went well - broke that 15 minute bit... the second 2 miles not as good - legs got really stiff...
planning on going all this week - even with late nights at work - i joined this gym to be able to go later in the evening - so that i will
now if only i could find a good reason to watch the tele - i am paying way more for channels that i dont watch than should be allowed...  just not a tele person i guess

today in the kitchen...

i started back with the odd little breakfast concoction today... this week i found some oatmeal in the pantry and some cornmeal in the fridge.. so i added those to the mix as well with some fresh granny smith apples
in addition i made another soup - yes, i finally got around to making the lentil and apricot soup.. i have tasted it - it is pretty tasty...
note to self - i have some really dull knives that need to be replaced
note to self - pay better attention when cutting and chopping after replace knives or else you could lose a finger tip...  today i just minutely altered my finger print... and it has laready healed... thank goodness for he dull knife
oddly at the same time - well actually little afterwards - i found myself repotting some plants in the kitchen as well
i have a container garden from Christmas that needed some attention
and in the process realised the container garden i got years ago when my dad passed away was looking somewhat pathetic as well
so the older basket container was repotted into some smaller pots along with some plants i had been rooting - we shall see what survives.. the Christmas container will have to wait until i buy some more pots..
of course the purpose of the pots that i a had on hand is to put in my bathroom... i want to put in shelves above the shower to give it a rainforest feel - i sure hope it doesnt take me a whole other year to find and hang the shelves - that would just be stupid...
the remainder of the day is to be spent at a rugby game - i know how silly and old school
i am looking forward to it!
and yes that means no training
bed slept like a charm even with the continual sinus pain

dinner

seems like i have been doing more with the food aspects of training than training...  yesterday was a beautiful day - i was planning on working out after work..  brought clothers to change into and everything... but we ended up leaving a little early and grabbing some wine instead...  i have been obsessed with trying this wine i saw for a few weeks now - mostly because it has such an odd name - aqua pumpkin
so we grabbed a bottle and hung out with some old show tunes and snacks instead of the workout
i must admit - the wine was good but the etesian i had a few weeks earlier was better
http://www.freixenetusatrade.com/Wines.php?Wine=342
so no workout happened yesterday
today the mattress was scheduled for delivery
so i spent the morning cleaning the house and waiting for the mattress delivery
i was trying to work in a workout but between cleaning and going to the grocery store the workout did not happen
i did do some gardening - it was nice enough to dig in some dirt - much to my surprise it looks like the easter lilies have made it after all.  if the calla lily have i will be really surprised... and going to go through my thought to put the oleanders in the ground this year - they look to have done OK through the winter in the planters so we shall see

i took a long hot bath to get the dirt off and a little nap in the sun with the little guy

the great thing about the great weather is great sinus pain with allergies

instead of going back out into the weather.. i shut down all the windows and decided to stay inside for the remainder of the day - still have sinus pain

cooked a good dinner - grilled salmon, steamed asparagus, pretend mashed potatoes

it was tasty

now just waiting for a reasonable time to go to bed...  watching Wanted at the moment - doubt that will make for a restful night's sleep... may find something a little more peaceful

new mattress

have i mentioned this yet?  i dont recall.  it was a big day the day i went out shopping for suits and a mattress.  i knew it wouldnt be a cheap day.  macys was the destination as they were having a sale.  so i got 2 tahari suits on sale - i am very pleased with them

the mattress - beautyrest black lexi - it is their high end extra firm mattress - arrived today...

it is taking me so much to stay awake and not go to bed already

i figure just another hour or so... then i will be off to bed

almost forgot

did however see my favorite biker guy...  hadnt realised how long it had been since i saw him...  funny how a year flies by...  amazing how 5 years flies by...

oops... missed the workout...

ended up out for dinner with a friend for her birthday...
a fun night!

walk around the mall

there really is no reason why it wasnt more of a run ...  i get distracted mostly by all the noise and traffic
but hey it has been so nice i will try again to get out there today...
speaking of which - best go pack that gym bag...

valentine's day reprieve

somehow i gave myself this little wiggle room of fun things to eat for valentines day
so i bought a whole bunch of crazy treats at the grocery store

• piece of cake - remind myself time and again that this cake really isnt that good... i used to buy bakery cookies and realised they were always undercooked.. now just to convince myself of a similar thought pattern with the cake
• pretzels - i know not a bad snack... it was that honey mustard raspberry dip that found its way into my cart that was the problem... i have purchased it a few times before... in reality it is really just a whole lot of sugar and tastes good at first but you can seriously convince yourself it is a nasty sticky mess
• peach cobbler - that is still in the freezer - that will be a weekend treat this weekend with a nice dinner - at least i suspect
• ice cream - vanilla cant be considered bad can it?  it is to go with the cobbler but i have eaten a bit and the cobbler still needs to be baked
• raisinettes - this was my chocolate treat for the week - but never came to be - or at least not yet - friend at the office brought in a bunch of chocolate so that has taken presidence - should have tha polished off today - funny i dont usually buy chocolate and dont frequently crave it but... i ate my way through that bag of treats in no time

this week's observations

and this was literally from the road... on the way back from a meeting yesterday we passed a guy driving down the highway brushing his teeth...  what do you think he did with that whole spit aspect of teeth brushing... 

breakfast concoction

yes - i am calling it a concoction...
i have a box of cream of wheat that i just have not been able to find the motivation to finish... i find its lack of fiber and overall blandness great when you are suffering from a sour stomache but it just seems like empty calories and carbs at other times...
so i have been trying to find ways to change it up some - and here is what i found in my pantry to add to the grain - brown rice...  which i dont really like - i keep trying to apply the jamie oliver approach to steaming the race and maybe i would like it more but not so much.... so i boiled the heck out of it and threw it in with the cream of wheat...   bulgar wheat ...  which i do like but you can only eat so much taboule salad so this is a good use of the grain....  mixes with some dried cranberries - a purchase my mom makes whenever she visits that i dont find a use for - so add it to the cereal... and walnuts - i am always buying walnuts,  cinamon, nutmeg and vanilla...
we shall see how it tastes

walking

i turned out to be a nice day yesterday... so after the morning's obligations i decided to find some lighter weight clothes and go for a walk...  as usual my ears were colder than anticipated but overall it was a nice day and not very cold at all...
i covered a little over 3 miles - almost 4 - in under an hour...  it is always interesting to see that the stats on certain aspects - like when i have to run across the street - that always impacts my pace - especially stopping to cross and then bolting while crossing
i have hesitated to walk around this area as getting across the streets have become more difficult with the traffic
from there i also watched my pace - forgot that i could click through and watch my pace on the watch - i am trying to increase my walking pace - i do walk somewhere between 16 to 17 minute miles...  but when i pay attention it can be below 15... so if i am unable to get the run to be consistent perhaps i need to get that walk pace up to speed..
today is supposed to be in the high 60s again... packing outdoor walking clothes today for the workout...
need to try to get out right before 5pm before the expected winds and chill kick up
the remainder of the week will most likely be gym time...

how about while carpet cleaning?!?

I have been thinking about changing the carpet in the downstairs of my house.  I seriously would like to do some versionof tile in the back room and then hardwood throughout.  I originally thought I would start with the tile this year.  But I havent found anything that catches my attention for the time, effort and cost.  Then the little guy has started acting like he is not really fond of the slicker surface that is in the kitchen.  So I fear the upgrades may just immobilize him.  Part of the reasoning for the upgrade is I think it would be easier to clean up after him.  His bladder and bowel functions seem to be depleting.  I thought it was from his injury but the vet thinks it could just be old age. 
So instead I decided I would clean the carpets and start to crate him more often again.
I borrowed a steam cleaner from a friend.  The last time I paid to have them cleaned I was SHOCKED at the price and disappointed at the results.  So I figured some manual labor on my part was a good trade off.
So far today I am liking the results.
And I cant imagine that the exercise of pushing the heavy water laide cleaner around the carpets didnt count as some version of exercise. 
Of course not the 4 miles I was thinking I wanted to do.  But exercise none the less.
Today it is to be close to the 60s so I think I will try to get outside for that.

do you burn calories while driving

i sure hope so
the 4+ hour drive back from ATL would be so worth it if somehow i could determine i burned an extra 500 calories doing so...

at least i know i got my heart rate up on the ride home...
drive north on I85 at breakneck interstate speed...
TWO DOGS!!!  TWO BIG DOGS!!!  I would say pit bulls come frollicking out into the highway...
No, they were not running across far enough ahead of me and crossing...  They were frollicking...  Or perhaps in pit bull terms they were fighting and snraling with one another...  not even thinking about the 18wheeler behind me - i threw on my brakes... i was not going to hit these dogs...  thankfully the 18 wheeler saw me stopping and hit his brakes as well... he only fishtailed oh so slightly....  i was more concerned as the dogs frollicked - they really were playing in traffic - that the car in the lane next to me would come up and swipe them flat...  but somehow they made it - well at least from the view of my rearview mirror as i proceeded down the highway...  at that hour it was still light and i was still in GA
heart still races thinking about it.... probably will find i pulled a muscle by tomorrow

yesterday they was a dog meandering in the traffic as well... this was at a stoplight so everyone was more aware of the dog... a nice girl pulled over in her SUV to get the dog...  No, i did not stop...  i wasnt really familiar with the area so i had no idea what i would have done with the dog from there

and lastly i just remembered something flew up off the road into the passenger side of my car somewhere in SC.... i need to go check that before i return the rental car...  need to make sure there arent any huge gaping dents in the side....  hello amex...

Way too many calories today

I do OK with breakfast at hotels.  I usually go with coffee and cereal.  I avoid the odd concoction of fake eggs and nasty microwaved breakfast meat and cold potatoes.  But the lack of quick, easy, healthy foods at lunch just throws my good intentions right out the window.  For the past 2 days I have had McDonalds.  Yes, I know McDonalds.  The fries are 310 calories!!!  That is almost twice the amount of the calories in the bowl of cereal at breakfast.  The quarter pounder with cheese has 580 calories.  I mean what the heck is in that thing that makes it that many calories.  It is enough to make my stomache turn just thinking about it.  Hopefully it will be out of my system for a while.
I have found some other restaurants that are a little bit better.  You have to avoid the fries at all costs.  I mean a few fried potatoes - carbs that arent necessary and a whole bunch of hot fat... just not a necessary food item.  Chic Fil A has a grilled chicken sandwich that comes with a sauce and lettuce and tomatoe on a whole wheat roll.  It is pretty NASTY! BUT if you ask for it plain without the sauce and wilted veggies and no butter on the wheat roll...  it is a tolerable sandwich with less than 300 calories or so.  Subway promotes healthy items too - I just have a hard time avoiding the nasty tuna and cheese when i walk in the door.
So it will be back to the drawing board before the next road trip at the end of the month...
DINNER - should we even talk about dinner?
I was headed to Olive Garden.  You think - what are you going to eat at Olive Garden!?  Well, I like the all you can eat soup and salad.  I keep the soup intake minimal and really enjoy the salad.  That's what I was thinking - go get salad...
And then I hit traffic - I had to go back an exit to get to Olive Garden.  So I went to a local italian restaurant instead.  When traveling isnt it nice to go to a local place and try their food than a chain?  Sure that's what we all tell ourselves.  Of course getting a salad went out the window.
Now the salad was good but so were the garlic rolls, linguine and white clam sauce and OOoops cannoli...
It was VERY good but oh so not on the list - especially after lunch.
So I came back to the hotel and did an hour on the treadmill.  From the looks of it - I burned off at least 300 calories.  I kept a good pace.  And even ran some on the treadmill.  SO I wont complain.
Tomorrow - well overnight - it is supposed to be snowing.  So I may hit the treadmill again in the AM if I cant get out of the hotel.

no progress this weekend

Friday night was a great feat of firsts with the run...  Saturday and Sunday was useless in those regards.  I did lots of house cleaning.  Ended up in the office for a little bit.  OK - a bit longer that anticipated.  I was going to do the gym yesterday afternoon.  I didnt happen.  I worked too long and ended up at dinner at a friends.  Sunday was a rough start NO COFFEE IN THE HOUSE!!!  I never made it to the grocery store Saturday.  So went to Dean & Deluca and had coffee and coffee cake - OOooppsss not on the diet.  Was a nice relaxing morning.  Went to the office - I gave myself 2 hours.  I was there SO MUCH LONGER!!!!  I was again going to work out on my way home.  It was going to be a beautiful day so I was planning on running outside.  Then the motivation waned...