Day 8 = Liquid

weight - 130.8  If my stupid scale didn't give me a decimal place, I could say I lost a pound in a week.  Oh well, close though!
swim - 14 x 100M

The weather was so nice this morning!  It felt like fall kinda, mid 60s!  I hope it's like that tomorrow when I do my long run.  As I sit here drinking a Dr. Pepper (don't shake your head, it's been a while since I've had one!), my foot is aching so badly.  I don't know what I did to it this morning but I think I dropped something, or hit it on something.  It's right on top of my foot near my ankle.  It's swollen and a bit and bruised.  Hmmmm.

For breakfast I had a smoothie.  When I go on a health kick, smoothies become a staple.  They take the place of one of my meals.  Yesterday it was lunch, today breakfast.  Here's how I make mine....

Let me start by saying that my immersion blender broke a few months back and I found this cool little Oster smoothie maker.  Just stick everything in the blue bottle, screw on the blade, lock it on the blender and plug in.  It's so easy!  Then you remove the blade and screw a top on that has a spout to drink out of.  FAST FOOD!! :)

 Ok, so Chobani Greek Yogurt is my favorite thing ever.  Especially Pineapple flavor.  Plus it has 13 grams of protein in one serving and 140 calories!  Today I used it, with an overripe banana, (side note:  I cannot choke down a banana to save my life, but they are like Gold in a smoothie!) fresh cherries, pitted, fresh pineapple, and some pineapple/orange juice.  I also threw a little milk in.  I am so on a pineapple kick this summer.

 Here is the finished product!  I like to put it in a fancy glass to drink cause it makes me feel like I'm at a spa... don't laugh at me.

So, this smoothie energized my swim this morning.  Liquid fuel for a liquid workout.  I think I can do the 400 if I have to.  I'm gaining confidence each time I swim.  Felt great except when my foot cramped towards the end.  Kinda right where it was already hurting.... strange.  This pain better be gone by tomorrow.  This smoothie has some serious calories.  I'm guessing total about 350 maybe.  But it has so much protein that I'm still not even really hungry for lunch and it's been 4 hours and a good swim since I drank it.  Love me some Smoothies.  My friend Caryn makes smoothies for breakfast too.  She is an elite runner from Atlanta.  You can visit her blog here.  Have a Wonderful Thursday!!!

How Good Things Turn Bad

Eggs.  2 Eggs.  2 Eggs scrambled.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions and ham.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions and ham, salt and pepper.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions and ham, salt and pepper, topped with cheddar cheese.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions and ham, salt and pepper, topped with cheddar cheese... and coffee.  2 Eggs scrambled with sauteed onions and ham, salt and pepper, topped with cheddar cheese... and coffee with lots of french vanilla creamer.  Treadmill.

Lunch

  I totally stole this idea from Hungry Runner Girl - the idea to post my salad picture I mean -not the idea to eat salad.  So this was my lunch and it was de-lish.  Ok, it's a little large for a lunch salad and I wish I could tell you I didn't eat it all, but... well there was nothing left.  Nothing.  I used some Spring Mix salad greens, cut up some deli roasted buffalo chicken, swiss cheese, purple grapes, walnuts and golden delicious apples... topped with a little balsamic vinaigrette.  Yum. 

 Also, to update on my earlier post, I busted through the funk for an awesome workout on the treadmill.  Felt good....
  Here is a picture out our back upstairs window... it's only been snowing for 3 hours... suppose to continue through the night.  Tomorrow may be a sledding day.

Dinner, Running Challenges and Other Stuff

  I made brunswick stew for dinner last night.  Ummm, can I just say YUMMMM?I've never made it before but it was de-lish paired with some crunchy (greasy?) cornbread.  I had to make myself quit eating it though my husband may go into shock from all the green lima beans he ingested while eating (amazingly with no complaints - yeah, it was that good).  And then some yummy banana pudding, courtesy of my friend Christine's awesome blog (find the recipe here).  Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I know... calories in vs. calories out... I think in may have won yesterday.
  On to running... our local running club is having this training challenge where we train together and compete with this other local running team in an upcoming 1/2 marathon.  We are meeting tomorrow morning for the first time and I am a little, ok very nervous.  They put me (despite my screaming and complaining that I don't belong) in the Advanced training group... I'm not advanced.  So we are running 8 miles tomorrow on a route I am not familiar with and I'm a little nervous I will be left behind, with no map, in the freezing cold... trying to find my way back.  I am directionally challenged so though we have lived here a whole year now, I am not that familiar with roads, routes, general directions at all.  Though this could make for an entertaining blog post, right now it just makes me have a nervous tummy.
  So my dilemma for today: to run or not to run?  I will be running 8 faster than normal or be left behind miles in the early morning, but I want to work out.  I don't want to do the elliptical machine... I want MILES.  Against my better judgement, I may jump on the treadmill for an easy run.  Or not?