BrewHAHA!

So tonight I will be supporting my boy's football team for the big game. Any injuries, and he's on the field! Way to go Athletic Trainers! Tomorrow we might go to a party, but we'll see. I have been caught down with another little cold, and I'm trying to get better as quickly as possible. You see I've never been one to be really great with the whole snot rocket thing while running. Not that I have a problem with the idea, or even doing it, I just can't do it properly, (believe me I've tried quite a few times) and always just end up with snot all over my face, shoulder, shirt, etc. Enough with the goriness... but hey it's Halloween right?

This morning I was going to get up and go for a jog, but it was raining, and I didn't want to make myself more sick than I already was. I did look outside, and though I complain a lot about living in the people infested area that I do, this was just gorgeous...

Sometimes seeing one of those just puts you in a great mood in the morning, doesn't it? Since I seem to be all about posting pictures and it's Nike Mom's T.g.i.f photo friday, this is my favorite Halloween card, EVER, hands down! I seem to get it every year, and I just love it

So funny! And maybe this is even funnier... I've talked about my dog, Cassie, before, well here is finally a picture!

She's half Dalmatian, and half black Labrador. What a little loving bee! :) She's the queen bee of the house, that's for sure.

Anyways, hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween. I am going to get out and run again tomorrow morning, and if it's raining I'll hit up the gym dreadmill. An easy five, with another 4 on Sunday, that one at about 8 minute mile splits. Trying to get the speed back up for the Long Beach Turkey Trot and Chicken Chucking Contest 5k/10k I am hoping to do on Thanksgiving, and then the Quench The Fire 5k in Long Beach on December 7th.

Here is another little recipe I found that I'm going to make after my run tomorrow morning, the bananas are a good source of potassium after a long run.

Brewhaha Chocolate Banana

Ingredients:

1/2 cups low fat chocolate milk

1 ripe bananas

1/4 tablespoons peanut butter (go for the low fat kind if you are watching your weight)

5 ice cubes

Place the chocolate milk, bananas, peanut butter and ice cubes in a blender and process until smooth.

Very little calories, and banana is super good for you after a run.

Happy Halloween all my lovelies! And check back on Monday for some great election freebies.. (yes free food if you vote!) and some more running gear! Remember tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the giveaway. Don't miss out, sign up here!!!

Yummy Comfort Food and Halloween Candy Patrol

So I am by no means a chef or cook of any kind. I can barely make cupcakes, out of the box, none the less frost them. So when I decide to make dinner, it's quite a feat for me. I wanted to share a few of my favorite, "lower calorie" meals that I love to fuel up on.

First is a Broccoli Chicken Mush. There is no other way to describe it, than a mush, I guess you can call it a bake, but it looks like a mushy pile of gooey goodness. Looks aren't everything though, especially down in the tum! It's super easy and quick to make too. After a run I usually throw the ingredients together, throw it in the oven and hop in the shower. When I get out, it's time to take it out! I know, I'm into multi-tasking. So here it is.

(that isn't my picture, but it looks like that!)
Broccoli Chicken Mush
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (thawed)
1 pound broccoli florets, cooked
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
1 cup brown rice

First preheat the oven to 350 degrees, put the rice on the bottom of a 3 quart baking dish, put the chicken on top of it and then pour in the soup and water. It looks like a ton of water, but the rice absorbs it, don't worry. Put the broccoli into the pan. You can add some cheese on top of it, but if you want to cut calories, skip the cheese and use the Campbell's 98% fat free Cream of Mushroom soup. It doesn't mess with the taste at all, and there are only 70 calories in it. Then put it in the oven for 25-35 minutes. I usually like my broccoli super well done, so I leave mine in for around 35-40 minutes. It's delicious!

I also made these the other day, and though mine didn't come out right, (mine were like little weird lumpy biscuts) I know if I wouldn't have used the wrong ingredients they would have been just delicious as well. These are my favorite cupcakes in the entire world!

(that isn't my picture)
Red Velvet Cupcakes
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 fluid ounce red food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with 20 paper baking cups. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk, red food coloring and vanilla. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt; stir into the batter just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter and frost with desired frosting.

Pretty basic but oh so delicious! :) Especially if you have never made or had red velvet cupcakes, you are missing out!

Also this is my new FAVORITE website, Fast Food Maven, it's mostly for the Orange County area, but a lot of chains are also talked about on this blog, and it's so helpful. This is where I found out about the Wendy's Halloween Deal! It's not talked about on their website at all, but Wendy’s has come up with a great alternative to handing out Halloween candy: a free Jr. Frosty.
Wendy's is selling booklets that contain a coupon good for one free Frosty Jr., which is six ounces and contains 150 calories. You can find it's nutritional info here. Each booklet cost $1 and contains 10 coupons, but some Wendy's are selling 5 coupons for a $1. Either way, what a fun, cheap treat, I think I'll just buy a book for myself :) A little reward during the work day!

Another perk is that for every booklet sold, Wendy’s donates money to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Since I was adopted, I totally believe in the cause! Yay for adoption! The coupons may be redeemed Nov. 1 through Feb. 1, 2009.

And for all you candy fiends like myself, I have been doing some research about Halloween Candy. I have this problem, that if candy is around, I mow through it, but if it's not around, I never eat it. So I've been poking through some resources to find the best candy out there, since I seem to indulge way too much. I found that Twizzlers, individually wrapped - 40 calories aren't too bad, but make sure they are individually wrapped vines because that is the KEY here! They are good too! For suckers, Caramel Apple Pops - 60 calories, and are INCREDIBLE. Dum Dum Pops - 25 calories, are tiny, but do last a while and are pretty tasty. A personal favorite, Blow Pops - 60 calories are good too, and the bubblegum in the middle is a little extra special treat, as long as it's flavor lasts which is about two minutes.

(that isn't my picture, but I love this aisle! I'm like a bug to the light...)
Also chocolate, if you have to keep it around, try to go for the minis. The fun sizes, are not fun once you have to work off all the extra calories. Milky Way Minis - 38 calories, per mini while 2 fun sizes are 154 calories. Musketeers Minis - 24 calories, while 2 fun-sized Musketeers is 120 calories. Tootsie Roll Midgees - 23 calories, which are a personal favorite! Yea, sorry for just ruining all your candy dreams right there. One fun sized package of Skittles is 83 calories alone!

The overall outcome has lead me to believe that the smaller, the better. I've also tried to select candy that offers sugar-free options. Another thing I learned was to avoid the candy corn - it stays in molars and causes dental havoc. I'm working on learning to like dark chocolate. It's healthy and has less sugar. Dove and Hershey offer small dark chocolates.

Also if any of you are on linked in, I recently joined the Orange County Running Professionals Group, and I want to encourage you to, if you are in my area, join the Group, or start up your own running professional club by you! :) It's always nice to interact with other runners around the community.

Remember to sign up for my giveaway! You can go to the link here! You can sign up until Sunday, November 2! The winner will be annouced Monday morning. Have a wonderful, delicious day, and as for me, I'm trying to keep my hands from the candy bowl.

Sore...

So Sore! That is all I have to say. I went to the gym and did a ton of sit ups, needless to say, my hip flexors have been so incredibly sore all weekend that I didn't run. Not that big of deal since I wasn't planning on doing much running this week after my two 1/2 marathons over the past two weeks, but now no more excuses, back to the grind this week! Starting with a few more speed work outs too, not fun, but must be done!

It's been abnormally hot here these past few weeks, and I want the fall to come! I am also looking at moving out of the place I currently live, into a closer location to work and closer to the boyfriend. Also if I move out that way, the running trails are MUCH better, and there are lots of cool spots to run that I know about from when I was coaching.

If you haven't seen the new Nike Berrylicious Collection, um, it's pretty much my new favorite thing! You can see it as the highlighted collection on Running Warehouse! I also found these cute purple shorts on super sale. They were $28 and now are $9.95 which means you save a whopping $18.05. Pretty good sale if you ask me.

They are a soft microfiber short with a comfy low-rise fit, (I only wear super low rise shorts) and are pretty short too, which is easier for some to run in. They have a reflective front logo, V-notches at hem let you move freely, and the important inner key pocket. They are made by BOA and you can pick up a pair here.

Also this weekend, I traveled to Target, and wandering the aisles lead me to the jacket I've been looking for the past few trips to Target. I usually do this thing where I see something I like, and then if I see it again and still like it, then I buy it because I know it's meant to be. Well I saw this jacket and decided I wanted it, and then went on a hunt to get it... It took me like six different Target wandering sessions to relocate it, and I was so glad when I did! I adore it!

You can see it here. It looks pretty boring in the picture,but it's not, I promise! It's only 19.99, is by C9 by Champion for Target. It's long sleeved and has Duo Dry to speed up evaporation and keep you dry and warm. It's so soft and the back of it is a very fine mesh, so that it keeps you super dry. It also has a 1/4 Zip Front Closure which I love in running jackets. The price and material are great, so I had to scoop it up! I looked at their running spandex pants, and they had a good selection, but they were mostly fleecy inside, and where I live I would be sweating like a beast in those, so therefore I returned the pair I got. Anyways, hope every ones weekend went well, and all the races were good! :) Have I told you lately that I love you all!

Remember to sign up for the Giveaway for the marathon pace band. Enter Here!! Wednesday will be a post with some recipes! :)

xoxo

Giveaway?!

This morning I was going out on a quick jog before work, and I wore my Nike headband to keep my ears warm. I was jogging along, happy as a clam, and then my left ear bud started getting caught in the headband. I tried to quickly adjust it, and in the process it came out of my ear and was flopping around. Before I knew it it was caught in the chain length fence, and RIPPED FROM IT'S CORD! WHAT!



I loved my ear buds, so I'll be soon purchasing a new pair. I completed the run with one ear bud, and oddly enough it was kind of a good idea because I was much more alert to my surroundings. But seriously, I run along side a chain length fence for about 200 meters of my 3 mile run, and it got ripped apart so easily. I wish I had my camera on my run because I turned around, and the ear bud was just hanging there on the fence. Though sad, I had to laugh. I got home and took a picture of the lone bud, that's what you're seeing above.

So besides that, I wanted to reward my chic readers! I'm hosting my very first giveaway! I'm going to be giving away a personalized Marathon Pace Band from Marathon Pace Band.com. I know I have many marathoners out there, and if you don't already have one, you need to get one, so enter my drawing! I know running even mile splits is very important when you run a marathon, especially to meet your goal. It can also be difficult to remember twenty-six splits.



The "Marathon Pace Band" is unique in many ways. The band itself is made of soft polyester material that fits most wrist sizes. This fabric eliminates chafing and fits snugly making it easier to focus on your mile splits. The ink on the pace band is part of the material making it impossible for your splits to be removed no matter the weather conditions, or who throws water on you at the first station. The band is four inches long making the font size of your splits easy to read. You can use the pace band on all your training runs leading up to the marathon because it can be washed like any other piece of clothing. On the other side of the splits, you can get an inspiration message. For me, I would put, "Go for the Chalupa," or maybe "Mmmm think of your Crunchwrap!"



This little guy is all yours and personalized with your goal time, splits to match the goal, and your personalized inspirational message! All you have to do is leave a comment with your Personal Record, and what race you got it at. Enter by next Friday, the 31st and I'll draw the winner on Monday!

Also I found this great shirt, especially since the winter months are approaching quickly, not that I would know, it's still like 90 here every day! It's an Adidas American Essentials Long Sleeve Tee for Women.



On sale for only $19.97, where normally it goes for $39.99
The Adidas women's American Essentials Long Sleeve Tee incorporates moisture-wicking Clima365 and ClimaLite performance technologies into a clean, under-stated design. It's super great for running outdoor in the winter, and I love Adidas durability of their workout clothes. I still run in a pair of ten year old shorts made by them! You can purchase it here.

Thanks for all the positive feedback about my last post. I am so glad to have such a great community of bloggers and running buddies that are so inspirational as well! :)

Good luck to all the racers out there this weekend. I've decided to run a few shorter races around town in between now and the Huntington Beach 1/2. I will be doing the Long Beach Turkey Trot, in which I haven't decided if I am going to run the 5k or 10k yet, and I will also be doing the Quench the Fire 5k at El Dorado Park in Long Beach on December 7.

** Didn't mean to leave out all the marathon hopefuls! Just put in any PR for any race if you want to win. What was I thinking!!! :) **

Beginning

So some people have been asking about starting running, especially after my post of losing 20 pounds since May just by running. Don't make me out to be a fitness guru, or anything like that, I still eat pretty horribly, but running anywhere from 20-50 miles a week really helps me in all aspects of my life, especially with getting back into shape. I feel more energized, sleep better, and overall have a more rosy outlook on life. It allows me time to think, sort out many thoughts in my head, and just enjoy being outside. On the other hand, many people they never think they will be a 'runner'. Believe me, I never thought I would be able to run a 1/2 marathon, but I finished two, and am already looking for more to enter. Running is fun, and you have to choose to make it fun, and not see it as being so negative, and a chore. Once it reaches that point, you won't enjoy it, and that means you won't do it.

So the first thing you need to think about when running is your mindset. So many people always tell me, "Wow, you can run that far! I could never do that," or a classic is, "I hate running." or "I can't run." Come one people, cut yourselves some slack here! You CAN run, but just like anything else in life, you have to believe that you CAN do it. If you go into the run with the thoughts of, I'm going to hate every single minute of this, of course you are. This might be a lame comparison, but when I started driving, I was deathly afraid of it. Of course now, I'm not and I drive everywhere, but it just shows that when you start anything in life it can be scary. Use that fear in a positive way. When you start out it's not going to be easy and your not going to be putting in 15 miles or even maybe a mile on your first run, but believe me, the results are great, and who doesn't want to be healthier? Starting is the hardest part of so many things in life and allowing yourself the chance to like it can lead to great things. What if you never went on a first date with your husband? Or what if you never took that job offer? What if you never started running?

Also it's a great way to get out in your community and experience some great nature. Many of you live in AMAZING areas, (I can tell by your pictures and I'm so jealous) and taking advantage of that would allow you to see some great things. I run in many yucky, all concrete areas, and just to be able to go to a place where you guys live would be a dream come true. You have the chance to run it already! It's in your backyard so take advantage! I know this sounds cheesy, but I've seen some of the absolute best and breathtaking sunsets and sunrises out on my runs, and these alone are so inspiring.

I also can't promise you addiction to running, like myself, but give yourself a chance. Not everyone who runs is immediately drawn too it. So a little background of my personal running career. I started running in 8th grade when I wanted to run for the middle school cross country team. It was a great experience and I felt like it was something I was good at and I enjoyed it. Freshman year I went out for the high school team and was on the team all four years. In winter, I played soccer and in spring I ran track. Running was always apart of my life since then and I wanted to run in college, but my summer before I started, I hurt my knee and they recommended knee surgery. I was kind of over it then, I think, mostly I was burnt out, and so I gave up racing competitively.

I ran on and off throughout college, and within the past year have really started to work at consistently running again. I started looking into running a half marathon, though I thought that it was WAY, WAY to far for me, and I wouldn't be able to do it. I was only running 3-5 miles for my longest runs, and I knew that 13 was a long way from my measly 3 miles. I decided to sign up for one in Long Beach that was five months away and found a training site that I thought seemed to fit what I was going for. This leads me to a huge part of running. MAKE A GOAL! Once I made the goal, I couldn't stop running. It was a bizarre change, but one weekend I ran 8 miles for my long run, then the next was 8.5, and soon I was up running 12, and 13 miles. I shocked myself, but it was almost that if I told myself I absolutely had to do it, because I already signed up for the 1/2, then I HAD to do it, and I would go out and do it. Weird how my little brain works. Sign up for a 5k (3.1 miles) fun run or run/walk, or a 10k (6.2 miles). Make a goal and stick too it. Once you have a goal, you'll be much more into training for it. Also if you sign up for a race, you'll see a bunch of fun crazy people at the race, and they encourage and inspire you so much! People running in costumes, barefoot, the whole 10 yards!

Make running fun for yourself, and reward yourself. Believe me, after a long run, I eat as much Taco Bell as I can that day. I get cute new running clothes when I can, and make running something that everyone in my life knows I do and enjoy doing it. Download some workout songs on your ipod (I'll post some personal favorites soon) and just go out and get pumped up. You can even watch the classic Prefontaine movie (we used to always watch it before meets for cross country), or Rocky. Get a sports massage every now and then, and enjoy running, don't pound yourself into the ground over it. Subscribe to Runners World and read super inspiring stories in there about other runners.

I do recommend running to get back into shape or to start getting into shape. It's really relaxing and fun, once you get used to it and keep with it. I know the key to running is consistency and so therefore I've included a few links to some sites that I think will help some beginning runners. Another huge part to beginning running is no matter how good you feel, follow the guidelines and stop when you have completed the beginning work outs. Running puts a lot of different stresses on many different parts of your body. Believe me, I still get sore, but just because you feel good and you've jogged for a mile, doesn't mean go for three more. To begin, start out slow and just keep building on your mileage. Start out by walking, then switch to running and walking, but just remember to go slow, don't go out and run three miles the first day out, because the next day you'll associate all your pain with running and it will make you never want to do it again.

I mean, if you think about it, Katie Holmes, Oprah, President Bush, P-Diddy, and Will Ferrel have all run a full marathon. That's 26.2 miles. If they can do it, anyone can! I also read that Will Farrell’s wife is a multi-time marathoner and she paced him. He tells funny stories about running along with her saying “Look honey - it’s the Empire State Building!” and him responding “GREAT, WONDERFUL! SO WHAT??!!” because she was just loping along and he was in pain.

Katie... ummm, nice chest bones? Okay I admit I'm jealous.

Diddy can do it....

This makes me love Will Ferrell even more! What is he wearing!?

The Couch to 5k Plan has a lot of great ideas and I think would really benefit any beginning runner. Also the Many Schedules on the about.com have a lot of "levels" for the advanced beginning to the never run before beginner. Also Marathon Training has a FAQ section which could help a lot for beginners. I know going to the gym and running on the treadmill can be addicting, and you feel like you are running outside, but I would really recommend going outside and running. It's SO much different that being on the treadmill and if you train only on that, it will be much harder to run outside, especially if you want to run in an actual race. If you can only run on a treadmill, try to go outside as much as you can, but I know sometimes the weather does not permit, even I run on the treadmill every now and then.

So good luck, happy running and remember, allow yourself to enjoy it. :)

xoxo

super excited!

I am so excited! My boss just told me that we are ordering a new microwave after not having one for two weeks because some one stole ours? Weird, but that means I can bring leftovers again! And Mojito Maven gave me the Kreativ Blogger Award.

I don't think I'm creative, I think I love shopping and running, but hey, whatever, I love her!! How precious. So therefore I have to answer with six things I value, and six things I don't value.. ha ha, and tag more people. My favorite!

6 things I value are:

1. My faith, family, and friendships, and I am lucky enough to say that some of my family members are my best friends (shout out to my Olies!!).

2. Organization and cleanliness…seriously, I hate being unorganized and not having my planner with me 24/7. I'm already getting excited about ordering my filofax for next year, I can't decide on what I'm going to include.. There are so many good fillers!

3. Food. I love food, and I seem to have a special place in my tummy for food that is ridiculously bad for me. Take for example, my odd love for Taco bell, and yes, I have to admit, yesterday after running the Nike+ race, I went to McDonalds... and got a lot of bad things, but they were wonderful.

4. The fact I've lost 20 lbs. since I graduated in May. Running with a goal, ummm SERIOUSLY saved my tummy from all the bad foods I eat. and seriously wasn't really trying, just running a TON...

5. My dog, Cassie. She is my child. :) and I'm excited to dress her up for Halloween! A bee! (I'll try to find a picture soon)

6. Watching funny movies/TV shows that crack me up EVERY time! Like last night I was watching forgetting Sarah Marshall and the Office on Saturday night. Ohhh Michael Scott!

6 things I don’t value are:
1. Arrogant, fake, and rude people. I'm sorry, but I cannot help you so just be nice!

2. Clutter. It annoys me to no end. Why! Throw it away! Throw it away!

3. People who take everything so seriously. The other day I wrote someone that I broke my wrist because on my writing team I had to transcribe a whole interview (seriously?! not necessary!) They wrote back, "Oh no I'm so sorry!" WHAT! ha ha, I realized that I was kidding and they didn't know me well enough.

4. The nights when there is nothing on TV, but that leads me to my loving relationship with TIVO!!

5. The DREADMILL!!! It's a love/hate relationship actually, I hate it, but it loves me :)

6. Cars who seem to want to run me over. Be alert drivers!

Now who to tag...
1. Girl on Top
2. See Bride Run (If you want to drool over AMAZING looking food... go here! YUM)
3. P.O.M
4. That Pink Girl
5. L.A. Runner (because he relates to my running paths in L.A. with out of control drivers)
6. Heather Daniel (because her race pics are SO cute!)

Nike+ Women's Half Marathon

This weekend, I virtually participated in the Nike+ Women's Half Marathon. I ran it down along Sunset Beach, Bolsa Chica Beach, Dog Beach, down to Huntington Beach and then back. It was much different than the Long Beach 1/2 I did the weekend before. When I started, I knew it was going to be more difficult because it was just me, running by myself. Oh and a disclaimer for all you Clif Shot Blok lovers out there. I proclaimed my love for them on my last post, but for the half, I tried a new flavor, Pina Colada. It was absolutely the worst taste ever, and I literally thought I threw up in my mouth. So warning, try Pina Colada if you think you'll like it, but don't depend on it!

The first three miles, in my head I kept thinking, okay, you can do this. Once I got to mile four, I realized, okay, you're already four miles out, you might as well keep going... which shows you how bad I am at math. 13-4=9 more miles to go. I should have been saying this at the ten mile mark, not the four mile mark. Around the eight mile mark, I started to get tired, but I knew that it wouldn't be that bad, and I just made sure that I never stopped, because I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be able to get going again.

Speaking of the ten mile mark, once I got here, I was thinking, OH MY GOSH WHEN IS THIS FREAKING GOING TO BE OVER! At the Long Beach 1/2, I was excited, all the people were starting to gather, and it was a definite mood booster. The birds were not cawing for me lined up on the beach path, it was just my Nike+ and me. Finally around mile 12 I was starting to be relieved that the end was near. I didn't work incredibly hard but there was this older woman in front of me that I kind of paced off of for a while.

She was the cutest thing EVER and I tried my hardest to keep up with her, but she was always like 10 steps ahead! Annoying! She turned around though before I made it back to the starting line and she was so cute. I hope to be like her when I get older, and have her speed! Sheesh louise!

The weather was a little bit chilly, but nice for a long run, and there weren't as many people out as there usually are on Saturdays. Here is a picture on my way down to the beach.

The fog was rolling in over the sun. It was pretty gorgeous and even when the fog was in, it burned off rather quickly. I synced my run with the Nike+ website, and still got an email that said remember to sync your run this morning. I swear the Nike+ website is the WORST around... so now I must wait patiently for my box to arrive with my finisher goods! I can't wait to read about the Nike+ marathons. Unfortunately I don't have my mile splits for my 1/2 that I did, but I finished in 1:58. So a minute off my last time, which was good.

This morning I signed up for the San Francisco 1/2 Marathon and I got in the first race, so I'm super excited. You guys got me all freaked out that I wouldn't be able to get in, but alas, I'll be up there soon racing with all you! I just have to sign up for a few more races and figure out my schedule.

This week I am taking the week really slow and day by day, I might hit up the gym to get ripped like Jillian from the Biggest Loser, but not really too much running, to give myself a break. Hope every one's races went well! and here is a picture from the Long Beach race.

I know I look fast, but I'm not, it's an optical illusion!

P.S. Funny Story: After the LB 1/2 I was napping while the boyfriend was watching football, and I guess in my nap, I told him in my sleep that I really wanted Taco Bell! Who does that!

Please don't hit me..

So I think I need to make a shirt, with reflective lettering that says, "Please don't run me over," or even, "Please don't hit me." I swear I'm going to die by getting run over by a car on one of my runs.

Last night I was crossing the street and the lady inched out to make a turn. I tried to make eye contact but she was looking the other way so I paused. She kept inching forward and then I was almost directly next to her car and she looks at me shocked that I'm basically standing at her window and then I can just see the "Oh my gosh, what do I do, do I go, do I backup, where does she go" going through her mind. Thanks. Thanks a lot. Other than that cars have always been out to get me I think.

Anyways, I told you all about the one good thing in the goodie bag from the Long Beach 1/2, which were the Clif Shot Bloks. Let me just tell you, these guys are AMAZING and actually tasty, especially compared to the Gu products.

I ate a few before my race, and a few after and really felt like they gave me back what I was missing. Sometimes I feel that Gu doesn't do enough for me, it gets me going, but after that, there's not much there. I felt like not only did these bloks taste good, (shocking! something that tastes good?!) but they were easily edible and I could definitely see them becoming an easy go-to for my longer runs because they replenished me. They have the consistency of a big gusher and can be a little bit sticky. I wouldn't leave them in a warm area.

The primary ingredient for the bloks is brown rice syrup which provides easily assimilated carbohydrates for working muscles. Both products also provide the mineral salts known as electrolytes. These electrolytes allow electrical impulses to travel properly throughout your body, permitting normal bodily function. When you sweat, you start to deplete your electrolyte stores and experience potential performance decline, so it's best to help replenish them through food and fluid intake. There are 6 BLOKS to a single serve package, so one package provides 200 calories. They also come in a variety of flavors that include Cran-Razz, Black Cherry, Cola, Margarita, Lemon Lime, Pina Colada, Strawberry, and Orange, and at Run Junk, they are only $1.95, when normally they are $2.25.

Also, this is kind of sad, but I found out that Wal-mart is having a .97 cent shipping on all 'active wear'.

Someone asked me about the elastic cuffed sweatpants I have, and LOVE, and they are on sale at walmart.com. A two pack of pants for only 8 dollars! Also it's better to get them online because you can get the right size. They come in five colors and have pockets! I love them! Also they have plain sweatshirts that are only 6 dollars. Both are perfect for my morning jogs and keeping me warm well into the winter! Go check out Walmart for more deals.

So I have my 2nd half this weekend. Don't expect much of a race report, unless you want to know how my long training run went. Out on my run this morning, I ran past a local high school. Hearing their band in the morning puts some extra pep in my step and I ran an easy four miles. I was thinking again on my run, what if I can't finish the 1/2, what if I want to stop, but I realized, I didn't want to stop before, and I can finish, I did it just last week! I never thought I would be running such long distances and being able to enjoy it, but I am thankful for the enjoyment I get from running.

Also I found this jacket off Sports Chalet, and it's super cute and looks just like my Zella Jacket I love.

It's a New Balance Cocona Run Woman's Jacket that is normally 69.99, and is on sale for 39.97.

It's suppose to really keep you warm and yet dry during your runs because it's crafted using Cocona™ polyester, a fabric made from coconuts that naturally helps protect against odor and harmful UV rays. Interesting and a good price! Order your jacket here!

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend! As the guy who helped me run my last two miles really pushing myself said, keep your head down and just go. :)

Here is a pumpkin I carved last night. Spooky I know.

Before

After, and remember. This is freehand... no tracing!

And on that note.. I'm done posting! ha ha! Have a good weekend

Better yet..

So I didn't realize how sore I was until Monday evening. I was SORE. Like hold on to the wall when you sit down to go to the bathroom sore, grimace every time you get off your duff sore, don't touch my legs or I'm going to kill you sore. Yea, it was pretty bad. I was starting to wonder if I was going to be able to do the half this upcoming weekend. If it wasn't for the last two hard miles I put in at the 1/2, I would have been totally fine, but yea, the 6:15 mile killed me. I stretched, and decided that Tuesday morning I was going to go out for an easy jog.

Well at 6:00 in the morning it's freezing, and I hate, nay, loathe being cold. And my freezing is around 50 degrees, I know I'm a baby. So I bundled up in my sweatpants from Wal-mart (extra classy with the elastic around the foot) and my Cal Sweatshirt I got on sale from Kohls for five dollars, put on the hood and tied it down good so that it wouldn't slip off. (I guess I'm not that Chic, I just looked homeless) and went out.

WHY DIDN'T ANY OF YOU TELL ME TO DO THIS EARLIER! Maybe it's just me but when I came back home, I was feeling 10,000 times better. My medical knowledge things that because I was super warm on my run, it warmed up my muscles and made them feel better? Yea, I lack a lot of medical knowledge. Now I'm feeling better and ready for the weekend, I just hope it's not bone chilling cold or the beloved "santa ana" winds decide that they need to gust up some more fires over here.

So besides giving my race report I forgot to report on the Long Beach goodie bag. Oh wait, that's right, there's nothing to report because it was horrible! What were they thinking. The only thing I got out of the bag was some Clif Blox, (which I'm addicted to now and can't seem to get enough, they are like gushers for adults, I'll write more later) and a free chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a (another great place I'm addicted too, try it if it's around you) but seriously, it was the lamest thing ever. The t-shirt is pretty cool, but now I'm into being warm and it's cold out, so a small little dri-fit isn't going to cut it unless I make a trip to the gym to get my swell on with the rest of the meatballs there. Okay so not everyone at the gym is a meatball, but maybe my gym is just special that every guy in the weight section is ripped out of their mind and seemingly wearing tank tops that expose most of their body.

Today I found this super cute watch. Yes, another Coach Product, but hello, pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life.

It's called the Coach Lexington Watch and is a super pricey item at $398. It features a pink snakeskin band and mineral crystal face with Coach's logo. If you weren't sold at pink snakeskin, how's this for a reason to buy: Coach will donate $100 of every sale to breast cancer research.

If you haven't heard of Emergen-C, you are missing out, and they have also gone out to support Breast Cancer Awareness by adding a new flavor, Pink Lemonade to their many already delicious options.

Their website put it best, Pink is not usually associated with power, but that was before Emergen-C got a hold of it. We've packed a yummy pink lemonade flavor with 1,000 mg of Vitamin C, plus energy boosting vitamin B, along with minerals and electrolytes. 50% of all Emergen-C's Pink's profits are being donated to the Keep A Breast Foundation. (http://www.keep-a-breast.com/) I've personally bought a box of this stuff and it's delish, Emergen-C is AMAZING when you are getting a flu bug or sniffles, just drink four packets and you'll feel so much better. You can also get free samples on their website if you want to try out the Emergen-C family of flavors.

Smashbox Cosmetics also has a Pink Power Palette out right now.

The limited-edition set includes two portable mirrored palettes, each with three eye shadow and lip color shades, plus a mini double-ended brush. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Young Survival Coalition, an international nonprofit network of survivors and supporters dedicated to the issues unique to young women and the fight against breast cancer. Super cute, for those times when you know, you aren't running and actually have to look presentable! You can purchase them here.

Lastly, I found this sheer pink color by OPI called Pink of Hearts.

It's OPI’s second exclusive Pink of Hearts Nail Lacquer. The 2008 Edition is a full-of-life light pink. In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, OPI will make a donation of $25,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. To support research and treatment in Canada, OPI will make a $5,000 donation to Rethink Breast Cancer. Chic, chic, chic, and can be found at most beauty supply stores and places that sell nail polish.

So now I guess I'm already three days away from my next half. Should go well, but I am trying to go for 1:55ish this time. Also, these were the races I'm looking at for the upcoming months. Anyone have any interest in any of them, or have experience with them?

December 13th, 2008 - Rose Bowl Half Marathon and 5k

Feburary 1, 2009 - Surf City Half Marathon and Half Marathon

March 29, 2009 - Wine County Half Marathon and 5k

May 3 - OC Marathon Half Marathon and 5k

July 26 - San Francisco Marathon and Half Marathon

I'm only really set on the Surf City, Wine County and the San Fran, but the other ones would be fun. Can you tell I'm addicted? More cool stuff Friday!

xoxo

From Start to Finish

Honestly, I've seen many race reports, and I have NO IDEA how all you fellow runners can recap your races from miles 1-13.1, especially a marathon! You people are amazing. I got to mile three and though, WOW! Mile 3! So here is my recap of my first 1/2 Marathon, as much as I remember at least.

The night before I was going through my clothes figuring out what to wear and I realized I had nothing to wear. Following my many lovely reader's advice, I pretty much wore some old favorites that I love running in. I laid out all my clothes and went to bed after the amazing comeback of the Rays in the ALDS.

So I got up super early and Nicole came over, I grabbed a honey and oat bar then we took the back way to the parking area, since I live only about 15 minutes away. We parked about 400 meters away from the start line, even though when we were parking we had no idea where the starting line was. It was absolutely FREEZING and we had to make a little potty break so we ventured out of the car and saw what were the most entertaining people in the world. Now I know why you guys run so much and actually race. The people watching was borderline the best I've ever seen. The people we saw were in every outfit imaginable. Hats, glasses, clothes, almost naked, shoeless (??) it was a hoot! Nicole and I walked around just staring at people and their outfits. She and I were in like regular old clothes, no dry-fits, no visors, nothing special at all.

We decided it was time to strip down and leave our sweatshirts in the car at about 7:00, so we went back and by the time we got back out of the car it wasn't as cold because the sun was coming up. So we jogged for about 5 minutes and stretched against a light pole and then found our place in the middle of Corral B, because we didn't want to be anywhere near the front of the pack. The Star Spangled Banner was sung and the bell (another ??) went off! The first three miles flew by; I barely remember seeing anything or even feeling anything. In the first three miles we ran up pretty much the only hill and along the bay. The weather was amazing, but the sun was really bright if we were running into it.

I think around mile 4ish, 5ish, 6ish, we entered the beach part of the run which was along the sand and ocean directly into the sun. Talk about bright! It wasn't hot though, and so I didn't sweat, during the entire race. The course was really flat and relaxing and the entire run very few people passed us, but I worked on continuing to pass runners and keeping my pace very even. I wasn't even working hard at all. I grabbed a cup of water and took a sip at mile six because my mouth was so dry. I looked at my watch at mile 7, and saw that we were pretty close to our goal of finishing in less than two hours, but it was going to be close. I knew we would have to work the last two or three miles at a faster pace. Then we started the turnaround I think at mile 8ish. This is all a guesstimate, I seriously have no idea. And I was feeling great. At every other mile I'd take a cup of water. Drinking and running is something I need to work on. More went down the front of my shirt and number than anywhere else.

People at the water stations were out of control. Throwing water over their heads, throwing their cups down like it was a grenade, splashing up water everywhere, I tried to avoid the craziness and either stayed on the opposite side or ran in the middle of them. Those stations were entertaining. I would always try to drop my cup in the grass or on the side so that it wouldn't land on anyone.

Each mile we passed I kept thinking, okay, only 10 more, only 8 more, only 5 more. Pretty much every mile I was like, wow, already this mile! Cool! There were some random people all along the course, who were really nice to make signs and cheered and clapped for everyone. I passed a huge poster full of Vaseline and wondered what that was for? Ohhh, okay, got it. Yea, left that alone. Then we got to mile 9 and I was feeling really great. My legs were almost numb, it was weird, but a good feeling that lead me to start pushing myself a little bit harder. I started working a little bit more and my competitive side came out. It was around mile 10.5 that I really started working a lot harder and realized that if I wanted to make finish at 2:00 I would have to really start kicking it in. It's not that we were super boxed in at the start, but I think it really didn't allow us to use the first mile to our advantage at all.

So after that the afterburners kicked in and I started to run a lot faster. I still felt great and this guy in a blue shirt was running by me and looked at me and said, "Come on girl, Come on." About every minute he would shoot back a word of encouragement and I ran with him for the last two miles. He stayed just ahead of me, which drives me CRAZY because I force myself to stay with him. He kept yelling at me that I could do it and that we were almost there. I was freaking out though because I had no idea how far the finish was from where we were when he started sprinting away and one of my biggest problems is starting my kick WAY too early and then dying and not finishing well. He seriously saved me from not making it to under 2:00. I would have been so disappointed in myself if I didn't make it under and his words of encouragement were so great. I wish I took a picture with him. He would just keep yelling at me to go and it was amazing. So thank you to the guy in the blue shirt!

I started down the little slope to the finish line and saw the clock. I realized that I was about 300 meters away so I sprinted. It was ticking away and in my head I just thought, NO!! Don't hit 2:00, but it didn't, and I finished in 1:57:00. If it wasn't for that guy, I probably wouldn't have pushed myself so hard the last two miles, especially the last mile split being 6:15! Yea, after running around 8:20-8:55 the entire race, my last mile split was almost my best high school mile time. When I crossed the finish line I was like Yes! I did it. And then I thought to myself, that was it. So yes, I am definitely ready for this upcoming weekend's Nike+ Women’s Halfer. I also pretty much have my next year lined up with more halfers and once I get everything situated and on my calendar, I'll see who else will be running what.

It was seriously an amazing experience, from start to finish and I'm so glad I did it, but now I'm addicted. I never thought I would be able to run that far. The night before I was talking to my boyfriend and said, “What if I get to mile six and think like, eh, I'm over this, and just want to stop?" He reassured me that I wouldn't think that, and yes of course he was right. :) I absolutely loved it and all my family and friends that came out to cheer me on and just running past the most absurd people ever.

The official stats were more like this: I was 1,229th overall, with 19% of the racers ahead of me. I was the 355th female with 9% of females ahead of me. I was 36th in my division with 13% of my division ahead of me, and I was ahead of 67% of the male finishers. Take that boys! :)

It was pretty inspiring to see all the runners out there though, from all walks of life, and all ages. Great job to everyone who finished it! Here are some of the pictures, and yes, I know, I look far too happy, but I was happy!

This is by mile 4

My dad rode along side me for a little bit. Then he got in trouble by the motor cop police.

Mile 11, yea, I was trying to run harder at this point.

Nicole and I finished the race. :)

My wonderful cousins and mothers to the baby cat, Presh, were there.

My dad and I after the finish.

We were told it was good for us?

Ha ha, just kidding! I wasn't about to throw up.

I was stalking this lady for like 15 minutes to get a good picture. Seriously. Welcome to Long Beach!

More pictures will probably come, and this week I found even more cute breast cancer stuff, a few new great songs, and a review of the MioPINK Motiva Heart Rate Monitor Watch which I got this past weekend for my birthday from my cousins and I'm so excited to use it! :)

But tonight, pray for Eli Manning to do well so my Fantasy football team will win, and pray for the fires in CA to not get out of control, because then I'll have to be putting in time on the DREADMILL!

xoxo

Feel the Love....

So today I did something pretty crazy. I signed up for the Nike+ Women's half marathon, the weekend, yes, 7 days after I run my first 1/2 marathon of my life I will be running another one. I'm going to do it virtually, so I'll just run it by myself along the beach, exactly how so many of my training runs were done. I figured, well I haven't really stopped training, or even tapered for this upcoming race, and it would just be like me going out for a long training run the weekend after. It's not like I'm running for a time in the first race either, just a finish. Nothings going to change. We'll see how this all turns out.

But I have an honest confession about signing up for this Nike+ Women's Half Marathon. I did it for the finishers key chain designed by Tiffany and Co. Another bonus is that I get a t-shirt. I love Tiffanys, and I love free clothes by Nike, so $45 dollars later I've decided that I'm going to really tired in two weeks.

On another note, Martiza tagged me in 6 random things about me and gave me this lovely sticker. I also have to tag 10 more people that I want to learn about.. hmmm :)

Precious! Anyways, so six random facts about me, since I know you all are little stalkers at heart.

1. I was adopted at the age of 2 to my parents. They adopted me straight from the hospital, but it took a while for the legal stuff to go through, and ever since then I have also celebrated my adoption day, which is like a second birthday that we call Koo-Day because of my last name. My younger brother was also adopted

2. I schedule all of my runs based on when I need to wash my hair. This sounds disturbing, and it is disturbing if I actually let myself sit down and think about it, but most of the time I run one morning and then the next day I run in the evening so I don't have to wash my hair overnight.

3. I got my dog a black lab Dalmatian mix, Cassie, by breaking 6:00 in the mile. My dad said if I ran under six minutes I could get a dog. I ran a 5:58 my junior year of track, immediately called my dad and his response was, "Uhh, okay, I guess we are getting a dog then."

4. I hate lettuce. I have never eaten it and have tried it doused in dressing, with chicken, with tons of my favorite stuff and I just can't fathom eating it because it tastes like grass to me. My dad taunts me and says I'll never be a true lady until I eat salad, my best answer is that if God intended me to eat salad, he would have made me a rabbit.

5. I hate eating or making anything with my hands, which another weird fact is that they are ridiculously small! My hands are the size of a small child's and my feet are only size 6, weird for my height of 5'7". So anyways, if my hands get dirty while making a cake, or brownies, I'm constantly washing them. I hate it when they are sticky. I use a bazillion napkins when I eat a cheeseburger or chicken strips because between each bite, I have to wipe my hands. This is an even bigger problem with fries!

6. I recently had a screw put into my jaw and got a fake tooth in the back of my jaw. It's because my 12 year molar on my left side never came in, along with my wisdom teeth. Missing all together. My friends like to think it's because I'm weird, but I think it's because I'm a super evolved human. Those wisdom teeth just get taken out anyways right?!

And these are the lovely bloggers I tag! (Since we are all friends sorry if you got tagged more than once!)

1. P.O.M
2. Renae
3. Mojito Maven
4. Legally Blonde Mel
5. Girl on Top
6. That Pink Girl
7. J
8. TFH
9. Caitlyn
10. SJ Goody

Find A Cure!

Pink Ribbons Abound! Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in full-force, and here are some GREAT products too pick up if you are supporting finding a cure! I also checked out the website, Think before you Pink, because I am very wary about people wanting you to buy a product and then after paying $100, they donate .25 cents. It doesn't really make sense, but that website helps give you very specific donation amounts on many products. So now onto the good stuff!

First off, I love a lot of Avon Products, and I especially love the fact that they are trying to raise awareness year round.

This little lip balm is super cute, and at only $1.50, you can buy a few for your friends to remind them to find a cure as well. It is for moisturizing plus has sun protection. Another great thing about the little itty bitty lip balm is that 100% of the net proceeds ($1.33) are donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. Way to go Avon! They have tons of other products that are on their Website!

Everyone loves Coach and pink Coach products are so much cuter! They have a few items up for sale for Breast Cancer Awareness month as well. I really like this key chain though, it's classic and the pink all over it is just adorable. Another great reminder to find a cure.

The key chain is $58.00 and 20% of the purchase price will also go to help find a cure. Their website has cute scarves and other pink items, so check it out.


Clinique is a beauty staple, and who hasn't used the Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Lotion?

This limited-edition Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion comes with a key chain complete with two silver-tone charms: a Clinique “C” and Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Ribbon. $10.00 from your $35.00 purchase helps support The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. You can buy it online here.

So who doesn't cook? Everyone does, and how cute are all these products!?

Kitchen Aid has started the Breast Cancer Movement and each pink product that is purchased and then registered at http://www.cookforthecure.com/ will generate a donation of up to $50 to Komen for the Cure. Personally, I long for this bad boy of baking,

Oh yesssss puhhlease! Check out their website for all their super cute pink stuff!

So I'll be back soon with some more running finds and more pink finds for the month of October! Remember to wear pink this month for Breast Cancer Awareness.

T minus 4 days

I had a great birthday yesterday, minus the fact that even with Reggie Bush running two punt returns for touchdowns my fantasy football team lost by 1 measly point, and the Angels. Ohhh the Angels BLEW the series this year. Today I am mourning their loss and their great season that went down the tubes in four short games. So I guess now, as much as I hate to say it, Go Dodgers. Although I do kind of like the Rays as well. Everyone loves an underdog! Thank you to everyone with the well wishes. This past weekend was awesome too.

If you ever get the chance go to to Palm Springs in CA, I would highly recommend the month of October. The weather is amazing and wasn't the normal 120 degree heat. I would also highly recommend staying at The Mod Resort. (www.modresort.com) It was a great experience and super fun to stay there. Such a nice little get away for just a day.

This was looking outside our room at the saltwater pool. Just 14 rooms makes the hotel so cute and really allows quality over quantity. (And no crazy wild screaming kids! love it!)



T-Minus four days until the big 1/2 Marathon. I can't believe I am actually going to be doing it. It seems pretty crazy, but I know it will be fun. So I have a few questions for you 1/2 marathon and marathon gurus out there.

What should I wear?
This may sound like stupid question, but I don't know if I should go for something comfy and whatever, or try to wear something different, or just a t-shirt. What do you guys normally wear for race days?

What should my run be the day before?
This is usually my long run day but since the race is on Sunday, I'm not going out and doing 10 miles the day before. I was thinking maybe just like an easy 30 minute jog? Let me know what you guys run the day before.

And, though I thought this question would never cross my mind, but what do I run the day after? I was thinking again, another 30 minute jog to kind of get the kinks out and get loosened up again. What do you guys do?

It's finally happening! If anyone else is doing any of the Long Beach races (www.runlongbeach.com), or has done them, let me know. I would love to hear your insight on the race/environment. This weekend I am going to pick up my goodie bag and I'm pretty excited as to what will be in there!

So what is it with me and finding animals on the side of the road? Well today I found a bird that I think basically fell off the electrical wire it was sitting on way above the sidewalk and fell to it's death. Sad, but I wasn't about to touch this bird at all. In the last 10 years of me running I have never found any animals, dead or alive in my path, and within a week I find one kitten and a dead bird.

Presh the small kitten I rescued is doing well and adjusting to being spoiled rotten by my cousins. She is active and her leg is healing just fine. :) I am so glad that she will have a great home.

Counting down the days till the Long Beach 1/2 Marathon!!

xoxo

A Precious Find....

So this morning I took off on my normal short Friday jog, and about a mile from my house I saw a little gray ball of fur curled up against the wall on the sidewalk with dirt and leaves on top of it. I thought for sure this little kitty was dead, but when I stopped to look down at it, it's little grey eyes were open. Me, being a complete sucker for things like this, and this cat being completely adorable, I knew I couldn't leave it there.

Instead of trying to pet it, for fear of it going crazy and attacking me or lunging into the busy street on the other side of me I saw a little crumpled up bag so I poked it to make sure it was still alive. It moved ever so slightly. At this point I think it was trying to play dead. So I reached out my hand and let it sniff it. Then I petted it's little head. I realized that I would have to walk home with it in my arms. I was scared that the little beast would come out of it's nap time and claw my face to death, but luckily the walk home, even crossing the busy street wasn't a big deal at all, and the kitten did fine. I can only imagine what people were thinking that were driving by. What is that girl doing with that baby cat walking on the side of the road.

When I got home, I immediately called my two cousins who have been in the market to find a cute kitten. My cousins just moved into a new place and are my best friends, so I knew they wouldn't be able to resist and then I also knew the kitty would be going to a good home. I put the kitten in a laundry basket with a towel and gave it some milk, hoping that it would just stay there while I got ready for work and was able to take it over to the vets office by my cousins office. I ran upstairs to start the shower, and ran back to check on her, and she was out of the basket! I found her creeping around under the stairs and decided to lock her in the basket in the downstairs bathroom while I got ready. I had noticed she had some scraped under her chin and had a feeling she had gotten hit by a car, so when she was limping around I also knew she had a problem with her front paw. I would find a cat who had medical problems!

Then once I was ready for work I loaded up the basket and took her over to the vets office where I met up with my cousin. She immediately was in love, and we got her checked out. They told us it was a girl, and she weighed in at a measly 2.3 pounds and was about eight weeks old, just a baby! They also said that her leg was broken and she would have to have a cast put on, and that she had some really bad fleas. So a cast and a flea dip later she will be going home with my cousin tonight! We decided to name her Presh Ollie Streets. She was named Streets for about 10 minutes before we found out she was a girl, but Presh is short for precious. I know, my cousins and I are pretty weird. :) So my morning run was cut short, but I am proud to announce this new little girl into the KooOlie Family!

There was her scrape on her mouth from the road rash. She looks a little fierce, but believe me, she is super laid back.

On our way to the vets office. This is her broken leg :(

So so cute!

So this week, if you are in the mood for a new addition to your family, I would advise you to look at a local shelter or by visiting http://www.spca.com/!

xoxo

VP?

So in honor of tonight's Vice Presidential Debate, I try to find out as much information for each candidate that will be featured in the debate tonight.

After going to my researching source, google.com, I found nothing on Joe Biden at all. I found our more about his platforms and beliefs, but nothing on if he works out or not. I found out that his wife, Jill, works out by jogging 3-5 miles a a day weekly.


Sarah Palin on the other hand has become some sort of insta-celebrity overnight, with all aspects of her life being scrutinized, and for good reason, including her exercise routine. This allowed me much more information on her. I mean, if I have five kids, you are darn right I want to look like that!

The Wall Street Journal wrote an article on her fitness which she said started at a young age from her her parents being marathoners and high school track and cross-country coaches. Her husband, Todd, also an athlete have made fitness a family thing. Palin says, "Conventional running is my sanity," Before giving birth to her son in April, Palin was running 7 to 10 miles almost every day but when pregnant, she switched to aerobics classes at her gym.
In the summer, when it's always light, she'll sometimes run as late as midnight. In the dead of winter, when it's dark, she sneaks in an afternoon run, or else grudgingly runs on the treadmill at home or at the gym in the evening.

As for her workout gear she is running in 20-below temperatures so she wear layers of fleece and always a good outdoor waterproof trail shoe. She currently is running in Nike Air Structure Triax. She also says she always wears sunglasses on her run, "My kids tell me to put them on so I don't freak people out when they see me with a goofy hairdo and no makeup."

For post workout food she says nothing, she just drinks water.
She ran in Humpy's Marathon and finished in a time of 3:59:36. The Wall Street Journal Article where I got my information can be found here.

So this entry wasn't meant to sway any one's opinion either way, but just to take a look at the fitness information, or lack of information of the two who will be debating tonight. Now onto other random things :)

For all of you that live in the CA, AZ, or NV states, you are lucky. You are lucky because somewhere in your state there is my new store, Fresh and Easy.

I am obsessed because it's like Trader Joes but not so hippy like (not that there's anything wrong with that) but it's modern and neat and has a great selection of food as well. There is one on my way home from work and the other day I picked up basil tomato sauce, tortellini, garlic bread and a bottle of wine for ten bucks and fed myself and my boyfriend. It was really good as well. I would advise you to check out their website, Fresh and Easy, and look in your daily throw away mail because they also have 5 dollars off coupons if you spend twenty dollars or more. They have a great selection of food, produce and meats and cheeses, and also have great prices.

Also Footlocker has these great Adidas SoftTouch Pants on sale, in Fresh Green/Dark Indigo combination. They are normally 54.99, and now on sale for 19.99. These are the same pants that were featured last week but in a different color.
You can find the pants here

Lastly, I have found these great really cute shorts by Nike.

They are also on Footlocker, and are normally 49.99 (for shorts! What?!) but now on sale for 19.99. They are lightweight, woven short with Dri-FIT® technology featuring a crepe liner for moisture control and comfort. They have a color binding for a style that doesn't interfere with performance. Nike+ media pocket with tactile click wheel dot is located at the right side hip. Secure internal key pocket. They also have a little screen print and reflective dot heat transfers at lower back leg. The shorts can be found here.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend. I'll be going at it next weekend. My goal isn't a time, but just to complete my first 1/2 Marathon. Crazy that it's finally here. This weekend I'm off to Palm Springs to celebrate my birthday. :)

xoxo