I Can't Wait...

When I go to the movies one of my favorite parts is the previews. I love to see what Hollywood has in store for the coming months. I was very excited to see a preview for a movie that I can't wait to see in May.

Take F. Scott Fitzgerald, Baz Lurhmann, Leonardo Dicaprio and Tobey Maguire and you have the makings of a fabulous movie. I read the book in one of my literature classes at OU and I think I'm going to need to read it again. I haven't been this excited about a movie opening in a long time.

I am a huge Baz Lurhmann fan. He did, after all, direct one of my all time favorite movies.

I have seen Moulin Rouge countless times, and for a while had the soundtrack on constant rotation in my car. I talked the girls into watching it with me again today. Carson fell asleep, but Camy watched the whole thing. She thought the Like A Virgin scene was very funny. There are so many things about this movie that I love; Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, the singing, the dancing, the costumes. If you haven't seen it then you must. I will even loan you my copy if you like.

Baz Lurhmann is a genius, watch Moulin Rouge and you too will be excited to see The Great Gatsby in May when it opens. We can all go together, it'll be fun.

 

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Running, a Movie and Frozen Yogurt...

Today was my last Saturday run before the Cowtown Marathon. It was in the 20s this morning, the coldest it has been in a while, but there little wind. It's funny how the cold can seem intimidating for me. I was going to go with my cold weather gear under my Brooks running tights, but decided that I would just wear my new Injinji compression socks. (I am loving my compression gear now.)

When I was deciding on which marathon I wanted to run back in December, I decided that I didn't want to get all stressed out about a training plan. I have basically stuck to my three days a week of running with two or three days of yoga for the last few months. My long runs have been determined by my favorite running store owner, Craig, and in all it has been a pretty stress free training cycle for me.

Since the Route 66 half marathon in Tulsa before Thanksgiving I have ran two 20 milers, one 16 miler and two 18 milers. While they have not all been super fantastic long runs I have made it through the miles. The lone exception was last Saturday when my 20 mile run turned into just over 18 and a sinus infection. Not fun.

When I meet up for today's run I noticed that my lack of stress throughout my training was all catching up with me. What if forgoing stress up until this point doesn't serve me well next Sunday? What if people follow training plans for a reason and I end up regretting not having a more formal plan over these last months? What if I can't make it? What if it's too hard, or too painful? What was I thinking?

We set out on our 10 mile run in the flats. Really, it's not all that flat, there is one killer hill. It was cold but my lungs adjusted to the air and my legs settled in for a little faster than marathon goal pace run. I had fun. 10.4 miles in 1:30, right at about 8:39 pace. Sure that hill was painful, but overall it was a great run. It was a day that reminds me why I love to run. It was cold, but the sun was out. Most of my running friends were not there, but I got to run with new friends and people in our group that I don't usually get to chat with for ten miles.

Best part of today was instead of an ice bath, I soaked in a hot bath Epsom salt. What a nice change of pace.

Later today, the girls and I headed out to the movies. We had talked all week about seeing Beautiful Creatures.

It was a pretty entertaining movie. I think the girls and I will have to read the book, I imagine it is much better than the movie.

Worst iPhone picture ever.

We picked up pizza from one of our favorite places, Sandro's, and even went by Cherry Berry to get some frozen yogurt for dessert. That place is so good, it's hard to drive past it without stopping.

Chocolate, Cookie Monster, vanilla, red velvet, white chocolate and salted pretzel. Yum.

Oh yeah, and there was this...

Sometimes dealing with two 12 year olds and you need a glass of wine.

Today was the best kind of Saturday.

 

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Girls Weekend...

Josh headed to Wisconsin or Minnesota or some other half frozen state last night to go ice fishing with the boys. Who wants to sit around a hole in a frozen lake and try to catch fish? Not me.

So, I get to spend the weekend with my girls. Unfortunately, not the girls I run with. I just hate that. It is going to be freezing in the morning, so I'm glad I only have ten miles planned. Thankfully, Laura, Kim and Kelsey are all planning on being there. It seems strange to me that I ran 30 miles last week and I will only run 15 this week. Gotta love a good taper.

I am going to find out if compression socks underneath my cold weather running gear is comfortable. I got my new Injinji compression socks in the mail today and I can't wait to try them out.

After that I get to spend the weekend with the two girls that at one point were living inside of me. Have I ever said that was the worst almost 36 weeks of my life? It was. They think it's funny when I tell them that.

We are planning on dinner and a movie. I sure hope the grumps stay at home.

Have a happy weekend.

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L Is For...

LOVE--Happy Valentine's Day! The kiddos were very excited when they discovered that we got them My Little Pony t-shirts for Valentine's Day.

LAB RESULTS--I got the reports from the blood work I had done a few weeks ago. It had not gotten my blood work done last year, but I needed to have my cholesterol checked to make sure it was still under 200. Looks like I passed the test.

LEARNING--I am still loving the level 1 yoga class I have been taking at Ashtanga Yoga. Last week I did my first ever assisted full bridge. Today we worked on headstands. I am still a long way from doing an actual headstand, but we did lots of little pieces that will eventually turn into a headstand.

I demonstrated a little when I got home.

I should have been a little closer to the wall in an effort to get the upper part of my body to be straight over my arms. I did get into this position in class tonight. It really remnded me how weak my little spaghetti arms are. I am hoping all the vinyasas are helping though. Each little improvement seems like a huge thing to me with my yoga practice.

LEFTOVERS--For the third day in a row, my dinner has looked like this.

Chickpea taos with leftover roasted veggies. If you have never had chickpea tacos you are seriously missing out. I used the Rick Bayless Classic Fajita Skillet Sauce. It has chipotle ad line and it is so yummy. This particular flavor is now my favorite, I think this will be the only one I buy from now on.

LEAVING--Josh is heading out of town tonight to go ice fishing with friends. That does not sound like fun to me at all. The girls and I have plans to go to the movies and out to eat this weekend. I am looking forward to a weekend with my girls.

 

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WIAW, Last Wednesday...

For my WIAW post this week, I am actually going to talk about what I ate last Wednesday.

I made spaghetti and packed my sauce full of veggies. Zucchini and mushrooms. Yum.

Because that was not enough veggies for me, I had to roast some broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I have been eating these veggies like candy lately.

Spaghetti with lots of veggies and veggie spiral pasta. Of course there was parmesan cheese because you can put that on anything that is considered Italian.

My pre long run fuel Friday night was sesame noodles and more of my favorite green veggies.

I had to include the picture of my take-out from O Asian Fusion on Saturday night when Josh took the girls to the Daddy Daughter Dance. I had the leftovers for lunch on Sunday.

I discovered this week another flavor of Frosted Mini Wheats that I love. Blueberry, and it goes perfect with a banana and some almond milk. The white chocolate chunk yogurt I had with it was pretty tasty too.

On the baking front, I got back in the kitchen. I made some Valentine themed rice krispy treats, with some sprinkles and white chocolate chips.

I also made som of my chocolate chip cookies, they are packed full of semi-sweet, dark chocolate, milk chocolate M&M's and pistachios.

I almost forgot! After my long run on Saturday, Josh and I were out running errands and I was starving. I was hungry for Arby's curly fries. I don't think I have had these in a few years and they tasted amazing!

That is the highlight of my eats for the week.

 

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Tuesday Thoughts...

• Penny was snuggling with me last night while we watched The Walking Dead. I managed to take a picture of her. She kinda looks weird.

• We are watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory. The girls get very excited when it's an episode that has Soft Kitty in it.
• I think I am getting close to getting rid of my hacking cough and being able to breathe through my nose on a regular basis.
• We got snow in Oklahoma City today, and the whole city did not shut down. We will see what happens tomorrow.

The scene fom Josh's work. His building is a bit taller than mine.

The scene from my work. You can't tell but my car is in that parking lot covered in snow.

• I won something on one of my favorite blogs a couple of weeks ago and my prize came in the mail yesterday. Shut Up and Run had a giveaway of Injinji socks, and imagine my surprise when I saw that I had won. I LOVE my Injinji socks, and three free pair was like Christmas in February.

• I had hoped for a pair of their compression socks, I ended up going to Zappos.com this morning and ordered a pair. They will be here tomorrow and I will try them out and probably be wearing them in the Cowtown marathon. I post a review in a few days.

 

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What Does Taper Look Like..

I am less than two weeks from the Cowtown Marathon. That means it's taper time. I feel like it should be one big party with glasses of champagne and slaps on the back.

That certainly isn't what taper looks like from here. From here it looks like:

A warm steam humidifier.

Vick's VapoRub, without anyone singing Soft Kitty.

It also looks like Breathe Right Strips, antibiotics and Mucinex. It sounds like lots of nose blowing and a cough that would make you think I've been smoking a pack a day for most of my life.

Sounds like a big old party, right?

I am trying to remain calm. I am trying not to freak out about my ankle being sore and a little swollen. I am trying to remember that I am not going to lose any of the fitness I have gained over the last few months of training in these last two weeks before race day. I am trying to be a glass half full kind of girl.

There are no more three hour training runs in the near future. All the miles I have put in are going to serve me well come race day. Even though every mile hasn't been easy, I have earned this time to taper. These last two weeks are a time for my body to rest up and get ready to be at the starting line in Fort Worth. No matter what I am strong enough to do this on my own, even if I don't have to.

The hard part is not over yet, but I have earned the right to sit back and think about all the running I have done since the beginning of December and know that I have worked hard. Even if my training "plan" was unconventional I believe I'll be ready in two weeks to give it my all.

Tomorrow, my hacking cough and I are going to stay home in the morning. I will definitely be ready for yoga tomorrow night. I wonder if anyone would notice if I wore a Breathe Right Strip, or brought a box of tissues with me. Maybe I could just bring the humidifier. A little warm steam never hurt anyone, right?

 

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