Empanadas kind of night

So I was so tired and burnt out yesterday I decided to move my day off of the gym from Friday to Tues.  I figured I don't have to work friday so I can workout first thing in the morning :-)  But I'm back to it today weight lifting and a quick warm up mile and cool down mile. 

Last night I cooked and cleaned.  What did I cook you ask? 

Where did I get this wonderful recipe?

Super excited about this cookbook it reminds me of the stuff my family in Colombia cooks but Vegan! :-) 

This was an easy recipe to follow.  I might save this for a weekend meal just because it's a little time consuming or it might be good to make the dough ahead of time.
The filling was corn, green onions, garlic, soy creamer, smartbalance, cornstarch and seasoning salt, pepper, cayenne. 

Tasted way better than I make it look in this pic

The dough was really easy to make.  There was a lot of filling left over so it would either make more dough or less filling next time.

and voila final product:

And yes, the non-vegetarian in the family loved them he took like 5 of them to work today for lunch.

I was a little tired but this is the only one who got a nap:

Happy Trails!

Count down begins...

My last week as a single lady but somehow it doesn't feel like much will change :-)   We are currently debating deciding whether I am going to change my last name or not.  My two main arguments are 1) it's too much work and 2) my current last name flows so much better  I'm not getting much support with either argument so I guess I will be changing it. 

Had some ups and downs this weekend but ended on a good note so I'm holding on to that!  On Friday I had to skip my workout because I had to take the doggy in for some shots because my better half who had scheduled the appointment said he wasn't going to be able to make it.  So that's that...  no comment ;-)

Sat. went for a run now this was supposed to be a 13 mile run in training for my half marathon.  I woke up still feeling the after effects of recovering from being sick I was really tired but decided to suck it up.  I wanted it to at least be a flat 13 so I drove down to the river trails which is the only place in town you will find relatively flat 13 miles.  The gates were locked!!  I found a random parking lot and decided to start running and would just have to guess how many miles I ran based on time.  Well, I ended up by the ditch running in really lose sand!  I started to get a little lost so I decided to go find my car, I decided it was a sign that I wasn't meant to run the full 13.  In the end I ran 1 hour and was tired but felt good.  I then went to do a 1 hour yoga class which ended up being exactly what I needed!!  After I was done there the stress and tiredness had melted and the knot in my neck was gone.  I drank LOTS of water after. 

I swear the yoga cured me the next day I felt way better!  I woke up and did an awesome spin class for 18.7 miles.  Does cleaning count as exercise because wow I was really tired after cleaning house.  Somehow it is a little more nerve racking when it's his parents that you are cleaning house for instead of your own.  All though my mom is pretty hard critic, she once wrote my name in some dust she found on a piece of furniture!  :-)  In jest I know but I still have to give her a hard time just like she does to me!!

I'm looking forward to 2 short work weeks, 12 family members, TONS of good food, a marraige, a 13 mile run along with lots of other quality workouts to work off all that good food, a Wine Festival, a bike ride so my dad can show off his brand new bike (I have to admit I'm a little jealous, I'll post pics)   I'm sure I will be busy so my posts for the next two weeks may turn out to be mainly pictures! 

What are you looking forward to this week?

Catching up...

Wow I made it back from the dark side but it felt like forever.  I got sick then got sick again just when I thought I was getting better.  I went 8-9 days (lost track of time) without a single workout!!!!  The most I could do was walk the dog for a mile and a half.  One day I tried pulling weeds and I passed out on the couch for 3 hours when I was done.  First I had a sore throat and was really tired then I got some kind of stomach virus and couldn’t eat for a few days then I got a full on head cold.  Of course work has been crazy and I have been working longer hours to try and make up for the 1 sick day I took.

So I started with a light weight lifting workout on Tues, yesterday I ran 1.7 miles with the dog on the running leash.  Today we’ll see I want to do a short run then a weight lifting workout.  This of course means I missed my 12 mile run that was scheduled for last Sat.  I’m going to attempt to do that this weekend and hopefully I’ll be back on track for my ½ marathon training!

So apparently my dad has successfully signed us up to volunteer as photographers for the 2011 IM AZ and had them put us on the preferential registration list for 2012 IM AZ.  I’m all about volunteering and think it will be fun but to be honest I really had no desire at this time to do another IM.  But if he REALLY wants to do this and he wants me there with him then there is no way I can let him down.  But he still has to make sure he is up for the training.  I keep asking him if he’s tried running a mile yet.  I know he is doing well getting back on the bike trainer but so far there have only been hikes no running.  So we’ll see how that goes I will keep you guys posted on if we actually sign up or not!  I’m a little nervous about all that.  Especially because of the timing of when I would be ramping up my training at a time that would be very difficult (I’ll explain in a minute….)

Lastly on the home front there has been all kinds of craziness there too!!!  We just found out that the fiancee is getting deployed, the thing is he hasn’t received his official orders so we have been going back and forth on what to do.  Well, we’ve decided to get married over Labor Day weekend! 

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!   

I know it will just be a courthouse thing and it will just be our two families but it will be a full house and I just barely got use to the idea of being engaged.  We were going to do it anyway and it all makes sense as far as for his deployment but it’s still a little scary.  This also explains the above comment about IM training he would be returning right around the time I will start disappearing for full day workouts on the weekends!

How about you guys?  I have a lot of catching up to do on your blogs!  What has thrown you off your training plan in the past and how did you get back on track?  What has helped you make difficult decisions when it comes to deciding whether to enter a race or not?

Happy Friday!

A classic, still makes me laugh every time!



So now that I've pretty much ended my tri season (I might sneak in a few at the end of the season but just for fun).  I've transitioned over to my half marathon training and along with that I've re-incorporated 2 days a week of weight training and am loving getting back in the gym it feels good to build the muscles I don't normally use during the summer season, but some of the things I didn't miss about the gym:

1.  The "macho" singer - this guy is hillarious he's really big and tough and tries to accompany that by listening to tough music on is ipod but what he doesn't realize is that by singing outloud to this he doesn't sound as macho as he probably does in his own head...

2. The foot slapper - I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation for this but I still don't understand what happens when there is REALLY loud foot slapping on the treadmill, it seems like it would be painful for them and it throws my rythm off...

3.  The I'm too old to have any modesty left dresser - You know this person the one that doesn't care if they are naked and will walk around the locker room putting themselves in positions you don't want to see a naked person do, reminds me of the Seinfeld episode.  I've heard horror stories about the guys locker room and on more than one occasion where they've seen someone actually put a leg up and dry their "privates" with the blow dryer!!!! No Way!!!

What are some of your favorite gym rats?

P.S. On a side note my mom called me the other day and told me that after they went to see me do my triathlon last weekend it sparked something in my dad and ever since he's been swimming, cycling, hiking and looks like he is full force on this recovery/get back into shape thing.  I'm so happy and proud of him!  He's been looking at a new toy bike because apparently after his crash the carbon fiber on his old bike isn't safe to ride on any more...

GBBPX Guest Post, say hello to Marisa

Hi, I’m Marisa and I blog over at The Pace of my Life.  I am a wife and mom of two wonderful kids, as well as, a full-time teacher to 32 six-year olds, and I love to run (among other things)!  I am currently training for The Giant Race, a half marathon in San Francisco and will be running my first marathon in December, Rock n Roll Las Vegas.

Why I Run...

Over the last eighteen months, running has become an important part of my life and it has change my life in many very positive ways.  

There are many reasons I run, here are a few:

1. To be fit...running has helped me shed over 25 pounds.
2. To be healthy...running has kept me healthier than I’ve been in year.
3. To lower my stress levels...when I feel stressed, I run.  I feel better almost instantly!
4. To be a better wife...a happier, healthier, more fit me makes for a better wife.
5. To be a better mom...if my patience are low, I run.  My patience return.  Running also gives me some “me time!”

Running makes me a better me!  

Do I think everyone should run?  No!  Of course, not.  

I do think there is value in finding that “thing” that produced the same results for you!

A big thank you to Natasha for letting me invade her space for a day!

Thanks for reading and come on over and visit The Pace of my Life when you have a chance!!

Happy Running!

Race Report

 Chile Harvest Sprint Tri Race Report 2011

Best Cheerleader ever!

The one who got me started on all this 20+ years ago..

Results:    OA = 111/281,   OA F = 22/107,   AG = 2/13  (NM has a fairly small field)

Swim 9:28 for 400 m (slowest ever for me in a race)

Bike = 38:27 for 20k 19:51 mph ( fairly decent considering there was a hill and some bumpy roads)

Run = 27:03 for 5k Pace 8:44  (I felt really good on the run and I so wish I had worn a watch I think I would have pushed myself a little harder, this is where I really should have picked up the pace)

Overall Time =  1:17:36  I missed 1^st place by a minute, she was about 30 sec  faster than me on the swim and run.  I wish we hadn’t had a seated swim start and I would have seen her on the course :-)  But I’m not at all competitive… I’m doing this for fun!  :-) 

Sunday we all went for a hike with the doggy and called it good.  I love it when my mom comes to visit because there is always plenty of good food and usually enough leftovers to carry me through the week.

My parents went for support and I had my own professional camera crew so the rest of this report will be in pics:

Nice overcast sky to start which helps make the run cooler when it's a seated swim.

T1 trying to remember where my bike was...

Had to avoid several potholes and a car in front of me for what felt like forever and I couldn't pass him....

Trying to look good for the finish!

Is that really all I brought?

Don't we look excited, especially the mayor I don't think he's sure why he's there :-)

Not sure how I feel about the pin vs. a medal....

Today I start my ½ marathon training for the Disney Half girls weekend Oct. 1^st!!  Did I mention I don’t like running!  I’m easily convinced by peer pressure to enter races.  My true love is cycling but racing on a bike other than in a triathlon is very scary!!!  How did your races/training  go this weekend?

Happy Friday!

My Yay! I get to do a triathlon tomorrow song:





So tomorrow will only be my 2nd triathlon of the season but I am so excited even if it is just a sprint.  It is not a reverse even though the swim is in a pool which means if you are seated in the middle, like me, by the time you get to the run it's usually pretty hot!  The last time I did this one was 2007, I got 1st in my AG, and I puked at the finish from the heat.  So I hope to have a good performance on this one!  I found out that they recommend you wearing a shirt during the bike because if it rains tonight our bike route will have gravel on it that they won't be able to sweep so they are telling us that if we wreck the shirt my help!!!

I borrowed this list I found let's see how many I can relate to:

Top 10 Reasons You know you are a Triathlete 

1.  You have a $4000 bike strapped on top of your $2000 car. 

 I think at this point both my car and bike have lost most of their value but at one point yes, that may have been true.  I love my bike so much I've had it for over 10 years and hope I never have to replace it.  I also lucked out and got to buy it at cost from a friend of the fams!

2.  You have more water bottles than glasses in your cupboard!

I had to move the water bottles into the closet where I know have them in 2 large mesh bags!!

3. During the vacations, when everybody else is partying, you go to sleep at 10:00pm because you're going for a long ride the next day. 

I've done my share of partying but I've also done my share of skipping vacations in order to get my training in.

4. You think an Ironman is easier then a Marathon because you don't have to start by running fast. 

HAAAA!  I've totally said I would do an IM again before ever doing another marathon.  I swear a marathon hurts much worse than an IM...

5. The dog runs away when you get the leash! 

I wish!! I haven't gotten there yet that monster can run like there's no tomorrow!!!

6. You're always wet! Either sweat, pool water, sea water, shower water, bath water or its p*****g down outside! 

Or how about I'm always in workout clothes...  (people see me on the weekends and always assume i just got done working out.

7.  Your company announces mandatory unpaid shutdown days - every other Friday thoughout the summer - in order to cut costs and stay in business, and your response is;Great - now I can do two long workouts on the weekends and still have an easy day. 

I would LOVE this!  I already tried to negotiate for 4/10s and all I got was 1/2 shift to an early start and end but that gives me a little more time for longer workouts!

8. You were awake for the Northridge quake (4:30 AM) because you were out running ... and you showed up for 6 AM Masters swim workout and wondered where everybody was. 

N/A 

9. Nobody believes you when you say 'Never again'.

:-0  Guilty hence I did another marathon.  But never again on the IM.... hmmmm

10. You take part in the corporate challenge to improve your base speed. 

I totally took part in our "Spring Into Motion" event!

 What would you add to this list?

Roller Blading with the dog!

I so wish I had a picture to post with this but let me tell you there was no way I was gonna get to do a self portrait while I was on wheels and my dog was on a leash!  A coworker of mine said she had seen on the dog whisperer that he would roller blade with the dogs to get all their energy out because that way he could let them run faster.  Ok sounds great in theory right!?  There are a few caveats to that however!

1.  Make sure you remember how to roller blade if it's been more than 5 years since you strapped a pair on, specifically, if you remember how to stop!  My roller blades don't have breaks on them so you do the whole T stop where you drag one foot side ways to slow down.  Later f asked me "Don't you know how to hockey stop?"  Not on roller blades maybe on ice skates but on roller blades wouldn't that just send you tumbling?

2.  Make sure you have a flat area to start on.  From my house we started on a downhill and let me tell you as soon as she got going and realized, hey there's no resistance I'm free! She went for it full speed ahead!!  I'd try to slow down but that's hard to do with a dog that is way stronger than she looks and with oncoming traffic.

3.  When you are finally going up hill and wouldn't mind her pulling is when she stops pulling.

4.  People in cars will slow down to laugh and stare and won't think to keep going so they are out of the way in case your dog decides to drag you in the middle of the street.


5.  The roller blades will freak her out a little at first and I should have worn pants not shorts because now I have some wonderful bruises and scratches from her jumping on me.

6.  Don't be afraid to let go, of the leash that is.  I had to let go 2 x on the downhill luckily when I called to her she actually came running back to me with the leash in her mouth.  She was probably thinking, come on mom do I really have to do this myself. 

Was it a success?  She was very tired so yes and in half the time it takes to walk her and not as challenging as on a bike.

Was it scary?  You bet!  I was so scared with her pulling me down hill and the possibility of a car coming and I knew I wouldn't be able to let go of the leash in that case.

Will I try it again?  Yes, I'm a little crazy and I tend to forget how scary something is until I try it again...

Lexi with her bff and partner in crime Lola