Can you tell that I just finished watching the SERIES finale of Friday Night Lights?
Boo Hoo!! I sure am going to miss that show.
It has been in my DVR to watch since the beginning of time. I have dreaded this day because I knew that it would really make the show be over in my mind. In fact, I went ahead and read the outcome of the finale before I watched the show.
It's that weird issue I have about needing to know the end without wanting the end to really happen.
The funny thing is that I was thinking of Coach Taylor as I was running today. He is what motivated me to keep going.
That and watching the movie Invincible in the cardio theater.
Great football movies and shows are SO inspirational to me. Which makes it bananas that I have no clue what anything means in football.
Thank goodness Kev never feels the need to discuss the game.
Anyway, I needed all the inspiration I could get today.
Basically, this time of year brings on a weird sinus thing. It's almost like I have allergies.. but I don't. I'm exhausted and stuffy and exhausted.
And may or may not have had a Parmesan Potatoes hangover.
My early morning rise for yoga didn't happen. I was still so tired when my alarm went off... and due to the fact that I get sleep so few and far between... I opted for the sleep.
I headed to the gym early afternoon. Dreading it the entire way. Thinking of reasons that I shouldn't go. Trying to put it off until tomorrow. I even sat in the parking lot for five minutes trying to decide if I should go in.
That's when I realized my IPOD was dead. Running without my music is like my food without hot sauce. Like Kev without a chore to do. Like my bathroom without a mess in it.
It is just ridiculous to even think about.
But then Coach Taylor's voice spoke in my head. "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts". And I knew that I just had to stay focused and get my tail in the gym.
That and the fact that I had just driven ( WHICH USES EXPENSIVE GAS!) 30 minutes to the gym.. and I might as well go throw some money down the storm drain if I didn't make it worth my while.
Rumor has it that I used to do that back in the day.
I chose a treadmill next to a girl that was running a speed pretty close to the one I run at. Just a little bit less. And I decided that I would try to keep her pace for motivation.
Having a running buddy makes all the difference!! Even if that running buddy has no idea that you are running with them.
I'm kinda creepy like that.
And you know what? Between my "buddy" and the extremely motivational movie - I did all right. I felt great. I kept a good pace. I got in a rhythm.
At least until I accidentally hit the "stop" button instead of the "average pace" button.
UGH!!
Then I had to start all over.
I've decided that my plan for the half will be to find someone running a good pace ( for me) and stick with them.
Hopefully, they won't leave me in their dust.
After running, I went and picked up some insoles for my new running shoes ( thanks to Kohl's EXCELLENT back to school sale!) and now I believe that I am all set. I will be running in a pink and black outfit - courtesy of my Aunt Sandi. And will be wearing a Spibelt ( which is NOT a fanny pack!!!) to hold my phone/camera and Gu.
I only have one more day off until I leave for Orlando....so, it is important for me to get it all situated today.
On another note.... I never really recapped all of the working out that I did while we were in Atlanta. Not that you have been sitting on the edge of your seat to find out if I did. But I feel the need to document that I have finally found a nice balance between a healthy lifestyle and having fun.
It sounds crazy ... but it used to be all or nothing. One extreme or the other. And really, that is no way to live.
Moderation is the key. Unless it involves eggs, or hot sauce, or avocados. Those don't count.
The Hilton had a state-of-the-art gym. Meaning that it "blew my socks off". I felt like a movie star working out in there. I basically just did cardio... every day but one... and had every intention of working out with the weights but there was always some guy using them. I don't have the confidence for that yet.
One day, I even ran on a track on top of part of the hotel. It was an awesome track because it had a hill in it - which kicked my tail but prepped me for outdoor running. The only issue that I had was that downtown Atlanta does NOT smell so great right before lunch. Kind of like a Chinese buffet, sewer, vat of grease, dirty diaper, and plate of onion rings all rolled up in to a stink cloud.
But I still managed to crank out 3 1/2 miles. In humidity.
Not too shabby.
And on yet ANOTHER and extremely random note....
I just wanted to give you an example of a (VERY BAD) picture that I took of one of Kev's recent meals. A meal that he insisted on me getting a picture because it looked so fancy. <= I talked about him doing this in one of my recent posts.
It makes me laugh every time that I see this picture. But Kev acted like it was a work of art. :)
And just in case you were wondering.... the "breadsticks" are ridiculously easy but apparently trick the people eating them into thinking that you have been slaving away in the kitchen.
Parmesan Breadsticks:
1 puff pastry sheet - thawed ( I use Pepperidge Farm)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 ts paprika ( OR Cajun Foreplay spice if you are lucky enough to know someone in Syracuse)
1/2 ts cornstarch.
Preheat oven to 375
Sprinkle half of the cheese on work surface ( I use a cutting board)
Roll out the THAWED puff pastry sheet on the cheese.
Combine the remaining cheese, paprika, and cornstarch. Sprinkle on the top of the pasrty.
Keep rolling cheese mixture into dough until dough is 1/8 thick.
( I forgot to roll the dough thin this time... which resulted in the breadsticks being very "fluffy" and they were still good!!)
Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough in to 1/2 inch strips. Cut strips in half. Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Until browned.
And you are done.
Leave it to me to include my running inspiration, a recap of my vacation workouts, and a recipe all in the same post.
I'm just like a box of chocolates.... you never know what you are going to get!
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