So true...

I found this the other day.  It's from a gentleman named Greg McMillan.  He's a running coach and an exercise physiologist.  And while his statement is geared toward running, and race day.  It's pretty much true for everything ...   from your crazy morning at work, your busy evening,  a wedding day, an interview, raising kids, being a boss, being an employee... anything... 

(for future reference... um yeah... I don't 'run for fun' as he says... we all know I run for margaritas and chips and salsa)

Have fun and smile

Let's face it. Most of us aren't going for an Olympic gold medal here. We are simply enjoying the challenge of doing our best. There is no real pressure, so quit putting so much on yourself. We run for fun, and you should remember that. Have fun! I encourage runners to smile a lot in the final days before a race. Smiling puts you in a better mood, and that can play a big role on race day.

It's only through having a positive, happy mindset focused on doing your best, combined with a well-trained body that is rested but revved, fueled and hydrated that helps you race at your best.

Sunday Sunday Sunday... COUNTDOWN !

(last year... waaaayyy to early for Mitch )
Next Sunday,  I'll be in Vegas... and close to being done with a Half Marathon. I'll be greeted by an Ol Batt and family that traveled to see us.  I'll be smiling, sweaty, waiting for my sis, eating a banana and wrapped in a lovely metalic blanket, quite the fashion statement I must say.  It's gonna be good.  I've given up stressing about times... last year was 2:44,  no land speed records there,  but I'd like to get below that.  If I do,  snazzy,  if not,  hey,  I was out there :) 

This is today... for the start of the Seattle Marathon.  No,  I'm not running.  Can you guess WHY ??  Nice weather !  Can you see the Space Needle ?  Oh,  no,  I'm sorry, you can't because IT'S COVERED UP IN FOG !  bbbrrrrr.....    For those out running today, good luck,  stay warm,  be safe,  and the biggest thing... HAVE FUN !

thankful things...

running stores that listen... and give you a discount

margarita shot bloks

tech shirts

under armour socks

shuffles

The Killers - I love them... no ... really... 

mileageplan shopping mall

weddings to go to in 2009

alaska airlines boardroom

sign language guys (no seriously... THE best !)

99 cent gloves

confidence

trader joes just chicken

zen puppy dog snacks

ol batt,  alaska girl and 2tymr... yes,  it's a superhero club

kids that help their parents with facebook

Idina Menzel song - I Stand... so good

Daphne Willis - another good one to listen to

Stock up = check !

K... 

My luggage will be ready for Vegas... let's hope my legs can be this prepared !

xoxox

 

Thurdsay ! Be thankful :) Brick ??? does it count ??

Whew.... i'm thankful today for no shin / foot / hip pain !   WAHOOOOO 

I think,  maybe just a little,  kinda,  I did a 'brick' workout. HA !  I'm so runner/tri techie...  NOT !!!!!

I ran for 2 miles on the treadmill,  got bored,  but didn't want to NOT do anything else.  Since no one was in the gym,  I got on one of the bikes, not the sit-down-like-you're-in-a-lounge chair- bike,  but the one that actually kinda looks like a bike,  (i have NO idea if it was adjusted correctly !) and rode for 2 miles,  then said to myself,  self, go run for one more.  AND I DID !  hehehehe... so it's my mini brick.  Run for 2,  ride for 2 and run for 1.  NICE !  By the way....it's WAY quicker  to ride for 2 miles than it is to run for 2. 

AND.... drum roll please... NO shin / leg / hip pain.  I wore my adidas.  I love them and they are my favorite. But I don't think they can do 13.1  so I'll be scamming on some new asics this weekend.

On a sappy side note... I'm so very very thankful to all my friends / fam that don't fall on their butts laughing out loud at me.  Or, even when they do, they get up and give me a hug and tell me to keep going.  I'm thankful for the people that put up with my obsessing, counting, worrying, OCD, ADHD, fears, unrealistic hopes, and all my other funny quirks.... for your  kindness, tolerance, patience, love, understanding, humor, and never ending constant support,  I am blessed and proud to have each of you in my life. xoxooxoxxoxo

LOVE IT !

So... just got an email from the LV Marathon / Half people.  You can order a tech shirt with your bib number on it so you don't have to wear the bib !  

On order... long sleeve... my bib number will be on there,  and it will say 

"TWO TIMER" on it !

HA !!!!!!   Rob came up with that :) 

so fun... not ready... but SOOO fun !

xoxoxox
  

Brooks = OUT

Lord... I just ran a mile,  yes  ONE SMALL LITTLE MILE in my Brooks and my feet, legs, shin, piriformis and hip DID NOT LIKE THEM AT ALL.  NOT GOOD !!  I ran 5 miles the other day in my Adidas and my shins and legs didn't hurt.  Back to Asics and Adidas... brilliant with only 13 days left to Vegas... lord... 

Let's talk hammys and that damn piriformis :)

Hamstring stretch using a stability ball 

Got that ???  

My hamstrings and piriformis are killin' me these days ( I must be having a growth spurt ! HA !) and this honestly helps,  and doesn't kill my back. I try to do this after anything higher than 2 miles on the treadmill (which fortunately is just about any treadmill time...I figure if I'm gonna run,  I might as well make it a freakin' 5K everytime... sheesh) 

Tuck your pelvis and lift your hips off the floor, then roll the ball away from you until your legs are straight. Bend your knees and roll the ball in to the starting position.  You can do  2 set of 10-15 reps each.  NICE !

And next... this is how I spend my time watching television most nights... 

Piriformis Stretch: The piriformis muscle is responsible for lateral rotation of the hip. It is particularly important to athletes who have to change direction, such as tennis players and running backs in football. (Yeah... that's me... a football running back ! HA !) But though runners run straight ahead, keeping the piriformis muscle loose is important for overall flexibility. Lying on your back, cross your legs just as you might while sitting in a chair. Grasping the "under" leg with both hands, pull the knee toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your buttocks and hips.

The piriformis stretch came from one of my fav fav fav running websites, www.halhigdon.com  Hal Higdon is easier to understand,  doesn't talk all technical and has ran over 111 marathons.  He's got honest to goodness been there done that advice that makes sense.

My other fav is John "The Penguin" Bingham  www.johnbingham.com.  John isn't speedy, but gets it done and knows that being out there is more important than 

a time ! Great advice from a truly motivating guy :) 

not that I drink coffee... but I am a huge supporter of (RED)

So... I'll have to say thank you to Starbucks...    I don't drink coffee..... but for this,  I'll hit up Starbucks to see what they have to offer.  I'm a huge supporter of (RED)... and this could be a good thing.

Starting on November 27, 2008 and continuing through January 2, 2009, Starbucks will contribute five cents from the sale of any (STARBUCKS)^RED EXCLUSIVE beverage* at all company-owned and licensed stores in the United States and Canada to the Global Fund to invest in AIDS programs in Africa.The (STARBUCKS)^RED EXCLUSIVE beverages are Peppermint Mocha Twist, Gingersnap Latte and Espresso Truffle only at participating locations.

doubt...

Ok,  I'll admit it,  I was kinda doubting myself about the Half.  Not a good thing.  This morning I got up, took the dog for a walk,  took some advil, ate a protein bar and headed to the treadmill.  Dreading it... 

I put 55 minutes on the timer and off I went.  I completed 5.25 miles in just under 54 minutes.   Max heart rate = 179  Average was 158.   557 calories burned. 

Let me tell you ... every minute sucked !  My legs felt heavy,  my right lower back was not pleased, my priformis went on strike at the half mile mark and apparently a 180 calorie protein bar is not enough fuel.   Got it.. 

HOWEVER... i did it.  And when I was done,  I thought to myself,  if I had to,  I could do this for another 90 minutes,  and that, my friends would be a half marathon.  

Doubt = gone    Discomfort = here      Satisfaction =  here    I'm good :) 

Friday... 16 days to the Half

Here's what I've discovered.. I eat waaaayyyy too much sugar.  I like it.  I don't think it's a bad thing.  I used to live on Twix bars, Cheetos and Pepsi (ahh... the good ol' days) and I still would if my butt and thighs would agree.  But,  that's just not the case.  

And I'm T O T A L L Y not a nutrition freak.  I do know what works for me when I'm being all 'gym serious'... but since I haven't been 'gym serious' in a while,  I've sadly noticed a trend.  Yep,  I really don't feel all that great.  Not too energized,  a little lagging,  a little more tired, scale slowly rising.   Interesting.  

Today,  as I was eating a handful of mint M&M's,  and my stomach started actually hurting.  I thought perhaps, maybe, just maybe,  if I ate a tad bit better,  I might feel a tad bit better .. WHAT ????   I tried to argue with myself for about 5 minutes and that didn't really work.  So I've decided I need to seriously pay attention.  I can count calories in like 3.2 seconds,  but don't ask me me about sugar grams blah blah blah.Funny thing though,  I really don't have a sweet tooth.  I'd rather have salt.  But for some reason, those high calorie, high sugary items just call my name at work and there I am, eating away. 

Here's my first big,  major,  gigantic step.  I'm cutting out candy.  I know.  For some of you,  you laugh and say that's like giving up watermelon for lent (not in season you know).  But for me,  not so easy.  There is always candy, muchies, sugary things in someones office at work.  I'm going to have willpower and pass 'em by.  Yep,  like they don't exist.   Willpower of STEEL.  Ha... that's sooooo not me.  But I'm gonna work at it.

I'll be interested to see what the outcome is.  And,  if I stick to it,  I'm gonna reward my self at the end of the Half Marathon with some peanut butter M&M's and maybe even a Twix bar :) 

And in my 'less sugar' vein... check this out !

Winter Wonderland Peppermintini

PER SERVING (entire drink): 125 calories, 1.5g fat, 10mg sodium, 3g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, 0g protein 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. (3 tbsp.) 80-proof vodka

2 tsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer

1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda) 

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

Optional Garnish: 1 small candy cane

 

Directions:

Place powdered creamer and sweetener in a glass. Add 1/4 cup warm water and stir to dissolve.

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add creamer mixture, vodka, and peppermint extract. Cover and shake well, until mixture is cold. Strain into a martini glass. If you like, garnish with a candy cane leaning jauntily on the rim.

MAKES 1 SERVING 

Love BOB !

http://www.bajabob.com/home.html

and.....  because we are THAT snazzy.... use code    clubbob1108  thru 30 November to get an extra 15 percent off. 

Sugar free !!   Some have NO ... that's right... .NO ZIP ZERO ZILCH calories ! 

Margarita Mixes (Original, Mango, Desert Lime & Strawberry), Sweet & Sour Mix, Martini Mixes (Cranberry Cosmo, Blue Raspberry, Sour Apple, Lemon Drop), Mai Tai Mix, Pina Colada Mix, Mojito Mix, Daiquiri Mix, Hurricane Mix

Back at it...

Today, work was way icky. Not the work, or the people, but the day. It was a "reduction in force" day. Those days are never good. You spend the day wondering if it's going to be you, wondering who it is going to be, watching people you know have families and bills and mortgages leave out the door and not come back. It's stressful. Anyway you look at it, whether you are an employee, a boss, or a family member. Yuck. I, thankfully, seem to be 'safe' this round. Although, that's the other thing, you never feel 'safe'. Seniority, what you've done, who you are, none of those things matter in a RIF situation. And when you see people leave, you wonder why them ? We lost some good people today... I seem to have somewhat blind faith that the higher ups in our very large corporation have the business as their first interest and with the economy and uncertainty, are doing all that they can to keep everyone afloat. Sometimes, blind faith is OK. You keep your head down, keep doing your best work, keep a smile and keep going until someone tells you not too... So that's what I'll do.

OK... now that I have that out of the way :) Onward....

I got home today and knew I had to throw on the Brooks and head to the treadmill. Dreading it.... I haven't 'ran' in a bit... and again, I can come up with every excuse possible. But that's just not gonna cut it with 18 days left until a half marathon.

iPod, water, and off I went. I did way better than I thought. I got 3.08 miles down in 32 minutes. That's good for me ! I'll take it. No toe pain, no shin pain, but the damn pirformis is NOT happy. This is a good thing though... I've learned that before I run I need to take some ibuprofen proactively and that should help. Good lesson ! And I'll carry some with me on race day. I'm proud that I figured that out :) And I also learned, that if I can run 3...I sure as HELL CAN RUN 13.1 !!!! No worries.

I do have to share a great story with you. This guy, David Goggins, jumped from a helicopter at the start of this years Ironman in Kona. He's amazing. And he's not only amazing for the athletic things he does, but for WHY he does them. And why do I admire him from afar so much ??? Because, bless him.... for being an amazing runner, HE DOESN'T LIKE TO RUN !!!! Love that ! Keeps me motivated to do bigger and better things. Doesn't mean I have to LOVE them, means I have to at least TRY !! Amazing ! The article below is from this months Runners World (yes... I admit... I have a subscription and carried David to Mexico with me !!)

THE WARRIOR: DAVID GOGGINS

A Navy SEAL pushes himself to maniacal lengths to raise money for veterans' families.

By Peter Flax

Photographs by Evan Hurd

From the December 2008 issue of Runner's World

David Goggins lives in a world where there is no easy button. This is a man who says he "hates" running—but then wakes up to bang out a marathon before sunrise. The 33-year-old from Chula Vista, California, has recast himself as an elite ultramarathoner, a philanthropic machine, and an accidental role model by pursuing a running life that's truly unrelenting.



The transformation began in 2005. He was a 280-pound powerlifter who never ran more than 20 minutes, a Navy SEAL finishing a nasty tour in Iraq. But after losing some buddies in a "mission gone bad" in Afghanistan, Goggins vowed to help the families that now lacked a father and a husband. Though he knew he wanted to raise money, he also knew he wasn't a bake-sale kind of guy. "So I went online," he says, "and Googled the 10 hardest things to do in the world."

That's when he discovered the Badwater Ultramarathon—the legendary 135-mile race from the floor of Death Valley to Whitney Portal. He called race director Chris Kostman to see if he could get in. Kostman asked Goggins how many 100-milers he'd run. None. How many marathons? None. Kostman told him to get some ultramarathoning experience if he wanted to run Badwater.

Days later, he entered a 24-hour race in San Diego. The ordeal left him with broken metatarsals in both feet and a case of kidney failure, but he did crank out 100 miles in less than 19 hours. Ten days later, he ran the Las Vegas Marathon in 3:08. And for ample measure, he entered the H.U.R.T. 100-Mile Endurance Run, one of the hardest ultras in the world. Goggins finished ninth. All this was in the span of two months.

In July 2006, with 50 pounds off his linebacker frame, Goggins lined up in Badwater with 84 other entrants, and finished fifth. Then he took second at the 2006 Ultraman World Championships (a double Ironman triathlon held over three days), though he didn't yet own a bike. He returned to Badwater in 2007 and came in third. He won the Ultra Centric 48-hour run (covering 203 miles), and won the 2008 McNaughton 150-miler by three hours. "When I get to mile 75 of a 150-mile race and I'm completely trashed—that's the only way I can see what David Goggins is all about," he says.

These existential quests unfold daily. Goggins often covers 15 or 20 miles before breakfast and bikes 50 miles round-trip to his Navy job. He swims, lifts, and goes "long" on weekends. "Other than being crazy, David's just self-motivated," says his wife, Aleeza. "I'm certain that he hasn't taken a day off in three years."

His exploits have raised more than eyebrows. In three years, Goggins has netted $200,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which gives full college grants to children of Special Ops personnel killed in the line of fire. He also helps nonprofits that build handicap-accessible homes for disabled vets. "I keep thinking that there's more I can do," he says. "I guess I'm pretty hard on myself."

Uh, yeah. But what makes Goggins push himself so relentlessly? For sure, he's driven by his charitable mission, his infinite discipline, his superhuman gift to endure. And yet there is more.

"I'm different than most people," he says. "When I cross the finish line of a big race, I see that people are ecstatic, but I'm thinking about what I'm going to do tomorrow. It's as if my journey is everlasting and there is no finish line."

Go turtle Go !

   

1) I only dropped him one time ... and he recovered well despite Rob's diagnosis of a head injury

2) He caught the first wave and I am confident that regardless of what the silly marine biologist person says,  my Macca was 1 of the 3 out of a hundred that survive.

3)  His original name was Michael Phelps... but with those insane odds,  I figured he'd need a better skill set than just swimming...ergo... re-named him after an IronMan Champion.  Fitting I'd say

4)  He was directionally proficient,  proving that I did not have any negative parental influence on him as opposed to what some other parents might think. 

5)  After a week in Mazatlan,  I sound like Marge Simpson.

6)  Rob yells at me in this video,  the same way he yelled at me when Mitch lived at home... interesting... 

Schedule

November Seattle Marathon 5K ('cause I'm not doing a freakin half marathon in Seattle ... who does that ?? rain , hills,  c'mon... no way)    

December Vegas Half Marathon

Jingle Bell Run - bellingham

Jingle Bell Run - seattle

January  Resolution Run 5K - Magnuson Park

February Love em or Leave em 5k - Greenlake

March St. Pats Dash 

Big Climb

Then... gotta get ready to summit Rainer.  

After say June-ish.... I got nuthin.... so I'll have to be looking for stuff.

Oh yeah.... still have to figure out how to ride a bike and swim for a tri in Vegas in 2010.

Maz done... back to the real world...

And..... I'm back.  

My pictorial re-cap of last week is below.  Notice that there are no pictures of the gym at the Inn.  Um... that's because,  while I did go there... it's really nothing to photograph  Some weights,  one eliptical, one treadmill and a fan.  Yep... that's it.  RC and I took turns rotating to ensure we weren't infringing on each other's time :)   It worked well.  The treadmill is in KGs and Kilometers.  Brilliant.. I do know that 5 kilometers is 3.1 miles.  But I have no idea what my weight is in KGs.  HA !   I managed though.

I went to the gym a total of 3 times.  That's better than zero.

Also notice in the pictorial below that I did in fact bring my running shoes.  Some people didn't.  I find that odd... for me... I wouldn't go anywhere without throwing them in.  That being said,  perhaps I could learn a thing or two from people who don't bring workout stuff on vacation. Like... maybe... it's a vacation and it's ok to relax. hhhmmmm.... 

Did I eat well ?  No...   I discovered that my fav Maz breakfast is flour tortillas and refried beans.  I'm fairly sure that they don't use the low cholesterol healthy stuff to make the refried beans.  But it was good though.  I also have learned that if you open a bag of Queso Ruffles it is literally impossible to not eat it immediately. 

But...the scale isn't going "OH MY GOD" when I stand on it.. .so I think I'm OK.

This week ... my evil plan is to beat the hell out of myself on a treadmill.  I'd like to get in at least 3-5 miles a day to get the lungs working again.   Vegas will be a struggle... but completely,  absolutely, do-able, and FUN.  

In planning my schedule for next year... I've found that the Big Climb is on March 22nd (www.bigclimb.org)  and the St. Pat's Dash is March 15th (www.stpatsdash.com)  WAHOOOOOO   I get to do both !

Holiday season is upon us people... make smart choices,  allow for a day of falling off the wagon,  and keep moving !! 

xoxoxoxo

My week....

because you must dance when going to dinner... 

zip line... 

HA !

Rob promised it was safe... 

turtle release night .. 

release of Macca !

Go Venados !

happy hour !

in the pool ... always... 

this is how we roll...

And.... I'm back :)

Home.... currently doing laundry,  catching up on emails and getting organized for tomorrow.  I'll be posting pics and updating tomorrow !!  xoxoxo

the sun and the sand and a drink my hand... with no bottom...

I'm off to sunny Mexico for a week.  For you blog followers / voyeurs / stalkers (oh wait, that's me) /fitness nuts / family etc... that means no updates for 8 whole days :) 

On that note.. here are some way cool things I found today in catching up with my fitness / running mags:

OK... EVEN I can do this:  

Coconut Almond Bars

combine 2 cups rolled oats,  1 cup unsweetened coconut, and 1/2 cup each,  dates (or raisins) raw almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and cashews.  Mix 1 1/2 cups natural peanut butter, with one cup honey and one teaspoon vanilla.  Microwave for one minute.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  On a greased baking sheet,  spread mixture into a one inch high rectangle.  Cut into 12 bars.  or,  if time allows,  bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. 

This is a great pre-run / pre- work out snack.  quick good carbs and healthy fats to keep up energy levels.

Tea can help with muscle soreness.... Rutgers University gave a study group a black-tea extract or a placebo for 9 days and put them thru a heavy workout.  Compared to the placebo group,  the tea group had significantly lower amounts of muscle soreness / damage.  The researchers believe 'catechins' the anti-oxidant in black and green tea were responsible for reducing inflammation.  Yeah for TAZO AWAKE !  Or just plain old shaken black tea, half the sweetener.  Love that !

Check out www.rnrseattle.com to learn about the Seattle Rock and Roll Marathon June 27th 2009

For end of the year 2009, look at www.spacecoastmarathon.org.   Marathon / Half Marathon near Kennedy Space Center in Florida... you know... Cocoa Beach !  Dare ya to walk on the beach and NOT hum the theme to I Dream of Jeannie !!!

One Buck - www.saucony.com/runforgood   Here you can purchase a pair of red shoe laces and proceeds go to different charities to help end childhood obesity. 

tomorrow,  November 8th,  is the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater Florida  - I'll be rooting for Pro Female #120 Chrissie Wellington - she won the full Ironman in October.  And Pro Male # 46 Luke McKenzie... just 'cause he's a cutie !

Brandi Chastain - remember her ?? the soccer chick with the amazing abs who tore off her shirt when USA won World Cup in 1999 ?   Yep - she's a runner now ! and dear  lord... she's 40 years old !  She just finished the NYC Marathon last weekend, with a killer marathon time of 4:11:07  It was her first marathon,  and she ran to promote ING's Run For Something Better ... check it out at www.ingrfsb.org - another group to promote helping end childhood obesity.  I have some of their orange laces :)   

OK... I think I've kept you busy for a few days.  

Everyone have a great week,  hydrate,  move,  smile... 

xoxoxoxoxo

C'mon... you KNOW you wanna ...

There it is... Las Vegas Boulevard,  the Strip,  the place where the Rat Pack sang,  money is won,  fortunes are lost, and where,  at 6am on a cold, dark December morning,  we'll be dressed in our best running gear, buffet dinner already eaten, rested, and ready to rock the Strip !   And just for the record,  I'm fairly POSITIVE that at the end of the measly 13.1 miles,  I'll be overheard saying 'what the hell was I thinkin'??'  just like last year.... 

hehehehehe 

GOOD TIMES !!!!
 

Shorter.. walk ? jog ? = FUN FUN FUN

Saturday, November 29. Seattle Marathon’s 5K* Run/Walk Presented by Road Runner Sports. Myrtle Edwards Park, Seattle. 9 a.m. New event for 2008! Flat, certified course should be fast! (206) 729-3660, www.seattlemarathon.org.

Thursday, January 1. Resolution Run 5K* & Trip 'n Drip Presented by CNW. Magnuson Park, Seattle. 10:30 a.m. Optional "Trip 'n Drip" into Lake Washington just before finish. Beer garden and chili to follow. www.promotionevents.com, (206) 729-9972.

Just to keep you thinkin' ahead to 2009...

Sunday, March 29. Whidbey Island Marathon*. Whidbey Island. Also half marathon*. www.whidbeyislandmarathon.com.

Saturday, April 4. Ninth Annual Yakima River Canyon Marathon*. Ellensburg to Se-lah. (425) 226-1518 or (509) 966-0188. www.yakimarivercanyonmarathon.com.

Sunday, May 3, 2009. Eugene Marathon*. Eugene, OR. Also half marathon* and 5K*. www.eugenemarathon.com, (877) 345-2230.

Saturday, May 16, 2009. Windermere Marathon. One way from Post Falls, ID to Spokane’s Riverfront Park running along the Centennial Trail. Also half marathon. www.windermeremarathon.com, (509) 321-9160.

Sunday, June 7, 2009. North Olympic Discovery Marathon* & Half Marathon*. Sequim to Port Angeles on Olympic Discovery Trail. www.nodm.com, larry@nodm.com, (360) 417-1301.

Saturday, June 27, 2009. Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Tukwila to Seattle. Inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in Seattle. One way course along Lake Wash., ending in downtown with live bands along the way. Half marathon too. www.rnrseattle.com.

And do you like that I've included everyone ?? Spokane,  Eugene,  Seattle,  Port Angeles... I gotta find something up North though... give me some time,  I'm on it.

I'm thinking the May 3rd Eugene Half sounds good.  I've heard GREAT things about that course.  And seriously,  the word on the street (ha !  total pun !) is that the Seattle RNR is supposed to be stellar.  Good course, fun... and it will be taking the place of the Seattle Marathon that is usually in November (um yeah... running a marathon in November in Seattle.. brilliant planning that was ..NOT!)

I'll find some fun 5K / 10Ks and post those soon too.  And remember... it's not about speed (well, for some it might be) it's about getting out there and doing it ! Walk, run , jog, just MOVE !  

OK... vegas down.. Maz to go...

So even though I walked 7 miles in a day and took every stair possible,  that didn't really help out with the chips / salsa / bloody mary's / margaritas etc.. you get the idea.

I'm back at it today.  Salads,  and good stuff until Maz.  The scale isn't bad, just not terribly thrilling.  No worries.  Back to running, and eating ok next week,  even on vacation.  

Taking a jog in Mazatlan isn't really an issue.  I get up so early, and it drives Rob nuts, so I can go for a quick run either on the beach or down the Zona Dorado and still be safe.  I let Rob know where I'm headed, throw on the jog clothes and shoes,  put on the ol' heart rate monitor and off I go.  And oddly,  for some strange reason,  me and RC are the only ones in the little Inn gym in the mornings... hhmmm. 

Speaking of RC,  she had a stellar idea.  I usually take some of my own food with me when I travel.  Easier to eat a 200 calorie high protein bar in the morning than a huge ol' eggs, sausage, bacon , toast, potato breakfast.  And while I get chuckled at,  it's just easier for me.  RC suggested oatmeal.  I love that idea.  Quick, good for you, filling, and not junk food.  BRILLIANT.  

For some of us, I know, breakfast isn't a high priority.  But it's easy to throw a bar in your bag, or a quick packet of oatmeal and you have a decent morning started. 

Off to figure out SPF issues and post Vegas pics. 

Keep moving !  My half marathon is coming up faster than I can imagine and I'm definetly NOT ready,  but at least I'm out there doing it ...   get moving gang ! 

xoxoxox

rewards...

whew....

Just a quick update, but I'll be back up to speed this week:

1 - Elton rocked.  Seriously ... one of the best concerts EVER

2 - Carnevino at the Palazzo was de-lish !!

3 - Saturday,  we E A S I L Y walked more than 7 miles (from Mandalay to the Palazzo straight shot one way is 2.8 miles... we walked that and thru tons of the hotels... 7 miles)

4 - those 7 miles included NOT ONE SINGLE escalator.  Stairs EVERY time !

5 - to congratulate myself for that... yep... a 32 oz magarita at Diablos.  I love that place

6 - Mitch is alive, well, smiling and for the most part doing good.

7 - i love love love the Alaska boardroom

xoxoxoxoxo