pace

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my running pace recently.  After deciding to forego my longer runs to focus on my form, I have seen a dramatic increase in my pace (specifically on my Saturday 5k runs + 5k walk back).  The first weekend doing this workout I finished in 30:00 – over a minute and a half faster than my previous pr on my Nike+, and a whopping 4:30+ minutes less than my 5k pace at my one and only 5k race this past fall.  I was shocked at my ability – and this past weekend?  I blew 30:00 out of the water with under 28:30!.

Granted, this is not a speedy speed for a lot of runners, but it is for me.  I can tell that I am working harder running the faster speeds, but it helps knowing I only have a little over 3 miles to keep it up.  I remember I used to wish I could run 3 miles even just last summer – and I was unable to.  And now I am running the entire thing and running it fast!  It still shocks and amazes me of what our bodies are capable of.

Now, speaking of capabilities, I am not currently capable of running a 1/2 marathon.  Well, I might be, but it wouldn’t be pretty.  Good thing I have until January for my first at Walt Disney World!  (By the way, check out my guest post on Healthy Disney today!).  Since this is my first 1/2 marathon, I know I should not have a set goal time in mind, but that’s not always how I work.  I am usually competitive and it frustrates me that even though I want to be competitive at running – I will never be a great runner.  I’ll get over it… maybe.

Kinley decided to sign up for the Clif Bar Pace Team for the Disney race – to see what it would be like with someone else pacing you rather than having to think about it yourself.  Well, even though I signed up for a slower pace time, I decided I would contemplate running with a pace team as well.  What’s really nice about the Clif Bar Pace Team is that it is FREE, and it has absolutely no obligation – meaning if I didn’t want to run with them come race day, I wouldn’t have to.  I could also switch my pace group I was running with the day of the expo in case I find my speedy marathon legs within the next few months.

Something else that’s awesome about the Clif Bar Pace Team??  They send you FREE products to try and I just to happened to get my first on Monday!

It included a Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Clif Bar, a Raspberry Clif Shot, and a Cran-Razz Clif Block.  Can’t wait to start my training and increase my distance so I need these!  Speaking of training – I should probably think of what training plan I’m going to do and see when I’ll need to start!

a dozen years old

Time certainly does fly.  I cannot believe my little pup, Crosby, is TWELVE years old already!  Well, he rung in his dozenth year quite well – pretty sure I’ve never had a birthday that could top this one ;).

Birthday Morning Pancakes (Funfetti Style with Sprinkles!) in the shape of his face… or hearts.  You can choose.

He went sailing – although I don’t think he would actually pick this activity on his special day… he still got some quality snuggle time with Kinley!

One particularly gluten free friendly restaurant allows dogs on the porch – but more on this later!

Yes, he got his own birthday cake… the main reason was actually Kin and I have had an incurable sweet tooth lately.  Well, I am happy to say it is cured (and there’s still some in the freezer for later!).

Finally?  On his actual birthday (the 29th), he had Meatloaf Cupcakes with Mashed Potato Frosting.  Yummm – and decorated with hemp seeds!

This little guy is definitely sad his birthday weekend is over.  But we’ve got a THREE day weekend coming up to spend some more quality time with the old man!

Aren’t we are such horrible pet owners?!

best sister ever

My sister has a nice streak in her.  She lets it out every once in awhile… ;).  One instance of her niceness is that she let me live rent-free from February through July this year when I first had an unpaid internship, and then I was unemployed after graduation.  See what I mean?  Nice streak.  Well, I had said I would eventually buy her something once I was employed to thank her for those months of “free” living (although I did buy mostly all of the groceries to still help out).  I decided a blender was something nice to buy and definitely not something she would treat herself to (see, she’s a money hoarder).

Well, a marvelous Kohl’s 30% off coupon came to my mom so I thought this was a great opportunity to buy a blender – so I purchased a Ninja, thinking it would be somewhat comparable to a Vitamix.  I was definitely dreaming of nice and smooth green smoothies!  Unfortunately, the ninja did not live up to its name at all… I like ninjas and this thing could not do any superhuman ninja moves.  There were two too many stringy smoothies coming out of the kitchen…  Even the Magic Bullet beat it times 100.

Sadly, my hopes for a new blender went away with the Ninja as I did not have a ton of money still to make a bigger purchase like that.  Well, the morning Kinley and I went to the State Fair, she could not get the Vitamix out of her head!  She said she almost bought one right then and there but held off (money hoarder getting not so hoardy).  And then we get to the fair… and this happens.

Yup.  Exactly.  Who knew there were Vitamix stands at the Wisconsin State Fair?!  And TWO of them!  Although we did not make it past the first one…  Kinley buckled.  She bought the Vitamix.  She even got an extra year added to the warranty (a total of EIGHT years) and a free dry mixer thing too (to make your own flours – a $150 value).  She then proceeded to walk through the fair toting this around, and I kept saying Green Spinach Smoothie so people would give me weird looks.  I love it when I make people think I’m more of a freak than I actually am in real life, although I do love green smoothies.  And they should too!

So I basically got out of buying a blender at all.  I think I’ll just not say anything and hope she forgets I offered to buy her something…  Aw man, she probably just read this in her Google Reader….  But anyways, is the Vitamix everything I dreamed it to be?  Well, just look at the green smoothie and you tell me.

Spinach, almond milk, banana, frozen mango + pineapple.  Beats the looks of my previous creation by about a million.  More smoothies recipes coming soon!