Lovey Dovey

Happy Valentine’s Day/Happy Single Awareness Day!

Despite my newly single status I still love love.

However, I’m not super crazy about Valentine’s Day…at least not in the way it’s typically celebrated these days. My sentiments for this pink and red day are very similar to how I feel about new years resolutions… Why wait for some arbitrary (arbitrary because NOBODY celebrates SAINT Valentine’s Day) to express your love to your significant other? On the other hand, I do love seeing other people take complete advantage of this schmoopy holiday and doing something special.

I guess the bottom line is – don’t wait to do something special for someone you care about. Just do it.

This Valentine’s Day I’ll be going for a run, painting, and hitting up the grocery store! Then tonight I’ll be hanging out with one of my best friends, Emily C. We’re going to cook up some yummy food, have some drinks, and inevitably laugh our heads off. I can’t wait!

What are you guys doing to celebrate? Or if your bf/gf did something really awesome, I’d love to hear about it!

And a song for the single ladies…

My Yoga

While I have a ton of great things going on right now, I think it’s fair to say I’m a little stressed/overwhelmed. During times of stress people have their go-to methods of coping with their emotions. Several friends of mine choose to practice yoga to to regain focus, decompress, and be at peace with themselves.

I’ve tried yoga. I wish I liked it. I wish I could be one of those bendy girls wearing the super cute yoga outfits. I wish I could enjoy quiet, and calm environments with guided breathing.

But I don’t. I need noise. I need intensity. I need excitement. Downward-dog just doesn’t cut it for me.

So to cope with my current stresses, I tried something a little different, something I had never done before…

Yes I did. And yes, I hit the targets. I LOVED it. I shot several rounds out of this .22, and when I was done I felt incredible. I was rejuvenated, refocused, happy, and at peace.

I found my yoga.

Nameste.

Big Changes

Soooo many things I need to type out, but I hardly know where to start.

Yesterday was such an emotional day…

I had an out of town final interview for an incredible career opportunity doing pharmaceutical sales… it was the hardest interview I had ever been on, and when I was done I thought I had bombed it. I felt so stressed about it that after the interview was over, when I was driving home, I had to pull over to cry. When my mom called me to see how it went I could hardly even talk because I was so disappointed. Then when I was headed back home there was an accident that ended up making me sit and not move a single inch for over an hour on a bridge (I’m scared to death of driving over bridges). Needless to say, I was pretty upset. But a couple hours later I got a call to inform me that I GOT THE JOB. I honestly couldn’t believe it. I cried again. Haha.

I couldn’t wait to tell everyone. And I was looking forward to telling Chris all about it. He has always played a huge role in encouraging me career-wise. But I was also really sad… because this opportunity is an hour away from Richmond and I have to relocate…

Life brought me to a fork and a decision had to be made. I knew it would be unlikely to get another job opportunity like this one, and that this was my chance to not have a job, but to have a CAREER. I knew I had to go for it.

As a result Chris and I broke up. We are two very good people that are on different paths right now. I’ll cherish the good memories we had, and I will always care for him, and his amazing family. I hope they know that.

Needless to say… after that happened, I cried again.

Not only was I saying goodbye to my boyfriend of 2+ years, but I was also saying goodbye to “my baby.” Yes, I’m referring to Colby… Chris’ pug. That’s when the can’tbreathe-gasping-ugly-crying occurred.

So as you can imagine I have been experiencing a whirl-wind of emotions. While it’s really tough to handle all of those big changes at once, I know I’ll truck through it. I’m trying to focus on the positive things – the new job, getting to explore a new area, the Christmas presents I’ll be able to afford to get people (haha), and the new people I will meet.

And thankfully, I have the most amazing friends who have swarmed me with love and support. Colleen and Sean took care of me last night. Emily C dragged me out of bed for a 17 mile run (thank god she did that, otherwise that would have been a miserable run to go by myself). Whitney is now kidnapping me for a sleepover.

I don’t know what I would do without my friends. Thanks guys.

I’m Alive!!!

Well. Kind of. Let me explain.

Last week I was in Ft. Lauderdale for training for my new job. I met so many amazing individuals from all over the country. It was incredibly motivating to be learning from some of the heavy-hitters. Everyday we met in the lobby at 7am, and basically trained until dinner time. After dinner there was always a planned activity – bowling, movies, etc. Then the late night activity was going to a redneck bar in walking distance from the hotel.

I was proud that I still (somehow) squeezed training in. I would slip out a little early from the redneck bar and hit the gym. It was hard leaving the fun and tough working out past 11pm, but I’m glad I did it… and I think that it may have even impressed a couple of the higher-ups!

One thing I was SO excited to share was this video. This is how we kicked off training.

If you aren’t pumped up after listening to that cutie-pa-tootie deliver that speech, you’re crazy.

Overall, the best part about training was hands down the people. I feel like I left with potential life-long friends… I’m already planning a few roadtrips to see some of them.

So why I’m not completely alive… on the way back home on the airplane, I started feeling not 100%… not bad… but something was “off.” I knew for sure that something was up when I didn’t eat all of my sushi that night. Then I began coughing. Early Saturday I ran my 15 miler after I loaded up on ever over the counter cough suppressant known to mankind. It was after I awoke from my post-run nap that I felt like I was hit by a truck. I basically have every symptom less vomiting. I went to the Drs today and got some ‘scripts. I wish I could yell at my immune system.

Has anybody had any luck with daily vitamins that focus on a strong immune system? I’ve taken some before… but I can’t really say I noticed a difference.

Sur La Table “Dim Sum” Class Review

For Christmas I had bought my dad a cooking class at Sur La Table and yesterday we both went to it! The theme was Dim Sum. Our menu included:

Overall, class was great. There were 5 other people (not including my dad and I) in the class plus one instructor and couple of assistants. The instructor kicked things off by educating us on Dim Sum. Then she went through all the instructions of the recipes. After that we were put to work! All of the measuring and prep work was done for us in advance. It was nice not having to go through the more tedious steps of cooking.

The whole class had a blast. I really enjoyed the shrimp and the spring rolls. I didn’t like the sticky rice because it had this gnarly tasting Chinese sausage which tasted like a harder-to-chew hot dog. But I definitely plan on making the baked coconut shrimp! I LOVE finding recipes that are feasible for me to make.

That was my second class at Sur La Tab and I (again) thought they did a great job at orchestrating it. It was a little longer than I expected (this one was 3 hours), but we had plenty to do, so time flew! And one of the best parts – we didn’t have to clean up!

My new wings

My new running sneakers came in today!

Aren’t they awesome!? I had saved some money up to purchase them and then my incredibly generous parents ended up surprising me by paying for them. Thank you, Mom and Dad! I seriously have the best parents.

Today I went for my first run in almost two weeks (minor foot injury and was sick) with Emily C. We ran for 5.5 miles. My legs still felt pretty good, but I can tell I’m a little less in shape than I was 2 weeks ago. But I’ll bounce back quickly! Although it wasn’t even close to being my best run, it felt great to be back on my feet again- and in real running shoes! Running sneakers make a difference.

Tonights noms were devoured at an impromptu Panera date. Along with a cup of tomato soup, I enjoyed my usual – Fuji Apple Chicken Salad. If you haven’t had that salad before – you MUST! The end of the meal included parts of a mint crinkle cookie and toffee nut cookie. Calories, schmalories!

Ahhhhh and now time to relax! If you need me, find me lounging downstairs on the couch with a certain pug on my lap.

Gingery Peanut Noodles With Chicken

I might not be a great cook… but I am pretty darn good at finding delicious recipes!

I came across this amaaaazing looking recipe on Pinterest.

It came from RealSimple.com. Here’s a screen shot of the recipe.

Chris and I LOVED it. Here is a picture of what our version looked like.

We can’t wait to make it again. The only thing we did differently was that we cut our veggies smaller just for easier eating. When we make it next, we’ll probably add an entire cucumber to it. Yum, yum, yum!

I Survived the Jcrew Warehouse Sale 2012

This tale might be slightly exaggerated.

I heard about the Jcrew Warehouse sale last week on RichmondBargains.com. I knew it would be madness. And when one of my BFF’s/running partner, Emily C asked me if I wanted to go… I knew I’d be a part of said madness.

We took off in Emily’s batmobile Honda and approached the building with caution. We stepped out of the vehicle wearing our uniform of thin clothes and slip-off shoes to be able to discreetly try clothes on… since you’re not supposed to (um, lame rule!). We did some push ups to warm our arms up knowing that we’d be digging through mountains of clothing. Once we were adequately warmed up, we stepped through the doors like we were explorers about to claim their new land.

Only… the “land” that we were about to “claim” was already claimed by about 150 women raging through the hundreds of boxes of loot like a bunch of barbaric lunatics. We knew we’d fit right in.

We were each handed a plastic bag that could easily hold a few miniature horses as well as a printed out price chart. Then we began digging. There were rows and rows of boxes on top of plastic rectangular tables jammed with apparel.

It was messy. Nothing organized. Everything thrown. Everywhere. But… we managed to find a few GREAT gems to put in our oversized swag-bag.

For a teensy bit over $50, I bought:

This work dress. ($20)

This sleeveless blouse. (Still trying to figure out a way to cinch it in a bit more since it’s a litte loose). Love the color. ($8)

This sleeveless denim extra long shirt. All it needed was a thick belt and skinny jeans. Viola! ($15)

This bikini. OMG I can’t believe I did a kini pic and posted it… it was kind of scary, haha. Anyways. I think this color will look really great when I have a tan. The bottoms are a little big/thicker banded than what I normally get, but still oober cute. ($3/piece)

All while this insanity occurred… the men’s area had about 6 guys sorting quietly and peacefully. In fact, I witnessed stacks of clothing in their section that were still folded.

We claimed. We dug. We plundered.

This and That Thursday!

So I have a bunch of updates for you, so please pardon the randomness of this post!

First up – RUNNING! Last Friday I ran 12 miles (longest run yet) by myself! My time was 2 hours and 12 minutes. I felt great about the accomplishment! However, Saturday I noticed the top of my left foot was not feeling too hot (the ligament that bends my big toe). Then Saturday I had to work 10 hours on the busiest night of the year at the steakhouse – was on my feet hustling the entire time. Sunday I also had to work, luckily, it was a slow night and less running around was required. Finally Monday I could rest my foot! The discomfort went down considerably. Although my foot is not in “pain,” I can tell that there is still some discomfort going on with my foot. So this week I’m crossing training!

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in several weeks (I run outside). It was SO BORING! I never thought I’d prefer running outside in all types of weather over the comfort of the gym! Anyways, I tried out the elliptical and the bike to see what worked best for my foot. I found the bike was more comfortable (this surprised me because pre-running-Dana ONLY did the elliptical) and it felt more like running to me. It was a very light workout. My foot doesn’t feel any worse or any better from cross training. So I’m taking that as a green light for biking my miles in this week. I am hoping to be able to run next week…

The other curveball to my training – I’ve been under the weather since Tuesday. Yuck! My energy level has been quite low and I’ve been coughing and such. But I’m fighting back with devouring Ricolas all day, having the humidifier going, and Colby by my side for moral support.

I also fell short of eating healthy last night when I chose one of my favorite foods for dinner…

My darling boyfriend prepared my spaghettios just the way I like them. Still in the can, unheated. Delicious! Don’t judge.

On a completely different note (hey, I warned you this was going to be a random post!)… my friend Zeneda sent me this recipe because she knows I love trying out quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) recipes. I hadn’t had much luck with finding a quinoa recipe that I liked that was sweeter in taste/included fruit… but since it had been a while since I had tried a new one, so I decided to give it a shot! I ended up changing a few of the ingredients…

Here’s what I used (measurements stayed the same, unless specified on here):
Almond milk (instead of regular milk)
OJ (instead of apple juice)
NO raisons
Small handfull Craisins
One single serving container of fage (instead of yogurt)
10 Finely chopped almonds
Quinoa
A dash or two Cinnamon
3/4 slices of Frozen Peaches that I thawed out in the microwave
Sprinkling of Blueberry flaxseed (it was in the pantry)

Boil the milk and OJ. Cook the quinoa in it. Add the cinnamin. Add the craisins to plump them up for a few. Stack quinoa first, then fage, then peaches, then almond/flax crumbles. As you can see.. I’m a very technical chef. Side note -I sure wish there was a font for sarcasm!

When I was finished making it – it looked like a fancy schmancy parfait!

It tasted… well.. ok… ish. I guess the grainy nature of the quinoa in conjunction with the sweetness of the peaches tasted a little odd. Overall, I think I just prefer quinoa to be served with veggies and meat.

If I were to try this kind of recipe again… I’d proportion it differently so that it was 50% fruit (next time I’d try blueberries since they have such a strong flavor), 30% quinoa, 20% yogurt (I’d go with vanilla yogurt to add some sweetness)… But at least it looked good!

I just finished reading The Kite Runner – I can’t wait to do a review!

Happy Thursday! My question to you – Have any of you ever dealt with a setback during training for a race? If so, what did you do to cross train? And how did you bounce back?

A healthy spin

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of my new years resolutions is to eat healthier between now and the marathon (March 18). So far I’ve been doing ok… I’ve managed to not drink any of the diet pepsi in the fridge, refrained from buying Gushers at the store all while still enjoying a little bit of junk food in carrrreful moderation.

In addition to researching yummy looking healthy recipes, I’ve also been trying to think of ways to make some of my go-to recipes more healthy. Today I found a great one! Chris and I eat these tacos all the time. They are so good… so good, that I literally can’t control myself and end up devouring 5 tacos instead of a satisfying 3.

The healthy spin-off version of this recipe ended up being…

drum roll please

Ah ha!!!
To put the taco filling in a red pepper!

Chris really enjoys cooking and does 90% of the cooking when we are together… which is fine with me! He put the hollowed out pepper in the oven with the black beans at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (just long enough to soften the pepper a tiny bit).

It was delicious! But was it as amazing as the original fried tortilla version? Not quite. But I also didn’t have to wear loose sweatpants to be comfortable while eating the healthy version. Next time we Chris makes these I’ll probably request two (but would have probably finished 1.5 and ate the last .5 for a snack later).

Have any of you re-created any go-to recipes to make them healthier?