I've finally got 'the runs'!

I've got the runs and I've got them bad! And no, I don't want to sprint to a toilet.  I mean I have running fever, which I call the runs, because I am 28 and still think bathroom humor is hilarious.  I love to run, but this was not always the case. I always ran, but rarely loved it, and sometimes liked it.  I loved to lose and maintain weight, I enjoyed the stress relief of a good run, I liked socializing with my friends when on runs, but I rarely enjoyed the run itself, as much as I enjoyed the benefits.

Ladies and gentleman, I can safely say I have reached the point in my life where I love the run!  My relationship with running has evolved to a place where I never thought it would arrive.  The evolution of my relationship with running looks something like this:

Age 5-13: BOYS DROOL.. AND DAD IS SCARY

My hips and big booty sprouted outward around age 13.  I was FAST (and lanky) before they came! I was always the fastest girl,sometimes student, in the mile run at school.   I was always trying to compete with the boys.  I was always on co-ed teams and leagues (dad thought it would make me tougher), which forced me to try and be just as fast as the males on my team.  There was also a checklist on my refrigerator during the summers, on which, by dad's decree, I had to check off a chore, an academic activity, and an exercise every day (crazy old man!).  I chose running a lot and ran to 'get it over with', after all there were no boys to beat.

Eat my dust! Hope you trip over your Y chromosome suckers!

Age 13-18 SKINNY, SPORTY, SANITY

Once those hips and big ol' backside started growing, I slowed down quite a bit.  I only ran to
 A. Keep myself at 115 lbs
 B. Not embarrass myself at basketball practice
 C. Get out of the house, and away from my parents, because I was grounded A LOT.

 I hated the run, but we were friends with benefits. 



Peace out mom and dad! I am running laps and nibblin saltines!

Age 18-22 PEANUT BUTTER FATTY TIME BY THE ONE AND DONE WONDER

 During college I only let running in here and there.   I also gained about 30 lbs over the first three years.  I had the attitude "I don't wanna, and I do what I want!" I was also working 50 hours a week, attending school full time, and visiting my boyfriend/ now husband at a school, located an hour away, on the weekends.  I had no time, and no desire to run.  Once a month I would go out and try and run like I did in high school- like 5 miles full speed- D-U-M-B- and then I would hurt, or get sick the next day, or hate it, or not fit into any workout clothes.  So the run was just a pain in my ass, and I wasn't having it.

SPRINKLESSSSS! GET IT!!

(I did lose all my college weight before entering grad school thanks to ULTIMATE SPEED WALKING, coached by my best friend Megan).

2007, Coach Megan is a beast!

Age 22-25  F THE LIBRARY, HEY GRL HEY

Enter grad school.  All you do is sit and read, and go to the library, and type papers, and sit and discuss things.  ALL DAY LONG.  And then you go the neighborhood bar, after a 15 hour day, and talk and sit some more, while consuming lots of beverages.  I got real antsy, real quick, and decided I needed a healthy goal, where I could still socialize.   So I signed up for my first half marathon with my friend Kristin.  We trained every morning, I hated the run.  The run made me tired and took me out of my comfort zone.  I enjoyed working toward a goal together (and I especially liked our Saturday-after- long run- celebrations with guacamole, wine, and dance parties) and the run became my way to socialize and work toward something other than academic goals.  I loved the after- run moments and camaraderie, but I still did not enjoy the run. 

Charleston 2009, Save the Light Half Marathon , Windiest run of my life, Husbands had 40s waiting at the finish line for us!

Age 25-27 Stresserella

Running while teaching has been my stress relief.  I started running again in the second semester of my teaching career.  I did it strictly for stress relief and maintaining my health.  My best runs were always fueled by my wost days.  I was running to survive long days, piles of work, crazy children, exhausting coworkers , and trying to remember that I was still a human being. It also helped with setting health goals, hanging with friends, and getting out of town.  So I was thankful for the way running made me feel, once I was done.

Running, so I don't go bananas!! Diva's half marathon in DC with Kristin and Laura (all employed by the school system!)

PRESENT- I GOT THE RUNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I felt the runs coming on summer of 2013.  I changed my stance on running around this time.  I was going to run at my pace, and I was going to stop when I wanted and run when I wanted.  I wasn't going to worry about times and distances, how many calories I burned, training plans, or who was with me.  I started making it about my needs.  And the wonderful thing is: I started to crave the run.  My husband made me start running trails around this time, and I was terrified (I am spazoid and I've taken one too many spills in my time) but after the first few trials of navigating tree roots and uneven terrain, I loved it.  I stopped thinking about what I was going to do after, what I needed to get done, who had pissed me off, and just became present in the run.  I take in the scenery, think without constant interruption, and enjoy the moment.  I love the run.
        

Whitewater Center 15k, Despite my pained look, I am actually quite happy =)

                                       
EPILOGUE 
And thank goodness I do. My husband, that rotten scoundrel, has signed me up for the Long Cane ultra marathon in May.  I am terrified and don't know what to expect, or what I am capable of, but at least I've got the runs on my side.

First training run with my favorite shoes, in Colonel Beatty Park!

My awesome training team: Nate (husband), G, and Sarah (aka Health Fairies Inc.).

Scott's got the runs too:

“The longer and farther I ran, the more I realized that what I was often chasing was a state of mind--a place where worries that seemed monumental melted away, where the beauty and timelessness of the universe, of the present moment, came into sharp focus.”-Scott Jurek 


Check back soon for some delicious recipes in the upcoming week!

Meat and Bread are Dead!

New Rule: All good blog posts will be written with a generously poured glass of wine.  I tried to do so without one on a cold Wednesday night after work and it was a fail.  I also have Bo Burnham playing in the background...HILARIOUS! So I think funny things need to be in the background as well...that is in order for me to 'perform' properly.  Actually I just spent the last 15 minutes watching it and not typing...HA! anyways...

So, as I said in my previous post: 2014 is my bitch.  This week I decided I was going to start experimenting with healthy eating habits, that will make me feel fabulous!   After listening to avid ultra runner and vegan, Scott Jurek's audiobook Eat and Run and another ultrarunner and vegan, Rich Roll's podcasts recently, while unable to go completely vegan, I  decided to 86 meat for six weeks.    My reasoning is simple: I just want to see how I feel.  The book and podcast emphasize the health benefits of a plant based diet.  I have also watched Forks Over Knives and Vegucated  (both available on Netflix and both recommended by my friend G and his little fiance too, recently titled the 'health fairies', who won't stop recommending healthy shit to my husband and I! They literally made my husband an ultra marathon runner in the course of four months...you need them in your life! ) So revealed in case studies within these documentaries, books, and podcasts is the fact that a plant based diet can reverse and prevent heart disease, cancer, lethargy, inflammation, insert other health ailments here ____.  They also reveal that a plant based diet can improve your athletic skills, clear your mind, and free you of the medicine cabinet (and morning eye boogers!! no joke!) .  I can't just ignore these facts, now that I have the knowledge. In addition to this change, I chose to 86 gluten for these same six weeks, because in the past it has made me feel great.

So in light of this knowledge, I chose to get rid of meat.  If I feel wonderful, cheese and eggs could see a 6 week hiatus from life, but one step at a time.  I choose not to give myself titles, such as vegetarian or gluten free sex kitten, because I am just experimenting right now.  Until I find what works for me, labels are for the birds.

So as this week is ending it is safe to say I feel really good.  Not magical,  I am not bench pressing children during class, but I feel good.  Good enough to continue.  So here is how this week went down:

Saturday and Sunday I said farewell to meat and bread:

I made my husband take me to the Wine Shop in Foxcroft, for my favorite, and the BEST, burger in Charlotte (oh so tasty...)on our Saturday night date. Here is my final meaty encounter before the drop. Nom nom!

 

And on Sunday, I did this....

Walmart had them just sitting there on a shelf, and I said YES! My gluten farewell was spent with the Red Lobster cheddar biscuits, the restaurant's finest dish, fo sho!  Nathan was ecstatic when I served them for breakfast. 

Now comes Monday... this week worked because everything I ate was bangin! 

Green smoothie for breakfast...delicious!  (8 oz almond milk, banana, handful kale, handful spinach, 1/2 green apple, 1/2 lemon, 2 tbsp chia seed...blender...drank!) 

  

And then pre- made lunches of peppers, cucumbers, and carrots with hummus or dressing, pack of mixed nuts, and a string cheese.   I was full after every meal and enjoyed it.  Despite sitting next to my 90lb friend/coworker who was eating a BBQ sandwich every day this week, I was still satisfied (and still only maniacally imagined her choking on her sandwich once).

And meatless, gluten free dinners are super easy when I have my guardian chef dog watching me!!

"You go girl!" -Jasper the dog

On the menu this week: Red lentil and Sweet Potato Curry, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili, and Stir fry(not pictured due to it's butter face).  Recipes can be found below because they are DDDDDD-licious! And I could feed hungry husband and myself for three meals, all week. SCORE!

And finally how does one snack with such grueling stipulations?  Scrumptiously, of course! New favorites include: Sliced cucumbers with a dollop of hummus and a sprinkle of curry powder, cayenne pepper, and a splash of salt and pepper AND Greens and an Egg Slam (awesome seussy name I know) sautéed kale with a hint of olive oil and sea salt, with a sunny side egg on top! Oh and sometimes, frequently,  Cape Cod Chips are in my life.

 

 So there it is.  My first week of making 2014 my bitch and I feel good, and am quite impressed with my lack of desire to eat meat and gluten.  Of course I would like to inspire more to look into this way of eating..so I have included some links to inspire, and the recipes to the dinners above. Try one of these and you won't be disappointed!

Now for week two.... 


 Links: 
http://www.forksoverknives.com/
http://www.getvegucated.com/
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rich-roll-podcast/id582272991?mt=2
http://scottjurek.com/eatandrun/

Recipes:

Sweet potato and Red Lentil Curry 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp curry powder
1 chopped large onion
4 minced garlic
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 diced sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups rinsed red lentils

1/2 can of coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook oil, curry powder and bay leaf for 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion with salt, until tender.  Add garlic and ginger and sweet potatoes.  Continue cooking.
   
2. Add lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
   
   Serve with naan, in corn tortillas, or over rice 
   

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups of veg broth
2 sweet potatoes cubed
1 chopped onion
4 tsp of minced garlic
2 tbsp chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 15-ounce cans black beans
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 lime squeezed of  juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add sweet potato, onion, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add vegetable broth  and bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat until the sweet potatoes are cooked.

Add  beans, tomatoes and lime juice and put heat on high for 5 minutes, then return to a simmer, stirring often.  Cook an additional 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Cheers to a tasty week! 

2014, You're my Bitch!

2014 is going to be the year I stick to my goals.  I said that last year but I really mean it this time...No really, I'm serious.  Why is this year different? I am going to be 30 in 1 year and 3 months...So my goal is to feel like a healthy successful BADASS by April 4, 2015.  Notice how I said 'feel', so the only person I really care about recognizing my bad- assery is ME, but I am sure others will notice and be like "OMG you are a healthy successful 30 year old badass, how do you do it?" and I guess it will feel good and I will be happy to share.  What is the definition of badass? In my opinion, it is someone who tries new things, chases and accomplishes their goals, learns from mistakes, and is healthy and happy.  This year I will call myself Chelsie the Conqueror! Cheesy, I know, but it sounds tough and I wanna be tough. 

So here I go .... Goal 1 (carried over from last year): Start blog. Why? Because I've always wanted to.  That's it. Because I want to.  I have taken recipes, humor, training tips, strategies, and ideas from other's blogs, so I think I would just really like to be part of the blogging community, to give a little bit back.  So what will my focus be? That brings me to Goal 2, 3, and 4. Share teaching strategies and stories, try new recipes and eat new things, and finally become a better runner.  I am a teacher and I would love to share my trials and errors with readers (the millions of you reading this at this very second...jk hey mom!), I would also like to share the utter ridiculousness that is my job some days.  Most days I thank goodness I have thick hair or I would be bald just like my husband! With that being said, I am constantly looking for a beneficial diet that will give me the most energy and make me feel the best, mentally and physically.  And by diet I don't mean one of those fad, all bacon or liquid only, ridiculous diets, I mean starting a maintainable way of life.  Finally, I am a recreational runner ( I trip and fall a lot, so perhaps I will throw some useful first aid tidbits into this thing as well), and I want to discuss my trips and victories and thoughts on running.  Because sometimes I have cool thoughts on races, courses, groups, etc. and I really like to share cool thoughts as much as I like to hear them.  

So there it is!  See you soon!  I can't promise what my blog will hold this week, but check back soon for something awesome! 

I leave you with my favorite quote from the book Born to Run by Chris McDougall (READ THIS, even if you don't run!) 

 "Maybe the ancient Hindus were better crystal- ball -gazers than Hollywood when they predicted the world would end not with a bang but with a big old yawn.  Shiva the Destroyer would snuff us out by doing...nothing.  Lazing out.  Withdrawing his hot-blooded force from our bodies letting us become slugs."

Don't tell me that doesn't make you just want to do things! Have a great week!