mileage increase and the importance of the right shoes

THere is the slightest of knee pain occasionally, but I ran 8 1/2 miles this Sat without a prob (was going to do 9, but ran out of time because I woke up late). The last time I was up this high I had two knee braces on, because I was in the WRONG shoes. Now, let me start off by saying a running store did put me in these shoes, but did not do a great analysis. They had me in stability shoes when I should have been in Neutral Cushioning shoes. SO really make sure if you get an analysis at a running store that you get a recommendation from another happy customer. I ended up in physical therapy for my knees because of these shoes.

THere is a test you can do on your own called the Paper Bag Test. There is a great link to an article about finding the right shoes here: http://www.best-running-tips.com/running-shoes.html

My new fave running store!

So, if you live in the Monmouth County NJ area, Road Runner Sports is in Shrewsbury and is so great! They have a wonderful, user friendly website also:
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/
where you can look for a location near you. They have a high tech way of finding the right shoe for you. Also, if you join their VIP program for $20, you get 10% off every purchase, unconditional TWO MONTH return policy on shoes, and every 5 pairs of shoes bought in a year gets you a free pair (up to $100)! I also saved another 10% because I belong to a local gym. So in my first visit the amt I saved paid for the membership. And I did have to take the shoes back and it was no problem. Oh, and the 5 shoes thing applies to shoes for family as well (because I will never go through 5 shoes in a year, but my husband and I will).

I joined the VIP for the two month return policy alone. Over the years there were plenty of times that after a few weeks even a month I realized I didnt like my shoes, but usually after about a week and/or once you wore shoes outside you cannot return them. So this was a bonus for me.

So check out this place, they are really great!

spinnnnn

I love spin class! Nothing like getting all the exercise out of the way early Sunday morning. I did back and biceps for a 1/2 hour before spin, then spin for 45 min, then abs for 1/2 hour and then another 20 minutes of cardio.....I am a maniac. But I am slightly bloated (A.F.). Went to the beach then finally relaxed this weekend! I actually look forward to my long workouts in the weekend.....I hate having to rush like I do when I workout during the week (in the a.m.).

moving helps you lose weight

So I put on the marriage 10 (like the freshman 15 but way harder to take off because Im not 18 anymore). I have been killing myself to lose it for at least 6 months. A pound or two would come off then right back on. Sooooo with moving and going up and down 3 flights of stairs at the old place about 70 times a day bringing stuff to the new place..and painting...and yardwork, etc. I have lost about 8 lbs! Also cut out alcohol during the week (unless Im out to dinner), and not having as much time to snack....I am so thrilled. I fit into pants and clothes that I almost donated because they havent fit me in 2 years or so. I was convinced they were shrunk by the dryer. I am motivated to keep it off by my progress. And how hard it is to lose weight. I used to just be able to exercise it all away...but once I was in my 30s it is not so easy. Just wanted to say sometimes skinnybitches gain weight too...and get upset about it. And it is just as much a struggle for a thin person to keep off weight. I hate when people see me and just assume that I sit around eating bon bons all day thanking my lucky stars that I am skinny and dont have to do a thing about it. It is really hard work staying in shape. Just to let you know

Ive been so busy!

So we just bought a new house and that is why I have been MIA...updating the blog is not a priority right now. So wanted to update with a picture from my last race...The Parker House 2 mile fun run and beer party. It was a lot of fun and we got two shirts (sweatshirt and long sleeved T) and I ran my fastest mile ever...I finished 2 miles in 15:38...I could barely believe my eyes when I got close enough to see the clock. What a great feeling. I probably owe it to my husband who runs very fast (his leisurely pace) and I have been going on some short runs with him. I guess it helped. This picture was from the very end of the race...I was sprinting hard once I could see the finish. Look at the agony on my face...so worth it at the finish line though! I was initially hoping to beat 18 min...never guessing that I would run in less than 16!

after 3 weeks off

So I am HATING not running! I took 3 weeks off and I think my knees are finally OK---I went to a sports medicine doc. and I still have a slight prob with them...Im going to go to PT but I started running again verrry slowly. I havent done more than 2 miles---so bumming...but I got the Nike Plus and LOVE IT! I really hope to do a 1/2 marathon in Oct, but if I cant I will try for the spring. My sister calls me Forrest Gump...if my body would just let me I think I could just run forever!!!

my race!

So we ran the Jersey Shore Relay in April....it was my first race, and what a great time!!!! Our team was wonderful and we ran our legs and the last leg together so I did a total of 9.4 miles! We came in as a team under 16 min of our projected time. There was a big party at the end, with food and beer! We raised $1100 bucks for Special Olympics. I had to take 3 weeks off and I am getting physical therapy...I overtrained...I will be smarter the next time.

I love body glide!!!

So I was having some chafing issues.....well this body glides stuff REALLY WORKS!!!!! So thankful for it!

8 miles is my favorite and I hauled ass!!!!

Not really sure why, but I like an 8 mile run the best! I dropped back down, because 10 miles really roughed up my knees last week (and because my gym was closing early and I did not have enough time to run 10 miles), I find that 8 miles makes me feel great but does not leave me limping away from the treadmill. Yes I am still running inside---it is wayyyy to cold and windy at the beach to start running outside. Hopefully in a couple of weeks it will start to be nice. I am starting to do some more lunges/squats and exercises that strengthen your quads---I read that helps support your knees. I think Ill call my cousin, a physical therapist, to see if she can recommend any. That all being said, I hauled ass today during my run to get it finished by closing time (and still have time to cool down and stretch) and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to keep a faster pace for extended periods of time. So I am going to try and push myself harder with speed. It is still not that fast compared to many who run....but I was very proud to run 8 miles in 78 minutes and 32 sec. ( : That is with about 5-7 min of easy jogging at a slow speed. If I nixed that warm up I would have been faster.

Im especially hungry today and ate my usual sunday reward for running long and hard....egg, cheese and bacon on an english muffin from quick chek and Starbucks skim white mocha (didnt finish the latte though), and now I am just rehydrating and still unfortunately hungry. Which is weird because I am usually less hungry on running days....I dont know.

I am trying to be a good updater!

Ok, so after acheiving my 10 mile (run) goal last Sunday....I was in PAIN!!! My knees. So I am working on strengthening my quads again to support the knees and using knee supports. ( ; I took a break from running (just did weights and eliptical, walking on incline) until Thursday...Thursday I ran 4 miles, and did legs, felt good, but legs so sore from squats!!!!! Today ran a little over 4.5 miles and did the eliptical. I ate pretty healthy today---mostly because I was busy today and took a nap from 4pm to about 6:30....love me a good nap!! Had a nice big salad tonight with homemade low fat blue cheese dressing. yummy and some pinot grigio. Tomorrow no running and Sunday just 8 miles.

I am a blog slacker!

So I am a totaly blog slacker with school and all, but I did a major update on my cooking blog:

http://skinnybitchininthekitchen.blogspot.com/

and I just wanted to tell you a little about what I have been up to: RUNNING! Over the past 10 or so weeks I have been gradually building up to 10 miles, which I finished today!!! I will post my training soon. I am having some knee issues, so I will not be running until Friday. But Ill keep doing my reg. exercise. I am doing the Jersey Shore Relay on April 19th. The leg that I am running is 6.58 miles (along the beach on the boardwalk mostly--yay!) but I think if I feel ok at the end of that I will run with my hubby for his leg (3.5 miles). I am excited, it will be my first race.

I hate the gym this time of year

OK, I know that there are many people who made New Year's Resolutions to get back in shape, and I am very proud of you...but can you please stop clogging up my gym!??!?!? This is a totally selfish post and vent...but I have to get this off my chest. I have been going to my gym for 10 years and for 10 years from Jan 1 st til the 15th or sometimes even February...the gym is a total MADHOUSE! Everyone in all of monmouth county descends on the gym. people circle machines like vultures circle prey. I am not kidding. Anyway, as a regular gym goer it is soooooo annoying. I am happy you are getting your health on, but I hate you at the same time!

mmmmmm Black Bean Burgers!

So here is my food for today...I was a good little girl
Breakfast---protein shake with vanilla Designer Whey Protein, skim milk, splenda, and ice--yummy
Lunch---Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger, low fat Mozzerella cheese, on a light english muffin with a 1/2 C cottage cheese, 1/2 a Fuze Green Tea
Snack---apple and peanut butter and some all bran crackers
**then I hit the gym--which was packed---and did 30 minutes on the eliptical, and ran 3 miles and walked about 1/2 mile.
Dinner----South Beach Diet Pizza and salad, Coke zero, one glass Chardonnay
Dessert---going to have some peanut butter balls (ok, I cant be all good!)

Jan 3, 2007 aka MY BIRTHDAY!!!

So I had the perfect Karen birthday today---I started off cleaning for 2 hours--which is funny, but anyone who knows me knows how I love to clean! Then went to the gym for about 2 hours (I am on a two hour kick), then costco, starbucks then ate this lovely little lunch (I ate a 1/2 Zone Bar for Breakfast) of 1/2 a Marco Polo Bagel (from Wegmans), with cream cheese, some cottage cheese and 3 slices of genoa salami with my skim, two pump white mocha!

<----here is a pic of my bday cake---chocolate rasberry ganache---I made it myself...sike! Wegmans did!

Jan 1, 2007

Okey doke here is a pic of our black bean quesadillas we had tonight---the recipe is in my food blog...it is a healthy one!

Italy and Spain!!!

Ok, so I kept a vacation diary and took pics of almost all my food. our daily exercise was pretty much walking all day long---up stairs, belltowers, hills, except for the final day in Spain---I ran 5K at the hotel gym. Here is what we ate!***there is a more detailed diary of what we did in my other blog***

Friday 12/21/07--arrive in Roma

flying since last night---just eating crappy airplane food except for the fabulous sandwich we shared at the Madrid airport--Jamon (spanish cured ham) and cheese on a baguette oh and when we got into italy we ate paninis by the Vatican===not so great, paninis were dissappointing in Italy--no pics

Saturday 12/22/07

Breakfast---fabulous buffet at the hotel---there were many temptations, but we are trying to be good---I had fresh fruit, cappuccino, toast with cream cheese and fresh OJ

Lunch---Insalate---Salad with Basil, Arugula, Fresh Mozzerella, tomatoes, and olives with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and a big glass of red wine. My husband had a giant beer and a pizza

Dinner--at Ecce Bombo Restaurant

The most fabulous Lasagna, with meat sauce and bechamel and bruchetta with more red wine. Steve had veal that he did not like---sorry ate my meal too fast to take pics.

Sunday 12/23/07

Breakfast---ate pretty much the same thing every morning===love those italian cappuccinos---I tried fresh kiwi juice today---yuck!

Lunch---Insalate Misto, Pizza Margherita and wine and beer (me wine, hubby beer)--this was the worst salad ever----lettuce, corn and tomatoes----seriously, corn. The Pizza was frozen and reheated---the wine was good and these Italians know how to fill a wine glass!!!

Dinner---skipped dinner for a nap, then went for a walk and had some snacks and too many drinks at the hotel bar.

Monday 12/24/07

Breakfast---same

Lunch--no lunch, Pistachio Gelato!!!

Dinner---Caffe Martini---right next to the Colosseum---you pay for that view though!!

we split a Caprese Salad and I had homemade ravioli with meat sauce, steve had gnocchi with four cheese sauce and we had grilled veggies (excuse the photos---the restaurant was so dark!), this is where I made the mistake of letting the waiter pick the wine---a half bottle was 30 Euros!!!!! Ack!

Tuesday 12/25/07--Christmas Day

Breakfast---same except I had fresh pineapple juice (yum), and some potatoes

Lunch---we went to this terrible tourist place and ate a ham and fresh mozzerella panini, and some snacks they gave us and wine and beer. It was not that bad, considering that half the stuff on the menu was frozen and microwaved. We were just so hungry!!!


****More Gelato!!!!!! I had Nutella, Amaretto, Vanilla in a cup

Dinner---this great place in Piazza Barberini---Ristorante Conti De Galluccio

We split a very nice Chianti, and also split some Porcini Barolo Risotto. Then grilled chicken and potatoes and asparagus for me---the most moist chicken I have ever had! The food is so simple here, but so good! Then we walked 4 miles back to the Vatican to look at the crowds for midnight mass. At the hotel they left us a Pannetone and wrote Buon Natale in chocolate---we split it

Wednesday---12/26/07--today we went to Florence for the day

Breakfast---the same, with some prosecco--Im over the breakfast, same thing every day and they dont cook their eggs/bacon all the way, so I cant eat it.

Lunch---Le Campane---in Florence---this was my favorite meal!!!!! It was a tiny pizzaria on some small street and no one there spoke English---so a local place and I can see why!

We split a salad that had arugula, mushrooms, pecorino and some kind of cured meat with a lemon vinagrette, also split a ham/mozzerella calzone and I oopsed and ordered a pitcher of wine instead of a 1/4 liter I ordered a 1/2. We were a little drunk when we left.

Dinner---me---penne with meat sauce and cream, red wine. steve---spagetti with tomato basil sauce and a beer. I am telling you we ate everything and just walked all day long and I came back 3 lbs lighter!!!

Thursday 12/27/07

Breakfast---same, last day here, the rest of teh day was ucky airplane food because we were on our way to Spain!!!!

evening---we had a welcome reception from the company steve uses to go on trips to Europe with his students. We had wine and some marcona almonds, potato chips and spanish olives. Then took a nap, woke up at ate great sandwiches in the hotel bar---no pics, sorry!

Friday 12/28/07

Breakfast----yay! I love this place more than the expensive one in Italy---I had churros, fruit, chorizo and tortilla espanola and some yucky coffee---so strong here.

on our bus tour we stopped for some chocolate!!! A thick hot chocolate drink that you dip churros in---it just tastes like melted chocolate!

Lunch---were not hungry-we were thirsty---so we had a smoothie at cafe & te

Dinner---Tapas Crawl---we went on a Tapas Tour to 3 restaurants. We had lots of Sangria, chips (the spanish love potato chips, they are everywhere), chorizo, pork wrapped in bacon, ham, barley (some kind of blood pudding thing), fish, Nachos (at a mexican place), bread, tortilla espanola, Patatas Bravas, some mushroom thing with more blood ( I tried it, but yuck).

Saturday 12/29/07

Skipped breakfast to sleep in

Lunch---fabulous Paella de Pollo and Sangria at a restaurant called Chiky.

Dinner---this great farewell dinner put on by the travel company---we had sangria, wine and beer, bread and first 7 different tapas!!!!!! Then a mariachi band, then dinner (I had pork, steve had a whole fish that had its head still on---eww), and dessert. So sad this was our last night

Sunday 12/30/07

Travel day---last yummy breakfast in Spain---churros, tortilla espanola

Did not each much on the plane because we were still full from last night.