5 Random Things – Clarification Edition

I mentioned a lot of these things in yesterday’s monster training recap, but I wanted to elaborate more.

1.  Saturday was an awesome day.  Well, it didn’t start quite so awesome but ended up lovely.  I didn’t go to bed until WAY late and had WAY too much to drink and woke up 4-5 hours later nursing a hangover.  However, I cooked us breakfast (batter blaster pancakes, two slices of jalapeno bacon, and hand grated hashed browns) and we set out on our epic day anyway.  Half an hour in, I felt great.  There is nothing like some moderate exercise and sunshine to cure all ills.  We rode down from our casa to Run Tex (12 miles), did their 4k walk, ate lunch, did the 4k walk BACK to the bikes, and then rode about 3 miles home before deciding AC was better than dripping sweat and rode the bus.

I kept thinking – if you told me 2 years ago that I would be taking a 12 mile bike ride to do a 5 mile (round trip) walk, I would have probably thought you crazy.  Now, if you would have said that the reason I was walking and not running it was because I had already done 4 runs that week for my half marathon training…I would have thought you COMPLETELY crazy.  Amazing how a year or 2 changes things…

2..  For some reason, it took until last Saturday’s ride to click, but I realized that I spend a lot of time in my workout clothes.  Especially since we started riding the bikes.  I had planned on getting SOME sort of new workout attire before the next race because I felt like a shmuck in what I was wearing (and it was my best workout clothes), but I really needed to replace pants and shirts I was wearing 50-100 lbs ago for regular workout wear.  It’s amazing how spiffy you feel wearing workout clothes that fit you and match rather than thrift store sweats and stuff that’s 3-5 sizes too big.  I also picked up a running skirt.  I’ll let you know what I think of it after I utilize it later this week.

3.  I chopped my hair!  If there’s anything that random people might have identified me with over the last 10 years, it’s “that chick with the long hair”.  My hair has been some flavor of length between small of my back to dangerously close to being sat upon, but it is now just a smidge under shoulder length.  I definitely used to hide under it.  Back fat is trivial when your hair covers it!  I might not keep it this short but now that it’s starting to heat up, it’s nice to have a ponytail that doesn’t even touch my shoulders.

Funny story about how it happened though – Zliten is my hairdresser (yeah, my hair is that low maintenance) and I asked for a trim.  As he was cutting it, a big strand curled up and he accidentally chopped it super short, so we just evened it out and now we both think it looks awesome!

4.  I am experimenting with different breakfast stuff.  I’ve been on oatmeal every day for a few month and just need a break.  I’ve been trying out different bars and also seeing whether more protien or more fiber is better for me in the morning.  This week, I’ve tried Luna Bars (tried chocolate peppermint and have a chai tea in queue) and Fiber One (have a box of chocolate mocha).  The Luna bars are about 180 calories, 5g fat, 9g protien, and 3g fiber.  The Fiber One bars are about 140 calories, 4g fat, 9g fiber, and 2g protien.  So far, I think I prefer the Fiber One bars, they filled me up more for 40 less calories.  I’m going to expand into some higher calorie bars and see if they take the edge off enough to eat into lunchtime calories, and I also want to see whether fiber or protien is more important in the morning.

Expect a full post on this sometime soon, but I’m open to any breakfast suggestions.  The requirements are:

-No prep beyond a microwave.  I would be grabbing this and bringing it to work.  I am also anti batch cooking for a week of leftovers for the most part but if it sounds REALLY good and is pretty easy I could be swayed.

-No eggs.  It can have eggs IN it, I’m not allergic, but I can’t be able to taste them.  About the most egg I can handle is egg whites in eggdrop soup and not-too-eggy french toast.  Omlettes and quiche are way too eggy.

-It has to be reasonably filling.  I plan on eating this on an empty stomach around 10am and I don’t want a peep out of my stomach until 12:30-1pm.

-Under 300 calories.  200 preferably, but I’m open to more as long as it rates high on the point just above (fillingness).

5.  I think I’ve settled on what the half marathon plan will be.  At first, I was thinking running 5 laps around my neighborhood would do me just fine.  Then, I started reading about this guy, Joe Hale.  I mean, the besides the obvious inspiration on raising a whole bunch of money for a charity he cares dearly about, and the obvious OMG he’s running way further than I can fathom – it really made me realize that I wanted to run an official race.  So today I started looking into the Seattle Rock and Roll Half-Marathon, and I got as far as looking into booking the weekend trip on travelocity – it’s just too expensive.  It’s definitely on the list for next year because I’ve never been and it would be a GREAT excuse to go.  Maybe even by next year, I’ll be running the full marathon!   Maybe.  I’m not entirely sure if I’m that insane.

After doing some additional googling, I found one a bit more reasonable – Carraba’s Classic Half-Marathon in San Antonio.  Instead of a flight/hotel/food/entertainment budget for a 5 day 4 night trip (which believe it or not was hundreds cheaper than a 3 day 2 night trip…) and 100$ race entry fee, I’m looking at an hour and a half drive, a one night hotel stay (which was 150 bucks for the jacuzzi suite and just goes down from there), and a 24$ entry fee.  Plus, there is also a nature walk Zliten can do instead of just sitting there waiting for me to finish!  It’s much more appropriate for a first race, me thinks.  Unless I decide I hate it though…I foresee more weekend trips coresponding with races.  Sounds like a great way to see more places.

Now, to get through the rest of the workday and attempt my first official tempo run tonight!  Pictures today courtesty of my new haircut because I am vain and want to see my mug plastered all up in this post.