13.1 miles.

on sunday, a. and i raced in our very first 1/2 marathon.  this race took place along the sliver strand, a strip of highway in san diego that connects coronado island and imperial beach.  i won't lie.  i was nervous.  like, am i going to be able to do this thing, nervous.  luckily i not only signed up with a. but also with my sister-in-law and a friend and his daughter (both of whom do races like this all the time and convinced me that if i stick to my training, i'll be fine).

early into my training, i decided this race wasn't about time.  it couldn't be.  this race, my very first 1/2 marathon, had to be about finishing.  so i adopted a motto to keep me focused: chug-a-lug.  i'm not sure when or where i first heard this, but i loved it immediately.

after a cloudy and cold couple of days, we woke up on sunday to the most beautiful, sun-soaked, southern california weather.  the morning was cool and refreshing and as we stretched and the sun rose, the day just got better and better.

the coolest part of this race is that in addition to the 1/2 marathon, they offer races for rollerbladers (this is what my sister-in-law did--actually, she's the one that peer pressured us into doing this in the first place), hand-powered equipment, a 10K and a 5K.  there is literally something for everyone.  plus, the entire race is flat...the perfect course for a bunch of novices or speed racers.

during the race i had a great time.  i ran solo and enjoyed listening to the various coaches and other people's conversations while taking in panoramic views of the pacific ocean and san diego bay.  it wasn't until mile 8 that i started getting hot spots on my feet and had to adjust my socks and shoes.  at this time, i also decided it was time for music.

during the race, i divided the course into four 5K races with 1 mile remaining at the end.  this helped me break down the race into manageable pieces and not get overwhelmed with miles and miles of road ahead of me.  while slow, i stayed really steady and finished strong.  so strong in fact, that i definitely could have ran longer if for some crazy reason i decided i wanted to.

as for 1/2 marathoning, i now have a time to beat and another goal to set my sights for.  i'll definitely do another one in the recent future and plan to continue to keep long runs as part of my overall training.  the entire process, while initially unnerving, was a lot of fun, totally gratifying, and made me so proud of our exciting accomplishment. 

ready or not.

after years of talking about this, months of training for this, weeks of not feeling ready for this, and days full of anxiousness about this...i'm finally doing this.  a half marathon.

my legs feel strong & i have great tunes.  i've also saved some podcasts and audio books for the long run as well.  more importantly, it looks like we're going to have some rare, cool weather in san diego...so i'm looking at that as an added blessing.

i'm excited and right now, my plan is just to finish the 13.1 miles on two feet.  but if i roll, crawl or scoot across the finish line, i'll definitely consider that a success as well.

something old, day 21.

today marks the day our cars no longer stand out as "outsiders" amongst all the other california plates. saying sayonara to the last of our new york identity definitely wasn't easy for either of us.  & now we're officially californians.

the august break is a blogging tool created by susannah conway.  the intention is for bloggers and photo lovers alike to live in the moment, take a break from writing- if necessary, and overall, feel more rejuvenated in life and blogging.  interested to join?  check it out.

taste, day 20.

i'm doing my best to replace fruit with sugar these days.  with a backyard bounty like this, let's be honest- it could be worse.  i love the taste of summer.  and in southern california, summer lasts a very long time.

the august break is a blogging tool created by susannah conway.  the intention is for bloggers and photo lovers alike to live in the moment, take a break from writing- if necessary, and overall, feel more rejuvenated in life and blogging.  interested to join?  check it out.

yellow, day 3.

the glow of candlelight warms our home after a long day of work.  hooray for the end of a successful week.

the august break is a blogging tool created by susannah conway.  the intention is for bloggers and photo lovers alike to live in the moment, take a break from writing- if necessary, and overall, feel more rejuvenated in life and blogging.  interested to join?  check it out.

circles, day 2.

a. surprised me with a clean kitchen tonight.  i was so happy to find only a few randoms in the sink when i returned home from my run.  he's so good at knowing what i need without me having to say anything.

the august break is a blogging tool created by susannah conway.  the intention is for bloggers and photo lovers alike to live in the moment, take a break from writing- if necessary, and overall, feel more rejuvenated in life and blogging.  interested to join?  check it out.

breakfast, day 1.

keepin' it real.

the august break is a blogging tool created by susannah conway.  the intention is for bloggers and photo lovers alike to live in the moment, take a break from writing- if necessary, and overall, feel more rejuvenated in life and blogging.  interested to join?  check it out.

the august break.

these days, blogging has been on the back burner of my life.  it's not that i have a lack of things to say or lack time to say them, it's just that i'm spending my time in a different way these days.

so when i stumbled across the idea of the august break  hosted by susannah conway, i was intrigued.  over the past couple months i've been wanting to get back into blogging regularly but haven't taken the time to do so.

that's what makes the august break concept so brilliant.  based on the provided prompts (see below), everyday we share a photo.  that's it.  no pressure to find words or themes or something positively brilliant to share with the blog-o-sphere.

i think this is a great challenge to find motivation and rekindle inspiration.  so for the next month, i'll be sharing photos and very little words with you.  hopefully we both enjoy this process together and if you have a blog, please join the challenge as well.  happy august dear friends.

30 days of no sugar: week 3.

finally, my body's adjusted to the lack of sugar in my diet.  my cravings aren't nearly as strong as they were when i first began this challenge & while every now and again i have a craving for something sweet, i can usually derail it with a piece of fruit.  usually.

only once did i go off the deep end this week.  luckily i have a good excuse (at least in my opinion).  yesterday was my mom's birthday.  within my family, each of us have a different cake that we request for our special day.  my mom's go-to is a decadent, homemade, chocolate cherry cake.  since a. & i have been away and have missed most birthday celebrations for the past 8 years, we fully participated in all the birthday cake traditions.  so yes, i had a big 'ol piece of chocolate cake...oh, and ice cream too...

while i'm happy to announce the cravings have subsided, i'm definitely realizing a sugar-free existence isn't a permanent lifestyle change for me.  and that's okay.  i'm still learning a lot about my cravings, what i can do to keep them at bay & most importantly, how to enjoy sugar in moderation.

it's great stuff to learn.  and i'm hoping i'll have a few more eureka moments over these next few days.

30 days of no sugar, week 2.

going sugar free, is way harder than it sounds.  for the most part, i've been consistent & really proud of myself.  i'm often saying no to many of the yummy goodies offered to me & am finding myself naturally reaching for fruit when i need an afternoon pick-me-up or have a hankering for something sweet.

despite all my efforts to be good, i've fallen off the wagon a few times this week.  one instance was unintentional- but the other, was just poor, poor decision making during a tempting moment.  one night last week, my family & i drove down to ucsd to watch my sister's waterpolo game.  on the way, we stopped at starbucks to pick up warm beverages to enjoy during the game.  as a new lover to cappuccino, i figured i'd mix it up and try something new.  without asking what the beverage was made with, i ordered a seemingly innocent decaf mocha.  much to my surprise, it tasted like a coffee-y hot chocolate.  hmmmm.... any guesses as to why?!  call it a brain fart, or a subliminal mind slip, but i ordered a wonderful, chocolate infused coffee drink.  i had paid good money for it, so i drank half before my tummy graced me with an unappreciative stomach ache.

on saturday it was a different story.  my mom and i drove down to the little italy farmers market (which, if you live in san diego & enjoy a good market, you must make time for this on a saturday morning).  we started our day with a yummy and healthy, fresh pressed green juice.  as we walked and explored the different vendors, we passed a man with quiches and pastries.  i'm a sucker for quiche, so we stopped, ordered & as we were checking out, were offered some of the other decadent pastries to take home.  my mom and i love macaroons so we ordered a couple & continued on our way.  it wasn't until we were finished with the market and in the car heading home, that i lost my will.  tempted by the macaroon, i gave in and took a bite.  then another and another.  luckily i was sharing with my mom, so after consuming half- i was obligated to hand it over.

yep, stuff happens.  after my slip ups, i hopped right back on the wagon.  i want to succeed in this challenge but am happy to admit that i'm also very human.  there are times i give into temptation- but for the most part, have strongly held my ground and said no to sugar.  it's a process and i'm doing my best to enjoy it.  besides, i still have 2 more weeks to go!

30 adventures.

you guys are going to think i'm crazy.  like lost my rocker, crazy.  it seems, this january, i've jumped off the deep end and just might, be committing to way too much for the year.

a few months into the bake 20 challenge, i started giving some thought as to what to do next.  i considered baking bread, i considered trying different vegetarian recipes, and i even considered making different flavors of ice cream.  they all sounded good.  but at the same time, they revolved around the kitchen.  and as much as i love to eat (oh, do i love my food), i wouldn't say i need much help consuming bread and other goodies.  and for the most part, i'm a relatively adventurous cook when i have the time.  so, i said no to another kitchen challenge.

instead, i've been pondering this book we received a while back.  a. & i are total outdoor enthusiasts and our idea of a good time often involves a camel back, hiking shoes and a map.  yep, mr. & mrs. adventuruss.  as i sat down the last week of december to look at what i hoped 2013 would entail for me & us as a couple, i saw a trend around both time & adventure.  we love spending time together.  in fact, that's one of our shared love languages.  of course, we also love adventure.

so, to incorporate the two, i'm (we'll he's kinda joining me by default) embarking on a 30 adventure challenge.  over the course of the year, we're going to take on 30 different adventures, some new and some old.  some that involve things we're used to doing (like hiking and camping and kayaking) and some that are new or we don't do as often as we'd like (like rock climbing, sky diving, and backpacking).  also, since we're both on the verge of starting new jobs, i'm counting day hikes and solo adventures (for me) as long as they take place in new locations.

i figure, if anything, this will be a great opportunity to get out, stretch our legs and explore our new home.  it's not intended to be stressful & it's definitely not intended to be strict.  obviously, i'm not counting a walk around our neighborhood, but maybe a walk on a new beach or a bike ride in a park.  as long as we deem it adventure-worthy, it'll count.  i'm excited to embrace this new challenge & can't wait to share all the sights and some stories along the way.

30 days of no sugar, week one.

since the first of the month, in addition to my one little word and my list of goals, i decided to give up sugar.  as i dove into figuring out my monthly intentions, i realized, sometimes it's not only what you add, but also what you take away that can make the biggest differences.

personally, sugar is a ridiculous vice of mine.  i have an insane sweet tooth and can never stop at just one.  so, to prove to myself i have the power to choose, i decided to embark on this 30 day, no sugar challenge.  and the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  after the onslaught of my holiday gluttony, i was feeling lethargic & unhealthy.  my self discipline disappeared during the holiday celebrations, and as a result, so did my self esteem.  determined to make major changes in 2013, sugar was the first thing to go.

i'm one week into this challenge, and it has definitely been difficult.  actually, the first couple days weren't too bad- but by day four, i seriously had delirium tremens.  which makes me realize, i have a legit dependency to sugar.  the idea of being dependent to something does not bode well for me- so i know now more than i did seven days ago, cutting sugar was the right thing to do

don't get me wrong.  there's no way i'm going to forever lead a sugar-free lifestyle.  in fact, i gave up sugar for lent a few years back, rocked it, and told myself i would be happy avoiding sugar for the rest of my life.  that was of course, until the birthday cakes and irresistible goodies welcomed their way back into my life.  as of right now, it's just a test.  a test to see how much sugar i actually eat and how i can use naturally derived sugar to combat my sweet urges.

so here's what i'm doing.  i have given up all sugars with the exception of those that come from fruits & vegetables.  that means no honey or maple for the time being.  as we all know, sugar is everywhere.  so i've not only given up the obvious baked goods and beverages, but i've also removed any products with sugar in the label.  this means no chocolate peanut butter cliff bars, salad dressings, and in some cases, alcohol (i say some cases because we have a few birthdays to celebrate this month and i'm allowing myself to enjoy a glass of red wine on these special occasions).

now, while i still have cravings, i'm leaning on fruit to combat my sweet tooth.  right now, cuties are my favorite.  some days have been much easier than expected and others have been very tough.  i'm expecting this roller coaster of cravings to last the entire month & am looking forward to sharing this adventure with you.

ps. consider yourself warned: if i come across grumpy on any posts in the next month, you now know why. :)

mile a day:: weeks 3 & 4.

yep, believe it or not, i'm still moving.  maybe not strong & maybe not every day but still, i'm making a much better effort to move regularly.  while the original intentions of this challenge was to move every single day, over the course of this past month, i've graduated from doing something active 3-4 days a week to 6 days a week.  & for me, that's awesome.  the holidays have definitely made this entire challenge a bit more difficult- but knowing i can keep up an active lifestyle during a chaotic season was so rewarding.

since i skipped week 3, i'm not going to bore you with those details.  but for accountability purposes, here are the stats from this past week.


thursday// ran 2.77 miles
friday// walked 1.5 miles
saturday// ran 1 mile
sunday// ran 3.64 miles
monday// walked 1 mile & circuit training
tuesday// NADA
wednesday// ran 2.21 miles

mile a day:: week 2.

this challenge is tough.  there's no beating around the bush.  but, despite my lack of motivation lately, knowing i have to move at least one mile a day is getting me up and out the door.  this week was interesting with swimming, hiking, walking and running.  there was only one day (yesterday) that i missed.  and while i could consider this week a failure- i'm refusing to do so.  yep, i missed a day and yep, the streak has to start over...but for me, this challenge is more about getting out and moving on a regular basis than running a mile a day.  so while today starts anew, i'm not discouraged & am even more determined to make sure i succeed next week.

thursday// ran 1.43 miles
friday// walked the mall 1.02 miles
saturday// ran 3.84 miles
sunday// swam 1 mile, ran .6 miles
monday// hiked 5.45 miles
tuesday// ran 2.53 miles
wednesday// NADA

mile a day.

as mentioned in this post, i've committed to the mile a day december challenge.  occasionally i'll post photos on instagram using the hashtag #mileaday, but more consistently, i'll be sharing my progress on a weekly basis right here.

i was hoping to start this challenge on december 1st, since i was already behind the eight ball.  however that lovely stomach virus that's been going around had other ideas.  so officially, i began december 2nd and will continue to move a mile a day until january 2nd.

i'll be the first to admit, this is hard.  and i'm only on day 5 and i'm counting any mile regardless if i run, walk, swim or bike.  but i'm also determined to finish and hopefully enjoy the process.  i will tell you one thing, getting out and moving has been so good for me.  lately i've been a giant stress-ball- and a big, 'ol grumpy one at that.  so for the sake of myself and everyone else around me, i'm embracing this #mileaday.

sunday// swim 1450 meters, walk .5 miles (1.25 miles total)
monday// run 4 miles
tuesday// run 1.54 miles
wednesday// walk 1.1 miles

november is buy local month.

yesterday, syracuse officially declared november "buy local" month. rad, right? personally, I couldn't be more proud of this fine city for bringing this initiative to the table, doing their part in making local shopping main stream & celebrating all the awesome, home-grown vendors.

as far as i know, san diego has yet to do anything like this, but regardless- my plan is to join syracuse in this challenge. this isn't going to be easy. but it can be done.

my greatest challenge will be eating local. currently a. & i are staying with his parents. their idea of local is anything you can buy at the community costco...obviously not what we're going for here. but it's also a great way to educate & hopefully change a few habits, even if it's only for a month.

here are my rules:
1. eat as local as possible. buy as many basics from road stands and farmers markets as possible.

2. when eating out, eat at local mom & pop establishments, preferably ones that support community agriculture and other vendors. basically, no chains allowed.

3. if locally grown/produced basics can't be found at a market, purchase a brand made in-state. in my case, if I can't find local milk, i need to find a brand that produces dairy in california.

4. be realistic. it's highly unlikely there's a local toilet paper vendor in our city. but there's no way in hell i'm going to use leaves in lieu of tp just to practice buying local. everything in moderation, including moderation.

5. research. before jumping the gun to buy mega-brand shampoo, i need to do a bit of research to see what's out there. just because it's not at the farmers market doesn't mean it doesn't exist. as the saying goes, you don't know what you don't know. & knowledge is power.

6. waste not. i'm going to continue to use what i already have, no point in wasting anything during this challenge. once i run out and need to purchase more, those said purchases will be as local as possible.

even the smallest changes can leave a lasting impact. so if you're up for it, join me. let your dollars do the talking. in corporate america, that's one of the loudest voices out there.

bake 20: homemade naan.

tada!  my first attempt at naan.  not too shabby if i say so myself!

it's been over six years since i've attempted indian cuisine.  my first attempt happened when we lived in alabama after we were first married, with some old spices i picked up during a college trip to india.  not only did it not go well, it was a monumental disaster.  i for one, was teaching myself to cook and two, at the time, a. was the pickiest eater on the planet.  needless to say, it wasn't one of my finest culinary moments.

fast forward to last night.  i decided six years was long enough and forged ahead.  of course, indian cuisine isn't complete (in my opinion anyway) without naan.  ready to bake and take on the "bake 20" challenge i announced yesterday, i figured naan would make for a great start.

recipe: i settled on this naan recipe after reading some of the reviews.

adjustments: i intended to follow the recipe verbatim, but neglected to warm the milk before adding it.  

review: these were fabulous.  they tasted relatively authentic and perfectly complemented the palak paneer i made for dinner.  of course, the naan was the highlight of dinner & i'll definitely make these again (being certain to add warm milk next time).

............................................................................................................................................................

over the next five months i'm going to try my hand at 20 different baked goods.  there's no specific order and no plan.  just making things that look good and hopefully in the process, finding a new appreciation of baking.  feel free to join me in the Bake 20 Challenge.

bake 20.

as you may or may not now, i'm not a fan of baking.  at all.  lately i started dabbling in the art (and it really is an art) of bread making and while it's not always successful, i've fallen in love.  determined to embrace this new world of baking, i've set forth a little challenge for myself.

between now and the end of the year, i am going to bake 20 different items.  i don't have a plan and have no idea where to start.  also, considering we're moving in a couple months and will possibly be without a home for a few weeks after the fact (fingers crossed this isn't the case & more on this later), 20 still seems a bit lofty.  

as it should be, this will be rather challenging for me, but i'm so set on doing something that will push me out of my comfort zone.  depending on what i end up baking, we might also have some very happy co-workers.

here goes nothing!

17. do a polar bear plunge

it was wild, colorful & cold.  we were team fozen fanta and there were five of us.  We were the only team with enough guts to dress to the nines & had a huge crowd cheering us on as we raced into the water.  We raised over $1,000 for local charities.  

our purple fanta teammate came out to plunge even though she dislocated her knee the night before (a real trooper).  & i even took our team mascot in for the plunge- yep, the orange fanta went under water with me!  we plunged for less than 10 seconds but we dove in head first.  it took the rest of the night to warm up.  but we did it.  we plunged!

so there you have it.  i can officially cross off one of my to do: 2011.  i did a polar bear plunge!

resolutions.

happy 2011!!


'tis the season for resolutions and new beginnings.  i'm not a fan of new year's resolutions since they tend to fizzle come march, so in leu of these, i make lists of things i would like to do each year.  kinda like a mini bucket list if you will.


at the moment i currently have two running lists.  my twenty seven while 27 and my lofty to-do list that i started when a. left.  i decided today would be the perfect time to re-address these lists. 


part of me thinks i should keep the lists separate so i can revamp & reassess come march and october, but another part thinks if i merge these lists and keep them together & organized, i'll be more inclined to complete everything.  so, in the spirit of new beginnings, i've decided to merge the two.


and here is the new list for 2011.  


1. learn to play one song on the guitar
2. walk dogs 365 miles
3. go cross-country skiing
4. take a floral design class
5. scuba dive
6. volunteer for an organization
7. find a church
8. learn to roll a kayak
9. finish honeymoon scrapbook
10. bake bread (and no, banana bread doesn't count)
11. partake in three triathlons (sprint, olympic & half iron)
12. learn to use a sewing machine & make stuff
13. get a library card & use frequently
14. get comfortable using clipless petals
15. read 6 biographies
16. join a biking club
17. do a polar bear plunge
18. organize the basement
19. reduce my reliance on paper towels
20. go on a vacation (passport required)
21. decorate our bedroom
22. learn photoshop elements
23. embrace snail mail & write letters more often
24. start/join a book club
25. backpack
26. learn to snowboard
27. take a letter press class
28. go rock climbing (indoor & out)
29. plant a garden
30. learn to can
31. learn to use my camera
32. sugar-free for 30 days
33. skydive


so there you have it.  i only had a few things left from my twenty seven list...and i have to admit this is rather intimidating.  but everything listed is fun or will be an improvement to me.  and really, over the course of 365 days, why shouldn't i be able to complete everything on this list?


what are your resolutions for 2011?