Keeping Pace

Keeping Pace

Archives for September 2011

Good Morning Sunshine

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One thing good about the shorter days of fall is that I’m awake and alert by the time the sun gets around to rising. I look out my bedroom window and watch the sky turn colors in anticipation of the day. While continuing my own preparations for the day ahead, I check in periodically to see what progress the sun has made. The sun is timid at first but, within minutes, it seems to have gathered its confidence. The coming-out process accelerates and our friend out urging us to have a sunny day. california-sky-400x298.jpg

Hopefully, we all do.

Daily Photo returns

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I had so much for doing my daily photo project in 2010 — although, I will be the first to admit, it was overwhelming at times. When it was over, I embraced the time off.

But now it’s time to bring the project back to life!

Daily Photo: One photo each day for 365 consecutive days…or more.  Can she do it?  Time will tell.

90 miles [check]

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IMG_4184-400x298.jpgIt felt a bit like Frogger as I rode through the intersection and into my neighborhood at the end of 90 miles on bicycle. I was tired but certainly not in the wrong to roll into the intersection after the last two cars had crossed in front of me. Unfortunately, the two cars behind them were playing by different rules. They didn’t have time to wait for a bicycle. I escaped unharmed and, feeling pushed around, I rode the rest of the way with extra caution.

The ride itself was good. I managed to hold up fine on 2 hours worth of Perpetuem, a packet of almond butter, some salted almonds and raisins, and (on a quick stop at home) a bowl of loaded up quinoa served with a smoothie. The entire 92 mile ride took just under 8 hours.

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half baked and feeling great

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Well, I’m halfway through my food adventure and 100% decaffeinated. The latter, in and of itself, is a very BIG deal. I LOVE my coffee. Although I was completely overwhelmed with a whole lot of foods, spices, and such that I’d never heard of, at this halfway point, I’m getting more comfortable with it.

I started out small. I inserted quinoa into my menus adding soaked nuts, bananas, raisins, and a touch of cinnamon for breakfast. Lunch may have been quinoa or brown rice with nuts, avocado chunks, a sprinkle of cayenne pepper with some steamed vegetables (sweet potatoes, broccoli, red cabbage). It was all good, things were moving along nicely, but I needed to change it up a bit.

After scanning the recipes, I choose one that jumped out at me in the beginning: Monkey Love Smoothie. It’s a concoction of sorts on a base of bananas, almond butter, and almond milk, all spiced up nicely. Delicious!

At dinner, I played around with miso paste, coconut oil, and dark green leafy’s that I often pass on by in the grocery store. Yummy!

The hardest part about this whole thing is having to cook two meals. As you know, football practice gets me home at nearly 8pm. I scramble to get food on the table for YaYa already. Having to prepare an additional meal for me, no matter how simple, is challenging. This was the main reason I clung to quinoa. I drop the next day’s servings into the rice cooker the night before, and add the extra ingredients according to what I feel my body wants at the moment — and what I have on hand. It’s kind of a half-baked approach to this thing but it’s gotten me this far.

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now more than ever

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A while back, Coach Jeff used seasons in reference to running – and NOT running. We were chatting about the lack of success in my continued efforts to return to running. He said that like the seasons changing, my body needed an occasional change in sports. “This is just not your season to run,” he advised, hoping I’d let go of the disappointment and embrace my newfound ability for cycling.

Well, I have truly been embracing my cycling (for the most part anyway). My time on the yoga mat as well. But recently I’ve felt the need to lace up my shoes — or secure the Velcro on my VFFS tugging on me once again. Believe it or not, I actually have a half marathon on the books 8 weeks from now. *gasp* I KNOW.

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