Getting Down to the Wire!

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I have updated! Probably because my life is boring, and I pretty much do the same thing everyday. haha Sooooooooo, where did I leave off? Sunday was a lame day. LAME. I didn't run or workout, because I had to go to work early. People weren't the nicest, and the day was LONG. The Pens lost, and it was really sad :(. I didn't want to be at work, but I'm glad that I wasn't at home, watching the game...because I'd probably go apeshit. haha. There's always next year, boys < 333.

I drowned my sorrows in garlic knots and mushroom/pepper pizza. Not worth it. I felt gross. haha. I also had an egg and cheese sandwich that a co-worker brought in when we opened, because she is a dear. It wasn't as good as Panera's, but it was still good.

After work, I had to go to my grandmother's to celebrate my cousin's birthday. All I had for dinner was some salad, and a little vegetarian stuffing, along with a tofurkey sandwich I had brought. For dessert, I had some tres leche cake. So. freaking. good. It looked like baby vomit, but it tasted like heaven.

I came home and had my nut butter cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread, because I'm a carb-ass.

Monday, I was going to go to the gym, but I rested again. Hips/glutes still weren't feeling good. Blegh.

I think work sucked? I don't really remember. I went to the chiropractor at 4:15 on my break, and he said that it's progressing well. Whew, thank God.

Tuesday, I had off. I went to the gym, and it went pretty well. The total body trainer/arc trainer are my best friends right now. I do 90 minutes total on those, then I did strength training for 20 minutes or so. Was a bit pooped, but that's how it should be! Afterward, I got some Cinnamon Raisin Walnut bread at Loafer's. So yummy. I went home, and had to have a piece right away! I also ate a banana with one of the new nut butters I received--Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter. Oh.My.God. The best one out of the bunch! I did a bunch of cleaning on Tuesday afternoon--living room and my bathroom were tackled. The bathroom was grooooss. Stupid mildew. Felt much better when it was all done, though! I then took a shower in my clean bathtub :). I also washed my sheets and a bunch of clothes. Always nice to have clean sheets.

For dinner, I had a tofurkey sandwich and a kale salad. I also had my nut butters on bread for an evening snack.

I was also off on Wednesday. Did another gym session, only no strength training circuit. For my post-workout snack, I had some vanilla Chobani with the espresso almond butter (YUM) and some blackberries. It was so good!

 I went to the Mario Lemieux Foundation Office to get my Team Lemieux swag for the Pittsburgh Marathon. It had me so excited! I went to the chiropractor afterward, so he could beat up my pelvis ;). Then, I went on a girl's date with my good friend, Laynie! We went to Burgatory, and I had a veggie burger with gouda cheese, spinach, roasted tomatoes, onion marmalade, and a garlic rub. Sooooo good! I had it with a side salad that is really unique, for a burger joint--it had roasted tomatoes, sunflower seeds, and some really good balsamic dressing. Afterward, we walked around a bit.  We decided to go to a Pirates game on May 12,  because a bunch of our friends are going. It's going to be fun!

When I got home, I ate a KIND bar, because I was curious to see how they taste...pretty good! And their NUVAL scores are pretty high as well. I ate a salad later that night, but I wasn't too hungry, so I didn't finish it.

Thursday, I went to the gym in the morning, then I worked from 1 to 10. Our system was down, which made everything annoying pretty much, but it happens. I had a tofurkey sandwich for lunch, then I had a Kashi frozen entree for dinner--the Spinach Artichoke Pasta. For a frozen entree, it's pretty dang good! I also ate an orange with it.

Later on that night, I had a passion fruit Chobani, and some pretzels. I am obsessed with pretzels--it's a bad thing.

When I got home later that night, I had my nut butter on bread, and I also had a piece of Bubba's Walnut Bread. Putting that in front of me is basically like giving crack to an addict. So. Good.

Today (Friday), I was off again! So, I went to the gym in the morning, did my usual total body/arc trainer routine, showered, then I went grocery shopping. Got a BUNCH of stuff. I always buy a ton of Clif Bars and Chobani. Oh well. haha. Once I got home, I had a banana with some espresso almond butter, and a piece of the cinnamon raisin walnut bread. A little while later, I saw that there were some leftovers from dinner this past week. My mom made pasta with mushrooms, mascarpone cheese, olive oil, and I can't remember the rest--all I can remember is that it was really good. haha. I threw some blueberries and corn in it, and all was good in the world.

 I had a chiropractor appointment later on, and when I got home, I decided to try out some of the Kashi U that I bought, because it looked tasty. I put some in 2% Chobani with some blackberries. Sooooo good!

I then decided to take my big dumb-dumb, Ozzie, for a walk. I love him to death, but he's got to be one of the most unintelligent canines on the face of this earth. haha. It was nice to be out in the gorgeous weather, though :).

So, the marathon is a week from Sunday! So excited, but I'm also really nervous that my injury will act up :(. My chiro told me to go on a "test run" within the next few days to try it out. I'm super scared about it! What if it acts up?! AH. This is the course this year--it is currently my desktop background :)  :

  

Well, thank God it's taper time, is all I have to say. Tonight, I'm probably eating a salad while catching up on Grey's--my life is super-exciting.

I work aaaaalll weekend--I actually don't have a day off until next Friday. I will be going to the Marathon Expo that day! OOOOH, and Meb Keflezighi will be there! Super excited for that. I'm also volunteering at the Kids Event the next morning. It's early, but I think it'll be so much fun :).

Alright, I hope I've bored you sufficiently enough. haha. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Awkward Tan Lines.

Soooooooo, let's see...

I woke up on Friday morning, and my butt felt pretty okay. I took (probably too many) Advil, ate my usual pre-run breakfast of a Clif Bar and Shakeology with chia seeds, did my dynamic stretching, and headed on my way.

It was already warm, and my stride was fairly uncomfortable from the get-go. My chiropractor said that I could run, but I probably(/definitely) took it to extremes. The hills were the easiest (yeah, I said it), the flats were fairly uncomfortable, and the downhills were pretty terrible. My breathing was fine, and I could have definitely gone longer, had this nagging pain not been around. I stopped at mile 15 (...yep. ONE pooping mile short), because  the pain was pretty unbearable. I was having stomach issues too--I think it was due to dehydration. I didn't take any GUs, because I didn't want the tummy issues to escalate any further, and it's not like I was blazing through my miles. haha. I was going way slower than usual, but I did 15, and that's all that matters. I got major sun too. I came home, limped to the refrigerator, drank 4584805 gallons of water, ate some berries (KILL those free radicals!), drank my GNC Lean Shake, and showered/got ready for the Pens game! I iced my butt, and it helped a little, but not much.

I'm officially on taper time!



At the chiropractor's office, he spent a little extra time with me. He said I'll definitely be sore, but my condition isn't any worse than it was. THANK GOD. He also said I'm still on track to run the marathon on May 6! He put me on this electrical muscle stimulation machine, where he literally placed nodes on my butt. haha. It was weird, but I'll do anything at this point to recover!

On the way to the game, I took an Aleve with my tofurkey sandwich. Totally necessary. haha. I also drank a bottle of water, because I still felt super dehydrated. When I peed, it was the color of apple juice. Definitely not okay. haha.

The Penguins game was AMAZING. AMAZING. The crowd was crazy, and the Pens definitely fed off of it. I'm REALLY hoping for a Game 7! I can't watch Game 6 (I work :[), but I believe in those boys < 333. The limping walk home was totally worth it. haha. I snacked on a pineapple Chobani during the first intermission and an apple during the second intermission. I also drank another bottle of water and had a coconut water as well. Gotta replenish those electrolytes!

I got home around 11:45, ate my almond sunflower butter with another new PB flavor I received--peanut butter pretzel. Oh my gosh, so good. I caught up on e-mails and didn't go to sleep until near 1:30. I was super tired. haha

I woke up this morning feeling SO sore. It's been a while since I've been this sore. Yikes. I got ready to pick up my Team Lemieux marathon packet, while eating my breakfast of Shakeology and cereal with TONS of fruit :).

I JUST missed the event, so I have to pick up my packet sometime this week :(. I went to Target, and tried on a bunch of clothes. I really this shirt that I bought--only $18!














I also bought two tanks that are kinda colorblocks--a gray/yellow one and a red/maroonish one, and I bought a black maxi dress with tan stripes on the bottom--so cute!

After that, we went to Loafer's, because I heard they were having an Orange Chocolate Chip loaf on special today. SO.WORTH.IT. I also bought their Almond Butter, because it is quite frankly the best almond butter I have ever tasted...and there's only one ingredient. So good.

Finally, I went grocery shipping and bought a TON of stuff. Mostly veggies, soy, greek yogurt, and my Ezekiel Bread. Nothing really special today.

I came home, ate a piece of my bread (once again...SO WORTH IT), and then made my lunch: a tofurkey sandwich with some avocado on it. I also snacked on an apple a little while later, while catching up on e-mails and such.

I've been icing and stretching and all of that hulabaloo. It's better now than it was this morning. I'm hoping it's much better by Monday, because I want to do some cardio + strength training before work. I'm definitely going to minimize the amount of running I do in the next two weeks, to optimize the healing time of my SI joint. If I have to do my "long run" of 8 miles this week on the arc/total body trainers, I will most definitely do it...plus, I'll get some strength training done in the process!

Not much going on tonight--just gonna sit at home and rest. Tomorrow, I work, and then I'm heading to my grandmother's to celebrate my cousin's birthday. Monday, I'm hoping for an AM gym session then I work, then Tuesday, I'm hoping for some gym time and hopefully a Pens Game 7?!

Alright, I've babbled enough. I'm outta here! Enjoy the weekend, even if the weather is yucky. haha

The Final Countdown...

Today turned out to be a pretty decent day! I woke up feeling refreshed--I slept pretty well!

I had my usual "rest day" breakfast of cereal, almond milk, chia seeds, almonds, a banana, and Shakeology. I was super full for almost 5 hours after that. haha. My planned rest day was today, but it feels weird having so many rest days this week (four so far :/). I'm trying to heal as much as possible, though, to save my butt for tomorrow's long run.

I worked from 9-5, and work flew by today! I had a snack of Blood Orange Chobani, and then ate lunch a little later (tofurkey sandwich), while I read some of my Trail issue of Runner's World.

After work, I had some errands to run, so ate an orange while doing them. I went grocery shopping for a few things, and I bought a new lipstick! I never wear makeup (only mascara occasionally), and I've never worn lipstick seriously really, so this was a change. Your thoughts?

Someone baked brownies for us, so I ate one...or two. haha. They were "heart healthy," whatever.

For dinner, I had a stuffed pepper, to which I added some blackberries and blueberries. It tasted really good, don't judge me.

Caaaaarbs.

I've been icing my butt a ton and doing some yoga/dynamic stretches. I think it's helping! I've also been catching up on "Game of Thrones." Oh, Drago...have me any time.

Right now, I'm eating my cinnamon raisin bread with sunflower/almond butter and peanut butter. Always so good.

Tomorrow, I'm planning a 16-miler--my last long run before the taper! I'm nervous about my butt, but we'll see how that goes. I'll pray a lot. haha. Afterward, I'll refuel and get ready for the Pens game. It's do or die, boys! There will be a chiro masochism session in between. Good times.

This weekend, I'm meeting the rest of the runners for Team Lemieux! Super exciting :). I'm also hoping for a Game 6 somewhere in there ;).

Alright, I'm outta here!

Blah blah blah.

Trying to recall the past couple days' events...

Tuesday morning, I ate the usual pre-gym breakfast of a Clif Bar and Shakeology with chia seeds. Always satisfying.

I wanted to do 3 miles on the treadmill, but I could only do 1. My right glute was screeeeeaming. Lame. I did one mile, then did 1.5 miles on both the total body trainer and the arc trainer. I then did a couple circuits of strength training--ONLY upper body, no lower body--I'm not totally stupid. haha.

I walked to work after showering and washing my hair for the first time in like 4 days--man, it felt good ;).

Work was meh. My butt hurt pretty much the whole night. Depressing. haha. I scheduled an appointment with my chiropractor a day early, because I was freaking out.

I refueled with a coconut water and a GNC Lean Shake. Later on, i had an apple, because I couldn't wait for lunch. For lunch, I had a Get Go salad, which had so many random veggies with some egg on it as well. Later on for dinner, I ate my daily tofurkey sandwich. Soooo gooood.

For a snack, I had a Chobani (passion fruit, I think? Can't remember). When I got home from work at 10, I had my usual cinnamon raisin bread with peanut butter, but I received a nut butter bundle from Open Sky--I used the sunflower/almond butter combo with chocolate. Soooooooooo good.

This morning, I wanted to run, but I obviously decided against it. My glute definitely felt better, but it wasn't near 100%. I ate my usual cereal + Shakeology breakfast, then headed to work.

I ate a honey-flavored Chobani around noon, an orange around 1, then ate a Mojo bar around 2:30. I ate my usual tofurkey sandwich around 4 (I eat a lot, get used to it).

I went to the chiropractor, expecting him to tell me to drop out of the marathon...but, he didn't! He said my pelvis was just a bit misaligned, but he could fix me! I was overjoyed. I feel so much better even after one session! I've been icing like a mofo, like he told me. haha. I see him again on Friday. He made a very valid point, that I broke in my news shoes too early for a 20-miler. Probably true. I guess I'll use my old Sauconys for one last long go--she can afford those miles :).

I came home, took out the trash, and iced intermittently, while catching up on e-mails and such. I also ate way too many Sarris chocolate balls. Sooooooooooo good. haha.

For dinner, I had a kale salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, blueberries, blackberries, avocado, and topped with a pepper stuffed with chickpeas, rice, and black beans. Ooooh, and I put some roasted potatoes on top, in case I didn't get enough carbs. haha.

I watched the Penguins game, and it was AWESOME. Played an entire 60 minutes, and they DESTROYED the Flyers. It was beautiful to watch. My favorite player ever (Marc-Andre Fleury, the goalie), finished strong, and it was so nice to see him smile :). Can't wait for Game 5 on Friday, boys!

I then ate some cinnamon bread with peanut butter and sunflower/almond butter. Yuuummmm.

Tomorrow is yet another rest day, then I'm hoping I'm well enough to run 16 miles on Friday. It'll be my last long run before the taper. Ah, sweet taper.

Speaking of the marathon, I've raise almost $700 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. Cancer can suck it. If you want to donate, www.active.com/donate/marioski . Dooooooooo it!

Time for bed! Goodnight, everyone :).

A coworker sent that to me. She was hesitant, because she thought it might be offensive toward me (I've been a vegetarian for 8 years or so). I just laughed. Hard.

Welp, let's recap since Saturday...

I worked 2-10 on Saturday, and it wasn't too bad, actually. My eats? I had a tofurkey sandwich not long after getting to work, a Cedarlane egg white omelet for dinner, and a Chobani later on that night. Once I got home, I had my usual Cinnamon Raisin Bread with almond and peanut butter. Soooo good.

Sunday, I planned to get up early and run. My body wasn't having it, so I listened. With less than a month to go until the marathon, no way in hell I'm rebelling against my body. haha.

For breakfast, I had my usual Kashi 7-Grain Puffs with Kellogs Pure Protein, almond milk, banana, chia seeds, almonds, and Shakeology. Always so satisfying.

I worked from 10-7, and it wasn't too bad. The only bad thing was the Penguins game. BLAH. I'm not going to get into it, because the first period alone took almost an hour to play. Ridiculous. Basically, the Pens looked so out of character and barbaric...and it was embarrassing. I'm hoping they get their shit together for Game 4 on Wednesday, because it's "do or die" time! I believe in them :). I was in a bad mood the rest of the day, though. Whoops. haha.

I had a vanilla Chobani, and I brought a Greek salad, but we ended up ordering a mushroom pizza. I ate my pieces way too quickly, along with too many garlic knots, and I thought I was going to vomit. We were busy, so I wanted to hurry. I felt icky the rest of the day. Booooo.

After work, I went to Grandmother's, and I was in a terrible mood, so I went for a walk by myself through Oakmont. I felt better afterward. I ate a tofurkey sandwich and apple on the walk. I also had a little of her salad beforehand. Once I got back, I had a piece of her Texas Sheet Cake, because you can't NOT have her cake. haha. I also had a piece of garlic bread, because carbs are addictive. I came home and had a few Sarris chocolate eggs (ugh, stop eating sugar, Kelly), and my usual bread with nut butter. So much food. haha. Oh well.

I also wrote a Penguins' Game 3 recap for my friend's sports blog. It was a sort of catharsis, I guess--I felt better after writing it. Still pissed, but it's just a game. I just have a competitive streak in me, what can I say? haha.

Today, I planned to run instead, but I had a terrible night's sleep, and my glutes were still sore. Not pushing it! So, I had my non-run day breakfast of cereal and Shakeology.

At work, I ate a pineapple Chobani for a midmorning snack, a tofurkey sandwich for lunch, and an apple for my afternoon snack. After work, I went to the chiropractor, and then headed home.

For dinner, I had a HUGE Greek salad with some added kale, tomatoes, chickpeas, and fresh broccoli. I also added blackberries, which nicely complemented the feta. Yummmmmm.

I am now enjoying my bread with almond and peanut butter while watching "Game of Thrones." I'm re-watching the first season because I forget who some of the people are, and I'm super confused in Season 2. haha.

It's been a while since I've had two rest days in a row, but I think it was necessary--I probably shouldn't have gone to the gym the day after my 20-miler on Friday, but it is what it is. I'm planning to go to the gym tomorrow morning, so we'll see how that goes!

My workout schedule this week:

Sunday: rest

Monday: rest

Tuesday: gym for cardio + strength

Wednesday: AM run

Thursday: rest

Friday: long run (16 miles--last long run before the big day!)

Saturday: AM recovery run or AM gym session

The Boston Marathon was today. Kinda jealous of those running it, but I hope there weren't any major medical issues with the unusual heat wave!

Back to "Game of Thrones" ;).

20. One and done.

Oh man. So, Thursday, I worked, which was fine. I did a little grocery shopping before my chiropractor appointment. Honestly, it scares me that some people in the grocery store actually drive on the road. Yikes. They didn't have my Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel bread--I wasn't the least bit bitter. NOPE.

I came home after my chiropractor appointment, and ate. Way too much. I was semi-freaking out for the ominous 20-miler the next day, so I wanted to make sure I had enough fuel. Obviously, that meant eating half of a Kashi pizza (which is what I normally eat the night before a long run), some Easter candy, some Bear Naked Fit granola (aaaaaaaaaaaddicting), some strawberries, some cinnamon raisin walnut bread (also addicting), and I finished off the night with my usual cinnamon raisin bread with almond and peanut butter...with some spoonfuls out of the jar. Don't judge me. My stomach was not happy, obviously. haha.

I woke up the next morning, and my stomach definitely felt better. I had my Shakeology with chia seeds and a Chocolate Chip Peanut Clif Bar.

I got ready for my long run in the usual way (dynamic stretching, sunscreen, Body Glide, getting my gels and water together, etc), and headed out.

The first 13 miles of my run were pretty good! My body felt good and pretty relaxed. I took an E Gel at mile 8, and thought I drank enough water...but, I'm thinking I did not. At mile 13, I had terrible cramps--so much so that it was hard to breathe--so, I had to stop. I had to stop to refill my water bottle anyway, so it worked out. I walked for a couple minutes just to see if the cramps would subside. I then tried running again, and the cramps started coming back. After about a mile, I had to stop AGAIN to use the bathroom. I had to. Blah. haha. After that, I took a gel and drank a bunch of water. I then started back on my run, and kept running until mile 19, because I figured if I found so more water to wash the gel through, the last mile of my run would go smoothly (it was almost entirely uphill, so I didn't want to be absolutely miserable. haha). Of course, the park I thought would have water didn't...sooooo, I just went. The last mile sucked, pretty much. My heart rate reached 220--yeah, not normal. I kept pushing, though--noooo way I was stopping so short of my goal. I pushed it and reached 20 and felt immediate gratification. Definitely wasn't as enjoyable as my 18-miler last week, but the fact that I pushed through the cramps and such made it all the more enjoyable to finish.

I really need to remember to rotate my photos before uploading them. Maybe.

Once I got home, I refueled (G2 fruit punch, TONS of water, some strawberries and blackberries, GNC Lean Shake), ate some real food (the other half of my Kashi pizza), got ready for the Pens game, and headed out.

I ate a tofurkey sandwich on the way to the game. I kinda had to force myself to eat, because my stomach was still ragey.

The game was fun, but the Pens lost AGAIN. I dunno what's going on with my boys, Man. They get a commanding lead, but then start turning over the puck and letting Philly get back into the game. Soooooooo frustrating. I believe they can come back and tie the series in Philly, but they have to get their heads out of their asses first. I think not being in a comfortable atmosphere will be the best thing for them, so they don't sit back. Here's hoping!

During intermissions, I ate a Passion Fruit Chobani, an apple, and a coconut water. And a lot of water. haha.

I walked home, came home, and ate cinnamon raisin walnut bread and some cinnamon raisin bread with almond and peanut butter. I ate so many carbs yesterday, I don't even care. haha.

I slept like a LOG, woke up this morning, ate my Shakeology and Clif Bar, and I'm planning to do some cardio and strength training at the gym this morning before work. We'll see how this goes.

A little tired, but not too sore at all!

I work until 10 tonight, then I work tomorrow as well. Planning an early run tomorrow, but we'll see! Pens play tomorrow at 3, which means I can wear my Asham jersey to work. Score.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Maaaaaan...

So yesterday was...interesting, especially the weather. haha. I woke up later than usual (8:30 AM). I usually wake up around 7, but I went to bed pretty late the night before, and I didn't sleep the best.

I ate my usual shorter pre-run breakfast of a Clif Bar and Shakeology with chia seeds. I also had a piece of Loafer's Cinnamon Raisin Walnut....aaaand a few peanut M&Ms, because I have no self-control. I also painted my nails with Essie's "Merino Cool." I really like this neutral shade! It's already tacky, because I decided to wrestle with my dog and take out the trash in succession. No patience.

No, I am incapable of not getting nail polish on my fingers.

And yeeeees, that IS Golden Girls on my television ;). Rose is my kindred soul.

...but, HOW can you deny a face like that? The simple answer is you cannot.

The weather kept going from windy, cloudy and some sort of precipitation (hail? Really?), to sunny and fairly calm. I didn't know what was going on! I decided to suck it up and just go around 1 PM. It all started out well and good, but then the hail started and randomly appeared throughout my run. Naturally, me being the highly intelligent human being that I am, wore Under Armour running capris and a racerback tan (genius, I know). I was fine...when it wasn't pouring hail and windy as all hell. haha. People were staring at me like I was crazy. I mean, they're not too far off, but it was fine, once the sun came out. I finished pretty strong, and definitely had some gas in the tank. I didn't want to push it, though, because I'm supposed to run 20 miles tomorrow.

I will eventually get over my fear of rotating photos.

Once I got home, I showered, refueled (coconut water, GNC Lean Shake, and some strawberries and blackberries for some antioxidant properties, yo), and stretched and foam-rolled. On the way to the Pens game, I ate my usual lunch (late, at 6 PM, but better late than never) of tofurkey and Swiss on Ezekiel Bread.

The game was SUPER entertaining and full of energy. I love playing Philly in the playoffs, but I also really dislike them. It's gonna be a crazy and scary series--but soooo entertaining! During intermissions, I ate a passion fruit Chobani and an apple. The game went into OT, but we lost. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun.

I was prepared to walk over 2 miles home, but I only had to walk a little over 1.5, because my friend picked me up and took me home. What a beautiful soul she is :).

Once I got home, I ate another piece of Cinnamon Raisin Walnut bread (carboloading for Friday, duh), aaaaand almond butter and peanut butter on Ezekiel cinnamon raisin bread. Never fails me < 3. I stretched and foam-rolled again, wrote a few articles for my friend's playoff hockey blog, then called it a night around 1 AM (I dunno why I'm deciding to go to bed so late, all of a sudden. I don't like it. haha.)

This morning, I woke up at 7 (should have gotten more sleep, but oh well), ate my usual cereal breakfast, but with the addition of pineapple and strawberries to my cereal--made it a lot more satisfying ;), and chocolate Shakeology.

Yummmm!

Today, I work from 9-5, then I plan on doing a little grocery shopping, chiro appointment, then some more carbo loading and resting for tomorrow's 20-miler! Theeeeeen, it's Game 2 of the Penguins-Flyers series. It's gonna get crazy!

Hopefully, the weather settles down :). It's supposed to be pretty nice on Friday, so I'm expecting some tan(/burn)lines. haha

Have a good day, everyone!

Long days...

Just realized that I haven't updated in like 2 days...buuuut, that's because I've pretty much been working the WHOLE time.

Yesterday, I woke up at 7, ate my usual cereal combo, but I combined half of a cup of Chocolate Shakeology and half of a cup of Tropical Shakeology. SO GOOD. It tasted like chocolate-covered berries. Definitely recommend it.

I worked from 9 AM to 10 PM yesterday. Would NOT recommend it. haha. It sucked until I took a mini break around 5:30--then it started to pick up and go more quickly.

I had a tofurkey sandwich around 1 on Ezekiel bread. ALWAYS so satisfying < 3. You've seen it before, no need for a picture. haha

A little while later, I had the egg my sister made for me. It has a running shoe on it! See? She's so artistic ;).

I had a Cedarlane egg white mushroom and spinach omelet with a grapefruit for dinner

For my midevening snack, I had a vanilla Chobani and an apple. Simple, yet satisfying.

Once I got home, I had my usual snack of Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread with almond and peanut butter. Soooo good. I also had some peanut M&Ms. Keep them away from me.

This morning, I woke up at 6:30, had my Chocolate Shakeology and a Peanut Butter Clif Bar, before heading to the gym. I did 5.5 miles of cardio, then three circuits of strength training. I felt the buuuurn, one could say. I had coconut water and a GNC Lean Shake to replenish my electrolytes/carbs/protein.

I bought a salad at Get Go, and had some strawberries with it. I also ate a Cadbury Cream Egg, because it's my life, and I wanted to. haha.

At 4, I had my usual tofurkey sandwich. I also had an orange with it.

Theeeeeeeen, around 7, I had a pomegranate Chobani, and an apple around 8.

Once I got home from work, I had yet again my Ezekiel bread with nut butter. I'm a creature of habit, what can I say? I also had a piece of Cinnamon Raisin Walnut bread from Loafers, because I'm a carbaholic, and some peanut M&Ms. Seriously, what is wrong with me? haha.

Tomorrow, I'm planning on an 8ish mile run, then it's off to the Penguin game! I'm pretty excited about it :). The weather won't be the greatest, but I'm not even worrying about that! I'm just super happy that it will be nice on my "long run day" (Friday).

I'm reading Amby Burfoot's book. It's very interesting and entertaining. What a wonderful man.

I'm about falling asleep on my laptop, so I'm going to head to bed. I hope you all are having a good week so far!

My sister left yesterday, and I seriously miss her so much :(. I need to visit her this summer in Savannah!

I ate a sweet!

For the first time in 40 days, I ate a sweet...actually, who am I kidding? I ate a couple. And each one was SO worth it.

At my grandma's, I packed a tofurkey sandwich (wanted to make sure I refueled properly from my run!)

Yeah, I didn't wash my hair after my run. I also have no shame.

At dinner, I ate some asparagus, eggplant parmigiana, homemade hummus with pita (SO GOOD), stuffed artichokes, and some salad.

Afterward, I hung out with my sister and Cassandra came over. We talked a bunch and played Scrabble with my little cousin. I really love that game.

For dessert, I had three pieces of walnut bread (do not even BEGIN to judge me--I needed my Omega 3s), and a piece of cheesecake. Oh maaaan, that cheesecake was good. My grandmother is so good to me. haha.

I also had some peanut M&Ms when I came home. I think it kinda shocked my body, because my tummy wasn't feeling the greatest afterward. I'm gonna take it easy with sweets until after the marathon. Furreal. Good thing peanut butter isn't a sweet...because I'd have to go apeshit on someone.

Tomorrow, I work 9 AM to 10 PM. Yeeeeeeeeeah. It's not gonna be pretty, but like I said, it'll be worth it on Wednesday and Friday :).

Bed time soon! Long day tomorrow. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday.

No Diggity.

Am I listening to this song right now? Absolutely.

Do I regret it at all? Absolutely....

NOT.

So, to summarize since last post:

*My sister has been home and spending time with her has been amazing :).

*Nothing gives me a rush quite like attending an exciting hockey game...except for running. And Jimmy Page...but we won't get into that.

I went to the gym yesterday morning with my sister and I did 3 miles on the tready (kinda a tempo run) by myself, then I did 1.5 on the total body trainer, and 1 on the arc trainer with Molly. It's amazing how much less gross you are when you wear a moisture-wicking shirt. Surprise! We laughed and talked a lot, and it was fun :). I also did a couple circuits of strength training.

Afterward, we stopped at the drug store, and I bought Essie nail polish that I didn't need. "Merino Cool." Look it up. Super Pretty. I also bought "Russian Navy" by OPI at the grocery store the other day. Another superfluous purchase. I'm super good at those.

I got ready and then went to the Pens final regular season game. SUCH a fun time. It was an exciting game, and it already felt like the playoffs! I had so much fun.

Afterward, I played Dora the Explorer, trying to find the Church Brew Works from the arena. Once I walked like 480594 blocks, I sat at the bar, because my friend was tending. I waited for my sister and our mutual friends. I had never eaten there before, and ordered the vegetarian polenta.

So. Good. Oh my God. It had goat cheese and roasted tomatoes with it. I would DEFINITELY recommend it. My sister and I also shared an order of "Untraditional Perogies," which had seasonal veggies and goat cheese in them (apparently, goat cheese is a big deal). Really good too! My sister got the Mediterranean salad, but didn't finish it...yeah, you bet your ass I didn't let that go to waste. My stomach ALWAYS has extra room. haha. We spent the rest of the night being complete goofballs and I loved every minute of it. My sister leaves tomorrow, and I don't wanna let her goooooooo :(.

I woke up this morning, had Kellog's Total Protein + Kashi Whole Grain Puffs, almonds, banana, almond milk, chia seeds, and Shakeology....and a piece of Bubba's walnut bread, because it's absolutely AMAZING (it's unbleached and umbrominated whole wheat, which means it's absolutely super healthy for you. Duh.).

I went to church with padre, then came home and figured out my work schedule so that I can attend the first two home games. Sooooooooo, it looks like I'm working from 9 AM tomorrow morning until 10 PM at night. Tomorrow's gonna suck. haha. But, Wednesday and Friday will be totally worth it. It also means I get THREE days off this week. Holla. I just gotta keep telling myself that tomorrow. Yep.

After I figured out all of that, I went for a run. It was cloudy and windy, but I enjoyed it. I covered 9.5 miles, and then sun came out at 9.4. Thanks a lot. haha. I tried my new shoes and they were awesome! It's the same model that I've always used, just a different color. They're sweet. Yup.

We're going to my grandma's for Easter dinner, then I think I gotta come home and do laundry. Buuuuuuuut, then it's Game of Thrones and Mad Men time!

Molly leaves tomorrow, and I won't get to see her off, because I will be at work all day. POOH.

Just means I gotta visit her this summer ;). I could totally be a Georgia Peach. Totally.

Workout schedule this week:

Sunday: 9.5 mile (done)

Monday: rest (I will be on my feet for 13 hours. That is enough of a workout for me, thank you.)

Tuesday: AM gym for cardio/strength

Wednesday: AM run

Thursday: rest

Friday: long run (20 miles)

Saturday: either rest or AM gym session. We shall see how I feel. haha

Gotta shower, because I'm smelly. Byeeeeeeeeeee.

The Day After 18.

Helloooooooooooo.

So, yesterday's 18-miler was FANTASTIC. I felt strong the entire time, and I could have actually done more...which is super encouraging :). I tried a new fueling strategy (E Gel at Mile 7, GU at mile 12), and tried to hydrate more frequently. Apparently, my muscles were happy, because I finished strong and didn't feel the need to stop at all. So happy. (too lazy to rotate. You're just going to have to deal with it.)

Afterward, I refueled (G2 and GNC Lean Shake, later on half of a vegetable Kashi pizza, and a couple hours later, a tofurkey and swiss cheese sandwich on Ezekiel whole grain bread with some avocado...didn't take pictures, because I was too busy gorging myself.)

I went to the Pittsburgh Penguins game, and it was SO fun. The Pens won, clearly to impress me. Clearly.

This morning, I woke up, hardly sore. Obviously, there was a little soreness there, but nothing to be worried about. I honestly could have run today, but I definitely don't want to push it with my pre-existing condition and the marathon so close at hand.

I went to the chiropractor and felt pretty great afterward. Worked 9-5, and have been hanging out with my other half ever since! My little sister (she's going to be 23, but she's still little to me!) is visiting from Savannah for the Easter holiday, and I'm so excited to see her. Missed her < 333.

I had Kellog's Pure Protein cereal mixed with Kashi Whole Grain Puffs, a handful of almonds, strawberries, chia seeds, and almond milk, along with my Shakeology for breakfast. Didn't take a picture, because I'm lame.

For a mid-morning snack, I just had a strawberry-banana Chobani.

For lunch, I had a Tofurkey and Swiss sandwich on Ezekiel Bread.

For my mid-afternoon snack, a simple apple.

We went to Loafer's after work (BEST BREAD EVER), and we bought a loaf of "Holiday Bread." Best decision ever. It's entirely whole grain bread with walnuts, raisins, cherries, apples, apricots, and walnuts in it. Not even fair how good it is. I had a piece when I got home. No shame.

My mom made homemade pizza, and I had like 34589504 slices (whatever, I'm still in recovery from yesterday? haha.), and I also had a kale salad with pineapple, strawberries, bananas, tomatoes, roasted mushrooms peppers and onions, and pizza sauce (don't ask), along with a yam. Yet again, no picture, because stuffing my face is more important than sharing my life via show ;).

Well, I ate too much, and my stomach is suuuuuuuuper pissed at me. No usual "almond and peanut butter on Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Bread" for this gal tonight (my usual "treat").

Tomorrow, I'm going to the gym in the morning for a sweaty sesh, then heading to the final Pens regular season game of the season. Then, playoffs, Baby!

After that, I may be going out with my sister and some of our mutual friends. We shall see!

Sunday, I can start eating sweets and fried foods again. The idea of most fried foods have turned me off, but cheesecake? Uh, hello?

Time to go--I think all of the fiber is getting to me.

So my post isn't totally barren of visual stimulation....

Bought this at work today. I rule.

PS. Got running shoes in lieu of candy this year. Pretty baller! Excited to try them on Sunday for their inaugural run. If all goes well, they should be my marathon shoes :).

Hello, my name is Kelly. And I am a runner.

Ooooooooooooooooh hey.

My name is Kelly, and I'm a 25 (blegh) year old from Pittsburgh, PA. I've lived here all of my life and couldn't imagine not living here. So, there's that. I've run intermittently throughout my life, but didn't get serious until a year or so ago.

I decided to blog about my running/healthy living pursuits. I'm in the midst of training for my first marathon (the Pittsburgh Marathon) in May. I'm run a couple halfs and loved it, and my longest run thus far was 20 (exhausting) miles. It hurt, but it was worth it. The marathon is on May 6, so it's only a couple of weeks away! I'm both nervous and excited...nerxcited or excervous? You decide.

Anyway, here's hoping that my posts both inspire and entertain not only you, but also myself! I want to be able to look back on these and be super proud of myself. Or laugh at my embarrassing idiosyncrasies. Tomato, tomato (that doesn't really work visually, but you get what I'm saying).

Also, the name of my blog is from the Bob Dylan song. I love classic rock...like, a lot. Zeppelin is my jam, Jimmy Page is my boyfriend. Get used to it.

So, here's my first (boring) post.

Woke up at 8 AM (LATE for me). Buuut, I didn't want to eat my breakfast too early before my run, and I have to eat as soon as I awake, because I'm a chubber. I'm trying a new pre-long run breakfast, because my usual one of Kashi 7-Grain Puffs with almond milk, a banana, and almonds with Shakeology and chia seeds is not tummy-agreeable, for some reason? Before my gym workouts and shorter runs, my usual breakfast is:

Clif Bar

Shakeology

and I added a banana, for extra potassium and more calories. You need some nutrition for 18 miles, yo (I didn't take a picture, because everyone knows what a banana looks like...and I do not wish to promote phallic images on my website).

Tackling 18 miles today, then when I get home, I get to see my sister for the first time since Christmas! So exciting :).

My blog entries might be more exciting from here on out. Or I could just be leading you on, so that you'll come back. Potato, potato...

(Bic Bands reppin'. Too lazy to rotate the photo reppin'.)