Martha's So-Called Life

what we're eating 5/7 - 5/13

After a week of eating pretty much nothing but sugar and grains...I'm getting back on track!  I was gone last week and am not entirely sure what John ate (he assured me he didn't need me to plan his menu for him while I was gone, "you do know that I can cook for myself, right?" were his words before I left), this week he is going to be gone, but I'm still planning.  If I don't, I won't cook.  I still might not cook, but at least I will have made an effort.  

Monday (today): something that can be made from the stuff in the fridge because I am not going to the store (I'll let you know how that goes)

Tuesday: Grilled chicken and veggies

Wednesday:  Roast Pork with Caramelized Balsamic Onions

Thursday: Moroccan Meatballs and Cauliflower Rice

Friday: Shrimp Tacos

Saturday: Curried Ground Turkey w/ Sweet Potatoes over sauteed greens

Sunday:  Leftovers

statistics

Last week on Tuesday night I headed out of town for the weekend.  I went to Portland via Morro Bay, CA and Seattle.  

Here are my statistics from my trip:

Miles driven: 575

Miles flown: 4,704

Beach runs: 1

In N Out burgers eaten: 2

Old friends caught up with: 6

Weddings attended: 1

Number of times in the Seattle airport: 3

More details and photos coming later...after I've had a nap and have some more energy!

 

here and there

This is where I went running on Tuesday

And this is where I ran on Thursday

I am headed back to Anchorage tomorrow morning, so I will be back to regularly scheduled postings next week!

i feel the need...the need for speed

I would like to thank Maverick and Goose for the title of today's post.  

Yesterday evening I went for a short run.  It turned out to be a quick run too.  It wasn't supposed to be, it just was.  I figured I'd take my new shoes out for another spin and run for 30 or 40 minutes before finishing up my packing (I'm in California and then headed to Oregon...try not to miss me too much, I'll be back on Monday). Things have been hurting on my lately so I had very low expecations for this run.  Like, if I only make it 20 minutes before stuff started to hurt, oh well.  Turns out I started running and then ran faster, until I realized what I was doing (just after my first mile) and I slowed down.  Then after I got rid of a cramp, my little legs went faster again...and then it was over.

These miles were brough to you by Snoop Dogg, Warren G., Dr. Dre, and Notorious B.I.G. (courtesy of the Classic Hip Hop Pandora station).  Thank you boys, you've been very helpful.  

I think I finally got the hang of running in my new shoes (NB Minimus) on the flats, and let me tell you, it's great.  Nothing hurts (except the rock that got stuck in the tread)...and I run faster.  What's not to like.  

Have a great week!!

no oats oatmeal

Last week I came across a recipe for oatmeal, without oats.  I was intrigued, so I decided to try it.

Here's the original recipe for "oatmeal" minus the oats, posted by Tina @ Carrots 'n' Cake.

I made a few changes (as usual), mostly because I'm not afraid of whole eggs...the yolk is the best part (and the most nutritious)!  

No Oats Oatmeal
(adapted from Tina @ Carrots 'n' Cake)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1-2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 mashed banana 
1-2 eggs
1/2 cup milk (use whatever type of milk you have, I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Place banana, eggs, and milk in a blender and blend will. Stir in remaining ingredients by hand, mixing well.

Place mixture in a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches  the desired consistency (~ 5 mins)

Add desired toppings - berries, more nuts, yogurt, peanut butter...whatever you want!

I decided to use the blender because my original "oatmeal" had chunks of mashed banana in it...and I am not a banana person.  The flavor was fine, I just dislked the chunks.  My magic bullet solved the problem beautifully!

I only used one egg and my "oats" had a softer texture.  Use more eggs if you want your oats to be thicker.

Enjoy!

 

 

a week of running

Last week may very well have been the only time in the history of the world that I have run more than twice in one week.  Ok, I'm sure I did in high school, but apparently that was a long time ago so I don't really remember. 

I've been using The Daily Mile to track my workouts (I have an official training log in a spreadsheet as well).  

Here's what my week looked like

The only problem with this is it counts weeks from Monday to Sunday and I count my weeks from Sunday to Saturday (that's how my work schedule works, so it seems like all my weeks should match, otherwise I really could care less).  

Here's my training plan with days of the week matching up appropriately.  

I've been reading a lot of running blogs lately and I have noticed something...there is are an awful lot of people out there who run lots of miles on the treadmill.  I hate the treadmill.  I don't know that I have ever run more than a mile at a time on one (when I had a gym membership I would sometimes try it to see if one day I would miraculously be able to bust out five miles...it never happened).  I am also shocked at the number of people who quote "bad weather" as their reason for running inside.  It was raining, or 46 degrees, or there was snow on the ground.  See, here's the thing, 46 degrees and raining while there is snow on the ground is the ideal running conditions for me.  Seriously.  

This winter I did a lot of running outside, which isn't something I normally do.  We also happened to have an excessively cold and snowy winter...but I live in Alaska, so that's not terribly unexpected.  I did learn that I prefer to run in the dark and the cold.  -10 degrees is a little too cold, but give me 15 degrees over 50 any day.  Seriously.

I'm not knocking people who log a ton of miles on the treadmill (ok, yes, I am...but just a little), but maybe they would all be more versatile runners if they just ran outside all the time.  I mean, just because you trained in 70 degrees and sunny weather does not mean that the weather will cooperate on race day.  How else are you going to learn to ignore the rain drops that run down your face and mix with sweat and get in your eyes making it hard to see?  

The 15k I ran in Istanbul last fall is a perfect example.  The weather in Istanbul was supposed to be around 60 degrees the whole time we were there.  It wasn't.  

It was probably 45 or 50, a little windy, and rainy.  Perfect!  I ran in capris and a t-shirt, but was amazed at the number of people I saw running in down jackets.  Now I also realize that this was an international race and there were people who came from climates that were generally warmer than what we experienced on race day...BUT, it made me wonder if they run inside when the weather gets a little testy.  

Moral of the story, run outside.  It's better!