sidebar | life and training 1.17 – 1.23

This week felt more stable than last, despite MANY failures in the kitchen. Seriously, how I managed to fuck up a loaf cake twice is beyond me….Perhaps making an appointment for therapy – no, I’m not ashamed of seeking help! – shed a cloak of worry off my shoulders. I obviously won’t know the outcome until I go through my first session, but it’s an encouraging and important step to perhaps teaching myself to reroute my mind.

We finally stripped and removed our Christmas tree on Friday, and man, was that thing crinkly. Despite his age and dryness, he was still quite fragrant, and it was sad to say goodbye – at this point, though, I think I’m ready to let go of the holidays and embrace the relative normalcy of life outside of festivities. I’ve said it before, but as I get older I find it more difficult to accept the end of the winter wonderlands. It’s an untainted time of year in my view, one without major asterisks and with always something cheerful to do or buy or make.

Cold weather lately means all the hot chocolate and overdressing for runs. I’m finding I have pretty high tolerance for chillier conditions as far as my legs go – I can wear shorts even in below 40 temps. My upper body is a bit trickier and I haven’t quite drawn my boundaries for sleeves vs. no sleeves vs. layers yet.

Entertaining for Gameday

Even if you reside in a hole in the ground, you probably know that football season is closing out with the big fat ceremony of the playoffs. I like watching the games to an extent, but more so appreciate the excuse to make appetizers and snacks and nibble all day long, especially since long run season is filtering in for marathon training and that style of eating is easier to cope with.

Whether handegg is your forte or no, if you find yourself invaded by hooligans and need lots of yummy shit on hand, I’ve got you. Here’s a mini roundup for your viewing (or not viewing) parties.

Three Cheese Pumpkin Beer Queso

(swap out pumpkin beer for whatever you have!)

Queso Black Bean Taquitos with Salty Lime Yogurt

Baked Taco Crunch Cauliflower Wings with Salty Avocado Crema

or…

Oven Fried Lemon Garlic Pepper Popcorn Cauliflower with Dill Ranch Dip

Asada Mushroom Quesadillas with Fresh Mint Mango Guacamole

Creamy Three Bean Enchilada Chili

or…

Slow Cooker Spicy White Bean Potato Chili

What I’m Up To This Week

Testing…A loaf cake, no-bake pie, a casserole, tacos, and a pasta! Perhaps a pizza too if I’m feeling it.

Trying…Pacifica Vegan Collagen Eye Cream. I’m near out of what I’m using now and am not super enthused about it, so I’m gonna give this a go and see if it makes a difference.

Buying…Long sleeved running shirts. Swiped this one the other day and considering our low is 37 (!) Sunday night, I’m gonna need a touch more layering than usual! I’m also obsessed with these ruffled sweaters and hope I can nab one when I hit Target next.

Ridding of…Christmas shit. Finally purged our place of the holidays with a goodbye ceremony of the tree (sniff) and put up all the bottle brush trees lying about. I need some fresh flowers and stuff to plaster the wound. I’m also needing to go to my storage unit to clear it out since they jacked up my rent so much and the only reason I have it is to store a mattress I haven’t used in 4 years.

Eating…So much soup I’m going to turn into a human ladle. Cooked up a pot of my enchilada chili Saturday and will probably do a variety of vegetable dumpling soup during the week as well.

A Few Things I’m Digging

Kombucha…I was never truly into booch, but every time I visit Target lately I swipe some brand or another to sip on my way home. So far I’m especially liking this pink lady apple flavor! I usually reach for fruity varieties rather than really hollistic spicy ones.

Cauliflower wings…I wish J liked cauli because I have SO many recipes I’d love to make involving it, but I have to limit my use of the white tree to not overstuff our fridge. The Baked Taco Crunch Cauliflower Wings are my schtick. I threw leftovers in salads all week and they still tasted amazing!

Coffee…I always like coffee, but this blend is actually pretty smooth and flavorful. You can usually find it in stores unless there’s an outage, which isn’t unusual nowadays.

Ranch dressing/dip…I really can’t get enough of ranch flavoring and have made a riff of the spicy cilantro ranch three times in the past week. I’m not obsessed or anything… Are you more of a ranch or a caesar person?

Candles…Burning this Red Mango & Amber Candle and I adore the crackling wood wick. The smell isn’t jarring and doesn’t conflict with any other scent roaming around the house, but lends a pleasant background fragrance and a noise similar to a burning fire.

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Week in Training

Monday, 1.17: 4.26 miles, 10:34 pace + 53 minute shoulders & triceps

Another windy morning, but not horrible on most of my route. I took a path with a few more bridges just to get used to running “uphill” a touch more, even though the “hills” are rather short and puny compared to anything Big Sur boasts.

Strength:

• 4 x 8 ea. balanced single leg shoulder press 20#
• 2 x 8/2 x 5 OH triceps extension 35/40#
• 4 x 7 chest press 60#
• 4 x 6 military press 20#
• 4 x 8 lying triceps extension 30#
• 4 x 8 side raise 15#
• 4 x 8 triceps press down 37#
• 4 x 8 upright row 25#
• 4 x 8 triceps pulse 30#
• 50 alt. marching bridges/40 scissor kicks/30 ea. jackknife/20 cross knee to elbow/10 banch leg drops/:45 plank

Tuesday, 1.18: 45 minute back & biceps + 3.38 miles, 10:22 pace

Another glorious, soul-nourishing midday run after work. At noon it was still only 58 degrees with a very light breeze – just perfect, with crisp blue waters and a sky clear as a mirror. Well, a blue tinted mirror. My heartrate averaged 154 which is pretty damn normal for me!

Strength:

• 15 minute elliptical warmup
• 3 x 6 biceps curl 25#
• 4 x 8 lat pulldown 70#
• 4 x 5 preacher curl 65#
• 4 x 6 mid row 80#
• 4 x 8 wide row 30#
• 4 x 10 reverse curl 15#
• 4 x 7 concentration curl 15#
• 4 x 10 straight arm pulldown 32#

Wednesday, 1.19: 5.7 miles, 10:32 pace with 6 x :20 hill sprint + 55 minute legs

First true, intentional speed workout in about 4 months. I forgot how much I enjoy hills, and how my body really soaks them up. After about 5k easy warmup I found my “hill” (a ramp at a park nearby) and sprinted up with a big focus on my turnover and form. I averaged between 6:14-6:34 with a top speed of 5:55, which is kind of great for someone who hasn’t tried anything fast in so long. Jogged a 15 minute cooldown before my strength workout.

Strength:

• 4 x 9 deadlift 120#
• 4 x 12 calf raise 130#
• 4 x 6 jump squat 80#
• 2 x 10/3 x 8 leg press 150/160#
• 4 x 10 alt. reverse lunge 90#
• 4 x 8 ea. single leg extension 60#
• 4 x 10 ea. oblique bend 45#
• 3 x 20 ea. inner thigh pulse
• 5 minutes of various core exercises

Thursday, 1.21: 35 minute cycling (12.3ish miles) + 43 minute shoulders & triceps

I forgot to start my watch during my bike warmup, so the “distance” is a pure guess. Averaged 120W, as per, and my legs were pretty much protesting the entire spin.

Strength:

• 4 x 6 OH press 25#
• 4 x 10 balanced triceps extension 25# SS 10 press ups
• 4 x 10 arnold 15#
• 4 x 12 kickback 12# SS 10 pulse 25#
• 4 x 6 front to side raise 15#
• 4 x 8 skullcrusher 25#
• 2 x 12/2 x 10 wrist curl 12/15#

Friday, 1.21: 6.22 miles, 10:22 pace + 55 minute back & biceps

A good run! My heartrate was a touch lower today, and I’m reading that as decent progress. Lots of obstacles on the trail due to our stupidass annual parade but not too many people to dodge around.

Strength:

• 4 x 7 underhand row 40#
• 4 x 10 curl 20#
• 4 x 10 ea. weighted single leg hops 20#
• 4 x 10 pull apart 20#
• 4 x 10 cable curl 32#
• 4 x 12 machine calf raise 130#
• 4 x 10 face pull 41#
• 4 x 10 ea. lunge with curl 15#
• 4 x 10 svend press 30#

Saturday, 1.22: 12.24 miles, 10:37 pace + 42 minute legs

Not a fabulous run but not wholly bad either. The humidity was murderous at the start and made it difficult to get my breathing in order. I ran a weird looping route to get my 12 in and came face to face with a big ole cruise ship humming through the channel! I didn’t expect it so close but I was rather delighted to witness its bright glowing lights. As the run went along the temperatures dropped, the wind switched directions about 5 times and picked up, and a light drizzle began, which I expected – a front moves through today and instead of warming up it’s gonna get colder and colder! Fueled up with a vanilla Honey Stinger gel midway through.

Strength:

• 4 x 8 ea. single leg press 100#
• 4 x 8 leg extension 150#
• 4 x 10 machine calf raise 140#
• 4 x 10 leg press 160#
• 4 x 10 alt. reverse lunge 90#
• 4 x 10 ea. windmill
• 50 plank leg raises/40 crunches/30 hip swivels/20 deadbugs/10 reverse crunches

Sunday, 1.23: 3.14 mile walk (47:00)

Very clammy and chilly morning so coffee tasted incredible after!

Total running mileage: 31.8

Total cycling mileage: 12.2ish