The Little Things
September 25, 2012

A year ago I sat down and typed my first post on this blog: “Caroline is on the Run!” I was relatively new to the whole running thing, and I certainly had very little idea of what I was doing. Over the last year I’ve witnessed so many changes in myself: more confidence in physical abilities, longer endurance, definitely stronger muscles, and a passion I never knew I had for exercise. When I sat down to type that post a year ago, I had just completed a 4 mile run, my first 4 mile run, and my longest run to date! I had never run a race yet, and I don’t think I even had any real desire to complete a half marathon. I hadn’t been on a bike in over 10 years, and it had been about half a decade since I had last gone swimming as a form of exercise. I’ve accomplished so much over the last 12 months!

I ran my first race ever, a Homecoming 5k Race

I followed that up by a 5k Turkey Trot and Jingle Bell Jog too!
Then I got the crazy idea to sign up for a half marathon! I spent a few months training, and in May I finished my first half marathon: Indianapolis Mini Marathon 
At the end of May I found out that I won a giveaway for a free entry into a triathlon, and I began to train for my first triathlon! This was a complete surprise to me, as I hadn’t been on a bike for over a decade. I conquered my fears and got on the bike again (you can read about that adventure here and here). I also started to swim again regularly. In August I completed my first sprint triathlon& loved every minute of it!
This summer I also decided to sign up for my 2nd half marathon, and am currently training for that!  I’ve come a long way in the last year; I’ve pushed myself and conquered distances and fears that I never thought I could.
This year I also got to be a fitness model for a two day shoot, and that was a LOT of fun!  I also just became a Sweat Pink Ambassador, which is something that I would’ve never done a few years ago.
It’s really been a crazy last year of my life in terms of fitness, exercising, and racing, and I have to say that I can’t imagine not doing these things. This has been a crazy journey so far, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me from here and what this next year holds!
Thanks to all of you, my readers, for coming along on this journey with me! I appreciate your comments, feedback, suggestions, and encouragement along the way! The healthy living and fitness community really is fantastic at supporting and motivating one another, so please know that I really do appreciate it!

September 24, 2012

I’m lactose intolerant, but I’ve recently found a type of cheese that is not only lactose free, but tastes exactly like regular cheddar cheese. It’s delicious and I can hardly keep my hands off the stuff! (The cheese is called Cabot Vermont Cheese, found here.) In the fall I’m constantly trying to figure out ways to incorporate pumpkin into my recipes, and this weekend I created one of the most perfect grilled cheese sandwiches!

Ingredients

sorry the picture is blurry! I didn’t realize it until after the sandwich was made!

First spread pumpkin on one side of both pieces of bread. I put enough on to make it moist and get a great pumpkin taste, but I didn’t put it on really thick. I then placed the slices of cheese on it, followed by a bit of pumpkin spice!

On top of the cheese I put sliced chicken and red onion. Red onion goes perfectly with the cheese and adds a bit of crunch to the sandwich!

I covered one side of the sandwich with butter and put it in a skillet on the stove on medium. After a few minutes I flipped the sandwich. When both sides were golden brown and the cheese was melted, the sandwich was done!

Delicious! This sandwich screamed of fall, and the pumpkin, cheese, and onion flavors complemented each other really well! I’d love to try cranberries or apple slices in this sandwich as well. Of course ham or turkey could also be used (or meat skipped entirely) in this sandwich! This sandwich will definitely be making a frequent appearance for lunch and dinner over the next few months!

*Disclaimer: I do need to mention that when my dad made this sandwich he put on too much pumpkin, and didn’t like the sandwich at all. Start with a small amount on each piece and you can work your way up… unless you love pumpkin of course! My mom said the first bite tasted a bit weird to her, but that overall she really liked the sandwich. 

Now it’s your turn to share! Are you a fan of pumpkin? What are some of your favorite fall meals? 

September 23, 2012

Happy Fall! I celebrated by pulling out all sorts of pumpkin decorations for my house and office! I’m excited for all, but am also hoping the weather doesn’t get too nasty; I still want to be able to work out outdoors! Here’s what the week looked like:

Total Miles: 14.89 miles walk + 7.08 miles running= 21.97 total miles

I skipped my cross training on Thursday because I was experiencing knee pain and thought it might be best to rest and ice. Then, at the last minute on Friday I decided to bump up my long run to Friday evening so I would have the rest of the weekend free. I’m still trying to find a balance in my weekly workouts for running, and it really feels like I should be running another day. At this point I’m just too worried about shin splints since they sidelined me for almost 6 weeks while training for my last half marathon.

Now it’s your turn to share! How are you celebrating the beginning of fall? Did you accomplish anything exciting this week?

September 22, 2012

Remember the first time I made it up to 6 miles in my training plan? Well, I did it again! (now hopefully shin splints don’t come sometime this week like last time) On Wednesday and Thursday my knees had been aching, so I was a bit nervous to see how they would hold up during a 6 miler. To my surprise (and happiness), there were no aches or pains while I was running (after is a different story)- yay! I felt great the entire time I was running, and those 6 miles were some of the most enjoyable minutes i had all day.

I think I mentioned before that I am using the Galloway method to train for this half. I’m really hoping to avoid injuring myself. It was interesting for me to compare my average minute/mile pace from the first 6 miler I did (where I ran the entire time) to this 6 miler where I did a 3:1 ration of running to walking. Interestingly enough, my first 6 miler (when I ran constantly), my average pace was 11:53, whereas this 6 miler (where I ran:walk) was 11:35– Faster even though I took walking breaks! I was so happy to see this!

Like I said, I had been experiencing some aches and pains before the run, so my first two miles I ran on a cross country course that I have access to! It was perfect and I think it definitely helped with the aches while I ran. I will definitely try to use this course as often as I can! I had tried to time my run in between two bursts of rain, but it moved in a bit earlier than expected. My last mile and a half was in the rain; my last half a mile was in the thunder and lightning. While I’m fine with running in the rain, I get a little nervous when it comes to lightning. I definitely finished my run strong because I was pushing to get inside!

Soaking but happy! (You can see a review of that skirt here)

I ended my run with some stretching, foam rolling, and a great ice bath (that I struggled to warm up from all night!). I really truly love the whole routine of running, stretching, and ice bathing. To me it’s not only relaxing, but I feel a sense of accomplishment on top of looking forward to it all week. Does that officially make me a runner or am I just crazy? 🙂

Now it’s your turn to share! How do you celebrate when you reach an accomplishment? 

 

 

September 21, 2012

Happy Friday! While this week went by quickly, I’m also happy to leave a few of the things from this week behind me. Fall is in the air as the temperature has cooled, and I’m about ready to break out the fall foods and clothing.

Here are a few great links I found this week:

Pumpkin Coconut Pancakes: Does this sound delicious to anyone else? I love the idea of this twist on traditional pumpkin pancakes!

How To Deal With The Victim Mentality: Let’s be honest. We’re each a bit tempted from time to time to play the victim. We also know people who are professionals at playing the victim. These people can be annoying and draining, and can leave us dreading the moments we have to spend with them. This gives a few helpful hints for dealing with these types of people in our lives.

Chili Stuffed Peppers: As the weather gets a bit cooler, this recipe will be perfect! I definitely have it flagged for a few weeks from now!

Best Body Bootcamp Round 3! Registration is now open for Round 3 of Best Body Bootcamp. For 8 weeks you’ll receive workout plans, be entered to win prizes, and find a great group of people to support you in your fitness journey!

Twenty Minute Meals: Sometimes we don’t have much time to cook a meal, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a delicious meal! Check out these ideas for healthy meals made quickly!

6 Ways to Help Our Kids Maintain a Healthy Perspective on Food and Fitness: Great and simple types for parents or people who spend any amount of time around kids! As a counselor, I see so clearly how the mentalities about food, weight, and self-esteem are so heavily shaped by their parents and other adults close to them.

Now it’s your turn to share! What are you looking forward to most this weekend? 

September 20, 2012

Do you remember back when I used to do thankful Thursday posts on a weekly basis? Maybe not- it’s been quite a long time I think. However, this week has had a few extra little challenges in it, and I felt like focusing on a few things I’m thankful for would be something that’s healthy for me. Here’s a list of a few of the things I’m thankful for right now:

I’m thankful for supportive friends and family: I had a bit of a tough situation I needed to deal with this week, and it was certainly really uncomfortable and difficult for me. As I’ve been prepping for it over the last few weeks, the family members and friends who knew about it have been really supportive, kind, and caring. I’m so appreciative of those in my life who listen to me process, help me make decisions, and are just generally supportive. I feel very thankful for them right now!

I’m thankful for candles. I’m a huge fan of candles, and a few times a week I come home from work and immediately light one. This past weekend I burned my summer candle for the last time, and have now transitioned into fall scents. This new scent makes my living room feel so relaxed and cozy, which is perfect after a long day at work!

 Don’t you feel more calm just looking at this picture?

I’m thankful for exercising: I’ve said before that exercising is, among other things, a great way for me to release some stress, and this has certainly been true for me this week. Whether it was my long training run this weekend, or walks in the sunshine after work, they have not only been fun, but have also done my heart a great deal of good.

I’m thankful for ice! Wait, what? I’m thankful for ice packs and ice baths because I feel much less sore after running when I take one. It’s part of my long run ritual, and oddly enough I actually look forward to sitting in a bathtub of ice all week. Weird, right? At least I can admit it…

I’m thankful for a walking partner. Walking 7 miles by myself each week might be boring, but having someone to do it with makes it so much more fun! I genuinely look forward to most of the walks I go on each week because they’re fun times to get to catch up with a friend!

Now it’s your turn to share! Share some of the things that you’re feeling thankful for right now! What are some of your favorite fall scents? 

September 17, 2012

Growing up, many Sundays my dad would make nachos for us to snack on while my mom made lunch. Nachos became a favorite snack of mine, and I definitely ate nachos as a meal frequently in college. That is, until I became lactose intolerant. Becoming lactose intolerant meant that I no longer made nachos, and when I visited my parents I no longer took part in our Sunday afternoon nacho tradition. It was sad. Fast forward a number of years- I recently have found two types of cheese that I can eat as they are lactose free. The first, Veggie Shreds, I’ve talked about before. It’s a great substitute in shredded form (I don’t like it in slice form), but doesn’t exactly taste like cheese. I also recently found a brand of cheese called Cabot Vermont Cheese that is naturally lactose free. It’s delicious and tastes like real cheese (because it is!). I’m in heaven.

Since finding this cheese, I’ve been making some of my favorite foods I haven’t eaten in awhile, and this weekend I finally made some nachos. I added some veggies and protein to it to make it a bit healthier for a meal.

Ingredients:

I put a layer of tortilla chips on the plate, covered that with a bit of cheese, followed by a layer of Garden Salsa sun chips with a bit more cheese on it. I’ve never made nachos with Sun Chips before, but I thought the flavor would be great and I was right! I threw the rest of the veggies, beans, and meat on top, and microwaved it for one minute. I put some salsa on top and proceeded to inhale it. It was not only absolutely delicious, but I loved the addition of beans and veggies to one of my favorite snacks. It was filling not only in the moment, but all night as well. It was easy, delicious, fun, pretty healthy- perfect in my book:)

Now it’s your turn to share! Do you have a favorite snack that you’ve turned into a meal? What’s your favorite spin on nachos? 

 

September 16, 2012

One week closer to my half marathon! I feel like the time is flying by, and compared to last time (where I trained for my half for 4 months), this time seems so short (just a little over two months!). I want to again remind you that last week I moved my “long run” from Saturday to Sunday, which pushed it on to this weeks recap. Because of that it looks like my running mileage jumped (because there are two “long runs”), but in all reality it really didn’t. Here’s what the week looked like:

Total Miles: 10.06 mile run + 2.5 mile elliptical + 13.76 mile walk = 26.32 miles

This week felt pretty good. I hadn’t intended to walk as many miles as I did, but it was just so nice out that I really wanted to get outside after work. My runs felt great this week. I’m using the Galloway method (i owe a post on this), and so far it’s been good.

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried anything new recently? 

September 14, 2012

Happy Friday! It’s a rainy day here, and all I can think about is a Pumpkin Spice Latte! YUM:)

Here are a few links I found interesting this week:

How To Forgive, And Why You Should: Forgiveness is tricky, and it’s a topic I discuss frequently with people both inside and outside my office. I thought this article was interesting, and there are some good action steps included.

Is Your Work Ethic Affecting Your Health? This article is all about healthy work-life balance, which I’m all about. If we work too much, our productivity decreases, which tends to be opposite of what we think. It’s tough to find the right zone of working hard and being healthy.

Move It Monday: Stability Ball Abs: I have a stability ball and am always looking for some great exercises to use it for (besides planks and some pilates moves!). Here are some great exercises for you to try!

Apps for Eating Right On The Road: An article all about phone apps using calorie counters- includes some great advice!

Topical Pain Relievers Causing Burns: Some practical information about pain relievers (such as Bengay and Icey Hot) on the potential for burns and how to use them appropriately.

Facts and Figures About Suicide: This week was Worldwide Suicide Prevention Day. It’s critical that we recognize the warning signs of suicide and steps we can do to help those around us. Take a few minutes to read through this!

Happy Weekend:)

September 13, 2012

As I was preparing for my first sprint triathlon, I scoured the internet checking over multiple different packing lists to create my own. Because the triathlon was many, many hours away from where I lived, I needed to make SURE I packed everything I needed for the race. Recently I’ve noticed a few people finding my blog through search terms like “what to pack for my first sprint triathlon”, so I thought I’d do a post on the topic! Here’s a typed up l packing list of things I brought to my tri:

Race Outfit

Transition Zone Items

After Race Items

Other Items

I didn’t take a picture of how I set up my transition zone (next time I will!), but this picture will give you an idea of what the Tzone is like:

It’s chaotic and so full of energy! It’s fantastic (but a little overwhelming)!

I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. I just had to put in this picture again of me about to cross the finish line:)

Now it’s your turn! What are some of your “must haves” for a race? What’s your go to food item after races?