Running and Eating on the Web November 10, 2008

Two of my favorite things are running and eating.  (I run so I CAN eat!)   So, I thought I’d share a couple of websites that I visit regularly that involve these two things. 

The first one is mapmyrun.com.  You can go here and enter your address or the address where you run and actually map out your running course.  The website will tell you your mileage and if you know your time, you can find out your pace.  I love this because I enjoy running different routes.  For me, running is very mental and if I know exactly where I am and how far I have before my run is over, I get psyched out.  (Barry and Jacklynn are the opposite…they like to run a straight road, out and back).  I’ve found this website to be pretty accurate and I love that it can map ANY course in the U.S.

The other website that I visit often is allrecipes.com.  I have used the website so many times when I don’t know what to make for dinner and I only have a few ingredients on hand.  They have a handy-dandy ingredient search where you type in the ingredients you have and it will pull up all of the recipes with those ingredients.  It has also come in handy when I want to make mac n’ cheese or chicken enciladas.  I just type in what I want and I can choose from dozens of different recipes.  My all-time favorite recipe for Baked Ziti came from this website.  Super easy and always a crowd pleaser!

So, for all you runners…if you didn’t already know about mapmyrun, give it a try.  And for all you non-runners, we all like to eat, right?  So enjoy your recipe searching!

Weekend Recap July 6, 2008

It’s been a busy and fun-filled weekend.  A few highlights from the past three days…

• Ran the Watermelon 5K with Heather, Jacklynn and Leigh Ann…matching shirts and all.  (We’re such dorks!)  Heather did great…it was her first race and she did awesome!  (I even forgave her for the death looks she shot my way every time I talked to her!)
• Spent time with family at my sister’s house Friday afternoon and ate WAY too much food!
• Spent time with friends Friday night and ate WAY too much food, again.
• Saw an amazing fireworks show.
• Worked out really hard on Saturday to try and make up for all the food I ate on Friday.  (I probably should have worked out for 10 hours straight to burn it all off!)
• Got an amazing facial at this place.
• Did about 49 loads of laundry and packed for vacation.
• Went to the benefit concert at Avalon and heard Shane and Shane and Josh Wilson perform…LOVED it!

We’re looking forward to our vacation at the beach…gotta go finish packing!

Lake Claire Memoirs – part four June 27, 2008

The Run

Okay, now my goal is to catch up with Jacklynn. As I’m leaving the transition area, Heather calls out to me that Jacklynn is one minute, 43 seconds ahead of me. Hmmm…is that attainable? I hope she’s running slower than me!

I begin to get some feeling back in my legs but still don’t feel like I can run at my normal pace.  I just hope I can make it 3 miles. (My goal was sub-9 minute miles) Focus, Amanda, focus. “It’s only 3 miles”, I keep telling myself.  My body is telling me to slow down but I WILL NOT walk!  Now WHERE IS JACKLYNN?!?  I get to the first mile marker and look at my watch…8:22. What!?! Okay, now I know I can slow down and still stay under my 9 minute per mile goal. I take the next mile a little slower but focus on passing one person at a time. Even as I’m passing people, they’re still encouraging me. “Keep it up.” “Good job, thirty-two!” (Our age was in permanent black marker on the back of our calves!)

Mile two goes by VERY slowly but I finally get to the 2 mile marker. Okay, only one mile to go. I get this surge of energy…I know I’m going to beat my goal time as long as I don’t start walking.  ONE MORE MILE.  ONE MORE MILE.  I try to focus on something else…anything else besides running, but I find myself thinking only about how much my legs hurt…(and how much I need to use the bathroom)! 

I FINALLY make my last turn and I know that the finish line is only 1/4 mile away!  I begin to see other racers who have already finished standing on the sidelines, cheering us on.   I pass a 19 year old guy (YES!) and I can see the end. I give it my all and cross the finish line…25 minutes, 45 seconds. (That’s an 8 minute, 19 second pace, a personal record!) 

I never did catch up to Jacklynn and she was there at the finish line to congratulate me. She came in about a minute before me. I was so proud of her!

Overall, it was an AWESOME experience, something I definitely would love to do again. Barry is training for his first triathlon in August and we are hoping to do one together in September or October. Hopefully I’ll get over my fear of the lake and be able to improve my time for my next one.  Thank you to each one of you who encouraged me and lifted me up in prayer during my race…I appreciate each and every one of you!

I’m Pooped! May 28, 2008

I had a great day…long, but filled with lots of activities.

I helped with the end of the year “celebration” in Emma’s Kindergarten class.  Emma informed me that they’re not allowed to call it a party.  (She also told me last week that wearing a spaghetti-strapped shirt to school on field day is not “school appropriate”.)  I enjoyed getting to be around all the kids she has spent her first year of school with. 

While I was helping at Emma’s school, Kayleigh watched Ansley and Jackson (Yea for Kayleigh being a high school graduate!).  Apparently Ansley was full of stories for Kayleigh.  She told her that she did not have a name her entire first year of life.  Yep.  Barry and I didn’t think of “Ansley” until she was a whole year old.  Wow.

I was able to get most of the house clean while Jackson slept this afternoon then I went to a GREAT spin class at the Avalon Y.  Jacklynn and I are training for a triathlon that is about 3 1/2 weeks away, so I’m trying to spin more.  It’s REALLY hard for me, but a great workout.  After that we went for a short run.  Not too sure how I’m going to swim then bike THEN run on race day. 

Came home, had dinner while we watched “So You Think You Can Dance”, and now I’m ready to fall asleep. (Yes, it’s only 9:30.)

Yea for kindergarten celebrations, funny Ansley stories, clean houses, and workouts that kick my hiney!