TwentySixPointWhat?

75degrees and 79% humidity.  I made the smart decision and rode the bike the morning. 15 good miles.  My legs feel like lead.  Ate a banana w/ almond butter before heading out and then the usual egg scramble w/ coffee afterward. Hanging out and working by the pool this afternoon. Trying to stay hydrated.  Debating if is Mojito is really all THAT bad. . . I'll stick to my little glass of wine. :)

I really meant to come back yesterday and write about my morning run but the day got away from me.  The gist of it is that I ended up running close to 10 miles yesterday purely by accident. I met up with my running partner at 6:15 but instead of driving the 1.5 miles to our rendezvous point I ran. My rational was that three  weeks ago, before she went on vacation, she was running short and I would wrap up by myself. We ended up running 6.5 miles together and the remainder was my out and back from home. I was unprepared for the run. I'd had a really great meal on Wednesday night and then slept well but I had no energy and found myself apologizing for stopping more than one time. Breakfast consisted of the usual: 3 eggs, cherry tomatoes, spinach, turkey and red pepper w/ coffee. I packed a bowl of strawberries, cherries, and blueberries for snack w/ a packet of almond butter and an apple.  My energy didn't plummet like it did on Wednesday.  Lunch was salad greens, warm...

I spent some time last evening researching Paleo in the hopes of combating these fluctuating energy levels and educating myself about the various approaches to adapting the Paleo lifestyle.  I can't say that I was surprised to find that everyone has their own opinion about what is 'safe' to eat and what should be avoided.  For instance, one blogger insisted that fruit was to be eliminated from your diet on the premise that fruit is full of sugar.  Sugar. Sugar?! An Oreo is full of sugar, not my apple, berries or melon.  Lowering my eyebrows a notch, I will admit that yes, fruit contains fructose, but really?! I should probably insert a disclaimer on this blog that I am a free-wheeling, non-strict person when it comes to training and following a diet.  If fructose from fruit is the most sugar I'm ingesting, bring it on. After spending time looking through the various blogs, reading book reviews (which happen to be just as informative as the blogs), and finding ...

What Runners Can Learn From Cheetahs The gist of this article - strengthen your thighs!

If I were to attach a label to today that label would be 'challenge'. Challenge in the sense that I was convinced that today was going to be Awesome(!), I was prepared for today to be Awesome(!), and I have no energy to enjoy all the Awesomeness I was expecting. Last night I tested out of a four-week long self-defense class and by the end of the class my energy levels definitely dropped to a new low. I've been expecting this energy drop to happen but wasn't quite sure when it would creep up on me. Lesson 1: Eat the good stuff more frequently. Lesson 2: Figure out what the easy, convenient 'good' stuff is and go out and buy it for my cupboard. When I finally got home around 2130 I was tired, exhausted and hungry. Out came the frying pan, veggies, and chicken for a swift saute and a little glass of Rose to replenish the system. I fell asleep with a fully stomach which is to say that I fell asleep quite happy. You would think that with a full belly of good, nutriti...

Face the challenge of running gluten free I saw this article in my inbox today and found that it not only provides some good tips for runners with Celiac disease but also for my experiment with going Paleo. For instance, I didn't realize that deli meat can contain gluten - looks like I'll be cutting that turkey from the deli out of my diet. And after the amazing run I had this morning, which I attributed to giving my digestive system a break by cutting the dairy and gluten out of my diet, I hadn't considered increased fatigue and longer recovery. But I'm really looking forward to my body learning how to draw energy from existing fat stores rather than what's in my belly.

I must say that after one day of following the Paleo diet I'm already feeling a difference. I went to bed early last night after a dinner of rotisserie chicken, red peppers, broccoli, zucchini, and squash sauteed with garlic.  When I rolled over and opened my eyes it was 0525 and I felt rested and ready to go for a run.  After stretching out and lifting some weights I hit the road and determined that today was the day to explore new running routes.  Droid (w/ Runkeeper running) in hand I set off to see where my instincts took me. In the end I combined both new and old running haunts to come up with a solid 9 miles. It sure helped that the outside temperature dipped down into the 50s and humidity was minimal. About a mile and a half from home I ran past one a place that has become one of my new favorite sanctuaries. Feeling good so far, let's see where the rest of the day takes me.  (no Vibram today, giving my legs a rest)

Day 1 Breakfast: 3 eggs, 10 cherry tomatoes, turkey and herbs from the  garden Lunch:  Lettuce w/ turkey, cucumbers, capers, and tomatoes Day 1- Here is the plan. I am going Paleo from now until July 31, 2012 to see what all the hype is about. I am also going to track my progress with going barefoot/Vibram. My goal is to post everyday, supplemented by photos of food and blisters. Dinner: Chicken, Red Peppers, Squash, Broccoli, Zucchini