Plan for the week

It still surprises me, this ease of running. The first half mile is incredibly difficult most days, but then a flick switches and I relax, all ease and strength. Saturday, I flew through 14 miles, 11:39 minute miles, only pausing twice. The final two miles, my toes were on fire. I could feel myself slowing and struggling as I reached for that completely attainable goal. Now I need to add less distance than what I've achieved.

My recovery run on Monday was a tough run. I was really winded, though my pace felt really slow. When I finished I was surprised to learn that I'd run 4 miles with an average pace of 10:46 per mile.

Yesterday, I ran four 10:27 sandwiched between two 12 minute miles. Radiolab is a great distractor from the length. I find myself so tuned into the story being told that I don't realize the length of time I've been running. Stories about color, and The dark side of the earth.

Somehow, we muddled our way through three heads of radicchio last week. Everything from salads to pizza topped with shredded radicchio and goat cheese with a drizzle of true undiluted balsamic-- a precious gift from my food loving little sister. I am surprised how versatile radicchio actually is.

When mixed with tuna, cashews, and beans with a parsley lemon dressing, the bitterness flies away.

Sautéed with balsamic and honey to top Trader Joe's jumbo beef franks and the bitterness is so much more pronounced but in no bad way.

On top of the pizza was my very favorite way-- thin crust with a drizzle of olive oil, a smear of crushed garlic and a shedded head of radicchio and thin slice onions, and the sweet tang of goat cheese. So great!

This morning, I used those darn radishes in a tangine in place of turnips. Their flavor isn't quite what I expected--they're sort of radish-like but without the sharpness. Sort of a cross between a jicama and the best turnip imaginable with notes of dirty radish. They're great, especially in a tangine served over a bed of quinoa--and those roasted chickpeas make the dish! It was a brilliant lunch.

This weeks box isn't the challenge I had with last week's box. Most of the contents are truly simple and easy. But the quantity! It probably weighed 25 pounds! Over the two weeks between Christmas and New Year, the farm goes on vacation. So this week's box needs a bit of rationing of some of the heartier veg.

This week's box contains:
8 heads of Broccoli
3 small red onions
2 butternut squash
5 fat carrots
5 huge yams
A big bunch of spinach
A giant head of napa
Chocolate mint
1 bunch beets with greens intact
1 head romain
1 bunch mustard greens
1 large fennel with greens
10 granny apples
7 navel oranges
9 plums

Plan for the week:

Wednesday was
Broccoli Mac&Cheese
And run 1 mile slow
Run 4 miles steady and faster
1 mile slow

Thursday
Broccoli beef with brown rice
Yoga

Friday
Sautéed greens with polenta and cheese, fennel salad with apples
Sailing (class room)
Run an easy 5 miles

Saturday
Lunch: Chinese chicken salad
Dinner with friends
Sail with Debbie if there is wind...
Run 15.5 miles

Sunday
Roasted root veggies and chicken
Yoga
Dana point boat parade?

Monday
Squash and spinach with pasta, fish, nuts, etc
Run 5 miles +strides (6 intervals of 20 second sprint followed by 2 minute slow run)

Tuesday
Check out leftover situation And figure something out
Swim with class
Bike ride?
Last nutrition class of semester

Wednesday
Pick up box and plan week of meals
7 miles slow/fast (5 miles quick pace with 1 mile slow bookends)

CSA

My space between articles is growing, not intentionally. I've been super busy with work, training, being a sassy wife, a good student, and taking care of people I love, etc...

Another part of my life, which I recognize as a huge blessing, is making meals from my CSA basket--though I recently learned that the company I use isn't a true CSA--I don't own part of the farm. The farmer has his farm buddies contribute to the basket and the combined effort is my basket. This is fine with me, I still get fresh, organic, tasty local food! Some of which requires research to know How on earth to cook it!

Today's basket included:

3 radicchio,
6 Spanish radishes (they look like the devil's beets),
1 dozen fuyu persimmons,
1 large green leaf lettuce,
1 bunch Spinach,
2 bunches fine parsley,
1 bunch Cilantro,
1 bunch Tuscan kale,
1 butternut squash,
6 russet potatoes,
1 dozen pears,
And a few peppers.

We also add on 1 dozen pasture raised eggs

It's a whole lot of food, particularly fruit. Lately, I've been making pear butter and have been sending it to my family with birthday packages.
I believe I've purchased radicchio, perhaps twice in my entire life... What does a girl do with three heads the size as small cabbages? There are some recipes on the Internet I'm going to try and in an effort to organize a meal plan, I've posted them on my pintrest board (Irispapyrus is my call sign, and the board is called CSA Meal planning... In case you were wondering).

This evening I am making the Butternut Squash, Kale and Almond Salad. The diference will be that I am serving it hot, over brown rice with a poached egg.

I also made a large salad with the lettuce, spinach, pomegranate, persimmons, walnuts, sheep milk feta, and a basic vinegarette.

My run schedule corresponds with the Runkeeper app's marathon training. This morning I ran 5 miles--my quick two were 9:54 minute miles. I'm speeding up...

Beets

Research project for my nutrition controversies class:

Beets, It’s What’s for Breakfast My friend Bronwen introduced me to the beet smoothie. As she scrubbed a fist sized beet, cut it into quarters and tossed it into a blender, she told me about her recent turn to veganism and roller-derby. For a long time, she struggled to maintain her energy throughout the 3-4 hour practice; until she discovered the recipe for beet smoothie online. From that point forward she made beets part of her Tuesday evening derby ritual.

Curious, I started looking into the benefits of juicing, and stumbled upon an article in Runner’s World Magazine about juicing. It mentioned a study on athletes involving beet juice and the effects on endurance performance, which is something I can benefit from as I train for my marathon. But the studies didn’t stop there; it seems that beets are getting a lot of attention in the world of nutritional science. Findings are also showing benefits in lowering blood pressure and maintaining liver health. In 2009, Andrew M. Jones, Stephen J. Bailey, Paul Winyard, Anni Vanhatalo, Jamie R. Blackwell, Fred J. DiMenna, Daryl P. Wilkerson, Joanna Tarr, and Nigel Benjamin studied the effects of beet juice on athletes. Nine men between ages 19-38 were given 500 milliliters of beet juice or black currant juice for six consecutive days. On the last three days, they took part in increasingly long and difficult cycling tests. Those who had been given the beet juice had a longer time to exhaustion, lower blood pressure, and were able to pedal harder than those who had the black currant juice.

There is a gamut of articles citing the Jones et al study on beets and athletics. The study itself is under scrutiny from the scientific community because of the very small size of the the actual study and the funders of the project--a beetroot juice company in Britain. However, the findings correlate with other studies on the effects of beet juice on the cardiovascular system. A study in Hypertension magazine (A. J. Webb, N. Patel, S. Loukogeorgakis, M. Okorie, Z. Aboud, S. Misra, R. Rashid, P. Miall, J. Deanfield, N. Benjamin, R. MacAllister, A. J. Hobbs, A. Ahluwalia, 2008) showed that drinking 500mL of beet juice “substantially reduced” blood pressure in healthy adults.

Beets contain high levels of inorganic dietary nitrates. These nitrates are changed into nitrites as they enter the body. Bacteria in the saliva convert the nitrate into nitrite. The nitrites are swallowed and enter the stomach where they are then converted into nitric oxide (NO) or circulate in the blood as nitrites. Blood pressure has been shown to drop in direct correlation to the increase of nitrites in the blood. “Nitrite is a potent vasodilator”  (Webb et al, 2008). This process begins about half an hour after the beets are ingested, and peaks about an hour and a half later. The effects begin to decrease over the next 24 hours. There are ongoing studies on the pharmaceutical benefits for people with cardiovascular disease. “These findings suggest that dietary nitrate underlies the beneficial effects of a vegetable-rich diet and highlights the potential of a “natural” low cost approach for the treatment of cardiovascular disease” (Webb et al, 2008)

Nitrites help protect against endothelial dysfunction (when the inside lining of blood vessels have a problem expanding or contracting with blood flow and cannot function properly). The study also shows that men are more likely to reap the benefits of drinking their beets.  Men and women were given similar amounts per kilogram. Women already have a lower basal blood pressure, higher nitrite levels, and lower body mass than men. After drinking beet juice, the plasma nitrite levels increased in both men and women, those increases were more prominent in women than in men . However the rate of reduced blood pressure was higher in men. It is thought that the apparent lack of effect from increased nitrite levels  in women has to do with the saturation of basal plasma nitrite levels. The difference in the way women utilize nitrites is thought to have something to do with differing bacteria colonizing tongues (Vikas Kapil, Alexandra B. Milsom, Michael Okorie, Sheiva Maleki-Toyserkani, Farihah Akram, Farkhanda Rehman, Shah Arghandawi, Vanessa Pearl, Nigel Benjamin, Stavros Loukogeorgakis, Raymond MacAllister, Adrian J. Hobbs, Andrew J. Webb, Amrita Ahluwalia, 2010) Beets also lend themselves to aiding liver function.

A study in Hungary (Váli L, Stefanovits-Bányai E, Szentmihályi K, Fébel H, Sárdi E, Lugasi A, Kocsis I, Blázovics A., 2007) showed that rat given a treatment of beets in their chow had better resilience than their non-treated counterparts after both had the blood flow diverted from their livers for 45 minutes and reperfused for 15 minutes. Rats who had eaten beets showed that enzymatic antioxidants increased significantly indicating that the beets had a positive effect. “Beets thin bile, allowing it to flow more freely through the liver and into the small intestine.” (Blessing, 2011--this reference is a bit sketchy--her references were scant and inconclusive)

Multiple alternative medicine sites offer techniques to cleanse the liver utilizing beets. Very little could be found on the benefits of a liver cleanse; however, it is persistent throughout the alternative medicine culture. In fact several more trusted sites warn against adverse effects caused by these cleanses. Some sites (like WebMD.com) noted that the liver is very good at removing toxins on it’s own, and cleanses were in essence pointless and sometimes harmful (the jury is still out on this one for me--I know how potent beets can be as a general systems bulldozer).

Beets are a  good source of folate to assist in new tissue growth, magnesium for energy metabolism, vitamin C for healthy immune function, iron to oxygenate the blood, and potassium for proper fluid balance (Sizer, Whitney, 2011). Despite their high carbohydrate content, they are also high in fiber and low in saturated fats. Beets are a loaded with antioxidants for staving off cancer. But wait a moment, aren’t nitrates and nitrites in food a cause for cancer? Studies in the 1970’s showed an increase of cancer in lab animals who were fed sodium nitrate. However, there is no human data to prove this, a fact that processed meat companies are now exploiting and scientists are striving to figure out.

All in all, Bronwyn was onto something: beets are a great way to get energy and micronutrients. They are packed with nitrates which bacteria in the saliva turn to nitrites. Nitrites are shown increase the body’s ability to work hard in athletics and to lower blood pressure in healthy adults. Research is being done to find out how beets affect the liver.  I will continue to add them to smoothies, roast them for dinner, and saute them in citrus juice for salads. And, in case you were wondering, here is Bronwen’s recipe for a Beet smoothie.

Recipe for Beet Smoothie
1 organic beet, greens removed, scrubbed and quartered
3 dates
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 slice of lemon, peel included
2 cups coconut water (more or less as the blender needs to flow smoothly

Combine in blender and blend until smooth

Resources
Juicy Details Fresh-squeezed fruits and veggies are tasty–but do they live up to the hype? Liz Applegate Ph.D. August 2012 “Runner’s World”
 
Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans; Stephen J. Bailey, Paul Winyard, Anni Vanhatalo, Jamie R. Blackwell, Fred J. DiMenna, Daryl P. Wilkerson, Joanna Tarr, Nigel Benjamin, Andrew M. Jones,  October 2009. “Journal of Applied Physiology”

Mother Was Right: Eat Your Vegetables and Do Not Spit! When Oral Nitrate Helps With High Blood Pressure, David A. Wink, Nazareno Paolocci, February, 2008  “Hypertension” Acute Blood Pressure Lowering, Vasoprotective, and Antiplatelet Properties of Dietary Nitrate via Bioconversion to Nitrite. A. J. Webb, N. Patel, S. Loukogeorgakis, M. Okorie, Z. Aboud, S. Misra, R. Rashid, P. Miall, J. Deanfield, N. Benjamin, R. MacAllister, A. J. Hobbs, A. Ahluwalia. Hypertension, 2008

Endothelium/Endothelin “Inorganic Nitrate Supplementation Lowers Blood Pressure in Humans Role for Nitrite-Derived NO,” Vikas Kapil, Alexandra B. Milsom, Michael Okorie, Sheiva Maleki-Toyserkani, Farihah Akram, Farkhanda Rehman, Shah Arghandawi, Vanessa Pearl, Nigel Benjamin, Stavros Loukogeorgakis, Raymond MacAllister, Adrian J. Hobbs, Andrew J. Webb, Amrita Ahluwalia; Hypertension, June 2010

Beet Juice & Liver Detoxification, Jill Blessing, http://www.livestrong.com/article/297215-beet-juice-liver-detoxification/ , Jun 14,2011Nutrition Concepts and Controversies California Edition, F.S Sizer and E.N. Whitney, 2011         

Liver-protecting effects of table beet (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) during ischemia-reperfusion. Váli L, Stefanovits-Bányai E, Szentmihályi K, Fébel H, Sárdi E, Lugasi A, Kocsis I, Blázovics A. February 2007 “Nutrition”

Going for it

What possesses us to enter races? What pushes us to push further? What have I gotten myself into? I just signed on to run in the Surf City marathon. The good news is, it's a course I know and love. There isn't any bad news, except that I still can't stand the taste and texture of chocolate. Call me crazy! I'm not sure what to predict as my finish time. Thursday, I ran nearly tem miles at a nearly 12 minute per mile pace. But that was just me and Radio Lab--my new favorite thing to listen to when I run. Check out the Colors episode, and also the Darkside of the Earth podcast. It lets me check out and go to unusual places. Perhaps the bad news is that Surf City Marathon has a 6 hour time limit. Going into it at this point, I have confidence that I'll be able to do this, but know that I've got a lot to do to improve my speed so that I fall well shy of that time limit. That would be a 13:74 minute mile. I need to do better than that. Yoga will help my hip, which still grieves me. Doing some cross training will help,and also some speed training. There is a debate in my head over if I should hire a coach/trainer. Not sure... What else am I going to do with my life?

Sunday

"Do me a favor,"
And I'm quite serious.
I need more yellow flowers,
These are almost spent."

So I trudged to the store
Fending off the Sunday shoppers
And erratic drivers
To gather a bouquet.

Yellow, but not her flowers,
Not the sleek and growing tulips
She had requested,
The wild looking kind
Like the tines of her heart.

Tulips are precious in winter.
But looking back to spring,
To bring such a thing into this season,
That is the request of the aged.

We visited Gram today and took her a bouquet of yellow alstroemeria and golden rod to replace the yellow tulips I'd picked up on the way down last week with my sister. It didn't go over so well. Gram, who is stoic in her manner, seems to be slipping in fragments. Just here and there, thoughts lost and rambled over, small slights and unkindnesses uttered only to be smoothed and glossed over later in the conversation. It's a little heartbreaking.

This whole day has weight.

Night running

Running
Through the quiet riverbed
Outlined with shadow and coyotes.
Silver bands of water weave
Celtic knots into the earth.
All silent, all dark, all blurred
Except my distinctive rhythms:
Even footfall, steady breath,
Jubilant heart.



We ran 7 miles tonight, adding two to our goal of five, just because it felt so good to move.

JE just Left for work, my sister just got up to use the loo and is now back to bed, I am sitting in my running clothes wondering if I will eventually go for my morning run. I missed my five mile run On Wednesday after I dropped a dresser drawer on my toe. Ouch. It bled and gooed for a while, and now is one dark bruise. Shoes are not so fun. Perhaps just a Nike fitness club workout, or some yoga.

LH, my sister, is visiting from Portland, Oregon. Her drum corps is in town to particiapate and watch the original drum corps from Long Beach have its annual reunion. Most of those guys are ready to retire--or beyond, but still play with an bone shaking passion. For some of them, it literally hurts. Two years ago, I was at this reunion with my sister. Every year, the circle gets smaller, as these older men bow to physical afflictions. Each year may be their last to play together. One of the coolest and emotionally charged things I've ever seen. The reunion happens Saturday at El Dorado Park in Long Beach.

New Avdentures

The voice if DA kept going through my head as I tried to back off my kicking. My swim coach blasted me for using my legs too much. "Save your legs for the run."

Today was my first day in the early morning swim class and it felt good to be in the water again. I am grouped with a range of swimmers; Hannah is brand new to it and middle aged Pam swam on the high school swim team. There are also several young men, some of whom have never swam before either.

Our coach had us doing breathing drills, with one arm stretched out while we float on our backs. Back and forth in the lane, all of us forming a single line down the pool.

I can swim, and the coach knows I can swim. This is both bad and good. We, as first timers in this class, have an advantage of the coaches attention who generously tweaks our performance to improve--like my kicking. There are several classes meeting at the same time, who run drills and don't receive as much attention. He suggested I'll be in with the beginners for maybe a week before I start in with the rest of the groups. Which is good because I can swim, but bad because they drill pretty hard without breaking and it has been a while since I've been in the pool. My rhythm is still off. But I'll find it soon. I hope...

Often, when I say something is "life changing," people make the mistake of thinking I am talking about some monumental event. I'm not. I find that the most lasting changes in my life have taken years of tweaking and growth. For instance, we recently started getting out produce and eggs from a farm-share. Each week, we go to a designated spot and pick up a box filled with seasonal veggies and fruit that is organically grown by local farmers. It has changed the way we eat--suddenly it seems so wasteful to eat at restaurants, our vegetable intake has increased and our meat and fat consumption is down. JE has lost about 10 pounds in the last month.

I so enjoyed the nutrition class I took this summer, I enrolled in a nutrition controversies class for the fall. I'm also desperately trying to get into a bio-chem class that fits so beautifully into my schedule. But there are a dozen people trying to add the class and only one slot open. It will be lotteried off at the next class period--send good thoughts my way.

After years of pestering JE to take a sailing class with me, all it took for him to enroll was a tiny bout of public humiliation (I didn't mean it!). Our first time out of the harbor, we were casually escorted by a small pod of dolphin. One was so close we could hear it breath. It was a fun class. Every class we had a tiny breeze to learn to sail by. But our last class we had a gale! JE had a great time, but I found steering the boat (a 14 ft caprise with a reefed sail) incredibly difficult. "Almost capsizing is not capsizing," our instructor reminded me when we got to port. But I have been a bit afraid of taking the tiller since then, it was pretty close. And who is it to push for continuing our sailing experience? Yes, my JE has us signed up for the next class--14 weeks of 'fun.'

We've been so fortunate to get up to the central coast while the weather is still so nice. Last weekend we roamed the hills above Big Sur both by car and on foot. We are learning to cook on a camp stove, over a fire, and in foil in the fire.

JE overlooking the Great Pacific

Sunset through fog. Not bad for a first gen iPhone.

Class

Yoga, with an interesting instructor. She seems to live yoga. This is a good thing. She told us that she likes to give one on one attention and make corrections. This is a great thing. Excellent. I'll have yoga twice a week. Tomorrow is my nutrition class.

After class today, I ran 7 miles. Feeling good

School Days

Over the past couple weeks, I've been building my running up. Mondays I run 7 miles, Wednesday 5, Friday 3 miles with sprint intervals. I now run 7 miles at a 12 minute mile pace. It's been good and difficult. Perhaps the strangest thing about it is how muscle fatigues my lower abs are, and how sore they are for days afterward. So weird. But it makes sense. Tuesday's and Thursdays have become my swimming and Nike Fitness Club workout days. But that is all in flux.

This morning, I started a nutrition class at the local college. I'm not sure what exactly I am expecting to gain from taking this class, perhaps just to peek inside one of the many doors that has been gently pushed open for me lately.

Over the past year or so, I've had so many dreams that I was wandering about in corridors. Recently, I figured out what those dreams were really about and feel the need and desire to change that. My life is filled with opportunities to explore, and I am going to explore them. I may, however, be overly filled with zealousness. Currently there are 8 credits for which I am enrolled. Eight credits in eight weeks or less, plus a couple odd jobs. Odd jobs include a coat for Captain Hook in "Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan!" I'm excited to build this coat, but the deadline is awfully crunchy. As is the ancient station wagon birthday cake I'll be building for Swantje's mother's 90th birthday--this weekend. Photos to come--I hope...

The past few weeks I've been working on throwing a party to celebrate the creative process. I invited several people who are also highly creative and asked them to bring something they worked on for the party. The optional theme was "Bright Spots." I sent invites with ample time to have something prepared to share, but most folks came with older projects, or things hastily thrown together. People came, some dressed up. Bronwen came in a vintage dress she had wired to light up in a sunburst pattern. She had taught herself how to make a circuit for electricity and sewed conductive thread into the dress. So cool. Why didn't I take photos? Her husband brought a painting of a vision he had while meditating during yoga. Pete, brought a pie. Melody brought her costume sketches from grad school. Colleen brought "ancient art," watercolors she had done "years ago."

Several trips to the beach had me scrambling for ideas. When I picked up a few pieces of driftwood, I started to get some ideas. Critters were forming as I looked at the differing shapes in the wood. Eventually, I found a piece that nailed down what the driftwood was trying to tell me. Birds! There was so much movement in these crazy bits of flotsam, they needed to stay moving, so they became marionettes. Here is a link to a little video of one of the birds/creatures. Admittedly, they are weird.

2012-06-18

Japheth on the beach

After I showed the group my project, they all decided that we need to keep meeting--to take the project more seriously, give each other challenges, and have a goal in mind. We meet again at the end of August with Nature as our theme. I need this in my life.

My rhythm is off. My swim is pretty difficult. I only had time for 24 laps, in the half hour I got outside. I need to swim earlier to avoid a bit of the sun.

Half way point

At 2.5 miles, I was feeling charged. The first mile had been brutal. I'd been in the kitchen all arvo making bread, tamales, and my new favorite treat: coconut butter cups with honey sweetened peanut butter in the middle. They are akin to chocolate peanut butter cups, but somewhere in this mix of things, I've lost my taste for chocolate. I really am a freak...

JE was with me, running in his crappy little Tigers I can't get him to throw away. I asked him how his feet were feeling and if they could stand to run another mile. Of course, for me that man would walk through fire. And so we ran. Not fast, but thorough.

We turned around and began running back. The Nike training app lady told us we had gone 4 miles. Running became easier, we only had two more miles left!

I wanted my 10k tonight, and I earned it. It's been a while since I've been so on fire to run. Somedays I'm totally motivated and able, others times I struggle. But I've got to keep on moving (ain't nobody going to break my stride...). Even though i am sore and tired, it feels good to move.

Being on the otherside of things is, in a way, enlightening. From where I stand now, things look so much brighter. I've enrolled in a couple classes--including a sailing class! And have some perspective of where I'm headed. There is so much I want to know and do. Life just gets better.

Ran 4 mles today. Is it me or is this running thing getting harder? Still sore from Nike butt-kicking.

Great dinner, pasta with chicken, zucchini, amperage, oil cured olives and garlic. Happy belly.

Nike training

The slight crescent of moon hung low and was soon enveloped by the incoming marine layer as we raced up the hill next to our home. It was a tough run, the kind that makes my mouth taste of blood as my lungs stretch to accommodate more oxygen. It felt great to sweat. We were dripping wet by the time we got home. It was only about a mile and a half total, but we ran hard.

Nike Training Club is narrated by a female voice that guides the workout and tells you to, "Grab your equipment." Invariably, JE grabs his equipment, often putting his weights down to grab his crotch.

This morning, I went to visit a friend in Fullerton. We shopped at the farmer's market and played with her boys after school. The past month has been full of good friends, several of whom I hadn't seen in years. It's been a huge blessing to be surrounded by these positive people. People who bring so much light into my life and still love me when I get dark. But I don't feel so dark these days. I feel strong and ready for whatever is ahead.

Tonight I hosted dinner and craft night for my neighbor's two girls, ages seven and five. We made pizza. Later we made pipe cleaner and sparkly bead tiaras. It was so fun. JE made up new names for them: Creat-Lin and Addi-mazing. We also spent a lot of time designing "food." Things like grapefruit flavored cats, throw up pancakes, macaroni and pickles, and ham flavored pajamas. All the things that would never fly at a dinner table where parents are involved. This is who we get to be.

And I learned a super easy pizza dough recipe:

Pizza dough

4oz unbleached flour
1/2 ts sugar
1/2 ts yeast
1/4 ts salt
Whisk ingredients together and add
1/3 cup water
Mix until coarsely mixed. Add two ts olive oil to a two cup container with a lid. Roll dough in oil and let rest on counter for half an hour. Refrigerate 1-24 hours, removing from the fridge one hour before using. Pat out into 12 inch pizza pan a with oiled fingers. Cover and let rest 35 minutes. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 475 F. Bake crust for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and add toppings. Bake another 5-7 minutes. Serve sliced and hot!

Endurance

This evening, as the sun was setting, I jumped in the pool, determined to swim my mile. It wasn't easy. Johne had just come home from work, and I really just wanted to hang out and chat with him. But the pool also beckoned. There is a price to pay for anything desirable, and that mile is my price tag for fitness and sanity. So I swam, pausing every once in a while at the end of the lane to chat with JE who treaded water near the wall. He was my distance buoy; as the sun set, the lights in the pool failed to come on and the wall became invisible.

With this latest chapter of my life, I've come to respect and appreciate this amazingly kind man who adores me, more than ever.

Yesterday, all day I had been looking forward to my run. But I didn't get out fast enough, and the weather turned hot. I waited until JE came home. We ran together, joking and laughing. We made up games about certain areas being sprint zones, or super skid zones like in video games. My time wasn't so great, my legs felt leaden. Probably all the salt from the potato chips the previous day...

Okay, mostly I was kidding about the potato chip curing my faintness. In reality, it was probably because I had finally begun to eat again and my body really missed food and salt, in particular. (I had started a secret blog for family and friends that tracked the past few months. If you are interested, shoot me your email address; but be warned, it got grizzly at the end.)

I am still limiting my sugar, avoiding sweets and added sugar to foods. Sweet is kind of yucky to me, now. And I don't like chocolate, I never thought I would ever have that problem. I am a freak.

I feel almost like I'm starting from scratch again. After nearly three months of bed rest with another failed pregnancy and a trip to the emergency room to take care the inexplicable amount of pain I was in as I miscarried, I find myself having a difficult time getting back into the swing.

Thursday, I swam a mile and a bit. Friday, I ran five miles, and ran it in good time. Now, I'm trying to break myself of a nasty little habit I'm trying not to develop, namely: potato chip addiction. After surgery, I couldn't get me head back around, I was fainting at every turn. My doctor had me back on bed rest, not the place I wanted to be at that point, too much thinking. But after I started eating chips, good, salty chips, I started to come around again. My head cleared and Ive been feeling better: physically and emotionally. However, this isn't a long term cure. Actually perhaps part of the malady. So...

So, I am in the midst of planning my week and figure that this blog really helped my accountability in the past. One of the things I wanted most to do while I was confined to not being able to do anything, was to run, workout, swim, lift weights and work on getting in shape. Instead, I watched with great satisfaction as my waistline disappeared and my muscle tone went away.

Our travel plans for my birthaversary went away. Thank goodness JE bought travel insurance on a whim. We were able to get back all but a hundred dollars. The worst part is that we sat in the doctors office, learning that there was no longer a heartbeat at precisely the time we were to take off from LAX.

But I'm Ok. Surprisingly so. My heart broke, but is mending well and more soundly than I would have expected. I just need to figure out what to do with this amazing amount of time I've got this summer. I am learning to stay focused and concentrate. There are goals in my life, things I've neglected, and now, right now, this moment, I will revisit those things and make a plan to achieve them.

I will also check out some nutrition plans. Food is tricky. I'm happy to have it, but need some regulation in it. Not a stringently, but I want to feel my best and strongest. What is the plan of attack for that? I'm not sure. But I will work on it this week and let you know. I'll also make a plan for the week for fitness. Do I still want my marathon? Do I want to get better and fast in a triathlon? Do I want to do an open water swim? The only goal I actually know is that I want to be lean and strong. Lean comes from diet, strength comes from me and how much I am willing to workout.

I am nothing, if not phoenix. Burn me to cinder, and I still bank coal.

Planes, trains and...

Don't give up on me. I'm still around and doing the things I love most in life.

It's been a bit busy and lazy, all at once. While my long runs have been minimized to short comfortable distances, my hip is recovering and feeling better and better. My swims are interesting. Recently, I joined a masters swim series; to which I've gone exactly once. It was shocking to go from swimming a twenty yard length to a fifty yard length. I learned about synchronizing laps with other swimmers, doing various drills, and got a lot of pointers on improving my technique.

We finally decided and purchased a birthday/anniversary getaway, though it won't be exactly on my birthday. I can deal. I'd sacrifice a lot to go to Croatia AND Paris! Dream trip, it involves planes, boats, trains, and snorkel gear. I feel like such a spoiled brat, but 40 only happens once, so I may as well celebrate.

We visited my Gram today. She is still doing poorly and called my aunt down from mammoth to be with her. Poor lady.

Stitches

Ive been strapped to my sewing machine, with a big project. Fortunately, I am able to work at home. It's nice to be home with the sun shining though the windows, and a cat lazily sharing my space. It's a load off to not be at my previous post, and I feel like I'm finally finding my feet again.

Chiropracty has helped immensely. So many of my muscles have been so tied up in knots, that when I ran, they wouldn't move--they just help tight. Since I started this, my hip rarely hurts, and my miles are easier. Lovely. Stretching properly--in the form of a lunge for some of it, has also been hugely beneficial.

Today, with perfect running weather and low temperatures, I felt like I could have run forever. I ran a solid five miles, then realized I had a lunch date and started my trip back. I got half way back and asked JE if he would mind picking me up during his lunch break, because I was still further out than I would have had time to run, and for the first time in a very long time, my side was stitched.

Perfect timing. I mean, perfect. I even got a shower at home before I left to meet her.

Fun luch, complete with dolphin (swimming out in the sea, not on my plate) at Las Brisas in Laguna beach.

When I was passing through Tomales Bay, on my bike tour, I saw a group of google mappers gathered at a pn oyster bar. They were smll cars with multi eyed cameras mounted on top, telescoping a dozen feet in the air. My sister sent me this link, yesterday.

Sneaking

For a while now, I've been wanting to find a vice. Not much appeals to me in the way of drugs or alcohol. Ibuprofen is about all I can stomach. Gambling and cheating are out, as I wear my heart on my sleeve and can't lie to save my life. Anything outside of my marriage would destroy me emotionally. In all this thinking about wanting a vice, I started to realize that I've been regemintally eliminating some of my most creative outlets. Planning dinners, planning my evenings and weekends with workouts. Perhaps it was the sneaky trip to LA with JE, or the dinner I cooked-- no recipe and completely unplanned--the way I used to cook, that made me realize how much I miss these quiet and achievable bits of creativity.

Life is easier, when I have some things planned, but my creativity needs to go somewhere. I need to find that outlet, and fast.

I sneaked a run this evening. It felt so good. Just five miles. In all this chiropracty and kinesiology, I've learned something about the way I run. I'm taking steps to correct a simple mistake, and discovering some speed and endurance I didn't know I had. My hip pain is caused by my feet collapsing down on my extremely high arches. Generally, I thought I ran fairly neutral, but I think as I get tired over longer distances, my feet start caving in. This would explain a lot, including why my right shoe starts hitting my left inner ankle bone after so many miles. Orthotics should enter the running picture soon, to give my sneakers a bit more support.

Physical

It was an interesting doctor visit, this morning. I'm not sure I've heard the word "perfect" used in regards to my health, ever. We went over my bloodwork and that was the term my doc used repeatedly to describe my liver, kidney, thyroid function. As well as all of my cholesterol, sugars, and salts. All systems are perfect. No sign of anemia, or other lack. I've never had a doctor tell me that I could go to In and Out and eat a cheeseburger, fries and a shake. Pretty cool. I've worked really hard on that. But I'd rather have a crab dipped in drawn butter.

Monday, I went to JE's chiropractor and was adjusted. He is an adjuster, not a bone crusher. It was great, followed by some deep tissue massage and a follow up adjustment. Worth the time. The deep tissue massage is something I've wanted to have for a while, but hadn't found anyone who did anything akin to deep tissue. My shoulders and hips are feeling so much better. I'm not running this week, just swimming and cycling. That mania can wait a bit. I'll do some short runs next week and see how it goes.

My swim today was bright and light. I spent most of my time focusing on the mechanics of swimming, and trying to gain as much length in my torso and legs as possible. One and a quarter nautical miles in about thirty eight minutes. Funny how when I slow down and focus on form, I usually speed up. There are dorm decent adult swim classes around. I'd like to go and try that out.

It's interesting how something can change so much in only a year. Last year, I was working in the shop I'm currently at and so happy to be there. It was light and fun, and I really enjoyed the work--even though it was a bit unorganized. This year, I'm working on the same dance show, but things have gotten out of hand. I'll save you the gory details, but it's so bad, that when I get home from work, all I want to do is crawl into bed. But I usually don't. After dinner, I lay in the middle of the living room floor, bemoaning my state of fatigue and wondering how on earth I'm going to remove myself off the floor and get myself into bed. I've been running and even commuting by bike to work, but my swim disappeared this week. It was replaced by overtime and a pathetic attitude.

What am I doing? I never thought I would hate what I do. Is it just this shop?

Ran today. 15 miles, but the last three were halted by a bum leg. It's getting worse.

JE went to see a chiropractor this week. Tis is hopeful stuff. One of his coworkers recommended him, as he is a specialist to get runners moving faster and more symmetrical. I'm going as soon as this show is up!

Go suck lemons!

It's a funny thing: as I run, I'm writing. Proseful, enlightened, intelligent thoughts. When I finally sit down to capture my day, I'm often just too tired to worry about it.

The ground was wet with rain, this morning as I set out. JE came with me to my early morning appointment. As part of a multifaceted physical, I had some advanced imaging done this morning. That was the worst part of my day. JE took me to breakfast, dimsum at Capital Seafood in Diamond Jamboree. Those were the best shumai I've ever had. And I'll admit that we went to 85c and got bread. Multigrain with walnuts and raisins (and sugar in there by the buckets, I'm sure). It was the perfect breakfast to go set a new distance record. Fifteen miles! We ran happy, sucking on lemons from the lemons grove during the long stretches between drinking fountains.

We've been sucking lemons for a couple of weeks, now. The lemons act as little pouches of über thirst quenching juice. When rolled around in hand and pinched within an inch of its life, the juice is released from the pockets and a quick bite on the end unleashes all that goodness straight up. Last week, on our fun run, we sat in the grove, sucking lemons, watching a blimp fly down near Santiago Canyon the disappear as it headed out toward the coast. I'm not sure who is flying that thing, but I need on it! Life list, right there. It wasn't the Goodyear blimp, either!

Last Saturday, I didn't even want to run. My body has been under a load of stress, and has been revolting when I threaten any distance. It's just nerves, I tell myself and push forward anyway. So last week, I set a limit: run eight and enjoy it. Eight is no small fete but completely doable. And so we ran. All weekend, we lounged around and just took some time to reconnect to each other, our home, and our estranged cats. It was the first truly relaxing weekend we'd had together in months.

As I alluded earlier, I found a doctor. Finding the right doctor is akin to dating, I think. I have certain expectations and hopes. I take those to the doc's office and hopefully ask the right questions to discovering if this person and her opinions, practice, and expertise is something I could live with for the next so many years. My expectation was that this doc was old school enough to prescribe drugs as a last resort, not a quick fix. Check. My hope was that she would be compassionate and as caring as insurance companies allow her to be. Check. She blew me away. She listened to my complaint, talked to me about it, resolves my concerns in a compassionate manner. When I told her my previous doctor had only prescribed a muscle relaxer, she said, " Oh, that's not what you need. We need to get you into physical therapy so we can treat this old injury and allow it to heal." She, too, is a runner.

Recently, to help with my post run pain, I've been wading out into the unheated pool in my area and walking around for twenty minutes. The water is incredibly clear and cold. I am usually out there wading up to my waist, my upper half shrouded in my warm blue fuzzy fleece. I look ridiculous but, it seems to work fairly well.

Gram's tomorrow. She hasn't been well and it is affecting her spirits. We are borrowing our neighbor's small dog to take to visit her. She will love it.

I don't even know where to begin...

We visited my Gram on Sunday. As we came in the door, I asked her how she was feeling. "terrible! I just got out of the hospital this morning!" How did I miss that? She had fallen on Friday, catching her leg on the side of the coffee table. Sunday morning, she woke up with a puddle of blood and masses of bruising, so she went to the hospital. They gave her some suture tape and bound it with gauze. Getting home was the tricky part, she couldn't get ahold of her "driver," and she insisted on not bothering me... Makes me so mad! What else am I good for, if not a ride home from the hospital? It was a great visits despite the mishap. She is always delightful and getting her to discuss her health is next to impossible. We doted on her, extra.

Dad flew to Portland last Thursday. He had some paperwork in Washington to take care of that he somehow missed over Christmas. Important enough to get him to fly home... JE and I have been relishing our time alone at home together. I never really thought about how much our ability to walk around in our altogethers meant, until we altogether lost it. That man is two seconds from making me crazy. We are working on getting him into his own apartment when he returns. I am not a golden goose, nor can I ever be a golden goose. Two seconds...

Why do I do this to myself? I max myself out with stress, then find a few more things to do to add to it. I've enrolled in another class. This one is photography. When I was trying to enroll in my pattern making class, I had gone to the classroom on the wrong day of the week. I stood outside the class, trying to figure out what class was in the room next door. After a while, I sat in on the first day of photography 50. There were several people there, trying to add the class as well. Over the next week, I gave up trying to add. The professor emailed me and let me know there was a space, if I wanted it. Long story longer, I wrote told him no, but could't stop thinking about the class. On the way to Gram's on Sunday, I finally figured out that not only had that class gotten my brain working creatively; but learning Adobe's Lightroom could prove invaluable as I work toward another personal goal (I want to make more money). So I contacted the instructor and got into the class.

Physically: Yesterday, I yoga-ed. I'm trying to give my body a little respect, listen a little closer, and be a little gentler. Stretching seems to help, so I do that.

Tonight, I'm feeling like I wish I'd run today. But cycling 15 miles is still better than nothing.

Red Flags

Life is too short to eat bad, overpriced Chinese food. On my commute home each night, there is the scent of hot garlic and good Chinese food permeating the air through one section of trail along the river. I've often thought to sniff out the pervayor of this amazing smell, but am usually trying to race the light at the end of the day. So, tonight, when JE asked if I wanted to go out for dinner, and asked where I would like to go, I asked to go adventuring and find this place. I don't believe we found it. I can't believe we found it. We must have been on the wrong side of the river! The only Chinese food place we found was a place filled with Caucasians. Perhaps I'm a bigot for saying this, but generally a truly decent Asian restaurant isn't filled with fair haired people. When we walked in and looked at the menu, prices were far more than our usual haunts on Jeffery and Walnut, or near Hmart. Skip that. We tried the new pho place around the corner. But I'm still determined to seek out who really makes that unbelievable smelling food. JE thinks its probably coming from a house in the neighborhood. Sad...

We ran today. Before we left the house this morning, I knew it would be a challenging run. I'd hoped to achieve another thirteen miles and to feel more comfortable with it than I did last week. However, several times during the night, I awoke witha deep muscular pain in my right hip. Stretching and massage over the foam roller were helpful, and so I figured I'd at least try for my 13 mile goal.

The weather report had set a red flag warning about the winds for today. Hot dry weather with gusts up to 20-30 mph was to be expected. On the trail, the Santa Ana's were hurling debris and branches at us. We ran the first half of our run into the wind.

The trail runs next to a river, also, and continues into a wooded area, closed to traffic. It's really beautiful, with the sycamores just starting to get buds, and a few eucs in bloom. The herons and egrets are all dressed in their mating plumage, with mohawks and ruffs at their necks. These are the things I see. These are the things I try to notice to take my thoughts off the pain in my hip and ankle. It sort of worked. That magical mile: 9.5, had me over and out; I was hurting. JE brought a giant ibuprofen for me, which I took as soon as I had water. We walked the rest of the way to the car.

A doctor visit is in order. Again. Hopefully, this time I can get some solid answers and maybe some physical therapy instead of a muscle relaxing pill. Not a fan of The flexeril hangover. But we just changed from kaiser permanente to a PPO, so I need to find a doc, first. Good grief. And speaking of red flags, shouldn't the name kaiser permanente be warning enough?

Rest day

Sleep is glorious.

As is walking on the beach on a beautiful, warm day in January. I couldn't determine if my light jacket was necessary or not, for most of our walk, and tied it around my waist.

Beef stew for dinner. We've been eating too much rich food and I'm feeling gross. I want clean, fresh food. Tomorrow is sushi night for JE and I. JE is a pro at making rolls. Can't wait.

I've also devised a more set schedule for my workouts, as per what happens on what day of the week. Everything is subject to change. Everything is always subject to change...

Half

We ran our first half marathon today, no competition. Just us. The Huntington Beach boardwalk was brilliant in the morning's post rain haze, but the wind was gusting in our faces for the first six and a half miles. It felt like we were running uphill.

Before the first quarter, it felt like we had already been running forever. But JE, in wisdom, broke the whole thing down into bits, dividing the whole thing up into familiar distances on our usual trail: to the pink spot, to the footbridge, to the irises. In that manner, we proceded to accomplish the thing, mile by mile. The fact that there were a billion and two distractions around helped bunches, as well.

It seems that around nine and a half miles, I start to get fatigued. Today was no exception. Those last four miles were dearly bought. With .04 mile left, we stopped for water. It was all I could do to keep from crying from pain, and the realization that I may not be able to actually run a full marathon crept into my brain. I'm ok, now. But every muscle in across my hips was screaming at me to stop. I finished my run, and forced myself to keep walking, even though the car and warmth were waiting a few feet away. Eventually, I stretched out a lot of that pain, and took a giant ibuprofen with a quart of chocolate milk.

Dinner tonight needed to be simple. JE wanted to make cassoulet, but changed his mind after our run. We made French omelets with Brie, and a yummy avocado and grapefruit salad we have been eating a lot this winter. This new year, I am determined to find extraordinary things to do with ordinary vegetables and fruit. I get so tired of lettuce, and while spinach is a great substitute, I get tired of that, also. There are many other amazing things to eat raw, or almost raw, and it is my goal to find those things out.

Avocado Salad:
Two ripe but firm avocados, sliced
2 ruby red grapefruit, sectioned
Arrange on a plate (over green leaf lettuce if you'd like)
Season with balsamic vinegar, a good grassy olive oil, salt and pepper.

Dad brought home a bottle of kalamata olive oil from trader joe's. Yummy!

Eighteen plus miles of cycle commute today. What can I say? Me bum is re-adapting to riding distance.

We also broke with the meal plan after realizing that with a big run tomorrow, we needed a carb heavy meal. Mac and chees? Please. Omelets will be great for tomorrow.

Manufacturing

All week, JE and I have been plotting...
I learned last Thursday in class, that today's class would be held in Los Angeles at 10:30 this morning. We both traded out Monday's holiday so we could spend the day together and play. One of the benefits of having dad staying with us is having a rush of teenage mischievousness thinking about sneaking away without dad knowing.

My meeting with the software company this morning was really interesting. The focus of my work has been all about hand building patterns and costumes. This new software could potentially cut my patterning time and opens so many possibilities for work. Maybe my focus will be to learn the program well enough to teach it internationally. Travel sound fun. I suggested this to one of the presenters. He asked if I could travel and if I spoke any other languages. Not any well enough to teach in, but that can change. I wish I were born a language super learner...

Cities are big, loud and a little bit crazy. But today, we found a sweet spot in the heart of all that crazy. In the brilliant California winter sunlight, we ran through Elysian Park. Most of it was trail, some of it was hobbled road. All of it was beautiful and covered in new grass. I love that California turns bright green, while so much of the rest of the northern hemisphere is hunkering down for another month of winter onslaught.

After our run, we checked into a Korean Spa on Wiltshire. It was so nice to unwind, relax, and be warmed. As I sat in the hot tub, I noticed the women around me. The women's area of the spa is clothing prohibited. It isnt a big deal, just the way of things. Its comforting to look around and see all the scars, moles, flab, cellulite, veins, and things that we all share as human beings. As well as the great stuff: skin colors stretched over fat, muscles and bone to create a body as unique as fingerprints; faces, and hair. It probably sound very strange that I mention these things, but artistiacaly speaking women are beautiful. Not no mmuch in the manufactured forms in media, but just as we are and as we ever were, we are beautiful. As I was getting ready to leave, an old old woman was shoulder deep in the bubbles of the hot tub. She had been talking with someone, motioning to them to get into the tub. Almost too late, I realized she was talking to me, as I sat on the edge of the pool. I slid in, and gave her a wink. She gave me a toothless grin and winked back.

On a recommendation from Jonathan Gold, a local food critic, we went to dinner at Palsaik on Western. We waited a bit for our table, but it was worth it. This was Korean BBQ as I've never seen it done before! A one of a kind. Pork belly, seasoned eight ways and grilled, served with a pickled radish paper and chili sauce. There were other condiments on the table, of course--it is a Korean restaurant. The kimchi was served on the grill, hot. After the seafood soup, the hot dish was used to cook the remaining kimchi and bean sprouts into a fried rice dish. My only complaint? I want that fried rice for breakfast tomorrow with a couple scrambled eggs!

Adding

Work was tough today. The project I was hired for originally has been sent to the back of the closet, and even the other project I was asked to particiapate in later, was placed on hold. There are seven pairs of men's jhodphurs that the shop is building. I'm not sure when they became my project, but I was slammed with them today. Most of my day was spent hunched over the cutting table with my 10 inch blades in hand, cutting multiple layers of heavy wool. In most cases, I would have been elated. Today, my hands hurt; my neck and shoulders were burning.

All morning, I'd lamented not getting up to run, but when my day started heating up, I was so grateful I'd reserved my energy. Sleep has been hardto find lately... This arvo, the swimming pool was sounding better and better.

It's a strange and glorious thing, to know that I want to add 12 laps to my swim and to just simply do it. No worries. Sixty laps, a mile and a quarter. JE and I were talking about how different it is from when we first started working. When we worked toward twelve laps, instead of just adding twelve to an existing routine. We remember what it was like to work toward two miles, and not just add two miles to a large base. Pretty cool. I just increased my workout by 25%!

With three mouths to feed, and and work and class happening for me right now, foodie life has been a bit crazy. Today we foraged. Fortunately, the kitchen pantry is stocked well enough and the freezer isn't empty. JE made lentils with boiled sausage (Joy of Cooking). I made whole wheat biscuits. Though the biscuits were so tempting, we held off eating them until it after dinner. I sweetened some frozen berries with a bit of honey and added a dab of canned whipped cream for a sort of berry shortbread. Perfect! I think I'll try to keep low carb meals for Sunday and serve a low sugar dessert--it's a bit of a slippery slope, but I think we all just feel better having that little treat!

Yesterday's run was kind of amazing. Eleven miles in less than two and a half hours, with very few slowdowns or stops. Toward mile ten, I did stretch need to stretch my hip. My only regret is how quickly the LA marathon is happening. If it were a few more weeks out, I'd sign up. But ten weeks just isn't enough time to gain 15 miles. How fun would it be to run through the streets of LA, closed to traffic. Ok, maybe a little nutty with 40,000 other folks; but still pretty dang cool.

Tonight, JE, dad and I spent some time and planned out the next months meals. It seems like a good idea, and I hope it is. A lot of work went into creating this calendar, but it feels good to have it all done. The are a few dinners that repeat every couple weeks, some of which are there as a template meal; meaning "plug a bean dish in here, woman!" or egg, or whatever.

It's difficult to write lately. Life is good, I'm working my tail off and enjoying it--literally. I lost another inch off my hips.im trying to work up a plan for the month for dinner. If I can plan 3 nights a week that rotate monthly, that is so much less work to plan for the week. Finding the time and focus is a bit tough.

Yesterday, JE and I ran 11 miles through the trails of irvine. It's lovely to be back in the warm country, where my shorty shorts and tank top are all that are required. The eucswere especially fragrant.

I think I will start to increase my swim distance, as well. A couple nights ago, I enjoyed one of my strongest swims I've known. Each lap felt like a speed lap. I was done with my mile in just over half an hour.

Did I write about New Year's Eve? Running through the streets of downtown Santa Cruz with a billion other people to get o the clock by the stroke of midnight? Did I write about the butterflies? Being at the reception and being asked if we had gone to see the butterflies. Taking off instantly to find them at a nearby church and being entranced by them as they flitted in the trees, enmass. Wings slowly fanning the dying fire of the sun as it shone through the trees, orange and perfect. Did I write about running 8 miles on New Year's day? To Natural Bridges state beach to seek out more butterflies, finding just a few, then running back to the church to find hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies swarming around the trees. The sky was filled with them. Did I write about driving back down the coast and stopping along the way at some of the places I camped? And remembering areas in photographic detail, as well as the people I had met there.

While the first part of our trip was worse than I'd care to remember, the last part of out trip was a little bit magical.

I'll be working tomorrow, and figuring out a class schedule.