First Chocolate Milk ... Now Cereal?

Now it looks like a bowl of whole grain cereal is as good as a sports drink for recovery. While the study was small, and the exercise was moderate, the finding is still sparking some interest. Researchers suggest that whole grain cereal with non-fat milk was just as good as a sports drink (in some ways, even better) in the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel.




And lets not forget, coffee before exercise helps limit muscle pain, increases stamina, and helps prevent skin cancer. And an after workout beer is better than water for hydration. So I'm thinking if I start off with a cup of coffee and then follow my runs with a nice cold beer, and some cereal with chocolate milk in it ... I should be ahead of the game, right?

(Chocolate) Milk Does A Body Good

I love when research is done that actually makes my life better. Usually I hear about how the things I love to do, or eat, or drink ... are bad for me in some way or another. Today I find out that chocolate milk is a good after workout replenishment choice. YES! Whoever thought to look into this, I seriously think I love you.

This isnt entirely new research ... chocolate milk has been found to be beneficial for endurance athletes in multiple studies over the past few years.

Training Log
Time:?   Distance:3 mi   Pace:~11min

Ok, today I didnt press any wrong buttons and stupid RunKeeper still screwed up. At the end of my three mile run (RunKeeper verbally announces each mile for me, and my phone told me I had run 3 miles) I hit "save trip" like I always do. Now I am reiewing my stats and while I have a start time, there is no end time listed. In addition, only my first two miles were recorded. What the heck?

I know my first mile was 11:30, my second mile was 10:37 and I have no clue what the third mile was due to whatever happened with the RunKeeper application. I'm assuming I paced somewhere around 11 minutes on average ...

RunKeeper Fools Me Again

I went for a run this morning and somehow at the end of the run I paused the program (I am pretty sure it happened while I was trying to skip over a song in the iPod application). I noticed it wasnt tracking anymore so I hit "resume".

The software has recently been updated to enable me to complete missing parts of a run by connecting lines together on a map. This made up for the lost distance, but it didnt change my time. So when I changed my route (making it longer) it kept my time the same and then changed my pace to reflect the new distance. That means I need to do a bit of manual calculation to actually figure out what is going on ... which defeats the whole purpose of being lazy and using this program ;)

Training Log
Time:~32:00   Distance:3.15 mi   Pace:10:10

I know what time I started and what time I ended (in minutes, without seconds) so I can approximate the length of time I was running. I ended up pacing at about 10:10 and this is because I ran my second mile way too fast (about a 9:30) and not because I was actually running a true 10:10 pace. I used to be a pretty even pacer, with each mile often not varying much from the last. This seems to have changed as I get back into running and try to get a feel for my body and its movement. I have a feeling it would get better if I was running more often, with with these random, spotty runs I just cannot get a whole lot better!

Another Race

Yesterday after feeling guility I went and signed up for my next race. Only a few weeks away, its close enough to keep me focused and long enough of a distance to require me to run.

Despite that, this morning I "almost ran" again. I woke up and thought about making that Blockbuster run (yes Jess, they are still in business) since I didnt return the movies yesterday. I looked outside and it was gloomy ... but not raining. So I grabbed my iPhone and checked out the weather forcast from my handy Weather Channel application. It showed rain pretty much all morning, and then thunderstorms all afternoon. So no running. Instead, after breakfast I packed up the stroller with all of the necessary gear (an umbrella for me and a rain-guard for the stroller) and we walked to Blockbuster and the grocery store. Made it there and back and no rain. Its now several hours later and still no rain. Sheesh. And despite the fact that my iPhone application still shows rain all day, the Weather Channel website does not. What is up with that????????????

Anyway, at least I am an official registered participant of the upcoming Komen Chicago Race For The Cure 10K. . Perhaps a new race on the horizon will finally get me out there with that stroller ;)

When Dreams Do Not Come True

Last night I had a dream that I took my overdue Blockbuster movies back this morning. But, I woke up early, got into my running gear ... and took Brooke and her stroller with me. Blockbuster is really close, I'd say the round trip would have been only a bit over a mile.

When I woke this morning, I got dressed in my normal clothes. I got Brooke up, and as she was eating breakfast I remembered my dream. It would be a good test at running. Blockbuster is a pretty straight path and the streets are not busy along the way. In addition, since I'm chicken to run with the stroller, a 1-mile run might be enough of an outing for my first time.

It was raining, and the whole trip wasn't possible anyway. I'm still irritated that I had a dream about it and then woke up and "forgot" that dream. It seems like my mind keeps pushing the idea of running with the stroller back farther and farther into that mommy-brain-abyss. Arrrh!!!

I'm gonna sign up for another race so that I'm forced to get back out there. As I have noticed recently, I need the motivation (or threat) of an upcoming race in order to hit the pavement ;)

One Hour Of Work, Four Hours Of DillyDallying

Today was the first week my sitter was bumped up to two days. I had an on-campus meeting and was going to do some reading ... or at least, that was the plan.

Left at 11AM for a 1PM meeting, with plenty of time to run a quick errand and then get to campus in time to grab a coffee before the meeting. I realized when I was finishing up my errand that I forgot the book I had intended on reading. There goes my "work" day.

Got to campus, grabbed a coffee, checked my mailbox, talked to some faculty ... then mosied over to my meeting about 30 minutes early. (I am that awesome and together) I notice that the people are ALREADY meeting, and find out that the meeting had been moved to 12PM. It wasn't my fault I didnt know, the email about the change did not get to me. But still, I felt a bit stupid walking in 30 minutes late (but lucky to even be there since I thought it was at 1!).

Since I didnt have my reading materials I decided to run some more errands after the meeting. I did a couple of returns, mailed a package, got some groceries and picked up some stuff at Target.

I dont know if it was a successful outing or not. I didnt get anything done I had intended on doing, but still managed to be productive with my time. I have lots of schoolwork to do this weekend and during the week next week ... so perhaps it was wise to run errands now. I'm not sure if I will find myself with much freetime in the near future!

One More Distraction To Go

Today is another work day, I'm officially up to two days a week ... school is in session :( It took me a bit to get into it today, about an hour a I just wasted. Why? Well...

Over the weekend I was a home goods store shopping around for some accessories when I spotted "breaking dawn", the last of the Twilight Series. I hadn't intended on buying it, but it was like a force I could not reckon with. I put it in my cart and took it home, but then began to panic about the time this 754-page book would suck out of my life. So I decided to spend all of my free minutes reading it to get it over with and get back onto my real (and much less interesting) reading. Today the sitter came at 11 and I practically ran to Starbucks, and just finished the book. Now I just have to catch up on a bit of blogging and then I swear I'm gonna do some work.

Running Update
Due to the time I have invested in this book over the past few days I didnt get to mention that I went for another run Saturday morning. We did 3 miles and paced about 11 minutes a mile, so faster than my Friday run. That was two days in a row! Saturday was much easier than Friday was, and likely there was more than one reason behind that. Besides the fact that its easier to run consistently versus taking month-long breaks between runs, I did my Saturday run first thing in the morning (my Friday run was more mid-morning/early-afternoon). That is my ideal time to run and I just feel and move better.

There is something I have noticed after the two days of running - my abs hurt! I did a lot of ab work after Brooke was born and than basically just quit it. Obviously there has been some regression due to the soreness I am feeling. So I need to get back on that track. Guess I'll just add it to my eternally long list of things to do.

I'd Rather Be Blogging

Today is my "work" day. Brooke has a sitter and I am set to do a few hours of work - whether it be for the Professors that officially employ me starting Monday, or my own dissertation work ... its still work.

Yesterday a friend called and wanted to know if I wanted to go for a run while my sitter was here. Why sure! If it gets me out of doing work, I'm in!

So my sitter arrived and we hit the pavement for a 3-miler. I got home and showered and headed to Starbucks for a few hours of productivity. Except I dont want to be productive. The first official day of school is Monday. I have a meeting with some other PhD students and one of my new Professor/Bosses on Wednesday. My other Professor/Boss has informed me that I have an assigment coming from her on Friday that "requires a fast turnaround". It has begun. And. I. Am. Not. Ready.

So instead of doing work right now (I did do a little bit already) I am blogging. Forever looking for excuses and burrying myself deeper into the dissertation abyss. Oh well!

Training Log
Time:33:30   Distance:2.93 mi   Pace:11:26

Its funny how a bit of time off and a lot of junk food can really make running hard. I was lethargic and rusty and didnt really warm up during this run. It felt like I was going "fast", though my time clearly indicates I wasnt. Its sad that just a few weeks ago I was running more distance at a faster pace, but now I have hit a bit of a regression. Luckily (or maybe not so luckily) I have plans to go for another run tomorrow. I cant sit around drinking lattes and eating pastries all of the time without doing something to punish myself ... running seems to be a good choice ;)

You Are A Woman? Prove It!

This is really interesting, and I can admit ... I'm not too sure where I stand. The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) has demanded a gender test on an 18-year-old South African who recently won 800 meters gold at the World Athletics Championships.

It appears some questions have risen regarding Caster Semenya's masculine build ... and the fact that she has pulverized even her own records. It stinks that because a woman is fast, or strong, that there are questions (or jokes) that she must be a man. BUT, there is also such a desire to excel in sports that switching genders would not surprise me. Athletes lie about their ages and use performance enhancing drugs. Some athletes even take a baseball bat to the legs of the competition. Why not blur the gender line a bit? The idea is not completely new, movies (although not good ones) have been made about the very idea.

If they do the testing and find out that Semenya is "all woman", then this is a horrible situation. An innocent woman's career and life have been put under the microscope on the basis of false accusations. But if they find out that she is not a woman? And how do we define that? What exactly makes/defines a woman from a man? And who is the one to determine this?

Looks like we might have opened up a new can of worms in society as a whole, and I guess I'm wondering at what point the ends justify the means :)

Here are some pictures of Semenya, and looking at them ... I am a bit curious too! I'm not at all suprised the issue is out there (Semenya herself has admitted that she has issues in women's restrooms and has been refused entry to them in the past) but the gender testing is certainly an interesting turn of events.

And comparing these pictures, Semenya might have been better in the role that Amanda Bynes played in She's The Man ... a movie in which Amanda was trying very hard to look masculine.

Time Flies When You Are Doing Nothing...

Where has the summer gone?? I feel like we have been busy all of the time, but yet when I look back at the past few months we essentially have accomplished nothing. Actually, Brooke completed a few classes. That means that she has been productive, but that I am the one who really hasnt done a thing. School starts again August 25th. This date has created a bit of a panic in me. There are two reasons for this:

1) I need to work on my dissertation. With everyone back on campus this means their attention will turn once again towards me. Deadlines will appear and suddenly I will be a student again.

2) Essentially, there are three parts of my program. A certain amount of credit hours, a qualifying exam, and a dissertation/thesis. I passed the exam and am in the very beginning stages of my dissertation, but I still need 12 more credit hours as part of my graduation requirements. For these 12 hours I do get free tuition, but in exchange for that "free tuition" I am bound to the University for 20 hours a week. Since I have 12 more hours, that means in addition to working on my dissertation this semester I have to work 20 hours a week.

I am not sure what has created more panic in me, the dissertation or the work. I havent been on campus since June of 2008. That is a long time! Now I am required to work, be on campus, do my dissertation ... all of these things that take time, effort and attention from my new #1 priority. The bossy, high-maintenance, little pip-squeak that occasionally calls me "ma ma" (but also calls a lot of other things "ma ma").

I now have to faculty members who will be giving me orders, in addition to a soon-to-be-11-month-old-baby. How do I prioritize? How do I manage when all three are barking orders at me simultaneously? And when none of them take "no" for an answer?

To top off my three bosses, I still hope to enjoy some element of free time. I want to find time for a race, and time to train for that race. I want to watch movies and read books. In addition to my daughter, my husband occasionally requests a bit of my time as well. I think I need some help with time management :) I'm sure that everything will flow smoothly, but for now the future sits looming over my head and making me a bit queasy.

I Must Eat A Blizzard Tomorrow

Tomorrow, August 13th, is Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day. The purchase of a Blizzard will benefit your local Children's Miracle Network hospital. Check out a joint commercial below (for Children's Miracle Network & DQ).

It's okay! Im allowed to eat a Blizzard ... I am officially going running on Sunday. Its been a long time :(

Life has been a bit hectic for me lately, I promise to post more and update soon (tomorrow?) but until then, at least there are a few miles on the running pavement in my near future. Yay!

Simply Put, Women Rock!

It was pretty big news that Kara Goucher, leading U.S marathoner who is currently undefeated in the 1/2 marathon, was going to be running in the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon (formerly the Chicago Distance Classic). While in town this past weekend, she did some "celebrity appearances", including an autograph signing at a local running store. Seems like people were pretty excited.

Guess they had pretty good reason to be excited. Kara won. Not just the women's race ... she crossed the finish line in a little more than 68 minutes, beating the top men's finisher by nearly 20 seconds :) While this is an awesome feat, it appears was not totally unexpected. First of all, she was the only elite runner on the field (another reason her entry was so exciting) and according to Competitor Running:

Goucher has never been beaten at the half-marathon distance. In addition to defeating marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe at the Great North Run in 2007, Goucher also won this year’s Lisbon Half Marathon in 1:08:30. She is unlikely to be challenged in Chicago, where the course record is 1:11:56, which is equivalent to marathon pace for Goucher, who finished third in the New York City Marathon last year and in the Boston Marathon this year.

Another cool thing about Kara? As the 31-year-old approaches the peak of her career she also plans on starting family next year ... and plans to follow that with the 2012 Olympics. Now there is a role model for young women today ;)

A Period Of Productivity

I'm back to school in a few weeks, after a year off. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it all at the same time. To jumpstart, I have a conference this upcoming weekend. I am a bit nervous because I have a severe case of Mommy Brain and I need to go and talk to other people in my field who will undoubtedly ask me about my dissertation. That thing I have not started :(

I've been doing some reading and thinking this week to make sure I can at least sort-of talk like a semi-educated individual. Then I need to spend the next few days sitting in sessions, networking, and pretending like I know what I am talking about. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Something special arrived in the mail today... So after the conference I will be out of comission for a few days.

A Possible Plan ... Foiled!

I have been tossing around the idea of doing the 1/2 Marathon in Las Vegas. I liked doing the full Marathon there and love Las Vegas. A couple of my friends also expressed interest.

Then I double-checked the date.

Its the same weekend as my husbands holiday party. I could still do the race, his party is on Friday and the race is on Sunday. But thats what I did 2 years ago and it wasnt very fun. I couldnt drink at the party since I had to run 26.2 miles in less than 48 hours. We couldnt stay very late because I had an early flight to Vegas. And I spent the whole time worrying about what was in store for me.

Now obviously a 1/2 Marathon is a lot different than a full Marathon. I could probably have a drink or two. But I still couldnt stay at the party late, and my mind would still be elsewhere. There are other races to do and I think Im better off finding one that doesnt make me miss out on something else entirely :)

Back to the search...

A Pity Party ... And Some Motivation???

Brooke has been sick for a few days now. She has been running a pretty high fever, and generally just feeling lousy. When Brooke feels lousy ... I feel lousy :) In addition, I hurt my back (again) the other day (because I never did the physical therapy, I am aware of this). We have spent the past 4-5 days feeling bad for ourselves. Since she cannot do a whole lot, and I am not supposed to take her around other people until the fever breaks and has been gone 48 hours (Dr's orders) we have been feeling a bit trapped. We have been spending a lot of time cuddling on the couch and watching cartoons.

I have learned that I absolutely hate most of the cartoons out there, but there are a few I do enjoy. I think my current favorite is WonderPets. These guys are so cute I can barely stand it ... and they sing the cutest songs! The intro song is just addicting. Here is a clip someone made of it, cant show the real intro due to copyright!


Brooke is starting to get better. Her temp is down a bit and she ate breakfast for the first time in 5 days. That means she is ready to soon get back on with her life, and I must too. And coincidentally, a friend pointed out a new 10K happening in a few weeks! There is a 10K for Race for the Cure on 9/26. I've been looking for a race that's a bit longer than a 10K, but not quite a 10-miler ... this might be perfect!