The Bacon Station, Buster Bronco, and Popsicle Hill: Surviving the Marathon

Looks like I missed April's post--my apologies to my loyal fans!  Hopefully with summer break, posts will become more regular!

Last Sunday I ran my first marathon--that's right, 26.2 miles of asphalt--around the lovely town of Kalamazoo, Michigan.  I gave myself a week to recover before writing this post, so I could fully discuss both the "in the moment" feelings and after effects of marathoning.  Luckily, unlike Pheidippides, I survived my marathon and am here to tell the story.  They'll be no Homerian rhetoric here--only the unbiased perspective of a true historian. :)

I've Got a Gal from Kalama-zoo zoo zoo...
Ok, let me just say, I was scared to death to run this race.  It's not like I was trying to win, just finish, but 26+ miles is a long way to go and what with the epically awful winter Michigan experienced, I was doubting my training a bit.  So, to ease my mind a bit, I traveled down to Kzoo well in advance--the Friday before my Sunday race.  I used this time to get comfortable in my hotel room, see a few friends, pick up my race packet, and drive to the race start to ogle the parking situation.  If I had been able to see the race course in detail on the tiny internet map printout, I may have attempted to drive it...I certainly thought about doing this.  Needless to say, this may have been overkill on my part.  I know Kzoo, the home of Western Michigan University, where I slogged away at my Ph.D. for several years...part of the reason I chose this marathon...but like I said, I was pretty nervous.

So Much Food, so Little Time...
Eating in the day or two leading up to the race, I was also a little cautious.  Of course, one of the things I loved about the Kalamazoo area was all the non-chain restaurants, so I still wanted to take advantage of that perspective too.  I didn't eat anything too adventurous, but tried to choose well-rounded meals that were not too heavy.  Despite the carb-loading concept, I did not eat excessive amounts of pasta--I didn't eat ANY, in fact.  Frankly, I'm really not much of a fan, and I wanted to steer clear of anything I wouldn't normally eat, so again, I chose well-balanced, protein-veggie-carb rich meals, and also tried to choose lower-fat options.  No fast food!  I may have eaten a few too many brownies at the Martini-Zeller Cinco de May Day party, but I figured, if ever there was a time to indulge in some extra chocolate, probably the night before I run damn near 30 miles, right?

"Make it Memorable"--Race Day!
The catch phrase of the Kalamazoo Marathon was "make it memorable"--something to do with the fact that while not the largest marathon, they have great community participation, so it's a good time-type race.  And after a discussion with my friend Bill about marathoners reinvigorated by cheering crowds and creative signage, I thought I should really try to 'make it memorable' myself...

So, I tuned into the race and off my iPod.  Now, that's a long way to run without music, listening to myself huff and puff, so I turned my iPod on, set it to start tracking my progress, but didn't bother putting the earphones in...until, oh, mile 8 or so.  Instead, for the first leg of the race, I enjoyed the crowds--it was chilly and oh so very windy that day, but I appreciated the "Great Job Random Runner!" and "Smile, You're Not Wearing Underwear!" signs along the way, which did make you lose track (for a while anyway) that you still had to run a zillion miles.

Excitement Zones--No Strippers Here!
The other fascinating aspect of this race was the so-called "excitement zones," including the famous "Bacon

Station," which even made the news due to its awesome bacony-ness.  The first one I came to was on the campus of Western Michigan University.  Here, Buster Bronco and friends were out to sling water and rev up the runners...but they were kind of a disappointment.  I mean, Buster looked pretty hung over if you ask me.  The highlight of the WMU campus crew was really the pair of students randomly singing "Eye of the Tiger"--complete with dancing and gestures.  They totally made mile 6.

As the race weaved into the residential areas of the 'Zoo, I ran across random people with extra water for runners (AVOIDed these people--Kalamazoo water, not known as the greatest...), people who made their own food for runners or handed out candy (again--AVOIDed--I didn't want to get slogged down by a fly-by-night consumed Red Vine at mile 12 or something).  And then there were the block-party-esque excitement zones...

THE BACON STATION
True to its name, this was a half a block-long party with people wearing fruit costumes, bands playing, and yes, people handing out 30+lbs of salty, porky deliciousness to runners.  I did not partake in the bacon--it just seemed like a bad idea...but the guy running next to me told me it was "the whole reason he decided to run this race!"

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME
Further down the way, you ran across the girl scouts, handing out cookies, groups handing out gummy bears and much more weirdness.  Fun? Yes...but I was dead set on finishing this thing, so I stuck to my own fuel, water, and Gu Brew to get me through.  Plus, I planned to eat a bunch of delicious Sweetwater's Donuts afterwards, so I could stand to wait.

POPSICLE HILL
The only foodstuff I decided to partake in along the raceway was the Popsicles handed out at the top of the last big hill before the finish--the station dubbed "Popsicle Hill" as a result.  I think the last time I ate a grape Popsicle, I was like 8, but let me tell you, any Popsicle tastes pretty darn good after running 23 miles.

This is Great! What was I thinking? Strong Finish! Let's do it again!
Despite all the distractions provided by the Kalamazoo Marathon, one thing was for sure--it was still a really long time to run.  Though some interesting characters provided entertainment value along the way--the older, portly gentleman running his first marathon (who, at packet picket, got a "You're running a marathon?!" from race staff) and his companion runner lady friend, who kept telling him there was "no way" he was going to run a 7 hour marathon...the 30-something couple who complimented and quizzed me on my hydration belt for a mile or so...the pair of neon-yellow clad men from whose conversation I learned that some runners mix beer and chia seeds in one of their water bottles because it keeps their muscles relaxed (yuck)-- it's true, you inevitably reach a point where you're just bored from running. 

For the first 19 or so miles, I was feeling pretty good.  Though the wind was really awful that day and I seemed to be always running into it, the sun was out, and it was not as horrifically cold or hot as it could have been.  However, miles 20-23 were really the hardest--physically and emotionally for me. 

In those last few miles, the crowds had thinned, and I was left with my own thoughts.  I had set my sights on

finishing around 5 hours, and at this point, the "5:00" pacer team finally passed me (though come to find out, they were way ahead), and this was a bit depressing.  Thought about everything over the last few months, what mom would say if she knew I was doing this (proud no doubt, but would think I was crazy), how awful the winter had been, and how I didn't have anyone waiting for me at the finish line (because Phil had car issues and couldn't make it down).  All of this was just too Debbie Downer...and on top of it, by that point in the race...everything was starting to hurt.  Knees were pinching with every step, feet were sore, legs were getting stiff, and while all this was easy to ignore with the uptick of adrenaline provided for the first part of the race, and extended by the crowds for a while, it was all catching up to me now.  The mythological "wall"? Perhaps.

But then, I saw the black spandex-clad, sports-bra wearing, otherwise topless, race warrior from the starting line...and guess what, she was walking.  Then I saw fellow-FSARCer, Frank, and he was walking...I assumed he had long since finished...and suddenly, I knew I could do it.  

Admittedly, the last miles were not pretty--lots of running, walking, "ow"ing, but then for the last mile or two, I chit-chatted with the guy near me running--an undergrad at WMU in political science.  He was fresh out of the military and figured, he was used to running every day, so this should be no big deal--even he was ready to give up.  We kept each other company the last leg and ran across the finish together.  He thanked me for being a delightful distraction.

And at the finish line, just what, or rather whom, did I see? But one of my former students at WMU and friend, John!  And then just moments later, my friend Elizabeth!  Refreshed by the appearance of friends, the pain seemed to rapidly dissipate--stiffness remained that night, even after extensive stretching, but a lot of it was mental.  And after a day or two of contemplation--I would do it all again...I'd like to do better training beforehand, but yeah, I'd do it again!  I must be a special kind of crazy.

The Stairmaster and Beyond
So, just for full effect, I did drag myself up and down the stairs at my hotel that evening and next morning, just to satisfy the FSARC crowd that had done their first marathoning a few weeks before--but really, I didn't have much of an issue.  My calves were sore for a day or two, but my knees were OK--maybe it was all those squats I did for the squat challenge the month before? Maybe it was the awesome pain-killing drugs I took the night after the race? Maybe it was the fact I sat in my jacuzzi tub in my hotel room for a while that night? Who knows!  All I know is that pain wasn't really an issue--thankfully!

What was an issue was fluid retention in the days following the race.  Now, I drank lots and lots and lots of extra water right after the race, but the next two or three days, my legs and ankles were really swollen.  Compression sleeves at night helped, as did more water, and the swelling went down, but that was the most alarming physical issue I had. 

As for running--I gave myself about three days off from doing ANYTHING physical--then ran an easy three miles.  Waited a day in between, and ran again for three miles...felt OK, so have returned to regular daily running--but have not yet done a long run.  Hoping to get one in later this week in preparation for my big marathon relay with my friend April and team "Length does Matter" coming up on Sunday. :)

After all was said and done, I feel pretty accomplished.  No, I didn't run fast.  No, I didn't get the race done in four hours or less.  But...I did it! And now, I know...I believe...I can--which is a feeling that had lacking a bit in the past few months.  I'm glad it's back. 

 

Bourbon and Spice, and Everything Nice...

And just what are little girls made of, you ask? Why, "sugar and spice, and everything nice," of

course.  This response, told to me often by my grandmother, was meant to stand in stark contrast to the inevitably more disgusting, and conceivably far more disturbing, "snips and snails, and puppy dog tails" that made up little boys.  I'm certain in its original form this was meant to reinforce the gentle and nurturing nature of women versus the more masculine and rugged disposition of the socially acceptable male.  However, it's 2014, and with Michigan on the cusp of actually, sort of, (let's hope so), joining the modern world and allowing same sex couples to marry, I think we can safely dispose of the separate spheres once and for all, and let the cult of domesticity go down with the likes of the Manson Family and Branch Davidians--in a fiery failure brought on by its own inability to portent widely acceptable standards (you know, minus that whole murder thing.)

So, this begs the question, what are girls made of today? Or rather, what are modern women made of?  Martha Stewart, domestic goddess that she is, who could de-bone a chicken and throw a perfect cocktail party with the best of 1950s womanhood, has illustrated that modern woman can both "bring home the bacon...and fry it in the pan" (I mean, Martha would probably be frying up some kind of fancy, imported bacon, made from pigs who had their own personal masseuses and nutritionists during their stint on the rolling hills of the Schweinecke region of Germany or something, but she would still be able to fry the hell out of it.)

Modern woman is, and should be, made of whatever she pleases.  Be it sugar and spice, and everything nice, from her bouffant hair to her patent leather heels, cocktail in hand for her husband when he arrives home from work...to leather and Harleys...or business tweed. 

Admittedly, I have been struggling with my own self definition lately as a modern woman, hence

the logic behind this post.  Recently, I went on a vacation road trip to Florida for Spring Break (mostly to escape the lingering Polar Vortex), and due to other business obligations, my husband was unable to go along with me.  Me, being me, went anyway, alone.  Personally, I saw nothing wrong with this...I had gone on plenty of solo research trips before...I had the time...and I had some spare cash set aside--so why not?

Needless to say, numerous different people have expressed a kind of "shock" at my solo vacation.  Really? I'd like to think that my husband and I are each individuals...and while married, still possess our own separateness as well--we have separate activities, separate careers, and things we do together.  He made it clear he'd take some crazy risks in life--I made it clear I'd never be a barefoot and pregnant, stay-at-home, Suzy Homemaker.  The deal was done.

Unfortunately, circumstances change and things don't always happen the way we wish they would.  Part of my solo trip was also a chance to take the cliched luxury of "finding myself" or perhaps figuring out just what I was made of.  And what did I find?  Sorrow. Anxiety.  Anger.  Disappointment. 

What would I have found a year ago? Something entirely different, I'm imagining, but a lot can go down in a year, and a lot has gone down in the last year for me.   Not that life is bad, in fact, it's actually pretty awesome by most people's standards--but it's not the same life I thought I'd have at this point--not the same life I planned to have at this point...and that causes me great amounts of stress.  I've always been a planner, an organizer, someone who has things done weeks ahead of when they need to be, and ambitious to a fault--and when things don't fall into place, it freaks me out.

So why the rant?  Well, after figuring out what I'm currently made up of, I've found myself relegated to the more sugar and spice type lifestyle that I personally, never liked and never wanted.  I was always more of a snips and snails kind of girl--give me blue jeans over a skirt any day.  Now I find myself at home most days because I only profess to the masses part time, banished to the kitchen to make dinner for my husband every night.  The real problem?  I was feeling forced into the Suzy Homemaker role.  I actually like being at home...and even like to cook...and I really don't mind cleaning--but it's the very idea that I have to do it because it's my role that tortures me.

You see, even I lost sight of modernity for a moment.  Despite being an historian, and having an appreciation for the past and all its social constructs, I was fighting hard to avoid being pigeon-holed into what I viewed as that uber-tradionale role for women.  In reality, people, myself included, should do what they have to do, to make life work.  Case in point? The television show Modern Family (one of the few I can stand to watch--so check it out if you've never seen an episode!)  Modern can clearly mean a lot of different things!

For the last few weeks since my trip, I've been trying to accept this concept.  Yes, I cook dinner--not because I have to, but because I want to (I mean, I'd rather eat something healthy and homemade, and really, even if hubby wasn't coming home, wouldn't I still make myself dinner?)  So, I've taken up new food adventures in the kitchen--new recipes, new techniques, etc.  I'm kickin' up the Flavor Town highlights a notch, y'all.  It's a good thing.  Tonight's adventure was my own riff on barbeque sauce, and I've included my recipe below...

Likewise, I was perhaps feeling resentful that my career has suffered for my husband's. But you

know, I love teaching and always have (despite temporary bouts of student insanity and lots of moments when you wonder just what planet they've beamed in from).  Yes, it would be nice to be getting paid what I'm worth (cue world's smallest violin--all teachers, everywhere can definitely understand the pay gap--trust me, it doesn't end at the ivy-covered gates of the university either).  And yes, to have a full-time position where I'd have better resources for going about my own research and writing would be great, but I also get to avoid the nasty departmental politics and obligatory meetings that go along with those jobs and so often force teaching to become a secondary interest for professors (There are no podiums in the classroom! There are no white board markers in the rooms--god forbid I have to carry my own!).  And, something that has become much more significant in recent months, my lack of full-time career has allowed me to stay close to family when it mattered most.

So, overall, modern woman--and modern man too--can be made up of anything and still "work" in today's society.  It's not all sugar and snails anymore...

Flannel Bikinis and Snow Blowers...

Well hello again old friends...

I know, it's been a while...a long while.  Since September 2013, in fact.  I've been meaning to get back on the blogosphere since January, but have been suffering from a serious lack of motivation after the trying fall/winter I've had.  Additionally, Michigan has been doing its best to kill my soul, one snowflake, one degree under 0' at a time.  She is a cruel weather mistress and even today as I type this, we are expecting everything she's got--snow, rain, sleet, and temps into the 40s before dipping to the freezing point again.  What a fashion dilemma--flannel bikini or rain galoshes for today's wardrobe choice?

However, after reading my friend Andrea's post about her weight loss frustration, I decided it was high time to get back to it and lend motivation where I could--as we appear to still be basking in the afterglow of New Year's Resolutions and I can feel the tension mounting in workout facilities across the area--the breaking point between the regular gym nuts and the resolution crowd--just one cookie away from falling off the wagon.

So, I'll start out by sharing my own story of winter woes along with offering some sage advice...

For those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, this last fall and winter has been an extremely difficult one.  Already bogged down by a busy semester, I found out at the beginning of September that my mom had been diagnosed with a mysterious cancer, already at Stage 4,basically untreatable and terminal.  A month of tests later, and doctors still weren't sure just what type of cancer--but the end result would be the same no matter.  Given six months to a year to live, mom unfortunately had to say her goodbyes much sooner, and we lost her at the beginning of November...

Needless to say, everything else in life, got put on hold.  Daily life continued, a shadow of what it had been.  Things got done, but lacked the usual enthusiasm, desire replaced by necessity.  We schlogged through the holidays--mom's favorite time of the year--and her absence was all too noticeable.  Making it through, my brothers, father, and I, came out a little stronger on the other side, but a whole lot sadder.  For me, the baby of the family, the hardest part was and is, the thought of all the things mom won't be there for--buying our first house, having kids, etc.  All the things she would have relished being a part of.  

Despite all this, life must go on for the living.  After spending nearly a solid week in a germ-infested hospital--a nightmare for germophobes like me--along with surviving primarily on vending machine chips and cookies from the nurses, I came down with a vicious cold that refused to die.  I think I was sick for a solid month, at least.  Getting well and surviving the holidays became the primary objective of December...and my regular healthy habits suffered.

From fall to winter, I gained about ten pounds.  Not a substantial amount by most people's standards, especially considering that I had been well under my goal weight at the end of summer's running season--but enough to make me paranoid.  Depressed, sick, sleeping more, and running less, I monitored my weight daily per usual, but found it difficult to bring down--or the numbers seemed to go up and down on a daily basis.

Holidays behind me and feeling a little better each day, I was ready to hit the pavement again!  Signing up for a full marathon in May, I began my training at the beginning of the year--the same time everyone else decided they were going to lose weight.  Unfortunately, Michigan had other plans...the Polar Vortex--a term we've come to despise here in the Mitten--entered our lexicon for the first time, bringing with it a barrage of sub-zero temperatures and even lower wind chills.  Cold, I can handle.  Snow, I can handle.  -25', two feet of snow, and 40 mph winds, I cannot handle.  I turned to the exercise bike, treadmill, and gym--which do the job as far as burning calories, but are not the same as logging miles and far more difficult to do for any length of time. An hour, tops!

My story...so here I am, February, back to slowing losing those winter pounds, running when I can and hoping to just make it through that marathon come May, all previous time goals aside...

Sage advice...don't sign up for a marathon! No, just kidding.  My advice is the same as it has been since starting this journey--count calories, eat sensibly, and exercise vigorously for at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.  

In recent months, people have talked to me and acted like "you became a runner, that's how you lost weight--that won't work for me, I can't run!"  People!  My weight loss journey started out, just as yours did--and as you can tell by recent months, has still not been an easy one--I started out simply walking quickly after dinner (the goal is to sweat!) and counting calories on the app on my phone/computer.  It took months and months, and forty pounds of weight gone before I even gave the idea of running a second thought.  

Some real advice for people out there--avoid the fad diets.  This is a warning to be heeded

especially at this time of year when they run rampant in advertisements all across America's televisions.  While you may lose weight drinking shakes, eating pre-boxed, pre-portioned meals, cutting out flour, cutting out sugar, or drinking nothing but grapefruit juice while spinning counter-clockwise, you will never be able to keep this type of diet up in the long run, and never be able to keep the weight off.  

Diets are fads...a healthy eating plan is a lifestyle change that requires a great deal of effort to implement.  You can't just go to a store and pick up a box of "get healthy" and pull it out every night for dinner--you have to think about what you're putting into your body and what you want to get out of it.  Read the labels, count the calories, watch portion size, and buy from the perimeter of the store (fresh produce, lean meats, and lean dairy).  It may seem easier to just buy prepackaged meals--but they won't change the way you *think* about eating, which is really the key to living a healthy lifestyle.  Once you stop eating them, you'll return to your old ways.

Likewise, beware friends who preach to simply "eat better."  Yes, you'll no doubt lose weight by cutting out fast food, beer, or pop/soda, but it won't be much--unless it was a staple of your diet--in which case, you may want to contact a support group while you're at it!  Most Americans have no concept of how many calories are in something.  Just telling someone to eat more veggies, fruit, etc. can be  step in the right direction, but these foods still contain calories and lack the balance of protein with carbohydrates that your body needs to function successfully each day.  Stop, look, and Google.  Pineapple is healthy!  Yes, but high in sugar--how about a cup of strawberries instead?  Green beans on the buffet are a good choice!  Yes, but are they drenched in butter?  One tablespoon of fat = 100 extra calories.  A chicken sandwich is a smarter option than a hamburger--maybe...is it deep fried?  Is there mayonnaise on it? Is it on a larger bun than a burger would be? Get the hamburger.

Spoken like a true academic, knowledge, is power.  The effort you put in, will equal the effort you get out, even if it seems to take a bit longer than a crash diet, and you'll start to replace that fat with muscle, which will make you stronger and leaner in the long run...so you'll look great in that flannel bikini!

 

The Healthy Historian's Healthier Hummus from the Bean & Beet Symposium

Who doesn't love hummus? And it's already awesome for you...but this version, slightly altered from a recipe I recently acquired at the Michigan Bean & Beet Symposium, is about ten calories less per serving than the store bought version, cheap and easy to make, and makes about 2lbs of hummus.

1 lb. dry white beans, rinsed, & soaked

1 head garlic, roasted with olive oil until soft

32 oz vegetable broth

2 1/2 t. cumin

2 1/2 T olive oil

2 1/2 T Tahini

Juice from 1 large lemon

Cook the pre-soaked beans in the vegetable broth by bringing all to a boil in a large pot, then reducing to a simmer for 1 hour until much of the liquid has been reduced and the beans are mushy.  

Drain the beans, reserving the remaining broth.  Remove garlic cloves from head of roasted garlic and add to beans in the bowl of a food processor.  Add cumin, Tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice to food processor.  (I used any pooled oil leftover from roasting the garlic first, then filled in the remaining amount of olive oil with extra-virgin).

Process bean mixture until smooth or desired consistency, adding reserved vegetable broth as needed.  Enjoy on low-calorie pretzels, pita chips, veggies, etc.

59 calories per 2T serving compared to store bought 70 calories per 2T.

It's Apple Pie Time...

Just when you thought you were free from the bondage of summer's cool ice creamy treats, you get hit with Autumnal deliciousness.  It starts with cinnamon and pumpkin scented candles, and air fresheners arriving in the stores, followed by candy corn and pallet loads of "fun size" candy bars for Halloween, and then WHAM! apples are coming out of your ears and really, what else can you do besides make pies?

Personally, I was left with a half bushel or so of apples from Jacques Orchards after the Hemlock Sawdust Days Dash 5k on Sunday.  An added benefit of being race coordinator?  Scoring all the leftover goodies from the food tables when all is said and done. What am I to do with all these apples though?

PIE!  Well...first I made an apple crisp to take over to the in-law's family luncheon on Sunday afternoon...but I'm sensing serious pie opportunity later this week.  Unfortunately, pie doesn't really fit on the spectrum of "health foods"--or does it?

Despite the fanciful nature of pie and its prominent placement on the Thanksgiving table each year, it is really a simple dish--flour, sugar, butter, fruit, spices, and maybe a bit of water.  While the ingredients are au naturel, the ratio of sugar and butter to fruit and spices is likely way off in Grandma's famous apple pie (with melted Wisconsin cheddar?) leading to a calorie-laden sweet treat, best reserved for the holidays.

However, as I've continually said--you have to eat things while they're in season.  This is when apples are at their best in Michigan, so holiday be damned, it's time for pie!  But in the interest of health, how could be lighten it up a bit?

Some thoughts--which I will experiment with later this week and let you know the results of next time:

1. Ditch the pie and make a "crisp" instead.  Health benefits? Elimination of the "double-crust calories," though you will still have that crumbly topping to healthify.  The addition of oatmeal and/or nuts, could mean added protein and fiber though.

2. Open top pie!  Why not make an apple-pie, pumpkin-pie style?  Instead of covering up those beautiful Michigan apples with a crust or a crumble, arrange them decoratively and serve open-top.  This eliminates any extra calories from a top crust or crumble.

3. Play around with the sugar content.  Still seeking a traditional apple pie?  Why not play around with the amount of sugar you add to sweeten the apples? At their peak, they probably don't need as much sugar as you would add, say in January.  Likewise, if you choose a sweeter variety of apple, you can downgrade the amount of refined sugars you need to add.  You might even try brown sugar instead of white--which has a richer taste and sweetness, pairs well with apples and cinnamon, and will require less of to do the same job.


4. Try out the new lineup of non-sugar sweeteners.  When I'm eating fruit, and it needs a little boost of sweetness, I like to add Stevia, which lends a sweet, yet natural taste, as it is made from a plant.  I recently purchased some packets of Nectresse as well, which is made from monk fruit.  It seems to have a similar natural sweet-quality to Stevia.  These products don't taste like sugar--and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.  However, when you work toward eliminating sugar from your diet, you won't notice its replacement by these products as much.  To start, you might try to replace half the sugar with a non-sugar, calorie-free sweetener and see how you like it.

5.  Get radical.  I wonder what would happen if I made an apple crumb pie (or an apple crisp!), but used vanilla non-fat Greek yogurt in place of most of the butter in the crumble? Hmn, it would still provide the same quality of "moistness" as the oil, some sweetness too, so the sugar could be cut down, but questions remain about how it would hold up in the oven.  To be continued...

6. Try pie deconstructed.  Play around with the "concept" of pie.  It's cooked fruit.  It's a crunchy crust.  It's also possibly a la mode with ice cream...and maybe whipped cream on top too.  Why not cook up some apples in a pan with a bit of water, sweetener, and cinnamon?  Layer in a glass with crumbled low-calorie crunchy cookies, like vanilla wafers, and sugar-free, fat free, instant vanilla pudding and/or Cool Whip Lite?  It'll taste like pie, be a convenient single-serving, and eliminate a lot of the work and calories found in the traditional version.  It's the un-pie.

7.  Make a traditional pie.  Save yourself one piece to relish and dish out the

rest to friends and family via whimsical, homemade, wedge-shaped "pie boxes."  I once saw these in a Martha Stewart magazine...I'm sure you can find the pattern online somewhere.  You basically cut out some weird shape that, once folded and glued, resembles a triangular box, just-sized for pie.  You could even keep it closed with custom grosgrain ribbon and your own monogram hot-wax seal.  Ok..."ain't nobody got time for that"...but luckily Martha, being the entrepreneur that she is, realized the error of her ways and put them online for you, the uncrafty or busy consumer, to purchase: Pie Boxes.  The calorie-savings here are obvious, and you won't hear the remaining pie, in a muffled voice, calling your name at 3am from the cavernous retreat of the refrigerator.

And, as always, balance your treats with exercise.  Just because the temperature has dipped doesn't mean you have to give up your running, bicycling, etc.  Get out there and enjoy the crisp fall air, changing leaves, and scent of bonfires in the air!  Get yourself to a gym and figure out what's been going on in The Bold and the Beautiful since you  last saw it, while running on the elliptical, of course.  Feeling more motivated to eat that pie instead of go run in the cold? We've all been there.  Buy yourself some new cold-weather running gear--you'll want to wear it--and you'll look foolish if you're not actually running while wearing it, so problem solved (unless of course, you like to grocery shop in compression pants.)

The "Fun"damentals of the Race...

Well, as you can tell, I'm still off in my posting schedule, but we'll get there.  Today, I found a few minutes and would like to talk about a topic that's been on my mind for the last week or so...fun runs v.  races.

The other day on Facebook, a string of posts popped up about color runs, mud runs, etc. and what the general consensus was on them, etc.  My runner friend Amber, noted that they were often "overpriced" and "untimed;" therefore, they were not worth doing.  Now,  I do agree with the price element--some of these fun runs are outrageously priced.  If you're interested in having colored powder thrown at you, running through foam, or hoisting yourself over obstacles while being covered in mud, check Groupon for a discount first!  It's your best bet at saving yourself a buck or two--but is it still worth it if the run is not timed?

I say, yes.  Running is not always about the time or beating your PR.  And for

Renee & I, Community Colors 5k

some of us, it's never about the time--it's just about finishing!  This is why these "fun runs" have taken off in recent years--because there are a whole cohort of people out there, who only run for the "fun."  If you've gone to one of these runs you've probably noticed plenty of people who look like they haven't run a day in their lives (don't judge!) or groups of people dressed up in tutus, funny socks, or whimsical headgear.  Sometimes these are dedicated runners just out for a change of pace...and sometimes they are people who thought it sounded like fun--whether they run, walk, or crawl to the end.

Caitlyn and I, Eat Dirt 5k

Here's the thing--as someone who admitted HATED just about any and all forms of exercise until fairly recently, I applaud whoever it was that came up with these wacky fun runs, because it gets people off their couch and outside--getting exercise!  Anything that serves as such a motivator here in overweight, overstressed America deserves a second glance.  

However, fun runs are just that--fun.  Whether you're an all star athlete or a

Lisa & I, Grand Rapids Color Run

stay at home mom with a flair for the unusual, make sure you're having fun and not taking yourself too seriously in these "competitions."  They're not timed because the obstacles often take a while to complete or cause backups on the "course."  Additionally, because you have all types of runners/walkers participating, it's probably impossible to provide a viably timed course.  Do yourself, and everyone else in the run a favor and chill the f* out.  Sign up with a friend, get yourself some knee socks (I've been known to don a pair or tu[tu] myself), and have a good time--even if it means not running your fastest.


Now, what about "the race"?  Here, timing matters...in fact, it matters so much so that one may even debate the merits of the type of timing system used to time the race and the accuracy of the course distance.  It's an amazing feeling when you complete a race and you feel like you've given it your all...maybe even managed a new PR...or run your first 5k, 10k, half, etc.  For those who are more casual runners--don't be deterred by this perceived "intensity" of racing.  For many, the goal is still "to finish."  My goal, frankly, is always just "to finish"--and hopefully have a good time doing it!  Speed is nice...winning age categories is nice...but if I really wanted those things, I'd be out there doing speed work like it was my job--and dude, it's totally not my job, so it'll have to wait until next year (maybe).

Me at the Alma Highland Fest 10k

Plus, no one says you can't get out your superwoman outfit for that regular 5k race!  One thing I've noticed about runners--whether they know you or not, they will cheer you on.  It's really a bizarrely amazing community.  At just about every race I've competed in so far, there are people at the end--who don't know you--that are yelling "finish strong," "great job," "you're almost there," "keep going," etc. etc.  Who the heck are these people?  Fellow run junkies and run groupies--and probably a few random weirdos who just came out to see what the hullabaloo was all about.

So whether you're running for fun or running for speed, enjoy the run.

Gimme a "D," gimme an "I," gimme an "E," gimme a "T!" What's that spell?

Alas, the summer is over.  This morning, I thought I hard the faint cry of joy from parents around the state as their children boarded big yellow buses and trudged into red brick school buildings, adorned in their thoughtfully chosen "first day" outfits, faces scrubbed shiny, hair combed to perfection--full of high hopes and optimism, nervous excitement, dread, and maybe just a dash of fear.  Ah, the first day...

Well my first day was last week, so I'm already over it.  But my friend Laurie had a mournful Facebook post the other night, that caused me to reflect on the meaning of "autumn"--the resounding start of Fall.  

Laurie's post read as follows, "Goodbye thick, wonderful shakes from the Sinclair Grill. Goodbye turtle sundae's from the Whippy Dip. Goodbye Dove bars and Hagen Daze caramel pretzel bars. It was a salacious relationship. Goodbye Doritoes, Cheetos, and all manner of cookies from the training sessions. Goodbye pasta in so many forms. It was a delicious summer, but now to the wonderful veggies and fruits of the season, unadorned and healthy. Sounds like a plan..."

She's right.  Summer is filled with a certain carelessness for nutrition, a high probability of "ice cream for dinner"-type nights, and the ability to put things off until tomorrow.  However, with Fall comes a renewed attentiveness to schedules, duty, and the restricting clothes of careerism.  Along with which comes the often unfortunate reminder of summer gluttony, in the form of a little extra jiggle in your wiggle and a perhaps uncomfortable snugness to your favorite pair of Levis.  

In honor of full disclosure, I will fully admit to falling off (way off) the nutrition bandwagon over the last few weeks.  As summer came crashing to an end, work loads increased, and classes wreaked havoc on the carefree schedule (or lack thereof) of summer, I have found myself eating a whole lot of whatever too, without too much thought as to what, when, or how much.  And while I've felt the repercussions of my actions, not so much in the fit of my clothing, but rather in my insides, I felt "too busy" to get back to the healthy lifestyle I strive to live.

Laurie's post made me think of two important things in relation to the summer nutritional holocaust that is the life of Average America. Foremost, one should enjoy the last hurrahs of summer--one last lick of the delicious soft serve at the Merrill Dairy Bar...One last dip in the pool, despite the chill in the air, and the suspicious crunch of leaves underfoot...One final summer bbq, fresh corn on the cob drenched in butter and salt.  After all, summer is meant to be relished.  

Secondarily, one should never fall back on the "too busy" excuse to live a healthy life.  It was that very excuse that led me to steadily gain weight over the last ten years until I finally came to the realization that, at 30, I was far too young with far too much life left to live to be that out of shape and unhealthy.  Without a doubt, everyone has a half hour a day to dedicate to some form of exercise--people waste that much time and more on Facebook every day.  Life does get in the way of healthy routines--and the best of us fall back to our old ways--I'm not different from anyone else.  Living this life isn't easy, but it's worth it.

So now that the kids are back in school, schedules will start falling into place,

and healthy routines will adjust.  Dust yourself off, get back on the wagon, and start again.  The sooner the better--but enjoy those last few tastes of summer freedom before they give way to Fall's Friday night football games and work weeks filled with meetings.  The Merrill Dairy Bar closes after next weekend--for months and months!--Get a cone and savor the late afternoon warmth of the autumn sun on your shoulders.  The thought may just help get you through a few cold December mornings--as you pull on your compression pants and lace up your running shoes.  

Street Creepers and other Obstacles...

With day one of the semester behind me, I've found a few early morning minutes to get in a blog entry for this week.  As things become routine, I'm sure I'll find a more scheduled time to write!  Today, my morning run was cancelled by my aching feet.  Though heels might have seemed like a great idea on the first day of class, the after effects have shown otherwise.  Once again comfort will win out over fashion in the long run.

At any rate, today's post is something that I've been thinking about for the past week or so, and kept meaning to write up: My thoughts on running safety.  

You've read my rants about wearing the right gear and probably even wearing a Road ID bracelet, but there is more to running safety than just being properly outfitted for your run.  There are also "obstacles" to look out for, such as "street creepers."

What do I mean by street creepers?  Well, a while back...maybe a couple of months now...I noticed a large car slow to a stop in front of me while I was out running around the country roads.  The car then waited--for what I don't know--but the "suspicious me" was able to take a quick side jaunt around the lake drive to my left and duck into a wooded driveway for a moment until the car took off again.  It seemed a bit strange at the time, but I passed it off as my own paranoia and never saw the vehicle again.

However, the topic came to mind again recently when I ran into a running buddy who lives just down the road.  We often run the same route, though in opposite directions, and pass each other on our morning runs.  He told me he had a weird run-in with a van a couple times over the past few weeks, and thought he better pass the details along to me.  Basically, Rich saw a van do the same thing my car had done--in about the same location--as he was out running, but as he got closer, the vehicle took off.  The first time, he shrugged it off, but the second time it occurred to him, that from a distance, running, maybe he looked like me.  

Now, this is pretty darn creepy.  Yes, it could just be happenstance and confused people out driving and getting lost in the country--this does happen frequently as well...but what if there is something more to it?  What can I do?

This prompted me to think of "run safety" beyond just gear.  When I went to Louisville I took pepper spray with me for my morning runs.  I never had to use it, but it brought me peace of mind in an unknown city.  I hate to think that out here in the country I need to do the same, but I probably should have some sort of protection, just in case.  Until Glock makes a viable running holster, pepper spray it is--or I could start carrying a hammer like the one woman I always see out walking--both a nifty weight and protection.

Crime shows and 24/7 news coverage has led America to believe that the world we live in is much more dangerous than it used to be decades ago.  Studies have shown, it's actually far safer.  Television and society have played a mental trick on us, however, and we generally want to believe the worst.  This is not to say there aren't plenty of weirdos out there, however, so be cautious.

Upon reflection, I recommend a few things on this front.  Foremost, if you run

alone, carry protection.  Pepper spray is probably your best bet, and you can get a little can like the one I have, which straps onto your hand, so you barely think about carrying it, for around ten bucks.   That's pretty cheap for something that might save your life in the ultimate unthinkable scenario. 

Secondarily, carry a cell phone with you.  Now, I haven't done this in the past.  I have an iPhone and for all its technological wizardry, it's big.  Summer running gear doesn't generally have the greatest of pockets for that sort of thing and I can barely manage with my iPod strapped onto my arm, let alone the giant smart phone.  I always run near houses and generally figured I knew enough people along my route that if I ever ran into a problem (I was always thinking, injury), I could go to one of their houses for help.  Running into a creeper, however, is a different scenario where having a phone might be more immediately useful.  What to do?  

One could invest in one of those running belts with the gear pocket to store things like a cell phone, car keys, money, etc., but I'm beginning to think about all this stuff I'm strapping onto myself as over-complicating the pleasure of running.  Instead, I'm thinking about getting a TracPhone--the cheapo, tiny, flip model.  Perhaps they're not just for terrorists, murderers, and adulterers after all?  With the prepaid TracPhone, I can just get minimal minutes for that emergency call if I ever need it and the phone will "fit" on me somewhere, unlike the iPhone.

Finally, prevention is the best protection.   Best to avoid any situation where you'll need that pepper spray and phone if at all possible.  I'm certainly not saying to toss the running shoes in the closet, lock your doors, and flip on the police scanner--but to be aware of your surroundings while running.  

Turn down your music so you can hear cars and other things around you.  I'm all for sound quality, but that should not be confused with LOUD (Are you listening to me People driving around in Toyota Corollas with the bass turned all the way up?)  You should always be able to hear rear approaching cars and get out of the way.  Even if you presume that they'll see you in your neon yellow running onesie and orange Nikes--people are stupid.  Trust no one and look out for yourself. 

Likewise, take note of where you are running.  Is it a safe route?  Are there people/houses around?  While I could imagine running in the middle of nowhere to be a great mental relaxation, it also means that if that one car creeper rolls up, you've got nowhere to go.  Plan an "escape" per se.  Additionally, don't always run the same exact route at the same exact time.  Mix it up.  This will not only benefit your own sanity, but also disallow anyone that *might* be keeping an eye on you to plan something around your routine.  I always run in the same general area--around my house--but rarely at the same exact time each day and often different distances each day.

Also, don't ever assume it'll never happen to you.  Just because you're ____ age or ____ sex and believe you're not what creepers are into, I can tell you from seeing nearly every episode of 48 Hours Hard Evidence that there is a creeper for everyone...people with all different "types" they are interested in.  Scary, right?  Yes, it is a bit scary to think about--but thinking about it ahead of time will save you from that nightmare scenario and save your friends and family from fighting over your diamond earrings.  The world is a scary place...but it's also a fantastic place with lots to see and enjoy.  Plan ahead and avoid the undesirable part of reality--or at least give those street creepers a run for their money and make sure your episode of 48 Hours Hard Evidence is the extended two hour-long version.