Garmin Wars

Went for a run with H-woman this morning but are now contending with dueling Garmins. Hers, the 305, says we ran a 6.6/km. Mine, the 405 says we ran a 9:10/km! The math (the accountant in me checks these things!) agrees more with mine, since we ran 9.18km in 84 minutes. Either way, we got out there and finished it. Slowed down near the end, as we were more content with picking and eating Saskatoons along the path, then making good time!

After a quick change, went to the Farmer's Market. I was hoping that since it was Marda Gras in the local neighbourhood, that most people would be turned off by the traffic snarls or enjoying the festivities. I was wrong! The market was busy, but I do so enjoy going there every week. After our usual wander to check things out, we both decided we were starving! Settled on a Falafel from the Greek Gals. OMG! Best.I've.ever.had!! Never before have I enjoyed a falafel which has just come out of the fryer! Usually it's been sitting around, is crushed up and nuked in a microwave to heat up and served. This was crisp and light and absolutely freaking delicious!!

Appetite sated, we went back in and came out with our haul shortly thereafter. I only needed carrots, some fruit, basil and Buffalo wieners this week, as I still have quite a bit of stuff from last week. H-woman was a tad more loaded down than I, but both of us happy.

Back to H-woman's, where we enjoyed a lovely mojito on her gorgeous deck...light breeze, sunny but not glaring, quiet neighbourhood. She is never allowed to leave that place!!! I did have to break away, as it was getting late and I had things to do at home...although I would have preferred to hang and drink mojitos all night long. Came home, did some dishes and changed the litter, and then made dinner. As I still have leftover rice & peas, I decided on some Jerk Shrimp. Marinated prawns in a mixture of Epicure Selections Jamaican Jerk seasoning and some evoo for a few minutes, then fried them up till done. Deglaced the pan with lime juice, which I then pored over the shrimp and salad greens they were on. Had some purple pepper on the side, but I'm not so impressed with the flavour...or lack thereof. Couldn't decide what it tasted like, but I guess it leans more towards the green, as it was not nearly as sweet as a red or orange one. Probably won't purchase another, but I had to at least try it. Dinner was fab...and if you think the plate looks very full, I am using my smaller plates (8" vs. the 11") to eat off, and therefore eat less. Didn't say how high it could be piled though! Kidding!!

Off to ice and medicate the ankle (a tad tender from the run) and then sort and deliver my last Epicure order.

Have a great night, everyone.

Early Sunday morning

Okay, so it's not that early any more! But I am still waking up, so I guess it counts. Eating some breakfast of oatmeal (1 c almond breeze, 1/2 oats, glob of almond butter, craisons and a smaller glob - hate to get all technical on you! - of Nutella) yum...chocolate oatmeal for breakfast!

Getting ready to head out for a run with H-woman soon. We're supposed to run 7 miles (or 11.26km) but since we did that last week - got confused - we're going to do 6 miles or 9.5km today instead. Either way, it sounds far! But Melissa's 22k is just over a month away now, so I guess we had better kick it into gear!



Yesterday was a pretty normal day...granted I was up at the crack of stupid to pick up H-woman so we could go to the new WW meeting, 11km away from my house, at 7:45am. It wasn't our usual leader Faye (she's in Hawaii at her son's wedding, so we'll allow the miss this week) but a woman who was from one of Faye's groups who lost...169 pounds!!!! She lost a person!!!!!!! In just over 2 years to boot. She looks amazing for someone that lost so much...none of that Shar-Pei look to her, which is usually the norm for someone who's lost a ton of weight. As for the "North American Premier" location??? They've been open 1 week, and have already had to have sound technicians come in to deal with the echo...gee...20' ceilings, and no doors, and you wonder why there's an echo?!?!?! But it's for Faye, and it's working right now (down another 3.4 yesterday) so I will persevere! And I am only 1 pound away from yet another drop in daily points, but more importantly to finally being under 200 pounds again!!! It's been at least 6 years since I've seen a number that starts with a 1 and I'd like to revisit that era! Hell, I don't just want to visit it, I want to set up camp and live there FOREVER!



Grabbed a coffee, dropped H. off and came home to an accidental nap on the couch! Oops...got up, did some puttering around, grabbed some groceries for dinner, and then decided if I was going to get in some exercise I should get my butt in gear. So I changed and headed out the door before I could change my mind...walked over to the river (the walk down is full of driveways, which slope and which are a bugger to run on...my knees and hips don't like that at all...and Calgary drivers aim for people running on the street...hasn't been proven, of course, but I think it's true!) and then ran up Rideau Hill to 3-post, back down to the Elbow river pathway, through Stanley Park and around back to the start. A total of 4.2km (and another 2 for the walk there and back) at 34:55 or 8:19/km. Managed to maintain a good cardio rate of 85% and burned off 294 calories.



Came home and made Ginger Mojito pork...marinade a piece of tenderloin in a mixture of rum, lime juice, evoo, lime zest, honey and some grated ginger. Grill till done. Thought that sounded rather Jamaican, so I made a side of Rice & Peas (which are actually beans) and the rest of the pattypan squash in evoo, butter and mint. It was quite delish! My friend Cathy and her parents taught me how to make Rice & Peas years ago, so it was a nice memory and treat. Although now, the healthy me makes it with less bacon and brown rice! And I had black-eyed peas, which was a nice option.


Guess I had better run and get changed. Details of the run later.

Annoying foot pain

My arch/ankle is bothering me again today. It was swollen before lunch, but didn't really hurt. Now, after a 4k walk at lunch and Boot Camp at 5 (including a steep, rocky, muddy, tree-rooty, riddled with steps and raises trail run that's about 2k in total), it's throbbing off and on, but the swelling is gone. I'm about to throw some Advil at it (God Bless the person who found/invented ibuprofen!) and an ice bag, but I just put an ankle sleeve on the foot, and it already feels a tad better. It'll feel massively better once I hobble my way into a physio clinic, but that will have to wait till I am more financially fluid. I do have unlimited coverage at work, but most places are pay up front and claim from the insurance company afterwards...so next week is payday...soon, my wonky foot...soon...

I was bagged after yesterday's early start and late finish, so I did not make or pack lunch. Instead, breakfast was a non-fat latte and the low-fat turkey bacon, egg substitute sandwich from Starbuck's. They're all right...nothing really to rave about. And for 8 points, I could make better decisions. But it was what it was...lunch turned into a BLT&C on whole wheat, no butter or mayo, with a bit of mustard, and some tomato dill soup. Again, nothing stellar but it did it's job, especially after my 4k walk about. Snack was plain yogurt with Epicure Tropical Fruit dip blended in, and a third of a cup of All Bran Buds. Then it was Boot Camp time! I do heart Trainer Josh, but I really think he's trying to kill some of us!!! After the trail run, we did intervals of 45 seconds...thrusters to sprint/jog, burpees to sprint/jog, squeegees to sprint/jog, rest, bicep curls to sprint/jog, plank hold to sprint/jog, squats to sprint/jog. Rest...then core work, more core work, and then a tad more of core work. I was dripping and gasping for air (humidity is disgustingly high in Calgary right now...I may have to move to Arizona to get my air back!) but as always, grateful that I can even complete a class. Many can't, and I do appreciate every day the power to propel myself forward by my own accord.

After a quick trip to FedEx (by the airport, 25+km away) to pick up an Epicure order, I came home and made a fast supper. Baby patty pan squash (the ones that look like someone sat on 'em) and baby carrots tossed in evoo/butter and basil/mint and lemon juice, a piece of tilapia with just lemon zest and S&P, and some couscous in Epicure Vegetable Bullion and some lemon juice. I would have taken a picture, but I once again left my camera on and the battery was drained...sorry...couldn't wait for it to recharge before I had to eat!
Now me, my ankle and my Advil are going to retire to the couch, and try to get to bed at a reasonable time, since there's now a very early Saturday morning weigh-in looming. Picking up H-woman at 7 bells, and heading northwest.

Will report on the "premier" Weight Watchers location tomorrow. Have a great night everyone!

Looooonnnnng day...

I thought I would tackle this week's 15-Week challenge of the early morning workout today. What ever was I thinking?!?!

You see...I am not a morning person, and I am okay with that! But I got up at 5 am, got to work (walked in the dark...through downtown Calgary...in the dark...alone...in the dark and drizzle...should still be sleeping...in the dark!) just after 6, changed and went out to run my usual 4.65k loop. It was very, very quiet...except for all the people on their bikes whizzing into work, it was me and two other guys on the path for a run. And I discovered that I am not a morning working out person! Firstly, I am not fully awake - I think mornings should be banned, the world over! It's cruel and unusual punishment to force someone out of a nice, warm bed, and make them face the world before noon! Of course, now that I say that, I haven't slept in past 9 in years, and I do start work at 7am now...it's a good thing I love Boot Camp and Trainer Josh, otherwise I'd be back to sleeping till 7:30 and starting work at 8:30. But I digress...back to the actual run. I don't eat first thing in the day - ever...I have trouble some mornings just brushing my teeth! But I forced down a piece of celery with almond butter and craisons, and sipped some Green Monster on the walk in, so I would have something in the tank to burn.

It didn't work...my legs felt like lead wrapped around pipe-cleaners! Needless to say, the run was not fast, nor was it pretty...but I finished it. Hard to read on the Garmin, but I managed an 8:30/km pace and burned 278 calories.

Got back in the office (freaked out my coworkers when they realized I beat them all to work today...did you know they don't even turn on the lights at 6:15 in the morning?!?!), changed and finished my Green Monster. And inhaled a chocolate milk!

Lunch was a spinach salad with chicken, blueberries, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and maple pecans (cooked pecans in maple syrup until the water boiled off, and then laid out on a piece of foil to cool...YUM!), topped with evoo and balsamic vinegar (yes...I keep bottles in my desk). However...it's Thursday...and the deli downstairs does a wicked Mulligatawny! Which I never let myself enjoy, because I weighed in on Thursdays and I have this weird superstition of eating rice the day before or day of weigh in! But now that we'll be weighing in on Saturdays, I indulged. Kind of wished I hadn't, as I was FULL all afternoon. It was still fabulous, but I was full!

And immediately thought "what an idiot" as it's Boot Camp fit test tonight, and I've just ruined my measurements by bloating out my stomach! Good thing most of the class couldn't/didn't show, so we're doing fit test on Tuesday. I can say that I've lost 7.9 pounds in the last 6 week session!

It was a regular Boot Camp session then, with our beloved Trainer Josh back (we told him how much we missed his joking, singing, funny voices and stories while he was gone!) in charge...some running, followed by upper body work and sprints, lower body work and sprints, core work and sprints! Josh is awesome about keeping our cardio up for well over half the class, without it being strictly running. Feeling it in the shoulders again...can't wait for tomorrow night's class! Have I mentioned that I'm hooked, and that I've already signed up for another 6 week, 3x a week session?!

:)

All the talk about zucchini boats by Angie got me thinking of that for dinner, since I had a zuch of appropriate size waiting in my veggie crisper...the thing is, I've never made one before. So I went Italian...mixed sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, basil, fresh grated Parmesan and herbed goat cheese. And to add texture, I sprinkled some panko bread crumbs on top before baking...dang...I am a GOOD COOKER!!! It was quite tasty, although I did put a little too much goat cheese in it, and found it a tad rich. Didn't stop me from eating it all, mind you!!

Well that's it for me...recap

Monday weekly challenge: done
Wednesday workout challenge: done

Weigh-in: down 1.4

Don't know why, and don't care...what ever it is that I am doing this time around seems to be working!! And I am determined to keep it up!

Okay...time to put together lunch for tomorrow, and head to bed. I am seriously tired!

I heart my trainer

Especially having to 'try out' his partner at today's Boot Camp, when he took a well deserved break this weekend. I understand that everyone has different styles, but all I have to say is I am thrilled that my Boot Camp experience started with Trainer Josh, and not this lady. Otherwise, I wouldn't have done as well, or even renewed past the first 6 weeks, quite frankly. She reminded me of all the jock-chicks I went to high school with...didn't like them then, most certainly don't like them now!! And don't sass at me in front of everyone else because I can't keep up with you and your 5 pound weights, honey...check the number on the end of mine. Oh, that's right...that's an 8! Needless to say, I will extra appreciate Trainer Josh on Thursday.

Whipped by Safeway on the way home (10% Tuesday...what was I thinking?!) and grabbed a few things, before heading home to make supper. Grilled fish tacos, refried beans, avocado and quinoa with tomatoes and Epicure Fajita seasonings. Quite nice...found the recipe surfing the Epicurious website...great place to look for recipes. All you have to do is type in one ingredient, and a list of recipes will come up, from all kinds of foody magazines, like Bon Appitet.

With my shoulders already seizing and aching, I had one more set of blinds to install (wah...) but these ones went in rather easily. Hopefully they stay there! Managed to get the hallways clean lat night and despite the rain (yet another awesome light show last night!!), they still look good today. I hate it when I clean for hours, and then someone tromps in all muddy and don't really care, because they rent and someone else cleans up...oh, that's right...ME! This would 'splain lots as to why I stuck with the furbabies and not the human variety, by the way!!

Going to tidy up from dinner and head to bed. I am beat. But at least I can sleep this week...+32 on Saturday to +10 today! Lord, I love this city!!!

Schneider duties complete

As I've mentioned before, I am Schneider for my little apartment building (only 13 suites)...that is I am the caretaker/landlady. For a substantial reduction in my rent, I collect the rent, do the bank deposit, take applications for new tenants, walk-through for move ins & outs, general cleaning inside and outside (that includes yard work) and small maintenance. I don't have to do painting, plumbing (THANK GOD!) nor do they make me play with electricity!!! They (the management company, a lovely husband and wife team who are both sweet as pie) seem to know and acknowledge my limitations as easily as I do!
Anyway, I've been putting off cleaning the hallways during the heat wave, but finally decided I had to get it done today. And I just had a tenant move in who needed new blinds installed. If there is one part of my duties that I openly despise...it's installing blinds. I measure, I mark, I measure again, I drill and it's all WRONG!! Argh!!!!!! And it doesn't help that I live in a very old, 67 years to be precise, building that is all wood and plaster and I'm sure a little spit and duct-tape!! It's very frustrating to say the least...took me 2 hours to install the blinds, replace the screening in a frame, and screen in another window for this guy. I still had to vacuum the hallways and stairs. I live in a 3 story walk-up, that has double staircases...why I will never know...just means 2 x the steps to vacuum and then wash. So started that after a brief water break and now it's 8:30 and I haven't had dinner yet! Not wanting to get into cooking a meal at this time of the night, I decided to have a Green Monster. That tide me over till morning, and I'll make the fish tacos I was planning on tomorrow night.
And with all the rain we're now getting, I'm happy I got the grass cut yesterday...at least I don't have to worry about watering the flowers this week. Boot Camp may be a tad on the damp side, but I enjoy running and such in the rain. Keeps everyone else away!
Happy Monday, everybody.

Relaxing Monday off...

It's Heritage Day here in Alberta (well, most of Canada celebrates something today, although there are a few hold-out provinces, like Quebec and Newfoundland...which is odd, because they seem to have a lot of provincial holidays between them both!) so I managed another glorious sleep-in (other than getting up at 5:45 to feed the furbabies...don't mess with their routine!) till 9 am. Legs are feeling yesterday's long run, which is good. I miss that feeling...tells me that I've worked hard.

Dinner last night was good and simple. I roasted some of the baby potatoes in my toaster oven (which ROCKS!! I rarely use my regular oven, since I am just cooking for moi), after tossing them in a mixture of evoo and butter (a tsp of each)...once they were golden brown, I tossed them in another tsp of melted butter and some Epicure Lemon Dilly dip mix. Yum, yum, yum! With that I cheated a tad, and bought a roasted turkey breast at Safeway...which will become lunch meat, as it was rather dry. Sad... And, as this week's Weight Watcher's challenge was to try something new (for you) from the vegetable/fruit family, I had a kohlrabi salad. I used my mandoline to slice red onion and the kohlrabi bulb super thin, and then tossed that with a mixture of evoo, lemon juice, S&P and capers. Served over some fresh spring greens, it was an interesting salad. The kohlrabi, to me, tasted a bit like turnip (which I do not like) but it wasn't unpleasant. Still reserving final judgement on it.

So what to do on a day off from work? I'm putting on my "Schneider" hat and putting up some blinds in one of the suites (just about my favourite job to do...can you sense the sarcasm??) and then vacuum the common hallways and wash the floors at the entrances. At least it's much cooler out today (and that means inside the building too), so it won't kill me. There was a wicked storm that blew in about 1 am...the lightning actually woke me up, long before the big rumblings and booms of the thunder did. Quite the light show. And then pounding, pounding rain...living on the top floor of a flat roofed building has it's drawbacks, but it finally lulled me back to sleep. It has since stopped, but it's dull and gray out there still. Which is fine...I was growing weary of the intense heat.

Have a great day off...if you get one, that is...