The Official Chiarunner Blog - Just Add Water

M.I.A. (As Usual)

2011-05-17T13:18:00.001-07:00

It has been a while since I posted, so I figured I would throw a quick update up just in case there are still people that care.

I have been infrequently blogging on my wedding website -- www.26point2IDo.com -- however, am having a hard time really keeping up with it. If you still care, feel free to follow me there :-).

Much love xoxo

-Chia

Blogtasticness...

2011-01-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

I decided to pick up Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman, M.D. at the library and was semi-wooed into his evil, evil logic. Which, in reality, means I have resigned myself to blending 1/2 pound of spinach with pineapple and banana for breakfast and carrying 1.5 pounds of fresh produce with me to work. Aside from making more deposits than a bank teller, I really have no complaints. It's early though, I'm sure I'll find something to complain about.

Training for 1/2 marathon took a back burner to an ear infection that basically rendered the entirety of last week useless. Attempting to run in cold damp weather with the incessant feeling like someone is trying to jam an entire skewered shish kebob in your left ear is not a pleasant experience.

Great, now I want tabbouleh.

I started taking magic pills to aid in my "quitting smoking" endeavor. To my dismay, the first day of purple pill taking resulted in an entire evening of feeling so utterly exhausted all I want is my favorite blankie and a long nap only to find when I'm all cuddled up with the shih tzu and ready for sleep that it's apparently dancy time because I can't stand BEING.SO.STILL. for more than 5 seconds.

Longest and most painfully true sentence ever.

Why my fiance hasn't purchased roofies just to knock me the truck out is beyond me.

Good night xx

102 Days - Dually Titled: "Why do I do this to myself?"

2011-01-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

I woke up with a slight fog to me from the evening prior's champagnepocalyse and an acute awareness of the fact that this is my last day off before returning to the office tomorrow. The initial rush of responsibility hit me like a tidal wave. At least I had a head start on chasing my own tail for 10 hours straight.

Being that my glasses were becoming a headache generating nuisance, I resigned myself to spending 2 hours trying to locate an optometrist that would be willing to see me either A.) today (preferred) or B.) at some reasonable hour that would permit me to work an uninterrupted day. Fortunately, I found a place 10 minutes from the house. Unfortunately, I was so emotionally drained from battling the insurance web site that was absolutely bombarded with traffic (I'm guessing) and their customer service was experiencing 10-15 minute hold times as indicated on the pre-recorded message that promptly disconnected my call after sitting there for 4-7 minutes already.

So, I "back-burnered" some other to-do items and figured I would throw some laundry in. After I sorted the massive heap of laundry, come to find out there isn't enough soap for even one load. So, I went for a run.

Apparently I fail at "making lemonade."

2.5 miles into my run I decide it's time to stop pussy footing around and signed up for the Zooma Austin 1/2 Marathon (which is in 102 days, explaining the title of this boring tale :-)) and the Statesman Capitol 10K. I still haven't found the necessary cojones to sign up for the Skeese Triathlon. However, I feel them forming. Bah.

So, it's official. I'm "in training."

I'm really thoroughly enjoying Rachel Cosgrove's book, "Female Body Breakthrough" It's my first fitness buy of the year and I'm already planning on breaking her rules. This is why I can't have nice things. More on this topic later. For now, it's nappy time.

Strength Training for Sissies: Day One, Shedding Barriers

2011-01-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

One of the habits I'm trying to invite into this little life of mine is to start identifying barriers that keep me from my overall goal. Barriers could be emotional/mental, physical, or some kind of tangible object that I would need to acquire in order to achieve a task.

Now, it seems so easy to just peel off the layers of denial like an orange to reveal the wondrous "barrier fruit," but sometimes the fruit is too bitter to take. I wish I was one of those semi-perfect people that could just buy a new sportsbra and run 10 miles just because I have something to strap down the chesticles, but I'm not. I have baggage. I reckon you do too.

It's been really hard for me to commit to a strength training plan. Mostly, I don't know what I'm doing 1/2 the time and so.help.me. if one more person tells me to hire a personal trainer... let's just say I've spent so much money, time, and effort to try and find a trainer that is willing to enable me to be more self sufficient in the gym, and it just doesn't happen. I don't care how good so-in-so over at such-in-such gym is, I'm not pissing away another $200 on something a library card and a Google search bar could remedy.

But, I digress. I started to think about it yesterday, why is it that I am so afraid of the weight room? Why does the thought of joining one of those bootcamp/stuntman class group things trigger my fight or flight response?

Well, I think I kind of know.

Growing up, I was the little girl that kind of hated gym class. When it was time to run the mile, I was always the one lagging behind coughing and going into asthmatic fits as both of my parents smoked and I was rarely allowed to go any further than my parent's line of sight.

I remember doing our exercises in the gymnasium and all the surrounding kids were mocking me because I didn't have L.A. Gears or Reeboks on like all the other little girls, I was wearing cheapie canvas Ked-knockoffs because that's all my parents could afford (even though there was never a night dad didn't have 12 of his favorite 12oz buddies to hang out with... or, God forbid, Canadian Club).

Try doing a jumping jack in those on a hardwood gym floor.... or try playing basketball or volleyball. It hurts. It really really hurts.

When I got to High School, it took some begging (if by some, I mean hours and hours) but I gained approval from my parents to join cheerleading. I worked really hard to make the football season's JV team, and was the first freshman ever to get upgraded to the varsity squad by the time basketball season came along. I would run, exercise, lift weights as a social outlet, but I was never one to go do these things on my own.

That, my friends, was the pinnacle of my athletic career before I woke up one morning and decided to sign up for a 1/2 marathon 3 years ago.

Now, what does this have to do with strength training?

Basically, I am channeling my inner 3rd grader that is scared to death that someone is going to laugh at me for doing something wrong then succumbing to the 5th grader complaining that "this one makes my thighs rub together" and just tie that all together with the 7th grader in my head looking at the reflection of the 3rd grader and 5th grader pushing through the last set of axe chops on the cable cross machine... and that poopiefaced 7th grader seems to think I'm too soft to make any difference (she was an emo bitch back then too).

Wow. That was kind of a mouthful. Bitter much?

There is a whole lotta self doubt and anxiety in this 5'9" power horse, and it's my barrier. I need to remember....

No one is looking at you. You are not a unique and grotesque snowflake. No one cares that you just fell off the Bosu ball trying those crazy inverted barbell rows you saw in that book. Even if they do giggle, you probably should too. That shizz's funny.
If you don't know if you're doing it right, ask. Gym people are nice people. If uncertain whether you're hyper-extending your back extension, chances are someone is near by to say "ya dude, you're good." If you are so lucky as to run into a jerky-face, shake it off. Life is too short to worry about everyone else. Speaking of which...
Worrying about what others think is an unnecessary expenditure of energy. Save all that heart pounding and shortness of breath for when real chafing can occur and you can start feeling like a real athlete (sans anti-fungal cream, por favor).

What kind of barriers do you face? What kind of motivational chanty-actions do you use to overcome these challenges?

The Token "New Year Resolution" Post

2011-01-01T16:14:00.000-08:00

Accountability is a huge reason I started blogging again. Once upon a time I had quite the vast readership of folks that were amazingly faster than I. It was a great motivation to see the progress being made in everyone else's running careers and it was almost embarrassing when I didn't have any cool new PR's or random injury that outdid Steve in a Speedo on one level or another.

So, here I am. Waiting for something to chafe enough to be blog worthy.

Which brings me to Resolution Numero Uno: Blog. Pretty simplestuffs, right?

Secondly, I aspire to achieve 2011 miles in 2011 via a combination of running, biking, hiking, walking, and elliptical training. That's roughly 5.5 miles per day which isn't much more than what I'm already doing now. I'm currently taking bets on when I complete this goal and/or pass out from exhaustion (neither of which are mutually exclusive).

Looking back at 2010 I realize there are few to no pictures of the fiance and I. It seems like we strategically plan all of our going outs around the unlikelihood of a camera being present. Being that we're getting married this year, I'm sure that's all about to end... however, I would like to take and be in more pictures that do not involve random snack crackers hanging out of my nose.

Speaking of hardcore wedding action, it's pretty humbling how a life changing event makes one realize how truly ~~devoted to the idea of eloping~~ poor one is. So, with 2011 comes a whole new lust for financial planning. Not only do we have a wedding to pay for, but I would really like to eventually buy a house and stop this whole cycle of renting. I hate our apartment. There. I said it. I mostly hate people, specifically my neighbors and the property management firm, and would like to have some sense of solitude restored in my chaotic life.

Another resolution I would like to make this year is to do more things FOR ME. Spa days, classes, new clothes, try something that scares me a little, you get the drift.... I spent a lot of 2010 unemployed and quite poor and felt an obligation to not do anything out of the ordinary until I found gainful employment. Well, now that I have a pretty rad job that I love... I still tend to stick to "ordinary" stuffs as to not disrupt the natural order of my ~~alcoholism~~ life.

I put the I in prortes... see: priorities. I'm magical.

I guess the only other resolution I have for 2011 is to start actually doing strength training. I have lacked in this department for YEARS and it's about time I start making it a priority in my life.

Just DON'T Do It...

2011-01-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

Co-Titled "Yes, I bought the sense of entitlement package with my membership."

There is little to nothing more annoying to me than to show up at the gym and every machine I could possibly want to use is occupied by a herd of chicks marinated in enough perfume to kill a small yak.

But, what can I say, tis the season.

Since I took it upon myself to fulfill my entire liquid requirements yesterday evening with champagne (note to self: buy better champagne), I'm feeling a little bitter (read: bitchy) today. I'm totally not looking forward to going down to the gym because it's pretty safe to say that one of "those" people will be there. So, in effort to curb future annoyances, I figured I would throw together a comprehensive list of ways you can piss me off at the gym.

If you can smell it, it's only going to get worse after you warm up. That Bath and Body Works basket your Aunt regifted to you probably smells ~~cheap~~ lovely in normal situations, however, body heat is notorious for amplifying scents. So, before you "freshen up" your fragrance in the locker room, think about the girl 5 elliptical trainers down that is trying to keep her organic spinach strawberry and hemp smoothie from shooting out of her piehole.
Just because you're awesome, doesn't mean you need to draw more attention to yourself. This is mostly directed at the dudebro that insists upon grunting, hissing, barking, etc. whilst attempting to push through 11 reps with a significantly weighted dumbbell that just might cause his head to spontaneously combust if asked to do one.more.rep.*GRRRRT*aaaahhhh* Really man. Really? You are the pinnacle of manliness, which I'm sure you can tell by the trifold mirror you situate yourself in front of every day fervently concentrating on ensuring the manliest of faces is maintained at all times and completely failing to regard your seriously lacking form. You, my friend, are the reason the gym posts signs reading "control your weights."
Your phone does not belong here. I'm not sure if I'm speaking out of line here, but I'm pretty sure you are not nearly as important as you think you are. So, leave it in your locker/car/bag/whatever and so.help.me. if you set it next to me with your Justin Bieber ring tone set to stun. In the event you do truly need your phone, please do me a favor and exit the cardio area to conduct your conversations because "noise cancelling" headphones can only do so much to mask me from your deafening drawl there, Dallas.
Couples that work out together should not apply thy faces to any part of their sig-oth's person. I'm not kidding, there was a couple in the gym yesterday that seriously made smoochies happen with.every.rep. *barf* I don't care how gloriously adorable y'all are. Please, turn on the TV, put some QVC on, in 6 monthly payments you can have a gym of your own to make out in.
Rules are rules for a reason. Clean the machines after use. This is absolutely essential. Not an option. There are little wipes and bins everywhere, it takes less time to clean than it does to tie your shoes... so just do it. k.thx.

Thank you. :-*

Ze Almighty Resolution Run

2010-12-27T18:42:00.000-08:00

I semi-decided a few weeks ago that one of my 2011 resolutions would be to complete a race every month of the year. When I hopped online to try and see what kind of "Resolution Runs" were happening in my neck of the woods, needless to say I was a little taken aback by the fact that Austin, TX DOES NOT HAVE A RESOLUTION RUN ON THE 1ST.

Despite the fact that Austin tops the charts for being so thin, fit, healthy, and a libido like mad... There isn't a ritualistic gathering of sweaty peers warranting cursing and unnecessary chafing whilst ringing in "the new year." Seriously. Austin, I demand a refund. Or a cookie.

Apparently the Mayor is attempting to cobble together a Resolution Run on January 3rd. I just received notification of which via Facebook about an hour ago. The complete and utter lack of advertisement or fore planning is astonishing. There isn't even a website with details. Although I have the day off on the 3rd, many Austinites do not. I'm seriously disappointed. This is bunk.

How am I supposed to be all smug and self righteous turning down my third ~~glass~~ bottle of champagne because "oh, I have a race in the morning." *Insert pinky extension and hoity toity attitude here*

I'm starting to think that I should just sign up for the Resolution Run in Round Rock just north of Austin. I just hate the fact that I'll have to drive up there :-(. Races are so much more fun when I can bike to the start line.

Product Review: Vibram Five Fingers TrekSport

2010-12-26T13:22:00.000-08:00

Picture lovingly borrowed from here: http://www.rei.com/product/804306

I picked up a pair of Vibram Five Fingers at our local REI with the intent of trying out barefoot running. I had read somewhere that the simplistic design of these shoes help improve the strength of the little muscles we have in our feets and ankles that are rarely activated whilst trekking about in traditional shoes. Boy, they weren't lying.

Mini-Life-Flashback: It's October 2008. My first marathon. Mile 10. Foot, meet railroad bed. Crunch. Ouch. Seriously wobbled through the rest of the race with one heck of a sore tootsie. Hasn't been the same since. I did get a trophy though... Bonnydale 1st place. WOOT! Then ran another marathon 2 weeks later and damaged the foot even more. Needless to say, no land speed records were achieved in either endeavor.

Just walking around in these things has made it abundantly clear to me that this is exactly what I needed to finally get my foot back into normal working order. It's really strengthened whatever it was that was compromised by my foot injury over 2 years ago because I no longer experience discomfort running as I had before.

Aside from looking really silly under a frilly paisley skirt, there really isn't anything strikingly wrong with these. They accommodate my wide feets and offer just enough support and protection from the elements to make them pretty awesome to wear just about anywhere. I love how I can feel and grip the pedals on my bike, my only regret is they don't have the holes for me to mount my eggbeater clips onto them :-). At the gym they are great for doing weights and such, especially on the Bosu when I'm trying to work on my balance. I'm still a little too klutzy and rambunctious to wear them on the elliptical without accidentally ramming my toes into the tops of the foot platforms... but I think that bodes true with just plain walking too since I have no spatial recognition when it comes to foot meets wall or other bludgeoning devices I manage to meet on a daily basis.

My poor toes.

The thing I love most about these shoes is the fact that even though they soak through quickly, they dry amazingly fast. Milo the Shih Tzu and I were caught in a rain downpour on Friday and despite our efforts to run for shelter, we were completely soaked by the time we made it to the building. The Vibrams dried out within 15 minutes without any kind of heater or anything.

Anyways, I look forward to continue to strengthen up and hope to start logging some actual running mileage on these things soon. Such things take time :-).

Recipe Action: Chicken Poblano Stew

2010-12-26T12:46:00.000-08:00

With the 'rents all chilling in the Midwest (literanlly), we figured this year would be the most relaxing holiday ever. Unfortunately, the Fiance was in a pretty hardcore accident whilst driving the ambulance and is currently in "week two" of recouping from multiple broken ribs and some internal damages. So... Our rather unconventional Christmas turned out to be a random exercise in "slack."

No worries, at least I made us some pretty rad foodstuffs. Now, I usually don't add dairy to my soups, however, I knew this was going to be a spicy celebration of awesome so I figured it wouldn't hurt to use up some of the expensive cream that was going to just die in the fridge eventually anyways.

Nothing says Christmas like a bowl full of peppers!

Chicken Poblano Stewstuffs
Ingredients:

1 12 oz can RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 chicken breasts
3 medium poblanos
2 jalapenos
1 lime
1 small bundle of cilantro
1 bundle green onions
1 small yellow spanish onion
1 cup frozen corn
1 small bulb garlic

Allow can of tomatoes to boil down for 15 minutes or so while you chop up the veg.

Place defrosted chicken on top of the tomatoes. Pour heavy whipping cream over the breasts then press the garlic into the pan. Throw the jalepeno, poblano, onion, corn mixture on top. Do not stir, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 25 minutes.

Take out chicken breasts, allow to rest on cutting board for 5-10 minutes while veg has time to "mingle" at a higher temperature with the lime and cilantro. Chop chicken into small chunks, re-add to the soup mixture. When the chicken is completely cooked, shovel mass quantities into your pie hole.

So, I keep sayin'...

2010-12-05T21:10:00.000-08:00

"I'm going to blog more frequently..."

"No more liquid calories..."

"Tomorrow I'm not going to spend money on anything I don't absolutely need..."

"I'm so going to the gym in the morning..."

"I'll stick to my diet... tomorrow..."

The thing I miss most about blogging is the feeling of psuedo-accountability. There is just something about seeing my own words across the screen that make everything feel a little more important... tangible. I miss all the running buddies I made on here and I really want to start feeling like part of the community again. Must remember that.

All the rest of my woulda-coulda-shoulda list really shouldn't be much of a problem.

But... I just don't think when I power down a fruit smoothie that was supposed to serve as a meal replacement as I power down a few eggs and toast. 3 glasses of orange juice are a huge waste of calories too, especially considering how much I love water.

The money spending thing is kind of my crutch, it fills little pockets of my heart that are lacking by filling my closet full of crap. Can't pull a Uhaul behind a hearse.... must remember that.

The gym... well, that's kind of hard to squeeze in to the schedule, but certainly not impossible. It just needs to be made more of a priority.

I'm not a huge proponent for dieting anyways, so I say the diet statement with a tinge of sarcasm. I do, however, need to start being more consistent in filling my body full of goodness.

So, here's my plan...

Write down all of my activities this week to accurately capture time consumption for analysis later. There has to be a spare hour a day I can squeeze out awesomeness that is being pissed away on some kind of mundane act.
Blog every night before bed.
Start running 3 times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) first thing in the morning before Milo's walk.
Attend the gym at least 3 times a week Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Cook the week's worth of meals on Sundays and separate into single serving portions for easy transport.
Eat vegan for the most part, however, allow 2 3-4 oz servings of meat and 3 egg whites per week.
Fuel car, fetch groceries, pay bills every Saturday. Keep debit card somewhere other than wallet. Only take out $20 cash per week for "going out" expenses.

I'm a huge believer if I can just adopt a proper schedule I'll get so much more out of this wonderful life I live. So, with that being said, it's my bed time :-*.

Love and Peace xoxo.