It is Friday and I know none of you are working, so I thought I would have a little fun today and talk about mysteries! I love a good mystery. I mean, there are the regular kind like why all my plants die, why the lightbulb in my hallway always dies, or where in the world that runaway froot loop got to...but I am talking big mysteries!!
I think I have read through every Wikipedia page about mysterious places, ghosts, missing people, and other strange unsolved things.
Here are some of my favourites!!
The Oak Island Money Pit
This is a Canadian one! Basically back in the late 1700s a teenager saw a ruckus going on on nearby Oak Island. He thought maybe it was pirates and when he went over the next day he saw signs that something had been buried. Thinking it was treasure, they started digging....and people have been digging there for over 200 years. They keep finding layers of barricades and boobytraps, going down hundreds of feet. There are signs of treasure, like an odd coin, but no one has found the bottom, or the treasure, yet!
The Voynich Manuscript
This is an interesting one. It is an ancient book of unknown origins, written in a language that historians have never seen and have no idea how to translate. What makes it even weirder is that a lot of the plants and events drawn in the book do not match anything known to man. Carbon dating showed the book was made in the 1400s.
The Beale Ciphers
Another treasure hunting mystery! This one is very "National Treasure". A man named Thomas Beale reportedly created 3 cryptographs that will lead the solver to a lot of hidden treasure. However, only one of the cryptographs has been cracked and there isn't even any proof that this Thomas Beale even existed! The cracked clue says the treasure is buried in Bedford County, Virginia, but nothing else is known about it. What makes this so much like National Treasure? The cracked clue was solves using the Declaration of Independence.
Do you enjoy a good mystery? What is one that you would love to get to the bottom of?
Friday, May 23, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Outdoor Cushions
A friend asked me the other day if I bring in my cushions when I am not on the balcony due to rain/Toronto grime. A just question! And the answer is no!
I have seen a lot of blogs where people put tons of cushions outside and I wondered that myself. My mother usually puts her chair cushions in the shed when not in use. But I have found that because my balcony is covered, the rain is not usually a huge issue. Here are a few tips for keeping cushions and furniture clean on a balcony.
1. Buy Outdoor Pillows
My red and white pillow is actually designed for being outdoors and the fabric is water resistant so a little bit of rain doesn't hurt it. I use a damp cloth to wipe it down when it gets dirty, but I will be honest and say that it has faded a lot in the last few years and definitely seems a lot dingier. This particular pillow is from West Elm and besides those issues I have had no issues with the quality of the pillow! It is still big and comfy.
2. Make Your Own Pillows Using Water Resistant Fabric
The green and blue pillow is actually covered in a fabric napkin, which is designed to clean up easily! You can also buy fabrics designed for the outdoors, like my West Elm pillow (I always found Fabricland actually had cuter outdoor fabrics than indoor! My ottoman is covered in outdoor fabric and it is great for repelling spilled water!)
3. Make or Buy Pillows with Removable Covers
My flamingo pillow is just a cover I quickly sewed up from a couple tea towels last summer. This pillow doesn't usually get wet, being on the inside of the balcony, but it does get dirty. Mostly because it randomly falls on the ground a lot. But the cover is removable so I just pop it in the wash and it is good as new again! The blue/green pillow also has a removable cover. I don't worry too much about the pillow inside, but they are actually washable and if I really thought it was funky, they are also very inexpensive to replace.
As for the dirt and grim that comes with a balcony, there is no cure for preventing that (if you have one, please let me know!). I have to go out there before guests come over and wipe everything down with warm soapy water and flip the striped chair cushions over. The chair cushions actually don't get that wet either and flipping them over tends to take care of any dirt.
Sometimes I use a scrub brush to really clean the furniture. It was inexpensive and does a quick job of it. I also keep a mat by the back door for people to wipe their feet off on when coming back in from the balcony, though I am not a stickler for keeping shoes off my floors or anything like that.
So there you go, that is how I manage to keep my balcony as clean as possible!
I have seen a lot of blogs where people put tons of cushions outside and I wondered that myself. My mother usually puts her chair cushions in the shed when not in use. But I have found that because my balcony is covered, the rain is not usually a huge issue. Here are a few tips for keeping cushions and furniture clean on a balcony.
1. Buy Outdoor Pillows
My red and white pillow is actually designed for being outdoors and the fabric is water resistant so a little bit of rain doesn't hurt it. I use a damp cloth to wipe it down when it gets dirty, but I will be honest and say that it has faded a lot in the last few years and definitely seems a lot dingier. This particular pillow is from West Elm and besides those issues I have had no issues with the quality of the pillow! It is still big and comfy.
2. Make Your Own Pillows Using Water Resistant Fabric
The green and blue pillow is actually covered in a fabric napkin, which is designed to clean up easily! You can also buy fabrics designed for the outdoors, like my West Elm pillow (I always found Fabricland actually had cuter outdoor fabrics than indoor! My ottoman is covered in outdoor fabric and it is great for repelling spilled water!)
3. Make or Buy Pillows with Removable Covers
My flamingo pillow is just a cover I quickly sewed up from a couple tea towels last summer. This pillow doesn't usually get wet, being on the inside of the balcony, but it does get dirty. Mostly because it randomly falls on the ground a lot. But the cover is removable so I just pop it in the wash and it is good as new again! The blue/green pillow also has a removable cover. I don't worry too much about the pillow inside, but they are actually washable and if I really thought it was funky, they are also very inexpensive to replace.
As for the dirt and grim that comes with a balcony, there is no cure for preventing that (if you have one, please let me know!). I have to go out there before guests come over and wipe everything down with warm soapy water and flip the striped chair cushions over. The chair cushions actually don't get that wet either and flipping them over tends to take care of any dirt.
Sometimes I use a scrub brush to really clean the furniture. It was inexpensive and does a quick job of it. I also keep a mat by the back door for people to wipe their feet off on when coming back in from the balcony, though I am not a stickler for keeping shoes off my floors or anything like that.
 |
Monday, May 19, 2014
Casey Gets Fit: Week 12!
Current Weight: 155.2 (down 9.8 lbs overall)
BMI: 24.3
Week 12! That marks 3 months of solid diet and exercise and 10lbs missing off my butt to show for it. It sure isn't a lot of weight, but I can definitely feel the difference. Plus, when I started this journey in Feburary my waist measured 39". I just measured it out (after breakfast and before my workout) and it is 35"! You can't deny that kind of aweseomeness. I felt so thin looking at my 10K race pictures from last weekend.
I definitely had a pig-out on yesterday after my weigh-in though. I think I have learned that eating out is just always going to be a set back for my daily calories because I don't care for salads and some places just sell award-winning pies. Though I did turn down the milkshakes that the rest of the group got, didn't eat even half my fries, and nixed the whipped creme or ice cream on my pie- three things that old Casey would never have done! But the junk I DID say yes to I am okay with, because I don't eat out often, which is good for my wallet and my butt :)
I think today I would share my Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight
1. It Is Not a Race
You didn't put on the weight in a week and you aren't going to lose it in a week. It is slow. Some weeks the scale won't move. Sometimes it will actually go up! Mine was yo-yoing like crazy the last couple weeks and I saw everything from 155 to 158 (!!!) and it was depressing until I found the link with my drinking diet pop and my bloating. Here is a chart of my weight loss over the past 3 months. You can't really see the crazy weight fluctuations in the past couple weeks because this is only my Sunday morning weigh-ins.
It looks like a happy little slope- but this was THREE months of work! If you calculate how much weight you want to lose and try for 1-2lbs per week (which is what is recommended if you intend to stick with your diet), you will see that it takes a loooong time to shift that weight. You've got to mentally prepare for that!
2. Get Measuring Cups and a Kitchen Scale
Portion control is key to accurately tracking your caloric intake. And I am sorry, but you are going to need to work harder in the kitchen than the gym to shift the weight. Working out will make you hungry, so you need to make sure you are properly fueling to stay full and give you energy. You would also be surprised how little calories you burn in a workout. My 10Km run burnt about 750 cals, according to my RunKeeper app. That is about equivalent to a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese- without even fries or coke!
I love love love my kitchen scale. I got it for Christmas and I've already had to change the batteries in it. I used it a lot, along with my measuring cups, in the early days to accurately see what the recommended portion is and track how much I was really eating. Even now I use it to see what a real portion of new foods is.
3. Lay Off the "Diet Food"
You need nutrients and quality meals to feel full. If you are just eating egg whites you will miss out all of the good stuff in eggs and you will find yourself HUNGRY shortly after eating. And hunger is dangerous because you are way more likely to pig out, or make a bad choice for a snack, when you are hungry. Once and awhile I still buy the "light" version of something, but I try hard to makes sure my meals have lots of protein and fibre and are actually going to keep me full. I also find a lot of low-cal meals include a lot of salt and you need to watch out for that because it will make you retain water and mess with your weight!
My usual day is yogurt & granola with berries for breakfast, an apple for morning snack, a cheese and turkey sausage omelette for lunch, veggie and/or granola bar in the afternoon, crackers and hummus as an after-work snack, pita pizza for dinner (I love those darn things), fudgsicle for dessert, and maybe some PB on a spoon if I have worked out.
4. Get Moving
I sit next to my fridge at home (yay tiny condo), and sometimes I feel like I am constantly getting up and looking for snacks. The best cure for the "boredom snackies" is to get moving. I seriously get up and either go to the gym, go for a walk, or just start cleaning my condo or something. I find it breaks the cycle right away to just start moving and distract my mind. I am working hard to eat when I am hungry and not because I need something to occupy my hands while I watch TV. I also knit sometimes because I can't eat when I am doing that!
Also for getting moving, you have to wake up your muscles and start working out. Muscle uses a lot of our daily caloric intake and if you build your muscles you will raise your metabolism and begin dropping fat! I haven't run much since my 10K due to shin splits, but I am trying to pump some iron in the gym lately (my gym doesn't have the best selection of machines for this so I would love some tips).
5. Have Fun!
Some people view diets as an end to anything fun. I disagree- everything in moderation! You can set yourself a cheat day on your diet, especially if you know you are in this for the long haul. I find depriving myself doesn't work so I have a little chocolate or something every day.
It can also be fun in that you can try out some new recipes and some new workouts. Maybe you will fall in love with dance classes or yoga. Or maybe you will learn you make a mean lentil soup casserole (ahem). Or you can just use this an an excuse to try out a new vegetable every week and expand your usual palate!
Weight loss is certainly not easy, but I found that the first couple weeks were actually the hardest. I have gotten so used to tracking calories and working out now that it all comes second nature and there are only a few times a week where I need to actively think about making a better choice. It just comes naturally now to stick to my daily calories!
BMI: 24.3
Week 12! That marks 3 months of solid diet and exercise and 10lbs missing off my butt to show for it. It sure isn't a lot of weight, but I can definitely feel the difference. Plus, when I started this journey in Feburary my waist measured 39". I just measured it out (after breakfast and before my workout) and it is 35"! You can't deny that kind of aweseomeness. I felt so thin looking at my 10K race pictures from last weekend.
I definitely had a pig-out on yesterday after my weigh-in though. I think I have learned that eating out is just always going to be a set back for my daily calories because I don't care for salads and some places just sell award-winning pies. Though I did turn down the milkshakes that the rest of the group got, didn't eat even half my fries, and nixed the whipped creme or ice cream on my pie- three things that old Casey would never have done! But the junk I DID say yes to I am okay with, because I don't eat out often, which is good for my wallet and my butt :)
I think today I would share my Top 5 Tips for Losing Weight
1. It Is Not a Race
You didn't put on the weight in a week and you aren't going to lose it in a week. It is slow. Some weeks the scale won't move. Sometimes it will actually go up! Mine was yo-yoing like crazy the last couple weeks and I saw everything from 155 to 158 (!!!) and it was depressing until I found the link with my drinking diet pop and my bloating. Here is a chart of my weight loss over the past 3 months. You can't really see the crazy weight fluctuations in the past couple weeks because this is only my Sunday morning weigh-ins.
It looks like a happy little slope- but this was THREE months of work! If you calculate how much weight you want to lose and try for 1-2lbs per week (which is what is recommended if you intend to stick with your diet), you will see that it takes a loooong time to shift that weight. You've got to mentally prepare for that!
2. Get Measuring Cups and a Kitchen Scale
Portion control is key to accurately tracking your caloric intake. And I am sorry, but you are going to need to work harder in the kitchen than the gym to shift the weight. Working out will make you hungry, so you need to make sure you are properly fueling to stay full and give you energy. You would also be surprised how little calories you burn in a workout. My 10Km run burnt about 750 cals, according to my RunKeeper app. That is about equivalent to a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese- without even fries or coke!
I love love love my kitchen scale. I got it for Christmas and I've already had to change the batteries in it. I used it a lot, along with my measuring cups, in the early days to accurately see what the recommended portion is and track how much I was really eating. Even now I use it to see what a real portion of new foods is.
3. Lay Off the "Diet Food"
You need nutrients and quality meals to feel full. If you are just eating egg whites you will miss out all of the good stuff in eggs and you will find yourself HUNGRY shortly after eating. And hunger is dangerous because you are way more likely to pig out, or make a bad choice for a snack, when you are hungry. Once and awhile I still buy the "light" version of something, but I try hard to makes sure my meals have lots of protein and fibre and are actually going to keep me full. I also find a lot of low-cal meals include a lot of salt and you need to watch out for that because it will make you retain water and mess with your weight!
My usual day is yogurt & granola with berries for breakfast, an apple for morning snack, a cheese and turkey sausage omelette for lunch, veggie and/or granola bar in the afternoon, crackers and hummus as an after-work snack, pita pizza for dinner (I love those darn things), fudgsicle for dessert, and maybe some PB on a spoon if I have worked out.
4. Get Moving
I sit next to my fridge at home (yay tiny condo), and sometimes I feel like I am constantly getting up and looking for snacks. The best cure for the "boredom snackies" is to get moving. I seriously get up and either go to the gym, go for a walk, or just start cleaning my condo or something. I find it breaks the cycle right away to just start moving and distract my mind. I am working hard to eat when I am hungry and not because I need something to occupy my hands while I watch TV. I also knit sometimes because I can't eat when I am doing that!
Also for getting moving, you have to wake up your muscles and start working out. Muscle uses a lot of our daily caloric intake and if you build your muscles you will raise your metabolism and begin dropping fat! I haven't run much since my 10K due to shin splits, but I am trying to pump some iron in the gym lately (my gym doesn't have the best selection of machines for this so I would love some tips).
5. Have Fun!
Some people view diets as an end to anything fun. I disagree- everything in moderation! You can set yourself a cheat day on your diet, especially if you know you are in this for the long haul. I find depriving myself doesn't work so I have a little chocolate or something every day.
It can also be fun in that you can try out some new recipes and some new workouts. Maybe you will fall in love with dance classes or yoga. Or maybe you will learn you make a mean lentil soup casserole (ahem). Or you can just use this an an excuse to try out a new vegetable every week and expand your usual palate!
Weight loss is certainly not easy, but I found that the first couple weeks were actually the hardest. I have gotten so used to tracking calories and working out now that it all comes second nature and there are only a few times a week where I need to actively think about making a better choice. It just comes naturally now to stick to my daily calories!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Random Friday Things
I don't seem to have much to blog about this week! I blame the rain. Or my laziness (it is probably the latter). So here is a bunch of random things not worth a whole post:
- I talked to Schwinn customer service about my broken bike. They were super awesome and offered to help out with the cost of the gear tune up and help with any replacement parts that are needed! Any recommendations on Toronto bike repair shops? I called one place and they said their tune ups start at $60, which seems high
- My wig is ridiculously gross right now. Simultaneously greasy and dried out. I have a hair appointment today though, so hopefully they can make it pretty again
- Speaking of pretty, I am going to see Legally Blonde the Musical this weekend! (yes Erika, watch out for us!!) I've been singing "Omigod, You Guys" in my head all day. If you want tickets, it is playing this weekend and the 24th at Town Hall 1873 in Port Perry
- I haven't run since Sunday due to shin pain. I am hoping to get back out again this weekend! I have exactly 3 months until my 15km race
- My weight has been all over the place. I know I pigged out over last weekend, but that can't explain these fluctuations! I realized, though, that over the last couple weeks I have been drinking Coke Zero like it was going out of style. I think maybe it was making me gain weight through water retention or something? So I am off zee bubbles for a few days to see if it helps.
- I really want to double skunk the computer on my cribbage app. My mom told me she has done this and now it is my life goal. I play on hard mode and out of 302 games I have skunked (won by 31 or more points) the computer 30 times. To double skunk you need to win by 61 points! Apparently there is something called triple skunking, but that seems so impossible that it isn't even on my app.
- I am soooooo excited about my trip to Iceland in 3 months! My friend Sarah and I have been planning away and we have our flights booked, our rental car booked, and 5 nights accommodation booked. We just need to plan out our remaining days on the road! Right now we are spending 2.5 days in town and 7 days out on the road- going to do a lot of hiking and sight-seeing
- I am also excited about my other plans this summer! Right now I have very few open weekends, I have a wedding, 2-3 cottage trips planned, Niagara Falls, boating, my 15km run, Blogpodium, Terry Fox. I am not sure how I plan to pay for all this AND Iceland AND a new wig AND a new condo in the fall. Um Casey, you ain't rich. Time to switch to no-name brand boxed mac n cheese.
- There were a ridiculous amount of yolks in my eggs at lunch today. I don't think I've ever have a double yolk egg before and today I had TWO. They made quite the large omelette...
.JPG)
- It's a long weekend this weekend!! Hurrah for an extra day to sleep in :)
- I talked to Schwinn customer service about my broken bike. They were super awesome and offered to help out with the cost of the gear tune up and help with any replacement parts that are needed! Any recommendations on Toronto bike repair shops? I called one place and they said their tune ups start at $60, which seems high
- My wig is ridiculously gross right now. Simultaneously greasy and dried out. I have a hair appointment today though, so hopefully they can make it pretty again
- Speaking of pretty, I am going to see Legally Blonde the Musical this weekend! (yes Erika, watch out for us!!) I've been singing "Omigod, You Guys" in my head all day. If you want tickets, it is playing this weekend and the 24th at Town Hall 1873 in Port Perry
- I haven't run since Sunday due to shin pain. I am hoping to get back out again this weekend! I have exactly 3 months until my 15km race
- My weight has been all over the place. I know I pigged out over last weekend, but that can't explain these fluctuations! I realized, though, that over the last couple weeks I have been drinking Coke Zero like it was going out of style. I think maybe it was making me gain weight through water retention or something? So I am off zee bubbles for a few days to see if it helps.
- I really want to double skunk the computer on my cribbage app. My mom told me she has done this and now it is my life goal. I play on hard mode and out of 302 games I have skunked (won by 31 or more points) the computer 30 times. To double skunk you need to win by 61 points! Apparently there is something called triple skunking, but that seems so impossible that it isn't even on my app.
- I am soooooo excited about my trip to Iceland in 3 months! My friend Sarah and I have been planning away and we have our flights booked, our rental car booked, and 5 nights accommodation booked. We just need to plan out our remaining days on the road! Right now we are spending 2.5 days in town and 7 days out on the road- going to do a lot of hiking and sight-seeing
- I am also excited about my other plans this summer! Right now I have very few open weekends, I have a wedding, 2-3 cottage trips planned, Niagara Falls, boating, my 15km run, Blogpodium, Terry Fox. I am not sure how I plan to pay for all this AND Iceland AND a new wig AND a new condo in the fall. Um Casey, you ain't rich. Time to switch to no-name brand boxed mac n cheese.
- There were a ridiculous amount of yolks in my eggs at lunch today. I don't think I've ever have a double yolk egg before and today I had TWO. They made quite the large omelette...
- It's a long weekend this weekend!! Hurrah for an extra day to sleep in :)
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
The Great Bike Clean Up
The weather is finally turning around and I am thinking more and more about biking to work again. The only problem is my bike currently looks like this:
Disgusting.
My building has a problem with dirt in the garage, apparently due to the construction in the neighbourhood. The bike racks are right by the entrance to the garage so they unfortunately get the brunt of it!! I think my bike might actually be cleaner if I kept it outside all winter. Also, the tires were very flat.
First things first, I washed this sucker down with some warm, soapy water. Yay a normal looking bike! My wash job wasn't perfect, but at least you can tell the bike is black and white again.
Then I went to install the rear rack I bought last month. However the instructions were probably the most laughably confusing ones I have ever seen. I gave it my best shot, I swear, but I had to give up. I think it was designed for a different model of bike or something, but the packaging gave no indication and the rack itself seemed to be missing parts regardless. So that is going back to zee store. By some miracle I still have the receipt.
However I did install the flashing lights that I bought last spring! According to Toronto law, you need working lights on a bike when biking at night. I haven't biked at night, but I thought I would get around to installing these. They were actually fairly simple to install and I got them on in a few minutes. :)
Lastly, I pumped up the tires and took the bike for a spin....aaaaaand it wouldn't shift out of first gear. I had this problem last year and had the gear shifter fixed (under warranty)!!! So I am not a happy camper, especially as my parts warranty is long over. I am going to call a bike servicing centre in Toronto (NOT Canadian Tire, who fixed it last time) and inquire about a tune-up on my gears and having them install a bike rack for me. I got some nice rear bike bags for my birthday and I want to use them, darn it!!
It looks like biking to work is on hold for a bit longer until I sort out these problems. Le sigh. But at least she is clean again!
Disgusting.
My building has a problem with dirt in the garage, apparently due to the construction in the neighbourhood. The bike racks are right by the entrance to the garage so they unfortunately get the brunt of it!! I think my bike might actually be cleaner if I kept it outside all winter. Also, the tires were very flat.
First things first, I washed this sucker down with some warm, soapy water. Yay a normal looking bike! My wash job wasn't perfect, but at least you can tell the bike is black and white again.
Then I went to install the rear rack I bought last month. However the instructions were probably the most laughably confusing ones I have ever seen. I gave it my best shot, I swear, but I had to give up. I think it was designed for a different model of bike or something, but the packaging gave no indication and the rack itself seemed to be missing parts regardless. So that is going back to zee store. By some miracle I still have the receipt.
However I did install the flashing lights that I bought last spring! According to Toronto law, you need working lights on a bike when biking at night. I haven't biked at night, but I thought I would get around to installing these. They were actually fairly simple to install and I got them on in a few minutes. :)
Lastly, I pumped up the tires and took the bike for a spin....aaaaaand it wouldn't shift out of first gear. I had this problem last year and had the gear shifter fixed (under warranty)!!! So I am not a happy camper, especially as my parts warranty is long over. I am going to call a bike servicing centre in Toronto (NOT Canadian Tire, who fixed it last time) and inquire about a tune-up on my gears and having them install a bike rack for me. I got some nice rear bike bags for my birthday and I want to use them, darn it!!
It looks like biking to work is on hold for a bit longer until I sort out these problems. Le sigh. But at least she is clean again!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Casey Gets Fit: Week 11
Current Weight: 157 (down 8 lbs overall)
BMI: 24.6
Today is my birthday!! And therefore my weekend was full of delicious food and booze and I am not ashamed of my weight at the end of it. On Friday I met some friends for drinks and pizza, and I might have overindulged in the drinking part (my friends are bad, but oh so very fun, influences)! On Saturday I had brunch with an out-of-town friend, and then Cam took me to the aquarium!! After that we found ice cream and went out for dinner. It was a lovely day and we walked around for 2 hours! Which is basically all the working out I have done since Tuesday.
I wasn't trying to be lazy this week, but my shin splints had been bothering me since my Tuesday run and I had a 10K race on Sunday!!! Which I am proud to say I ran in 55:13!!! That is a 5 minute improvement over last year! It must have been all that "carb loading" I did on Friday and Saturday. My goal had been to run it in 55 minutes but I honestly did not think I was going to hit that and I had adjusted my goal to under an hour. However, Sunday was a perfect run day and the course is mostly downhill so I flew like the wind :)
My Mom and Lee ran it with me and they also bested their old times! The weather on Sunday was just perfect for a run with good temperatures and happy sunshine (especially compared to last year). I joked to my mom that most mothers were getting breakfast in bed and relaxing on Sunday and mine had to get up at 5:30am and come run down Yonge St with me :). As for our birthday and Mother's day gifts, we are taking each other to see Flashdance in a few weeks! Sunday was just about spending time together and we went out for brunch after our run. It was also my stepdad's birthday last week so we were all celebrating.
I felt really good on this run. My shin splits were gone (the best cure for those is rest!) and after a bit of a rough first km with stiff thighs, I felt like I was just flying down the road. I had to take two short walking breaks in the second half, but that was fine by me. I knew that I was pushing myself to get a good time and needed a minute now and then to get my body rested-up if I wanted to maintain my pace.
Now I need to take a couple of days off (perhaps celebrate one more day of birthday with some more junk food), and then I am going to get back into my running and my diet!! I still have my 15K run in August to get ready for. My goal for that one is 1:30, which will be tough but I am feeling confident.
Today's Pump It Up Song:
David Guetta & Alesso ft. Tegan and Sara: Every Chance We Get We Run
BMI: 24.6
Today is my birthday!! And therefore my weekend was full of delicious food and booze and I am not ashamed of my weight at the end of it. On Friday I met some friends for drinks and pizza, and I might have overindulged in the drinking part (my friends are bad, but oh so very fun, influences)! On Saturday I had brunch with an out-of-town friend, and then Cam took me to the aquarium!! After that we found ice cream and went out for dinner. It was a lovely day and we walked around for 2 hours! Which is basically all the working out I have done since Tuesday.
I wasn't trying to be lazy this week, but my shin splints had been bothering me since my Tuesday run and I had a 10K race on Sunday!!! Which I am proud to say I ran in 55:13!!! That is a 5 minute improvement over last year! It must have been all that "carb loading" I did on Friday and Saturday. My goal had been to run it in 55 minutes but I honestly did not think I was going to hit that and I had adjusted my goal to under an hour. However, Sunday was a perfect run day and the course is mostly downhill so I flew like the wind :)
.JPG) |
| The medals were little paddles as the run supports Camp Ooch |
I felt really good on this run. My shin splits were gone (the best cure for those is rest!) and after a bit of a rough first km with stiff thighs, I felt like I was just flying down the road. I had to take two short walking breaks in the second half, but that was fine by me. I knew that I was pushing myself to get a good time and needed a minute now and then to get my body rested-up if I wanted to maintain my pace.
Now I need to take a couple of days off (perhaps celebrate one more day of birthday with some more junk food), and then I am going to get back into my running and my diet!! I still have my 15K run in August to get ready for. My goal for that one is 1:30, which will be tough but I am feeling confident.
Today's Pump It Up Song:
David Guetta & Alesso ft. Tegan and Sara: Every Chance We Get We Run
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