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Anti-Chicken Leg Workout

August 24, 2015 By Laura

I have chicken legs.

I’d skip leg day every time if I could… but I don’t.

In my defense, my legs have made some huge improvements over the past few years.  HUGE thanks to my Atlanta trainer for torturing helping me with a great leg workout nearly every Monday for 3 years.

But now I’m on my own in San Diego.  I need motivational help… so I turned to clothes.  Those Nike Pro shorts I picked up at DICK’s make my quads feel better.  (Ok, not really… but I get excited to wear them to the gym.)

My birthday DICK’s Sporting Goods gift card has been well-used.  Their layout makes it all-too-easy to find alllll the things.  I even got a new sports bra, which is basically unheard of for me.  (Side note: this Nike sports bra is the best sports bra I’ve purchased since I got boobs.)

Nike Pro… 

Read More »

Filed Under: Fitness, Weights Tagged With: Dick's Sporting Goods, leg day, legs, MIMM, workout

Flipping Out + Designer Whey Winner

September 26, 2013 By Laura

Flipping out isn’t always a bad thing.

 

Let’s be real though – usually it isn’t pretty.

When I saw strongWOMAN Tara post about tire flipping, I immediately texted my trainer and asked if we could incorporate that into our session that night.  I have no idea why I do these things to myself.

I didn’t realize how heavy tires were!  I did the first two lengths of the gym with a 225 lb tire.  Just when I was patting myself on the back, he decided we needed to up the weight.  The next 2 lengths were done with a 265 lb tire.  That’s when the real hell fun began.

This is the last bit:

For some reason he refused to bring me a beer after that… then made me do more legs!  How rude!

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Just in case you didn’t come here to watch my huff and puff, I’ll go ahead and do as promised. Remember this giveaway?

The winner for the Designer Whey 1 year supply of protein is…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulations!!!  For those of you who’d still like a sweet protein deal, check out Jody’s site for a discount code on you next order of Designer Whey!

You better believe I had a healthy serving of Designer Whey after tire day!

***

I knew my butt would be sore, but my forearms are also STIFF after that flippin’ tire.

Have you ever flipped a tire?  Would you willingly do so?

Do you yell or grunt when you’re lifting something especially heavy?  I can’t help it!

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Giveaway Tagged With: Designer Whey, legs, protein, tire flipping, tires, workout

Getting Big is Marvelous

August 26, 2013 By Laura

This weekend was especially marvelous.

 

Not that all weekends aren’t good.

After several weeks in a row of go-go-go, it was nice to be in town and left to my own devices.  One might say it was absolutely marvelous.

Click the image for Katie’s Marvelous Monday link up!

 

Saturday I had brunch with some friends from grad school.  We had a great time catching up and resolved (again) not to go some long without a reunion.

On my way home, I stopped at The Fresh Market and picked up a few treats.  Apparently I was feeling ginger?

Ginger buys

 

Then I hit the gym.  Hard.  I am finally feeling comfortable lifting again, and seeing some good progress.  A guy I don’t know, but had seen around for a year or so know agreed… he stopped to tell me I was making some good progress and looked a lot bigger than I did a year ago.  I almost hugged him.

Just a couple of years ago I would have killed someone for telling me I look big.  On Saturday I was flattered and thrilled.  So much so that I had a photo shoot in the locker room… paying no mind to the lady changing and giving me the “WTF?!” look.  #sorryimnotsorry

gym progress

 

When I got home, I had a package.  The timing couldn’t have been better.  It was a delivery of my favorite protein powder from Growing Naturals!

I immediately busted out the vanilla and made a smoothie with spinach and raw sweet potato. It was good, but I want to perfect before sharing.

Growing Naturals

 

That night I went to see an artist I used to listen to in college – Melissa Ferrick.  The group of friends was totally random; they all responded to my plea for a concert buddy via Facebook.  Crowd sourcing concert buddies. 🙂

The venus is a listening room where there are tables and a full menu.  I brought my own food in.  It was really good!  And I saved some carbs to have a Guinness.  The best part about bringing your own healthy food to a show?  Coming home to a healthy dessert in an almost empty Greek yogurt container!  This was my favorite Carrot Cake Protein Batter, topped with granola and cocoa powder sauce.

Melissa Ferrick

 

Sunday I got up and made my Fluffy Cauliflower Protein Pancakes and a broiled grapefruit.  Is it just me or are pancakes are the perfect way to start the day?

I semi-homemade my own syrup.  It was 1 tsp sugar-free syrup, 1 tsp peanut flour, cinnamon, and a little water to thin.  I’ll be doing that again!

Cauliflower Protein Pancakes

 

There was a little snafu.  I left to run errands and forgot to turn off the stove.  The black beans I was cooking for the week turned to a char.  Oops.

No matter!  I had a date with some new friends to run sprints up Stone Mountain!  Even more fun was getting to introduce them to my favorite market, where I bought some things to make the dish below.  

I will share later.  Bwhahaha…

***

In other marvelous news, it was actually sunny and warm in Atlanta most of the weekend.  A nice change after our monsoon season.

What do you do with a “do what you want,” agenda-free weekend?

What was the last thing you burned?  After burning those beans, my condo smelled like a giant fart. 🙁

 

Filed Under: Breakfast, Fitness, Products, Weights Tagged With: breakfast, dessert, ginger, Growing Naturals, legs, Melissa Ferrick, MIMM, pancakes, protein, weight lifting, workout

Work It Out: Embrace Your Inner Puma

July 30, 2013 By Laura

In my head, I look like a Puma when I workout.

In reality, notsomuch.

what-i-feel-like-when-i-run

No matter.  I workout hard and encourage my inner puma to shine.  One thing you learn early on in weight lifting is that half of it is mental.  There are many times when I am sure there is no way a weight was going to move, but I talk to myself.  I tell myself that I can do it, that its only 5 lbs more than what I just lifted, that I am strong.  And there are times that they guy next to me just did it and my ego won’t allow me to back down.

Since my surgery, I’ve had to dig deep to find my inner Puma.  It’s been hard working with new physical limitations and with the way my body as changed as a result.  I refuse to hold myself back though!  Today’s Work It Out is dedicated to working with limitations, reaching deep, and grabbing your inner Puma by the tail.

sprint2table-workitout


Lucky me, PUMA just so happened to challenge me to design a workout while trying out some of their new gear!  I knew immediately what I would do – legs!  It’s the area that I can really push myself on right now.

The awesome folks at PUMA sent over the ribbed performance tank, tech performance wear compression pants, and Formlite XT Ultra Shoes.

Puma gear

The tank is nice.  It’s clearly well-made and I like the breathable material.  It IS pretty long, so if you are a short-waisted person (like me) you might check out another style.

The Formlite Shoes rock!  They are super light and flexible.  They don’t quite provided the support I need for running, but they are great in the gym.  I also love the bright orange color.  Normally I’m opposed to bright color, but on my feet I like a little neon. 🙂

Puma formlite shoes

And now my favorite.  The Performance Bodywear Tech ACTV Long Tights SHOCKED me with their perfect fit and breathability.  Typically I only workout in shorts because I hate feeling over-heated, but these actually kept me cooler than my booty shorts during the leg workout below!

Puma describes them and “next-to-skin” and they aren’t exaggerating!  The really cool part is that they’re compression tights lined with a sort of athletic tape that works to enable energy supply to muscles and maximize performance.  Basically, it feels like an extra boost during a bangin’ leg day!

Puma Performance Bodywear Tech ACTV Long Tights

Rock out with your Puma out!


 

I wore my tights for a killer leg day.  This Puma-like leg workout left me sore for a solid 3 days, which is hard for me to do on my own.  When I have leg day with my trainer I am guaranteed to be using the handi stall, but without a sport I find it hard to go as heavy.  These pants were like a mini-spot.*

*I swear I’m not exaggerating.

Puma Workout

Click the links below for an explanation of each move:

  • Weighted Lunges
  • Leg Press – Close Stance
  • Deep Weighted Squats
  • Leg Extensions
  • Supersets
  • Leg Curl
  • Clams

This post was sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Puma. As always, all opinions are 100% my own!

***

Speaking of leg day… yesterday I did a leg workout with my trainer in my fancy tights.  I’m sore, but I do think they helped a bit with recovery!

What makes you feel like a Puma?

Do you struggle to push your weight or pace as hard when you workout alone?

Filed Under: Fitness, Products, Weights Tagged With: legs, Puma, squats, work it out, workout

Work It Out: Post-Augmentation Exercises

July 9, 2013 By Laura

Resting makes me restless.

I tried to be good.  Really.

After my surgery I was forced to rest.  I knew it was good for me as my body healed, but as my energy returned I got anxious.  Today’s Work It Out is dedicated to easing back post-surgery.  Patiently.

These tips may be applied to other types of recovery as well.  Use at your discretion. 🙂

sprint2table-workitout

Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor.  Don’t do any of this without asking a doctor. Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself.  This plan is mine and mine alone.  What works for you will vary by your fitness level and how your body heals.


 

The main concern with working out after a breast augmentation is overusing the pectoral muscles – particularly with those who have implants are underneath the muscle.  The actual muscle needs time to heal.  After surgery there is a capsule that forms in the pocket holding the implant.  Think of it as the body’s way of protecting against a foreign object (this could be any implant).  Doing too much too soon can cause the capsule to become hard.  The goal is to allow the capsule to form in such a way that it is undetectable.

Breast-Implant-Capsular-Contracture-Dr-Barry-Eppley-Indianapolis

If the capsule thickens too much, is causes capsular contracture.  This is what makes the implant feel like a rock and can make the shape look wonky.  Bottom line: Avoid overuse of the pectoral muscles.

Below is a summary of what I’ve been able to do at different points post-augmentation.  Again, consult a doctor before you do ANYTHING!  Be sure to wear a super supportive sports bra when doing any activity.  For the first time in my life I am actually wearing 2 bras at once!

Post-Augmentation Exercise

First 4-5 days 1: Rest  (seriously).  It’s good to move around a little to keep blood flowing, but I’m talking walking from the couch to the kitchen.  Even that will probably wear you out on days 2 and 3.

Next 5-10 days: I started light cardio in the form of walking.  I probably went further than they would have liked, but I wasn’t moving to fast and I kept it to the cooler times of day.  You don’t want to get hot or elevate the heart rate to avoid infection and swelling (which increases risk of contracture).  The girls need to settle!

Week 3-4: After you regain energy, work with a doctor and – if available – a knowledgable trainer to outline an exercise regimen for you and your specific needs.  This is my plan:

  • Low-impact cardio is ok here.  My doctor said I could run as long as it was cool and I kept it to 50-70% of maximum effort.  There is no sprinting anywhere.  The elliptical (without arms) and stationary bike are also good choices.
  • I was released to do leg work.  We have to start slow with mostly body weight.  Barbell squats are a no-no.
  • SOME isolated upper body weight lifting – I was warned that it must be light weight and limited to isolated biceps and triceps.
  • Lower abs are free and clear!

 

So with all those limitations what do I do?!  Since the exercises I can do are limited, I keep the reps varied.  You can go one day for strength (8 to 10 reps) and one day for endurance (15 to 20 reps).

Moves that are easy on the chest:

Leg Extensions seated

Legs:

  • Lunges – walking, single leg, side, and backwards
  • Leg Presses – wide, normal, and close stance
  • Leg Extensions (be careful not to grip handles and strain chest)
  • Body Weight DEEP Squats
  • Pistol Squats
  • Standing Hamstring Curl
  • Adductor/Abductor
  • Hyperextension
  • Butt Lifts
  • Step Ups (no weights)
  • Calf Raises – toes in, out, and forward

Single Arm Preacher Curl

Upper Body:

  • Bicep Curls
  • Hammer Curls
  • Single Arm Preacher Curls (using incline beach)
  • Cable Curls (2 arms, with straight bar and/or EZ bar)
  • Tricep Pushdowns with rope and/or bar (if you have the equipment, do the one where you stand with your back against the machine to prevent you from rolling your shoulders in and using your chest)
  • Reverse Grip Tricep Pushdowns

Note: Chest, overhead, and any jumping around (high impact) exercises should be avoided like the plague!  Damn – no burpees for me.

pulse ups

Abs:

  • Leg Raises
  • Scissor Kicks
  • Flutter Kicks
  • Pulse Ups
  • Reverse Crunches
  • Frog Press
  • In and Outs

Weeks 5-6: TBD!  I go back to the Dr and should be cleared for a little more. 🙂


To give you an idea of how I’m using these moves, here’s a workout I did last Friday.

From the above menu of options, I choose 5 leg/butt moves, 2 biceps, 2 triceps, and a series of abs.  I adjust the amount of abs based on how I’m feeling at the end of each workout, but 3 ab exercises seems to be a good number for me so far.

Looking for a workout that's a little less stressful on your chest after an augmentation or injury? Try this routine!

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE?

I offer personalized online training and nutrition programs!  Check out my philosophy here and fill out the from for more info.

Don’t miss my free Macro Calculator, which helps time your meals to get the most out of your workouts.

***

I wrote this with the “twins” in mind, but this workout is good for anyone – especially those who’ve had upper body injuries.

Do you have any moves to add to the list?  Isolated triceps are not easy to do!

What is the exercise you’re most excited to get back to after a forced rest?

Filed Under: Core, Fitness, Running, Weights Tagged With: abs, biceps, breast augmentation, legs, triceps, work it out, workout

Meet Luci-furrrr + WIAW

May 29, 2013 By Laura

Lucifer isn’t always scary.

 

Be honest – how many of you are already horrified at this post? 😉

My best friend has a cat that she named Lucifer.  Shortened to Lucy to keep it PC.  My friend had a baby and both her and the baby are allergic to Lucy, so I offered to take the cat on a trial basis.

Meet Lucy:

Lucy

I secretly got her because she matches my rug.

 

She’s a beautiful grey 9-year-old cat who is NOTHING like her namesake.  Thank god.

You may judge me, but I am not a big animal person.  I am not home a lot and can’t even keep a plant alive, so the thought of having something that needs constant care doesn’t appeal to me.  However, this cat is cool.  She sleeps all the time and mostly keeps to herself except at night when she jumps in bed to cuddle with me.  Perfect animal for me!

Lucy

My mom thought it was a stuffed animal and I was playing a prank on her!

 

To recap: I’m turning 30.  I got a cat.  The cat is my cuddle partner. I’ll soon be a creepy old cat lady.

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My WIAW meals should be re-title “meals of desperation.”  There has been so much going to that I still haven’t done a big trip  to the market since Blend!  This means I was eating the last of everything in my fridge.  By snack time I was 100% out of veggies and had convinced myself to ditch kickboxing for a grocery run.

WIAWbutton

Check out my semi-normal eats below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see what delicious spring foods everyone else is enjoying!

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Breakfast:

Forgetting to bring my Aminos to my mom’s house made me realize just how much I crave my morning cocktail (apple cider vinegar, water, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos).  This morning we were happily reunited. 🙂

Breakfast was an old favorite: PB & Jeggs.  After a pretty indulgent weekend finished off with burgers and homemade strawberry margaritas I wanted something simple!  The “jam” this morning was raspberry.

PB & Jeggs (raspberries + eggs)

 

This fueled a great leg day workout.  The gym was still not crowded!!!  I guess people are still recovering from the weekend?

I took full advantage of the desertion and did a little Instagram photo shoot.  #bloggersterotype

Deserted gym

 

Post-Workout Re-Fuel:

In the spirit of not having groceries old favorites, I turned an almost-empty container of Greek yogurt into a Carrot Cake Protein Batter.

Carrot Cake Protein Batter

Lunch:

Desperation was setting in.  The last of the no-salt turkey deli meat, the end of a jar of salsa, and frozen edamame.

I 100% thought I had a bag of Pirate’s Booty in my desk drawer.  Nope… I forgot I ate it last week.  Don’t you hate it when that happens?!

Turkey, salsa, and Dora the Explorer edamame

 

Snack:

This happened not long after lunch since I didn’t have my desk draw snack.  I had one piece of salmon left and the end of bag of spinach.  I topped with the lemon, red pepper flakes, herbs de provence, and nutritional yeast.

That salmon may had been of a questionable age… if you don’t hear from me tomorrow, call 9-1-1. 

Salmon salad

 

Dinner:

This is when I caved.  I wanted to go to kickboxing, but the need for food was greater.  Instead I went to the chiro and then to Fresh Market.

I was craving a million different things, but settled on a ghetto version of carbonara.

Clean carbonara

 

Instead of pasta, I used tofu spinach noodles.  My sauce was a mix of Greek yogurt cream cheese, parsley, red pepper flakes, and garlic.  Then I mixed in some shredded turkey, topped it with the infamous runny egg, and drizzled with the a thick fig balsamic.  #strangebutgood

Any excuse for a runny egg!

#yolkporn 

 

Dessert:

My favorite meal of the day.  I froze some Greek yogurt mixed with half a scoop of protein powder, cinnamon, stevia, and butter extract for about 30 minutes.  Then I topped it with cubed butternut squash roasted with cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne.  And a little cocoa powder sauce (cocoa power, almond milk, cinnamon, and stevia), for good measure.

Translation of this meal: cinnamon roll yogurt with sweet butternut bites and dark chocolate sauce.

Cinnamon Roll Yogurt Bowl

***

As much as going back to work after a long weekend hurts, remembering it’s a short week is enough to keep me smiling!

Are you an animal person?  What was/is your favorite pet?

What is your typical I’m-desperate-for-groceries meal?  

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Recipes, Weights Tagged With: breakfast, cat, dessert, dinner, legs, Lucy, lunch, snacks, workout

Work It Out: Limited Legs

April 9, 2013 By Laura

Today is leg day.

Let’s pretend I don’t dread this day each week.

Misery loves company, so today’s Work It Out is a leg day too.  You’re welcome.

sprint2table-workitout-BLUE

 

This is actually kind of a fun routine.  I call it limited because you only need 2 machines, and it’s a good one to do if you’re suffering from foot/ankle problems (I do these when my plantar fasciitis acts up).  You CAN have a challenging leg workout without ever touching your feet to the floor.

Another reason I like it is that is incorporates many of the previous techniques I’ve written about to shake up your routine.  Click the title of each for the post with a full description/benefits of the technique.

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The only equipment you need to do these is a leg extension machine and a leg curl machine.

Do 3 sets of each move, 10 reps per set (unless otherwise indicated).  When you select your starting weight, remember that most of these are using techniques that make the move more challenging.  If you can, increase your weight with each set

Leg Extensions

Leg Extensions seated

1. Traditional Leg Extensions (regular reps)

2. 24s (8 reps from bottom to half way point, 8 starting half way to full extension, and 8 full)

3. Fulls and Partials (10 full, followed by 10 partial reps – 1st and 3rd sets bottom half, 2nd and 4th top half)

4. Drop Sets (10 reps with a medium heavy weight, 10 with 10 lbs less, then 10 more with 10 lbs less = 1 set)

Lying Leg Curls

lying leg curls

1. Traditional Lying Leg Curls (regular reps)

2. Super 8’s (8 reps + hold for 8 count, 3 times = 1 set)

3. 1 1/2’s (1 full + 1 half = 1 rep, 1st and 3rd set halfs on the bottom half, 2nd and 4th on the top)

4. Super Slow (6 count going up, 6 count going down)

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.

***

You guys cracked me up with the gym confessions/pet peeves last week.  I’m going to be doing more posts like that!

What’s you most-hated leg move?  Hack squats.

So we end on a positive… what’s your favorite leg move?  Heavy squats!

Filed Under: Fitness, Weights Tagged With: figure competition, injury, legs, work it out, workout

A Death Race and a Birthday

March 21, 2013 By Laura

Oops, I did it again…

 

You can thank me later for getting that classic song stuck in your head.

Tuesday was leg day.  Two days later, walking is a difficult task.  25 barbell squats, 4 sets, increasing weight.  Weighted lunges.  25 hack squats, 4 reps, increasing weight  (I HATE hacks!).  And that was just the first 3 exercises.  Oy.

 

The good news is that my trainer told me he sees huge gains in the last month and my legs are getting bigger!

And my BUTT!!!  Woot!

 

But my pain today doesn’t come close to how Kat must have felt after her Ultramarathon “Death” Race.  Only a crazy person celebrates a birthday like this.  😉

Read on for Kat’s fabulous story…

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On March 16, 2013, I ran my second Ultramarathon.  It was definitely the biggest physical challenge I have ever undertaken, and I savored almost every minute of it.

Georgia Death Race

Note the caption – SO TRUE!!!!

 

I woke up at 2:15am and began my journey.  I hadn’t slept much the few nights before it, and only about 2-4 hours the night before the race.

I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep!! (Editor’s note: I would have barfed from the nerves.)

Geared up and Ready to Go!!

Geared up and Ready to Go!!

 

I stayed at Hiker Hostel on Friday night with my friend Ann.  She braved 5:00pm Atlanta traffic headed north to get me up there (you Atlanta folk know that THAT is a sign of true love).

We left the hostel at 2:45 in the morning to head to the start where I checked in, got my map, met some runners, and began my journey.

Me and My Map

Saying Goodbye to Ann

Saying Goodbye to Ann

 

At 3:55 the race director, Sean, gave a funny speech that began, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” and you know the rest.

It made all of the runners giggle nervously as we began our journey on the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail.  We started at Vogel State Park.

I ran with several of these people many steps of the way.

I ran with several of these people many steps of the way.

 

Before the 3rd Mile, I was feeling absolutely fantastic.  I was skipping along on the rails, “dancing forward” with a smile on my face.  Sometime right around then, I fell HARD, heard my ankle pop, screamed a little.  Then, with a little encouragement from a few friendly trail folk, I was up and on my way, hiking with the best of them.  Oh yeah, HIKING.

People, this was NOT a running race for the most part.  This was a hiking race.  It was elevation, elevation, elevation.  We climbed about 17 peaks on the Appalachian Trail.  I was at Duncan Ridge for Sunrise, after already climbing over 2,300 feet.

Sunrise on Duncan Ridge

Sunrise on Duncan Ridge

 

I had so much fun in the early parts of the race, making friends, laughing about slipping in mud, and hiking up, up, up.  We were all frustrated with the hills, in awe of the views, and even more in awe of our strength as we climbed. (Editor’s note: I am in awe fo YOU!)

I continued to have fun, and I met a guy named Kip, a fire fighter who loves to help people.  He was strong, loyal, and kind.  He offered to wrap my ankle at the next rest stop.  That was before I tripped on a down-hill around mile 16 or so, heading face-forward into the leaves, busting my knee.  I finally got up, cursing the leaf-covered ground, then tripped hard and sprained my ankle even worse around mile 19.

The face says it all…carnage and getting wrapped.

The face says it all…carnage and getting wrapped.

 

I eventually made it to mile 21, convinced I wouldn’t be able to go on.  When I got there, I saw the race director, and I became determined to finish.  He made this course ridiculously hard for a reason, and I wanted to finish.  Another runner wrapped my ankle, and I pressed on.  Things got slower after that.

My stick friend

My stick friend

 

At mile 25, I decided it couldn’t get much worse, so I kept going.  At mile 28, I got my ankle re-wrapped and pressed on for the most frustrating part of the run.  I found a stick that became my friend as I hiked and hiked and hiked uphill.

I cried, I was frustrated, and I pressed on.  I wailed, and I cried when I when saw the clearing that meant the climbing was over.  (Editor’s note: I really don’t have anything to say… you are fierce.)

Swinging Bridge

Swinging Bridge

The clearing that made me cry

The clearing that made me cry

 

Eventually I got to mile 44-ish… Winding Stair Gap aid station.  I got a big hug from my friend Wilson, and I finally knew it was in my ankle’s best interest to stop.  I had hiked and run over 44 miles, climbed over 13,000 feet, for 14.5 hours on a sprained ankle.

I called the friend who was picking me up, and she brought me home, in pink fuzzy slippers, as my ankle swelled.  (It’s much better today – good thing I stopped when I did).  I feel like it was the most noble DNF (Did Not Finish) ever, and I really gave it my all.

About 2 hours after my race

About 2 hours after my race

 

The 14.5 hours really made me think – WHY am I out here?  WHY am I doing this?  What is this for?  And I think I know.

I think I know why I run, why I stay out in the woods for hours and hours trying to find myself.

Running Teaches

 

Not only does it teach me to keep moving forward, even when things are difficult or painful, but it lets you embrace the moments that suck because they help you to know just how strong you are, and just how strong you can be.  I think we all can feel down or defeated from time to time, some more than others.  When you find the thing that helps you move on, that works as your therapy and that helps you to believe you’re more than you thought you could be, that just might be your thing.

I think I realized through this race, that whether it’s running, creating art, raising kids, lifting weights, or whatever your thing might be, that you need to do what makes you feel strong and what makes you feel alive.  (Editor’s note: So well said – we are so much more than we first imagine.)

No better way to celebrate my 26th Birthday. (Editor’s note: Such a tender young age. 😉 )

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Laura posted about my nighttime potluck gathering yesterday, which I believe brought about 25-30 people together, an eclectic group from all walks of life. 🙂  It was the best birthday I have had in a very long time, and I LOVE my birthday.

Just a few of my amazing friends

Just a few of my amazing friends

 

I also got to go to a birthday lunch with one of my dearest friends in Atlanta.

We went to the One Eared Stag. I had one of the weirdest and most delicious meals ever.  (Editor’s note: Whaaaat?!  I want to try this place so bad!)

Bday Lunch

In the picture:

  • White Anchovies
  • Olives
  • Fried Dates
  • Mint
  • Pine Nuts

 

Such a weird and delicious combo  (Editor’s note: Strange but good?).  I think the marriage of the nutty white anchovies with the sweetness of the dates made this dish really work.  Everything else sort of worked in for a flavor-explosion in my mouth.  I also had the carrot soup with fermented garlic and ginger.

All-in-all a great lunch, and I’m really looking forward to going back to try it again!

***

Funny side note: Kat texted me yesterday to ask if I was ok with her sending bloody pics to post.  I said bring it. 😉

What challenges make you feel more alive? Stronger? Better?

What strange but good combos have you had recently?  Don’t forget to link up tomorrow!

 

Filed Under: Fitness, Guest Post, Running Tagged With: figure competition, Georgia Death Race, glutes, Kat, legs, marathon, race, running, strange but good, ultramarathon, workout

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