Miscellany x3

- Today on my way home from work two different people on my metro car ran into people they knew. That kind of thing is so coincidental and yet so DC. It's like a big small town. I run into people I know all the time!

- I thought I was scheduled to run 4-5 miles today but then realized that my training log called for 7 miles. After running nine on Saturday and seven on Monday I was dismayed and almost turned in where I would close the loop for my regular 4.5mile course, but then I got my mojo back and decided to keep going. As I was struggling to run up a tough hill approaching the zoo, a man passed me coming the other way, walking, and said, "That run is doing what it should, my lady, because you look GOOD." Whoo! I pounded up that hill and finished grinning in 1:15:07.

- I have applied to speak at two conference coming up this spring and summer. One in New Orleans and one in London. Have absolutely no idea what my acceptance chances are. Wish me luck.

On Health

As I walked home from the yoga shala this evening I started contemplating health and my attitude towards my own health. It is, I feel, a slightly skewed and counter-productive attitude at times.

When I think of my health objectively, I realize that I should be pleased. I'm rarely, if ever, sick. I get maybe one cold per year (knock on wood!) and can count on one hand the number of headaches I suffer from per year. I rarely have physical pre-menstrual symptoms (though I can get a little teary during that time of the month). I can run 10+ miles at a time without stopping and regularly practice a very tough form of yoga. I don't have a car and walk everywhere in the city. A 2-mile walk during lunch at work or a similar length haul from the metro is like nothing to me.

I haven't known my weight in years but at last check I was hovering around 135lbs, which is perfect for my 5'7'' frame. I wear a size six pant and a small on top. My skin is clear, my nails don't break. I drink plenty of water. I get plenty of sleep and have no problem waking up before 6am daily for my fast-paced and, at times, stressful job. I eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein but don't deny myself the occasional treat.

So why don't I EVER feel healthy? Why do I feel that any pinchable bit of flab is a health failure? Why does my internal monologue run so negatively? Why do I feel like being "healthy" is a dream to which I can only aspire and never attain?

Partly, I admit that I don't see physical health as a lifelong journey. I see it as something that is accomplished in it's entirely and then maintained. So I get frustrated that I can't attain this magical place of health and instead I feel like a gerbil on a wheel, chasing and chasing and going nowhere. This attitude makes the pursuit of health very un-fun.

It's difficult to celebrate the battle victories (a mileage record, a new yoga posture added, a healthy meal instead of a burger at happy hour) because I haven't won the war.

It's tiring, living this way inside my own mind.

Dilemma

I am so fortunate to work in the middle of two great neighborhoods. I'm a few blocks from Little Ethiopia and a few blocks from Adams Morgan. Great restaurants and cafes, great people watching... just... great!

There is a new shawarma place on 18th St that I am dying to try (mm.. shawarma... reminds me of waiting in a massive line to get some from the street vendor in Vienna at 2am after coming back from a night on the town with my new - and brief - friends, Raimund and Elisbet) except that there used to be a gourmet hot dog place (triple vomit) in that storefront.

I am afraid of residual hot dog particles contaminating my shawarma. Somehow I think that my phobia has reached new heights...

Travel Bug Hits Again

Last night I dreamt that I had taken an exotic vacation to Eastern Europe. My travel in that part of the country is thus far limited to one city - Prague - but I obviously can't wait to go back.

In this dream, I flew to Lithuania and then took a quick train ride to two North African cities (Marrakesh was one... can't remember the other) and returned to Lithuania to await my friends.

Man... I wanna GO somewhere.

Nothing in Particular

I ran in bare legs for the first time since fall! My pasty white legs, but bare nonetheless. Having no in-between running clothes suitable for balmy winter days like this, I dusted off my running skirt, threw on a long-sleeved top, and hit the pavement. My times have been great lately. Here's a sample of my times for my "normal" (that is, base-building) 4.5-mile hilly route around my neighborhood:

January 9 - 47:50
January 15 - 46:04
January 17 - 44:48
January 22 - 44:44
January 30 - 45:16
February 2 - 43:33
February 9 - 43:59

I am happy with those times. They include stopping at traffic lights (should I stop my watch? I never do) and maybe an occasion 5-10 seconds here or there if I'm nursing a cramp.

Later this week I will start the actual mileage-building portion of my half-marathon training.

Slowing Down

With training season in full swing I find my life starting to move too fast. Too many weeks with obligations every night, too little time to just read or work on my own projects. I haven't been sleeping well, haven't been cooking for myself, haven't been enjoying the present because of being anxious about/worried for/hurrying to get to the next thing.

Starting NOW I am making a concerted effort to slow my life down. That includes taking breaks from certain regular commitments and just saying no to invitations that I feel obligated, but don't necessarily want, to accept.

I've made it this far through the winter without catching a single cold, and I don't want something like that, borne from fatigue or malnurishment, to derail my upcoming race. I need to try to take care of myself for a while.

Not Helpful

I realize that you might be alarmed to see me speed up when approaching an intersection where the light is about to turn red, but DC has these wonderful countdown signals that tells you how many seconds you have left to cross the street. So, yelling "Watch it! Watch it!" at me as I try to cross makes me hesitate and then I end up standing still in the middle of the intersection as the light turns green. That's really not preferable. So, next time, please just let me run. I know what I'm doing.

For the record, I just ran a personal best training run: 4.45 miles in 44:33 which includes about a minute of waiting a stop lights. That's a full minute and ten seconds faster than my previous best time on this course!

PUMPED

Tomorrow is the Wings/Caps game here in DC and I cannot be more excited. The Wings only play in DC once every other year or so. I got my ticket last October as soon as the schedule was posted - and I dropped a pretty big chunk of change on a great seat.

The Bruins softened up the Caps' star player for us with a brutal hit into the boards, but I'm pretty pissed about that, actually. We like to crush teams when they're at their best, not when they're already on their knees. Victory is so much sweeter when it's against a prepared opponent.

Tonight after work I will be picking up the materials for my sign. I'm going to meet a friend at the rink early and will try to take some photos of practice and what's sure to be a romantic and memorable marriage proposal from the Wings' captain, Nik Lidstrom. Next blog post might be from my new home in Sweden!

What I'm Eating

I have been craving nothing but fat lately. And so my usual modified Precision Nutrition diet has been replaced by a sort of freestyle Mediterranean diet. Currently I am sitting at my computer with a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with almonds and blueberries. Later I will feast on all manner of olives, roasted peppers, roasted garlic (whatev, I'm alone tonight), sundried tomatoes, red wine, more nuts, and cheese.

I did stop short of buying desserts at the store today, though. Fat is what I need, not sugar.

Eat what your body is craving, that's what I say - just as long as it's a genuine nutritional NEED and not a whimsical WANT (at least most of the time!).

If you'll excuse me... I need to go put together a platter of snacks and settle down with my book to watch the rain.

Why didn't I do this sooner??

Today I had my hair cut. DRASTICALLY. It is SHORT. I have always loved my long curls but lately they have been looking shaggy no matter what I try, so I opted for health over length and love the results.

My hair barely touches my shoulders now but it is bouncy and so cute! The curls look totally different than they did long - real ringlets now. I love it! I also took the shade a little darker and am happy with the results.

How much you wanna bet that everyone at work will think I'm either in love or recently broken up? Hehehe. Whatever they think, I don't care. I love my new look.

Semi-Annual Cable Dilemma

Once again I am considering cancelling cable. It's a demon I fight, a total time-suck. I have no problem with TV watching. I think watching the news is a responsible thing, and even a little escapism can be healthy. But I have a real problem with channel-surfing a mindless staring... so I am starting to think that a little hiatus would be healthy.

But the thing is - that really doesn't solve anything. Like... you can't be proud of yourself for avoiding chocolate cake when you never have any in the house. So instead of cancelling cable, I think I am going to keep it but try something revoluationary such as exerting some control over the situation.

Plus, NHL playoffs are coming up and while I do get an old-school satisfaction from listening to games on the radio, I don't want to be even remotely divorced from the action and, eventually, the sweet, sweet victory.

Cute Story

On Monday, the day before the Inauguration, I was running my hilliest route which is a 4.7 mile loop down Wisconsin Ave, around the National Cathedral, down Massachusetts Ave to the Naval Observatory, and up 34th St/Reno Rd back home. It's a tough course but I was feeling up to it.

Heading down Massachusetts I noticed a motorcade heading toward me. About ten police cruisers were escorting three large tour buses northbound. Motorcades are not unusual in DC, especially in light of the major event that was taking place the next day, but I glanced over and wondered for a second what that was all about.

Well, this morning I ran into a co-worker who said that he saw me running on Massachusetts Ave on Monday. I laughed and asked if I looked strong. He said he thought so and that the 400 National Guardsmen he was escorting thought so too!! He said they suddenly became very interested when he said he knew me. Hehehe! I thought that was cute.

It's funny how many people I work with have seen me out and about running in the city. It's good incentive to stay strong and resist the urge to stop for a breather or to stretch.

Speaking of which, I've had very, very consistent times lately and am proud of my progress. Now if only I could get my yoga practice back....

Iron Chef

While in Philadelphia last weekend I had the opportunity to dine at Iron Chef Morimoto's restaurant. I chose the 7-course omakase with beverage pairing, and despite my copious notes, I will absolutely not be able to do the meal justice in this write-up. But for those who are curious:

Amuse Bouche:
Whipped sweet potato and goat cheese with chili flakes. This was sent compliments of Eric Ripert, the chef at the Ritz-Carlton where I was staying. It pays to make reservations using the hotel concierge!

First Course:
Moet et Chandon champagne
Toro (fatty tuna) mixed with crunchy shallots and garlic topped with caviar with a yoyomama Japanese plum to cleanse the palate.

Second Course:
2007 Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
Rainbow snapper carpaccio sliced thin over a garlic ginger sauce with cilantro

Third Course:
2006 Andre Boname (white)
Sashimi salad over microgreens

Fourth Course:
Apple mint syrup

Fifth Course:
2007 Riesling
Halibut with seaweed wrap over buerre blanc and lobster (my favorite course)

Sixth Course:
2007 Merlot
Parmesan-crusted lamb with pignoli ratatouille

Seventh Course:
Sake
Sushi tasting

Dessert Course:
Portuguese Madeira
Chocolate mint mousse cake with a chocolate caramel sauce

Morbid Premonition

I'm not sure why this is suddenly happening, but every time I cross the street I find myself thinking, "A car could come screaming around the corner and take me out and I wouldn't even know what hit me." And then I get all shaky and nervous and jumpy. It's so weird and I don't know where this random death anxiety is coming from.

So for now I'll just be really careful when I'm walking, especially in my daily jaywalk across U St to get tea, and most especially when I'm running. I always watch cars at intersections and try to make eye contact with drivers. I never assume that they see me. I always wear my Road ID. But until this weird morbidity wears off, I'm going to be extra cautious.

Soup

I made the most delicious (and simple!) lentil soup last night! At the risk of sounding like a completely elementary chef, I will post the recipe, which I made up. The whole thing, from veggie prep to boiling/reducing the broth, took about thirty minutes. And though I have had zero appetite since my food poisoning episode on Monday I took some to work with me today and made sure to get it down so that I can go out for five miles this afternoon.

3 carrots, peeled
5 celery ribs
1/2 large yellow onion
5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsps butter
2 cans low-sodium lentils
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste

Melt butter over low heat and add chopped onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Stir to soften. Increase heat to medium and add crushed tomatoes and lentils plus half the tomato can of water. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 20 minutes. Season as necessary.

High fiber, high protein, low fat.

Too simple for words. I feel silly even posting this. But it really turned out well, and though I wasn't hungry at all, it tasted good and I do feel more alert having eaten.

It's very cold (in the 20's) but I will layer up and head out there after work. No rest for the weary.

Unintended Hiatus

Sorry guys for not posting in a while. After the trip to Philadelphia, which included the most amazing 7-course meal at Morimoto's (no not paid for by the conference - I wish!) I came down with a pretty bad bout of food poisoning and have been laid up in bed for the past 24-hours.

I will blog my best about the meal here in a day or so, but understand that there's no way in freaking hell my words can do it justice.

I am supremely frustrated with the lack of consistent running and yoga in my life since BEFORE Christmas. My weight is stable, which is good, but for me running and yoga are about more than weight - they're about stress relief, strength, cultivation of the mind. I have a begin-training date of February 1st for my March half-marathon and would like to hit the ground running (pun intended) but unless I can get my ass in gear these next few weeks, I am basically going to be starting from scratch.

Dining in Philly

I'm here in Philadelphia attending a conference at the Ritz-Carlton. It's cold here, but I manageed to get a good 4+ miles in along the river yesterday, which was promptly ruined by two huge slices of pizza. Oh well. It was worth it.

Tonight I have a reservation at Morimoto's restaurant. I'm hoping for the seven-course omakase with beverage pairing... I will take copious notes and let you all know how it was!

What I'm Doing Differently

I can't figure out how to get the countdown ticker thingy to work, but if I could, you would see that I am running the National Half Marathon on March 21st. It's going to be a slow, hilly course and it's about time to start training. Having just come off a half-marathon last October, I have been thinking about my training methods and whether or not they could be improved. Here is what I'm going to do differently:

Eliminate Pre-Training: To get ready for Detroit last year, I took two months of "pre-training," which basically turned out to be base-mileage building. The problem was that mentally I felt like I was already "in training" and thus by the time I entered ten weeks of official training, I was burned out. This time around, I am going to elimiate the pre-training period and go right into official training on February 1st. In the mean time I will work on consistency and building endurance without the mental stress and dietary changes that come with training.

Tweak The Diet: For Detroit, I did pretty well cleaning up my diet and eliminating alcohol and sweets, but I didn't modify the core of my diet, which is basically a relaxed version of Precision Nutrition. This time, I will still eliminate sweets and alcohol but I will also increase protein, fish, and leafy greens.

Weight-Train: Weight-training can be tricky for runners, as a fatigued upper body can seriously hinder speed (your upper body is what propels you forward, especially on hills). BUT, it's important to have a strong upper body and weight training can reduce the likelihood of injuries. So, my weight work will be negatively correlated to my mileage: as mileage increases, weight work will get lighter and less frequent.

Track Mileage and Speed: I really need to be more deliberate about this if I am going to hit my pace goals. Training for Detroit without a watch was pretty much pointless. I ran okay, but couldn't really predict my time or track my progress, so it was difficult to know if I should be proud of myself once I finished.

Reduce Taper: Something weird happened when I was training for Detroit: I got sick just before my taper started. So, effectively, my taper lasted two weeks instead of one, which made me fall short of my total mileage goals and messed up my last chance for a long run. Since I plan to increase my overall miles (both total and long run) to prepare for the National Half, this will mean that taper will be shorter, probably only five days instead of seven. Plus, the fact that I'll be out of town for a week in high elevation three weeks out means that I won't have the luxury of a long taper right before the race.

not bad for the first timed one

So, in keeping with one of my resolutions, I replaced my watch battery and timed my run.

I did my normal/easy run, a hilly loop around my neighborhood. It comes to about 4.45 miles, and I did it in 47:50.

That time includes about 90 seconds of waiting at various traffic lights and 5-10 seconds of doubling over, nursing a sidestitch.

Pretty slow, but not bad. I haven't run since Christmas Eve and am feeling a little thick around the middle. A week or so of clean eating and consistent running/yoga practice, maybe 3-5lbs shaved off, and I should be able to cut down that time significantly.

Photos and Reflections

I'm finally back in DC and ready to get back into my routine - namely running. I haven't been out in over a week and I feel it. Tomorrow will be my first run under my new year's resolution to track my time and mileage. I'll have to scale back the miles a little... so maybe 3-ish will be a good start.

Iceland was amazing. Here are some things I loved about my trip and the country itself:

Skyr (Icelandic yogurt): thick, creamy, rich in protein and low in sugar, Icelandic yogurt makes American yogurt seem like liquid candy.

Authenticity: My Golden Circle tour guide mentioned this and I really feel it's true, that Icelandic culture and Reykjavik itself are just naturally cool, hip, and trendy. Nothing is necessarily designed to promote tourism, it's just that tourists are now realizing that Iceland is awesome. I really got the feeling that the City Center was a place where Icelanders live, work, shop, and hang out - not that the main streets were designed with tourism in mind. Makes for a very genuine and authentic travel experience.

Water (hot and cold): The hot water is endless and cheap, being heated geothermally. The cold water is pure and tasty, probably safer than bottled water since it comes directly from the glacier.

Bjork: I found that that the singer's name is actually pronounced "bee-yershk" and not "bee-york" as I always thought. Who knew?

Also on this trip, I learned that it's okay to:
*Travel to a foreign city and never set foot in a museum;
*Travel to a foreign country and not pick up a single word of the language;
*Not drink on New Year's Eve;
*Sleep through my wake up call (a couple times!)
*Not check my work email (this was hard for me!)

Reykjavik


The mid-Atlantic rift runs straight down the middle of Iceland. The Eurasian and North American plates are separating at a rate of 2.5cm per year.


Gullfoss - the Golden Falls


Gullfoss


The Blue Lagoon


The Blue Lagoon



Fireworks


More fireworks


More fireworks!