I am a Sally

Sweet heavens!

The flatbreads I made yesterday were so good (and so easy!) that I was forced to repeat them today.

It's a tough life.

One word about them: cut them before adding honey. 

Also, I can't help but think they'd be fantastic with lavender.

I woke up this morning to a flash of lightning. No boot camp. (sad face!)

So I slept in. 

(Again, it's hard to be me.)

I had every intention of running. 

Really, I did. 

But then the invitation for coffee took hold. 

And the thought that maybe I'd do yoga instead of run.

Which then led to an invitation to the pool.

Which lasted all of ten minutes before the lightening returned.

Which is how I found myself craving those tasty little flatbreads. 

And in the kitchen making them.

And eating them. 

"I'll run tonight" has been my constant thought. It is followed by the thought "that will mean running three days in a row".  Excuse me?? 

Once upon a time I was a runner! I used to run several days in a row.

What is happening?!?!

Now I'm thinking, "I can't run tonight, I just ate."

I'm a Sally.

*sigh.*

My better self knows that I should immediately follow this with positive self talk to tell myself I am not a Sally. 

That I should use this as an example.

"See? Even CrazyTown has days she doesn't wanna."

Whatever.

I'm not running.

Snacks

So my awesome coach sends out these emails a couple of times a week. They are designed to keep us scrubs motivated and they include everything from injury prevention (I totes almost wrote "exercise prevention") to diet tips. My favorite email is the one where all the coaches chimed in on their favorite snack recipe. 

Their suggestions ran the gamut.

"Take cheese, and wrap it with meat" was my favorite. 

Mostly because it is never going to happen. 

The chana masala, though, has real potential. 
As does the sweet potato with cheese. Especially with some broccoli.

Mostly because I love food. (Who doesn't?!)

This got me thinking about some of my favorite recipes. I rarely follow recipes. I started using them as a basis for my cooking and then just ignored them. However, with the increased caloric intake (or maybe just an increase in the fiber & protein) mandated by my doing boot camp, I decided to revisit my cookbooks, blogs, and a few websites for recipes.

Some of my favorites this week:

1. Epicurious. It's quick, easy, and has a ginormous catalog. Check out the black bean and tomato quinoa. I make it using black quinoa (it's prettier!) and grape tomatoes cut in half.  

2. Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. It's great to be in Mark's kitchen because he knows how to make foods lively again. Black bean salad? Great. Try it one of these nine-jillion ways. (I did the black bean and corn one on page 74 most recently.)

3. Smitten Kitchen. I want to eat at Deb's house every day. She makes the process of making food look glorious.

(In fact, I am going to make her flatbread with honey, thyme and sea salt directly after this now.)
x.

Running in circles

Font to back.

Front to back.

I wonder if the coaches get tired of saying it.

Front to back.

I wish I'd worn my Garmin this morning so I'd have a clue as to how many times I re-ran an area.

Front to back.

It almost sounds like a song. 

Slide- slide- slippidy slide.... yes, I just went there.

You remember it, right?

Sorry.
Didn't really mean to get Collio stuck in your head.

Front to back.

I may be a little wound up because... well, let's face it, I'm always wound up. But today I'm extra excited because I've been carpooling to boot camp and we normally listen to the blues (there is something magical about listening to the blues in the morning. Mostly in that my desire to go back to bed can be somewhat tamed...) but today we listened to the new Beastie Boys- 

and it is delicious!

Front to back.

And now I need the album.

So I can hear it.

Front to back.

While you were out...

Hello! 

I've missed you so!

Unlike the musings of my last post, I am not dead.

I was in Ohio.

Which may mean dead, depending.

These last two weeks have brought much change my way.

They moved to California.

(They being my sister and her family.) I am mega ugly crying about this.

I took a road trip. 

I crashed a wedding at my brother's. This time did not involve me encouraging the bride's mother to do keg stands. It did involve some good bonding. 

In Ohio, I visited friends, canoed, danced, golfed, ate, and slept. I even managed to do some sit ups.

Oh yeah. And I ran a 5K.

At 11:00.

IN THE MORNING.

Who does that?!

I mean, who has a 5K so late in the day? 

They's cray-cray, for sure.

Especially sine it was ninety-nine zillion degrees with eighty something per cent humidity.

Not that I'm complaining.

But that shit was hard.

And, then, because it was no where near my way home, I went to Baltimore.

I didn't realize how much I missed that sensation of knowing exactly what someone else is thinking just by seeing their face until I caught up with my running buddy. 

We ran. We drank wine. We ran more walked.

And then I went home. 

So yeah. No boot camp. For 2 weeks. 

Which made today lots of fun.

We did an ab workout called "Hardcore Abs".

Need I say more?

Update

OK. So it's been three hours since boot camp ended and my arms are doing that Hey Look At Me I Double As A Noodle thing that they do when I wake up the day after a workout that destroys my arms.

mother heifer. 

This is happening today. 

Stop the insanity! Serenity now! 

On a positive note, my inner scientist finds this mutinous uprising highly entertaining. If I was a political satirist, this could be amazing. Skirmishes in the outer fingers spread to the forearms. An uprising in the biceps lead to the desire for emancipation of the arms.

I'm going to die.

There is a four year old in my house who continually demands attention. Unlike the dogs or cat, he gives me no brakes. He's like a puppy in the go! go! mentality, but unlike a puppy in the OK It's Nap time Now department. I mention this because 1. It's been nap time. For four days. 2. I keep dropping toys. And knives.

Today is going to rock.

TRX: day 1

Sorry. HAD to be done.

Specifically, the "Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" part.

Because that's what I thought when I first saw the nylon ropes of TRX hanging from the playground equipment.

Or was it this?

Oh, yes. It was this.

Because everyone loves to crank GNR at 5 am. 

Really.

(OK. I realize that after warm ups, it was really more like 6, but I got up at 4:45 (!!!) and have to give some cred to the 5 o'clock hour! Sides, it's not like I was any more awake...)

So yeah... TRX. 

That shit was fun!

(I'd have pics, but my phone doesn't exactly like taking pics that show up as anything in the dark. Sorry.)

I like the idea of doing an exercises  then running to another area to do ab bridge/ butterfly kicks/ core work/ bicycles/ sprints/ crunches/ more core work/ rowboats/ twists / sit ups/ scissor kicks/ did I mention we did core work?

I hear that I will be sore tomorrow.

Cray- Cray, don't you know I'm sore NOW?!?!

So, yeah, TRX. 

It looks like something my 10 year old self would have loved to grab and swing from. And I guess there was some swinging... I mean.. nothing. I really liked that I was able to stretch while strengthening. Take lunges, for example. One steps forward and does a lunge, but but pushes the arms up and overhead, stretching out the core and arms. 

It was glorious. 

Once we all know what the heck is going on, I think we'll be able to spend more time doing the exercises instead of staring at the instructor in confusion. 

What's that you say? I'm the only one that did that?

Well, you've gotta know it takes me for-ev-or (said a la "The Sandlot") to catch on to proprioceptive techniques/ activities. That's why I run, remember?

Anyhoo, point is, I will do this again.

Also? I did not fall on my face/ need a mat underneath me during TRX exercises.

That is all.

TRX Comes to Piedmont!

I have some very exciting news! The American Boot Camp Company will be using TRX at Piedmont Park every Thursday- and you are invited to join us!!

A bit about TRX:

TRX is a suspension system designed by a former Navy Seal. (Which basically means I'm in BIG trouble!) TRX is lightweight, portable and can basically be done any and everywhere. Hook it up to your  closet door, your car's luggage rack, a fence... seriously anywhere.

This video shows some of the things one can do with a couple of nylon straps:

Holy hell.

Somebody please tell me there is a crash pad that comes with this! 

When I messed around with this a week ago, I didn't know just how much of a bad ass one could become. 

Given the desire to be a bad ass, of course. 

It really felt more like playing on the playground than a workout (proof that distraction is a good thing!).

Well, it would have if I was in elementary school.

I have a hard enough time with push ups, and now I need to use more of that "core" thing my anatomy books swear I have?! 

I'm gonna die.

However, if you, in all of your "Boot camp?! That sounds amazing!" desires would like to join every branch of the military, NFL players, and... well... me... come to camp any Thursday this month and try out TRX- for free. 

Yes, free.

Give the peeps at American Boot Camp Co a heads up that you'll be coming so that they'll bring enough torture devices suspension systems for everyone.

I hope to see you there!

Presuming my eyes are open, of course.