Take Me Home Tonight!

Sorry, runner folks, this blog is going to contain about 0.1% running stuff and about 99.9% neon spandex, sunglasses at night, and blue eyeshadow. That's right, it's all about the 80s!

0.1% running stuff: Went to the gym yesterday. Ran 3.1 in 27:43 (I hate the dreadmill and I always manage to run super slow on it. Don't know why). It was arms/chest/back day, so I did my usual routine of lat pulldowns, bench pressing (I'm the only chick at my gym who ever does these babies and I feel pretty dang badass for it!), pecs, delts, curls, tricep weight lift things (I'm horrible at the names), and rows (I think...yeah, I don't know). I was running out of time, so I didn't do my plank routine.

Now onto the part you've all been waiting for...horrific 80s madness! My friend, Cassie, put together an 80s themed pub crawl. Best. Idea. Ever!

We met up at this great restaurant in downtown Sac, called Hot Italian. If you ever come visit California's capitol, check this place out. You won't be disappointed with the food and try out their orange chocolate gelato!

Sarah, me, and Cassie

Sarah was the best date ever! She rocks the 80s like nobody's business!

Lipstick time!

My friend from school got me the coolest light-up ring from the dollar store. It was awesome until I broke it and now the stupid thing won't turn off! So it's living in my bathroom until it dies so that I don't suffer a seizure from its strobing effects.

Ring of epic proportions!

Sarah brought her mom's old glasses from the 80s. It's safe to say my 20/20 vision has not changed because I couldn't see anything in these things!

Where am I?!

We went to 5 places total: Hot Italian, Ernesto's, Monte Carlo, Shady Lady Saloon (although we didn't get in), and R15. Each place had a very different scene. Hot Italian was a bunch of hipsters eating pizza. Ernesto's had great bartenders who thought we were hilarious and ridiculous. When we went into Monte Carlo, I was fairly certain I was going to get beaten up. It was a bunch of tough looking men with their broads, but it turned out they loved us too! Honestly, who doesn't love people wearing 80s gear?! R15 was our last stop. Tons of cute guys and a fun scene. Cassie, Sarah, and I scoped out boys, being each other's wingwomen. We weren't particularly successful, but I did manage to have some interesting conversations with people. It's fun being back on the dating scene and flirting with guys again :)

It was a pretty awesome night, although my feetsies are a little worse for the wear since I wore the wicked heels of doom. One Achilles' tendon has no skin left on it and the pads of my feet are super swollen. I'm going to try to get in a few miles today if I can manage to get out of bed soon. I love staying in bed all day after crazy fun nights :)

How was your Friday night? What crazy fun things did you do?

Tunezzz

I don't have time today for a real post (got free tickets to the IMAX Born to Be Wild 3D movie tonight!), but I thought I'd share one of my favorite, uplifting songs at the moment. Check it out and feel better about the world :)

Day Off

I pounded out another 3.1 miler yesterday in 28 and change. After working out 6 days last week and not getting enough sleep, my legs were like "Woah!" And I was like "Woah!" And we were like...ok, I'll stop, you get the picture.

I've been making some pretty sweet food lately. Yesterday was pretty stellar in the health department. I impressed myself. Like woah.

2 Hardboiled eggs and a mixture of brown rice, stir-fry sauce, edemame, green beans, and peas. And milk in the classiest of all classy cups.

Then it was time for a smoothie. Oj, vanilla Carnation Instant Breakfast (who needs pricey protein powder?!), banana, strawberries, and blueberries.

Mix it all up and you have this beauty! So tasty and smooth!

And den...and den...and den I made tea:

Purple and orange. Totes the new black.

I felt preeeetty dang healthy, not gonna lie. My body was super happy with me. I did eat a bunch of Pamela's Products Extreme Chocolate Simplebites, though. If you haven't had them yet, go run to the store right now and buy yourself a bag. They are so yummy and chocolatey! Best part of all, they're wheat and gluten free. Even though I don't have issues with wheat or gluten, cutting a smidge out of my diet can't hurt. Plus the cookies are just healthier for you overall, in terms of their nutritional content.

Chocolate heaven!

Today there will be no running or exercise of any kind. I have a huge lab practical tomorrow that I should be studying for. My running shoes are calling out to me, but alas, I can give them no attention! So sad! :(

"Mommy, come play with us! We want to step on twigs, get dirt on us, and see the sunshine!"

Um...so yeah...I pretty much just made myself sound like a weirdo, so I will leave you all to your judgement now. Aaaaaand begin!

Healthy Obsessions

I know my daily mileage has been pretty weak sauce lately. With school and life, I just haven't made the time to make a big effort to increase my daily miles. I just figure that as long as I'm going out there consistently, that's better than not doing it at all. The one thing I have been good at is running nearly every day. I realized as I was looking at my running log that I ran/worked out 6 days last week! Crazy! I haven't done that in probably over a year! So, while my mileage may be low, my dedication is still there. It's becoming an obsession again, which is nice, because for a while it wasn't. I think that's what happens when you're newly single...you seek out something to fill the time that will always make you feel better. For me, that's exercise. Couldn't get a healthier obsession if I tried!

Healthy guns of steel!

Because of the increase in days of running, my feet are starting to get achy and tired. My right big toe has been sore, which I thought was just due to the arthritis it has (yes, I have old lady feet and I even wear orthotics!), but I think the "heavy" mile load has been making it hurt too. Worst part is that I have THE MOST ticklish feet EVER! I can hardly touch my feet sometimes because they are so ticklish! (You better not use this fun-fact on me or I'll probably kick you in the face...it's a knee-jerk reaction, ya'll!) So I can't really even massage my feet :( I'm going to try wearing socks and then massaging. Maybe that'll work.

Best. Socks. Ever!

So I have to tell you guys about the best obsession discovery I made recently. Have you guys heard of this amazing creation?!:

I couldn't be happier that they've finally made fro-yo for the grocery store! Now I don't have to go schlepping across town to get some. It's right in my freezer aisle!

I highly recommend fresh strawberries on top. Don't mind the cracked countertop. It adds character!

Nom nom nom!

Don'tcha Wish Your Stalker Was Creepy Like Mine?!

Apparently I have acquired a stalker/creeper. High five me! Not.

Got a weird bunch of texts from some dude who claims we met in Kentucky one time at a local bar and now he's moved here, doesn't have a place to stay, wants to get a place with me, and for me to lend him money. Riiiiiight. I really wish I was joking, but I'm not. What is my life?!

Needless to say, I'm a bit freaked out right now. Besides the whole actually having some weirdo who did this, it's ruined my sense of security, which, lemme tell you, is a nice thing to have. I'm going to the local police department tomorrow to find out about submitting a complaint or getting a restraining order. I don't mess around!

So, in order to make myself feel safer, I've taken to bringing my tiny pocketknife with me everywhere. In my purse, on my runs, etc.

It's my intention to make myself look as ugs as possible for all you fine folks.

Mister Pocketknife and I have been best friends since I did my internships in Kentucky. That knife has cut many bales of hay and straw open, whittled wood, and sliced my fingers a few times. We're tight. As tight as one can be with a knife. Ninja style.

Mister Knife don't mess. He gots 2 blades! Hi-ya bad guys!

So enough weirdo talk, let's look at some yum-yums! This is the best pork dinner you will ever have. I tell no lies.

Get in my belly!

The recipe for the delicious pork is called "Pork Chops and Apples" (very creative, I know) from the Hollyhocks & Radishes (1993) cookbook.

4 porkchops, 3/4-1" thick
5 baking apples, pared, cored, and sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
12 oz beer
paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Trim any fat from porkchops. Layer apples, onions, and chops (in that order) in a well-buttered, 10" casserole, at least 2" deep. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook over medium heat for a minute, stirring. Add beer all at once, and stir constantly until thickened. Pour over chops. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered for 1.5 hours.

Seriously kids, this meal is amazing and will impress impressionable people. Do it!

Ice Cream Truck

It's 3:45 PM. On Sunday. I still haven't gone for a run yet. All I hear outside is the sound of an ice cream truck. Instead of wanting to go for a run, I want to run out to the truck and devour all it's yummy contents. Legit gluttony right there!

can i haz ice cweem?!

And Reach and Stretch!

Stretching. Possibly one of my favorite things to do pre- and post-workouts/runs. I love stretching! And you wanna know why? Cuz it makes any ninja feel like a superstar!

Now, I'm one of those weirdos who stretches before and after any workout. My body responds better. Plus, I used to have to stop multiple times during runs to stretch out my calves (obviously my calves and I have some issues to deal with since we're not good friends). I have also pulled both groin muscles when I didn't stretch before a run. Talk about not having a good story to tell friends when that happens!

Friend: So what happened to you?
Me: I pulled my groin muscle.
Friend: How'd you do that...? *snickering*
Me: I didn't stretch before running...
Friend: Oh lame! I thought it was...you know...
Me: Yeah, I know. Shut up. It wasn't that!

There's this whole theory that stretching before running makes one more prone to injury. I'm sure for some people that is true. It's the opposite for me. But don't do what I do just because I think it's the best thing ever. I don't have liability insurance.

My typical routine of stretches include these (don't mind the scrubs, I had class today):

Straight leg stretch for the hammies. I swear I'm not asleep.

Side stretch. Stretches the adductors.

The "I swear I'm normal!" stretch. Stretches the adductors and hammies.

Butterfly stretch. Stretches the adductors and causes creepy smiles.

Twisty stretch. Stretches abductors and glutes.

The "I'm a freak for being able to stretch this much!" stretch. Stretches the glutes, hammies, and quads.

Best calf stretch for loosening up that gastrocnemius muscle.

Quad stretch for buff brahs only.

Obviously these are only leg stretches. I do stretch my arms but arms aren't exactly the easiest things to stretch. My legs endure the brunt of pain/exhaustion/labor so they get TLC more than any other group of muscles in my body.

It's still a trial and error thing for me with stretching. I can usually get away with only doing one hamstring stretch, one adductor stretch, and the calf stretch if I'm running out of time for my run. I ALWAYS stretch afterward because if I don't, I will be sore and tight the next day. Totally not worth it!

What are your favorite stretches to do? Do you stretch before or after working out?