Green Today, Green Tomorrow

March 11th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (4 Comments)

Greens To Go. Thank you Daylight Savings Time for NOT SAVING ME ANY TIME AT ALL.

Green Smoothie to Go

OK, that’s not true. I had plenty of time for breakfast this morning, I just ran out of time. This is why God invented Travel Mugs. For people like me who continue to underestimate how long it will take to get all of the children out the door on time.

Today’s green goodness was a blend of orange juice, spinach, cottage cheese, broccoli and frozen strawberries.  Much like this smoothie, except without the banana – only because I forgot it, not because I’m holding a grudge against bananas or anything.

Choices Lead to Habits

February 26th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (9 Comments)

Do you know the best thing about running on cold and dreary days?

Cold and Dreary

It makes running on the sunny days that much brighter.

(I know that sounds corny but it’s true!)

My weekend long run for Week 4 of half marathon training was seven miles. It was 30-something degrees and I wore all my usual winter running gear with the addition of a windbreaker over my fleece. By the time I was three miles in, I was starting to feel HOT and overdressed. Sometime around mile four I finally took off my neck warmer and mittens and shoved them in the pockets of my jacket before tying it around my waist for the remaining three miles home.

In the Long Run

February 18th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (3 Comments)

Let’s say you want to run a half marathon, but you take a look at a couple training programs and you’re worried that you don’t have time to commit to every single run prescribed in the plan or if you’re really going to be able to keep going through all these snow filled days.

Half Marathon Training

I See Blue Circles

September 28th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (2 Comments)

My kids love frozen blueberries.

Frozen Blueberries

Both of them. Even the little one.

They snack on them straight from the freezer and then force me to look at their blue stained lips for about three hours until the color wears off, or until I can’t take it anymore and pin them to the ground for a spit bath with my saliva wetted thumb.

I haven’t bought frozen blueberries for a few months now because of the overabundance of summer fruit we were getting from the CSA share. They asked me to buy frozen blueberries, but I just couldn’t bring myself to buy FROZEN fruit with three pounds of fresh peaches in the fridge.

Long Run Saturday

September 17th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (5 Comments)

OK baby girl, enough with the bike riding birthday breakfast bonanzas – you’ve got a marathon you’re supposed to be training for.

Steamtown Marathon Letter

Oh shoot, you’re right!  Well, it’s Saturday, so I guess that means we’re running long today, eh?

A few weeks ago I made my own version of Brendan Brazier’s Direct Fuel Bites for long runs. This batch was made much like the one I made last year – with dates, coconut oil and cocoa powder. This time I threw in a little dulse (for electrolytes), hemp seeds (for protein), chia seeds (for kicks) and shredded coconut (for fun).

1.  I failed to remember to charge my Garmin before bed last night, thus I ran today with my old school (now seemingly very little in comparison) digital watch that doesn’t tell me anything fun or exciting.

Little Watch

2.  My left arm felt amazingly light with no 3 lb garmin strapped to it.  So light in fact that it kept creeping up toward the sky and I had to hold it down with my other hand lest every person I ran past wonder if they were supposed to call on me to answer a question.

Not January Yet

December 6th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (24 Comments)

It’s Sunday! How about starting today with a nice long run with Jillian Michaels on my shoulder? Jillian’s radio show may be over, but that doesn’t mean she can’t live on in my heart and my iPod too.

Jillian on My Shoulder

At 28 degrees, it was cold enough this morning to break out the pink fuzzy gloves. I think I got these gloves when I was in 6th grade. They matched the hot pink trim on my bright purple winter coat that year. Nearly 20 years later I’ve still got these gloves and I can only pray that jacket has been destroyed.

Sweaty Oats

August 22nd, 2009 | Posted by Alison in Breakfast - (13 Comments)

I enjoyed a pre-run peach waiting for my bud Shawn to show up to run long this morning. I had my mind on 10 miles but was up for going with the flow and running less if necessary.

Pre-Run Peach

We set out to do a 6 mile loop and as soon as we started I was feeling pretty tired. We took it easy and maintained 9 minute or so pace and I started settling in and feeling better after we had a couple miles behind us.

So Damn Hot

August 16th, 2009 | Posted by Alison in Fitness - (16 Comments)

As part of my very loose half marathon training plan (i.e., getting in one long run a week between 7 – 10 miles) I had a long run on tap for today.

My running buddy Shawn said he was up for going long today so he came out to run with me. Waiting for him to arrive, I enjoyed a plum snowman.

Plum Snowman

Watch them disappear.

two plums one plum no plums

Like magic! I think there was about a 15 second lapse between each of those photos. I’m a plum eating machine!

Sorta Long Run Monday

July 27th, 2009 | Posted by Alison in Breakfast - (7 Comments)

Zak is off today to catch up on family time, so I decided today would be a good day to make up for no running for two days and get a sorta long run in too.

I got up to whip up the best pre-run fuel I could think of. A Tequila Green Lemonade Sunrise.

sunrise_green_lemonade

And two slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel toast with raw almond butter.

cinnamon_ez