tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35056999079764756002024-01-26T04:15:04.179-05:00The Road to My First 70.3 Half Ironman!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-86123003926531164042012-03-23T09:25:00.001-04:002012-03-23T09:25:28.152-04:00Spin class cancelled!Due to some recent leg and hip issues I have been getting worked out, I cancelled tonights spin class at 5:30! <br />
<br />
I do not want to overdue it and push my luck!!!! <br />
<br />
A new post will be up tomorrow!!!<br />
<br />
Xo<br />
Ali Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-57324554220988225072012-03-20T09:10:00.001-04:002012-03-20T09:11:30.310-04:00Less than 2 weeks....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">Oh my..... </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b>Countdown: 10 days, 20 hours and 55 minutes (9:04 am, Philly)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">We had an exciting and nerve- wrecking day yesterday (Monday), as we shipped our bikes to Cali.</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"> I have a detailed post coming soon about the process. It was a pain in the butt!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">For now, wish us luck as we continue to prepare for our departure!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Spin this week:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>WEDNESDAY</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>SpinTRX- 9:45 am at Focus Fitness Main Line in Bryn Mawr!!!</u></div><div style="text-align: center;">* 45 minute of an endurance/ strength focused spin class--- followed by a 30 minute, full- body, core focused TRX workout!!!!*<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bxicwdwOqTLLx76c1Jh7a3s_lUuAaDO_qdUgmMlGYqJIxBcfcvrHtpkNZ1rWZESTfBO47l-FZRcMQSD3rROjt1EPWqAjUfp83UJ9Q58L3q-jAJ-qR_lZweGJnyEl-FTBZsk0S_RFio8/s1600/TRX_photo_1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-bxicwdwOqTLLx76c1Jh7a3s_lUuAaDO_qdUgmMlGYqJIxBcfcvrHtpkNZ1rWZESTfBO47l-FZRcMQSD3rROjt1EPWqAjUfp83UJ9Q58L3q-jAJ-qR_lZweGJnyEl-FTBZsk0S_RFio8/s200/TRX_photo_1.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>THURSDAY</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spin, 6:15- 7pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>FRIDAY</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spin, 5:30- 6:15<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">See you there!!!!</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">XO</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: blue;">Ali</span></div><b><br />
</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-20123407592203274142012-03-10T09:38:00.001-05:002012-03-10T09:38:50.809-05:00Exciting Spin News!<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Exciting News!!!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIUcnXO8vWetZRVaMmGSG8hHHXEuF4TUC3noniZs58rLDdMfTErlO9GBQJ-aMg6vNVUAET0xluyf_8RblZfbDy3dRHaLozE-22BYaNEW5Uznr6B4t5V2pGCsFZNyyQLsahmZbbVz0N0s/s1600/Turkey-on-a-Bike.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIUcnXO8vWetZRVaMmGSG8hHHXEuF4TUC3noniZs58rLDdMfTErlO9GBQJ-aMg6vNVUAET0xluyf_8RblZfbDy3dRHaLozE-22BYaNEW5Uznr6B4t5V2pGCsFZNyyQLsahmZbbVz0N0s/s200/Turkey-on-a-Bike.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Next week, I have been asked to instruct some additional spin classes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>@ Focus Fitness Main Line in Bryn Mawr, PA.</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Monday 3/12</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">9:30 am</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Wednesday 3/14</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">8:30 am</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Thursday 3/15</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">6:15 pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Friday 3/16</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">9:30am </div><div style="text-align: center;">5:30 pm</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stay tuned for a fun post about tomorrow's long bike ride tomorrow I am doing with the boys!!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Countdown: 2 weeks, 6 days... 21 hours </span><span style="color: red; font-size: x-small;">(9:37 Philly time)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">XO</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-86397749018645912352012-03-07T10:03:00.001-05:002012-03-07T10:05:43.909-05:00Paleo Foodie!<b>Countdown: 23 Days </b>(and 20 hours.... 9:18 a.m. Philly time right now)..<br />
<br />
Yes, I have now been counting down even HOURS as I begin to freak out about the biggest race of my life thus far.<br />
<br />
As training is beginning to taper, (backing off to conserve our energy for the race), I have been slowly recovering from all the hard workouts. This is not to say that the workouts are over by any means... they are still hard... but instead of 4 hours, it is 3 hours on the bike... instead of a two hour run as hard as you can, it is 2 hours jogging...<br />
<br />
Don't think Im sitting on the couch doing nothing- I'm still always tired and hungry and without a doubt cranky by the end of the week!!!!! ;)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLybYjqfZKhn_B1QoPjWzF-kDF9Lm2OklSmVjcgc90v1AD_Nft8ISdSMgM4XDj_FBNKAPOVqxAQ0PPkZf_BWc8kYK_JQCJWHetbAL8byLmdKq9nKlrbPKx2iviuEbczXQBA5IGs8OFHGI/s1600/Tapering.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLybYjqfZKhn_B1QoPjWzF-kDF9Lm2OklSmVjcgc90v1AD_Nft8ISdSMgM4XDj_FBNKAPOVqxAQ0PPkZf_BWc8kYK_JQCJWHetbAL8byLmdKq9nKlrbPKx2iviuEbczXQBA5IGs8OFHGI/s320/Tapering.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
It never ends. Ever.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>This week: </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><u>MONDAY</u>- </b>I taught a spin class and swam 45 minutes, working on my stroke work and even pacing.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><u>TUESDAY</u>- </b>I ran 45 minutes and was supposed to have strength training, but I felt my body weak and tired, so I opted out and took the rest of the day off...<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><u>WEDNESDAY</u>- </b>Today I am swimming for an hour, trying to nail down some nice intervals while conquering some distance in the lap pool at my gym. THEN, I am going to go for a light 30 minute run to keep my legs fresh.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><u>THURSDAY</u>-</b> Strength training in the AM then on the bike for a spin class (6:15 at Focus Fitness!)<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><u>FRIDAY</u>- </b>Spin class in the AM- swim around lunch- then another spin class in the evening.<br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u>SAT</u>- </b>a LONG bike.. second to last long bike until we fully cut back... 4 hours- hopefully the boys will join me on this one!<br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u>Sunday</u>- </b>2 hour light run... (whoever calls a 2 hour run light is out of their minds...)<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
Since this week is packed with spin classes (I am subbing for some people and have been asked to do more than usual).... I am doing a SPIN SPECIAL blog on Sunday.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>For now.... FOOD. </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>As we approach getting closer to the race, I have been ironing out my nutrition, specifically race- day nutrition and the week of the race. </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Now, I know that just because I follow a certain plan for one week, doesn't mean I see results... therefore, as I have been following Paleo for 6 out of 7 days of the week as much as possible, from here on out... ONLY PALEO. </b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3utXCvqdVfkdt4zdNGbS-fpfTzyG_Nc2k3pd4hRa6uSXRUykq-iKZGh9XOaZ-v_w28BGIHZM4-xdQ-pKkCIFxPKMi23Ex04rtCi9gLQdQdQ0EZ2xPOWDHv3VL0Zd3C2YQK7O4NjiIGkE/s1600/!!+low-carb-high-protein.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3utXCvqdVfkdt4zdNGbS-fpfTzyG_Nc2k3pd4hRa6uSXRUykq-iKZGh9XOaZ-v_w28BGIHZM4-xdQ-pKkCIFxPKMi23Ex04rtCi9gLQdQdQ0EZ2xPOWDHv3VL0Zd3C2YQK7O4NjiIGkE/s320/!!+low-carb-high-protein.gif" width="320" /></a></div><b>It's hard... but I try and keep my mind on the prize: completing this race, feeling good about my times!</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>In the midst of kicking my Paleo eating up a notch to full gear, I am officially sick of chicken and veggies... therefore, I have experimented and have found some AWESOME recipes I want to share with you guys: </b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<ol><li><b>PALEO POWER SMOOTHIE!</b></li>
</ol><div><b>This is awesome to start your day off. I am full after, energized, and it is a great shake full of healthy fats, proteins and amino acids. *** Remember, Paleo is DAIRY FREE!!!</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b><u>Ingredients:</u></b></div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><ul><li>Coconut Milk as a base, or ice (I use ice and water, with just a little bit of coconut milk for some extra fat)</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoRDUTJtDo5bi3isG5L16D6Te7a7TAkEGF3x-ZorbOuoYlr2rUcPIQEGvcfi9qH-TAHFjYPTocYtanWr4S2R4IRwv1j-QjCrFw1vxFSV98RnYMKzXiBX9w0GfglIMCjvxIkMighzVDTE/s1600/P1000249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoRDUTJtDo5bi3isG5L16D6Te7a7TAkEGF3x-ZorbOuoYlr2rUcPIQEGvcfi9qH-TAHFjYPTocYtanWr4S2R4IRwv1j-QjCrFw1vxFSV98RnYMKzXiBX9w0GfglIMCjvxIkMighzVDTE/s320/P1000249.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><ul><li><b>Frozen Berries</b> (I use frozen strawberries and blueberries then fresh blackberries)- good sugars and antioxidants!</li>
<li><b>1 Banana</b>- needs to be a little softer than you would eat normally</li>
<li><b>1- 2 Raw eggs</b> (do not worry about having them raw, USE FREE RANGE, NATURALLY FED, ORGANIC)... the taste wont bother you as you will only taste the other stuff, and it is full of amazing proteins and fats- For men, I put 3 in Jackson's shake when I make it for him... I would say 2-3 for men. </li>
<li><b>One or two spoon fulls of Nut Butter</b> (The taste will be subtle for a nice aftertaste, but also add even more healthy fats and fill your stomach) *** If you want to be ridiculous about it, get <u>RAW organic almond butter</u>- not as sweet because it has no sugar added, only natural sugar... :)</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTO9gIMOWsYNpiTw6-UvMe5dspRbTmoq38ebXlRawnWLeqmGTCZFRyb7LBnCMbeoqpGipU6qhae01sE8oY8di3Im38NB8KhpH8i7m1jPulBGSGQOj52K69Uxu2-w7M9epFM_M3uhBjhs/s1600/P1000245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTO9gIMOWsYNpiTw6-UvMe5dspRbTmoq38ebXlRawnWLeqmGTCZFRyb7LBnCMbeoqpGipU6qhae01sE8oY8di3Im38NB8KhpH8i7m1jPulBGSGQOj52K69Uxu2-w7M9epFM_M3uhBjhs/s200/P1000245.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><ul><li><b>Vanilla Extract </b>(adds a great taste for flavor explosion!!!!- I put in a good dose, about a tablespoon)</li>
<li>Lastly, I add 1 teaspoon- 2 teaspoons <b>Flaxseed</b> into it. Flaxseed is an awesome source of Fatty Acids and Omega-3... a necessity for muscle recovery for Endurance athletes. </li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu2G-k3Hwax5_UaEO_3ngAOC9m53tO_4tUL8vM4Vb-xl49d4FH0fQkAuM0-3Qqr0CMxFrdYbv1WNNoLu-KACPPtiX_ytX2RJNKHmMA6Z5ZSE4tsDYH5LT3RUcmW40ibhqawm99S82phI/s1600/P1000244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu2G-k3Hwax5_UaEO_3ngAOC9m53tO_4tUL8vM4Vb-xl49d4FH0fQkAuM0-3Qqr0CMxFrdYbv1WNNoLu-KACPPtiX_ytX2RJNKHmMA6Z5ZSE4tsDYH5LT3RUcmW40ibhqawm99S82phI/s320/P1000244.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div></div><div><i>*** All of these ingredients can be modified. For example, if you don't do much physical activity- no need for the Flaxseed, and only put in 1 egg and half of a banana... things like that can be altered to your personal lifestyle :)</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>THEN, </div><div><br />
</div><div>Put it all in a blender:</div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIx5Spn7e2tfhvp66fKIWhBsu8N1EfrVlcggINT01Pldd8ydR1KQl-BhSz849_ibj99i4MmhashD1YG52KEajzEjPitNsZz17AmgMQTS1nXeSlG-_6MUYcP7FjXLdle2HQHNWc8EGUgc/s1600/P1000246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIx5Spn7e2tfhvp66fKIWhBsu8N1EfrVlcggINT01Pldd8ydR1KQl-BhSz849_ibj99i4MmhashD1YG52KEajzEjPitNsZz17AmgMQTS1nXeSlG-_6MUYcP7FjXLdle2HQHNWc8EGUgc/s320/P1000246.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
And enjoy!<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl2rYnWNP-OMNJaclLvTeU5k5tray3ydG51IhJPlmzbHyYiEHqf-XMZM0laiz3DhVa8hdw1zWpjMW2MnJkP3fgfApNnnFJ96QFJTFv68nFspJDdA43x0DVxtWapQrnh6nwmOj3y_l49c/s1600/P1000251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghl2rYnWNP-OMNJaclLvTeU5k5tray3ydG51IhJPlmzbHyYiEHqf-XMZM0laiz3DhVa8hdw1zWpjMW2MnJkP3fgfApNnnFJ96QFJTFv68nFspJDdA43x0DVxtWapQrnh6nwmOj3y_l49c/s320/P1000251.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>It is delicious and packed with Paleo goodness!</b><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<br />
<ol><li><b>THE CAVEMAN STEAK!</b></li>
</ol><div>Classic and simple. Full of protein. Just pay attention to ingredient details so you do it right!</div><div><br />
</div><div><u>Ingredients</u></div><div><ul><li><b>5 oz- 6 oz, about 1 inch thick beef steaks</b> (rib- eye, sirloin, strip, tenderloin)... these are the least fatty... <u>MUST BE Grass Fed Beef to be fully Paleo and in my opinion, tastes even better and fresher!!!!!</u></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KXjjwW_TH6FAiuuKvlkpV0MRyhGA29Nkjz6e86nIFqP4QQNEsKdFLbOlQ3s3tkauyh3CX1axDXTaeXpRWzOUkp4DsfmbrVSJ_9yo1ahNlY7WfcrXb4jgFLTykIcVTNb1ayenJSYwN78/s1600/P1000240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KXjjwW_TH6FAiuuKvlkpV0MRyhGA29Nkjz6e86nIFqP4QQNEsKdFLbOlQ3s3tkauyh3CX1axDXTaeXpRWzOUkp4DsfmbrVSJ_9yo1ahNlY7WfcrXb4jgFLTykIcVTNb1ayenJSYwN78/s320/P1000240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><ul><li><b>1 tsp dried oregeno</b></li>
<li><b>1 tsp black pepper</b></li>
<li><b>1 tsp garlic, minced </b>(fresh is better, I used about 2 tsp... I love garlic!)</li>
<li><b>1/2 tsp of sea salt </b>(optional- Paleo says no salt, but sometimes you just gotta have it!)</li>
<li><b>1/4 cup coconut oil or tallow, melted </b><u>(I used coco oil)</u></li>
</ul><div><u>Process:</u></div></div></div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><ul><li><b>Preheat broiler to high</b></li>
<li><b>In a small bowl, combine oregano, black pepper, garlic, sea salt and the melted oil or tallow.</b></li>
<li><b>Place steaks on broiler pan and brush b</b>oth sides with mixture</li>
<li>Broil 2- 3 inches away from heat source (usually the top rack)....</li>
<li><b>Broil for 7 minutes for medium- rare </b>(watch carefully<b>), 8 for medium</b></li>
<li><b>Remove from oven, turn steaks over and broil other side for additional 5 minutes for medium rare </b>(6 for medium)</li>
<li><b>When desired internal temp is reached</b> (I cut it to check)<b>, remove steak from oven and cover with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes. </b>(I didn't let mine sit, it was perfect the way it was and my Father taught me steak continues to cook when it sits.. so you may want to take it out a few earlier than planned!)</li>
</ul><div>Serve with your favorite veggie!</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>I served with Green beans, with coconut oil and pepper and garlic... and a sweet potato for some extra healthy carbs and fats for Jackson and a Salad for me. </div><div><br />
</div><div>ENJOY!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vfbBFqybGJxua0j1Ob1DvNx1F2S3ySsyGPPbElPWVc0dbFS_63g18s2dX8rHlPGzP7jDAh4joSERGw07WbUAL3oIe8b7mEOiDVKR1tSr3OA5Um7GTQRhlv2Ssc8n_8p9MfRxc6IKZBU/s1600/P1000243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vfbBFqybGJxua0j1Ob1DvNx1F2S3ySsyGPPbElPWVc0dbFS_63g18s2dX8rHlPGzP7jDAh4joSERGw07WbUAL3oIe8b7mEOiDVKR1tSr3OA5Um7GTQRhlv2Ssc8n_8p9MfRxc6IKZBU/s320/P1000243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>3. KALE CHIPS!</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My mother brought these home once from a local salad place and I fell in love. Although hers were not Paleo, due to the excessive salt they had on them... so I researched and found a Paleo- approved version! These are a great snack, side to a lunch or if your craving something crunchy but can't have grains, like me! I will say, it is an acquired taste, thought- but I love them and its super simple!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Ingredients:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><br />
</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><b>1 bunch Kale</b></li>
<li><b>1 tsp of melted coconut oil</b></li>
<li><b>1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)</b></li>
<li><b>Pepper</b></li>
</ul><div><u>Process:</u></div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><ul><li>Rinse fresh Organic Kale</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhkGwpAp41_D6s73pPxzYL44kdKHaZNCCYHKAv3DSH_T4e06FQOYyUsLl6hEb037FMj84Qq5Y3bb_Qnsd3ONBAfwE14RCwxjM1dTO0hMaGs0-cAi5HPFRiaQxQodJ2Bs-w13w-UqhIog/s1600/P1000235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhkGwpAp41_D6s73pPxzYL44kdKHaZNCCYHKAv3DSH_T4e06FQOYyUsLl6hEb037FMj84Qq5Y3bb_Qnsd3ONBAfwE14RCwxjM1dTO0hMaGs0-cAi5HPFRiaQxQodJ2Bs-w13w-UqhIog/s200/P1000235.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div><u><br />
</u></div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li><b>Preheat oven to 350 F</b></li>
<li><b>Remove tough stems of Kale</b></li>
<li><b>Cut Kale into 2-3 inch sections and place on baking sheet.</b></li>
<li><b>Drizzle with coconut oil </b>(olive oil if you don't care about Paleo)</li>
<li><b>Sprinkle with Black pepper and a TINY bit of Salt</b>, (more salt if you want more flavorings and aren't following Paleo to a tee)</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGsbzcSjLSEVd7ev3_qhs6hSlY6NPzgcnbQP2aD5D15-uUVaaaoVTrjAICsJT5uzxA5hzLoNQpIe7q6wfh5zZtala4WEie_Hs5R80w3iOI35IW64_sYzvCrbG_RpOJ-AhifORMD0D9D4/s1600/P1000236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGsbzcSjLSEVd7ev3_qhs6hSlY6NPzgcnbQP2aD5D15-uUVaaaoVTrjAICsJT5uzxA5hzLoNQpIe7q6wfh5zZtala4WEie_Hs5R80w3iOI35IW64_sYzvCrbG_RpOJ-AhifORMD0D9D4/s320/P1000236.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><ul><li><b>Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes, or until crispy--- serve hot</b> (They are better warm, BUT I save mine in a container and eat them whenever and they ares till delicious!)</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-XtGBHvA2WgiRwBWgnzKc1YShPJugY-Gm9dLUGr_nqtT4KdreFBOzsMT-7jhPcnVFTtDewOU13a-Yv565Yy6Ha1cHGPKIsC3y8v_UyC9pGy4Px1HyOTMN3TGUZXECXLePJGDmg_byiY/s1600/P1000239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-XtGBHvA2WgiRwBWgnzKc1YShPJugY-Gm9dLUGr_nqtT4KdreFBOzsMT-7jhPcnVFTtDewOU13a-Yv565Yy6Ha1cHGPKIsC3y8v_UyC9pGy4Px1HyOTMN3TGUZXECXLePJGDmg_byiY/s320/P1000239.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>4. Last one for today, but NOT LEAST!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP COCONUT FLOUR BREAD!</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love bread, need bread and miss it whenever I don't have it! Since I can't have it, and training is important to me and I am seeing results from Paleo, I try to find alternatives to grains by using wheat and grain free flours... like coconut flour or almond flour! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one is the best "bread" I've found yet. Grain AND dairy free. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u>Ingredients:</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><u><br />
</u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>1/2 cup of coconut four</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon of baking soda</li>
<li>6 eggs</li>
<li>1 banana (maybe 1 1/2 if you love that taste)</li>
<li>1/2 cup coconut milk</li>
<li>1/4 cup of coconut oil (or unsalted butter if you're not dairy- free)</li>
<li>4 tablespoons of organic, dairy- free dark chocolate chips (or regular organic chocolate chips for dairy people)</li>
</ul><div><u>Process:</u></div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><ul><li><b>Preheat oven to 350 F</b></li>
<li><b>In bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda</b></li>
<li><b>In another bowl, beat eggs, add in melted coconut oil, smashed banana and coconut milk.</b></li>
<li><b>Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and blend.</b></li>
<li><b>Fold in the chocolate chips</b></li>
<li><b>Pour into a greased loaf pan </b>(I grease mine with coconut oil SPRAY)</li>
<li><b>Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean!</b></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-nbmRhyphenhyphenMMT6bKf10p0yCzj0RsQpbC2w6_SDzycjvLWmjJMOAbmVGzIgqsdsR4V6Xr54RHzgqragN16tuYLe_GTa0fu3IJOePKIrSRx9nisPxpbzmjDJUCXA-NddYlRd9J9_Yg-7NOJM/s1600/P1000241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-nbmRhyphenhyphenMMT6bKf10p0yCzj0RsQpbC2w6_SDzycjvLWmjJMOAbmVGzIgqsdsR4V6Xr54RHzgqragN16tuYLe_GTa0fu3IJOePKIrSRx9nisPxpbzmjDJUCXA-NddYlRd9J9_Yg-7NOJM/s320/P1000241.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">YUM! *** Now, this WILL NOT taste like the best bakery bread you've ever had, BUT once you have a few pieces... it will melt in your mouth and you will learn to love it. I love it, and I am a big bread person!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Tip: Try eating it warm, with a bit of butter--- mmmm--- (I use non- dairy, soy free 'butter'- found at Whole Foods). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>** Remember, all ingredients must be organic, grass- fed meats and no additives. ONLY NATURAL SUGARS AND FATS!!!!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>It is a pain in the butt to always find these things, but your bodies will thank you later!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-----------------</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There will be more recipes coming up! I am having a great time in the kitchen and in my training. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So far, although I'm freaking out a bit... I know that I can complete this race.. and I'm getting very excited! The plans are into place for where we are staying, what we are doing and the details are coming together nicely. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our bikes are getting tuned up as we speak in preparation for our last two long rides and race day! "Slice", my bike, is ready to go with a whole new 'makeover' that I will take a picture of as soon as I pick her up from the shop!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks for reading and being patient with my lack of postings! It has been crazy busy! Enjoy the food, stay active and enjoy our lack of winter here in Philly. And for those West Coasters... SEE YOU SOON!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More to come!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Never Give Up-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ali</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>" I know I run like a girl. Try and keep up..."- Anonymous</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-85106259959385670272012-03-06T09:31:00.000-05:002012-03-06T09:31:24.157-05:00Get ready....<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Get ready for an awesome recipe post coming soon!!! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Sorry there havent been many posts... training is really taking a toll on my time and energy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">BUT, </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">JOIN ME at FOCUS FITNESS MAIN LINE in Bryn Mawr</div><div style="text-align: center;">for my challenging, worth while spin classes:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><u>Thursday</u> <b>6:15 pm</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><u>Friday</u> <b>9:30 am</b> <u>AND/OR</u> <b>5:30 pm</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><i>(Double your workouts, double your results!!!!)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzllonNTNpg-KclexUBZ19R6r-IwQiFNbCoWNmai7gZMzSce0rT7H3PIUN-bThyphenhyphenqK6bjlh1yFFak3ondY3qYBpXz0lk2yv0ioIkw8SMsUnfHHOG0qa-P5kKtb2lKia9HX9tpuBxFuZk6k/s1600/photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzllonNTNpg-KclexUBZ19R6r-IwQiFNbCoWNmai7gZMzSce0rT7H3PIUN-bThyphenhyphenqK6bjlh1yFFak3ondY3qYBpXz0lk2yv0ioIkw8SMsUnfHHOG0qa-P5kKtb2lKia9HX9tpuBxFuZk6k/s320/photo.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me before a spin class- <br />
Thank you to my older sister Ashley to being my # 1 rider, <br />
ALWAYS being there and being my photographer!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have been having great turn outs, with lots of energy and great riders.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Common excuses for not coming:</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>-I have never done it</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>-I don't like riding bikes</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>-You said it is challenging, I am not in great shape</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>-Injury</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">... I DONT CARE! ANYONE CAN DO THIS! You take it at your own pace, I'll walk you through it, any injury can be helped and/or cushioned in my class!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> The lights are off, the music is loud... you WILL enjoy it, I promise!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come in and check it out!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If any of you have an interest in a<b> <u>6 am Friday morning</u></b> ride, let me know... they need a sub during that time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">arc@cook515.com</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">XO</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-76818199320873096922012-03-02T10:19:00.000-05:002012-03-02T10:19:00.903-05:00HECTIC!<div style="text-align: center;">Hi Everyone!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sorry for not keeping you "in the loop!" We have only <u style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold;">28 days </u>until the race! Wow, did time fly!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">It has been more hectic than ever. Training itself is enough to deal with- but now we have the added stress and frustration of trying to figure out the logistics of it all:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Transportation of bikes</div><div style="text-align: center;">Transportation of us</div><div style="text-align: center;">What to pack</div><div style="text-align: center;">Our "gear" checklist/ ordering what we need</div><div style="text-align: center;">What are we going to eat while we are out there? </div><div style="text-align: center;">When we get there, what workouts do we have to do/ do we have access to pools and bikes?</div><div style="text-align: center;">....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">the list goes on and on. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH2OAEPyAEdCVE1JAtdcA1AatWeKNaNk_UHeVn8c_Lcg3C6MHx96nB3jaxHvItflV1dpDMQe6xAFW6dGIIfoPzVgNKtNGK1vQbr2WL3zj5M2L39szcQAZ0WsiNxUHZYPdbcpGeqd_Mk8/s1600/checklist.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBH2OAEPyAEdCVE1JAtdcA1AatWeKNaNk_UHeVn8c_Lcg3C6MHx96nB3jaxHvItflV1dpDMQe6xAFW6dGIIfoPzVgNKtNGK1vQbr2WL3zj5M2L39szcQAZ0WsiNxUHZYPdbcpGeqd_Mk8/s200/checklist.gif" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Luckily, my parents have been an enormous help to my brother, Jackson and I in figuring all these things out. Thankfully, it is all coming together!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I will give you a nice update of everything we have been doing and what is to come on Saturday!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks for reading and being patient!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">XO</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-3406375341619339202012-02-22T16:13:00.001-05:002012-02-23T11:10:17.840-05:00Motivation/ Mid- week check in<div style="text-align: center;">37 Days....</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I needed some major motivation today. As I was looking over the course maps, my training schedule and what is coming up... I started freaking out... to say the least.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">You would think knowing that there was 1.2 miles to swim, 50 some miles of biking uphill and then 13.1 miles to run, that these facts would be enough motivation. By simply knowing I would have to complete those miles, one would think it would be easy to say, ' I better get my butt out there and train.'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, no. The process has become grueling and tiring. My motivation needed a good refresher and I needed a kick in the butt...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">These are what got me going: </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/xo-nbnw8zSI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Amazing. Inspiring. Ridiculous.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/QuRj20wPpyI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheesy, but awesome.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And last.... but certainly not least:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Alex and Jackson showed me this, this past summer... I cried... obviously... but I re- watched it today for a bit of motivation)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/cxqe77-Am3w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Never Give Up-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-40820685315416039602012-02-19T19:41:00.000-05:002012-02-19T19:41:31.895-05:00Run, Run, ... Keep Running?Countdown:<br />
<br />
40 Days!!!!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2O1VXhk8i1alQnM4yW4Yj0kVF0dI4HwYTMFbmTAW7UPeS1RPqfyWp4jac_Y284Rx8WeAh9F7OJDKxwv01ulgOqWK1Ntyv7-l4u1m9nZTZgPy-w_aYAStEn3nQxoBcn8AysIUzFw_a0Y/s1600/Ah-Freaked-out.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2O1VXhk8i1alQnM4yW4Yj0kVF0dI4HwYTMFbmTAW7UPeS1RPqfyWp4jac_Y284Rx8WeAh9F7OJDKxwv01ulgOqWK1Ntyv7-l4u1m9nZTZgPy-w_aYAStEn3nQxoBcn8AysIUzFw_a0Y/s200/Ah-Freaked-out.jpeg" width="170" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The hardest part about all of this training is definitely doing it through the cold winter days. For 3 main reasons:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ol><li>As we have discussed before, all of the holidays and events that take place during the winter months make it really difficult.</li>
</ol><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> 2. In the winter, you are generally more lazy and more prone to eating, drinking and lounging around </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> infront of a fireplace, while watching your favorite movies...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTfWzDJv_y4qVYPBZgU0E76xXuhh8zRnQjUVO7EOptSxhdla8usyGTCinxKYUt8XX_IhfVdCEKdAI3-Jt_6oTgmpQ6nvPOP4-F8qZIQC4TrMlV5S8sB4CLZGhfIuFC7qeFBUEZzrN8EE/s1600/3-lazy-polar-bears.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpTfWzDJv_y4qVYPBZgU0E76xXuhh8zRnQjUVO7EOptSxhdla8usyGTCinxKYUt8XX_IhfVdCEKdAI3-Jt_6oTgmpQ6nvPOP4-F8qZIQC4TrMlV5S8sB4CLZGhfIuFC7qeFBUEZzrN8EE/s200/3-lazy-polar-bears.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> 3. It is hard to run when it is 20 or 30 degrees out and/ or snowing... impossible to bike when it is this </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> cold and icy... and swimming... the outdoor pools aren't open in the winter and there's no open </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> water swim locations around, therefore you're stuck indoors, going back and forth, back and forth </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> with no fresh air... and well,... you make up some random excuse not to go do this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, the three of us (My brother, Jackson and I) all said to one another... no more excuses... let's bundle up and get out there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, last Saturday... we put on about 5 layers and went out in the suburbs by my parents house to run a 2 hour, hilly... and snowy run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After stretching for 30 minutes trying to get psyched up in the living room and pulling ourselves off of the couch, we walked up my parents driveway and the cold hit us like a ton of bricks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At this point, the conversation was somewhat like this:<br />
<div><br />
<div><u>Alex</u>, "Oh boy... not in the mood. It is cold!"</div><div><u>Jackson</u>, "Can't we just run up this hill a few times and call it quits?"</div><div><u>Me</u>, "No. Let's go. Get it over with"... 2 minutes later, "Ok, I'm not in the mood for this."</div><div><br />
</div><div>BUT, we continued and climbed up our first hill within the first two minutes... (I got yelled at by the boys for choosing this route)</div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3DNibcytDdDdIHHdxOrju9QciME3JLiUk1OddjvePiS6BSuu609H9gmF5dC3FYxXpYEiI0LTIV3OO__EJ_iob5WiwiVNi9fhmQpL66e3E2-5PiSCJZsGhykSfFok6hORFWXX_IiTslE/s1600/P1000225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx3DNibcytDdDdIHHdxOrju9QciME3JLiUk1OddjvePiS6BSuu609H9gmF5dC3FYxXpYEiI0LTIV3OO__EJ_iob5WiwiVNi9fhmQpL66e3E2-5PiSCJZsGhykSfFok6hORFWXX_IiTslE/s320/P1000225.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
For some reason, they let me go first... I never really know why, but I charged up the first hill (I regret it a few moments after)... but I looked back and the boys were not looking too pleased with me... or this whole workout.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFdYoGgcm2YlnvTK3sAOIIlsqlIMp0kpfhz-8X6juhsV2IUVktnqK85hzkecSgHJBqdojwBoPhcGWaY4JKvUB1KnCk-Q2HGIyn0UUK5X9HtpyLj26ISPHOmWr8PsmqmEDEw1X2NUHByc/s1600/P1000228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFdYoGgcm2YlnvTK3sAOIIlsqlIMp0kpfhz-8X6juhsV2IUVktnqK85hzkecSgHJBqdojwBoPhcGWaY4JKvUB1KnCk-Q2HGIyn0UUK5X9HtpyLj26ISPHOmWr8PsmqmEDEw1X2NUHByc/s320/P1000228.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
It was cold to the point where your toes got numb within the first 5 minutes of the run, your leg muscles tightened up simply because the first hill came up so quick we didn't have a good warm up and it was so cold that our legs weren't ready for it... so within the first mile, we were already struggling far more than usual, which was not good for the psyche with an hour and 45 minutes left in the run.<br />
<br />
Still continuing on...<br />
<br />
The problem is, when we are instructed to do a "hilly run" by my Tri- trainer, choosing the hills around my parents house means they <i>never, ever </i>end.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjPy69ykLoiiX4ImI7q2GPE-3yx6sVQpUVzcaw5JdQIe6L3VXaetGowzB6eZeK6SNNq9m3H2K-CzJ0tUm5F7qfYwVbh-2Lc4jlPQ1FhxzpHlmsnPUij-2fdMnvWNvPSW16W0qI04eJgY/s1600/P1000229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKjPy69ykLoiiX4ImI7q2GPE-3yx6sVQpUVzcaw5JdQIe6L3VXaetGowzB6eZeK6SNNq9m3H2K-CzJ0tUm5F7qfYwVbh-2Lc4jlPQ1FhxzpHlmsnPUij-2fdMnvWNvPSW16W0qI04eJgY/s320/P1000229.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
About 5 hills in, already freezing cold and miserable... my brothers knee (which has been giving him some problems) completely gave out to the point where he couldn't run anymore. Jackson and I stayed behind with him, as we knew it wouldn't be a successful run and didn't want him to walk back alone.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-pbytc2hIXI1H020ZBaonPskvnzTJJjeXv4GyU3BpQlGv0Vidq0RBjHrHVFF8vCBYTtpzORab0fMpAJKX8xs7kEjDmxPqvtgkXX6Yhx1D0fuUtLIUBLx1zvkvXuVIXPFeR6Cgw2J_W0/s1600/P1000230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-pbytc2hIXI1H020ZBaonPskvnzTJJjeXv4GyU3BpQlGv0Vidq0RBjHrHVFF8vCBYTtpzORab0fMpAJKX8xs7kEjDmxPqvtgkXX6Yhx1D0fuUtLIUBLx1zvkvXuVIXPFeR6Cgw2J_W0/s320/P1000230.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
So, we walked back to the house and after about a 30 minute walk we were back... cold and Alex, in pain. We decided to count this as a day off...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I didn't mind stopping. In fact I preferred it. I was tired, cold and was not enthused about the run. I run harder and get more results when I am 'into it'. I was at this point worried about my brother and his knee and not in the mood to continue. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I went out on a nice hour and a half run on Wednesday, instead. A little behind with my running. I have been focusing on my bike and swim, therefore putting running to twice or even once a week. All three of us have come to the conclusion that no matter what, the run will stink at the end of this race... therefore, as long as we keep it on the map each week and are in shape (which we obviously will be), it will be ok. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rBbZ2WrcueLP4C9Dwr1FwClqqMrQHldPvwb3wVeUL7YqRxEyxhOkc9PnuxhgZ1jYFWuR8nNV8HFlCht7qDcQ-fVyFg5m3yPYoMf0dtu5y4lBvzKhzhyphenhyphenfCBvieMgz_ZQTMOU6Glx16wU/s1600/homer_running.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rBbZ2WrcueLP4C9Dwr1FwClqqMrQHldPvwb3wVeUL7YqRxEyxhOkc9PnuxhgZ1jYFWuR8nNV8HFlCht7qDcQ-fVyFg5m3yPYoMf0dtu5y4lBvzKhzhyphenhyphenfCBvieMgz_ZQTMOU6Glx16wU/s320/homer_running.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started the run today by leaving my apartment and running down some side streets to make my way down to the Schuylkill River Trail. It is about half a mile from my apartment. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ieg3bwuXCkrOoClZZL4v22gQI0bAQu09IM4lucxsh3PKyzFqvKFbPMDs0Ff4ymrdp9cj3U2mi1ZoiqoTPPC749ynaMVVUFNcmVfHSCGuFmUk5Sx_D35zmCvOrs5YpZuIZOZtKC6MpbM/s1600/photo+(18).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ieg3bwuXCkrOoClZZL4v22gQI0bAQu09IM4lucxsh3PKyzFqvKFbPMDs0Ff4ymrdp9cj3U2mi1ZoiqoTPPC749ynaMVVUFNcmVfHSCGuFmUk5Sx_D35zmCvOrs5YpZuIZOZtKC6MpbM/s320/photo+(18).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The plan was to run down to the trail, then hop on Kelly Drive, past the boat houses until I am about 45 minutes out. Then, turn around. I go by time, simply because its less grueling on my mind rather than miles. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The start of the path was not very welcoming. Cloudy and not as warm as weather.com had said it was going to be...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgema9qoQ7zyKF_FvexhZPErI3Fq9d1UUktVzP-lwFEKGOldw1v6-XXIT-YlM7mUZHW_ViXLw32E2W6UTTrxsn2L0m3oWCv4bFs18t-HujRiIA_D1fUz6s9_m4ywjAnvbY7C5JfyqPl1eY/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgema9qoQ7zyKF_FvexhZPErI3Fq9d1UUktVzP-lwFEKGOldw1v6-XXIT-YlM7mUZHW_ViXLw32E2W6UTTrxsn2L0m3oWCv4bFs18t-HujRiIA_D1fUz6s9_m4ywjAnvbY7C5JfyqPl1eY/s320/photo+(10).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance of Schuylkill River Trail</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was so dreary... hard to run and be motivated. Once again, the winter weather was winning the 'training battle'. Usually there are either other people on the trail to catch up with, or one of the boys with me... today... just me and the road. This time the alone time wasn't as great as when I was biking last week...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53Vasd-5PRHF3Galqgw35LtvUaDtJSPdTKdURJ_KD4o97Ufc03kHJ4XDexC51xA2mSRzCeSgqt1e7hpglgiSnxfLId69kcWidaJJgNlLb2jPIcFTQSr0u6f302hTML5zUACp58VtleZ0/s1600/photo+(9).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh53Vasd-5PRHF3Galqgw35LtvUaDtJSPdTKdURJ_KD4o97Ufc03kHJ4XDexC51xA2mSRzCeSgqt1e7hpglgiSnxfLId69kcWidaJJgNlLb2jPIcFTQSr0u6f302hTML5zUACp58VtleZ0/s320/photo+(9).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugh... just started.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The first uphill Grade comes about half mile into the run. It's not huge, something I should totally be able to handle considering: </div><div><br />
</div><div>1) I run this route all the time</div><div>2) I am in training for a 70.3... * come on, Ali... stop complaining! (Yes, I talk to myself) *</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwI3zj5Sb1dRfiCsg7-CmqQL_EyR-pLCUsyWVAcPuW5160-SzHB_J7pFNpLua5ABUzZ2a4Q47sjj-jPBrgffM6V4nA4ljA83ubIANRJxJaynaVBdV6b7cfEy8buaZgxQsrsxaM2CGLBNk/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwI3zj5Sb1dRfiCsg7-CmqQL_EyR-pLCUsyWVAcPuW5160-SzHB_J7pFNpLua5ABUzZ2a4Q47sjj-jPBrgffM6V4nA4ljA83ubIANRJxJaynaVBdV6b7cfEy8buaZgxQsrsxaM2CGLBNk/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At this point, I was warming up, running up the hill at about a 9 minute mile pace. I usually like to pick it up after Water Works when I hit Boathouse Row.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I get to Waterworks and already want to turn around. I turn up the music and push through it, almost stopping at Jackson's favorite, yet torturous workout spot: the sprinting hill:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Q8sdlQJvLOENB1NryZ37OYJ4vcreAdBmfAyLnmd5em4nityS3it7Ebvlu3TJ-ondNJH50ttt6XvlbsEK3DMoHvwhUIgzvZ4PuBr03Jkmyf-bg3vILxTP4pYSJ54KlpSBMXlbB61ym3w/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Q8sdlQJvLOENB1NryZ37OYJ4vcreAdBmfAyLnmd5em4nityS3it7Ebvlu3TJ-ondNJH50ttt6XvlbsEK3DMoHvwhUIgzvZ4PuBr03Jkmyf-bg3vILxTP4pYSJ54KlpSBMXlbB61ym3w/s400/photo+(7).JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That nice path you see above... so pretty right? Maybe for a nice stroll up to the top where there is a Gazebo, to look out on Philly with a nice cup of Joe?... Guess again. Try sprinting up it 10 times, after running 3 miles... nope not done.... in less than 20 seconds. No breaks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This workout was inspired by a drill my Tri- trainer told us to do this past summer. Same idea, but hers did not require as steep of a grade. Jackson decided to choose a steeper hill than what was expected of us to do these workouts once every couple of weeks. He drug me along with him once at 6 am in the fall (the same day he got jumped by a fox on the run... not kidding. Serves him right!) Anyways.. now, I try to avoid this workout whenever possible, therefore I ran right by it today with a smile on my face!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was finally at Boathouse Row. The 3 miles seemed like it was 5 already with the cold weather and running alone. So bored.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67OUgOrJQG6PHq6CCzwPhDrKFv8dRMu33bJmQs8PanGGW89Eyl08K_dYfwLFIseD-LrLprjKUdocmakbuu5ymTVbTRtitDV1lH9H0aNwO1Y-8bNVoKK23dU_rwO0RS-05QBbSyguYKHo/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh67OUgOrJQG6PHq6CCzwPhDrKFv8dRMu33bJmQs8PanGGW89Eyl08K_dYfwLFIseD-LrLprjKUdocmakbuu5ymTVbTRtitDV1lH9H0aNwO1Y-8bNVoKK23dU_rwO0RS-05QBbSyguYKHo/s320/photo+(6).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I picked up the pace to run approximately an 8 minute mile. I did an 8 minute mile, then backed it down to about a 9 minute mile, then back up to 8 and so on. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The worst part about running on Kelly Drive is that it is an 'out and back' course. Meaning, you run out... then you run the same way back. <i>Unless</i>, you are doing 'the loop' over The Falls Bridge and back onto West River Drive, but I think that may be worse as West River is made up of mostly just highway and cement. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The long grueling path, once again I mention <i>alone</i>, with very few people in sight... was terrible. But, I kept going and going and running and running.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXxZ5z6A06jRjHKIKkr6iz8xUMSCeXgiEYaYwWhmdT8pRq900C6N3sO2GYUZxYkxIfarwOxIfXyvFxQn4zhQJXRnuexmCwYWiu0mfszDm_fialnNSVe1x0dZU9e3GPoKYI8qUtz40z9A/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguXxZ5z6A06jRjHKIKkr6iz8xUMSCeXgiEYaYwWhmdT8pRq900C6N3sO2GYUZxYkxIfarwOxIfXyvFxQn4zhQJXRnuexmCwYWiu0mfszDm_fialnNSVe1x0dZU9e3GPoKYI8qUtz40z9A/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">From riding, I realized that no matter what, your mind gives up before your body. Riding was a head game. You could be the best horseback rider in the world, but if you psyched yourself out... you would quickly become your own worst enemy. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I believe this is true for most sports and most things in life. Think positive thoughts, more luck positive things will happen to you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I kept the goals of my tri- season in the back of my mind to push me through this boring hour and a half run.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAEKzbjO7F8nLJ_epyoC5U5K2-MebSSBZEXvo5r3ey3SA2TewF7IBY4jssJpjgjqLPGEu4R4u6vaZYjBy4kJ_yGhNtgaiNEg9qflEH19b3ObsdzMBVsgVXopWxDIOP5fAs4lztLxG0GI/s1600/photo+(14).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheAEKzbjO7F8nLJ_epyoC5U5K2-MebSSBZEXvo5r3ey3SA2TewF7IBY4jssJpjgjqLPGEu4R4u6vaZYjBy4kJ_yGhNtgaiNEg9qflEH19b3ObsdzMBVsgVXopWxDIOP5fAs4lztLxG0GI/s320/photo+(14).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Usually this scenery is peaceful and mind- clearing. I think today, since it was such a 'stay on the couch' type of day outside... I was struggling a bit. Not to mention my hamstrings were as tight as rocks, even after stretching, from my strength training and swimming the day before. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually, I turned around and it never felt better. After covering some ground, I made it back to Boathouse Row, which without a doubt every time reminds me of my little sister, Gracie's crew races. I used to watch her Row this past Spring, but get there in the early AM with my parents to run and train for the summer tri- season before she would go off in the afternoon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8y_7t6SIFqtHdUhsi5XGPBHytD3EI7LJ1gJPPEAuj1WKyxc9WglfIkR6sx8jJ3Edy8HnDa2dXH45DaYwulkBtogPByN0BvRlMEq5PVMTV6K788OCLt1JdnCZss1cqVvzdrWH-w7TYgY/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf8y_7t6SIFqtHdUhsi5XGPBHytD3EI7LJ1gJPPEAuj1WKyxc9WglfIkR6sx8jJ3Edy8HnDa2dXH45DaYwulkBtogPByN0BvRlMEq5PVMTV6K788OCLt1JdnCZss1cqVvzdrWH-w7TYgY/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then, I picked up the pace even a little more, because once I see the city again... I get a bit antsy to finish the run. If Jackson and Alex are with me, this is usually where they say "slow down!"... or "jeez, someone wants to get home!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfyrLA2sHknk8h5QpKMwhOhZjMbtYTbDSZtw6K1UGjmHKAqwI8xiD0Yfl8DgAj1nSgpjS-VScvqtNeDb926FVs2eal8FTKhM-6C9zGAVqX43jjvxuMiUEK-VYf_uMDGTpm77FSnFeK68/s1600/photo+(15).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvfyrLA2sHknk8h5QpKMwhOhZjMbtYTbDSZtw6K1UGjmHKAqwI8xiD0Yfl8DgAj1nSgpjS-VScvqtNeDb926FVs2eal8FTKhM-6C9zGAVqX43jjvxuMiUEK-VYf_uMDGTpm77FSnFeK68/s320/photo+(15).JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I finally made it back. It was a long and boring run. But, once I was finished, I'm glad I did it- as usual. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is officially CRUNCH TIME. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are almost into March... and in my opinion, no where near ready to run this 70.3. It is time to pick up the pace... get to work and concentrate on our goal that we set for ourselves this past summer: the finish line. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have the magazine clipping on my fridge... and have had it since June of this past summer. It helps motivate and also make me laugh in the early mornings when having to work out, or late at night when I'm tired and hungry and just want a big cheeseburger (which is always...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-26kOlR02_qB1fFk1RU2idpq3RcASAcBWr0Jf_CM89K8BYjwCsVnCE22gBGv9MJ3uVughdB2o679p2QuSoi1IxjqSCeWSsq0M0QrPjjR17Ltcn_vq-EF7DhvpbqNbD1J5gi9JtGTnVs/s1600/P1000234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio-26kOlR02_qB1fFk1RU2idpq3RcASAcBWr0Jf_CM89K8BYjwCsVnCE22gBGv9MJ3uVughdB2o679p2QuSoi1IxjqSCeWSsq0M0QrPjjR17Ltcn_vq-EF7DhvpbqNbD1J5gi9JtGTnVs/s320/P1000234.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wish us luck! More to come!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
Never Give Up-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ali</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>"Training is what you are doing when your opponent is sleeping in." - Brian Owen</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-1518394581271971502012-02-13T20:16:00.000-05:002012-02-13T20:16:29.615-05:00Change of plan!<div style="text-align: center;">Hi Everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank's for being patient! I want to give you a great update with lots of pictures in regards to my training. This week, my training schedule has shifted, so a new post will be coming Wednesday instead of tonight!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPTpf_LanRDFHL_AUzcBRvLmg6Yive0Dj8HIS6ostQcrTb7MN-KjgDi3cblgNNvjqnI7hX7laj2RGcYqLcg3u7ayycOoT1mDP-7nZB0wAYGtkxxBYyJ3osWuZ3rhesb38gQ0GhWhZ7YE/s1600/iStock_000007309956XSmall.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPTpf_LanRDFHL_AUzcBRvLmg6Yive0Dj8HIS6ostQcrTb7MN-KjgDi3cblgNNvjqnI7hX7laj2RGcYqLcg3u7ayycOoT1mDP-7nZB0wAYGtkxxBYyJ3osWuZ3rhesb38gQ0GhWhZ7YE/s320/iStock_000007309956XSmall.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Stay tuned for a fun post on Wednesday evening!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">~~~~~~~~~~</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qUrdrRYAbH2PrlwMe1c-BXiHsuWLQ269_vg1katwF71Il6hPTiRuxk6RAJPQ-nTA7c9AIsEIrCvpT-3YvCl3PaadFHhO0eZIUeDrDhw3Fw78zV66wTolqomplj-Wa-34Ng3vcETrPTQ/s1600/beating_heart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qUrdrRYAbH2PrlwMe1c-BXiHsuWLQ269_vg1katwF71Il6hPTiRuxk6RAJPQ-nTA7c9AIsEIrCvpT-3YvCl3PaadFHhO0eZIUeDrDhw3Fw78zV66wTolqomplj-Wa-34Ng3vcETrPTQ/s320/beating_heart.gif" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">XOXO,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-84500444272834601512012-02-12T10:10:00.001-05:002012-02-12T10:10:39.333-05:00RECIPE FUN!<div style="text-align: left;">Hi everyone!<br />
<br />
So, my new years resolution, among others, was to cook ONE NEW PALEO RECIPE a WEEK. This will help me eat healthy and stay on track... while mixing it up a bit and becoming a better cook!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to my cookbook, there are millions of blogs online of people who follow the Paleolithic lifestyle and offer recipes to the public. It is hard to tell which recipes are good and which ones are bad. In addition, some blogs are false in their ingredients' being fully Paleo (for example, some may use olive oil... NOT Paleo...)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYJeK-zzRGna3cSlxe7R2J-UcEQcbyIk6RtZvVPvp9HsBl3hYtNIGb62oWriaR8f3cgGNH-P4XqrlDCRB84k8P7n7KxAoHyqmlezBJVfYCpTuh6rTk-zrxk73itn-oyqHIs3cgbbqVVQ/s1600/paleo-plate.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYJeK-zzRGna3cSlxe7R2J-UcEQcbyIk6RtZvVPvp9HsBl3hYtNIGb62oWriaR8f3cgGNH-P4XqrlDCRB84k8P7n7KxAoHyqmlezBJVfYCpTuh6rTk-zrxk73itn-oyqHIs3cgbbqVVQ/s320/paleo-plate.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Some foods come out tasting like water or cardboard with no flavor, while others taste as if a professional at a 5 star restaraunt cooked it. There is a lot of trial and error involved with the Paleo cooking process.<br />
<br />
When I cook something new, I always make sure I have a back up plan just in case... either something else to cook... or a good takeout menu on hand. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">... but when you find a good one... boy is it worth it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here are two I think you all should try (both of which have been voted by both Jackson and I as the <b>BEST ONES YET!</b>)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>SLOW COOKED CHICKEN</u></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">(No, not like the average ones... this one is better... and I do not know why)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 parsnips</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 carrots (I used one large bag of the mini- carrots... you get more veggies and easier prep)</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 celery stocks</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 red onion</div><div style="text-align: left;">10-12 whole garlic cloves</div><div style="text-align: left;">1/4 cup coconut oil</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon dried thyme</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tablespoon rubbed sage</div><div style="text-align: left;">Sea salt and black pepper to taste</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><u>Prep:</u></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Cut parsnips, carrots (if you don't have the mini ones), and onion into large chunks... make sure parsnips and carrots are roughly same size for even cooking.</li>
<li>Place chicken in crockpot and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper (I also put Garlic powder on there)</li>
<li>On top of chicken, layer in onions, garlic cloves, parsnips, carrots and celery.</li>
<li>In glass measuring cup, measure chicken broth, then mix in the coconut oil, thyme and sage (melt coconut oil first for better mixing)</li>
<li>Pour in the mixture... mix a little bit... </li>
<li>Cook on low for 7 hours... let sit for 1 hour.</li>
</ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-3h0U0OQ2BNl_vytrVOmHi0QmAEa-UMzm6ZTZOexX09FmVB2AEgMNLlBtHnlqJUeu4ZPLo4vaFlDIljh8Bo6SQfI3cAfv3GHLUy0pfvWAyjohBFJQ8PzHErXUZyNBX5csH3qQIef6jA/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-3h0U0OQ2BNl_vytrVOmHi0QmAEa-UMzm6ZTZOexX09FmVB2AEgMNLlBtHnlqJUeu4ZPLo4vaFlDIljh8Bo6SQfI3cAfv3GHLUy0pfvWAyjohBFJQ8PzHErXUZyNBX5csH3qQIef6jA/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite by far!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div>DELICIOUS and you don't need anything else with it... it is very fulfilling as is!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN </u></span></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>(serves 4)</div><div><br />
</div><div>2 lbs pork tenderloin</div><div>1 egg</div><div>1/2 medium onion, chopped ( I love onion so I used one full one)</div><div>6 Sun- dried tomatoes, chopped</div><div>2 Large artichoke hearts, chopped</div><div>1/2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped</div><div>1/8 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped</div><div>1/8 tsp nutmeg</div><div>2 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div>3 tbsp of coconut oil</div><div>Sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste</div><div><br />
</div><div><u>Prep:</u></div><div><ul><li>In medium skilled on med-high heat, saute onion, sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, sage, thyme, nutmeg and garlic with the coconut oil for 3-4 minutes until onions are slightly translucent and the tomatoes and artichokes beging to become tender. Remove from skillet for later use. </li>
<li>Place pork tenderloin in 9 X 13 baking dish. Rub coconut oil all over and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. </li>
<li>To stuff loin, create a seam in the meat by cutting it down center lengthwise. Essentially, you want to unfold the meat.</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 450 F</li>
<li>Once ingredients in skillet is FULLY COOLED (VERY IMPORTANT!), whisk egg and add into skillet. (MUST BE COOLED OTHERWISE EGG WILL COOK... you are using egg as 'bread crumbs' to stick it all together.. skillet ingredients must be cooled!)</li>
<li>take stuffing and spread it across seam of meat. Avoid filling it too much as it will not fold close.</li>
<li>Use toothpicks to hold it together.</li>
<li>Cook uncovered at 450 for 30 minutes. Once 30 minutes passed, reduce heat to 300 and cook for 20 minutes. Then, turn off oven and let meat remain in there for another 15 minutes, with no temperature setting. (This will prevent meat from overcooking/ drying out!)</li>
</ul><div>I served this with a sweet potato (better for you than regular.. not Paleo, but close...) and string beans marinated with coconut oil and pepper! SO GOOD!</div></div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXOHZDGU-EcFY2MADU1HKq9hl7wstPRwDp63M8pBNoeWveIkXp8MRynSBDzv-BKvlUWqo03pJ8Hp35ddHErrxFxRaZ_6K3r4Ag88haXKcHSULWHfNszxyQYdnfIlZsq-Wok1jn7TSyLI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijXOHZDGU-EcFY2MADU1HKq9hl7wstPRwDp63M8pBNoeWveIkXp8MRynSBDzv-BKvlUWqo03pJ8Hp35ddHErrxFxRaZ_6K3r4Ag88haXKcHSULWHfNszxyQYdnfIlZsq-Wok1jn7TSyLI/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Enjoy and experiment with your spices. IF you don't like one over the other, etc... substitute! It is hard to mess these two up!<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I will be posting more either tonight or tomorrow about a long, COLD run we are doing today....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">XO</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Never Give Up- </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ali</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-76984286987682554252012-02-08T11:02:00.000-05:002012-02-08T11:02:16.199-05:00When Life Gets In The Way...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><u>Countdown: </u></span></b><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><u><br />
</u></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><u>1 Month, 24 Days...</u></span><br />
<br />
Thank you all for being patient with the post of this block. Things have been a bit hectic!!!!! But here it is, more to come!<br />
<br />
Things have been becoming difficult: the diet has been lacking, the workouts are getting harder, therefore I'm 'cheating' and not completing the whole distances I am supposed to, or not doing two- a- days at all...<br />
<br />
This weekend the plan was to concentrate on training, which I did on Saturday with a long 12 mile run with Jacks, but then after that... What happened? Well, Superbowl happened.<br />
<br />
During Superbowl, I tried to watch what I ate, but any 'event' in the Cook household means LOTS of food.<br />
<br />
Exhibit A:<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y0-SHwhyphenhyphenXJSSB51rR2L6zEDpHkIZ3vylopFoAlpQVq9dEgc00PIlF03dhk7jngVoiygg016scwVyW0hGfscs2TQWVS0Td37rl3WILnBhIkPjaWkg4rx-Zx9038DsF82vYLRyFEybY6U/s1600/P1000212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y0-SHwhyphenhyphenXJSSB51rR2L6zEDpHkIZ3vylopFoAlpQVq9dEgc00PIlF03dhk7jngVoiygg016scwVyW0hGfscs2TQWVS0Td37rl3WILnBhIkPjaWkg4rx-Zx9038DsF82vYLRyFEybY6U/s320/P1000212.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot Wings....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Exhibit B:<br />
<div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUdq9hQzzxx-mUaXPi7AGxnDw6hPS-Pw7aPehqS5lFdMnPKvlEWlBqKL3kzs8xZzZtjRisE4wdu9B_00hoSr2utKqE-HcT8lpiNc6tKrAwNgVBzMwsebiauFrPjflrSxHk80FA7zCYEE/s1600/P1000209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSUdq9hQzzxx-mUaXPi7AGxnDw6hPS-Pw7aPehqS5lFdMnPKvlEWlBqKL3kzs8xZzZtjRisE4wdu9B_00hoSr2utKqE-HcT8lpiNc6tKrAwNgVBzMwsebiauFrPjflrSxHk80FA7zCYEE/s320/P1000209.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brushetta... dangerous for me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Exhibit C:<br />
<div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX47AGZs-SrnPpoHpfVpQc8w9q4rL648aFFkWNxd72Md4In_2usSjn69aRCx5GO8yxDOUrzhBWc0R-z6FiB-i1_wVXgkXbftzidOdBO7mg8x0qP-AYoi-yIcmZ3GsbBnqv0P-7GTkMG5k/s1600/P1000217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX47AGZs-SrnPpoHpfVpQc8w9q4rL648aFFkWNxd72Md4In_2usSjn69aRCx5GO8yxDOUrzhBWc0R-z6FiB-i1_wVXgkXbftzidOdBO7mg8x0qP-AYoi-yIcmZ3GsbBnqv0P-7GTkMG5k/s320/P1000217.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom's awesome Cornbread Pigs in a Blanket. <br />
Although Gluten Free (my little sister, Gracie and my Mom are Gluten Free)... <br />
these are way too good to be on the Paleo diet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
andddd... yet another dangerous food at the table on Sunday...<br />
<div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwWZ0s0Xt00gKweFcFV0dK76aSgF6V_8tBFe7CiFO3Qjzu8pSzAMoAnKEzSjMKs_-ia0ugynWBfMEz4pRDPA8YjlQW45eDEMXCoV3JgtdTiDHR1Y1D5CR-WR6GYtJ1jtmrNLN50IgK-4/s1600/P1000220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgwWZ0s0Xt00gKweFcFV0dK76aSgF6V_8tBFe7CiFO3Qjzu8pSzAMoAnKEzSjMKs_-ia0ugynWBfMEz4pRDPA8YjlQW45eDEMXCoV3JgtdTiDHR1Y1D5CR-WR6GYtJ1jtmrNLN50IgK-4/s320/P1000220.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And lastly.... we were also celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday. Which means, <i>of course</i>.. BAKERY HOUSE CAKE!!!!!!!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1ZKMJ1uJ3ej8ows1ag5sFv2wmnqUHlzXI6Yi2l0w1zunuAPRlt2MdLcOnKeM2C28FuIsRWqI5phYO3mXPJZZi7iWmIox8gGz9nFhdQCt0X0g5zXP3nTYV4AUFZcVLLllxrxbF6jgIHs/s1600/P1000199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1ZKMJ1uJ3ej8ows1ag5sFv2wmnqUHlzXI6Yi2l0w1zunuAPRlt2MdLcOnKeM2C28FuIsRWqI5phYO3mXPJZZi7iWmIox8gGz9nFhdQCt0X0g5zXP3nTYV4AUFZcVLLllxrxbF6jgIHs/s320/P1000199.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I could eat this all day long... </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We all know that I did not miss out on this. My piece was quite large...<br />
<div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwl9CddAZl2ZSdu0Kgevu4lIxqHnse8-PV-ffEsxXzgeq_3Ve__D3P8NMJ0PW3BuJ2njo6g1UdpCmbV6LbN23f-lR-VVXhXdiTY_jDAccst7iu8_yCZjKTG_xJan0y_cC4GdbEeudtgI/s1600/photo+(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwl9CddAZl2ZSdu0Kgevu4lIxqHnse8-PV-ffEsxXzgeq_3Ve__D3P8NMJ0PW3BuJ2njo6g1UdpCmbV6LbN23f-lR-VVXhXdiTY_jDAccst7iu8_yCZjKTG_xJan0y_cC4GdbEeudtgI/s320/photo+(5).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a mini- fork left over from appetizers,<br />
(the size of a toothpick...) <br />
thought it would help with portion control...<br />
False.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
So, with all of that... the food was still not complete. Mom kept bringing out more courses, but the remainder were a bit healthier.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>That morning, I had made Paleo/ Gluten Free "Meatloaf Muffins" with Paleo Guacamole on top of them. These were soooo good. I will put the recipe at the end of this post for you all to enjoy. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVsvnveSmsidekc3wIjeuYDmGF-toa8jahhhLezgVt3E4f1wSd-TMEudP9JhfwXtnuTNnhDqJScCkA_LjcSRd3esO9hNt6lZPxEmDsB4PGJgyS8UQyAOJVYlKvLvhIKFw6NJJEABhKmg/s1600/P1000216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVsvnveSmsidekc3wIjeuYDmGF-toa8jahhhLezgVt3E4f1wSd-TMEudP9JhfwXtnuTNnhDqJScCkA_LjcSRd3esO9hNt6lZPxEmDsB4PGJgyS8UQyAOJVYlKvLvhIKFw6NJJEABhKmg/s320/P1000216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Alex and my older sister Ashley wanted to try them with BBQ Sauce. So, I raided my Mother's pantry and found some Gluten Free (not Paleo, though) BBQ sauce and tried them on the 'second round'. These were a big winner, too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpXh0qWHLUycEiiRCLnyoQXcevNfaTuCNFNSCDysSXa2_8NIfQ6jjqIBQ7salH9uGtwwNw2d9N_VcsHb6oE1ac0IQldzt1NtzQqPp9B7afRpHjPvxB0C9EbyrOoZyTbU1rU0AXldJgk/s1600/P1000218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItpXh0qWHLUycEiiRCLnyoQXcevNfaTuCNFNSCDysSXa2_8NIfQ6jjqIBQ7salH9uGtwwNw2d9N_VcsHb6oE1ac0IQldzt1NtzQqPp9B7afRpHjPvxB0C9EbyrOoZyTbU1rU0AXldJgk/s320/P1000218.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBQ Sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
In addition to those... (nope we aren't done yet)... Mom had put out a delicious veggie platter (no, the dressing was not Paleo... but, I didn't mind- I ate a lot of this!)<br />
<div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><br />
<div><br />
</div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHQLj8YtsJbSbibq1DY6SzjWNyaBqD95OGrwX7UNR5NXor5dyC156VmbkPNeXZaEeC9OdgqYs9H9H_K0xqplcH-xWYCrMIQ_Nv0G1Ri01_wYMoV5M8qcc7L9Oyhj5qadvL13roN5Sjvc/s1600/P1000208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHQLj8YtsJbSbibq1DY6SzjWNyaBqD95OGrwX7UNR5NXor5dyC156VmbkPNeXZaEeC9OdgqYs9H9H_K0xqplcH-xWYCrMIQ_Nv0G1Ri01_wYMoV5M8qcc7L9Oyhj5qadvL13roN5Sjvc/s320/P1000208.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<div><br />
<div>and LAST ONE.... and the best of all: MOM'S CHILI!</div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x_LB21onnsg486ts9zS7mIXcNsvtwE8lg5ur12xhAmknKda3hPwMP5h2OjKHNmDynK16V8l-LTpBsP9y2fmQQyPIE7AG34M8tneL5CatN7JAD8oXRDj1LAdDcZg7YqlVt5Dg5F72oeg/s1600/P1000221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5x_LB21onnsg486ts9zS7mIXcNsvtwE8lg5ur12xhAmknKda3hPwMP5h2OjKHNmDynK16V8l-LTpBsP9y2fmQQyPIE7AG34M8tneL5CatN7JAD8oXRDj1LAdDcZg7YqlVt5Dg5F72oeg/s320/P1000221.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Healthy, but not Paleo because of the beans...<br />
(and my toppings)<br />
... but sooo good.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Oh yeah, and the beer... but Mom had Gluten free on hand! I passed on this one though. If I was going to have beer, I was going to go all out.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg209UsOj2Ck4TDP_XlRTwv0Rf_yW0YRIpRn-tbTEgVfLvPflOtZrkzldusyso0Btn4I7kBIO40juf_eA2-Iu-WcF3iiR4Bz_s41R7wPLz_zA4pJLhguIvkJFZxJvIm7zPmt3iTpzHeXJ0/s1600/P1000206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg209UsOj2Ck4TDP_XlRTwv0Rf_yW0YRIpRn-tbTEgVfLvPflOtZrkzldusyso0Btn4I7kBIO40juf_eA2-Iu-WcF3iiR4Bz_s41R7wPLz_zA4pJLhguIvkJFZxJvIm7zPmt3iTpzHeXJ0/s320/P1000206.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and her Gluten Free beer!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div><br />
So, let's just say simply that my diet didn't happen on Sunday. I feel as though I keep getting caught into these family events, special occasion's or holidays and my diet goes down the drain... with my training.<br />
<br />
The days seem like weeks and the weeks seem like months in terms of training. The time is dragging, but yet I don't have enough time to do anything and feel completely unprepared when realizing this half Ironman is less than 2 months away!<br />
<br />
I learned a long time ago that life can't always go your way. As I am sure I have mentioned before: I am a planner. I plan everything. The plans I have in terms of training and preparing for this 70.3 have been really difficult to keep on track. I have been doing the workouts for the most part, but I could step it up a notch.<br />
<br />
My diet Monday- Friday is good (minus date night with Jackson)... but weekends I slip, which means my energy slips... setting me up for failure in my training come Monday and Tuesday. Everything seems to be getting harder to keep up with. The 5 hours a day of training, plus class, work, plus social life, etc. ... it becomes a bit much and I am beginning to get extremely stressed out.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhQKcdM2jZmgQdAMsVN-pZZsPgUBpAfZFWMA5k9uF9qyy1wJy4SGZSQTF-71Z-Ohgbrnm3o_qQirS4SvyaqEbdEke_glkw5DsXniUm-NBUM6iXKD_lhlu-_TDwKw0SLaSN069w6V5ElY/s1600/stress.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhQKcdM2jZmgQdAMsVN-pZZsPgUBpAfZFWMA5k9uF9qyy1wJy4SGZSQTF-71Z-Ohgbrnm3o_qQirS4SvyaqEbdEke_glkw5DsXniUm-NBUM6iXKD_lhlu-_TDwKw0SLaSN069w6V5ElY/s320/stress.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A warning for whomever reads this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
When life gets in the way of your plans and everything becomes just a bit too overwhelming... what do you do to clear your head?<br />
<br />
For as long as I can remember, my go- to "escape" was always riding horses. Not the ordinary lesson or training, but something different... something special. Either a trail ride, a bareback ride or even just hand walking one of the horses in the middle of a pasture. What made this time great was it was an out of the ordinary day, where it was just me, the horse and the dirt or grass beneath us. Those were the best days. Time to think, time to reflect and time to just... be.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9kEYcriBTxoUTQxdbpaSvLMtz_eF2bRkIndp57EUdsIOhgoseZqrJI1_0Gtr-FdDizZqCL1qmD8nVZ-JINZTj1wNEXBVfifECw-lYxT9k0KGRRa_-In3AQeRg6rN7eIU3oS_qG1N16I/s1600/ali+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9kEYcriBTxoUTQxdbpaSvLMtz_eF2bRkIndp57EUdsIOhgoseZqrJI1_0Gtr-FdDizZqCL1qmD8nVZ-JINZTj1wNEXBVfifECw-lYxT9k0KGRRa_-In3AQeRg6rN7eIU3oS_qG1N16I/s320/ali+rose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I forgot what that feeling felt like for a while. The feeling of complete "blankness"... complete... peace. Until Monday.<br />
<br />
I was supposed to go for a 4 hour bike ride on Sunday. I had every intention on doing this, even after the 12 mile run we did on Saturday. Alex was away with Brittany, so Jackson and I were on our own. We packed up the car, bundled up and were all set...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Kx3dUUdiYUmsnirleYtX1ycIcd-AX7QonYKY6soXnRJ2JTq5bub_XFg32fecJfbzPgbT_-ZTlNa2s_W0rzoKYsUZXFSG_hD_2In2mrXr1vdjlPqO7K98o0ucxVABXCTj53SAC08x7V8/s1600/P1000195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Kx3dUUdiYUmsnirleYtX1ycIcd-AX7QonYKY6soXnRJ2JTq5bub_XFg32fecJfbzPgbT_-ZTlNa2s_W0rzoKYsUZXFSG_hD_2In2mrXr1vdjlPqO7K98o0ucxVABXCTj53SAC08x7V8/s320/P1000195.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, we really WERE planning on going...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>... but Jacks and I had tire- pump complications (we brought the wrong one)... mixed with being tired and it being bitterly cold outside, we decided not to go back and get the correct tire pump, but instead, change and sit on my parents couch and enjoy the company of friends and family while watching the Superbowl.<br />
<br />
So, to make up for Sunday, I hopped on my bike Monday. For the first time in a long time, I was outside on the road and not on the bike trainer in my parents basement. I bundled up... because it was bitterly cold and went to "the path". "The Path" is what we call the Conshocken trail that goes all the way up past Valley Forge, to Pheonixville and goes the other direction all the way to Philadelphia. It is usually a great trip. In the summer it gets a bit crowded, but its a great way to get miles in, as it is a straight shot with no road traffic.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSN-wXQzJ_bE-9VtBKrGLfj4uWF94KEVQCIsJOyY1d7Hhd5ji9kQ4drg-ypZgi4qPN3Ague_lDG1ns6VEZNIINVRG4bMJ_199SGss2LzMMCml-10t9u_ye28JOySidrUJ4vQdYgRn4mg/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDSN-wXQzJ_bE-9VtBKrGLfj4uWF94KEVQCIsJOyY1d7Hhd5ji9kQ4drg-ypZgi4qPN3Ague_lDG1ns6VEZNIINVRG4bMJ_199SGss2LzMMCml-10t9u_ye28JOySidrUJ4vQdYgRn4mg/s320/photo+(4).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Booties... as the boys say, "a game changer" when it is cold out! A MUST today.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My brother couldn't make the ride with me Monday, he had work, as did Jackson... and my father goes into hibernation in the winter (he is usually always a good riding buddy). So it was just me and "Slice".<br />
<br />
At first I was dreading it. Alone for 3-4 hours, cold out, not really in the mood to ride (yes, sometimes I actually <i>am</i> in the mood to ride for this long)... so needless to say I just wanted to get it over with.<br />
<br />
The parking lot is closed for train commuters on weekdays, so I had to park on the side of the road, take my bike off and lean it up against my car while I got ready. This is when I wish the boys or my father was here... they would have helped me out a bit with the parking situation by just simply getting a 20 dollar ticket for parking illegally. After all, a ride was worth it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSr1U2-nx2W_roP0OW18GdADwOhQ5OruAUDNFLhJyIUHYRk3oQSgEaxh3_R81d_SGhiyR1LU9_uJKh_l4URT6KHNYkX5RxLAKl6Q-ov_YEOcNuJllVdylcSG4Q1DorJWBgu74QpIpKTU/s1600/P1000223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSr1U2-nx2W_roP0OW18GdADwOhQ5OruAUDNFLhJyIUHYRk3oQSgEaxh3_R81d_SGhiyR1LU9_uJKh_l4URT6KHNYkX5RxLAKl6Q-ov_YEOcNuJllVdylcSG4Q1DorJWBgu74QpIpKTU/s320/P1000223.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
.... and then I tried to set up my bike computer on my bike to track the mileage and time. Of course, since I changed out my wheels from my race wheels to practice wheels, the computer wasn't working. So, I went to the next step in tracking my (approximate) distance and time: MapMyRide application on my iPhone.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFWVoMchwgyfgMrmc__jYcni89E2JaYGD0eVzgi4dC6FPqGmex4X-pRW0hW3OGi8DjfK4HGoNhYgJK7N3KBNsyJilPZEsF38WumZ82fbqsrTYabjAIAj8JYksFIMyorsnr_Bf0JYqPk/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zFWVoMchwgyfgMrmc__jYcni89E2JaYGD0eVzgi4dC6FPqGmex4X-pRW0hW3OGi8DjfK4HGoNhYgJK7N3KBNsyJilPZEsF38WumZ82fbqsrTYabjAIAj8JYksFIMyorsnr_Bf0JYqPk/s320/photo.PNG" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Now, this isn't completely accurate, but it will do. I know the approximate mileage from doing this ride so many times in the past, so just for rough estimations I set it up on my phone and let it run while I was riding. It tracks where you are via GPS, how fast you are going (not accurate at all) and the distance you went.<br />
<br />
So even though I was dreading it, once I got going... it was actually an amazing ride. I got out there and it was like old times. Peaceful... time to think... time to reflect. Just me and the road. (Literally, because it was so cold, in the 35 miles I was out there, I didn't see any more than 5 walkers and 2 other bikers, when usually you have to dodge people every quarter mile or so).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_aVafzXNO5qXSqA22jKeYnmi5wD8blfS2TgdPoy8SZ93LmgUfOK1UAEqfKWTfzJKtChzwCz_NHFzO68vDR8A-AwRUpzaRpo97ikUgpZpcCixYeBKAJn435O5qodf5xs6EV0-T0KJAik/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_aVafzXNO5qXSqA22jKeYnmi5wD8blfS2TgdPoy8SZ93LmgUfOK1UAEqfKWTfzJKtChzwCz_NHFzO68vDR8A-AwRUpzaRpo97ikUgpZpcCixYeBKAJn435O5qodf5xs6EV0-T0KJAik/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of the trail. I am very uncoordinated... <br />
Therefore, I was shocked I could manage to take this picture!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
With the race less than two months away, my 'saddle time' on the bike is no where near where it should be. I need to make biking a priority in terms of my training and that started today. And boy was I feeling the truths of this in my legs after about 40 minutes...<br />
<br />
<div>I did intervals. Every 5 minutes I would go as fast as I could go in the top gear (the hardest gear). With the wind, this created some issues, mainly in regards to my right knee. I had a knee injury over the summer. We are not sure what caused it, but was made worse after a bike crash at one of the races. Anyways, it was flaring up a little bit today, I think because riding on the road is a lot different than the trainer or a spin bike, therefore the muscles that aren't normally activated were being used. Eventually I had to stop doing the intervals and keep a consistent, but strong pace and cadence, to save my knee.<br />
<div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHdcB9lszb6EqIpfpFNwvW0h4BO-ZCTIHpYRsFqQrPBO7yHfcytgTKUdxgOzpI9vECD5TSvcXatMt_iMBOe-MaYzxrvVi-KLQMuhIDLxyRwWUbgArvKUtzC_1v27Ah085elPKMGWEngg/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilHdcB9lszb6EqIpfpFNwvW0h4BO-ZCTIHpYRsFqQrPBO7yHfcytgTKUdxgOzpI9vECD5TSvcXatMt_iMBOe-MaYzxrvVi-KLQMuhIDLxyRwWUbgArvKUtzC_1v27Ah085elPKMGWEngg/s320/photo+(2).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dog jumped out of the bushes here, while I was taking a picture... almost fell... <br />
but slice decided to save me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table>I was about 50 minutes in at this point and was already feeling the acid build up in my legs, my nose was so cold I thought it was going to fall off and I couldn't feel my toes (even with the booties) or my fingers (with gloves on). </div><div><br />
</div><div>I got a fork in the road: the question was to add another 45 minutes or so by turning right, or to turn around and head back, therefore cutting the distance in half. No way was I turning around, even with the painfully cold weather and knee pain. I was having fun, now. The pain was there in my legs, the feeling of frost bite was approaching me, but I was out here already, why turn around!?<br />
<br />
Also, it was so peaceful out there and how many times do I actually get to ride (and enjoy it) alone, with no one on this trail. So, I told myself to suck it up and complete the full distance of the ride, as I was supposed to despite the discomforts.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBYETiqWgfNtQ8td9b5VC5vaOWJTISg3h-xz-nEYvnTHMemkCuEBcfn9QNfR7L_28ukzkXVmthyuTVNz5Q518dcJ0U9uu0KYpQoNUi1JXtlFnJ_YgtL8ZbJwSCchDeG-hoslV_tJI6H4/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBYETiqWgfNtQ8td9b5VC5vaOWJTISg3h-xz-nEYvnTHMemkCuEBcfn9QNfR7L_28ukzkXVmthyuTVNz5Q518dcJ0U9uu0KYpQoNUi1JXtlFnJ_YgtL8ZbJwSCchDeG-hoslV_tJI6H4/s320/photo+(1).JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went right...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
Overall, it was a great ride. Time to think and clear my head and some good quality outdoor time on "Slice". I reflected on the fact that there is less than 2 months out... began freaking out, therefore riding harder. This ride was not only a good opportunity to 'get away' from 'life' for a little while, but also allowed me to get excited about all of this training again and 'get back in gear' (no pun intended). The feeling of outdoor riding excites me enough to look forward to races... riding on my bike trainer... well, frankly its torture.<br />
<br />
Note to self (and to the boys): Never try to train for a half ironman during the winter again... Let's pick one in the summer or fall...<br />
<br />
On my ride, I came to one conclusion and it is simple: <b>time to get back to basics.</b> Ride outside, no matter how cold (within reason)... two-a-days, no excuses... diet as much as possible.<br />
<br />
... and most importantly.... <u><b>have fun with it!</b></u><br />
<br />
More to come... Don't forget recipes below!<br />
<br />
Never Give Up-<br />
<br />
Ali<br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<br />
<i>Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. - Muhammed Ali</i><br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Recipes: </span><br />
<br />
<u><b>PALEO MEATLOAF MUFFINS/ LOAF: </b></u><br />
<br />
1lb of ground beef<br />
1lb of ground pork<br />
6 slices of bacon- cut into small pieces<br />
1 large carrot- shredded<br />
1 beet- shredded<br />
1 medium onion- chopped<br />
5 package of mushrooms- diced<br />
1 jalapeno pepper- finely diced (optional)<br />
2 eggs<br />
2 tbsp 'grainy mustard'<br />
4 cloves of garlic- crushed or finely chopped<br />
2-3 tbsp dried mixed herbs (Italian)<br />
1 tbsp cayenne pepper (optional)<br />
a few dashed of sea salt and ground pepper<br />
<br />
Top with Guacamole, or hot sauce or BBQ sauce.... Guacamole recipe below too<br />
<br />
Prep:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>In large bowl, combine pork and beef</li>
<li>add in all veggies</li>
<li>crack and whisk eggs in a separate bowl and into the large bowl</li>
<li>Next, add herbs and spices.</li>
<li>using hands (get in there), fold all the ingredients together</li>
<li>press firmly into greased 'loaf pan' or 'muffin cups' *Grease with coconut oil!</li>
<li>Preheat oven to 350, bake for 45 minutes (45 minutes for a loaf, shorter for muffins- keep an eye on them)</li>
<li>broil for 5-10 minutes (watching carefully)</li>
<li>Remove, let cool... enjoy!</li>
</ul><br />
<br />
<b><u>PALEO GUACAMOLE</u></b><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
4 large avocados (ripe- soft, but not too soft to the touch)<br />
2-3 small white onions- diced<br />
6 plum tomatoes- diced<br />
5 cloves of garlic- minced<br />
2-3 limes- squeezed juice<br />
fresh cilantro- chopped (lots!)<br />
coarse sea salt- pinches<br />
ground black pepper (generous amounts)<br />
ground cumin- a pinch or two<br />
ground cayenne- a pinch or two<br />
hot sauce or chopped jalapenos- to kick it up a notch<br />
<br />
Prep:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Peel, cut and de- pit avocados, into a medium- sized bowl</li>
<li>Add in onions, tomatoes garlic and lime juice</li>
<li>using fork, mash it all together!</li>
<li>Add in cilantro , sea salt, pepper, cumin and hot sauce/ jalapenos</li>
<li>Continue mashing until desired consistency</li>
<li>Enjoy!</li>
</ul><div><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></u></b></div><div><b><u><span style="font-size: large;">DON'T FORGET!!!!</span></u></b></div><div><b><i><br />
</i></b></div><div><b><i>Spin at Focus Fitness Main Line in Bryn Mawr, PA- 6:15 Thursday and 5:30 on Friday!!!!</i></b></div><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-22613237289652692282012-02-05T16:12:00.000-05:002012-02-05T16:12:16.834-05:00SUPERBOWL!<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">HAPPY SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!</span></b></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn5p7DijbrQXEAbw4KEm86M_QToqyYPVTIHbKoxJwtLLampqT-sZkGjuyTglLo_lV9_j5ayMYRmKkzcqRSOolu7mWGAihH7w9QP-WYDUe0nAb5sxHBz2ak5Tdbyhu7JvaENLB0qtNlbA/s1600/138147977_crop_650x440.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzn5p7DijbrQXEAbw4KEm86M_QToqyYPVTIHbKoxJwtLLampqT-sZkGjuyTglLo_lV9_j5ayMYRmKkzcqRSOolu7mWGAihH7w9QP-WYDUe0nAb5sxHBz2ak5Tdbyhu7JvaENLB0qtNlbA/s320/138147977_crop_650x440.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Due to Superbowl Sunday and not completing the bike ride and doing it tomorrow instead, I will post tomorrow!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Stay tuned for some great recipes and some training pictures!!!! :) </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>XO</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ali</b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-28662200391861124862012-01-31T14:30:00.005-05:002012-01-31T14:39:37.691-05:00New York City Getaway= Weekend off from training and nutrition.<u>Countdown:</u><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">2 Months. </span></b><br />
<br />
This past weekend, Jacks and I went to New York City to get away, visit some friends and relax before the big push we are about to make in our training over the weeks coming up.<br />
<br />
I knew that my diet and training would take a backseat this weekend... and I was <i><u>completely</u> </i>OK with this! And boy... did it take a back seat...<br />
<br />
We left on Friday around noon and took the NJ Transit up, in order to save on costs and make it a bit easier. Wow, was that easier... and cheaper! It was only $30 for the two of us to get up there, which was instead of $75 if we were to leave from Philly! Awesome.<br />
<br />
We arrived around 3 pm... starving and anxious to get the weekend on its way. We hopped in a cab and went to our hotel. We stayed on the Lower East Side at The Hotel on Rivington. Our goal was to not stay in a "chain hotel" but instead a different and cozy boutique hotel. Well, we got that for sure... this hotel was <i>very</i> different.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixK8_Bw5wDAMZMIhN_aI-98Xn6mVk3ogSkMIcJYJ1Gw6nwidZaxdwqzWsIJ7blPa-8JNSd1PNrDEbvDRuvDe5tnxZZ0kuK4VPUOyLdnR9eGQXXFh86HdAiOrMuyL8DhswP8VXRJU8y2n0/s1600/rivington.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixK8_Bw5wDAMZMIhN_aI-98Xn6mVk3ogSkMIcJYJ1Gw6nwidZaxdwqzWsIJ7blPa-8JNSd1PNrDEbvDRuvDe5tnxZZ0kuK4VPUOyLdnR9eGQXXFh86HdAiOrMuyL8DhswP8VXRJU8y2n0/s200/rivington.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Entrance of hotel...!!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The bell men and everyone working at hotel wore all black, clubs in the back and sides of the hotel and what seemed to be a great restaurant, always crowded. The room was very unique. Nice and roomy with awesome views!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfruDj5gbpxC3HE_sH1HJJomcANtHaW_21LQW20TesJZggTD5z_qBuVmcRh-8K-oDSEqjD7a6ei8OGEtEruuxSfVi8G8s9kN_nbOnk-i87CTAAAB8y2ijXReY-HDytO62smcIXUn_834/s1600/Room1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpfruDj5gbpxC3HE_sH1HJJomcANtHaW_21LQW20TesJZggTD5z_qBuVmcRh-8K-oDSEqjD7a6ei8OGEtEruuxSfVi8G8s9kN_nbOnk-i87CTAAAB8y2ijXReY-HDytO62smcIXUn_834/s320/Room1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKIaHJqfQ8TjAAScJxnqerHbk3b_B0hL_bBZpS5G0KenJibeaHfy_HQ95ezSqO0Gnt3-87eljHA76z1nw8KGJAFx0pdAl3gplK52aCgwmlbyug57nu7OASVeUvtuL_XoJr6q4QG_3L2M/s1600/shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKIaHJqfQ8TjAAScJxnqerHbk3b_B0hL_bBZpS5G0KenJibeaHfy_HQ95ezSqO0Gnt3-87eljHA76z1nw8KGJAFx0pdAl3gplK52aCgwmlbyug57nu7OASVeUvtuL_XoJr6q4QG_3L2M/s320/shower.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMKIaHJqfQ8TjAAScJxnqerHbk3b_B0hL_bBZpS5G0KenJibeaHfy_HQ95ezSqO0Gnt3-87eljHA76z1nw8KGJAFx0pdAl3gplK52aCgwmlbyug57nu7OASVeUvtuL_XoJr6q4QG_3L2M/s1600/shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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Jackson would say that the best part of the room was the toilet seat. It was a slow- closing seat... (I may have made that term up).. but you couldn't slam it down! Very cool.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28XCL9MvBocKZCQQkskvUt7ZaTdaMHNMlA041rcaEx2QntrJaae9V4OfLzPpTr4zKLf7s2i9_hEDEZlmwd17-FPN7_LjZMlW0AhNWVJeNfM699kcFG8oVClokRwmuWaiPLKTjKJoXeDI/s1600/Toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28XCL9MvBocKZCQQkskvUt7ZaTdaMHNMlA041rcaEx2QntrJaae9V4OfLzPpTr4zKLf7s2i9_hEDEZlmwd17-FPN7_LjZMlW0AhNWVJeNfM699kcFG8oVClokRwmuWaiPLKTjKJoXeDI/s320/Toilet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Magical Toilet.<br />
<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I would say the best part would be the view out on the balcony:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGdVr5BcyRCXL24Fj1KiBfzf_w-ZQPWA3HLQVupF8inINh33wcx-Wmj_A74_d7qNewoqSQI22HNOXVA7CHo6qlwDIpThhyphenhyphenI-QznmwClHza51JYnArjLQejtbuKGkF-n_wZHk4KSNzg_w/s1600/view+from+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxGdVr5BcyRCXL24Fj1KiBfzf_w-ZQPWA3HLQVupF8inINh33wcx-Wmj_A74_d7qNewoqSQI22HNOXVA7CHo6qlwDIpThhyphenhyphenI-QznmwClHza51JYnArjLQejtbuKGkF-n_wZHk4KSNzg_w/s320/view+from+room.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Sunset, Mom!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once we got settled, we were starving and getting a bit cranky. (Cranky Ali or Jacks = time to eat)... We wanted a good burger and milkshake to start off the weekend and (I hate to admit) like dorks researched the whole train ride up great places around our area to go. We "Yelp-ed" the closest, highest rated places and came across <b>Mark Burger</b> in Lower East Village, labeled as "Best Sliders in NYC". . We didn't realize how close it was to our hotel, but were pleasantly surprised by it being 3 blocks away, clearly in walking distance from our hotel. Crankiness was about to be over faster than we thought!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rHyU3JuBfVxKqNrhnKj6w98omy0lLPCxLSEdgzSvMpcAkYAr0K725y7o9nJsmpvVUlIOtoaP1exmlxK2pLbme0tkeRc98hvekdrKCTcT0BFRJbynfA9s1SzW7_erA9qkDFv-CJN4K0I/s1600/43142693.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rHyU3JuBfVxKqNrhnKj6w98omy0lLPCxLSEdgzSvMpcAkYAr0K725y7o9nJsmpvVUlIOtoaP1exmlxK2pLbme0tkeRc98hvekdrKCTcT0BFRJbynfA9s1SzW7_erA9qkDFv-CJN4K0I/s320/43142693.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div>It was underground, very cool (but tight) bar. The sliders were quite large and you could get an "original" with cheese and onion... or add bacon to it. THEN, you could get fries, cheese fries, chili fries or chili plain. THEN, there were milkshakes... black and white (which Jackson got), Espresso milkshake (which I got), then a Guinness Milkshake and plain chocolate, plain vanilla. The list of goodness just kept going. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The menu was straight forward, smelled delicious, cooked in grease and totally worth it. We ordered two classics, two milkshakes and fries. Definitely starting the "NYC Getaway" off right!</div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5AeRYBJpFe49qGT5JhOy4WQhQUCAVVSYpN4CUxCMosXh0M67Ddm2kncpA9d_YIDFklCibEZLFGuMgBokFS5HyfeQ0ZOgT5EuO4LMBeeAgj4jE35FqVMAc3EeSoTz7uhtde5o_DOevM8/s1600/Burger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5AeRYBJpFe49qGT5JhOy4WQhQUCAVVSYpN4CUxCMosXh0M67Ddm2kncpA9d_YIDFklCibEZLFGuMgBokFS5HyfeQ0ZOgT5EuO4LMBeeAgj4jE35FqVMAc3EeSoTz7uhtde5o_DOevM8/s320/Burger.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paleo?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div>There were three ketchup options to spice up the burger, which were all awesome: BBQ, Chipotle Ketchup (the best) and Jalapeno Ketchup. They also acted as good dips for the fries! :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>After being full with "food babies", we walked around a little bit to see some of the neighborhood where our hotel was. A cute neighborhood and very 'artsy' (for lack of a better word). </div><div><br />
</div><div>Walking around for 6-10 blocks after our burgers was the extent of both of our workouts for the day.... <b>It was great. </b></div><div><br />
</div><div>After resting for a bit, showering and getting ready, we got a knock on the door. To our surprise... it was complimentary BROWNIES! The hotel must have known we were splurging all weekend. We had a glass of wine and enjoyed them before dinner.<br />
<br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Xfhcuw9YCHX2RZSfMZPgKEgtc1pulXC4YaUo8El168-9xvit23u15j_5lNX0zCl9GTJJHTFSwH9GHUjS32gsU9T0N3oTOcmgpzXbjimDWm-zfm6Au-bm3PZ-fCZTGR60CMsYU2f71E/s1600/Brownies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha9Xfhcuw9YCHX2RZSfMZPgKEgtc1pulXC4YaUo8El168-9xvit23u15j_5lNX0zCl9GTJJHTFSwH9GHUjS32gsU9T0N3oTOcmgpzXbjimDWm-zfm6Au-bm3PZ-fCZTGR60CMsYU2f71E/s320/Brownies.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div><div> We then walked a short 5 blocks or so to an Italian Restaurant called IL BAGATTO. Cute place, full of character. We found it through some recommendations my cousin, David had received. He said he had never been but heard it was amazing, so we gave it a whirl! </div><div><br />
</div><div>The inside was a little tight, but not terrible, with really cool exposed brick walls, lights and interesting decor around the entire place. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqPFO1wysID4XysNCH8Gm9hwDdMsBcQYLk00VszdbrzlFMBV92r8dzMPRExaQochK7kdOskm2SwsltHvyf7vPx2wOqbQJCvyxDU2cJEAKwwlcXkU0e9PE2exnuddRtPwpvzaOMDvEHx0/s1600/gx7VP1RlABZsof0G8S4Ltg.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHqPFO1wysID4XysNCH8Gm9hwDdMsBcQYLk00VszdbrzlFMBV92r8dzMPRExaQochK7kdOskm2SwsltHvyf7vPx2wOqbQJCvyxDU2cJEAKwwlcXkU0e9PE2exnuddRtPwpvzaOMDvEHx0/s320/gx7VP1RlABZsof0G8S4Ltg.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>We were starving so we ordered appetizers right away. We ordered an anti pasta and the grilled calamari (which was a special). Both were very good, but the anti pasta was very different and not what we were expecting. Made of chickpeas and some keesh thing, along with some rices and veggies... it had more of a middle- eastern flare. With that said, the grilled calamari was delicious and definitely worth a try. </div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEmAAaRUeh2eLNrmo2xMCY8Z0Sdoug1OrVY3SVoZpmq_psEt7hg-JTqwyxe9-mwucwi3OQFhPXQxVjNTbFtVY7szpCyGQJHa1fnjKkhkW66bwZWB-Uow0idqT_c85uacz035ye2kp0J4/s1600/img1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEmAAaRUeh2eLNrmo2xMCY8Z0Sdoug1OrVY3SVoZpmq_psEt7hg-JTqwyxe9-mwucwi3OQFhPXQxVjNTbFtVY7szpCyGQJHa1fnjKkhkW66bwZWB-Uow0idqT_c85uacz035ye2kp0J4/s320/img1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture taken from their website... I forgot to take pictures of this meal!<br />
But this is exactly what it looked like!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For entrees, I had a pasta special with seafood (had to take advantage of my not following Paleo for the weekend in full), and Jackson got homemade rigatoni with beef and sausage (he said it was wonderful). We shared the cheesecake for desert, which was again, different, as it included <i>a lot</i> of lime. Very good, but if I had known it was lime, I would have ordered something a little bit more.... rich?<br />
<div><br />
<div>All in all it was a great dinner. (just wish my company was better... ha ha ha). </div><div><br />
</div><div>Saturday:</div><div><br />
</div><div>We woke up and right off the bat went for a run across the Williamsburg Bridge. The Bridge itself was maybe half a mile from our hotel. Very convenient.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_PQzhwoJ7r9_ChXzaHEvwalAaKuRqf298Qw-kR3angtFXc_v1vlFHJVu-e67hmrVod_8kZkuhlu0LP9czCMDFzIx8WruwykcChR4xxO7wqPhIXqq5HHfN78Vw5ixuRge0Za6CkpT5iE/s1600/Bridge+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_PQzhwoJ7r9_ChXzaHEvwalAaKuRqf298Qw-kR3angtFXc_v1vlFHJVu-e67hmrVod_8kZkuhlu0LP9czCMDFzIx8WruwykcChR4xxO7wqPhIXqq5HHfN78Vw5ixuRge0Za6CkpT5iE/s320/Bridge+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>We had some wine the night before and didn't get home from dinner until late, so we weren't really enjoying the good quarter mile up- hill in the very beginning of the bridge at 8 am. I was trying to occupy my mind by taking a million pictures, while running, instead of concentrating on how painful the uphill grade was on my stomach and tired legs.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOzTw2vF_SWFhy7D5vld59dm06E9ln6PEA4sdEih2zLGN8LMVLdnUNSaiGUPAIOBJizG5GUBLm5VJCEP1uJ9FmLu6vikXjLr9ygGrLp2dTifrtSn7VOOXeeeWtSrNA8oFRiV_uJX4EQM/s1600/bridge+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMOzTw2vF_SWFhy7D5vld59dm06E9ln6PEA4sdEih2zLGN8LMVLdnUNSaiGUPAIOBJizG5GUBLm5VJCEP1uJ9FmLu6vikXjLr9ygGrLp2dTifrtSn7VOOXeeeWtSrNA8oFRiV_uJX4EQM/s320/bridge+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running up! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga68DqDXdmLIBbsC1-ppS384rgHXlDcchXiHPxP5plu7LT7Rs2xbFSxyswanRhz-Z2DHY9fUyG2c6NvT-ZrfuA0fiKVcosOJmwQbshsdoPOmWAIxR19br7D0gfG_vjE6ZyPbkws5bd6O0/s1600/bridge+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga68DqDXdmLIBbsC1-ppS384rgHXlDcchXiHPxP5plu7LT7Rs2xbFSxyswanRhz-Z2DHY9fUyG2c6NvT-ZrfuA0fiKVcosOJmwQbshsdoPOmWAIxR19br7D0gfG_vjE6ZyPbkws5bd6O0/s320/bridge+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7TR0OWDhWUEt35XGiotieLUCIt6DoySqyHegqZO9Gf-oWql0IZ0SVX0MWzqcbVBabDeeZttm1gNvSQCud5cqUFxo_EJVmUrHAisJyW3EJdj6vdz3TNyNINt3uj7iOXukB9lL1CDoHPY/s1600/bridge+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7TR0OWDhWUEt35XGiotieLUCIt6DoySqyHegqZO9Gf-oWql0IZ0SVX0MWzqcbVBabDeeZttm1gNvSQCud5cqUFxo_EJVmUrHAisJyW3EJdj6vdz3TNyNINt3uj7iOXukB9lL1CDoHPY/s320/bridge+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Middle of Bridge!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpY8Ef_u1NexHh95K-rR-2SybDjM6zUOIg5_DVH7rP_oYKvM0yI_x9m40k8k2Kdxc9lAzso-O4Eca3-JXKwsgDH3P3RY-u9lmU8deCWdajWr4Chyphenhyphen17S3pdONI9rehNLs3sYY_QKCW-4Y/s1600/bridge+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpY8Ef_u1NexHh95K-rR-2SybDjM6zUOIg5_DVH7rP_oYKvM0yI_x9m40k8k2Kdxc9lAzso-O4Eca3-JXKwsgDH3P3RY-u9lmU8deCWdajWr4Chyphenhyphen17S3pdONI9rehNLs3sYY_QKCW-4Y/s320/bridge+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from middle of bridge! Amazing!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3Eivju-jLbLzTpRHkZKvBBOjx-M2GIc_sA54oRP6xtO5Eb_ARkOWts8jTFHS06GKHuYiFqtm0R306Ex3_UYxDNt0oC1pMLIDALJpjvC4XaUFmLYdNmtnqJkWf46vMH17HRtCeTnGRyQ/s1600/bridge+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3Eivju-jLbLzTpRHkZKvBBOjx-M2GIc_sA54oRP6xtO5Eb_ARkOWts8jTFHS06GKHuYiFqtm0R306Ex3_UYxDNt0oC1pMLIDALJpjvC4XaUFmLYdNmtnqJkWf46vMH17HRtCeTnGRyQ/s320/bridge+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken from on the bridge, entering Brooklyn</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibggG0-QDw6J3i7R2GvLniv5EwzGab3L5IfaSpaB2XN38fOtWSTl0U0hEJ8Y-FL7nxgFHk3E6BnG6UTv4jqSud3ufUBeCAbuu_K7ecLaQiL0PJg2jnzhW9gSRrZZYOzc24IncOrZn-8Ug/s1600/bridge+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibggG0-QDw6J3i7R2GvLniv5EwzGab3L5IfaSpaB2XN38fOtWSTl0U0hEJ8Y-FL7nxgFHk3E6BnG6UTv4jqSud3ufUBeCAbuu_K7ecLaQiL0PJg2jnzhW9gSRrZZYOzc24IncOrZn-8Ug/s320/bridge+7.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exiting Bridge!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
So, we finally got to Brooklyn and hadn't been happier. That mile/ mile and a half honestly felt like it was about 2 miles. You would think, two people training for a half ironman, who have both done Olympic distances, a mile and a half bridge would be no big deal, even with the alcohol and unhealthy foods from the night before... I thought the same thing. Oops.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju61TiHukPdSjUMMENiQySoIfKUxQwrR96hcDXk2NMy3S2PPhnf8IOatP8WtspCU0E236D1fUMw_6uLPmTGdbPWzwBbz7fhiyidwTSzlKZR0nnucfol8Ef0gfr1jDyTd7Pu02OaU8Viyk/s1600/thrilled+jackson+on+bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju61TiHukPdSjUMMENiQySoIfKUxQwrR96hcDXk2NMy3S2PPhnf8IOatP8WtspCU0E236D1fUMw_6uLPmTGdbPWzwBbz7fhiyidwTSzlKZR0nnucfol8Ef0gfr1jDyTd7Pu02OaU8Viyk/s320/thrilled+jackson+on+bridge.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He looks thrilled... I don't know what is more exciting to him:<br />
that he has more running to do <br />
or<br />
that I keep embarrassing him with the amount of pictures I have been taking.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
So, continuing on our little journey, we found a cute little bagel shop about half mile up the road once we go off the bridge. A little bit sketchy, but hey, it was food and a warm place to sit down and grab water.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4TER3FFvpy6qTF9If0ZtABVYlPfaqM5ioFkTMWZFkAuSc25uBpyna7OnuIxilE8v0oBEUFILtiicpnHTbmGgjtX1j018-am1eUbWtKfh4b6tZVz353LJQVe8_JcuqwAhhMfX8fySDPc/s1600/bagel+place+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4TER3FFvpy6qTF9If0ZtABVYlPfaqM5ioFkTMWZFkAuSc25uBpyna7OnuIxilE8v0oBEUFILtiicpnHTbmGgjtX1j018-am1eUbWtKfh4b6tZVz353LJQVe8_JcuqwAhhMfX8fySDPc/s320/bagel+place+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Jackson got a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel and I got a whole wheat bagel, SCOOPED (the middle of the bagel taken out so its just the outside of the bagel. (My only attempt during the whole weekend to be somewhat healthy). When I asked if they could do this, the guy said, ("I do it for you"... then winked at me. Gross.) .... I got this with eggs and cheese. The run over the bridge was totally worth it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnUgD5VVB-JhvndVVBhlUV6m1iHywMaA1PHIS7blUsXEVdccWbMnCLxypXvUyqzqz9IeDjef_HhS_ILOM3wT0JpkTdaw1nvtDt3nRW0o4uJGPq-na1Zj_VYI7FujwpJTbkajOP9OND3w/s1600/bagelll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnUgD5VVB-JhvndVVBhlUV6m1iHywMaA1PHIS7blUsXEVdccWbMnCLxypXvUyqzqz9IeDjef_HhS_ILOM3wT0JpkTdaw1nvtDt3nRW0o4uJGPq-na1Zj_VYI7FujwpJTbkajOP9OND3w/s320/bagelll.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YUM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Once we were done, I had to go to the bathroom very badly (I tend to have this problem often) so we wandered around and found a bathroom. Then, we headed back across the bridge.<br />
<br />
The way back was a lot worse... a HUGE uphill grade, steeper than the way there.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtTuMgTsnM-TKjRZVBfhW1kBiqBhprhGrev-RlH14ZMts-fO3C2tN8uW66sjS4_B9OYnCF27ssEtiq8WeVZbyzaL6VkGULg8G7oJDc1bShwo6TkdPyrZkXNE1qwfM0zwSUuK0ztLnjWE/s1600/uphil1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKtTuMgTsnM-TKjRZVBfhW1kBiqBhprhGrev-RlH14ZMts-fO3C2tN8uW66sjS4_B9OYnCF27ssEtiq8WeVZbyzaL6VkGULg8G7oJDc1bShwo6TkdPyrZkXNE1qwfM0zwSUuK0ztLnjWE/s320/uphil1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugh...<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Our stomachs were not too happy with us going up that hill, but once we got to the middle, I got some more great pictures and the worst was over!</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ2ppPSl9FORm4eur2uB953mBOwrZtMs5yvm4NvkvygeBmDuaAZS3yd9o2RaFv5AUJAp2A3Y-GTRpT-k_VMsog2WP-A-o6CB44RtR9-nbT01B3Eqd75gl0wmVikWS8MIoC7wbLgnFB7s/s1600/middle+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVJ2ppPSl9FORm4eur2uB953mBOwrZtMs5yvm4NvkvygeBmDuaAZS3yd9o2RaFv5AUJAp2A3Y-GTRpT-k_VMsog2WP-A-o6CB44RtR9-nbT01B3Eqd75gl0wmVikWS8MIoC7wbLgnFB7s/s320/middle+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NjedxFh-hLmON8iTKeW4mdYOQ5dIlLRv3SdvTkLdAsWel2xrZwTdizif0JGBk2zLpOlm1yqnSRLDpYfVgoPdQQBxa_4ubnLUAUDDhMISZ6gvpLcdLN4Lx7BvJPD_gds4TdDvFLlwGVg/s1600/middle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8NjedxFh-hLmON8iTKeW4mdYOQ5dIlLRv3SdvTkLdAsWel2xrZwTdizif0JGBk2zLpOlm1yqnSRLDpYfVgoPdQQBxa_4ubnLUAUDDhMISZ6gvpLcdLN4Lx7BvJPD_gds4TdDvFLlwGVg/s320/middle1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA-8DMBf1QAJRRz5B50-GGGO3gcP4r55FkeHAXc-9Tb1CJIoWZd22zTXGmnM4Oz0JvcNdXslTWVxxnpV_8ASAx5BLCZSj6j9cbT8ZXjWXEBzo-Y-hLZSwtZPV5Zv46iZSPVpJfdUAvFo/s1600/uphill3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpA-8DMBf1QAJRRz5B50-GGGO3gcP4r55FkeHAXc-9Tb1CJIoWZd22zTXGmnM4Oz0JvcNdXslTWVxxnpV_8ASAx5BLCZSj6j9cbT8ZXjWXEBzo-Y-hLZSwtZPV5Zv46iZSPVpJfdUAvFo/s320/uphill3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Finally, we were on our way down and back on the other side!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOhhbsJJDEe8Ow4wMYj8AxkEt4de2bnMVgGHa2SMw2NAzoIGW-EkLZXNcWh6_iHsG7M13nfPJg5rDcsEGX39BnhVJNhs0PSOT5CUMqu0F1GosqipNt0Pxx7Irxf1NEmgo1ZnnkGLgxtk/s1600/back+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNOhhbsJJDEe8Ow4wMYj8AxkEt4de2bnMVgGHa2SMw2NAzoIGW-EkLZXNcWh6_iHsG7M13nfPJg5rDcsEGX39BnhVJNhs0PSOT5CUMqu0F1GosqipNt0Pxx7Irxf1NEmgo1ZnnkGLgxtk/s320/back+down.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">back down!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgyXKZuUpvwmD8Uufpb1kN5TSAV1yX787tYzmgXyEhvnj22GLgPawl40mI3EOEUuv9YlV2sOeqPEVRwtg0387ttCB_67lFyD3DXr2BMf_63SLz-2NFt_j9DcKla1it5WoGrhncUipyiU/s1600/back!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgyXKZuUpvwmD8Uufpb1kN5TSAV1yX787tYzmgXyEhvnj22GLgPawl40mI3EOEUuv9YlV2sOeqPEVRwtg0387ttCB_67lFyD3DXr2BMf_63SLz-2NFt_j9DcKla1it5WoGrhncUipyiU/s320/back!.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Overall, it was an amazing run. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once we got back and showered and hydrated a bit, we were off to our activities for the day: walking, walking and more walking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">No but really... thats all we did. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ok, ok, we did see some cool things.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 9-11 Memorial</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This was absolutely incredible. If you haven't been, go. The memorial itself was so well done, the security was intense (almost equal to that of an airport), and the experience was so somber, yet surreal it was very neat. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I find it inappropriate (for lack of a better word), and it would be very hard, to try and explain it all, as I will not do it justice and there were so many cool areas... so I will just do a little photo bit right here so you see some of what I saw:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eLIBJ-_0jPswrV62A4bG_3ypMM8PvgtDquQ9NxDaGHQ0UEPy91A7D15g3BdwxapM1Kpzx90lOMIrF68YNhAw23nZP-en6KPn-XK1bCXptaX3BC6p2-0RhI8Rpey6BsIBw2Ziadk3JJU/s1600/memorial+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4eLIBJ-_0jPswrV62A4bG_3ypMM8PvgtDquQ9NxDaGHQ0UEPy91A7D15g3BdwxapM1Kpzx90lOMIrF68YNhAw23nZP-en6KPn-XK1bCXptaX3BC6p2-0RhI8Rpey6BsIBw2Ziadk3JJU/s320/memorial+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhravOrnE0hdUjq3Wfv1Jt28IkiowvALAeCFDykSoOL3IGuuyXyfI0_9GwzTioQYXPg8_fIdNHgT7ScNiZTHv4HJysqtNbpy7xYR8uqX6_4b8YwwhWkL0bwqqS7wJ6aFGThKykSIfUIMVo/s1600/memorial+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhravOrnE0hdUjq3Wfv1Jt28IkiowvALAeCFDykSoOL3IGuuyXyfI0_9GwzTioQYXPg8_fIdNHgT7ScNiZTHv4HJysqtNbpy7xYR8uqX6_4b8YwwhWkL0bwqqS7wJ6aFGThKykSIfUIMVo/s320/memorial+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCATwPobwuRI-qVDhVQ_EdwKwvmGFQ-xeweiteaH0vfvQ4yKoqoIM1b4ehAhpX3KCrKF5vUPXerO1_JINDl7KpOnx6cZrDdEd2_oIGgb88zU9HOn5JUuyZ6QR2m8RXWcWLgCD0svUf79A/s1600/memorial+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCATwPobwuRI-qVDhVQ_EdwKwvmGFQ-xeweiteaH0vfvQ4yKoqoIM1b4ehAhpX3KCrKF5vUPXerO1_JINDl7KpOnx6cZrDdEd2_oIGgb88zU9HOn5JUuyZ6QR2m8RXWcWLgCD0svUf79A/s320/memorial+3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSRaILZ1u-b9RSPXVw8SAggTvw0q9aiHG0P6zYFt_urH8TGvyKQ_pMLbIx4tqlhAou0iiE1TGD7Z1foNn-19-Bjc02DFETkmp14Miku51-z8VTvSxGTLjaan_GGSnb0kctEhN1rNjcw/s1600/memorial+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qSRaILZ1u-b9RSPXVw8SAggTvw0q9aiHG0P6zYFt_urH8TGvyKQ_pMLbIx4tqlhAou0iiE1TGD7Z1foNn-19-Bjc02DFETkmp14Miku51-z8VTvSxGTLjaan_GGSnb0kctEhN1rNjcw/s320/memorial+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-itcJcCP_Nrp6teqY-WwYqkDNGxaqFiOWtepUn1bkd-jCUDuoemsoU2MaDGCt6smGGnsO5quIL3IZC075k0GfaWqPTgVNcgS_xW1dJl9unxgNreMy5n2emaMYZ9JQTp5KM5_vTPaw4U/s1600/memorial+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-itcJcCP_Nrp6teqY-WwYqkDNGxaqFiOWtepUn1bkd-jCUDuoemsoU2MaDGCt6smGGnsO5quIL3IZC075k0GfaWqPTgVNcgS_xW1dJl9unxgNreMy5n2emaMYZ9JQTp5KM5_vTPaw4U/s320/memorial+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb06lUG1gZJ9ZWhkOt86_QA0nonAvoNuGADdwDKXiIc6at7eXQUOXjaJG5iA4sUnSJSMJCHfFBx6WBLfNSCNtJhAXDlpoWj0sFy9XmjiDXbIrHI5IDOVFyw6oLy_P3JKWQXZWPZh8mTs/s1600/memorial+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnb06lUG1gZJ9ZWhkOt86_QA0nonAvoNuGADdwDKXiIc6at7eXQUOXjaJG5iA4sUnSJSMJCHfFBx6WBLfNSCNtJhAXDlpoWj0sFy9XmjiDXbIrHI5IDOVFyw6oLy_P3JKWQXZWPZh8mTs/s320/memorial+6.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEOSf8-VJp9X0hsGBld0SCOF7scz_65G1lrk2ZLYuxEKMXcl7suGNeoBwml9b4lQxeK3v1_dSvyi-446b3wCWxNNO_zItqQB4ftJcJwvX5MItWChYa2EQxU6KE8GRXs-QXxkINmGuzvA/s1600/memorial+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEOSf8-VJp9X0hsGBld0SCOF7scz_65G1lrk2ZLYuxEKMXcl7suGNeoBwml9b4lQxeK3v1_dSvyi-446b3wCWxNNO_zItqQB4ftJcJwvX5MItWChYa2EQxU6KE8GRXs-QXxkINmGuzvA/s320/memorial+7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkmanm40jTnBeZC5D2SmWN8JUFC9ZR919MGZn-jWKdAH9MzVR372yv55D5_dBzTmQbLmbdHJaBgkSvrpT_brawbjZa9xlLPOg3Q2RkyWdjEp8e7nFLq2ak7TE_zVjC0I_i0JVxue44bI/s1600/memorial+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBkmanm40jTnBeZC5D2SmWN8JUFC9ZR919MGZn-jWKdAH9MzVR372yv55D5_dBzTmQbLmbdHJaBgkSvrpT_brawbjZa9xlLPOg3Q2RkyWdjEp8e7nFLq2ak7TE_zVjC0I_i0JVxue44bI/s320/memorial+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicLjM8QqfEqubbmFP7P8pxFy90NeSSl_ai1AjpdXIZWfJ9NGv2cvgLRCRofuSEwkuZKzXen55JG8fif0MTBDyj2VDz7zaABAY0r07IH3isPb5HuGqAKhIPN7GF5PUge322AGLyWL8XSk/s1600/memorial+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhicLjM8QqfEqubbmFP7P8pxFy90NeSSl_ai1AjpdXIZWfJ9NGv2cvgLRCRofuSEwkuZKzXen55JG8fif0MTBDyj2VDz7zaABAY0r07IH3isPb5HuGqAKhIPN7GF5PUge322AGLyWL8XSk/s320/memorial+9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow in the corner... :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Amazing.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The next stop, after digesting all of what we had just seen, was lunch. </div><div><br />
</div><div>We decided to add to our rap sheet of healthy foods and get pizza and the Famous Original Rays!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZubgDyTBTSK36ZumF-iDsR8OI1yFNcy1KKVVC5QFlgxZq6IaHfKNiZFkdG4DDsKHRoxyOJl0UCAUPw8YRLCodIBYCmZjTQLE4WW9W0fmAbNJ3sJsKhsYEnI25mcRtSeZLDn9bGL_G4c/s1600/rays.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZubgDyTBTSK36ZumF-iDsR8OI1yFNcy1KKVVC5QFlgxZq6IaHfKNiZFkdG4DDsKHRoxyOJl0UCAUPw8YRLCodIBYCmZjTQLE4WW9W0fmAbNJ3sJsKhsYEnI25mcRtSeZLDn9bGL_G4c/s320/rays.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did not hesitate to really dig in. Pizza is possibly my favorite go- to food. I knew that the slices that were larger than me and very cheesy... therefore 1 would probably be plenty. So, naturally, I ordered two slices. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEslhQhUe-Pv-h0fyx9e2nW4Y5LCQg_qEnCF3jzwxoSW42GaQs-fvzqSCHxwMRrnANBRszN47URZJE3KZLna2rBXA7dgWP_Z4fTVmaECcaoPOPFcqPcAo714pLlQpmIRXcQlUgkwu0MqA/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEslhQhUe-Pv-h0fyx9e2nW4Y5LCQg_qEnCF3jzwxoSW42GaQs-fvzqSCHxwMRrnANBRszN47URZJE3KZLna2rBXA7dgWP_Z4fTVmaECcaoPOPFcqPcAo714pLlQpmIRXcQlUgkwu0MqA/s320/pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>... and I don't regret it at all. I ate every last bite. Taking advantage of this treat was a must. Even if I did feel a tiny bit sick afterwards. I knew it was all going to end when I got home on Monday...<br />
<br />
The day continued with a walk all the way up 5th ave (a 3 hour walk up 5th ave!).... anddddd I must bring attention to the fact, that although I dragged Jacks into almost every designer store and into Bloomingdales and Barneys... i did not buy ONE thing! wahoooo!!!!! Go me!<br />
<br />
Yes, I was very proud of myself!<br />
<br />
Along the way, we stopped at Rockefeller Center:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaE9oBj1sdPnDCJjoNhB8LQfIhuT63Gz343-0zqQqRoBRnI7pUDvBrqLI6N_yoiRi7uvj1oaR0rHTUY_SJOGKF-kXq0mSrly-lSJRh1hNkacTGCC3d_4zL8twZlJ4iYNZUfhLjrrYqSU/s1600/Times+Square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaE9oBj1sdPnDCJjoNhB8LQfIhuT63Gz343-0zqQqRoBRnI7pUDvBrqLI6N_yoiRi7uvj1oaR0rHTUY_SJOGKF-kXq0mSrly-lSJRh1hNkacTGCC3d_4zL8twZlJ4iYNZUfhLjrrYqSU/s320/Times+Square.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> And St. Patricks Cathedral (which was stunning):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4JR_C0uB3khEutov_iGesqAttiCyA-ScYYvAW5nd_-CSXTpgO7uQBAsLFsOdV91QHyIz3rifio0e4cRK5ohhKy-n_NQHHVwy359rlPKcDuJdBbCxK05G8FTpIuGfQmRK6hnZ5t4Qr3I/s1600/St.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4JR_C0uB3khEutov_iGesqAttiCyA-ScYYvAW5nd_-CSXTpgO7uQBAsLFsOdV91QHyIz3rifio0e4cRK5ohhKy-n_NQHHVwy359rlPKcDuJdBbCxK05G8FTpIuGfQmRK6hnZ5t4Qr3I/s320/St.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div><br />
And then ended the long, tiring stroll at Central Park:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRQwpAtw3aBdE-Ut3xQsKMIltMdNAA1cPZpV91U1dUROh9RDlT1JpfKGo8hyphenhypheniB38FzmtEuqTlGaHiDSOHIq3f10x5nBxWBJG4QRHyk1M8btGyHLP_O6aYS4AHS8C33jG3UDObiqbV97Y/s1600/Central+Park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRQwpAtw3aBdE-Ut3xQsKMIltMdNAA1cPZpV91U1dUROh9RDlT1JpfKGo8hyphenhypheniB38FzmtEuqTlGaHiDSOHIq3f10x5nBxWBJG4QRHyk1M8btGyHLP_O6aYS4AHS8C33jG3UDObiqbV97Y/s320/Central+Park.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
We didn't know who to ask to take a picture of us. 90% of people didn't speak English and the other 10% were preoccupied with other things. So, Jackson's long arms were sufficient enough.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AA0guHnyxSKSM0gyXP6p8DRIy8dnH1qTbALwSGL3nWwLzU_AvvP_c26OT3yVySPjj2wnx65M0DeSkJcjJIde4UarItAWXIiHGCLbH7ozNJqoDY1e226FSkEReS7U9WtyA6LyInRmsDM/s1600/Central+Park+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AA0guHnyxSKSM0gyXP6p8DRIy8dnH1qTbALwSGL3nWwLzU_AvvP_c26OT3yVySPjj2wnx65M0DeSkJcjJIde4UarItAWXIiHGCLbH7ozNJqoDY1e226FSkEReS7U9WtyA6LyInRmsDM/s320/Central+Park+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
We tried to stop at Serendipity for a famous frozen hot chocolate, but the wait was too long. I didn't make Jackson wait with me, because I knew that we didn't need the extra sugar and I made myself believe that the wait was a sign we shouldn't continue our bad eating until dinner.<br />
<br />
So... it was time to get on the train. We hopped on the train, but after 20 minutes they announced there was a detour and we would have to get off and board another. Long story short, it would have been faster and easier to cab- it to the hotel rather than figuring out the trains. It was 5:30 pm at this point and we were exhausted from walking all day and all we wanted to do was get back to the hotel.<br />
<br />
It took us <b><u>30 minutes</u></b> of walking in the direction of the hotel before we could find an available cab. There had been at least 60 cabs passing us, none of which were available.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6vwfnvNeMjcwHrnOLqztorjXy7hrAC-BGp_UXRUbR41wEtWFCnMmjryIRcvDeUlzldLX3719k7OIyJfWbIGKZlic5IDJRfN5UB5VWNfp1x-Oe23Brf59zitcjj4MTdnY7JvsjSOn3rg/s1600/yellow-cabs.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD6vwfnvNeMjcwHrnOLqztorjXy7hrAC-BGp_UXRUbR41wEtWFCnMmjryIRcvDeUlzldLX3719k7OIyJfWbIGKZlic5IDJRfN5UB5VWNfp1x-Oe23Brf59zitcjj4MTdnY7JvsjSOn3rg/s1600/yellow-cabs.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Cranky was an understatement for what we were at this point. Sore feet, tired eyes, dehydrated and hungry... we both agreed that we were more tired after walking around New York City from 10 am until 5 pm than we were after a triathlon!!!!!!!!<br />
<br />
We took a nap and then got ready for our next dinner: GREEK!<br />
<br />
We took a short cab ride to Murray Hill and went to <b>Ethos</b> for dinner at 9pm (pushed back our reservation in order to get a nap in)<br />
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Ethos was a very relaxed, casual and not expensive Greek restaurant with delicious food. We received this recommendation from a friend of Jackson's father and also some of my girlfriends who live in NYC. It was a great choice!<br />
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We started out with hummus and stuffed calamari (and a bottle of wine of course). Both amazing. Then, I got this amazing chicken and orzo dish and Jacks got the lamb. Both of these dishes were incredible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1IuUnVhCJ3lgg3HhOzdTxWdk7rSzYfU8cxOrXJbN2GMfp1CrbAVKifbi25ZBaiX476fWzjqkmNZbeoNgtbl9brSLSykz2etryX_csOO2F8JHbtkoH6QPqcFn-rhQJ0hvlsLMJeQH98/s1600/mex.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQC1IuUnVhCJ3lgg3HhOzdTxWdk7rSzYfU8cxOrXJbN2GMfp1CrbAVKifbi25ZBaiX476fWzjqkmNZbeoNgtbl9brSLSykz2etryX_csOO2F8JHbtkoH6QPqcFn-rhQJ0hvlsLMJeQH98/s320/mex.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love Greek food!<br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table>They also provided us with a free desert, which was awesome too!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEYOYQrnN4PCQPg3GvGqxH0iiU36rUb7tCxXNVDtA2uW1NaUfgPxH8-T0_nBC0WFUq1e3yjqfDD46-WqjcV3bhmbaOgTROLJZ7xhg339ETHz8MCY_d6D-gvYWBnZ9fcdVa4K2QleJ7ZQ/s1600/photo-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEYOYQrnN4PCQPg3GvGqxH0iiU36rUb7tCxXNVDtA2uW1NaUfgPxH8-T0_nBC0WFUq1e3yjqfDD46-WqjcV3bhmbaOgTROLJZ7xhg339ETHz8MCY_d6D-gvYWBnZ9fcdVa4K2QleJ7ZQ/s320/photo-2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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At this point, we were so exhausted that when we got back, we couldn't even pretend to try and keep our eyes open.<br />
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The next day we woke up early, packed up, left our bags with the concierge and headed to <b>The Empire State Building!!!!</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFBPWPS9DQM7-4b_o64_xAkCaULWfKfry7PthQLmHKqMmbV7x08zVr0mrNmdtk0osvFfyCMqS1qUh9-NBBNLUOdiB2lxPFBNM1Sdf7VTwY_FHSySKwmDeWfetvk6n9_cpQwVMsWuyrsg/s1600/Empire+State+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFBPWPS9DQM7-4b_o64_xAkCaULWfKfry7PthQLmHKqMmbV7x08zVr0mrNmdtk0osvFfyCMqS1qUh9-NBBNLUOdiB2lxPFBNM1Sdf7VTwY_FHSySKwmDeWfetvk6n9_cpQwVMsWuyrsg/s320/Empire+State+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Thanks to Jackson for thinking ahead, we had express passes, so NO LINES! Totally worth it!!!<br />
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</div>He also got us passes to the 102nd Floor Observatory, which is 1250 feet high!!!!! It was really cool and I took about 200 pictures, but just to show a few:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0wh02zYXrG7CXlAWFkQzpwOdY8M0AHl6VKaer5TobUHADmdhthEGGAh6FcoWAIOF3j9NaIZD6jXakmetosmzXcAKSgqOwXA-0fnRDmi6wRnulq7AIBbhmZU08DGzszmnJK-cqI5idfo/s1600/Empire+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU0wh02zYXrG7CXlAWFkQzpwOdY8M0AHl6VKaer5TobUHADmdhthEGGAh6FcoWAIOF3j9NaIZD6jXakmetosmzXcAKSgqOwXA-0fnRDmi6wRnulq7AIBbhmZU08DGzszmnJK-cqI5idfo/s320/Empire+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfP09p3X3bxv2lYwtkLK5tcjOPh8L_pDxUg92kAfLxDK3WFMjGtCA-erWJEB-pjE-24dv3tTCwqHjsSRXR5FGwJ65VbiiPGVfW4wCWrQ8w_oxn8xkobSqfDJ0MtFz54Fj1AQOqRJr1zM/s1600/Empire+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTfP09p3X3bxv2lYwtkLK5tcjOPh8L_pDxUg92kAfLxDK3WFMjGtCA-erWJEB-pjE-24dv3tTCwqHjsSRXR5FGwJ65VbiiPGVfW4wCWrQ8w_oxn8xkobSqfDJ0MtFz54Fj1AQOqRJr1zM/s320/Empire+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>After the Empire State Building, we had plans to meet some friends for brunch so we just wanted something light so we grabbed a bagel and cream cheese at a nearby cafe.<br />
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Then, headed to Meatpacking District to shop and have a late brunch/ early lunch!<br />
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We went to a bunch of stores including my favorite boutique "Scoop"... and I MUST bring attention to the fact that AGAIN... me... with a semi- shopping problem... did not buy ONE THING! Yay for me!...<br />
Jackson on the other hand encountered a steal at Scoop, where he got some awesome casual shoes, a sweater... equalling in $350 for only $55!!!!!!!! He was all smiles.<br />
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We then met our friends Robert and Jenny. Robert is an old family friend who just got engaged not too long ago to Jenny :) They live in NYC and we met them for Brunch at <b>Dos Caminos! (</b>We love our Mexican!... Thanks to Alex, my brother, he got me hooked).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dDnrL6gkNAYWugfmJ9TTnoPM7eFH9ABwtdKH1U8c9qBhQl7ciwVpBpg9h305ELpwkxTFze752CGXWY8tLBkssLLJjJM3eTRAQj_XGPjeEEGeDx9I9qZ8YDGXxXi4TIKo9UPGI3ZzdVU/s1600/-Dos_Caminos_Meatpacking-20000000002357751-500x375.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dDnrL6gkNAYWugfmJ9TTnoPM7eFH9ABwtdKH1U8c9qBhQl7ciwVpBpg9h305ELpwkxTFze752CGXWY8tLBkssLLJjJM3eTRAQj_XGPjeEEGeDx9I9qZ8YDGXxXi4TIKo9UPGI3ZzdVU/s320/-Dos_Caminos_Meatpacking-20000000002357751-500x375.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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We enjoyed a bloody mary and Margarita, chips and dip, their famous Guacamole and I got Enchiladas to top off the weekend of bad dieting!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmMZGsdralx1Vs_fE8-1bfb4G2MV6IKLzngFvi8kFGil5lUTaVxkFARUtMywZo0XRSjHxu4l1lsarbB6d86AN9cx5d9Myg3DkgebhXoivfrPSDPY3eX5kvNqj66XLbr_mXBdlwvRlmog/s1600/518880374_f754871c21.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQmMZGsdralx1Vs_fE8-1bfb4G2MV6IKLzngFvi8kFGil5lUTaVxkFARUtMywZo0XRSjHxu4l1lsarbB6d86AN9cx5d9Myg3DkgebhXoivfrPSDPY3eX5kvNqj66XLbr_mXBdlwvRlmog/s320/518880374_f754871c21.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My goodness was I full and ready to go home. We made a few more stops into a couple more shops (where I still didn't buy anything!!!)<br />
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We also went and walked up on The High Line, but it was ridiculously windy and cold, so we didn't spend too much time up there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMU_wukz_R7bkO2cWMzIF_NIDq4kDb6CCMTMpOAU0wGq8LdL4UsYZ3-1KRykkYEYb7HVMof_pRtOjs54PZH6JS1rDI5TXpCQGD-TX6OxP5seVLYHENMrHSAimdyWm-w9BTfAcDegrCZo/s1600/P1000186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCMU_wukz_R7bkO2cWMzIF_NIDq4kDb6CCMTMpOAU0wGq8LdL4UsYZ3-1KRykkYEYb7HVMof_pRtOjs54PZH6JS1rDI5TXpCQGD-TX6OxP5seVLYHENMrHSAimdyWm-w9BTfAcDegrCZo/s320/P1000186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Soon, we got in a cab and went back to the hotel to go home.<br />
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We got back around 6 pm, exhausted and ready to lay down and watch a movie with takeout. Our last pig- out meal before Monday hits... and the 2 month mark. All in all, successful trip. Good weather, delicious food, (a bit too much of it), a nice run, good "bonding time" away from the busy home life for Jackson and I... and a break from the headaches of training.<br />
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Monday, I was tired, exhausted and not looking forward to what is coming up. Already, the workouts are harder, my body is more sore and I am more tired than ever. This is when Paleo kicks in, my mental state gets more intense to push myself through these next two months.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpa-5m4r5da_brv_fSTkmOvUXHeF-DPJP3QoALduHpWVLc4wnYlnnvJfF1fMiH2SCVKacSsAGyFpwjTGh3SNSVpTbwwudHBLnSN4KK9MHuK7axMcLQqGkq9EsTCPJXGcYylhJdTAZZZw/s1600/i-hate-mornings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpa-5m4r5da_brv_fSTkmOvUXHeF-DPJP3QoALduHpWVLc4wnYlnnvJfF1fMiH2SCVKacSsAGyFpwjTGh3SNSVpTbwwudHBLnSN4KK9MHuK7axMcLQqGkq9EsTCPJXGcYylhJdTAZZZw/s320/i-hate-mornings.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Compliments of Jackson</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The boys have kicked it into high gear too, I can tell. Jackson is watching what he eats again and asked me to go on a morning run with him... while Alex is doing the same with his diet and joined me today for my strength training appointment. I think they both know (although they may not admit it) I get intense with all the training, so if they stick with me, they will be just fine!!!<br />
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More to come tomorrow with what my training looks like this week!!!!<br />
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Keep your fingers crossed for us!<br />
<br />
Never Give Up-<br />
<br />
Ali<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>Perseverance is the hard work you do... after you get tired of doing the hard work you have already done.</i><br />
<i>- Newt Gingrich</i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>SPIN CLASSES THIS WEEK @ FOCUS FITNESS MAIN LINE in BRYN MAWR, PA!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Thursday @ 6:15 pm</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Friday @ 5:30 pm</b></div><br />
</div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-46358961749856171132012-01-30T21:11:00.000-05:002012-01-30T21:11:37.591-05:00UPDATE!<div style="text-align: center;">Hi Everyone!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Due to being away this weekend, I was able to take lots of great pictures which I have been uploading and have been writing an exciting post about my New York City adventures, including everything about my "training" while I was there!!! Sorry the post wasn't on time this weekend...</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Getting home from a weekend away is always a big kick in the butt. I had so much to do to get back on track for the week!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RzbvhsOZUBEFS2bxQvdf0GTKsvdPPlxoCMIHwpCaN6mpFkpqkHkB92nS6brmAAHvKccuPGxssOCKTu_v4H_Ga58jCGj0U24Jg3F7rj0NSqtbj-wHEkAKVB2bIFFqkXAIQ4GVNE1f1vg/s1600/3369994847_7fa81f579a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RzbvhsOZUBEFS2bxQvdf0GTKsvdPPlxoCMIHwpCaN6mpFkpqkHkB92nS6brmAAHvKccuPGxssOCKTu_v4H_Ga58jCGj0U24Jg3F7rj0NSqtbj-wHEkAKVB2bIFFqkXAIQ4GVNE1f1vg/s320/3369994847_7fa81f579a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Be ready for a fun post tomorrow morning!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">XO</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-87671272176307153612012-01-23T20:47:00.003-05:002012-01-23T21:58:29.774-05:00NUTRITION!!!!FOOD: It is a love/ hate relationship.<br />
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I grew up in a family that knows good food, loves good food, makes good food <i>and </i>eats <i>a lot</i> of good food!!!!!<br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: left;">Let's start with my Mother's spaghetti... although full of delicious vegetables and sometimes, if I request, is made with whole wheat noodles... the portion size is larger than my actual head. Now, this is not my Mothers fault, because we dish our own pasta... But, I just can't help it. When Mom makes her spaghetti, you have to take advantage of it. Always.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qDfiVkUqLmt3U837n8LjRKIpsir6CxDozXmFZ40bnstRxEoqySRIcg9PesrieinLM6VIwwA4_fA5W4pg01eDS3nlJV_4Q9dnioc4YYfwzxjCz69dffZnc_260JMu5JssKkLZvD2qaAM/s1600/photo-5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1qDfiVkUqLmt3U837n8LjRKIpsir6CxDozXmFZ40bnstRxEoqySRIcg9PesrieinLM6VIwwA4_fA5W4pg01eDS3nlJV_4Q9dnioc4YYfwzxjCz69dffZnc_260JMu5JssKkLZvD2qaAM/s200/photo-5.jpeg" width="148" /></a></div><br />
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My Dad's famous BBQ ribs. One slab is just not enough... and anyone who has had them can defend me when I say that once you start eating them... you just can't stop. End of story.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFwu-7XGU6gMapHFHuPtC_ftVa_LXdSuP3p01K3-GUMomumaynrGExVgyI0fEc1WZ_G4va3fxPXDwD0dEiUAmljj21ZTZnPVwYegLaiYQ0VtKnowcHI8Xj2chTE6EKGy6RIghyphenhyphenootXTk/s1600/n72001992_30833346_9759.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFwu-7XGU6gMapHFHuPtC_ftVa_LXdSuP3p01K3-GUMomumaynrGExVgyI0fEc1WZ_G4va3fxPXDwD0dEiUAmljj21ZTZnPVwYegLaiYQ0VtKnowcHI8Xj2chTE6EKGy6RIghyphenhyphenootXTk/s200/n72001992_30833346_9759.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
I must not forget to mention my Grandmother's cheesy, meaty and delicious mastacholi (that I make her cook for me the second she comes and visits) ... and my MomMom's cheese and cherry blintz's. Both my guilty pleasures.<br />
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Oh yeah, my Father's breakfasts. Reason enough to sleep at home on the weekends to wake up to this. It is full of chocolate chip pancakes, greasy meats and portions of syrup and butter that would make the healthiest person in the world have a heart attack. I'm always the first one at the table (My brother Alex, soon to follow)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrjyAcHc24CS7NCfEyoJzugoBlqtzgVKXHE9ujJ1tzSJVOpB0wFdDQdhz-Xg7chw74I2StX0I4imwdnjgecUmOHzZPAN6laafEUJG2xfzj2tHcavgCUqbkf2UwOcratr3Wc7U5PmSPNg/s1600/35599_546000763651_72001992_32022024_5866723_a.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrjyAcHc24CS7NCfEyoJzugoBlqtzgVKXHE9ujJ1tzSJVOpB0wFdDQdhz-Xg7chw74I2StX0I4imwdnjgecUmOHzZPAN6laafEUJG2xfzj2tHcavgCUqbkf2UwOcratr3Wc7U5PmSPNg/s1600/35599_546000763651_72001992_32022024_5866723_a.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
My main reason as to why I can't eat like this:<br />
<br />
1) I am 5 foot 4- built with a petite frame. Every pound shows. I was not blessed with the genes where I can eat whatever I want and not gain a pound. Instead, I was blessed with <u><i>brilliant</i></u> taste buds that enjoys the best of the best and a lot of it. I would not change it for anything!!! So besides for not wanting to be overweight in general... my thought process for more motivation is... the lighter I am (with strength), the faster I go in the race. Stay fit and healthy.<br />
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2) Eating these foods on a regular basis is just not healthy. Plain and simple. In the long run, this will hurt me and damage my health. In terms of training, just a regular portion of my Dad's breakfast, for example, can set me back big time by not giving my muscles and my body the correct vitamins it needs.<br />
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3) Sure, I can eat more of this when I am doing hard workouts and not see any weight gain... but every choice comes with a consequence. The consequence of eating these foods with high carbs, high fats and large portions while in training: <u>no energy</u>. I feel lazy, full... (I call it a "food baby")... and extremely un- motivated.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9I31_g0hNiVXpi611LzyykJVH1OAzzCH_OJm2SGaiJPTIoBdC5juLBELqdbaIZh7Ljtx5qL85qBNnTG9EyaOrcenCUpLMn8Jd_XRjxDV4q2lf0vzuBc8VleU6aQkUH_vno4iWa3giq4g/s1600/GarfieldLazy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9I31_g0hNiVXpi611LzyykJVH1OAzzCH_OJm2SGaiJPTIoBdC5juLBELqdbaIZh7Ljtx5qL85qBNnTG9EyaOrcenCUpLMn8Jd_XRjxDV4q2lf0vzuBc8VleU6aQkUH_vno4iWa3giq4g/s320/GarfieldLazy.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat like me when I eat the way I wish I could eat... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>A 'clean diet' is the only way I found that my energy is at its highest, my endurance is at its strongest and my strength is at it's peak. There is only one diet that is the actual ancestral human diet, mimicking the way humans and species habitually ate 10,000 years ago.<br />
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<b><u>The Paleo Diet</u></b><br />
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Also known as the Primal Blueprint Diet, Paleolithic Diet, Caveman Diet, Stone Age Diet, or the Hunter- Gatherer Diet...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnzpu_zYhv-lexG5dD2tXnNThScJRnbYDRBI6A2OgP6dX3nVN8YkZ9azlsZOv3uf1uabQ5cel5Tq-LY0PXff0r-V-_q-dp6juW4U7ZE1vTzMe5FPl8lzqhF3ehlCqf4oAHzPEITL-PM/s1600/Stone-Age-Man-4230.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgnzpu_zYhv-lexG5dD2tXnNThScJRnbYDRBI6A2OgP6dX3nVN8YkZ9azlsZOv3uf1uabQ5cel5Tq-LY0PXff0r-V-_q-dp6juW4U7ZE1vTzMe5FPl8lzqhF3ehlCqf4oAHzPEITL-PM/s1600/Stone-Age-Man-4230.jpeg" /></a></div><br />
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Now, I am not going to bore you with the history or try to sell you on this diet. It is not for everyone. It is hard to follow, not very realistic, but it <i>does </i>in fact work. Therefore, to give you a better understanding of why I follow (try to follow it) and why most athletes who follow it, stick to it... I will lay out some basic facts:<br />
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<u>"As much as I want" foods: (ORGANIC)</u><br />
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<ul><li>Fish</li>
<li>Grass- fed pasture raised meats</li>
<li>Veggies</li>
<li>Fruits</li>
<li>Roots</li>
<li>Nuts</li>
</ul><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgfxxwInJp7JJ7RZaQmR2Vw2hRcy8FtnOirxU_gQY-KBr3eqPYa5X-a77PdUUn0UbE5qT7IS6FJCKUlNNsgKFlD47lnarnEW1ninVLZLWW6xIiBp1T4HV3laeg-IzQpJzR4SWmah6UYc/s1600/3d3e0_ORIG-paleo_pyramid.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGgfxxwInJp7JJ7RZaQmR2Vw2hRcy8FtnOirxU_gQY-KBr3eqPYa5X-a77PdUUn0UbE5qT7IS6FJCKUlNNsgKFlD47lnarnEW1ninVLZLWW6xIiBp1T4HV3laeg-IzQpJzR4SWmah6UYc/s320/3d3e0_ORIG-paleo_pyramid.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div><u>"No way" foods:</u><br />
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<ul><li style="text-align: left;">All grains (breads, cereals, etc.)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Legumes (beans, peas, etc.)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Dairy products (milk, cheeses, anything made with milk)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Salt</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Refined Sugar</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Processed oils (or anything with processed oils in it)</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Alcohol of any kind</li>
</ul></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1rvUw_M7VbqGiJkE_q11yEGPjaYoCZzN6EcwwsuJQbBFDJiG1zDxbHUmK49Q-j4-QYjX0s3lgw-oQHVPD4VPGXPS2XP9goZdR9xJBprZugcDWmU8y8oWnxYzEfcDE5OoBvhvUB5w7MA/s1600/no-milk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1rvUw_M7VbqGiJkE_q11yEGPjaYoCZzN6EcwwsuJQbBFDJiG1zDxbHUmK49Q-j4-QYjX0s3lgw-oQHVPD4VPGXPS2XP9goZdR9xJBprZugcDWmU8y8oWnxYzEfcDE5OoBvhvUB5w7MA/s200/no-milk.jpeg" width="199" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><div><div><br />
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</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzujp4PjeuDn4XqWMRRnxkKXcZmVkx-zFOPsh9IEgFDU3E0OmND3V_6yOhtjzXEv0EgwzXt50cTS30b6MKS4xDp-MPv5YfJ1cRWftm7Usefgg1Ij-KKkeUAhqdS-JeQNNh-EaSs6xYY8c/s1600/fast-food-logos.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzujp4PjeuDn4XqWMRRnxkKXcZmVkx-zFOPsh9IEgFDU3E0OmND3V_6yOhtjzXEv0EgwzXt50cTS30b6MKS4xDp-MPv5YfJ1cRWftm7Usefgg1Ij-KKkeUAhqdS-JeQNNh-EaSs6xYY8c/s200/fast-food-logos.png" width="200" /></a></div><b><u>Main Argument for the Paleolithic nutrition:</u></b> modern humans are genetically adapted to the diet of their Paleolithic ancestors. People who follow diets similar to the Paleolithic hunter- gatherers are largely free of diseases of affluence (diseases due to lifestyle in modern society... in this case eating and diet... as an example, fast food is bad for you, therefore causing one to be unhealthy). </div></div></div><div><br />
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</div><div><br />
</div><div>In short... according to <i>The Paleo Diet For Athletes: A Nutritional Formula for Peak Athletic Performance,</i> written by Loren Cordain (PhD) and Joe Friel (MS), there are 4 <u style="font-style: italic;">base</u> reasons as to why this diet works for endurance athletes. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHyFtzL9KWMJagyxgzucuMeAjTwPl92Jf52mCIRyuV1a2FeYRLf9yw_Zr_z6tOe_cY67sMRqCknUO5KT97tgAsCWFLEe4_B0fgHHaGUdic3BxONQC-7zZXMtQgS0Mrl0QVqHyV-dc2h8/s1600/paleo-diet-athletes1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHyFtzL9KWMJagyxgzucuMeAjTwPl92Jf52mCIRyuV1a2FeYRLf9yw_Zr_z6tOe_cY67sMRqCknUO5KT97tgAsCWFLEe4_B0fgHHaGUdic3BxONQC-7zZXMtQgS0Mrl0QVqHyV-dc2h8/s320/paleo-diet-athletes1.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>1) <u>Branched- chain Amino Acids (BCAA)- </u> </div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6qoZOhcMW9ST3KROpo81SdzbWp-E6tA9fljyGzfwIj5jOURR6EB1EhC37wpUI6vfi6y8NNPHAKdvYNKgPW9Ucvp11CjWoRdmGoYWRA1739o5CIgdl-JeerZu0hpW9XX3Rm6t4XnFJzE/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6qoZOhcMW9ST3KROpo81SdzbWp-E6tA9fljyGzfwIj5jOURR6EB1EhC37wpUI6vfi6y8NNPHAKdvYNKgPW9Ucvp11CjWoRdmGoYWRA1739o5CIgdl-JeerZu0hpW9XX3Rm6t4XnFJzE/s1600/images.jpeg" /></a>Diet is high in protein, which is the richest source of the branched- chain amino acid. BCAA's are different than other amino acids that collectively make up protein in that they are potent stimulants for building and repairing muscle. Lean meats and fish provide approximately 30 more grams of BCAA than whole grains supplies the body in a single serving. By consuming lean protein (BCAA), athletes then rapidly reverse the natural breakdown of muscle that usually occurs after a hard workout, thereby reducing recovery time. Then, the obvious happens, that you are able to have a more intense training workout during the next session. Awesome.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div><br />
</div><div>2) <u>Blood Acidity Vs. Alkalinity-</u></div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvRxOA3o_PiRnGxw_nOJWEnESOd1ViD1FoGR-OUEye8lb8Tafz6jfc0U8SOVNaHkYx-BZqgMCKj6UUA3nUDVj1BVYXwd9EJYLaF6o_wX-LLmSGmDMbLOED0auG_vBM2MPX3cp3gWS6Us/s1600/fruits-veggies.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuvRxOA3o_PiRnGxw_nOJWEnESOd1ViD1FoGR-OUEye8lb8Tafz6jfc0U8SOVNaHkYx-BZqgMCKj6UUA3nUDVj1BVYXwd9EJYLaF6o_wX-LLmSGmDMbLOED0auG_vBM2MPX3cp3gWS6Us/s200/fruits-veggies.jpeg" width="200" /></a>All foods during digestion, report to the kidney as either acid or base (alkali). The typical American diet is net acid producing because of its high reliance upon acid- yielding grains, cheeses and salty processed foods. An athletes body is more prone to blood acidosis because of all the exercise. Therefore, in order to prevent muscle loss, the need for fruits and veggies is higher in order to reverse the metabolic acidosis produced from the typical grain- and starch- laden diet. The Paleo diet conquers this science with flying colors. </div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div>3) <u>Trace Nutrients-</u></div><div><u><br />
</u></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8go0A5BGXKUJkXYXutPhVzxhzEAaVU8xuDRoq3Pd48KHaDnZ7BCQ-jcECMQT0IZLxsP1kkAopT1LqmrZbMvUZuvWTmqXw_4IAWDnjPtmw1q_p4-U1UQHWOZ5MNRNl14IY8_eSwEO_wkk/s1600/4287826361_3b39d23b93.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8go0A5BGXKUJkXYXutPhVzxhzEAaVU8xuDRoq3Pd48KHaDnZ7BCQ-jcECMQT0IZLxsP1kkAopT1LqmrZbMvUZuvWTmqXw_4IAWDnjPtmw1q_p4-U1UQHWOZ5MNRNl14IY8_eSwEO_wkk/s200/4287826361_3b39d23b93.jpeg" width="152" /></a><br />
Fruits and veggies are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Paired with lean meats (zinc and B vitamins), the body will have optimal immune- system functioning. The refined grains, oils, sugars and processed foods that are usually staples in every day living, and even staples for some athletes.... basically take away from all of these nutrients. A healthy athlete who is cold free can train harder and perform to higher standards. YAY!</div><div><br />
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4) <u>Glycogen Stores-</u></div><div><br />
</div><div>Possibly being the most important next to the BCAA reasoning, the highest goal of any athletic diet is to maintain high muscle stores of glycogen. Glycogen is a body fuel absolutely essential for high-level performance. Protein is not a source for making muscle glycogen, nor is fat. Dietary starches and sugars are body's number one source for making muscle glycogen. </div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllww1zsuKK70Qz94NG10n9mt4_3DFc5wheVRshw2prvLrzxEfkOzLE8foDHQDA0TTVQv7tG-NMGPEP2zGCncKyePnEEMDHdoslxBmmiNol5htWeCzedabCJ2RWyQI0Ti5iBuM3b7WU_g/s1600/no-bread1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllww1zsuKK70Qz94NG10n9mt4_3DFc5wheVRshw2prvLrzxEfkOzLE8foDHQDA0TTVQv7tG-NMGPEP2zGCncKyePnEEMDHdoslxBmmiNol5htWeCzedabCJ2RWyQI0Ti5iBuM3b7WU_g/s200/no-bread1.jpeg" width="200" /></a>It is known that with branched- chain amino acids, glycogen synthesis by muscle occurs most effectively in the immediate post exercise window. Replace the pasta and starches that most athletes lean towards, and get nutrient- dense fruits and veggies that are needed to promote muscle growth and boost immune system. Eating breads, pastas or heavy starches will only discontinue all the work you have done by knocking those out previously therefore taking away all the vitamins in your muscles and replacing it with processed chemicals. Just eat more of the healthy carbohydrates and vitamins through lean meats and veggies. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div>Now, this all may seem ridiculous. </div><div>No bread...</div><div>No dairy...</div><div>No pizza...<br />
No chinese...</div><div>No.... everything I love?</div><div><br />
</div><div>There have been thousands and thousands of studies in all areas and there is no doubt that this diet method changes performance of endurance athletes. The issue is... it is not realistic. It seems easy... doesn't it? Cut out everything but meats, veggies and fruits (in a nutshell).. and keep it organic.<br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeAyCKmYYi9739Y00yyQ2jdycLWoDr2K5pW5N-iGwOv9MmzWADbiABS6SB-T6uxtyn-El5KJbbNLMhEJ7omcGmAkqBQcJEY3d9DXD8xKZUTD1xIP7VSJx0rq5eZW8vtt23y-jChhY68w/s1600/the-paleo-diet.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeAyCKmYYi9739Y00yyQ2jdycLWoDr2K5pW5N-iGwOv9MmzWADbiABS6SB-T6uxtyn-El5KJbbNLMhEJ7omcGmAkqBQcJEY3d9DXD8xKZUTD1xIP7VSJx0rq5eZW8vtt23y-jChhY68w/s1600/the-paleo-diet.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex likes to make fun of me, because I used to think Caveman still existed...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>... Right? No. Not easy. Think about it... there is temptation everywhere food wise, hard to go out and socialize because alcohol is not allowed and in addition, the foods at social functions probably aren't permitted AND everything you eat on this diet must be lean and organic.<br />
<br />
I am sure if I was an Olympian, I would make it work... but I'm not. So, I do my own form of the Paleo diet.<br />
<br />
Problem with not following it directly: I don't see the results I could see if I followed it religiously. You only see full results if followed perfectly and for a long period of time. The first three weeks when I started following this diet as a guideline about 10 months ago were the hardest, as my body went through withdrawal of what it was used to. I lacked the energy I needed to train, I lacked the strength and so on. I cannot expect to start it a month before the race for example, and see results. It does not work like that. If anything, it would hurt me and other athletes who did this.<br />
<br />
Therefore, since I know it is not realistic for me to follow it 24/7<i>...</i> I just don't go overboard. So, instead of torturing myself completely by following this to the max... I settle for feeling better than I would if I didn't follow it at all.<br />
<br />
<b><u>My 4 Main Guidelines:</u></b><br />
<br />
<ul><li>I cut out grains for 2 of the 3 meals of the day. When I do have grains (bread), it is whole wheat and in MODERATION. Meaning, if I am having pizza (which I try not to do, but I'm guilty of loving it too much to give it up)... I order whole wheat crust and have 2 slices and then a salad, instead of 4 slices. If I am out and order hummus, I ask for cucumbers instead of pita slices... and so on. </li>
</ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B_ZBa9T8SyHGDlaRo3m4lrC45jgUQ5SxCdFlgi5QkbVUtVrJhB9WutKCic3IEqdaMznsLKptv298ybQX7TF18mXXIcJrroP9EQIOxtEZJihsMadDjgjApSlaH3btA0OHybEQsoBlW6w/s1600/photo-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7B_ZBa9T8SyHGDlaRo3m4lrC45jgUQ5SxCdFlgi5QkbVUtVrJhB9WutKCic3IEqdaMznsLKptv298ybQX7TF18mXXIcJrroP9EQIOxtEZJihsMadDjgjApSlaH3btA0OHybEQsoBlW6w/s200/photo-2.jpeg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I cooked pizza, Jackson joked around by saying my portion size was the size of his finger....<br />
(I ate more than this, I swear)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ul><li>I do not have dairy, unless, again, it is a pizza and I'm splurging. I use replacers such as Coconut Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Yogurt, Dairy- free butter, etc. Since I cannot eat cereal, not having milk is not a big issue. When baking or cooking, my recipes are either Paleo or dairy- free, therefore using replacers anyway. When dining out, I try to avoid anything that may be made with milk. Again, when exceptions are made... I do it in moderation. </li>
</ul><ul><li>All snacks are Paleo approved. If someone is having something you aren't allowed or shouldn't have... have an alternative on hand. </li>
</ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28qNg7famLvJsnKNKWkaPQrGtT2DetUt4tk9w_cjR0eIlfp14M0owYZg-lAU7_SwB2zCY49YMEJ6xoMVw40xwzZY8Gn92rwcqEGSgQGEm-paE-1iH8GOFjgCGsRx6q2pjzm87XQtLXeQ/s1600/photo.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj28qNg7famLvJsnKNKWkaPQrGtT2DetUt4tk9w_cjR0eIlfp14M0owYZg-lAU7_SwB2zCY49YMEJ6xoMVw40xwzZY8Gn92rwcqEGSgQGEm-paE-1iH8GOFjgCGsRx6q2pjzm87XQtLXeQ/s320/photo.jpeg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chips and Dip versus Veggies!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><ul><li>No Alcohol. This is tough. In social settings, in celebrations and on weekends... to wind down I love a good glass of Red. I try to keep this to a minimum unless it is "date night" (Once a week with Jackson) or a special occasion. Again, in moderation. </li>
</ul></div><div><b><u>Before Workouts to Fuel:</u></b></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38VXOPc5EGFeLW1gDtApG9rfeCtawdu1AXErCvSLAplk4-uPKkAOKoFsUGGhRj6V2bphbQ0LxCx3r_jvogSZpcp9f-tmkp3rtqDnRkIm6jFWf3-oLAPoG3lFXohU0JjUYwIakcncOwV0/s1600/Coconut-Water-Products_259_300x300.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38VXOPc5EGFeLW1gDtApG9rfeCtawdu1AXErCvSLAplk4-uPKkAOKoFsUGGhRj6V2bphbQ0LxCx3r_jvogSZpcp9f-tmkp3rtqDnRkIm6jFWf3-oLAPoG3lFXohU0JjUYwIakcncOwV0/s200/Coconut-Water-Products_259_300x300.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br />
<ul><li>One hard boiled egg an hour before (2 eggs if it is longer than an hour and half workout)</li>
<li>Piece of fruit (apple or banana) 30 minutes before</li>
<li>1 small Coconut Water between 30 minutes and one hour before. </li>
</ul><div>The hard boiled egg gives me protein and energy, while the fruit hydrates me and makes my stomach feel more full. The Coconut Water (which Jackson will claim was his discovery... and my brother, Alex does not agree with...) allows my body to have natural sugar and carbohydrates for energy, in addition to the natural electrolytes, therefore hydrating me even more.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9YJfTVg1b65tTLHYbNe6skQTP5VreDS5LETZgLLVBvwo0ntuoHYt7o0DLH14WStu0Oa3EyxuI7Qund3NOyA6jWSpZQDSih_bRr3Z2i8HSqvmDyLGYaTFIgICa5qFAs6tih6CHDoF9B4/s1600/dscn2446.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg9YJfTVg1b65tTLHYbNe6skQTP5VreDS5LETZgLLVBvwo0ntuoHYt7o0DLH14WStu0Oa3EyxuI7Qund3NOyA6jWSpZQDSih_bRr3Z2i8HSqvmDyLGYaTFIgICa5qFAs6tih6CHDoF9B4/s200/dscn2446.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
</div></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
<b><u>After Workouts:</u></b></div><div><ul><li><u>PROTEIN!</u> Natural protein within 30-45 minutes of my workout. </li>
<ul><li>Chicken breast, fish, another hard boiled egg, natural lean lunch meat... </li>
</ul></ul><ul><li>Water, water, water! </li>
</ul><div><b>The tricks I've learned:</b></div><div><ul><li> Lean lunch meat ready to go in the fridge, which serves as a great post- workout meal or an on-the-go snack.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Cook chicken breast at the beginning of the week (or lean meat of your choice). That way, when you go to grab something in the fridge, you have that right there to create a small snack or a larger portion for lunch or dinner. </li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu8S1znoY8xHc17DsmqIzkpByxAhGcF33wsMTUdfAHw4AL2YjYETqvaM8BVs3-mlsNlJ04iB7IlsYJ_j0nGDHUbqbzJmSvPJ-493Yv9hVfFJcXhzg7r0vRyfecKbob3j4kvJX_uQC3Lw/s1600/fridge.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdu8S1znoY8xHc17DsmqIzkpByxAhGcF33wsMTUdfAHw4AL2YjYETqvaM8BVs3-mlsNlJ04iB7IlsYJ_j0nGDHUbqbzJmSvPJ-493Yv9hVfFJcXhzg7r0vRyfecKbob3j4kvJX_uQC3Lw/s320/fridge.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><ul><li>Have fruit readily available. I am known for keeping grapes out on the counter (my Mom always had this out). Grapes are easy to pick at and are a quick replacement for any other "snack" i would rather grab, such as chips or crackers. </li>
</ul><ul><li>Do not buy anything not Paleo approved. If you don't have it available to you, you won't eat it!!!</li>
</ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4443ORS6y6CJ0gptmp21DkV9D-4ctbjTXeZtb9X2EHMoRvTuyF9G27Hj8uGtM-ojm7cvLabsO3kxbG6zzWcAC6UICQVZxTHcrdvpSNwZisM-xl20oQ3IDaP8qmcP0IcbFtVU4rOVCJY/s1600/photo-7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4443ORS6y6CJ0gptmp21DkV9D-4ctbjTXeZtb9X2EHMoRvTuyF9G27Hj8uGtM-ojm7cvLabsO3kxbG6zzWcAC6UICQVZxTHcrdvpSNwZisM-xl20oQ3IDaP8qmcP0IcbFtVU4rOVCJY/s200/photo-7.jpeg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I make cookies for Jackson, so that he actually WANTS to come over... but then he eats them all (as do I)... post-its do wonders!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><ul><li>Cook instead of going out. If you cook, like in any diet, you are more likely to eat healthy. If you go out... AVOID ITALIAN at all costs. </li>
</ul><ul><li>Stay hydrated. Less likely to get hungry. </li>
</ul><ul><li>If you are hungry and know that you are hydrated... EAT. Your body is hungry for a reason and needs nutrition. Just keep them approved Paleo snacks or meals and in good portion sizes!</li>
</ul></div></div><div><b><u>My New Best Friend: </u></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>MY CROCKPOT!!!!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>A slow cooker is the best way to get healthy meals that taste great, with very little work! </div><div><br />
</div><div>You can throw anything in a crock pot. Chicken slices, breasts, whole chickens, beef cubes, ground beef... anything in the world you can think of, can be put in a crock pot. The flavors soak with one another for 8 or 4 hours and it comes out DELICIOUS. For me, I put it in the beginning of the day and by the time I get home, I'm set to go. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Some of my favorite recipes:</div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><b><u>Slow- Cooked Chili </u></b></div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr0lq8_qFC_qc2WPfkBNE9poa6-BPlybhLQC1ZL-CGVaugNqQKugkcV7CbJ4zeR4YXfSkVKbBzc9gRgxd2lHUEWOhuNFa4iZOgUbdVMyAy6a-LgNLEfAgpKBcGtMIaVf_6VKo_YTnSlA/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsr0lq8_qFC_qc2WPfkBNE9poa6-BPlybhLQC1ZL-CGVaugNqQKugkcV7CbJ4zeR4YXfSkVKbBzc9gRgxd2lHUEWOhuNFa4iZOgUbdVMyAy6a-LgNLEfAgpKBcGtMIaVf_6VKo_YTnSlA/s320/photo.JPG" width="239" /></a>2 Red onion, chopped</div><div>2 pounds of lean ground beef</div><div>3 tablespoons chili powder</div><div>1 teaspoon ground cumin</div><div>1 (28 ounce) can organic diced tomatoes</div><div>1 (15 ounce) can organic tomato sauce</div><div>1/2 cup beef broth</div><div>1 tablespoon garlic (I add a bit more)</div><div>1 Red Pepper</div><div>(I like to add 2 (8 ounce) can black beans... NOT Paleo approved)</div><div><ul><li>Cook beef in a pan until browned.</li>
<li>Drain beef pan, pour cooked beef into crock pot</li>
<li>Add other ingredients </li>
<li>Set to 8 hours on low.</li>
<li>Enjoy. </li>
</ul></div><div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><br />
<b><u>Slow- cooked Beef Stew</u></b><br />
<b><u><br />
</u></b><br />
1.5 lbs of beef stew cubes<br />
(2 medium sweet potatoes- cubed- NOT Paleo approved, but best if you want potatoes)<br />
1 medium onion<br />
1 bag organic baby carrots<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrNJgmJAl43HuPYh23Vf87Yx9F1O2a1N1xWt8nfLsNyjVSQ80tAllKemeZ-sAx14VHQrTgapRz0QZuKkW2Mbj2Ix3XxLSYquAysj1b5LvClZeuyxpOVBsYC68cBgPLIW4TTHW__onE68/s1600/photo-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPrNJgmJAl43HuPYh23Vf87Yx9F1O2a1N1xWt8nfLsNyjVSQ80tAllKemeZ-sAx14VHQrTgapRz0QZuKkW2Mbj2Ix3XxLSYquAysj1b5LvClZeuyxpOVBsYC68cBgPLIW4TTHW__onE68/s320/photo-1.jpeg" width="239" /></a>1 garlic clove, minced<br />
14 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes<br />
1 cup frozen spinach (optional)<br />
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil<br />
4 celery stocks, cut into 2 inch long pieces<br />
1 tbsp basil<br />
1 tsp oregano<br />
1 tbsp italian seasoning<br />
1 tsp thyme<br />
1 tsp cilantro leaves<br />
1/4 tsp chili powder<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
1 tsp ground pepper<br />
1 tbsp coconut oil<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Place beef in crock pot with coconut oil</li>
<li>Mix seasoning in small bowl and sprinkle over beef</li>
<li>place all other ingredients in on top of meat</li>
<li>Mix</li>
<li>8 hours on low</li>
</ul><div>There are hundreds of crock pot recipes, Paleo approved. Each time I make a new one, I will post it from now on!!!!!! :) </div><div><b><u><br />
</u></b></div><div><b><u>Another great one that is one of the best:</u></b></div><div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>FISH TACOS! (Jackson's Favorite)</b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFHlXCqRg0uaLZDuiPmcmq8_G7VAU5ZZWbgOagqC7i1KOm5aWR4XdODk5K_FeOVj4VR6ejoLnEBaWAHoIncD8skNj91Eepm9ypSxD6_akhFql9h8swwSjun9xS5rVbRO4FWuojKiF8ZI/s1600/photo-6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFHlXCqRg0uaLZDuiPmcmq8_G7VAU5ZZWbgOagqC7i1KOm5aWR4XdODk5K_FeOVj4VR6ejoLnEBaWAHoIncD8skNj91Eepm9ypSxD6_akhFql9h8swwSjun9xS5rVbRO4FWuojKiF8ZI/s320/photo-6.jpeg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jackson Cheats and puts cheese and sour cream.<br />
<b><br />
</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><b><br />
</b><br />
1 pound of boneless and skinless tilapia fillets, cut into 2- inch pieces<br />
1 tablespoon of coconut oil, pepper<br />
Fresh Lime Juice<br />
Fresh salsa (tomatos cubed, diced onion, cilantro... very easy!)<br />
2 Avocado, cubed<br />
2 cups Shredded cabbage or lettuce<br />
Tortillas (NOT Paleo approved)<br />
OR<br />
Head Bibb, iceberg or romaine lettuce (to wrap instead of tortillas)<br />
<ul><li>Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. Place fish on rimmed baking sheet, drizze coconut oil, pepper and a little lime juice.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Broil fish until lightly browned on top; 5-10 minutes until flesh opaque on top. </li>
</ul><ul><li>Divide fish evenly on tortillas/ lettuce, add avocado, lettuce/ cabbage, salsa (and I add hot sauce)</li>
</ul><div><br />
</div></div><div><b>My Favorite Sources:</b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div><b>1) <i>Paleo Comfort Foods </i>by Julie & Charles Mayfield</b></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZcDTBsZKcGBze5D9-sXjWb-xrM_HGK78BEfUApXeWt6dZm66Db4KoxCj5BQX4DBbgsh_eX-S-wEchLtUaqBBY432SQ9XHSu1U6Pd12gHjYATKoD_O2mAwDKSPzlPuinwdFyAR5NHKX8/s1600/Paleo-Comfort-Foods.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZcDTBsZKcGBze5D9-sXjWb-xrM_HGK78BEfUApXeWt6dZm66Db4KoxCj5BQX4DBbgsh_eX-S-wEchLtUaqBBY432SQ9XHSu1U6Pd12gHjYATKoD_O2mAwDKSPzlPuinwdFyAR5NHKX8/s200/Paleo-Comfort-Foods.jpeg" width="155" /></a>This cook book gives more enjoyable, every day foods using alternate ingredients for bread and cheeses. For example, they have a meatloaf without bread crumbs, or fried chicken with Almond flour, etc. For someone who loves greasy, home cookin'... this is my favorite!</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNc668qYfvpD8H8IYfHu09655ShjC4cILC9sYe4K6vcPDgM1H5ppqW_7B1KziTkQ_I-wiZe1z2DjjKsUdlgOLn9So_Gb1By1X8_p9eT9PnfTs_-bgyElCIqcOVZlLt2VwaVaM9mGRxE0/s1600/6a00d83451612b69e20134882595a2970c-800wi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisNc668qYfvpD8H8IYfHu09655ShjC4cILC9sYe4K6vcPDgM1H5ppqW_7B1KziTkQ_I-wiZe1z2DjjKsUdlgOLn9So_Gb1By1X8_p9eT9PnfTs_-bgyElCIqcOVZlLt2VwaVaM9mGRxE0/s200/6a00d83451612b69e20134882595a2970c-800wi.jpeg" width="131" /></a>2) <b><i>The Paleo Diet </i>by Loren Cordain, PhD</b></div><div>This one is a bit more bland with your basic "chicken and veggies" recipes, but is a great starter and definitely the easiest ones for someone to cook up quick!</div><div><br />
<br />
There are also tons and tons of recipes online, but I have found to be cautious of the ingredients. Some people are more relaxed about what they eat than others... if you want true Paleo dieting recipes... be sure to buy the books!<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
All in all, this diet is terribly successful to the point where you want to throw everything Paleo you have in your fridge out the window because you're so mad at it for working so well but tasting so... healthy. In all honesty, yes I crave the junk still, but it feels so much better to eat a 'clean' diet the next day. Pizza tastes great going down, but not during a 3 hour bike ride the next morning. </div><div><b><br />
</b></div></div><div>Right now, I follow my guidelines I laid out above. About a month out, I will cut out all alcohol no matter what and bread ONLY for one meal a week. My nutrition will be doubled in protein and my carbs by way of starches and grain products cut back big time.<br />
<br />
... can't wait.<br />
<br />
Goal: Get the boys on board with the Paleo diet... and Alex on board with Coconut Water!<br />
<br />
More to come! Sorry if this seemed rush, the whole entire thing got deleted last night... I am NOT finished :) Wednesday will be a continuation of the Nutrition topic! So much more to say!!! :) :)<br />
<br />
Never Give Up-<br />
<br />
Ali<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;"><i>"You can have results or you can have your excuses. You cannot have both." - Unknown</i></span></div><div><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-83621782366907277122012-01-23T13:38:00.000-05:002012-01-23T13:38:46.811-05:00Coming soon!!....<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;">Coming Soon....</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: white;"> To a Computer Screen Near You:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;"><u><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNAP50jQ6lFiF-hTAt22g5gHCm6zQwXLKwnLZGN3Zpvk3WZeikk9rCUKNlZtWhHwPae-wbadn1wgGjxk5r1yWa12ZZp2rWAgls2l5-lfZFdtfd_PYdN74JV8RXQ4TtZlSHgPzzvkwgBA/s1600/nutrition1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><b style="background-color: white;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRNAP50jQ6lFiF-hTAt22g5gHCm6zQwXLKwnLZGN3Zpvk3WZeikk9rCUKNlZtWhHwPae-wbadn1wgGjxk5r1yWa12ZZp2rWAgls2l5-lfZFdtfd_PYdN74JV8RXQ4TtZlSHgPzzvkwgBA/s320/nutrition1.jpeg" width="320" /></b></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">What to look forward to:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">What diet I follow when training</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">Why they work</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">How closely I follow the diet</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">What I eat before and after Workouts</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #741b47;">Some great Recipes!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: white;"><u>ETA of post:</u> TONIGHT, 9 pm!!!!</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">(First draft was deleted by accident last night! Sorry!!!)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: blue;">Thank you for reading and being patient!</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;">Ali</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-46227479226008886792012-01-18T15:43:00.004-05:002012-01-18T15:58:36.084-05:00Busy bee!Hi Everyone!<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>COUNTDOWN: 2 Months, 12 days.... </b><br />
<br />
My week is busy, busy, busy! I was sick all last week with some sort of sinus/ throat cold. Therefore, my training had to cut back big time. Getting back into it this week has been a bit rough and is taking a toll on my energy and my psyche (I hate to admit).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeorfa6G_SaNgwn7nH4CFQtEuiLZk7q62Fey0Giqs6qT-1QnJLr9pJqRgYvfK0UNbz5lLTY9laN917Hvpx5KvwdxsnZVMt-_kEeniy8SRf3uucxZqbNdtjd2l17N2BQonshGuhpUKnquc/s1600/128_BusyBee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeorfa6G_SaNgwn7nH4CFQtEuiLZk7q62Fey0Giqs6qT-1QnJLr9pJqRgYvfK0UNbz5lLTY9laN917Hvpx5KvwdxsnZVMt-_kEeniy8SRf3uucxZqbNdtjd2l17N2BQonshGuhpUKnquc/s200/128_BusyBee.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This weeks agenda (in terms of training):<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Monday</b><br />
<ul><li>Off (I taught a spin class, since I took a couple extra days off the previous week for being sick)</li>
</ul><b>Tuesday</b><br />
<ul><li>Strength Training (1 hour)</li>
<li>Tempo 30 Bike Ride (30 minutes as fast as you can go, plus some other warm up drills- total= 1 hour).... I did not do this, as I taught a spin class the night before and did not want to push my health.</li>
</ul><div><b>Wednesday</b></div><div><ul><li>Run with 30 Second- 1 Minute Sprints (1 hour)</li>
<li>Swim (Approximately 1 hour, 100's... 5 X 100 meters as fast as you can go, 30 second break in between each set, 4 times.... warm up for 20 minutes, cool down for 10 minutes- this one is HARD) </li>
</ul><div><b>Thursday</b></div></div><div><ul><li>Run (1 hour)</li>
<li>Teaching Spin Class (6:15 at Focus Fitness Main Line! Come work up a sweat!)</li>
</ul><div><b>Friday </b></div></div><div><ul><li>Swim Test (1000 meter time trial- as fast as I can go!- I record these test times to improve my speed with my trainer).</li>
<li>Teaching Spin Class (5:30 at Focus Fitness Main Line!)</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mUjljsLeiHzLOGQQCsbsweae4c8wdZG_Oy37W_zRfwaGdhhHMvNyqe9t-V4NCdbbdmyfUtJVaEuM9kmv_FFch1m9_pilfAOHS7_DCpNSOIZMjudNr97smyY4aYTlWltwxFOc7ThARBY/s1600/b-394568-clock_.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-mUjljsLeiHzLOGQQCsbsweae4c8wdZG_Oy37W_zRfwaGdhhHMvNyqe9t-V4NCdbbdmyfUtJVaEuM9kmv_FFch1m9_pilfAOHS7_DCpNSOIZMjudNr97smyY4aYTlWltwxFOc7ThARBY/s200/b-394568-clock_.gif" width="200" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>In between these workouts, I am working and graduate classes started up again. There are not enough hours in the day and the stress is catching up to me, big time! Goal is to keep priorities, a positive attitude, keep a balanced diet and get good sleep so I have energy to accomplish all of these things with success. Oh right, and relax and have some fun. It is difficult, but I'm on a mission to make it work!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFEAgLaew8lHMDqWWE32cQ84zKR7dB9MLhvvoTRnWsb16aSvUkW1eT6IFBYlM-dIvlJSJaELp1wqgvQJN_pS6ywTMqFv5tyMoyXEuh6wm9-vnHfjk83tGTBR5FoHsNubQSIpZt029NLA/s1600/question-mark.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFEAgLaew8lHMDqWWE32cQ84zKR7dB9MLhvvoTRnWsb16aSvUkW1eT6IFBYlM-dIvlJSJaELp1wqgvQJN_pS6ywTMqFv5tyMoyXEuh6wm9-vnHfjk83tGTBR5FoHsNubQSIpZt029NLA/s200/question-mark.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
</div></div><br />
To answer some of the questions posted in the 'comment' section:<br />
<br />
<ul><li><b>What does my nutrition look like?</b></li>
<ul><li>Stay tuned for Sunday's blog! That is coming up!!!!</li>
</ul></ul><ul><ul></ul><li><b>Do I have a twitter account to follow daily? Where I am? What workouts I am doing?</b></li>
<ul><li>I will start using a Twitter account a month or two weeks before the race. That way, my readers can track me while I am at the race and see more immediate and current updates. </li>
</ul></ul><ul><ul></ul><li><b>Does my bike trainer have automatic hills or do I 'create the hills'?</b></li>
<ul><li>My new bike trainer is all manual. I use my bike just as I would on the road. Meaning, when I switch gears, that is what makes it harder or easier (mimicking a hill or flat road, etc). Depending on my workout for the day, I may make it harder to create a 'hill' for 3 minutes, 8 minutes, or do all hills the whole ride. In addition, there are tapes I can purchase or use on the television that will take me through an imaginary course and i can change it when the 'instructor' on the tape tells me. I do not do this right now, because what I am supposed to be doing is so specific, I do not want to use another workout other than the trainer I use right now. </li>
</ul></ul><ul><ul></ul><li><b>Can I post a video of me using the trainer?</b> </li>
<ul><li>Of course! Next time I am on the trainer, I will take a video to show the movement of the machine and post it!</li>
</ul></ul><ul><ul></ul><li><b>When it is rainy, do I run outside?</b></li>
<ul><li>I try to commit to the phrase, run outside rain or shine. Running outside is harder, burns more calories, is more like race day and is the best option. With that said, it is not healthy to run outside all the time. Yes, I can throw on layers and a rain coat and battle the rain or layer up and battle the cold, but thats how people get sick. I would rather work harder on the treadmill one day then risk getting a cold. If it is only drizzle and above 25/ 30 degrees (no wind) then I will be outside. </li>
</ul></ul><div>If there are any other questions, do not hesitate to post and/or shoot me a message! I also LOVE knowing what you guys would like to hear about- so if there is something specific, let me know and I can make your topic a blog post!<br />
<br />
I have a long way to go... and this is just the beginning.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRFwHh5Mbf0orfNNs1Xjj21xUceXPWEI4fXVJoiNyg8vTI6XsuUbM4s_tJVTg6ynSJZcO7WFIRZk9GuhZdyplzXfbv4kWWqJBjtorvmtGF0YQTB6yimMXU-IQ0GA3f-EgHIsQ32W-glU/s1600/artworks-000010979347-wx4usy-original.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRFwHh5Mbf0orfNNs1Xjj21xUceXPWEI4fXVJoiNyg8vTI6XsuUbM4s_tJVTg6ynSJZcO7WFIRZk9GuhZdyplzXfbv4kWWqJBjtorvmtGF0YQTB6yimMXU-IQ0GA3f-EgHIsQ32W-glU/s200/artworks-000010979347-wx4usy-original.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<br />
.... So thank you everyone for reading and for your support. Have a great rest of your week! Keep a look out for Sunday's blog!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Never Give Up~</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ali</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>"Whether you think you can... or think you can't- you're right."- Anonymous</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-13903852472476459892012-01-15T20:39:00.003-05:002012-01-15T20:58:54.894-05:00New Bike Trainer vs. Winter Weather...?So, I was supposed to go on a two and a half hour, 'hilly' bike ride today. Ok... no problem. Nice and relaxing. Then, I looked at the weather. Not happening.<br />
<br />
It is currently 22 degrees outside in Philadelphia with wind between 14 and 19 MPH winds. No booties, Under Armour, jackets or gloves would ever persuade me to bike outside in this frigidly cold weather. <i>This</i> does not look ideal for a triathlete in training:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s400/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdMPsHyiogb8bkFqYoqa0Z5g8OPZsoOCgNMyKbqT9sQkVy_HFiqWs5AU2eq5z2UkoxcXI6o_52P_5toIevNDgE7KnhhH3_l8obv9UIMc_BxgrwQ7bZOyGKaBraENcug0hMdIOjxGlj0U/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-15+at+8.12.54+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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Let's face it, if the boys were to talk to me into riding in this weather... which they wouldn't try to, because Jackson sure as heck won't want to do it either and Alex is soaking up the sun in Florida right now (brat)... <i>but</i> if for some reason they <i>were</i> to talk me into it, both of them would quickly regret it as I would most likely be complaining of frost bitten nose, cold fingers and numb muscles... the entire time. Therefore, regretting their attempts to have a nice ride.<br />
<br />
Riding for 2 and a half hours in 20 degree weather, good for training? Sure. Nice and relaxing? No. Excruciating.<br />
<br />
I do not do well with cold weather. When I get really cold (which I get very easily), I like to have hot chocolate, bundle up and not move. I put on a million layers until I no longer feel anything at all and wouldn't even know if I'm bumping into anything because I have about a foot of clothing on between me and whatever or whomever I am bumping into. I resemble this big marshmallow for 90% of the winter time... somewhat like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq9JrOQuYmMWrSgOJxdWX1Q3hCIme3xvHMx0I-p1ImntUyJgTcYpXz92Zl4QPfn2I-jZsZUOOAcnK2hNJvOTfqaKrcCHDzZmreM3x5csBd7U2MAHQBZq855mw9n3zdrqCAAnM-LGyM6w/s1600/394859_599349113131_72001992_32504222_1150565955_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq9JrOQuYmMWrSgOJxdWX1Q3hCIme3xvHMx0I-p1ImntUyJgTcYpXz92Zl4QPfn2I-jZsZUOOAcnK2hNJvOTfqaKrcCHDzZmreM3x5csBd7U2MAHQBZq855mw9n3zdrqCAAnM-LGyM6w/s320/394859_599349113131_72001992_32504222_1150565955_n.jpeg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winter Classic, 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
It would be hard to ride a tri- bike, when I can't move my arms.<br />
<br />
A triathletes solution for bad weather and training: a bike trainer.<br />
<br />
Not all triathletes NEED one and/ or use one. Some use spin bikes and/or stationary bikes at the gym... but the issues with that are, that they really aren't anything like a road bike. Yes, stationary bikes resemble a real <u>road</u> bike (depending on the brand) and use <i>some</i> of the same <i>basic </i>muscle groups as one would have to use on a tri- bike... but nothing can replace the aero dynamics and function of a true triathlon purposed bike. With that said, even so, spin bikes are not made to resemble a tri bike... only a road bike... which are two completely different positions:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiSj34lCCTc6OYIGDlwKJtMI7aDmDFd9e3m0xgUgxbJUeUbx80J9b9fIGmZXXSJQCOoNcpgFfXOa0uuBrR1pMPkYOZMukQXC9BqvE7YRlGTsPySgbAmui92PatbOuOIysoi9ybFzf610/s1600/2000_1300_5541_sourceimage.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiSj34lCCTc6OYIGDlwKJtMI7aDmDFd9e3m0xgUgxbJUeUbx80J9b9fIGmZXXSJQCOoNcpgFfXOa0uuBrR1pMPkYOZMukQXC9BqvE7YRlGTsPySgbAmui92PatbOuOIysoi9ybFzf610/s200/2000_1300_5541_sourceimage.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tri Bike</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0LBJTcVJES1PorTi8k3c_BnJEeBaM4V88sRgnmxAG6GbhRnVaCD6dHT3ZfNa6zt_0ZcYblA5gPo4R3h0sgJb97RdoDwYW1fHVhyphenhyphendvDCsKWmGWOGJpKK0OjIYzGEzu-IWJ7j3zFYwark/s1600/SpinnerSport1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0LBJTcVJES1PorTi8k3c_BnJEeBaM4V88sRgnmxAG6GbhRnVaCD6dHT3ZfNa6zt_0ZcYblA5gPo4R3h0sgJb97RdoDwYW1fHVhyphenhyphendvDCsKWmGWOGJpKK0OjIYzGEzu-IWJ7j3zFYwark/s200/SpinnerSport1.gif" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Average Spin Bike</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
A tri bike is built so that you use predominantly<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span> different muscle groups in your legs in order to prepare yourself for the run and is built so that you are at the most aero dynamic position possible.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJyJClwSxTPapAXidp7bBWIUcg5YLAM9NSpxKNlO-4RrLNc2po6HYFXC6pNHS7h3JyiQtWFSfGt4MddJi-FxZZpRHNbcEFDYek_7ZbflBcRZ5xQE7d540hGL7MuTKI6H-k83F1F2tpPE/s1600/thumbs.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghJyJClwSxTPapAXidp7bBWIUcg5YLAM9NSpxKNlO-4RrLNc2po6HYFXC6pNHS7h3JyiQtWFSfGt4MddJi-FxZZpRHNbcEFDYek_7ZbflBcRZ5xQE7d540hGL7MuTKI6H-k83F1F2tpPE/s200/thumbs.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironman Spin Bike... </td></tr>
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Ironman and Lance Armstrong came out with a spin bike that is somewhat more of a tri- bike or has that option. But after using it, I felt and read, that it is still not up to par with the actual bike and never will be. Simply because it is not a bike, it is a machine.<br />
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So, with that said, Triathletes who are committed, plan on continuing, training for extended periods of times and/ or for bigger and longer races... have a bike trainer. There are hundreds of different brands of bike trainers. The most common is the ones you put your bike into and it is held still while you bike in place. Therefore, you get the same muscle groups and body positioning, but you aren't going anywhere. Simply.... you made a stationary bike out of your real bike.<br />
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For the holidays, I asked for the ULTIMATE bike trainer: The Rock and Roll Kinetic by Kurt bike trainer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQV8XCqoTgE8U1wusOLD-k86tzPSVEkROvLJgJt2IdbXkmdsMBli6k_pZzV6DcWP2taRpM3PVY1qa5u0xJtoCLpTIfy4HY3crRUBXuksr6pfT0hprNaFPlCF7NJiPsvNukAZ7r_QegWU/s1600/P1010132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQV8XCqoTgE8U1wusOLD-k86tzPSVEkROvLJgJt2IdbXkmdsMBli6k_pZzV6DcWP2taRpM3PVY1qa5u0xJtoCLpTIfy4HY3crRUBXuksr6pfT0hprNaFPlCF7NJiPsvNukAZ7r_QegWU/s320/P1010132.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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</div><span style="text-align: left;">This thing does not only look amazing, due to the bright colors, but it mimics the feeling of a bike on the road more than any other trainer out there right now, by rocking back and forth with my body weight and pedal strokes. With the lateral motion, this forces my core muscles to maintain the balance of the bike (which is what happens when riding on the road). </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">This trainer will help me with my balance, cadence control and give me a more realistic feeling of 'being on the road' rather than just at a stand still. This should help me mostly in seated and standing climb intervals where my body rocks back and forth with the bike on this trainer, like it would on the road, therefore forcing me to excel to stronger climbs. This machine is AWESOME. </span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Jackson had the honors of coming with me to my parents house and helping me set up my new obsession. And by helped me set it up, I mean do it for me, as I just sat and took pictures... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The company made it very easy to assemble. Probably thanks to the handy- dandy, dummy- proof directions:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XW1sdzNddZqdigzU0MFEzHSmcFlnie2xKzE35PraVc9tg0mBRzvVgu9FglFXsaCGFJvM9Oc2p-koqm_EKE1Ql1EUku_7Mc-gp3cGIw_Kw8u-u078BWbhd2yz7jIqhn_kNNf9ir5l5os/s1600/P1010135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XW1sdzNddZqdigzU0MFEzHSmcFlnie2xKzE35PraVc9tg0mBRzvVgu9FglFXsaCGFJvM9Oc2p-koqm_EKE1Ql1EUku_7Mc-gp3cGIw_Kw8u-u078BWbhd2yz7jIqhn_kNNf9ir5l5os/s320/P1010135.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> It came in a box and looked like this:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgFQ0JEgtpvgcQySyLv25Fd_-cDPS3m7LpXZu7kbLGKUvTqDunSYiKwVSRvfp9toqdcaHAAgOr5eXXakTWoqo1a85xEgt5KVLawG2p3F7A5HkW1PE-5HZ7Nd9hlW7H_U_R0DzNcUr2CY/s1600/P1010131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgFQ0JEgtpvgcQySyLv25Fd_-cDPS3m7LpXZu7kbLGKUvTqDunSYiKwVSRvfp9toqdcaHAAgOr5eXXakTWoqo1a85xEgt5KVLawG2p3F7A5HkW1PE-5HZ7Nd9hlW7H_U_R0DzNcUr2CY/s320/P1010131.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div>The next step was to set up the base of the trainer. This is pretty standard:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yDsVrVw7qnhE5WADU5lZ3zhqFYK4pD7lJOfk3t3O9VLO8rsZWoyM07wFlH9kGEfmSVdkqGzhEtII5_Wxc5JKcppJwlHT9fnbXxw9vgLf-hd8zdSt_dooZZc5Q5FlQizboIYRwvuWQwg/s1600/P1010133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yDsVrVw7qnhE5WADU5lZ3zhqFYK4pD7lJOfk3t3O9VLO8rsZWoyM07wFlH9kGEfmSVdkqGzhEtII5_Wxc5JKcppJwlHT9fnbXxw9vgLf-hd8zdSt_dooZZc5Q5FlQizboIYRwvuWQwg/s320/P1010133.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>Then, he added on the top frame which fit right on top, and was tightened with a.... well, I don't know... but my Dad had the tool in the garage.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqXfrqJX95Hzrcf7nIIkw62IDnbDGpp5KxNRkanfekO2pe_aUXtQaIh4EP84dRHdf78NWjWhMWNceWZe8A23ckEkNuoZGE1iYugucjqdSIj6JYbwCYeNB-AWbNJTfpN34xTBiUi6chsw/s1600/P1010138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqXfrqJX95Hzrcf7nIIkw62IDnbDGpp5KxNRkanfekO2pe_aUXtQaIh4EP84dRHdf78NWjWhMWNceWZe8A23ckEkNuoZGE1iYugucjqdSIj6JYbwCYeNB-AWbNJTfpN34xTBiUi6chsw/s200/P1010138.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DAKAC8rjYvtOdQm5ExSwNEkRGFtKQcndaFCmn8E9SSdLsJqmmj9mFrRgBc0hxJ7ZWa4DYJHNAtmAvXtro1XKqpYIFUB0BFSPRUGQMuWdZGKhbvyyS2VnaB6yJK3KC1fIDBr6HUXXD1k/s1600/P1010140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DAKAC8rjYvtOdQm5ExSwNEkRGFtKQcndaFCmn8E9SSdLsJqmmj9mFrRgBc0hxJ7ZWa4DYJHNAtmAvXtro1XKqpYIFUB0BFSPRUGQMuWdZGKhbvyyS2VnaB6yJK3KC1fIDBr6HUXXD1k/s200/P1010140.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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Next step was to tighten the bolts and fasten the fluid resistance unit. The resistance unit may be the most important part of the trainer, as this is what allows me to add resistance or loosen my resistance. Most bike trainers, the worth- while ones, have fluid resistance unit rather than a regular resistance unit. The reason for this is because a fluid resistance unit adds to the realism of a natural bike, by omitting some of the drag when switching gears:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMOhyphenhyphengxAhMh1WNlJOpyU0Kb7oqoJ-Y-UMxt9peMvZqw4313xG598uvM53uYKnJQoVplEKFo2ixhScQRFG3DUrbpEtN9PFqNXdsUeJnZtaWmiLz1m4Oyy2r9YGfjnf-pzyrJsqrm56kaE/s1600/P1010141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxMOhyphenhyphengxAhMh1WNlJOpyU0Kb7oqoJ-Y-UMxt9peMvZqw4313xG598uvM53uYKnJQoVplEKFo2ixhScQRFG3DUrbpEtN9PFqNXdsUeJnZtaWmiLz1m4Oyy2r9YGfjnf-pzyrJsqrm56kaE/s200/P1010141.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr3nhV7L9wzVMc4yLWLhhhixld9A4OR_4IrYxImba0yEXXjz_yjr1UO0t6BL8CRw-4grHQ2Afnm7C_2Fh9-13CKix8DTUWOp6c5ANjIo52XPTvuZZfVHv82D8SPA4i7pLHpDiL0xAnLo/s1600/P1010142.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmr3nhV7L9wzVMc4yLWLhhhixld9A4OR_4IrYxImba0yEXXjz_yjr1UO0t6BL8CRw-4grHQ2Afnm7C_2Fh9-13CKix8DTUWOp6c5ANjIo52XPTvuZZfVHv82D8SPA4i7pLHpDiL0xAnLo/s200/P1010142.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next, was to add some screws here and there, to get ready to connect my bike... I honestly don't know what he did, but I <i>did</i> take a picture!!!!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-bFxNR69djYsTzsFG-SPfLLFP3_6UfKwS0mdU0MIQDwVk0_4wPnCRN6HT9jXm4wicg-7BESHhuDeIhfZDlcmA-1BicUo2PPFNmzScRtdUlX7zPRweIKlnNGdtPTbYEW34KfOJ6chtLE/s1600/P1010143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-bFxNR69djYsTzsFG-SPfLLFP3_6UfKwS0mdU0MIQDwVk0_4wPnCRN6HT9jXm4wicg-7BESHhuDeIhfZDlcmA-1BicUo2PPFNmzScRtdUlX7zPRweIKlnNGdtPTbYEW34KfOJ6chtLE/s320/P1010143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I <i>do </i>know that we had to switch out the skewer for the lock ring on the machine, because tri- bikes have a thicker clamp for the skewers... see below (the thing that looks like a lever) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgI3iy-OJjjhzwqiC3XGiObi4_UznrHVGPD6guuVzW7lj5HsJghmk5OpNRX4mc2UvQbIcUGCEV0Ppx9eKPdADdlpHnN3yS34n6QyqUhoQ-sFJXy4-wXRUMHtWi_xntlcA2Oma-Zws3Bs/s1600/P1010147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVgI3iy-OJjjhzwqiC3XGiObi4_UznrHVGPD6guuVzW7lj5HsJghmk5OpNRX4mc2UvQbIcUGCEV0Ppx9eKPdADdlpHnN3yS34n6QyqUhoQ-sFJXy4-wXRUMHtWi_xntlcA2Oma-Zws3Bs/s200/P1010147.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>NOW, the trainer was all ready for "Slice" to attach. My bike is named "Slice" for two reasons:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1) The bike make is a Cannondale Slice.... (original naming by me, to call her "Slice", I know...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2) It slices through the air.... (ha... ha... get it?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyways, 'she' was patiently waiting by the television as we built the trainer:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TGwYZ6iSWGvhFp_4e3vGULJMG7jjK54ij5J_nbyTs-qbuTSUcwB3FlKtvMPD1rDLrMtStQCZYUYPEd7Cx1AKsAkLrbHc5u2I7L_jNnlv2iIQaQS6U_LfkITi-ZQFFLrJ6mWFP7QnUZw/s1600/P1010148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TGwYZ6iSWGvhFp_4e3vGULJMG7jjK54ij5J_nbyTs-qbuTSUcwB3FlKtvMPD1rDLrMtStQCZYUYPEd7Cx1AKsAkLrbHc5u2I7L_jNnlv2iIQaQS6U_LfkITi-ZQFFLrJ6mWFP7QnUZw/s320/P1010148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>We then attached "Slice" to the trainer... put the back wheel up against the resistance unit, attached by the clamps on the side of the bike (which again, were too thick, so we had to switch out the skewer on the machine).<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OEXrB4YD4Hv79BNAE9__TppB6b4s2OMfAo4X_FznEOesk3JtfqAx1hyphenhyphenQI830HA_3s7MGVuI_SjSoN12UMms4O7lyBIJXV_GKSfTojPb40wNDcj-wSrkYL_Yz7UBMf3h3Gq6k_1K3_Rg/s1600/P1010149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OEXrB4YD4Hv79BNAE9__TppB6b4s2OMfAo4X_FznEOesk3JtfqAx1hyphenhyphenQI830HA_3s7MGVuI_SjSoN12UMms4O7lyBIJXV_GKSfTojPb40wNDcj-wSrkYL_Yz7UBMf3h3Gq6k_1K3_Rg/s200/P1010149.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OEXrB4YD4Hv79BNAE9__TppB6b4s2OMfAo4X_FznEOesk3JtfqAx1hyphenhyphenQI830HA_3s7MGVuI_SjSoN12UMms4O7lyBIJXV_GKSfTojPb40wNDcj-wSrkYL_Yz7UBMf3h3Gq6k_1K3_Rg/s1600/P1010149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OEXrB4YD4Hv79BNAE9__TppB6b4s2OMfAo4X_FznEOesk3JtfqAx1hyphenhyphenQI830HA_3s7MGVuI_SjSoN12UMms4O7lyBIJXV_GKSfTojPb40wNDcj-wSrkYL_Yz7UBMf3h3Gq6k_1K3_Rg/s200/P1010149.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg02YYWxrH7ZQ51lrETBIvGxEGJRmKQrCEPJMdsys5-UQnghmBdi93axAVDWrkkF0n89bckXJ0XHQhFjqYaTC78TcCbmofwndQ2BmajydKNcsoJhX0YH4OR_53SMeHUsSDgmiRz33XNUU/s1600/P1010151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg02YYWxrH7ZQ51lrETBIvGxEGJRmKQrCEPJMdsys5-UQnghmBdi93axAVDWrkkF0n89bckXJ0XHQhFjqYaTC78TcCbmofwndQ2BmajydKNcsoJhX0YH4OR_53SMeHUsSDgmiRz33XNUU/s200/P1010151.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The front wheel rests on a turnable riser ring. This is built to even out the front wheel with the back, but is usually solid and stays still. On my ULTIMATE trainer, this swivels back and forth, with my body weight as well. Therefore, when riding, you have to keep not only the back of your bike balanced, but your front also, making for a more realistic ride once again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qASNWL76Fg6YzoNrnvdFtMqkCiMSFky2sw9DoEWjHTFU8TZ9TEX7x3dqWU_gft5KnRUpfmikPXCcsbbMVJpAc6h40CBDOsNAvDq9SAOtANobb0S6AiLMETMW329dKbnfyQPcoygYk_Q/s1600/P1010150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4qASNWL76Fg6YzoNrnvdFtMqkCiMSFky2sw9DoEWjHTFU8TZ9TEX7x3dqWU_gft5KnRUpfmikPXCcsbbMVJpAc6h40CBDOsNAvDq9SAOtANobb0S6AiLMETMW329dKbnfyQPcoygYk_Q/s320/P1010150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hopped on to see how it felt and it was leaning to the right, then to the left... so we had to do some adjusting, but we got it to be perfect after just a few tries. Even Jackson hopped on to see how it was!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCPqrboMbXGPkqCONq0MhjJ-pLMZVcLf3aRtHiNEDpVs6dMd9UJvkHdfDIklT4ONjJaEdSTprdrn1O1IyTzr2-tTxm8dRwNWn7oHmIq1uWlVTXTVHlDvVwi-xlmpbSZBG63f7-9siDuo/s1600/P1010155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCPqrboMbXGPkqCONq0MhjJ-pLMZVcLf3aRtHiNEDpVs6dMd9UJvkHdfDIklT4ONjJaEdSTprdrn1O1IyTzr2-tTxm8dRwNWn7oHmIq1uWlVTXTVHlDvVwi-xlmpbSZBG63f7-9siDuo/s320/P1010155.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bit small for you, I think!....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The looser the bolts attaching the base and the top frame, the more movement I will get on the trainer due to the machine being more flexible. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All in all, it was very simple to set up (not that I did any of it...) and I was anxious to hop on and see how it felt! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jackson and I set our bikes up downstairs, mine on the new trainer, infront of my parents TV!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTVckj7sHsuf01DY6C06wsQObYBk-TmwC53fKk6IvhvnREJTNJZqEBatOy16S0zzuyn-TVeyFKgKpNRLV2aQWOvqPQ-NVRbVC6s5SBxQedwbmpc36ENohYS4-D1xxgsXC75AEgXdXDbw/s1600/P1010156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTVckj7sHsuf01DY6C06wsQObYBk-TmwC53fKk6IvhvnREJTNJZqEBatOy16S0zzuyn-TVeyFKgKpNRLV2aQWOvqPQ-NVRbVC6s5SBxQedwbmpc36ENohYS4-D1xxgsXC75AEgXdXDbw/s200/P1010156.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCQkSkyFUaoTlLsC5etCp9ilE6ektN_RRJb5g6AaJboqjzk5_izzB8jRUgXFM8hRD8TQDo7BAgMnvrDQXkYj6HPa6BG_sgdoQ34vRn6TIMmZFBNm0BTs1ST36kgSgmFVor28GnNQuhtM/s1600/P1010157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCQkSkyFUaoTlLsC5etCp9ilE6ektN_RRJb5g6AaJboqjzk5_izzB8jRUgXFM8hRD8TQDo7BAgMnvrDQXkYj6HPa6BG_sgdoQ34vRn6TIMmZFBNm0BTs1ST36kgSgmFVor28GnNQuhtM/s200/P1010157.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We turned on the movie "40 Year- Old Virgin" and biked for two hours, while yelling for Gracie and my father to run down to take pictures of us.... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BR9rNjrVd3Fpbwzf98Qk94u7vHVbvvMkZHcYKkaCImqHV1Bze7Lc7WswoobLNY3ian6vO3i2a627f9FqE4q5Dp5FTp9bwijILV4_1il1y224bia-B-3TlKjBrnf-n4sTZwJxQFxFbq0/s1600/P1010158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3BR9rNjrVd3Fpbwzf98Qk94u7vHVbvvMkZHcYKkaCImqHV1Bze7Lc7WswoobLNY3ian6vO3i2a627f9FqE4q5Dp5FTp9bwijILV4_1il1y224bia-B-3TlKjBrnf-n4sTZwJxQFxFbq0/s320/P1010158.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The bike trainer is very, very cool. The second I got on the bike, I immediately felt a difference from a 'normal' trainer, as it moved when I mounted the bike. It sways back and forth with my body weight and the front is VERY hard to control. What is cool though, is I can pretend I am making a turn and practice balancing and keeping my cadence up at the same time, balancing while climbing hills and so on. In a later post, I will show a video of everything I am talking about. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw124kcu52CRIcZ0SkdsNqBZOImn8ihzL_yH10l3S92SfZTgLzrfJf57GUx5I523MbDyzdePmX4vKRoLE3mQ-ZTwWbUXOMw6dWJVzCEp309lXNvWvXomTKnAHluOhoJQGI6NMEcZtkWDk/s1600/Kinetic2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw124kcu52CRIcZ0SkdsNqBZOImn8ihzL_yH10l3S92SfZTgLzrfJf57GUx5I523MbDyzdePmX4vKRoLE3mQ-ZTwWbUXOMw6dWJVzCEp309lXNvWvXomTKnAHluOhoJQGI6NMEcZtkWDk/s320/Kinetic2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advertisement Picture... gives you an idea of the side to side motion...</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But in short, it was pretty darn close to that of riding a bike on the road. Nothing, in my opinion, can feel the same... but it was a great substitute and gives me the chance to use my bike more efficiently rather than a spin bike. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is a lot of getting used to. For example it is hard to relax on my aero bars because the front wheel moves so much. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also, when Jackson pushes me, I almost tip over. Yes, he did this. He claims he was "testing it out." I will post a whole short blog on just the experience of the trainer when I get more time on it and a video!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The two hours on the bike is pretty brutal. Always. One would think watching one of your favorite movies or television shows, while staying warm and in place, without the hassles of having to transport your bike would be ideal. ... no. Your favorite movie or show somehow turns into the worst thing you've ever watched and you all of a sudden hate your home that you normally love and need to get off your bike and outside ASAP.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp66bkcoDCw_7CzZF78fz_aLMbssUkJfmn0JNwHilE3s6FVSCZseQlOFIZoQbxWemK-M4QdbuNEyI8vnyJHuWEgkUqv8pQd1aabR0wXjSUvDzAcphSWJt2SPdrgYSfgKAxnu5nuK7KIOs/s1600/374648_2681720437111_1079313536_32680664_2068349650_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp66bkcoDCw_7CzZF78fz_aLMbssUkJfmn0JNwHilE3s6FVSCZseQlOFIZoQbxWemK-M4QdbuNEyI8vnyJHuWEgkUqv8pQd1aabR0wXjSUvDzAcphSWJt2SPdrgYSfgKAxnu5nuK7KIOs/s320/374648_2681720437111_1079313536_32680664_2068349650_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although rough, it is necessary to stay on top of the bike training. This week alone, not including the three spin classes I am teaching, I have 10 hours on the bike in total. I will have to learn how to make my new "green extreme machine" my new best friend. I believe we are off to a good start!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Never Give Up- </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ali</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i><br />
</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>"Winners make goals, losers make excuses."- Unknown</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: white;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><u>Weekly announcements:</u></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>SPIN CLASSES at FOCUS FITNESS MAIN LINE, Bryn Mawr PA!</li>
<ul><li>Monday 1/16 @ 4:15</li>
<li>Thursday 1/19 @ 6:15</li>
<li>Friday 1/20 @ 5:30</li>
</ul><li>Another post coming on Wednesday updating you on my week! Busy busy one ahead of me!</li>
<li>Don't forget to "follow" and comment!!! :)</li>
<li>Thank you!</li>
</ul><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-55082740885073478012012-01-09T19:04:00.002-05:002012-01-09T20:29:13.495-05:00New Years Resolution?The holidays turned out to be my biggest "hill" to overcome in my training so far.<br />
<br />
Common New Years Resolutions for triathletes:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtSgIJ8uN38E4iCLF1As2eHr_7EB0JHoLZDc3dGxYv03Ld-hxXuK4HGL2P-ObWE3KIvb_9Fqj-G0ksodzCD8iQsldmFQhnWFC8GL2kS25E9eOTLoPUFU-d8q_amEBPVBsP6DtzjJPA10/s1600/new_year_resolutions.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTtSgIJ8uN38E4iCLF1As2eHr_7EB0JHoLZDc3dGxYv03Ld-hxXuK4HGL2P-ObWE3KIvb_9Fqj-G0ksodzCD8iQsldmFQhnWFC8GL2kS25E9eOTLoPUFU-d8q_amEBPVBsP6DtzjJPA10/s400/new_year_resolutions.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>My new years resolution:<br />
<br />
<u>Do not kill my triathlon coach and my strength trainer. </u>After all, they are just doing their jobs...<br />
<br />
<br />
On January 1st, my 'tri- trainer', Mary, sent me a nice little e-mail. First line was, "Happy New Year, Ali. Training is going to pick up to high intensity this week. Push through it. It will be very hard."<br />
... the week after the holidays?! Is she serious?! I think this was a wake up call for me. For a few days there I must have lost track of what I was supposed to still be doing. There are no holidays for triathletes training for a half ironman.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ7vBcgAsJmjnTbXEaWLitjisdoRYYoASI6bYGB-LSj52gRWJHTt_9YeyV4jPLYVvyxnzZ1WH-RGDFa-owc3mlXQU-KrUqqYNA4048IyY9cMgtk_-pfvU88kAD6Xr64eLxSlVe-LtOwI/s1600/6196893.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQ7vBcgAsJmjnTbXEaWLitjisdoRYYoASI6bYGB-LSj52gRWJHTt_9YeyV4jPLYVvyxnzZ1WH-RGDFa-owc3mlXQU-KrUqqYNA4048IyY9cMgtk_-pfvU88kAD6Xr64eLxSlVe-LtOwI/s200/6196893.jpeg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
The next day I saw my strength trainer, Steve. He wished me a Happy New Year the second I walked in. Then, reality kicked in yet again when his first question was, "How has your diet been?" ... My answer: "terrible."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTDk146DKnIbO_k7w1kOlTZ_Eay7XT-kqdV_Kj8vt9eJlrSwFRqWMq59K9_vncFYHz8pD-K0RgigAn44iESjLndPwWd42HfXiI-LOXacACox1UnJj7g7y7EV0Il2anQ_cUjF3tYH0Qwo/s1600/393977_596885894441_72001992_32483604_1671460813_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigTDk146DKnIbO_k7w1kOlTZ_Eay7XT-kqdV_Kj8vt9eJlrSwFRqWMq59K9_vncFYHz8pD-K0RgigAn44iESjLndPwWd42HfXiI-LOXacACox1UnJj7g7y7EV0Il2anQ_cUjF3tYH0Qwo/s320/393977_596885894441_72001992_32483604_1671460813_n.jpeg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holiday Cookies that we tried to make... but they did not turn out so great!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Usually my answer is, "good."... Something along the lines of, "I eat X,Y, and Z before workouts, protein after workouts, etc." This time... I listed off a bunch of complex carbs, sweets and different brands of wine and champagne. Not ideal with the race less than three months away, during the week where training was supposed to be almost at it's peak. After that nice little recap of my New Years meals, the workout he punished me with was not too fun.<br />
<br />
Although the workouts and reality of this race hit big time last week, "The New Year Weekend" was awesome! The celebrations of my sister Ashley's birthday, New Years Eve and then New Years Day went by quick. In the midst of all this, we (Jackson and I) celebrated his fathers birthday and went to the Alumni Ranger/ Flyers Hockey Game and The Winter Classic... training was the last thing on my mind!! ... And now, I'm paying for it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ72szTFaTVGRrb-kavcTrhre3KY3Q1-ZloFtTryWbN5CzkSZTSAw65-fRqPxNJaH9SUxyLGEg2bXFfidJrT5Jh5y8Yu9zc9tknkpb-z-m_HN8iW-KToH0qb5U7nfwttcG6YvNTgyW9Ug/s1600/384581_599255984761_72001992_32503539_1889051834_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ72szTFaTVGRrb-kavcTrhre3KY3Q1-ZloFtTryWbN5CzkSZTSAw65-fRqPxNJaH9SUxyLGEg2bXFfidJrT5Jh5y8Yu9zc9tknkpb-z-m_HN8iW-KToH0qb5U7nfwttcG6YvNTgyW9Ug/s320/384581_599255984761_72001992_32503539_1889051834_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When signing up for this race, I did not take into consideration the fact that the bulk of training would fall over the holidays. The holiday dinners, birthdays, potlucks, late nights and alcohol consumptions.... these were all not helpful in sticking to my carefully planned itinerary I had in my head for these upcoming months.<br />
<ul><li><u>Itinerary in my head</u>: Wake up at 5... eat... training workout 1... work/ school/ lunch... workout 2... dinner... sleep by 9.</li>
</ul><br />
<ul><li><u>Reality has become</u>: Wake up at 7am ... eat... training workout 1... work/ school/ lunch... get in a bad mood because I'm tired... workout 2... teach a spin class 2 days out of the week... dinner... stress over what I have to do the next day.... not be able to fall asleep..... finally sleep around 12.</li>
</ul><br />
It seems simple doesn't it? Just role with the punches, suck it up and work through it... find out what works. That's what I said! I am a planner. I plan everything. Some goes my way, some doesn't... that's the fact of life, I guess. With training, when things don't go my way, if my body doesn't feel energized, if I get out of an appointment late... it's a snowball effect... and it makes everything else so much more difficult!<br />
<br />
One word to describe what saves me each day:<br />
<br />
Calendars. In my case... I have 2.<br />
<br />
<u>Calendar #1 </u><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr95q8STtF_BQBfy462cTAGAZNI-ZQCk6QrOo8Qt5jBXbEH29v4fddAWUtEMwMtEkMLXmZSrfA9GD0vGUIv3Us0-eBnoM6iGt2g2XtgFZUqYKwOLGlFPTIzBT_K0Qx5gqLtQG9e7ZB3Ns/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+8.24.45+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr95q8STtF_BQBfy462cTAGAZNI-ZQCk6QrOo8Qt5jBXbEH29v4fddAWUtEMwMtEkMLXmZSrfA9GD0vGUIv3Us0-eBnoM6iGt2g2XtgFZUqYKwOLGlFPTIzBT_K0Qx5gqLtQG9e7ZB3Ns/s320/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+8.24.45+PM.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Everything NOT in red is triathlon related. Not workouts, but rather appointments. Appointments such as: Strength trainer, swim technique workshop, meeting with Mary, meeting with sponsors, grocery shop for week (yes... I have a marked time to do this...), sign up for ____ race., etc. Not all people in training are as ridiculous as I am. I must admit this. But my goal is to complete this race, but also complete with as much ease as possible, while my long term goal is to place high in Nationals in August, therefore qualifying for Worlds. This means, I must work harder than ever.<br />
<br />
I do not keep my workouts on my own personal calendar. It is assumed that I have workouts in the morning and in the afternoon.<br />
<br />
My workouts are posted on <u>Calendar #2:</u><br />
<br />
Training Peaks (AKA- my worst enemy). Mary posts my workouts at the beginning of the week for the upcoming two weeks. This is what I look at: (this is not mine)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj8hxtylsZdjFGZYYMXej7beCywNf-WE5f3VDwZtSsO-nDdPFoNuKKpFUJFxb2xAIuAl1f630fDzSqOEeInw_xmqzDg1zotQKZVYrWxhMMweoIPq2yDGB14Fs4X5h8-7hzg8O-iuuOV8/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-08+at+8.39.39+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj8hxtylsZdjFGZYYMXej7beCywNf-WE5f3VDwZtSsO-nDdPFoNuKKpFUJFxb2xAIuAl1f630fDzSqOEeInw_xmqzDg1zotQKZVYrWxhMMweoIPq2yDGB14Fs4X5h8-7hzg8O-iuuOV8/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-01-08+at+8.39.39+PM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
This past week was rough in terms of workouts.<br />
<ul><li>Monday- Off day.</li>
<li>Tuesday- Strength training and an hour run</li>
<li>Wednesday- 40 minute bike & an hour swim AND taught a spin class... </li>
<li>Thursday- Hour run & strength training & taught a spin class...</li>
<li>Friday- Hour swim &taught a spin class (where my knee was bothering me), so I skipped my strength training...</li>
</ul><br />
Rough week. Each of these workouts are very detailed:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ynaAuRRKfCLuVwRnxfFRbdnaEdwdfYYia_pIA-EH_l4I5rieG86c3X0cNmrZLOpGZnQaKCRjHmMXhTn6zDpuAWTmmqaf7oPBm1LCXoX4pcn2vU5skZP1E9kYfKGv7RHjnR46Evxsmuc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+2.23.22+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ynaAuRRKfCLuVwRnxfFRbdnaEdwdfYYia_pIA-EH_l4I5rieG86c3X0cNmrZLOpGZnQaKCRjHmMXhTn6zDpuAWTmmqaf7oPBm1LCXoX4pcn2vU5skZP1E9kYfKGv7RHjnR46Evxsmuc/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+2.23.22+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
So, for instance above, I am told I have to swim... very detailed instructions. X laps/ distances at a certain pace, with a certain recovery time (example: 20 seconds recovery). Runs are the same idea, as are bikes.<br />
<br />
The drills are easy on paper, but after... <i>all workouts are brutal.</i> 40 minute workout? No problem. I get up, get excited, half way through the drills... "this is terrible" is usually what I say to my brother or Jackson... or the closest pedestrian at the time.<br />
<br />
This calendar helps me know what I have to do and do it correctly, but it is harder on the mind in my opinion than just doing your own thing. My mind focuses on the length and time rather than what I am doing. Am I almost done yet? How many more laps? .... it is a very long and strenuous process, not just for my body but for my mind.<br />
<br />
After each workout, I log in how many hours it was, plug in my GPS watch (if applicable- and I must admit I have not done in a while), which also stores my heart rate, distances, cadence (if on the bike), etc.<br />
<br />
It is all stored on the computer and reads off percentages, outcomes and where progress needs to be made and where I am suffering or excelling most. Then, Mary reads the data and comes to me with what needs to change or where I need to work harder... (usually the swim). Then, I meet with her when necessary to go over certain aspects of improvement or work on my swim stroke, etc.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4etofy0spUC8c8Th0798iYQjbEJk4Rh9YxwiOsH4D0lu0Ua1OXMUqOg-j1JGR-gIvfQY5lSl3ntRcWAfvEFiv-YiLGEAVMcPnj8aNHEcj-8-Kc71WONwXPohpvgYP0DPrl53aOH6-ZU/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+2.21.01+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI4etofy0spUC8c8Th0798iYQjbEJk4Rh9YxwiOsH4D0lu0Ua1OXMUqOg-j1JGR-gIvfQY5lSl3ntRcWAfvEFiv-YiLGEAVMcPnj8aNHEcj-8-Kc71WONwXPohpvgYP0DPrl53aOH6-ZU/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-01-09+at+2.21.01+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Alex and Jackson follow my "training peaks" to some extent. They do not log their results and the workouts are based on <i>my</i> personal strengths and weaknesses, but they use this as a guideline for a number of reasons, some being:</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">1) They will know when to do a lot, and when to do a little.</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">2) What days they should bike, run or swim.</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">3) It is important that we are covering the right amount of distance in preparation.<br />
<br />
My brother stopped using Mary as a trainer for the reasons I mentioned earlier: no flexibility. You do as your told and it is hard to get in that mental state and not "count down" until the end.</div><br />
<br />
<b>Where do I work out?</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></div><ul><li>I bike on my bike trainer in my parents basement, which is ideal (too cold to bike outside most days).</li>
<li>I run wherever I can (usually with Alex and/ or Jackson on Kelly Drive in the city)</li>
<li>I swim at Philadelphia Sports Club in Radnor, PA. </li>
<li>My strength trainer is in the city.</li>
</ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06ujUsiZ8gndgk_MpEadUEEGtAXAW6VOA06JpKTL-T1o7VWRwvhlv0D3aQF0XVQ7GtFB4WTmNRU3wRv-hnTBDaHJmCZeZ1wc-E5GLthg8jOOgtz8oOVYYqOm0MZZziidfuqDnTcX7s5E/s1600/radnor_sports_club.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06ujUsiZ8gndgk_MpEadUEEGtAXAW6VOA06JpKTL-T1o7VWRwvhlv0D3aQF0XVQ7GtFB4WTmNRU3wRv-hnTBDaHJmCZeZ1wc-E5GLthg8jOOgtz8oOVYYqOm0MZZziidfuqDnTcX7s5E/s320/radnor_sports_club.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
<ul><li>My job is in the city.</li>
<li>My spin classes are taught in Bryn Mawr, PA. </li>
<li>In two weeks when school and internships start again, that will be in Radnor, PA also.</li>
</ul></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">... I'm all over the place. </div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><br />
Balancing the back and forth is tricky... and will get tricker when school starts up again in two weeks and my student teaching! I try to make it work so that if I have to swim or teach spin, this means I am in the suburbs, so I should plan it where I get my bike ride in, with enough time at my parents house in order to shower and go straight to another workout or appointment that I have in the area. I rarely go back and forth from the suburbs to the city. By staying in the suburbs for a full day and plan it out accordingly, this also allows me to stay in touch with my parents and little sister who do not live in the city. I know they love having me around, even if it is just me in the basement blasting crazy music during a long bike ride on my trainer! (Thanks Mom and Dad!)<br />
<br />
I have a calendar on my phone, my fridge, my computer and my daily calendar written down on a piece of paper in my purse or backpack... All saying the same thing... obsessive? I like to think organized!<br />
<div><br />
</div>I have noticed that my morning workouts are always more successful. I am eager to get it done, I am energized in the morning and ready to go. It also mimics race day which I like. 5 am wake up (at the latest) for race day... this gets me excited. It reminds me of when I rode horses, too, as I was up anywhere between 3 and 6 am.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJuPqrcIjFmZk5nO8JShzHWebPY8hAGF_pt5DlX_L-TiIlR_BHnz9k82aavAsWlILNl5hHoWXKbgF0O8_vMSDPf-eprtfUQCmU5WKioHAspLGLvf3cIY8FipQS_J1Od0vSIb25ZYt0tA/s1600/283145_576090144291_72001992_32317536_2307018_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJuPqrcIjFmZk5nO8JShzHWebPY8hAGF_pt5DlX_L-TiIlR_BHnz9k82aavAsWlILNl5hHoWXKbgF0O8_vMSDPf-eprtfUQCmU5WKioHAspLGLvf3cIY8FipQS_J1Od0vSIb25ZYt0tA/s320/283145_576090144291_72001992_32317536_2307018_n.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The afternoon workouts are much harder due to anticipating the hard work ahead all day long. I try to get swims done in the morning, same with Strength Training. Runs and bikes in the afternoon.<br />
<br />
<br />
With the new year behind me, its time to get in gear. My training will only get harder, my schedule busier and I can't wait to push my mental capacity and my body. I will stay smart, stay strong and continue to have fun! If I'm not having fun... something must change :)<br />
<br />
Never Give Up~<br />
<br />
Ali<br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>"If you train hard, you'll not only be hard, you'll be hard to beat."</i><br />
<i>-Herschel Walker</i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, san-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><br />
<u>Some notes:</u><br />
<br />
<ul><li>I will be posting a lot more shorter posts throughout the week, Sundays, Wednesdays and maybe even Fridays. Shorter, more fun, less "background" and "explanations."</li>
</ul><ul><li>Don't forget to "follow!"</li>
</ul><ul><li>Leave comments of what you want to know about!!!!!</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-23948654016069090062012-01-08T21:42:00.000-05:002012-01-08T21:42:35.796-05:00... got caught up with training!!!!<div style="text-align: center;">Hi Everyone!!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">... Got caught up with training!!!!! I am posting a new blog tomorrow!! (Monday January 8) It is in the works!!! I hope you all enjoy it! Sorry for being a bit late- it has been crazy and I don't want to post something that is not worth reading!!!! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwF5YJZmO_NE0plK7_FoDwQXRg3XdMV9mOR6KwctNLQyiSi-aqh1QUpqIzp-ekFs5StB-6tjT57aRMxHk6BO8RQ0db3GUhOZMKp61SiNrlmnAKaaW9txw6_P1Njghs8cKsbkkMFL1zIso/s1600/rabbit.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwF5YJZmO_NE0plK7_FoDwQXRg3XdMV9mOR6KwctNLQyiSi-aqh1QUpqIzp-ekFs5StB-6tjT57aRMxHk6BO8RQ0db3GUhOZMKp61SiNrlmnAKaaW9txw6_P1Njghs8cKsbkkMFL1zIso/s200/rabbit.gif" width="166" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>DONT FORGET TO CLICK "follow" on the right hand side when reading! MORE FOLLOWERS THE BETTER!!!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for reading-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">XO</div><div style="text-align: center;">Ali</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-46279136753989912732012-01-06T08:38:00.001-05:002012-01-06T08:38:40.113-05:00Spin Classes!Hi All!<br />
<br />
I am officially holding spin classes at <u>Focus Fitness in Bryn Mawr, PA</u>!<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Thursday 6:15-7pm </b><br />
<b>Fridays 5:30- 6:15pm </b>(starting next week, on 1/ 13/ 2012)<br />
<br />
... last minute, <b>Today, Friday 1/ 6 at 12 noon! </b><br />
<br />
Come out if you want to work up a sweat and ride to some great music!!!!! More the merrier!!!! Beginners welcome!<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for my next blog post on Sunday!<br />
<br />
XO<br />
AliAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-1252860399460181752011-12-30T10:18:00.003-05:002011-12-30T12:29:18.637-05:00Why am I writing this blog?Friends and Family,<br />
<br />
I am writing this blog out of request by some sponsors and friends. I want to keep it fun and interesting, not a play- by- play of my training! This blog is also supposed to be casual, so please excuse typos or run- on sentences. I will try my best to make it clear as can be, but it is supposed to be how and what I am thinking. Therefore- if you know me well enough- you know my mind is always going, going, going.... the style of the blog is not supposed to be organized or perfect. This is more of a 'diary'... not walking you through my training days. Yes, I will go through some of that each day, but it is also telling you feelings, pros and cons, lessons learned along the way, etc.<br />
<br />
I will write this blog starting once a week. On Sundays, in reflection of the past week of training. If that changes, I will alert you. As training picks up, I may update it more! (the first blog will be today, Friday, almost exactly 3 months out, the next will not be until the following weekend on Sunday).<br />
<br />
If you have any suggestions or want to know about anything specific, or have questions, please please please post comments! The more the better! Comments will give me ideas of more blog topics and will fulfill any questions you have or clarify anything that doesn't make sense.<br />
<br />
Please do not send this around to "randoms"... close friends and family only please :)<br />
<br />
Thank you for following! The more interest I have, the better!!!<br />
<br />
XO<br />
AliAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10380787576896030874noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3505699907976475600.post-57740495872097179892011-12-29T12:13:00.041-05:002011-12-30T12:31:17.755-05:003 Months Away: I'm only half crazy1.2 Mile swim... 56 mile bike... and a 13.1 mile run.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>3 Months away. </div><div><br />
</div><div>You <i>must</i> be kidding...<br />
<br />
~~~~~<br />
<br />
<span style="text-align: left;">I had only done 2 Sprint triathlons before signing up for a 70.3. </span>Alex, my brother, trained me and taught me everything I needed to know in order to complete my frist triathlon season this past summer. Myself, Alex, Alex's friend, and Alex Jackson (who is now my boyfriend and I will refer to as 'Jackson' or 'Jacks')... ended up doing about 7-8 Tri's in total last summer (2011). We did both Sprints and Olympics. By the second race, I was addicted.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="text-align: left;">We signed up for this 70.3 in the heat of the moment. It all started when Alex brought it up randomly and said it would be fun. He immediately text messaged Jackson asking if he would do it with us. An hour later we were all typing in our emergency contact information and credit card numbers!!!!!</span></div><span style="text-align: left;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaqAz0R_u5_JK7qYheTbgNQZpPrI5gjWsxT91fMj6vn3gn_5WSZbvPUV6jzqMvj6_G1I0AGR4_Mlm6pWOvX6AHIY9igg-p5ZqEQd5cFrvgs3S0N5PeSyN2JgA_2KXFxMzZhfrwb39yZyM/s320/249913_566411121131_72001992_32235218_5184539_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Alex, Jackson and I- Independence Sprint, June 2011 (my first Tri)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
Now, my brother tells me to stop annoying him about training or to stop bothering him about signing up for races. In reality, he should not be yelling at me when he has to complete training runs in the cold, swim in a dirty public pool, or has to bike for miles on his trainer infront of a television..... THIS WAS ULTIMATELY HIS IDEA!!!!!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKg2MwOSfReLTcSQX7aqAjyezt6RUkeiNnG2p0DJ42yyecZgeu4PR7IXhaoB6-au6BrfYFBJj98QzSyKfhvNE6Gay5Rson4uDuhiRNGNLr6BP4PVcYhaCJGgJMGvYH_MWnDDeXrrXqQY/s320/315625_580251514871_72001992_32375346_183899709_n.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">True pain after Quakerman Olympic, Sept. 2011. DON'T BLAME ME!<br />
<br />
<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />I think the reason why I immediately agreed to this race was because </span><span style="text-align: left;">I was excited about my podium finishes in my frist two races, pumped up for longer distances and was addicted to the idea of "the more races the better" (I also liked hanging with 'the boys'). So.... I agreed to take the challenge of racing a Half Ironman. But, I had no idea what I was in for at the time! At first, we could not stop talking about the race, the course we would have to prepare for, the new gear we need, etc. Now... winter has crept up on us <i>and </i>is flying by. Training has officially begun kicking us in the butt.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mi0a-sw3SMMtK6tFGLSNJRsMyK7-73ua1Gy8imMyCHKF14wNXb4Fnd1I8UKQiuL92bd_iHWLTP0EjTfqhk5tTmwrNMmgeekzVxQ1ai1d6q2t7tlTIISmMilocziSBvaj8YkOez57di4/s1600/%2524%2528KGrHqV%252C%2521jkE66tt%252BVPkBO-1zsOQLg%257E%257E60_3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4mi0a-sw3SMMtK6tFGLSNJRsMyK7-73ua1Gy8imMyCHKF14wNXb4Fnd1I8UKQiuL92bd_iHWLTP0EjTfqhk5tTmwrNMmgeekzVxQ1ai1d6q2t7tlTIISmMilocziSBvaj8YkOez57di4/s320/%2524%2528KGrHqV%252C%2521jkE66tt%252BVPkBO-1zsOQLg%257E%257E60_3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sticker my father got for us, which is posted in our kitchen!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div><br />
</div><div>The three of us (The 3A-Tri Team) will travel, gear in hand, (and probably looking at one another asking why the heck we are doing this)... to Oceanside, California to race on March 31st. We are shipping our bikes out prior to going, maybe even some of our gear, and then bringing only our necessities with us on the plane. The goal is to make this as seamless as possible and not forget anything, while having our bike at home with us for as long as possible to keep training the week before.<br />
<br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-zsgG6yOjm_8QaAsp4Tvx96DjFiQXomIydbFQtntQCSzGHZTKrvAVeOQZnk-a7nM_SNOMEQVXElWH44qdvbqxFE3preFKMWZNcXGVLH9HLxR0bEWO_B6yXpZJ7PKhrqFy0-gMYICpvU/s1600/Oceanside2012_Lrg_Plate1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo-zsgG6yOjm_8QaAsp4Tvx96DjFiQXomIydbFQtntQCSzGHZTKrvAVeOQZnk-a7nM_SNOMEQVXElWH44qdvbqxFE3preFKMWZNcXGVLH9HLxR0bEWO_B6yXpZJ7PKhrqFy0-gMYICpvU/s200/Oceanside2012_Lrg_Plate1.png" width="200" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>We are planning to go out hopefully that Monday or Tuesday to get settled. We will have to continue our taper workouts and rest our bodies, hydrate and get acclimated to the time change to prepare for Saturday. Our families are coming around that time too, to have a little vacation and cheer us on during the race!<br />
<br />
Me... well, I will be pacing back and forth, checking my tri- bag a million times for things I need, following a strict nutritional carb- loading plan while chugging smart water. As I will be losing my mind, the boys will most likely be sitting on the beach with a beer in their hands.</div><div><br />
</div><div>.... I have a tendency to freak out a bit before races.<br />
<br />
</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0lNCjYj9j0_ZCjODJAZTQ-iydlcywzTHbRi6d0mUDtGHN9D3pr9cH-N_1UlfSz5CBvzGjLTnkosKwWKS-WLYWVyF6_ApRJWJBRYSkeuCZGD-B_yg7JwRMLvt8nAyP-InTCGfNOYGrwg/s1600/249487_565563350071_72001992_32219512_1490262_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0lNCjYj9j0_ZCjODJAZTQ-iydlcywzTHbRi6d0mUDtGHN9D3pr9cH-N_1UlfSz5CBvzGjLTnkosKwWKS-WLYWVyF6_ApRJWJBRYSkeuCZGD-B_yg7JwRMLvt8nAyP-InTCGfNOYGrwg/s320/249487_565563350071_72001992_32219512_1490262_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packet Pickup, Independence Sprint Tri (My First Race!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
</div><div>Right now I am trying to avoid biting off more than I can chew. I have graduate school, which luckily as the training is kicking into high gear, it is winter break. I also have two sponsorships, beginning to teach spin classes and working. I have qualified to go to the USAT (USA Triathlon) Age Group National Championships in August. From there, if I place in the top 15... I go to Worlds. <i>This</i> is my goal.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I have always been very competitive ever since I was a child: Bigger is better. Give it your all or don't bother. Pain is gain. Never give up. Second place is the first loser... and now I have committed to the statement, 'longer distance is better'. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I think thus far in training, the most valuable advice I give myself is: take each day step by step, don't forget to live life while enjoying myself and remember my priorities. After all... this is supposed to be fun, right?... "Sleep in, you can swim later." "Don't cancel on a friend because of a spin class, catch the next one." "Have a piece of cake- you only live once."--- These are all things I tell myself to keep me living a 'normal' life while in training.<br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZlYxvupv8baF5Ci2HJdnAgEO0GDBnPRpepfV2wlHvUpx7JeS18Nmr_2ht7cNmBb0tuUo2AuUdyIntTXrxPuiZ8BNMGzCRxUwGbOWjiIj1xzaoGN82IWK0Wjc5x5f9OKVT4zTwiNUfnw/s1600/318157_577375962501_72001992_32341342_3401748_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ZlYxvupv8baF5Ci2HJdnAgEO0GDBnPRpepfV2wlHvUpx7JeS18Nmr_2ht7cNmBb0tuUo2AuUdyIntTXrxPuiZ8BNMGzCRxUwGbOWjiIj1xzaoGN82IWK0Wjc5x5f9OKVT4zTwiNUfnw/s200/318157_577375962501_72001992_32341342_3401748_n.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bakery House Cake... incredible and will never give it up.</td></tr>
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</div><div> My school and loved ones come first no matter what. My health and my long- term future trump that of my triathlon abilities or passions. It is three months out now. Once it hits 4 weeks out, that is when I should skip the cake and wake up even earlier to get in harder and longer workouts. I know that there is no need to torture myself more than I already am right now. This will only lead to burn out.<br />
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</div><div><u>A little bit more about me: </u></div><div><br />
</div><div>I grew up in the Villanova area right outside Philadelphia. Actually, I was born in Lincoln, Nebraska (almost in a parking lot), but have lived in Philly for as long as I can remember. I graduated from Villanova University, majoring in both English and Secondary Education. Having 3 siblings who are my best friends, two older and one younger (Ashley, Alex and Grace), and two loving parents... I have always grown up with an enormous amount of support and encouragement. I was raised to believe anything was possible.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlTLBF0GXmwMnqcKv7bC7GGT4ktTSDrfVtfwOtpeMahd96-d90na_qbG7xpzmPREhichyphenhyphenGD_VlY65pa1yo2MiNwUY2H1GbH_o9_67qGi-zjKRaqQL8Bui36tCU426cRRW-y7JgdL0wZ4/s1600/14464_527732079241_72001992_31459124_133954_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZlTLBF0GXmwMnqcKv7bC7GGT4ktTSDrfVtfwOtpeMahd96-d90na_qbG7xpzmPREhichyphenhyphenGD_VlY65pa1yo2MiNwUY2H1GbH_o9_67qGi-zjKRaqQL8Bui36tCU426cRRW-y7JgdL0wZ4/s200/14464_527732079241_72001992_31459124_133954_n.jpeg" width="165" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was so cute....</td></tr>
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</div><div>I started riding horses when I was about 6 years old until I was 17. Over that period of time the hobby and passion quickly turned into an enormous commitment and almost like a job, as it became my number one priority. I lived, breathed and dreamt about show jumping for years and years. My parents took turns traveling with me as my siblings came when they could. My family were without a doubt, my biggest supporters. But with success, of course there was compromise. I was rarely home. I was basically home- schooled by tutors wherever I was at the time as my work was faxed or mailed to me by local schools back home. I lacked the relationships I now wish I had experienced with friends and most importantly my family. Everything took a back burner and became a second priority to riding. At that point my dream was the Olympics and nothing would stand in my way.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7o8IXg76krZb4hdNOhQgrYh0BDjx7uwMbNXKLtCnBSm9d2abd4Cp93KK8oSgP30nv00LZQ6SKmAlw9l0fXmZCgOcHti4fjF0-rXzAUK8dUUWuEU_e6gNqluUGuPD6pBwNQXblLLn0pU/s1600/6380_524040033131_72001992_31307853_1123774_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7o8IXg76krZb4hdNOhQgrYh0BDjx7uwMbNXKLtCnBSm9d2abd4Cp93KK8oSgP30nv00LZQ6SKmAlw9l0fXmZCgOcHti4fjF0-rXzAUK8dUUWuEU_e6gNqluUGuPD6pBwNQXblLLn0pU/s320/6380_524040033131_72001992_31307853_1123774_n.jpeg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winning Edge and I, my last year.</td></tr>
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</div><div><br />
</div><div>A quick turn happened when I got injured and had to have surgery on my leg. After a year of rehabilitation and bed rest I 'got back on the horse', to simply prove doctors (who said I couldn't walk again) wrong. But I knew riding would never be the same. I 'retired' from the sport after my Junior year of High School. I was lost of where to go and what to do.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I learned that sports come and go... abilities change over time for better or for worse and passions may transform. One day, for whatever reason, I will not be able to train or race in Half Ironmans or triathlons (at least not as often or as much). The day will come when Tri's <i>can't</i> be a priority <i>at all</i> and my time is full with something else, maybe even something more fulfilling. Because I have experienced this loss already and know the feeling of putting everything you have into one specific thing and it being taken away... I will never let my true priorities and what means most take the back burner again. I will never again be faced with the question "what do I do now?"My family, loved ones and education come first now and always will.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7_6-cGsrz_YK5r9LeM5dLSVPpQk_uNZI8POEUo5X8xvzDlwPNQmwu7Y3kLxaL7VcHmDFq8jJw2siClOYqxYpYRhw3e0SCCjPfMcIgTNWCFUobt8Ylj2cStXPw2u2QMuRiHEMp4o-fdM/s1600/248118_565339992681_72001992_32215674_7013678_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7_6-cGsrz_YK5r9LeM5dLSVPpQk_uNZI8POEUo5X8xvzDlwPNQmwu7Y3kLxaL7VcHmDFq8jJw2siClOYqxYpYRhw3e0SCCjPfMcIgTNWCFUobt8Ylj2cStXPw2u2QMuRiHEMp4o-fdM/s320/248118_565339992681_72001992_32215674_7013678_n.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ashley, Alex and Grace (Best siblings ever)</td></tr>
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</div><div><br />
</div><div>With that said, the next three months are going to be fun... exciting, nerve wrecking, tiring and somewhat torturous. I am sure I will be moody because I will be tired, consumed with nerves and excitement, hungry for a milkshake and a big cheese pizza 99% of the time. But most of all.... I will be hard at work and trying to keep a balanced life.<br />
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I have always said: the beginning of the triathlon is a rush, the middle sucks and the end... well, there is no feeling like it. I believe the training will be the same. When signing up for this race it was exciting, it is getting to be very difficult and brutal... but the race itself and the end will be the best feeling ever.<br />
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As of now, I have no real goal in regards to how fast I want to finish quite yet. I do not know that I will ever have that type of goal for Oceanside. I have to wait and see. I want to have fun with the experience and not have any extra pressure for this long of a distance. But I <i>do</i> know, that my number one goal for this 70.3 is to finish and finish strong, with a smile on my face.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH8mAnzI8U5Qvo2mLftvlvz6chx4QRMnaf2hcYd6GheCOblTg0iEpqTfndOtcY-cV0tqtok5xVEXGEhpnzjnGKQ2ulQiyd2qnn6l14RmoLA-e6z3y-wVN4r5NK1j0iD1WPbaevlKAOxg/s1600/267342_572810486751_72001992_32257218_2490441_n.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDH8mAnzI8U5Qvo2mLftvlvz6chx4QRMnaf2hcYd6GheCOblTg0iEpqTfndOtcY-cV0tqtok5xVEXGEhpnzjnGKQ2ulQiyd2qnn6l14RmoLA-e6z3y-wVN4r5NK1j0iD1WPbaevlKAOxg/s320/267342_572810486751_72001992_32257218_2490441_n.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div>'Never give up'- </div><div><br />
</div><div>Ali </div></div><div>~ ~ ~ ~</div><div><br />
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<i>Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made.- Patti Sue Palmer, U.S. Olympian</i></div><div><b><br />
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