My new hero

More writing to follow.

High Intensity Training

In my last post, I wrote that I was ready to start pushing myself hard again. As the subtitle of this blog states: Some exercise is better than none, and more is better than some. For the past few weeks, I had been operating in the "some is better than none" zone. I was hardly exerting a robust effort, but life was a bit hectic and I was glad to even make it to the gym. Any one who knows me knows that half-assing it while I'm there isn't something I'm comfortable sticking with for very long. Although, maybe "half-assing" it isn't exactly the best term. (Actually, it's an odd term if you think about it for too long.) I realize many people loathe working out and, for them, if they can muster the fortitude to even get to the gym, even stay there for 30 minutes, or even walk a brisk 4.0 on the treadmill, then that's their gold star for the day. I think that is laudable.


For me though, it's different. I yearn to sweat profusely. When I'm at yoga, I dare my body to be pushed to its edge. When I'm lifting weights, I want to be assured that my blowdryer will seem too heavy to lift once I've showered and begun to attack my hairstyle. Operating in that realm of mind over body is something I relish. I am inspired when I think of Thomas Edison's quote and applying it to myself. "If we did all the things we were capable of doing, We would literally astound ourselves." What are my limits? If I can do bicep curls with 10lb. weights, can I lift 12 or 15lbs? If I can run quick intervals at 6.0 on the treadmill, am I capable of holding that pace for a full mile? One day will I be able to do a worthy, deep half-moon pose if I keep stretching and pushing my body through space?


I like to ponder the possibilities. Some days I wonder if I'm a control freak and maybe I'm zealous with working out since I believe (sometimes falsely so) that if I am stringent enough, I can completely control the shape of the skin I'm in. Other times, I think maybe I sell myself short when really I am ambitious and goal-oriented. I always want to see what's beyond the next plateau, the next mountain range.

Today I stand at the precipice of a cliff. Each day is a new dawn with the promise of fulfilling a greater potential. Maybe yesterday wasn't my best effort, but only I can drive myself to determining my effort for the next challenge. With that mindset, I spent 60 minutes on sweat and blood-pumping cardio last night. I'm sure it's the most I've perspired while at Planet Fitness. I was soaked, but (yes, Ed) I was listening to some good country and techno music, I felt the fibers of my being working smoothly and efficiently. It's probably trite to say but I felt alive, awake, and proud of myself. When others caved, I persevered. Yes, it was that stimulating of a workout.

Every day is a winding road.

My usual routine was thrown wildly off kilter with some big life changes in the past couple of weeks. I bought a new car (which meant a lot of time spent at dealerships) and I moved in with my boyfriend to a new (rental) house in Northville. I also spent a night or two cleaning the old places to reclaim as much of our security deposits as possible. And a few evening I have had the itch to go out and shop for new stuff or spend time unpacking or organizing, thereby omitting gym time from my day.

But I am determined to get back on track. It helps that my yoga package still has a bunch of classes remaining. And, the best part is that I am within a five-minute walking distance to my gym! I love that I now have no need for a gym bag. I can come home and change and then walk there.

Another reason to force myself back to my old ways is that Jason and I *finally* booked a flight to Florida for May. It's just a quick jaunt but it's an exciting one with palm trees and bikinis nonetheless!! Nothing like the motivator of translucent, Midwest skin being exposed to the blazing sun to keep my goals in check!

I am on pace for a good week so far. On Monday I exerted myself with 45 minutes of cardio and a slew of upper body weights. I hit up a Bikram class last night. Today I plan to just rock out another 60 minutes of cardio. I'm thinking maybe I'll run a bit and maybe I'll throw in the elliptical and the bike to challenge up my system with variation. It's time to jumpstart the healthy living. It's spring!

Delicious food: Sweet potato and black bean burritos

I am always searching for new recipes that make a large amount of food. I like to cook up a big batch on the weekend and then enjoy the pre-made food throughout the week for my lunches. I do this for several reasons. The most obvious is cost. It's simply cheaper to cook and eat this way, as opposed to eating out. The other reason is it's also healthier to cook your own foods from basic and natural ingredients.

This past Sunday my sister Martinique was in town and we decided to whip up this new recipe. I love burritos. Usually I have a stockpile of frozen burritos that I bought from the store, but they aren't so healthy. Jason's on this new anti-sodium kick so it's making me rethink some of my food choices. One frozen burrito can contain nearly half the amount of sodium that an average adult needs in one day. Then, of course, there are all the extra preservatives.

For our venture, we cooked our own beans instead of buying them canned---another harbor of sodium madness. Marty was the captain of that venture and it was amazingly simple. You rinse the dry beans to remove the dirt and stones. You boil them in water and then you let them sit for awhile. Voila! You have beans straight from the earth with no extra harmful ingredients.

For this recipe you need;

• 2 large yams
• approximately 2 cups of black beans
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeno
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• shells
• salsa

Wash the sweet potatoes and cut them into about 4-8 pieces. There is no need to peel the skin because that is where many nutrients are. The smaller the pieces, the less time it takes to boil them until they are soft. When they are soft, drain the water and mash them.

In a frying pan, cook the onions, garlic and jalapeno. Add all the spices.

Combine the beans and the onion mixture with the sweet potatoes. Add about a 1/2 cup of the salsa and mix thoroughly. Spoon about 3/4c. of the filling into your shells and roll them up burrito style. How many burritos this recipe makes depends on how full you stuff them and how tight you roll them. In total, I ended up with 11 burritos. Place them in a casserole dish that has been lightly sprayed with non-stick butter/oil. Cook at 350 for about 10-15 minutes. Wrap them individually in aluminium foil and throw them in your freezer for a fantastic delicious lunch!!

St. Patrick's Day Race in Detroit's Corktown

I had a great time at the race and with all the festivities that followed. It was easy to find the race area. You could spot the sea of green people from miles away. I think every runner was decorated in some way. I saw green suspenders, shamrock skirts, top hats, green glasses, everything. There was no shortage of fashion ideas. The race was packed. I think there were more than 3,000 runners. Every age was represented, from babies munching on pretzels as they were pushed in state-of-the-art strollers by athletic parents, 11 year old youngsters sprinting without breathing hard, teams with matching logo t-shirts, and older folks enjoying a stroll under a bountiful blue sky. The start of the race was jam-packed but I didn't really see the crowding as a negative. I don't have many friends who run so I enjoyed just knowing that other runners exist out there. Plus, it's not as if I was trying to break a land speed record, so I wasn't upset if my starting pace was more of a shuffle as I tried to find some breathing space. The course was an out-and-back loop on Michigan Ave. The sides of the street were lined with spectators, revelling in the noon-time bar sales and preparing for a spot to view the parade to follow. It was a fun atmosphere and the weather just made it that much more wonderful. In fact, I woke up today to realize just how sun burned my face is from hanging outside all day long. So I finished the race in 42:40 which averages to a 10:40 mile and I'm plenty happy with that! Afterwards, Jason and I had some beers at various bars that we could manage to squeeze ourselves into. We saw portions of the parade: the Gaelic League float, revelers throwing beads, the usual. It was definitely a fun day and if the weather is as nice next year, I'll get a whole group of people down there to enjoy it!

I finally signed up for a race.

The last race I ran was in December. The distance was the standard 5K (3.2 miles). I have done a few of those races and had been keeping my eyes open for a race of a different length. I found one in Detroit, to celebrate St. Patrick's day! And the best part – the weather looks to be sublime. I'll admit that I was a wuss and refused to sign up if the day looked to be crappy. However, I got very lucky. The forecast says it might make 50 degrees and there should be lots of clear skies with sun, and no rain! I consider those conditions to be perfect. Supposedly, a lot of jolly people show up for this race sporting funky costumes and a whole spectrum of green, emerald, sea green, olive, etc. clothing. I plan to wear my running skirt, some colorful green socks and a green shirt. I thought about wearing my green wig but with sweat pouring into it---eh, not a great idea if I ever plan to wear it again. I'm also excited that the race is at noon on Sunday. Guess the runners get that rare late start because we precede the traditional parade in Detroit's Corktown area. Seems like it should be a good time. I even heard they have beer at the finish line.

I feel confident and excited about this event. I'm curious to try and run a route that's farther than a 5K, but not as agonizing as a half marathon — been there, done that and probably won't do it again. I'm intrigued about the celebratory St. Patrick's festivities in the area. Should be a good day!