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Happy Friday! How are we all doing today? Pretty good over here! I am just about to wrap up my day at work before I head to the airport to pick up my parents. They are coming into town to see me and spoil me 
Recently, I have become very close with my parents, even though I only see them a few times a year. We have been talking on the phone a lot more and I think the distance had made our relationship stronger. Anyone else experienced this? I’d love to hear your thoughts! When I lived at home before college, I think I took my parents for granted because I saw them every single day. Now that I am gone, I have learned to appreciate them more and their love for me. Sorry to be so sappy 
I am going to make this post short and sweet because I am actually about to get off of work in a few minutes. Then I need to get to the airport to pick them up!
I stayed up too late again and I was tired again this morning. When am I going to learn? At least it’s the weekend and I can sleep in the next two days
Time: 1:27
Distance: 11.01 miles
Average Pace: 7:54 per mile
Even though I stayed up too late again, I wasn’t all that tired this morning. I think in the back of my head I knew that this was the last day I had to get up at 5 AM this week, so it was less of a challenge to get up. Life is seriously 100% mental. If you believe in something, that is going to make it so much easier. Trust me.
Those recovery socks worked their magic again If you don’t have a pair, I highly suggest you get one. My legs felt great after running 14 miles yesterday! They didn’t feel perfect, but I wasn’t expecting them to. I was actually feeling good enough to add an extra mile or so to my usual 10 mile loop. I had the time and I was feeling great, so why not? I love it when that happens!
Because of this post on With A Side of Sneakers, I have started reading Born to Run! I got through the first 100 pages today at work and I am HOOKED. I plan on writing a little review when I am done!
Have you read it? What did you think?
Have a good weekend everyone!
How are we all doing today? Awesome over here!
- I am a finalist in a recipe contest. Who knew my love for burgers would win me something? Thank God Whole Foods has grass-fed bison now. I need to make these again!
- I won an Oikos giveaway. Remember yesterday how I said I loved blogging for the free stuff?
When I woke up this morning, I was really pumped up to get in my mid week long run! Thursday is more towards the end of the week, but I am pushing my long run back until Sunday (I usually do it Saturday), so I am right on schedule. My parents are coming into town tomorrow night after I get off of work, so I want to make sure I have plenty of time to spend with them on Saturday. They are leaving Sunday morning, so I have the whole day to get it in.
Time: 1:54
Distance: 14.11 miles
Average Pace: 8:03 per mile
Unfortunately, I was even more tired this morning that I was yesterday. I haven’t been tired like I feel fatigued, but tired like I feel sleepy and I need an extra hour in bed. I feel best when I get 8 hours of sleep per night, but I have only been getting around 7. I really need to start going to bed earlier and getting more sleep. I tell myself this every single night but it never happens. I keep staying up about an hour later than normal because I get distracted by something on TV or on the computer or talking on the phone. Tonight, I will go to bed early!
Luckily, the lack of sleep hasn’t really affected my running. Once my body starts to wake up and the adrenaline kicks in, I am good to go. Actually, sometimes I run better on less sleep, but in the long run, it’s not good for me. I feel best when I get a solid 8 hours per night, especially when I am running a lot.
This was the case this morning as well. It took me about 3 or 4 miles to wake myself up, but once I did, the miles just flew by. The first few miles were dreadfully slow, but I ended up running negative splits and the last few miles were around 7:35. I guess I just need a proper warm up
Zensah Compression Socks Review
Yesterday, I received a pair of Zensah Compression Socks in the mail and I was really itching to try them out. I wore them yesterday after running and again today on my run this morning. Call me crazy for wearing socks like these in the middle of summer, but I had to try them out
The Zensah Compression Sock incorporates ProGrade Compression Technology. Developed with the optimal amount of compression to increase oxygen blood flow which can enhance an athlete’s performance. Zensah offers the best running compression socks on the market.
Only compression sock to incorporate arch support which allows your legs to last longer. Engineered using seamless technology which ensures superior comfort. Graduated compression provides muscle support, increases circulation and reduces edema when traveling. Zensah Fabric is both anti-microbial, and thermo-regulating which keeps your legs cool in hot weather and comfortable in cold weather.
Great for racing, recovery and traveling.
The number one compression sock for runners, triathletes, and world travelers.
In short, they provide these benefits:
- Increase Circulation
- Arch Support
- Recovery & Travel
- Improve Performance
In the past few times I have worn them, this is what I have noticed:
Pros
- As soon as I put them on, my legs instantly felt like they had more life in them.
- They are very comfortable. The provided arch support and extra padding kept my feet comfortable throughout the duration of the run.
- My legs did not get tired after running 14 miles today. my body itself was tired, but my legs still had plenty of spring left.
- My legs felt like they had more stability.
- They help with recovery. I wore them for a few hours after my run today and my legs have felt great all day. I even worked a four shift at the outdoor pool today and my legs still feel good. I was walking around the whole time and felt completely normal.
Cons
In summary, these socks are AWESOME. I could feel a difference the moment I put them on and I felt the lasting effect all day. Yes, they look really stupid, but that is something I am willing to sacrifice. I run before the crack of dawn anyways, so who really cares?
Are these going to make me an amazing runner? Probably not. That comes with hard work and dedication. These socks aren’t a super sock that is instantly going to make you set PR’s, but they are quite comfortable and they will help you with fatigue in your legs. I love them! Hey Zensah, how about another pair?
I plan on having these in my OpenSky shop as soon as it opens on August 10th. Who is going to buy a pair?
Well it looks like we have arrived at Wednesday already! Is it me or is this week flying by? I feel like it was just Monday…
My parents will be here on Friday so I have that to look forward to this weekend. Just two more days! Another good thing about them coming is that I don’t have to work. And free food
My legs were feeling quite sore this morning so I decided to out off my mid week long run until tomorrow. I would rather be well rested and primed for it then trying to slug it out this morning.
Time: 1:18
Distance: 9.81 miles
Average Pace: 7:57 per mile
It was nice and cool again this morning! 75*
Running seriously feels 10x easier when it isn’t scorching outside. Seriously Alabama! Stay this way! Compared to my runs earlier this week, today it almost felt effortless. I got lost in my own thoughts and by the time I knew it I had already run 10 miles! I love when that happens!
I don’t have a lot more to say about running for today, but I did get some compression socks from Zensah in the mail today. I think one of the best things about being a blogger is all the free stuff we get
I am wearing them right now, but I am going to wait until tomorrow to give them a full review because I want to make sure that they are fully tested after running.
Now it is food time!
I guess I am on a burger kick? After yesterday’s veggie burgers and today’s tempeh burgers, I might be all burgered (is that a word?) out. I take that back because I don’t think that is possible Tomorrow night I am having a juicy grass fed beef burger though! I really need one! I would have totally had one tonight but I had to go back into work from 4:00-8:00 because my boss fired three people this week. I don’t mind the hours, but I am working 33 hours in the next three days. Fun stuff huh? I won’t mind once I hit over time though
Since I got to come home during the middle of the day for lunch, I decided to do some actual “cooking” (and I needed something leftover for dinner at work). My cooking actually started at 5 AM this morning when I started my marinade for the tempeh. Not many people can say that are cooking something at 5 AM! Actually, I remember a morning at the beginning of the summer when I was grilling some chicken for my lunch at around 5:30 AM. My neighbor came out to leave for work and looked me like I was an idiot when I said I was grilling chicken. Haha. Enough rambling… Onto some FOOD!
Grilled Tempeh Burgers (Adapted From This Recipe)
Ingredients
- 8-ounce package soy tempeh (I used organic flax tempeh)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- Dash of ground red pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation
- Split tempeh into three square sized pieces (they should look like the pictures you see below. Place tempeh in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Combine water and next 5 ingredients (water through garlic) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over tempeh; seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 3 hours to overnight.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- Remove tempeh from marinade, reserving marinade. Place tempeh on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, basting frequently with reserved marinade.
- Serve on buns or bread of choice and top with desired condiments.
Grilling
After Grilling
I served mine on toasted Millet Bread with spinach, tomato, and roasted garlic hummus. I was out of avocado 
These weren’t exactly up to par with my beef burgers (that is nearly impossible), but they were still fantastic and made a great lunch.
What are your thoughts on tempeh? Yay or nay?
Whew! It has been a whirlwind of a day! At least I woke up on time though
I was ready for some SPEED today!
Time: 1:25
Distance: 11.21
Average Pace: 7:34 per mile
We had a huge storm last night, so it was pleasantly cooler this morning. My power actually went out around 9:45 last night, so I took that as a signal that it was time to go to bed. I had to get up in about 7 hours anyways, so it worked out well. I slept like a rock and WOKE UP ON TIME.
I wouldn’t say the weather was enjoyable, but it wasn’t as ridiculously hot as it has been lately. It was probably about 10 degrees cooler, but it was still really humid which wasn’t fun. I’m not sure what is worse, the humidity or the heat. They are both torturous in their own ways.
Since I did a tempo run last week, I decided that mile repeats were on tap for this week.
After a three mile warm up, I did 4 X 1600 (1 mile) with 800 (1/2 mile) recovery in between. My splits were as follows:
- 6:21
- 6:16
- 6:17
- 6:22
Then I cooled down for the remaining distance, which happened to be the distance back to my apartment. I was seriously dying on that last mile, but I felt strong for the first three. I was so dehydrated towards the end that I started to feel a little lightheaded. I was in good spirits though
This is what my hair looks like after running Alabama Haha.
Did you guys like my veggie burgers?
They were good, but my dinner was better!
I am on an avocado kick right now, so I decided to make…
Grilled Halibut with Avocado Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
Tomato Avocado Salsa
- 1 large tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 jalapeno, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Halibut
- 6 oz filet of halibut
- Salt
- Pepper
- Squirt of lemon (if desired)
Directions
- Make the salsa: Combine tomato, onion, jalapeno, lime juice to taste, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in avocado and cilantro.
- Prepare the fish: Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Rinse the fish and pat dry. Sprinkle the fish with salt, pepper, and lemon (if using). Grill on medium heat for 3 minutes per side until cooked through, but not overcooked. Your cooking time with depend on the thickness of the filet.
- Serve fish topped with salsa.
Mmm….
Drooling yet?
This was a totally satisfying dinner. A grilled vegetable salad, halibut with tomato avocado salsa, a sweet potato with coconut butter, and some chia bread with hummus. Seriously… Does it get any better than that? I think this has been the best meal of the week!
What has been the best meal you have had so far this week?
I was home for lunch today because I got off of work early, so I was really itching to actually cook something for lunch. I am usually stuck with a cold sandwich or a salad, so it was a real treat to actually get to make lunch today.
I was craving a burger (what else is new?), but all of my grass fed beef patties were frozen solid in the freezer. What to do? VEGGIE BURGERS! I complied a few different recipes and came up with this:
Homemade Veggie Burgers
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for brushing
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup packed parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- Salt
- Pepper
Directions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion until golden brown.
- Pulse brown rice, onions, pinto beans, tamari, walnuts, garlic, parsley, cumin, cayenne, and paprika in a food processor until throughly mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Form into patties.
- Preheat a grill to medium high heat.
- Spray the grill with oil and grill for 8 minutes, about 4 on each side.
Here is a tip. If you want to get perfectly round veggie burgers, try forming them with a cup! Haha. I have one that is the perfect burger size and they come out perfect every time
I served mine on a toasted Rudi’s Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bun with roasted red pepper hummus, spinach, tomato, and avocado. Delicious.
These buns are so good. They have been on sale for $2.99 at Whole Foods for the past month or so. They are the perfect size for a burger and soft but chewy at the same time. They advertise:
“We use ingredients that are simple and certified organic to bake better bread. We never use high fructose corn syrup, chemical preservatives, or artificial ingredients. Bread should have ingredients you can pronounce!”
How can you go wrong with that?
What is your favorite veggie burger recipe?
Hello everyone!
Have you noticed the new widget on the left side of my blog? You are probably wondering what that is…
I’ve joined OpenSky!
I’ve had a lot of questions from readers regarding the types of products that I buy, whether it be running or cooking, so I thought this would be a great way to share my favorite products with you guys.
So how is this good for you?
I think that most bloggers in the healthy living community think alike, as in we are interested in the same products. Hopefully I can share some of the things I enjoy with you and you will enjoy them as well. I think it is a great way to find products that have been tested by people with similar interests.
The great thing is that I will only sell products that I currently use, have used, and LOVE. I won’t put things in my shop that are there just because I think they will sell; that completely defeats the whole purpose of me even having a shop in the first place. It is like an Italian restaurant serving hamburgers
Here are a few of the products that I hope to sell:
Trigger Point Foam Roller (Essential)
Garmin 405
Nathan Quick Draw
Justin’s Nut Butter
This is just a little sneak peak. Once I get my shop up and running, I will decide what products I want to have in my shop.
Another great thing is that I can pretty much get whatever products I want
Remember that I recommend every single product in my shop and I will not try to sell you something that doesn’t meet my approval. I have very strict standards
This was just a little introduction to my OpenSky shop. I am still in the process of getting everything up and running, but I should have things setup within the next few weeks.
If you have any questions regarding any of the products that you see in my shop or would like to see in my shop, please let me know!
I totally overslept this morning! I had the alarm set for 5:15 and I specifically remember it going off. Instead of hitting the snooze, I think I turned it off and fell back asleep. The next thing I knew, it was 6:05! Believe it or not, this is the first time this has happened the entire summer, so I guess I was due to oversleep at some point. Normally, it wouldn’t be an issue, but I had to be at work at 8:00.
I immediately leapt out of bed and believe it or not I was out the door by 6:13. I was like lightning today! The idea of take a “rest day” actually crossed my mind, but only for a few seconds. I was about to go sit on my ass at work for the next 8 hours, so I would rather get a little bit of activity in. With that thought out of my mind, I hit the streets.
Time: 1:11:01
Distance: 9.22 miles
Average Pace: 7:42 per mile
Do you know that adrenaline you feel when you wake up late and you are rushing around to get ready on time? Or just the adrenaline you feel when you know you are running late? I seriously felt that adrenaline the whole time I was running. It actually helped and I ended up having a stellar run.
Unfortunately, I had to cut my run a little short due to time constraints. I was planning on running somewhere in the 12 mile range, but that didn’t quite happen. Since I knew I had to cut it short, I decided I would run a little more after work. Yeah, there is no way that was going to happen. It was a scorching 100 degrees when I got off and I decided to go home and watch a movie instead The double days of running are going to come to a halt for a little while until it starts cooling off. I actually don’t think it is safe for me to be running out there when it is 100+ degrees. Even if it was, there is no way I would want to.
Lately, I have been doing this thing on Monday where I set a few goals for the week. I find that it helps keep me on track and it helps me get everything done that needs to be done. Each Monday, I am going to start sharing the goals I have set for the week and I am going to rely on you guys for some motivation to help me get them accomplished.
I have found that by setting several small, short term goals, I am more likely to get them accomplished compared to a few long term goals. For example, if I have a huge test coming, I set a goal to study just a few chapters a day rather than all of them the day before. Trust me, it works.
My goals for this week are:
- Finish my final paper for my Finance class. It’s not due until next Friday, but I want to get this damn thing out of the way. I will have to sacrifice a few movies at work to get it done
- I want to run TWO speed workouts in addition to my mid week long run.
- Clean my apartment before my parents get here on Friday.
- Eat something more creative than a sandwich for lunch everyday. Any ideas for packable stuff?
- Finish season 1 of Law and Order: SVU.
The last one was a joke… Or was it?
What are your goals for this week?
I am really bored at work right now because I forgot my NetFlix movie at home Isn’t that sad? Haha.
I just saw this on Kelly’s blog, so I thought I would give it a go.
Here are 10 random things you probably didn’t know about me:
- Even though I absolutely love running, I really miss playing tennis. I used to play tennis back in high school competitively, but I burned out on it senior year. I was so pumped to play in college, but obviously that didn’t happen. I have days where I just really really want to get back into it, but I have no idea where to start. Some day, I will pick it up again. I guarantee it.
- Even though my major is Business Management, I absolutely hate the classes I am taking. I have wanted to change my major for awhile now, but I have taken too many classes that I am not prepared to throw away. I really want to do something with food, running, or nutrition. That will happen in the future.
- My favorite color is red. I seriously love red, but I never really wear it. It has always attracted me!
- I am a control freak. I love living alone, I like doing things myself, and I like doing things my way. My apartment has to be clean. Everything has to be in order. I have to be on time. You get the idea
- I have never broken a bone. I have been hit by a car, but I have never broken a bone. I think my love for cheese has paid off!
- I always have to have a hot breakfast. Oatmeal after a run when it is 90 degrees? Yes please! Pancakes? Yes please X2!
- I prefer savory foods over sweet foods. As you may have noticed, I don’t post many dessert type foods. I actually rarely eat them. Ice cream, chocolate nut butter, and carrot cake are about the only dessert type foods I eat. That doesn’t mean I don’t like sugar! Send the sweet cereals over here!
- I partied more in high school than I do now. I will admit it, my life is pretty boring in the “party” scene nowadays. I went through that phase in high school, but it is long since past. Now, my idea of a fun time is hanging out with friends and watching movies. Or running
- I like the dark. I go to bed by 10 PM, but I hate the sunlight. LOL. My apartment always has minimal lights on and it has to be PITCH BLACK when I sleep. Any light and I am up all night.
- I am afraid of all types of critters. If there is a snake loose, I am the first one squealing like a girl. Ditto with spiders, roaches, ect…
Now I tag five people!
- Jessica
- Kalli
- Megan
- Lisa
- Lindsay
I just started reading these ladies blogs and I want to learn more about them
Tell me one random thing about yourself, whether I tagged you or not!
The weekend is over
It was a good one though! How was your weekend?
Honestly, I don’t really have much to say today. Blogger’s block? Does that even exist?
Today was pretty low key and I started out with an easy run to shake out my legs.
Time: 1:01:03
Distance: 7.51 miles
Average Pace: 8:07 per mile
My legs had the ultimate feeling of deadness upon waking up this morning. I forgot how much 20 miles really beats up the body! It’s been quite awhile since I have put myself through that punishment, but there is plenty more where that came from
The day after my long run is always dedicated to making sure that everything is in working order. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if you are injured unless you actually go for a run. After running 20 miles, EVERYTHING HURTS, so sometimes it is hard to pick out an injury.
Lucky for me, everything seems to be in working order and I am good to go
Have you guys ever had Copper River King Salmon?
They had some at Whole Foods today and it was seriously the best fish I have ever had in my life.
OH MY GOD IT WAS GOOD. It is only on sale for a few weeks AT MOST each year, so I immediately knew that I had to buy some. It was a little expensive at $34.99 a pound, but it was totally worth. I am kicking myself for not buying more!
With my belly full, it is time to watch the Next Food Network Star and call it a night.
See you guys tomorrow!
This day off of work has been absolutely wonderful. Who knew that life could be enjoyed so much when I am not stuck sitting at the front desk for 7 hours at a time? There is so much more freedom. I don’t have to have someone come and sit in my position for two minutes while I go to the bathroom. I could totally get used to this. Unfortunately, I will be right back there tomorrow It is a short shift though, so I think I will survive. I just got a new movie from Netflix to watch
I know my job is extremely easy and I shouldn’t be complaining, but would you honestly want to sit at a desk with NOTHING to do for 7+ hours a day? There are only so many internet websites and movies I can go to/watch before I get bored out of my mind. The first two hours are great, but after that, I start to go nuts. I would rather have a job that actually requires work because a minute wouldn’t feel like an eternity. For someone like me who thrives on being busy, that job is absolute hell.
What is your job like? Are you busy? Or are you “busy”?
My day off started at 4 AM. It is really sad that I wake up even earlier on a day when I don’t have class OR work, but this Alabama heat has been tough lately. With a three hour run scheduled, I need to get out there as earlier as possible.
Time: 2:40
Distance: 19.81 miles
Average Pace: 8:03 per mile
My running buddy stayed the night last night, so it was really easy to coordinate our run and everything. Don’t get any funny ideas… She slept on the couch It is a good thing she is tiny because my couch is a love seat.
Having a running partner is really plus when you are doing a long run. The long run is a test of mental ability just as much as it is physical ability. You really have to believe in yourself if you want to get through the run in one piece. I’ve had multiple long runs that were absolute failures because I didn’t believe that I could finish. The first step is believing (no, that is not my quote). Having someone there with you to say “Come on, just a few more miles” or “We are going to finish this together” really helps you stay strong mentally. I had plenty of that today and I loved every second of it.
Ultimately, the run went really well. We both had points where we struggled and relied on another to get past it, but we finished it together and it was bittersweet. The last few miles were absolutely miserable when it started to heat up, but luckily we were almost home by the time I started feeling like I was running through the underworld. Starting the run at 4:45 AM might have felt insane at the time, but it was one of the smartest things I have done all week. I really wish I had the motivation to do that every single day, but it’s just not happening. Getting up at 5 AM is hard enough; there is no way I can manage an hour earlier.
What time do you run to beat the heat? Morning or night?
Besides having plenty of time to run, another good thing about having the day off of work is that I actually get to make lunch. I usually rely on some sort of sandwich, salad, or leftovers, but today I got to fire up the grill.
I had grilled Mahi Mahi, grilled vegetables, sweet potato fries, and some whole wheat sourdough bread. My stomach has been a little queasy all day (it get likes that after running in the heat and after long runs), but it is finally starting to feel normal. It’s that sort of feeling like your body knows it needs to eat, but that is the last thing you want to do. Do you know what I mean? This usually happens for a few hours after running, but I am always better by the next day.
After lunch, I decided to make the trip out to Whole Foods with my free time. I make time for that every week
In case you are wondering, here are a few pictures of the things that I buy on a weekly basis. I tried to keep things light this weekend because my parents are coming on Friday and they are going to stock me up.
I have to have my grass fed beef
Fruits and Veggies
Carbs!
Other
I bought an entire case of Oikos Greek Yogurt for $1 each. I felt like I was stealing! That was the smartest $12 I have spent in a long time!
I also can’t wait to dig into that hummus sampler pack
At least I got the essentials for this week. I can’t wait until my parents come next weekend to stock me up!
How was your weekend? Any highlights I need to know about?
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