beets

last night i had dinner at a kitschy restaurant that requires a very far in advance reservation time. upon opening our meals and deciding on a starter, our eyes were all drawn to the same thing. bread made with beet juice. beet juice? the waitress assured us it was fantasticly good and what she would recommend. after a couple of pieces, i concurred. beets found their way into my runnersworld perusal today as well. beets seem to be following me a little bit and i'm going to take it as a sign to try a beet recipe. hard to envision it all working together, but usually if it's ok by runnersworld, it's ok by me.

Beets with Avocado and Orange
Red-wine vinegar
2 medium to large red beets (about 1 pound)
1 2-inch piece black licorice
4 tablespoons fruit vinegar (try raspberry)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
1/4 cup walnut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 orange, divided into segments and cut into bite-size pieces
1 avocado, medium dice
2 tablespoons chopped basil

Boil a pot of water. Add a splash of red-wine vinegar and the beets. Boil covered for 20 to 30 minutes, or until you can stick them with a fork and it comes out clean.

Meanwhile, put the licorice in the freezer to let it get rock hard.

When the beets are cooked, peel and chop them (while still warm) into bite-size pieces.

Whisk together the fruit vinegar, mustard, wasabi, and walnut oil. Toss beets in the mixture and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the orange, avocado, and basil.

Remove the licorice from the freezer and shave atop the salad as you would Parmesan cheese.

Serves six.

CALORIES PER SERVING: 169
CARBS: 15 G
FIBER: 4 G
PROTEIN: 2 G

FAT: 13 G

pacing

i went for a run the other day and i booked it on the way out. BOOKED it. i was feeling good so i figured i should capitalize on the energy & adrenaline and up my pace a little bit. then i turned around and met the wind. when running with the wind, you often don't realize it's there, but when it's time to turn around and face the wind, BAM. i felt like i hit a wall of cold air. i slowly made my way back home and couldn't help but laugh at myself for feeling so good about the first half of the run.

one running tool the RSR curriculum teaches kids is the importance of PACE. a common challenge with youngsters is that they fully exert themselves at the beginning of a run or race and tucker out well before the finish. 1 of the 24-lesson exercises in the program, focuses solely on what it feels like to pace and what it feels like to push. they can talk to a buddy during their pace section and not during the push. this is a really good indicator of keeping with a good pace. each person's pace may be different, so the ability to hold a conversation is different for each kid. i reminisced on this lesson as i huffed & puffed on my run home against the wind.

and on an unrelated note, as a pregnant runner, holding a conversation was also my gauge. usually the conversation was to answer people's "are you really supposed to be running like that?!" or "how are you not tipping over?!" whatever works :)

after a run at 9 months pregnant

legs as springs

In creating the curriculum for the program, I’ve been more in-tune than ever with my own running style and techniques. Last night as I pushed through a couple of miles on the treadmill, I was reminded of one of my sillier techniques during a tough run: envisioning my legs as springs. I literally picture 2 springs coming out of my body bouncing me through each step...and I know that it helps!

I love the things that make each runner unique. There is a set of tools within each runner that enables them to stick with a training regimen or make it through the toughest of runs. With the kids, it’s such a great opportunity to encourage them to find a formula that works for them. When we set our goals and do whatever we can (silly or not…) to achieve that goal, we are given a confidence boost. When we set a goal but do not have the opportunities and techniques granted to achieve that goal, there is a greater chance of failure and a negative mark to the ole self-esteem.

Let’s encourage and equip our kids to push themselves, to think for themselves, and to achieve great things!

Other ideas of things to visualize:

• In a tough spin class, I often picture every muscle in my body working to “climb the hill” or “sprint to the finish.” I’m talking picturing the actual quad or hamstring flexing and working.
• During pace runs, I often step in cadence with my music. If I stay to the beat, I think less about running hard and more about the feeling of the music.
• I know people who use the chasing technique- either you are chasing after someone or someone is chasing after you.
• I also have heard of people imagining fans cheering for you while you are running an incredible race.