Is Cross Fit enough?

I've been going to cross fit 2-3 times a week when I'm in California for work. However, I'm still mentally struggling to accept that cross fit is enough to count as my sole workout for the day. I am an admitted cardio and sweat junkie. I like to get in a good solid hour of cardio a day and be dripping with sweat at the end. So after a cross fit workout that is primarily strength, I sometimes feel like it isn't enough. In the hour workout, I feel like I'm only working really hard for 10-20 minutes. While I have always enjoyed being active, my primary reason for working out is to burn calories. So I am left asking myself is cross fit enough? No doubt it is helping my all around fitness by encouraging more dynamic movement and strength, but does it burn the same number of calories or am I better off sticking with running or a spin class?

Balboa Island California

As much as I love my new house and want to spend as much time as possible there, I've decided to stay some weekends in California to save some wear and tear on myself. Flying is just so unpleasant and exhausting. So yesterday after going to the gym and doing some work in the morning, I went to see a friend in Newport Beach. She took me to Balboa Island, a super ritzy community. It was a nice sunny day and we basked in the sunshine after spending the week working in the dark basement. We spent almost 2 hours walking around admiring the amazing houses and Christmas decorations.

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I could never in a million years afford to buy a house here, but it was fun to look! We worked up an appetite walking, so we went over to the main street for lunch at Ciao, a cute Italian cafe. We split a salad with fresh raspberries and goat cheese, and a pizza with mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. The salad was amazing! Instead of driving the long way back we decided to take the little ferry. It's a super deal- only $2 for the car and passenger, and $1 for each extra adult. Granted the trip is only like 5 minutes, but I'll take any boat ride I can get.

correrò a Roma!

It's official- I am signed up for the Rome Marathon! I have been toying with this idea for awhile. I'm anxious to get another continent checked off for my 7 continent quest, and since I spent all my money on buying a house, it had to be somewhere where I could pay for the whole trip with miles. But I didn't want to run just any marathon in Europe, I wanted it to be somewhere special. Italy definitely qualifies since I spent my junior year of college there. The hardest part was convincing someone to come with me. Really friends and family? Why aren't you jumping at the chance for a free trip to Rome?? I am taking my little cousin (and by little I just mean younger, since she's now in college and about 10 inches taller than me). I think it will be really fun to show her all my favorite places and things in Italy. Hopefully having this on the calender for sure will help me have more motivation for my long runs. Gelato here I come. Other random observation of the day. I think it's interesting how fitness terms have their own dialects in different parts of the country. I went to a step class in Anaheim, CA today, and I put myself way in the back. Since I couldn't really see the instructor, I had to rely on her cues. The terminology she used was completely different than what I am used to at home. And yes, I still do step. I love step. I am always sweating buckets by the end and the choreography keeps me so mentally engaged that the time just flies by.

One year later

It was a little more than a year ago that I was attacked while running on a trail by myself. It was such a shock to me both because I tend to be trusting person, and because it was during the day in a nice suburban neighborhood. I struggled after the attack because my job forces me to workout in the early morning (so it's usually dark) in places I don't know that well. For awhile I confined myself to the treadmill, but that wasn't practical because I didn't always have access to a treadmill, and it was boring me to death and making me hate running. I've been back outside running now for about a year and I can't decide if I am triumphing over adversity, or just being stupid. I like to look at it as I am refusing to let some stupid guy keep me from doing what I love. On the other hand, I think everything happens for a reason. Maybe being attacked, but escaping unharmed, was a warning. Am I ignoring that warning and putting myself in serious danger by running alone and unarmed at 5 am in Anaheim (which isn't the safest place) when I'm traveling?

All in my Head

It always amazes me how much of running is mental. Yesterday I did a 14.5 miler and I was really struggling the first half. After slogging through my marathon training alone last winter, I was desperate for a training partner this year. I didn’t have many options, so I settled on running with a guy who is super nice, but faster than me. Yesterday I felt like I was totally dragging him down. The first half of the run my legs just felt like lead. I was struggling. It could have been the head wind, or the fact that I really, really had to pee (note to self, don’t drink 2 cups of coffee before a long run), or that he was leading and I didn’t know what to expect. Then, after the turn around point I suddenly felt great. I went from barely being able to hang on to the 10 min/mile pace to doing 8:30s. Granted, I did finally find a bathroom, and the wind was now behind us, but I think it was all in my head. I always spend the first half of a long run dreading how much I have left to do. It’s only when I start to see the end that I allow myself to feel decent and relax into the run. Bad strategy, I know, but what can I do?

Healthy Cold Weather Dinners

It's getting cold here in Maine, so I am craving comfort food. Luckily, I'm working at home this week, so I've been able to whip up lots of healthy meals that also satisfy. Tuesday morning I woke up early and set up my bread machine. While I ran, the bread machine whipped up this awesome Honey Whole Wheat Bread. 1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 3 tablespoons honey 1/3 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour 1 1/2 cups bread flour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast Add ingredients according to the manufacturer's directions to your bread machine. Use the wheat bread cycle and light color setting.

I'll admit, I ate half the loaf on Tuesday!
Scallops and Squash Wednesday I went grocery shopping and scallops were on sale. I also had some lovely butternut squash my Mom gave me from her garden. I peeled the squash, cubed it (microwave it for a few minutes and it's WAY easier to cut), and then roasted it at 350. While the squash was roasting, I sauteed onion and garlic in olive oil until they were soft. I then added white wine, a little butter, and the scallops. When the squash was done, I tossed it with the scallops. Easy and SOOOO good. No pictures because I ate it too fast!
Pasta, Bacon, and Arugula. Thursday I was watching the Chew, and they made a pasta bacon and cabbage dish that left me craving both pasta and bacon. When I was at the store getting the bacon, I saw organic arugula on clearance, so I grabbed that as well. In a skillet I cooked the bacon, while I boiled water for the pasta. When the bacon was done, I drained most of the grease (saving just a little for flavor). I then browned some garlic in the bacon grease. When the pasta was done, I added it to the skillet with the garlic, tossed in the arugula, crumbled the bacon on top, and mixed.

Coach Jenny's Holiday Challenge
To keep myself motivated during the Holiday's I'm participating in Coach Jenny's Holiday Challenge. All you have to do is post your weekly goal and mileage workouts and you can win great prizes!
This week's prize is Agloves. Boy do I need these!! I start my run on a moderately busy road, go to a very busy road, then go onto a bike path. All this means that I have to constantly adjust the volume on i-pod. Not soo easy in the winter when I'm wearing gloves. I would totally love to be able to change the volume without having to take off my gloves and freeze my hands!K

Old friends (and major score on gym clothes at Old Navy)

Thanks to Facebook, I've gotten in touch with some of my friends from junior high and high school since moving back to Maine. Yesterday, 5 of us met for lunch. It was strange, but wonderful. I hadn't seen two of the women in more than 10 years! We're all more grown-up, but basically, pretty much the same and fell into easy conversation. It makes sense given our history. It's hard as an adult to achieve that same level of closeness you had with your friends as a teenager, when you spend all day together at school, talked on the phone all night, and had sleepovers on the weekend. And yet there was a little weirdness because even though we are all the same age, we're all at such different places in our lives. 3 of the 4 are married and have kids. None of them went to college and they're all stayed in Maine. Among my friends in Boston, I was typical. I'd gone to college and grad school, traveled a lot, tried a few jobs, lived with room-mates, and been mostly single. But here, I'm the odd one out. And it's not that one path is better than another. I'm jealous of what they have- their sweet children, loving husbands, stability and security. And they're jealous of what I have- excitement, freedom, and possibilities. It was a lunch that left me thinking. On the way home I stopped at Old Navy because I had a groupon. I intended to get Christmas presents, but there was great workout clothes on clearance, so it spent it all on myself! Look at this haul- capri tights, 2 tank tops, and a jacket for $30, which thanks to my Groupon only cost me $15!

What do you think about Old Navy's performance clothing? I find it works just as well as the more expensive brands. My stuff gets used soooo much, that it wears out quickly no matter what brand it is.