GWB Run a Success!

What a great day!  I started the morning at 5am (which was NOT the great part) and left for a run over the GWB with my family for the American Cancer Society.  We ran in support of my brother-in-law and had t-shirts, buttons, bandanas...we looked amazing.

I ran the 10K 5 minutes faster than the one I did 3 weeks ago, oh yea!  I don't know if it was the weather, the adrenaline of running over the bridge or a less-than-accurate course but I had a great run.  I felt good and had a good time.  There were a lot of hills in the 2nd half of the course, the last of which actually made me swear out loud.  It is just sadistic to put the steepest hill in the last mile of a run!

Post run we got together at my parents house for a BBQ.  Burgers, dogs, potato salad, taco salad and cake,  how can you go wrong?  It was nice to have Greg's family, our family and friends all together to support him.  I think he and Erin were both really glad to have everyone together at his halfway point.  I made the cake with a black ribbon (in support of beating melanoma) for each person who ran or walked today's course for Greg.

Dinner tonight was with the Will and Michelle over in Port Chester.  It was drill weekend for the BF so we always try to have dinner with them on the Sunday night after he and Will get home.  Michelle made meatloaf, roasted potatoes and a salad.  Her food always tastes so good!  The company was great and I got to eat dinner with my man in uniform.

Tomorrow is the last full day of school, yea!!   Then it's 9 days of finals, assemblies, study periods and locker clean-outs. 

Family time and NYSSMA time!

I did another 6 miles yesterday and am down to a 1:08 for close to a 10K.  Only 6 minutes to shave off between now and the end of the year, haha!  I ran at Rockland Lake yesterday to prepare for this weekend's 10K which is a little different than my recent route.  It was much sunnier that my usual shady riverside run, but there was a nice breeze.  I love this time of year!

Yesterday afternoon was Mother's Day with the fam.  My parents were away for the actual holiday so we postponed it a week.  My parents, both sisters and their guys were there for snacks and dinner, and Officer BF got to stop in for a quick dinner while working.  It's rare that he's posted where I happen to be so it was an extra treat.  (I fall for him all over again every time I get to see him in uniform!)  Anyway, we made it a point to have diet-savvy food for our meal.  Katie brought veggies, reduced fat potato chips, pita chips, hummus and onion dip for snacks.  My dad made these amazing tuna-avocado rolls.  They were kind of like lobster rolls but with seared tuna, avocado and a lime vinaigrette.  Yum!  Erin made a great tabouleh salad and sauteed green beans.  I contributed a fruit salad for dessert which is something I love but never bother to make for myself.  It was an awesome dinner and best of all, it was guilt free!

For those of you who teach music in NY or went through a music program in the NY public schools, it's NYSSMA week at my school!  This means a lot of stressed out (high strung/dramatic/anxious) young musicians are running around looking for extra help and time.  Our entire department works through lunches, stays after or comes in early almost every day to make sure the kids feel ready for this weekend's solo experience.  It's Monday afternoon and I'm already beat.  I saw 4 kids for solo work today with many more to come.  I have 2-3 lessons scheduled with my private student who is singing at NYSSMA this weekend, on top of regular private lessons. Great for the wallet, not so great for the work-out schedule. 

This will be one of those weeks where I'll be squeezing in activity wherever I can.  This morning, 15 minutes of marching in band to prepare for our Memorial Day parade next weekend.  I should mention I was marching in 4 inch heels which has to count for something!!  I'll have to work extra hard too keep my eating under control this week.  Stress and being busy usually aren't good for my food plans.  I tried to pick up stuff this weekend to keep in the house so I'm not tempted by quick junk food.  Apples, oranges, string cheese and Clif bars will be my go to snacks!

Officer BF has me hooked on Clif Bars. They're my new favorite snack. It's like a treat, but there's enough protein in them to keep me full for a few hours. And, once I start trying all the flavors, I'll have variety built in too. I was gifted a box of 24 bars, 3 different flavors, so I'll eat most of those before I buy more. I really like the chocolate chip peanut crunch flavor. I'll keep you posted on what else I try that I like!

2 minutes can mean so much

Happy Mother's Day!

I cut 2 minutes off last week's time for my 6 mile run!  I know that I took it slow last week and that was the original plan for this morning.  However, I was feeling so good that on miles 4 and 5 I really felt like I could push faster, so I did.  Maybe next week I'll get to cut another minute off in preparation for my first 10K of the year on the 23rd.

Not too much going on with any of my other goals, just trying to have a good week and stay on track.  I have turned down cake 3 times in the last 4 days which is HUGE for me.  I absolutely love desserts.  Yesterday I spent a few hours icing a Dora the Explorer cake with my friend Heather for her niece's birthday.  I managed to avoid the cake scraps and the icing even.  Last night at a b'day party, Officer BF and I left before the cake (we'd already been there 3 hours, we aren't THAT rude) and I'd made a healthier apple crumble that I left there for the other guests. 

I do have a new recipe update...not healthy at all.  Buffalo chicken dip was a hit!  I had a couple of bites but made sure to sit as far away as I could.

6 mile mark!

I ran 6 miles yesterday! It's the first 10K (almost) run I've done and I'm a little achy today, but I finished. Now, I just have to keep up with workouts the rest of this week and I'll be onto something! I did my run on the path that runs from Nyack to Piermont and it's just gorgeous. It's so inspiring to run along the river. That, and Nyack Beach are my 2 favorite places to jog. When I hear "The Hudson" come on the ipod while I'm running it's even better.

New restuarant update: Went to the Sidewalk Bistro in Piermont last week with friends and it was a fantastic dinner! We had a salmon tartar and pizza for appetizers and I had scallops sauteed with homemade spinach pappardelle for my entree. AMAZING. The sauce had saffron infused into and was so yummy. Desserts were delicious as well, the apple tart was topped with rich vanilla ice cream and the cheese plate was a great savory dessert with grapes and apples.

I'm trying hard to get back on the diet wagon. I'm reading 'The Runners Diet" and hoping that helps me stay on track. Sparkpeople is helping with the calorie tracking...but does require me to actually do it. I actually tracked all weekend which is a big step in the right direction.

My biggest success, and a great time, was brunch with the girls on Sunday. My closest friends from HS were all in town the same day (a minor miracle!) and we got together for coffee, fruit and cake. I filled my plate with fruit, had a small piece of the apple tart and stayed "well-behaved." I focused instead on getting to be with some of the best people in the world. We've know each other more than 25 years and there's something comforting about being with people who know who that well!

Grad classes: I have finished 2 classes and signed up for 2 more. That will have me at 12 credits by the end of July, I'm looking for one more summer class to balance out the summer.

Time to get back to work...lessons and a mani-pedi this afternoon. My feet deserve it!