Food for Thought

Inspired by my long run on Saturday, I decided to cook a healthy dinner. Nothing fancy...just grilled salmon, steamed asparagus, butternut squash, and brown rice.

Our weekend team run took place in Torrance...a 3.5 mile loop around the airport. Other than my left foot going numb around mile 2, it was great. I was also told about a VERY useful website, http://www.mapmyrun.com/, that has come in particularly handy when I find myself traveling. You can search for (user-rated) routes by location, mileage, etc...



This coming Saturday, we kick the training up a notch to 6 miles at Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes.

Pacific Northwest

It has been a wonderful few days in the Bellingham area. Despite the VERY cool temps, the winter scenery is beautiful...definitely worthwhile to venture out. I stocked up on some cold-weather running gear, which was necessary for my 3 miler this morning.

We also discovered an awesome new whole-foods-like grocery store (but much cheaper). It has a huge selection of bulk grains, legumes, spices and specialty health foods. I wish we had this in So Cal! Made some great turkey chili tonight with supplies from the new find.

Training Schedule ~ Week of 2/8

My training schedule this week is basically the same as last week, with an increase for my Saturday run (which will likely happen here, in less than ideal temps). Next week I am going to start incorporating more strength training, in addition to the usual pilates routine.

2/8: 20 min cross-training
2/9: 60 min pilates
2/10: 2 miles
2/11: REST
2/12: 30 min or 2 miles
2/13: REST
2/14: 3 miles

Nutrition News & Track Practice

This morning I had an appointment with Christine Jackson, a nutritionist working with some of the employees at SJHS. What a great experience...I feel like I talked more (and learned more) about my health and nutrition in that 90 minutes than my last 5 physician visits combined. I strongly recommend you look into her practice if you are thinking about a change in your approach to nutrition/lifestyle. Check out her website for more details.

Tonight I reluctantly joined up with some TNT runners for a track workout at Mira Costa High School. We ran just over 2 miles, and it was definitely worthwhile. I was more exhausted than normal when I returned home from work today, and the last thing I thought I could handle was another workout (probably because today was my first caffeine-free day in a while...except for some black tea). Any of you who know my relationship to Diet Coke will realize how difficult this might prove to be...

Group Training Week 1

First, and most importantly-THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed a donation thus far toward my goal of raising $2,500 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If you are curious, here is a breakdown of where the money goes. I was one of only four people at our first team practice that raised early funds through the website...a testament to your generosity! Please check out my fundraising page if you'd like to contribute.

There are approximately 30 people participating on our South Bay marathon team. Yesterday we met at the Aviation Track in Redondo Beach for our first (rainy) team practice at 8am. Following warm-ups, we ran a little over a mile so the coaches could get a sense of our pace. I ran the mile (cautiously) in 10:50. I was happy to finish feeling somewhat strong, and somewhere in the middle of the pack. This was the first time in a LONG time I ran outside on a track. The high school memories came flooding back...

Equipment Deals

Over the weekend, I picked up this watch at Costco, for less that half the retail price! It only seems mildly complicated, and I can't wait to try it out on my next road run (which should be today).

My goal today is to contact a nutritionist that was recommended by some of my co-workers. I have limited knowledge about nutrition planning for endurance training. I've avoided large amounts of carbs for so long, I have to be re-trained...

Training Schedule ~ Week of 2/1

The following is my training schedule for the week. It's incredibly low-key compared to what I have been doing, but I plan to follow what TNT recommends, as to avoid injury...

• 2/1: 20 min cross-training/Base mileage phase
• 2/2: 60 min Pilates
• 2/3: 30 min easy run
• 2/4: REST
• 2/5: 30 min easy run/Low heart rate
• 2/6: REST
• 2/7: 1-2 mile run/Aviation Track

New Commitments

Last year at the beginning of April I decided to commit myself to getting healthier. I knew I needed to lose weight, start eating better, and reduce my stress levels. I just started a new job, was working on my dissertation, and traveling a lot in the process. I made the decision to revise my eating habits, and start going to classes at Recreate Pilates near my home. I started cooking more with fresh ingredients (something I need to get back to) and was eating out less. With the support of family and friends, I dropped 31 pounds in about 6 months. I made the choice to try and maintain that weight loss for a few months without actively trying to lose more.

It's now been 3 months, and I'm ready for a new challenge. Based on the positive experiences of friends who trained in the past, I made the commitment to join the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program. I plan to run the Rock 'n' Roll San Diego Marathon on May 31, 2009. My first group practice is Saturday, May 7th. I've been casually running for a few weeks now for a bit of a head start. It's been about 12 years since I ran competitively (mostly 5ks and track-related events). A big part of training with TNT is raising money for blood cancer research, education, and awareness.

Please visit my fundraising link at:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/rnr09/jennifershaw

If you choose to donate, I will list your name and donation amount on this site. If you represent a business, I will permanently post your logo and/or website address. Future posts will track my training and new health goals! Thanks for the support, and check back often!