Not so clean eating and new toys

I am on the clean, healthy eating trail. Lot's of good stuff this week, juicing every day, consuming a mainly plant based diet with a few eggs and hormone free, free range poultry here and there -- I'm even consuming freakin' chia seeds. I'm really working at this and actually feel great. Have also eliminated most wheat (due to a suspicion of having a gluten thing…)

But, how easy we fall off the wagon.

I had to bring my darling son to the doctor today. His favorite thing in the world is strawberry ice-cream in a cone.

Now don't judge me. I'm doing the best I can with this parenting thing and I know this is a parenting fail but this kid was flipping out, like major melt-down flipping out about going to the doctor, he was laying on the pavement of my driveway having a stroke. I was at my wits end and impulsively promised him I'd buy him ice cream if he was a good boy at the doctor. I know, I know. Bribery. Rewarding with junky food. I promised myself I would never do that. I fell victim. I'll have to figure out how to do better next time… but for now, it's what happened.

So off we went. He did fine at the doctor, so Ben was ready to collect on the promise. I had to go to the grocery store to pick up a few things anyway and got him his favorites.  He took four bites from his little cone and was done. I guess it was more about him going to the store and picking out his loot.

I should've tossed it out and been happy that Ben didn't want to over-do it. Instead I mindlessly took a taste and then proceeded to scarf the whole thing. Where the F did that come from? 

Fail. Chemical filled/non-organic, craptastic bribe. shame.

Parenting fail /  clean eating fail. Time to go back to the drawing board.

Oh well. Guess it's going to take some practice. I'm slowly trying to convert the whole family to cleaner eating. Hubby and son doing pretty well otherwise.

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In other news - I got to use my brandy-new Garmin yesterday - yippee!

I am still learning all the bells and whistles and didn't set  it properly to give me my splits, so my four miles was one big lap. It was cool to see the HR and all the other things it does. I can see how this thing can mess with your mind tho. I'd look down and see my pace and would instantly feel 'challenged' to run faster. If it wasn't what I wanted it to be I'd pick it up. This could be a good and bad thing. But I'm really looking forward to getting used to the thing.

And BTW, in defense of NIKE + app - I had that running too since it's connected to my iPhone and my   iPhone has my music - Nike+ was on point with pace and distance.

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And in yet other news…

My son has delays and special needs and one of his delays is speech. He is talking more and more everyday.  It makes me proud that one of the few things he'll say is "Mamma goes exercise…" and "Mamma runs." This morning he picked up a Runner's World magazine and as he flipped through it, he saw a picture of a super fit, young woman, pointed to her and exclaimed, "Mama!!" "Mama running!" :-)  It's the little things.

How are things going with you?

Have you had a food or parenting fail lately?

What's your favorite feature on your Garmin or other pacing device?

XOXO

Jen

Spring fling - moving fast

The months are passing fast! I kept kinda waiting and bracing myself for winter but it never really came.

An unusually mild and snow-free winter has ushered in a beauteous, joyous, early spring. Lucky for us, that damn groundhog was wrong this year.

Today, I decided that I would take advantage of this:

almost 80 in March!

And headed to the park to do a little running.

I don't really know my pace when I run outside because I use the NIKE+ app in my iPhone and that thing is strapped around my arm. The Nike guy mumbles in my ear when I reach a mile but I never quite catch what he says about 'current pace' or time.

I set Mr. Nike app for 4 miles and I'm off.

The first two miles felt effortless. Ah. Trees are budding, flowers are blooming. I love this time of year. I'm cruising. 

I love a tree in bloom

The last two miles felt hot and hard and I felt like I was running slower. Only 76? It could've been 96 degrees with how hot I was feeling. I was bummed that my first two miles were going to be faster on paper (why this would bum me out in the first place, I do not know?) But resigned myself to that fact. Oh well. Just a training run. I am not running to PR a race here.

The last mile felt particularly tough. I felt like a slug.  I was kind of mad that I was 'dragging ass' so much.   At least that's how it felt. When I got home to look up on the Nike website to see what happened out there, I was prepared to see me go from 10:30 averages to 11:30 averages but got this instead:

Ohhhhh.

Ah. So the reason why I felt like it was so hard for the last mile was because I was running, oh, 35 seconds faster or so than the first mile. Well. Guess that would do it. I only felt slow, the fact that I was sweating my ass off and panting should've given me a hint but I am clueless. 

I was probably running faster than I should've given, I'm still trying to get used to the heat and the effort was tough. Also breaking a 10 min. mile (aside from 5K races and speed training miles) is a push for me. I would consider my comfort range between 10:30 - 11:00.  I think. Not so sure anymore.

By the way, aside from wanting to die that last mile, I really expected to run this in around 42-43 mins and ran it in under 40 that makes me a special kind of happy.  It was even worth looking like a crazy person:

I am a hot mess here… notice the lovely
difference in the color of my face and neck.

By the way, dear friends, you know I really love you (and have no shame) for posting this picture of me… However, I did look better (barely) than the poor water bottle I gripped during that four mile run!

at least I remembered to hydrate this time

I'm thinking that this run is a good argument for investing in a Garmin or that Nike watch thing that is like a Garmin. I mean, I'm glad that my splits are pretty good here but I have a hard time knowing my pacing when I'm not on the treadmill. I didn't have to feel like I was dying these last two miles if I had properly had an eye on pacing myself. I think. Though, on the other hand maybe having an eye on the time and pace would cause me to overanalyze everything. I don't know.

Do you have a pace plan when you run?

Do you think it's better to just run without worry of pace?

Do you have a Garmin type device? Do you love it? Has it changed your running life?

XO

Jen

Watch out Mutai - Here I come! And an open letter to Nike+

Dear Nike+

People keep telling me I need to break up with you, that you're no good for me. That you tell me lies. 

I want to love you. Really I do. I love the bells and whistles, I love the 'cheers' I love your slick looks and other stuff.  I stick up for you, defend you and try to roll with the quirks.

And like many women before me, I even love when Tiger Woods whispers sweet nothings in my ear… "You've ran your fastest mile…" oh tell me more.

I really want to continue our love affair but if things don't change, I'm going to have to save my pennies and break up with you for the other guy. You know who I'm talking about, he rhymes with Charmin… 

Two days ago, you kicked me in the head and told me my run (and I know this was a pretty fast run) was a 15 minute mile. I don't walk that slow! When I protested, you tried to make me feel better - 

I just got an iPhone so I thought maybe the satellite App would be a better way to go.

And you gave me this feedback during my long run of yesterday:

YES. Nike+, you told me that my 8 mile run (which I know is 8 miles because I've done it 50,000 times before was actually a 9.72 run.

And even better, you told me that my first mile was run in 4.44! Wow - eat my dust Mutai who's average pace for the NYC marathon was 4:46.  Yes. Nike, you told me, i was that good.  Thanks. 'preciate that.

Your customer service is great -- but I'm sick of having to call you and have you upload workouts that vanish, get inaccurate information, and 'guess' if my pace and mileage is for 'realz' or not.

Sigh. I'll give your satellite App another shot or two and chalk it up to me fiddling with it before getting to my destination.  Hopefully we can work this out.

Love,

Jerseyjennyr

HoneyMilk + cool t-shirt = yay!
PS: oops - paper ball thing over my head from
recent party needs to be removed.

In other news, here was the best part of my 9.72 8 mile run yesterday - HONEYMILK! I recently won a case of Honeymilk and the fancy Cook, Train, Eat, Race teeshirt for naming Jason's newest pair of sneakers. So to recover, I decided try the Chocolate Honeymilk - WOW, my God, DEE-LISH. I will add it as another good reason to long run to my list - it was so good and felt like a reward.

Oh, and happy to report that I lost 2.4 pounds at Weight Watchers this week - so the Thanksgiving debacle has been erased and then some!

Hope all is good with you!

Don't forget to enter my Jack LaLanne Power Juicer giveaway!

XO

Jen