My legs feel like jelly

(photo courtesy of Pilates Digest)

(photo courtesy of getfitsource)

The above photos are the two instruments of toture that my personal trainer selected today to try to break me. But, there is much to say about pride and pure stubbornness. Both of which, I've been told, are prominent traits in my family that I've inherited. And I'm convinced that it's with these traits that I'm going to make it through the intense program that my trainer has designed for my half-marathon goals. Because, even though the bosu ball and glider discs (pictured above) seem harmless, I can assure you that they are evil and will continue to painfully sculpt my body for the next couple of weeks.

Now, if you're lucky enough to have these things in your gym and don't know how to use them, let me enlighten you on some of their fun exercises.

Glider Discs

(the little purple plates)

-Pushups: place your hands on each disc, and separate them as you lower yourself. Your elbows should go behind your shoulders. Then, push your hands together towards the center of your body as you push up. This will work your upper body....and the next day your boobs will hurt.

-Mountain Climbing: Get into pushup position, but instead put the discs on your feet. Then keep your upper body still as your feet slide back and forth on the ground, like ice skating. Keep it up for a minute. This works your legs.



Bosu Ball

-Squats: Hold out your arms to the front to balance yourself. As steady as you can, do squats standing on the ball, while keeping your back straight. This is why my legs feel like jelly. It also works your core.

-Crunches: Do crunches while lying on the ball to support your lower back. Make sure to not let your hips drop while you sit up. Instead, use your stomach muscles. This mainly works your core.

-Plyometrics: Stand with one leg on the ball, and one leg off (The Captain Morgan pose). Then, jump sideways, switching your feet on the ball, and landing on the other side with the Captain Morgain pose again. Keep jumping and switching for a minute. This increases flexibility and works your muscles for lateral movement. Of all the exercises, I think this one is the most beneficial to runners.


Alright, that's all I have for now. I'm sure I'll have more exercises in the next session. But, even though I'm sore, I'm looking forward to it. If this makes any sense, this is the good kind of sore.

I have Haole feet*.

(photo courtesy of Vibram Five Fingers)

Thanks to my cousin, Jeff, this article about modern running shoes being a waste of money, was brought to my attention. The whole article was basically a strong scientific argument that running shoes are not only better when they're cheap, but that they also increase your risk of injury. Apparently, humans were designed to run without shoes. Our toes, arches, and muscle-skeletal structure are already naturally woven together to create an elegant solution for quickly getting from point A to point B. And according to those scientists, we're ruining mother nature's design by running long distances in fancy designer shoes.

Ok, being an engineer, does that mean I'm going to throw out my shoes and change my running style since these claims are backed by hard scientific evidence? Not really. The article also states that if we've already grown up wearing shoes, then converting back to barefoot running will also injure us. The way I see it, it's all a matter of smart shopping. After cycling through several shoes in the last 3-4 years, I've figured out what's comfortable for my feet. In fact, I chose my latest pair of shoes specifically because I felt like I could feel the ground better due to the thinner rubber sole. Which coincidentally, is what the article suggested is a desirable feature in a running shoe. Go figure.

Although, I must say that my lack of barefoot running ability did somehow make me feel less rugged, less hard-core, even less worthy of being called a true runner. In essence, it made me feel like I have Haole feet. I've seen several groups of people trying to get back to barefoot running in all of the races I've run. And I've even seen a handful of people running in FiveFingers shoes (pictured above), which is essentially a glove on your feet that simulates running barefoot while still maintaining protection against the elements. So why can't I start doing the same? Well, because I'm not crazy and I'm ok with having Haole feet.

I actually think that running shoes are a great invention. Running in today's environment isn't the same as running through the forests thousands of years ago. Asphalt is hard! They may not be the perfect design yet, but every invention needs progressive improvement. For example, take the very first marathon runner. The legend is that the Greeks sent a soldier from Marathon to Greece (26 miles) to announce their victory over the Persians. You know what happened to that guy? He died from exhaustion right after he gave that announcement. I will guarantee you that I have better running shoes than he had. So, I may not be able to outrun a barefoot runner from the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico, who are evidently the best long distance runners in the world. But, I do have pretty, comfortable, functional running shoes that do seem to enhance my running experience.

*Note: Local Hawaii kids like to refer to more delicate feet as Haole feet. Haole is Hawaiian slang for a caucasian person. But in this connotation, it refers to someone who hasn't grown up walking barefoot all around the island.

Poked, Prodded, Weighed, and Measured Like Cattle

I'm lucky enough to be working for a company that isn't doing too horribly in this economy. Because, they can still maintain the luxury of having our own private gym on campus. And I'm even more lucky that it offers personal training at a greatly discounted rate. So with the upcoming NWM in November, I decided to enlist some help in my training. Albeit, my trainer isn't going to come on any of my runs, but I've asked him to focus on my core strength which will ultimately improve my endurance and speed.

Today was my first day so I excitedly showed up early to workout. Little did I know that the first day of training equated to personal assessment day, ie. putting me through multiple tests to acquire my baseline of fitness. The first part was exactly like a doctor's appointment, but without a cute nurse. He just took my blood pressure, heart rate, weight, etc. But, I don't think I was quite ready for the part where my 2% body-fat, muscular trainer broke out the fat calipers and tape measure. In my head, I was picturing that I was at an Over-Eaters Anonymous meeting and saying "Hi, I'm Surfrunner, and I'm a fattie". Everyone together now, "Hi Fattie Surfrunner".

Now, I understand that he needs some kind of measurement to help me quantify my goal. But, that little girl in me who once looked like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was seriously cringing. It's my constant internal battle to convince myself that I've made it past that stage in my life, and that I'm not going back. I'm even alright with occasionally getting a little more doughy than normal, as long as it doesn't drastically alter my appearance or health. However, it's entirely different when muscle-boy trainer pinches as much fat as he can from my arms, belly (thanks beer), and thighs, then promptly squashes it between the fat calipers. Can't I just measure my success rate by my finishing time at NWM? I could've done without the embarrassment.

Anyway, I got over it and tried my hardest to rip through the subsequent cardio and strength tests. I definitely had something to prove to Mr. "I don't look like I've ever eaten a french fry" trainer. And because of that, I think my results turned out somewhat skewed. It seems my body statistics are of an overweight, lazy engineer. But, my performance statistics displayed scores closer to a normal athlete. HUZZAH! In any case, I really would like to improve my body stats, so we'll see how this trainer works out. Keep in mind, that I'm saying this after I've eaten two wedges of Quiche for dinner and an entire pint of strawberries for dessert. Maybe what I really need is Jenny Craig.

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, and Asparagus Quiche with Grilled Asparagus

This meal was inspired by one of the meals that Raquel, Mayumi, and I had in NYC. It was the day that May and I were showing Raquel around the financial district, and May directed us to a cute little patisserie that had some amazing quiche. Anyway, I've been wanting to create that meal, but with a healthy spin. I usually like to defer to Ellie Krieger for healthy recipe makeovers, and this is what I found: Mushroom and Onion Quiche.

She actually managed to cut most of the calories, utilize a healthy oat crust, and pack it with vitamins without cutting flavor. That's my kind of makeover! My only change was to add some asparagus since they're in season. Luckily, I had enough leftover asparagus to grill them and sprinkle some Pecorino Romano cheese on top. I'm going to take a wild guess that Raquel liked it, because she washed the dishes.

Grilled Miso Marinated Salmon and a Spring Salad with Miso Vinaigrette

I needed a good meal today. A light and healthy meal that would pick up some spirits. A meal that would rejuvenate us after a hot 95 degree Farenheit day. And a meal that would cheer up Raquel after her first day back to work after a 2 week vacation. I finally settled on Bobby Flay's Miso-Ginger Grilled Salmon with a spring salad. Boy, did that hit the spot. It pretty much hit all my criteria points, and I was definitely impressed with the flavor of the salmon.

I sort of made up the spring salad, but that was wonderfully refreshing too.

Spring Salad
-spring salad mix
-silken tofu
-shelled edamame
-minced ginger/green onions
-avocado (they're in season)
-juice from half a lemon (it keeps the salad fresh, and keeps avocadoes from turning brown)

Miso Vinaigrette
-minced ginger/green onions
-1 Tbsp white miso
-1 Tbsp peanut butter
-1 teaspoon honey
-1 Tbsp dijon mustard
-dash of rice wine vinegar
-dash of dark sesame oil
-juice from half a lemon
-whisk in vegetable oil until you reach consistency desired for dressing (not more than 1/4 cup).

We ended the meal with a light/fresh dessert of strawberries(they're in season), honey, and a pinch of salt. I swear, those strawberries were like a hand fruit. They were almost as big as small apples. I love seasonal cooking.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Chile Coconut Tomato Salad

Today hasn't been a very good day. We both have the post-vacation in NYC blues, and Raquel got into a little fender-bender in the parking lot. So, I decided to make Raquel's all-time favorite meal to cheer the both of us up: Tyler Florence's Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Tomato Salad. Unfortunately, I didn't have heirloom tomatoes. So I just used plum and large hot house tomatoes instead. Also, I prefer the coconut un-toasted, and added pine nuts into the salad for crunch. And lastly, since it's avocado season, I threw in some really yummy avocado.

I can't say that Raquel is completely cheered up. We might have to adopt a puppy, because she REALLY misses Nahe. But, at least she has a smile on her face after that meal.

My New Goal: NWM 2009!

In 2007, my introduction to the world of racing and half-marathon training started with the SF Nike Women's Half Marathon. And I can honestly say that the whole experience: the training, the way I eat, and the race itself changed my life. It got me hooked on to a sporty, active, healthy lifestyle. So, I wanted to make that experience an annual tradition for as long as I lived in Northern California. But, the popularity of that particular race forced the organizers to institute a lottery to sign up for it. I can definitely understand it's popularity, because who wouldn't be enticed into running a marathon that offered free massages, chocolates, a Tiffany's necklace, and countless other freebies? I mean, if you're going to put yourself through that torture, there had better be a good reward, right?

Unfortunately, that also meant I couldn't make it an annual tradition because it's not like I'm going to win the lottery every year. So, in 2008, I decided to find other marathons to run, while trying to improve my performance. I started reading the Runner's World magazine, browsed the runner's forums online, and invested in a better pair of running shoes. It's suffice to say that I did improve my technique and nutrition from all that research. But, my finishing times for the next two races were abysmal compared to NWM '07.

But today, I'm happy to announce that I made it through the 2009 lottery a couple of days ago and am now locked in to run my favorite race again this year! And believe me, I can already tell I'm coming back with a vengeance. In the last couple of days, I've already logged over 10 miles, and I haven't slowed down yet. It's like this race has put a fire under my butt, and I'm running with the same exuberance that I originally trained with in 2007. This year I'm also adding a personal time goal. If I cross that finish line in under 2 hours and 30 minutes, I'll be ridiculously happy. Wish me luck, folks!

Stuffed Pork Chops with Spinach and Roasted Bell Peppers

Omg, *drool*....this is truly an amazing recipe: Giada's Pork Chops stuffed with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes. I loved the flavor combination, and center-cut pork chops are nice and lean. These cuts do tend to be pretty thick, so I finished it in the oven after I cooked it on the stove-top. Yet, they still came out tender and juicy. Raquel and I ended up splitting one pork chop, because we really didn't want a huge hunk of meat. And, if you supplement the meal with a fresh spring salad, then you've got a great balance of protein and carbs.

Here are my modifications:

-I used roasted bell peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes, because Raquel just isn't a huge fan of sun-dried tomatoes.

-Substitute low-skim mozzarella instead of goat cheese.

-Substitute low-fat cottage cheese instead of cream cheese. I've always found that cottage cheese still adds that creamy quality, but without the fat.

-I had some pine nuts lying around, so I threw them into the vegetable mix for added crunch.

Kona Coffee Chocolate Brownie Bites

It was another cranky Raquel monday, and I had to find another chocolate-y dessert recipe to soothe the beast. We found a winner, folks. Giada's Espresso Brownies. I can't believe it, but Raquel has already eaten almost half the pan by herself. These really are amazing brownies. Unfortunately, I didn't have any espresso beans, so I used ground Kona Coffee. But, since we both love that flavor, it wasn't a problem for us. Yes, since the ground is larger than espresso, the granules don't completely dissolve, but I didn't mind that. It kind of reminded me of munching on chocolate covered coffee beans. The only modification I made was to make my own brownie mix instead of buying a store-bought one, because you never know what they put in that. All you need is 1 1/4 cups of cocoa and 1/2 cup of flour, both sifted. It's not necessary to add sugar to the mix, because the glaze is already sweet enough. The one down-side of the recipe: Raquel was bouncing off the walls for the entire night. So I'd recommend not eating them before you go to bed.

Grilled Halibut with Grilled Caponata

I love my grill. Check out this yummy, healthy, Grilled Swordfish and Caponata. No modifications needed.

Semi-Freddo (Home-made Cookies and Cream)

Lately, I've gotten into this bad habit of making some kind of sweet, bad for you, dessert on Mondays. Because, that's the day Raquel gets her allergy shots and comes home miserable and grouchy. And, while I was wandering around the internet, I found this awesome recipe for Cookies and Cream, courtesy of Tyler Florence. This turned out to be perfect in so many ways, because I needed to get rid of our leftover Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from the week before and I LOVE Cookies and Cream. It used to be my favorite ice cream before I discovered Green Tea. I'm not sure if Raquel was a huge fan, because nowadays she prefers frozen yogurt. But, personally I thought it was fantastic.

Here were my healthy modifications:

-skip the caramel. The ice cream already had so much flavor, it didn't really need more toppings. Instead, we drizzled a little organic honey over it.

-Instead of molasses, I also mixed in a little honey into the ice cream.

-I ended up substituting the healthier oatmeal cookies that I made before, instead of store-bought gingersnaps. You can control the sugar content more this way.

Eating Right

Yesterday, Mayumi sent me a link to a NY Times article about the current debate between meat and climate. Essentially, they were talking about the farming industry and how livestock is bad for the environment, releasing more greenhouse gases than cars. I didn't think I get so riled up after reading it, but evidently I did. And Mayumi has requested for me to post my response.

Disclaimer: I never meant to offend anyone with my response. So please don't take me seriously.

"bah.. I think there is a definite line between environmentally-friendly people (who actively try to do things in their lives to be green) and radical, "the sky is falling, run for your lives", hippie extremists.

I think it's all about balance and healthy living. I agree that if a huge amount of the population consumes a ridiculous amount of one resource: gas, meat, water, etc., faster than the earth and nature can replenish it; then yes, I think we're definitely hurting the environment. And that's a sign that we're unbalanced and need to take a step back in the opposite direction: ride your bike every once in a while; eat more grains/veggies than meat a couple nights a week; conserve your water. Humans shouldn't act like spoiled children, thinking that their parents' money (in this case, earth's natural resources) are inexhaustible. And embarrassingly, I think the one nation that has this attitude the most is the US. Anyway, I think if we put more effort into figuring out sustainable methods/technology for our resources, then we wouldn't have to go to an extreme and just completely deny ourselves any particular resource.

Because, in the long run, getting everyone to deny themselves one resource isn't the answer either. A huge part of the population is employed by that industry, and there would probably be an enormous consequence to taking it down. It's not about hitting the industry source to improve the environment. I think there should be more education to the general masses about health-conscious eating. That way we're not only improving the environment, we're improving the health of the general public. Maybe more popular restaurants should take it a step further and prepare more health-conscious meals that require less meat product. The solutions are numerous if the big-wigs were just willing to do some research. In the end, I think that adjusting the average American diet would be more effective than unleashing an unholy amount of angry would-be vegetarians who are trying to save the world, when they'd rather just have a burger.

sorry, that was a long rant. but, I just wanted to give my take on the article. =)

Besides...if I don't eat the cow/chicken/pig/fish, then the cow/chicken/pig/fish is going to try to eat me. it's all about survival, dude. ;)"