Ciclismo!

Everett and his Velo Orange Campeur

Hey Girl!

 A few weeks ago E and I went on an incredible cycling adventure that made us fall absolutely in love with where we live.  It was the day before the Steel Rail Half and I wanted to get in some cardio but not pound the pavement so this ride was perfect!  We started by going to a farmer's market in Redhook, about 9 miles from the house.  A local farm sells their orgainc/humanely raised chickens and eggs that we haven't found elsewhere and we think are just delectable.  Recently while at this market we met another woman, who makes an all-natural cure all elixir- a mix of lemon, honey and ginger called: Immune Schein.  Everett had a little bit of a cold at the time so she suggested he try a few drops in a cup of hot water- he decided to buy a small bottle (not sure it would work).  He added a few drops to hot water (a few times) for the day and woke up the next day feeling splendid.  So now we make it a habit of getting a larger bottle every time we go.  I now have it rather than tea in the morning.

  After the farmers market we rode into the next town- Tivoli.  Main st. in Tivoli has a handful of restaurants and one cafe that we love in particular called Murray's.  Before we got our bikes we talked about wanting them specifically to be able to bike to Murray's on Sunday morning for brunch rather than drive there.  So during our ride we stopped for some iced beverages and an oatmeal raisin cookie (for some reason their cookies are so dang good!!)

  After snacks we headed towards home.  On our way we passed the entrance to the Clermont Historic Site and decided to make the detour.  It was such a stunning view!  We had been there a handful of times before, but there was something more magical about arriving by bicycle.  Perhaps because we entered more slowly or could actually feel the fresh air and sun... whatever it was, we were so happy.

  Overall we did 22 miles that day.  After such a hard winter here we had forgotten what an incredible place we live in.  Our bikes have really helped us to realize the beauty and wonder of the Hudson Valley.  I really hope you can make it out to ride here sometime.

First stop at the Greig Farm Saturday Market- we LOVE this market!

Me and my Specialized!!  Taking a break over the Hudson River.

The Clermont Historic Site: absolute beauty!

I love your post about kale chips- we LOVE kale in this household.  Glad you finally went for it and made a batch.  Thanks too for your encouragement to go for the Olympic.  I think you're right, come September, I'm just gunna do it.

So what do you have on the horizon this weekend?  E and I leave today to go spend the next 4 days in Marblehead, MA with my family.  I can not wait to run, bike, drink tea and lay near the ocean!!  I'll keep you updated on all of our adventures!

Enjoy the weekend!

xo

Jeni 

Food Fridays: Kale Chips!

Hey Jeni! 

How are you? I didn't get to post a recipe last week but I wanted to post on something I have been wanting to try- kale chips! 

I've been told that they are really easy, but I was always afraid to try them for various reasons:

1. How much time does it take?

2. I don't want to drench them in too much oil! 

3. What do I want to put on them?

So tonight, because I want to celebrate all of my fitness progress recently, I made some! 

The trick here is this... Put them in a mixing bowl and toss with oil prior to going in the pan. I felt like I got a much more equal distribution of oil. After I put the oil on them, I sprinkled on some sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

Here is how they looked! 

After that, they were gone within 5 minutes so I made another batch! This time I used Trader Joe's South African Smoke seasoning. I am pretty excited for this batch too. 

The ingredients are as follows:

Kale

Olive oil (I used a half a tablespoon instead of the recommended 1 tablespoon)

Seasonings of your choice

Enjoy! 

Xoxo

Jenne

The Abs have it

Hey Jeni! 

I am so excited to hear about your good training day! That's awesome. Training with others is helpful. I remember last year when I was new to my bike some really nice people helped me along with way with shifting suggestions and other things. I've also learned good road etiquette to benefit both cyclists and drivers. I think overall awareness of sharing the road and knowing eachothers space is a good thing. The ride of silence seems to promote this. 

Your friend does sound like a badass! Sometimes it makes me wonder if I want to try an Aqua-Bike, which is swimming and biking only. There aren't too many of them around but it would be something to reach for.  I think you should take advantage of the great shape you are in and your athletic ability and go for whatever you see fit. Maybe do the sprint tri as a training tri for the Olympic one?! That way you get a sense of how things go! 

Well on to my next "challenge." I am a month away from my trip to Europe. Of course, buying a little bit into the "concert fest workout" and the concert fest bod, I have decided to do this 30 day ab challenge that I found on Facebook. It involves sit ups, crunches, leg lifts and planks. I watched some YouTube videos on the correct form as a reminder. None of these exercises are effective without proper technique. The numbers increase each day and there are built in rest days. For some extra fun, I am going to add in some oblique work on the side to enhance the results. 

Today was day one. And I may have taken a before picture.  In my new bikini. We'll have to wait and see if I have the balls to do anything with that. 

Have you trained with your new friend since this last post? Are you training with anyone else? Have you gotten any good tips to share? 

Xoxo

Jenne 

Ps. Your snack looks yum. 

Comfort Zone or Adventure?

my new favorite snack: carob chips and almonds!!

Hey Jen,

  I really admire your ride of silence; I have yet to get on my bike and not think of Diva.  I hope some day that the US will be a much more bike friendly country.  How was the ride?  Do people outside of the riding community know about it?  How does it help to spread the word of "sharing the road"?  I think that's a really important message.  

  So I have been gearing up to do my first triathlon this summer.  I'm really looking forward to a new challenge and becoming a part of such a cool community.  Today I met up with a girl who's a member of the local tri-club.  She has a half-Ironman at the end of next month- let me tell, that is impressive- 1.2mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run- ALL IN A ROW!  I was really happy to train with someone who is such a badass!  Tonight we did a bike/run sequence.  We started with a 13 mile ride.  The distance isn't all that far, but it was the longest ride I had done at such a consistent pace.  Last week, E and I  covered double that distance but in a much more leisurely fashion.  Until today, I have used cycling as a gentle form of cardio with running as my main focus.  Today was the first time cycling felt like actual exercise.  We covered all 13 miles in an hour.  Then we hit the 5k (3.1 miles) loop on foot.  I have been planning on doing a Sprint tri in September- 0.4 mile swim, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile.  But after tonight, finishing with ease I know that those distances might be too much in my comfort zone.  So I now wonder, should I push myself to go for the next level?  The Olympic.  If I worked all Summer on the Sprint distances I bet I could be pretty competitive or I could push myself and do something more challenging- i.e. more adventurous.  What would you do?  

  After our workout I grabbed my new favorite snack.  Carob chips and almonds.  Now I am reading female triathlete blogs and researching distances...  Do you like to "geek-out" over things the way I do?  When I get an idea in my head I like to read all about other people's experiences to determine if I think I'm capable.  My new friend Devon, who I trained with tonight is so gutsy, she has only done one Sprint tri, years ago and is now going for a Half-Ironman.  She makes me feel so inspired, like I should just go for it!  

What do you have going on the rest of the week?  Can't wait to tell you all about my upcoming weekend!  

sleep tight, fit dreams!

xo

Jeni 

Silence

Hey Jeni! 

This past week has been very busy for me! Thank you for keeping me posted on all of your progress! I am super stoked that you were recommended to be at an advanced level on your Nike app! That's awesome! 

There are a few reasons that I haven't been able to update you. The first being my training schedule for the Tour de Cure and the other I will talk to you about this week. 

I want to tell you all about my Wednesday ride, the Ride of Silence (www.rideofsilence.org). This is a national and worldwide ride that has been taking place of ten years in memory and honor of cyclists that have been injured or killed while cycling. This was the first year that I rode the ride and I did so I'm memory of Diva. 

It was a very somber and quiet ride. There were many cyclists that came to the event and we all rode together to honor many people. The goal of the ride, in addition to remembering people, is to promote cyclist's rights of the road and to raise awareness of sharing the road. 

I will write to you about my other updates in another post. For now I will sign off and dedicate this post to our good friend Diva de Loayza. 

Xoxo 

Jenne

Hello Sailor!

Hey girl!

  Happy Memorial Day!  I can't remember a better memorial day than this.  Everett and I had 6 friends visiting since Thursday which was a nice break in all the sewing I've been doing.  This morning, our friend Anna and I did a 9 mile run.  We planned on 10, but  let me tell you, it was HOT.  The sun was so much stronger than we expected and it was the first real "summer" run.  It was 80* at 10 am.  At mile 6 we were both so dehydrated and warn out (my little fuel belt water bottles did not stand a chance... especially split between 2 people).  We stopped to take a breath after a pretty sizable hill and I saw a family outside in their yard and Anna and I decided to humble ourselves and ask for some water.  This incredible neighbor actually got us each a water bottle.  She was a life saver!  Without that we wouldn't have been able to keep going.  I had difficulties breathing again today and I realized, it's the first week of humidity.  I've got to figure this out, or maybe just run super early or much later to avoid it.  I've been getting to know Anna over the last few months, and I have to say that running always helps bond a friendship in ways that "normal life" dones't.  I don't often talk openly about my anxiety issues or admit how much they really hold me back, but today I talked to Anna about it.  I felt free after, to be much more myself than usual.  

After we made it back from our run we jumped in our pond.  For 2 years I have been too hesitant to do that.  I'm not sure what it was that was scaring me or what it was holding me back to begin with, but I kept telling myself it was a bad idea.  I was so proud of myself for doing it. Now I can't wait to swim every day this summer!   Check out my cute sailor suit!  My mom got it for me the other day, she saw it and just knew I'd love it!

So what did you do today?  Did you get to enjoy the warmth and sunshine? How long until your Tour de Cure ride?  Are you getting excited? 

Speak soon, I HOPE!

xo

Jeni

Recuperation is KEY

Not able to catch my breath yesterday, but it still felt pretty good! 

Hey Jen!

  Where are you??  What are you up to?  I'm dying to hear your updates!!  I'm still so happy about the race last Sunday.  I've never finished so strong or felt so proud.  Usually I am so worn out and exhausted that it takes me a year to even consider doing another.  Well, Sunday night I googled a bunch of upcoming races and have already registered for next months (and planned out the next 6 months of races too)!!  

  I started the week with some major recuperation.  Monday I went to an amazing yoga class.  Sometimes the teacher just hits every spot I need and this teacher was incredible.  For anyone in or near Hudson, NY, go to Gaura's Monday night Community class at Bodhi.  I mean, AMAZING!  Then on Tuesday I went to Bodhi for an 1.5 hour massage.  Whoa, I paid a pretty penny, but when I woke up on Wednesday all the kinks were gone and I felt incredible. (shout out to Ellen, who was strong enough to get into my excessively tight muscles!)   I didn't run again until yesterday- I just didn't feel my body telling me I was truly ready until yesterday.  I was short on time so I just did 3 miles.  Every once in a while I just can't catch my breath.  It was like that yesterday.  I'm not sure why really.  But my times were pretty cool: Mile 1- 9:19, Mile 2- 8:35, Mile 3- 8:25.  

  I saw a pic of you and your bike on FB and am anxiously awaiting the story that goes along with it.  Can't wait to read your update!

xo

Jeni 

Blueberry Lemon Zest Paleo Muffins

  

Hey Jen!  I told you a few weeks ago about the blueberry muffins I made from the Practical Paleo cookbook and how amazing they were.  Well, as a testament to how good they are, I am making them again this morning.  Last time we ate them as dessert they are that delicious.  We topped them with Vanillia Coconut "ice cream".  SO incredible.  It tasted so indulgent but had way less sugar than a typical dessert.  

  

Ingredients:  Makes 12

6 eggs

1/2 cup butter or coconut oil (melted)

1 tsp vanilla 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 lemon, juice and zest 

(the recipe says to leave out the lemon if you want a more basic muffin)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 cup FRESH blueberries

 

Preheat oven to 350* F

Prep time 15 minutes

 Bake for 35-40 minutes

Wisk eggs, butter or Coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, lemon juice + zest in a mixing bowl.  

Sift in coconut flour, salt and baking soda.  

Gently fold in blueberries.

I highly recommend that you use cupcake papers.  The first batch stuck to the pan, even though I greased it first.  (I took this opportunity to buy adorable papers!!)

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

xo

Jeni

Goal Crusher

Hey Girl!  Today was the best day ever!!!  I did it!!  I reached my goal... better yet, I crushed my goal!  I came in at 1 hour, 54 minutes and 37 seconds!  16 minutes faster than last year!!  My first 3 miles were all under 8:29- they felt easy too.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to keep it up, so I made myself slow down a bit.  I lowered my pace to around an 8:45.  I have never felt so strong.  Last year I hit a wall at mile 10.  I was starving, dehydrated and utterly depleted.  This time it never happened.  Durning the race I reminded myself of all the things that prepared me for today, both as a way to encourage me and as a way to celebrate all of my hard work.  Since January I have run nearly 200 miles, several of my runs were over 10 miles.  I also began to refuel while running.  Today I ran with coffee chia seed bars and I know that made a positive impact on my time.  I crossed the finish line sprinting and smiling.  I had to fight back tears as I did it.  When a volunteer handed me my metal I was so overwhelmed with joy and pride.  

Following are my official results!

My soon-to-be sister-in-law also crushed her PR.

My supporter.  E.

After the race I ate more food than I have ever eaten.  Usually when I log longer miles I don't feel very hungry.  So I was uber impressed with my ability to put it down!!  What is your favorite food after a long ride?  I reach for chocolate milk right away! I fully intend on getting a massage tomorrow, boy my hips, legs and shoulders are tight!!

What did you do this weekend?  

Glad I could share my excitement with you!  Can't wait to hear about your excursions!

xo Jeni 

Food Fridays: Arugula and Lemon Salad

Hey Jeni! 

Since the weather has been heating up, I think it's time for a salad recipe! It's quick, simple and fresh! 

Ingredients: 

Baby arugula

Lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not grated)

It's pretty simple, I put the arugula in a bowl and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over it. Then I spritz lemon juice over the salad so the salt and pepper mix through. I then top it off with a little Parmesan cheese. 

Mix it all up and enjoy! 

Xoxo

Jenne 

Concert festival body

Hey Jeni!

Happy Bike Month! I'm so glad your bike is working out for you. A good fitting bike is so important! I will keep you updates about the Tour de Cure training!

While I am training I am also thinking of another thing I am prepping for- Rock Werchter in Belgium! It's a concert festival. I'm sure that you are aware of the festival fashion, but I see a lot of fitness blogs posting about festival workouts and getting fit for festivals. At the surface it seems a little silly, then you check the fashion forecast and it's crop tops and short shorts! Oh ok!

This is a cropped top and shorts I got at a local boutique, thread. 

I continue to work on my core strength to support cycling and tone up for the summer and vacation! I rode 43 miles on Sunday, stretched out with yoga on Monday, kicked up the cardio on Tuesday with Zumba and took a core class with Meghan at the gym!

This core class is pretty awesome. Every week the class changes. This week we did a lot of planks variations. I was pretty happy with how the class went. I think to the first few core classes I went to and how hard they were. Now I am able to take some of the harder variations! Core work is really important for cycling and overall stability. I also a fan of the toning benefits :-)

I took tonight off so I could recover from all of the activity. Tomorrow I am hoping to take Jungshin before heading to a Tour de Cure event. Then let's hope for good riding weather thing weekend!

I hope to try the punkie cakes this weekend when I have some time to cook. I can't wait to hear about your weekend fitness exploits. Do you have any core tips for me? Have you learned anything on your new bike?

Xoxo
Jenne

National Bike Month

Jen!

  I can't believe neither of us has mentioned this yet, May is National Bike Month!  What a great way to officially welcome Spring and to be active! I am  absolutely loving my bike.  You know I've broken several bones and had some pretty wacky sports related accidents (keep in mind I broke my elbow by flipping over my handle bars), so I am typically pretty hesitant about activities that have the possibility of injury... There is something different about "roberrrrto" though.  I just feel so secure and I have felt myself become a much more confident rider in the last few weeks.  When Everett and I ride together he always has to wait at the bottom of hills for me... he likes to FLY down them and I like to hold my brake.  Well the other day I started embracing the hills and coasting!  It felt pretty cool.  Last week we went for a date night to Woodstock.  We rode along a stream and on some pretty wild hills... they were like nothing I have ever experienced before.  It was only a short ride (I had already run 9 miles that day) and I was starving- but my GAWD, it was beautiful!  We are both loving that with Spring and our bikes our dates are now much more action packed!  

  What type of riding do you like best?  On Sunday when I ran the rail trail in Millerton, E biked (he was able to cover 22 miles).  He said it wasn't as enjoyable to be on a flat course as it is to be on the roads with mixed terrain.  How do you feel?  Will you celebrate National Bike Month in a special way??

Alright biker babe.  Back to the sewing machine I go.  

Can't wait to hear what you've been up to! 

Fit dreams,

xo

Jeni 

"Punkie" Cakes

Practical Paleo: Diane Sanfilippo

Hey Jen!  

  Wait until I tell you all about this morning's breakfast!  I know I said I was going to share with you the paleo muffin recipe today, but after whipping up these Pumpkin Pancakes, I couldn't hold back, I had to talk about them!!!  I don't know why, but I just think pancakes are one of the best foods on the planet.  Not that they have any nutritional value at all.  Because I love pancakes so much I have searched high and low for a healthy option... over the last few months I have different  paleo recipes I have found on the net, but none of them were worth trying again.  A few months ago Everett bought me a book called Practical Paleo.  It's sort of a mix between a Nutrition textbook and a cookbook.  It's really cool to have those two aspects combined.  I don't know why it took me so long to finally try these recipes, but the last week I have absolutely fallen in love with Diane Sanfilippo!  Everything is so stinkin' delish and I don't feel like I'm eating a deprevation diet.  I can't wait to continue to bake "with" her and to share with you!  

  These cakes reminded me and E of crepes in a way.  They don't have any flower in them so you can taste a hint of egg, but we both really liked that!  The whole prep time took less than 5 minutes and the cakes were ready in another 5.  Such an easy meal that we LOVED!  We added some strawberries for color and elegance!  (I renamed them Punkie cakes (you know, after my own nick name...  I may see a bit of an addiction starting) )

ENJOY!!  

"Punkie" cakes:

4 eggs

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbs pure maple syrup

___________________________________

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tbs butter (plus extra for skillet) 

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Sift the spice, cinnamon and baking soda into the wet mix.  Melt the butter and add to the mix.  Stir all together.  

**I know butter doesn't seem paleo, but it's about what you use.  It should be organic grassfed butter to insure you are getting the right fats and nutrients**  (it will be more expensive, but it's worth it!!)  

A Challenging Run

A difficult run!  But proud I pushed through!

Hey healthy girl!

  I love the idea of your salad!  I'm not a huge fan of store bought tomatoes but when E's are ready on the farm they are outstanding!  (He actually made me a tomato salad on our 5th date that made me like tomatoes, I knew he was the one after that!!) I can't wait to try this once they are ready!  

  There's a line from the song "Sorry Ms. Jackson"- "you can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather."  That was my day today.  E and I made plans to go to Millerton to run the rail trail and eat at the Oakhurst diner.  Just one week until my race and today should have been 11 miles.  I wanted to test myself to see if I could do 11 miles at the sub 9:00/mile pace... I did all the things I should have done to make this possible.  I hydrated sufficiently, bought body glide gel so I wouldn't suffer from chafing, and applied sun screen as not to burn.  However, this morning I was having some stomach troubles... I thought it would be ok after my 5th trip to the bathroom... however, at mile 3 I had to dodge in to the woods to avoid a complete p**p disaster.  Let me tell you, it is not fun to be unprepared for this...  all of the grass and greenery seemed to vanish when I needed it... 1" blades of grass are NOT comparable to toilet paper...   So, I know this is a bit of an over share, but if you can't tell a girl friend that is also an endurance athlete, who can you tell?!?!?  Have you ever had this experience??  I felt so sick, I was instantly dehydrated and weak.  I considered turning around and walking back to the car but I realized I'm way too determined to let a little p**p get in the way of my run!  I ended up running much slower than I wanted to but when I called the Nike+ customer service to add my run (my phone died part way through the run) I told him the story and we laughed about it together and he told me I was badass!  AAAAW YEAH!  

So what did you do this weekend?!?  Did you do outdoor workouts or stay indoors?  It was so beautiful the last 2 days!!  Sadly the next 5 are supposed to be thunderstorms.  Oh well, I guess I can have a bit more time to work on healthy meals and yoga.  I have a great paleo muffin recipe to share with you tomorrow! 

Looking forward to your update!

xo

Jeni 

Food Fridays

Hey Jeni! 

I've got a tasty little treat that you can eat anytime and in any quantity. 

The recipe that I have for you this week is one of my own and a go-to when I need a quick lunch or dinner option. 

Tomato and Avocado Salad 

Ingredients:

Avocado

Tomato 

Seasonings

Balsamic vinegar

Ok, a caveat to my little recipes, I change them all the time! Generally I make this recipe with the above ingredients- Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute (salt free!) and balsamic vinegar. You can choose salt and pepper, or other seasonings. It's up to you. If you want to make more of a vinaigrette, you can also add some olive oil, but I choose not to. 

Anyways, choose the amount of tomato and avocado you want and chop them up. You want the avocado to be somewhat ripe so it has good flavor. Put them in a bowl. Then simply add you reasoning and vinegar or vinaigrette. See?! Easy peasy! 

I hope you like it. You could put the salad on a roll or keep it as is. You can use it as a side dish or have a side green salad with it. Anyways, this is one of my favorites during my busy weeks! 

Bon appetit! 

Jenne

"Tour"ific Training Thursday

Hey Jeni!

Glad to finally hear from you. I love your hydration pack, I see those often on runners. You'll have to keep me posted on how it works for you.

Right now, I am a month away from my metric century Tour de Cure ride for the American Diabetes Association. The focus is on training and working out all the kinks so I have a smooth ride! I also need to give a shameless self promotion here to my donation page as I am trying to raise $1,000 to stop diabetes!

Some of my tips as below:

1. Hydration- I try to always keep hydrated at all times so I can be ready to go. I typically drink at least half of my body weight in water daily.

2. Be mindful of the kinks and address them ahead of time- I seem to have hip flexor trouble so I ensure that I am stretching my problem areas. I have noted a few kinks when I ride so I am planning on a bike fit. I also use knee braces to ensure that my joints stay supported and moving the way they are supposed to.

3. Comfort-I focus on comfort while riding. My bike purchase was all about the feel of the bike. I have found my preferred pair of bike shorts (Louis Garneau). I am a bit concerned about your blisters and chaffing! Have you tried any of the chaffing prevention? I used to use chamois butter while biking but I grew out of it.

My training ride went great! I felt full of energy. Here is a picture of a part of our group:

I am also planning on taking a longer ride on Sunday. We'll see how I make it. I will have to continue stretching and recovery as I get into the cycling season. I often find that yoga keeps my honest with the status of my joints and muscles. 

I'm glad you like the recipe! I have another one that I will share with you tomorrow. Do you have any good recipes that I need to know about? 

Keep up the good work and keep me posted on everything!

Xoxo

Jenne

A Better way to Fuel (meet my new belt)

Hey Jenne,
  My computer hasn't been working the last few days and so I haven't been able to tell you about all the fun things happening or comment on the amazing things you've been up to...  Technology can be frustrating.

  Let me start with my run last night.  My half is in 9 days and I am now focusing on speed in my long runs.  In the past I have only cared about covering the miles and it didn't matter how fast or slow I went.  This round of training I have found that I have been comfortable running at an 8:30/mile pace in my shorter distance runs but I wanted to see if I could do the same at longer distances.  My goal for my upcoming half is to be running no slower than 9:08/mile, this would bring me in at just under 2 hours. (This same half last year I finished in 2 hours and 9 minutes- so I'm looking to cut off a big chunk of time this year.)  I have found that fueling and hydrating every 2 miles makes a HUGE difference in my performance.  So recently I bought a fuel belt to keep me prepared.  Last night I took my new fuel belt for our first run together.  I chose a new route that added extra hills to my run.  I remember a few years ago when I started running again after 4 years of not running (thank you broken back) I avoided hills.  Now I actually find them to be exciting..  I completed 9 miles last night at an 8:55 pace.  I am happy with the outcome but I know it could have been a lot better.  There were a few things wrong last night: 1- I felt slightly dehydrated, 2- I had not consumed enough calories beforehand, 3- my feet started blistering around mile 7, and lastly, the most painful, 4- I have this one spot under my right arm that rubs against my right armpit area that causes the most terrible chafing rash. At mile 8 I didn't think I could take another step the chafing was so painful... but I pushed myself home and hit 9 miles.  I have to go out and buy some body glide this week.  I can't possibly do that again.  The course for the Steel Rail Half is completely flat, only one DOWN hill!  So I have no doubt that I will meet my goal and possibly come in under my goal!

Now, let me express all of my excitement about your week!  First off, Jungshin class looks like the coolest thing EVER!  I can't even imagine how much fun that must be!  Do you feel like one of Charlie's Angel's?!?  I bet I would get a little too into that class! I really have gym envy when you talk about the awesome classes you can take.
  Now, tell me about yoga.  I know you said you had a difficult time letting go of thoughts... which is something I'm known for too... but what was your favorite part of the class?  Did you learn anything new?  Try a new asana or go deeper in a pose than before?  Did your teacher say anything that struck you as profound?  No matter how anxious or distracted I feel in a class I always leave with something new.  Which is an incredible feeling.

Oh my gawd, I almost forgot to tell you that I made your chia seed pudding and it was so stinkin' good!  Everett and I devoured it!  I mixed mine with almond butter and some fresh berries to give me a real shot of protein.  Delish!  E said we should always have it on hand in the fridge.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Can't wait to read more of your adventures!
Au revoir!
xo xo
Jeni

The Importance of Yoga

Hey Jeni, 

How has your week been so far? Mine has been really busy with some stress in between :-)

Anyways, today I was bummed because I missed my bike ride. I was ready to get out there and pedal hard and it didn't work out! This of course, made me pretty cranky. I went home for a bit to wind down and figure out what I was going to do. 

Then I remembered the 7pm yoga class tonight! Yay! I'll admit at that point I still wasn't convinced I wanted to go.

So I went! Although I wasn't able to clear my mind 100% I was able to relax and focus on stretching myself out. I made the right choice. It's yoga month at my gym and I always tell myself how I don't go to yoga enough. 

Anyways, here is a photo of my friend Maya and I posing recently in preparation of yoga month! 

May your may be stress free and bright :-) 

Xoxo

Jenne

A Mindful Monday

Hey Jeni! 

How are you? Did you have a nice Monday? 

At first glance, you might think that this post is about yoga or meditation. Alas, it is not! Today I was more mindful about my body and how it feels. 

I'm not going lie, I've been having a hard time this month. I have been dealing with a lot of inflammation weight and last week I went a little too hard for my knees. Now I am feeling like a mentally deflated (read: physically inflated).  

I think back to my challenge and where I was going with my body, both physically and nutrition wise. I've really blown things up in the past month. I've been over-eating, under-sleeping, and now I've overworked my good knee. 

What am I doing?! 

So yesterday I reset the clock to try and get things on track. I need to be mindful of what I am putting in my body and what I am doing to my body. Plain and simple. I think to myself, was I having a lot of fun doing what I was doing this past month? Was it all worth it? Ehhhh, I don't think so! 

I am also trying to understand what set me on this path during the past month when I was so close to reaching an ultimate goal. Maybe it's a little self sabotage. Maybe it really is all about missing peanut butter. 

Either way I will keep you posted. I'm ready to get everything back in order again. Let me know if yu have any suggestions. 

Xoxo

Jeni

A little more about Jungshin

Hey Jeni!

I know exactly how you feel about getting outside. Sadly, we have been having a lot of rain in the Rochester area so it has been hard to get out on the bike. 

I would have liked to have gotten out there today, but my knee is bothering me after some workouts this week and past experience tells me to give it a rest! I will have to blog sometime To share the workouts that I do when I can't have a lot of knee activity. I still kept active today- mostly working the core area- so I don't feel like I'm not doing anything.

I want to tell you all about my Friday night workout! I blogged before about the Jungshin class that I've been taking; on Friday the creator of the program came to out gym and did a class. It was a lot of fun! We use the swords as part of the workout. It is part sword action, part strength and conditioning. There are even finger tip push-ups. Yes, you read right, finger tip push-ups. They are pretty challenging so I stay on my knees when I do them. Maybe I'll be on my toes by the end of summer?! 

I took some photos with my 90 day challenge coach, Christine, as well as the creator of the program, Annika Kahn. 

This is a photo of Christine and I with the swords. There are stances that have you lunging and squatting

This is a photo of the creator of Jungshin, Annika Kahn.  She led the class, it was awesome! Challenging, but refreshing! 

Overall, I think this is a different, but good workout because it feels different than yoga, Zumba or other classes. Perhaps it will help me continue to tone up for the summer. I do have my eye on a swimsuit at Athleta, you never know what can happen between now and summer? I may need that new swimsuit for the beach and lake! 

Tell me more about the kettleball workout you have been doing, how did you find it and what is it all about?

Xoxo

Jenne

MAY Your Day be Sweaty and Bright!

 

 

Hey Jenne!

 

 I can't believe it's MAY! We might actually be out of winter and into Spring!  HELLO outdoor sweat sessions!  I love the fitspo pic I posted, it really is a great feeling, isn't it?!  I really loved your updates this week.  I am so glad you are able to do workouts with your challange buddies- working out with friends makes it about so much more than just weights and reps.  We need to plan our girls weekend of biking and beaches!!  We are so close to bikini season... I have never been excited to get into a baithing suit, but this year I actually feel strong and empowered and ready to strut.  I have my eye on a saucy black number from VS!  How about you, will you treat yourself to a new suit after all of your hard work? 

 

  This week I was short on time, so I focused on my kettlebell workout (which I am freakin' loving!!) I feel bad ass with my new imporved abs!   I have read so many articles lately about the benefits of weight training for runners.  I am seriously interested in becoming a more balanced athlete.  Nutrition, strength, running and stretching need to be in balance, not any one should be more important than the other.   It is now just 15 days until my next half marathon and I have a GOAL to meet! 

 

  Your chia seed pudding looks so delish!  There is a paleo restaurant in the city that Mel and I went to the night before our race last month that had baller chia seed pudding, I am so hooked.  I didn't realize how simple it is to make.  Hello weekend treat! 

 

  What's on your agenda this weekend?  Looking forward to your updates!

 

Keep up the good work lady!

xo

Jeni

Food Fridays

Jeni, 

I love to whip up tasty snacks, meals and baked goods. Preferably, they are somewhat healthy!

Today, I share with you one of my favorite recipes from the back of a bag of these chia seeds- Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

It's really easy to make. Ingredients are: chia seeds and coconut milk (I use light coconut milk)

The original recipe calls for some sugar, honey or other sweetener. I like to add a bit of honey, but not too much. For each part coconut milk, add a quarter of that amount in chia seeds. If you want the pudding less dense, add less chia seeds! 

Pour everything in a bowl and mix. Then let it sit in the fridge or a bit. The chia seeds bulk up.

It's quick, easy and yummy. I hope you like it!

Xoxo

Jenne

Post-Sweat Selfies

Hey Jeni! 

How has your week been? What have you been up to? 

This week I've been doing pretty good despite being a little sick. I've been keeping active to keep things moving. Tuesday was Zumba and weights, Wednesday was weights and bike training and tonight I did WERQ- the hip-hop inspired dance class I wrote about before. Perhaps you can sweat out sickness?

One of the reasons I like going to classes are the fun people that you meet. It's also good to work on dance moves in case there is ever a spontaneous dance party where you happen to be. 

Anyways, you've inspired me to take some workout selfies, they are below:

This is Maya and Sareena! They were both in my 90 day challenge group and we continue to workout together. Maya organized the Kinesis group I took last week. Working out with others breaks up the routine of machines and weights. 

This is Meghan, our Werq instructor at Midtown. She also teaches an awesome core class that I try to go to (hello summer abs goal!). 

Overall we all had a great workout, it's always surprising how much of a workout dancing is! 

I'm going to have a special surprise for you tomorrow on the blog, I can't wait for you to read about it. 

Xoxo

Jenne