Welcome 2013! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Goodbye 2012. Hello 2013!! I love the fresh start that the new year brings. We sent 2012 away with a party last night. 

 We have a tradition of making lanterns and sending them off to celebrate.

 Aren't they pretty??

I have always been big into goal setting. I think there is a lot to be said about acknowledging goals, and writing them down, and working towards improvement. I always love looking over my last years goals to see what I've accomplished and what I can still work on. 

My goals from last year were...

1. Run a full Marathon - CHECK! I ran the Utah Valley Marathon with my sister which was a tough/awesome experience.

2. No Candy/Treats/Sugar with the exceptions are frozen yogurt and mentos. - I did pretty well with this one! I think there is always room for improvement. I allowed myself some free days. 

3. Record my food. - I am actually happy to say that I failed with this one. I was an overly diligent food recorder until I started eating Paleo, and then I stopped recording my food which was really scary for me. Up until March 2012 when I started eating paleo I could probably have shown you a food journal from the past 5 years. I have become better at intuitive eating which I never thought was possible with me. (I see a new post in the making) 

4. Improve my photography skills..this translates over into improving my lil' bliggity blog so it counts as health and fitness. I did pretty well with this one, but there is still room for improvement, and I'm happy to say the blog improvement is still in the works! Hopefully to be unveiled this week! 

I'll be posting my new goals for 2013 tomorrow! How did you do on your goals from 2012?? 

My Plan for the Aftermath

Is it Wednesday already? Sheesh. This week has speedily flown by. I have had a lot of people ask me what my "now what?" plans are since the marathon is over. Well...I will tell you.

My friends like to talk about me as two separate people, old Megan and new Megan. (Or as they jokingly say, Fun Megan and New Megan.) They say that "old megan" ate treats, and pizza, and whatever else. New Megan has a boring diet. They say this totally jokingly, of course, and they also realize that I have been eating this way for over three years now, so it is nothing new to to them.

Anyways, SB asked me on Saturday what the one menu item I'd been DYING to have since I've been in my "new life" was...and since I'd finished a marathon she thought I should probably have it. I thought about it, and guess what I was craving more than anything else? A Pizza Factory Salad and some frozen yogurt.
Truth. Crazy right? You would think after running 26.2 miles I'd feel at liberty to eat a house. BUT it wasn't that I didn't feel like I could. I just didn't want to.
I have been eating Paleo for over nine weeks now. I ended up having to add in some carbohydrates before my long runs, because I didn't feel like I was getting enough energy from the paleo carb choices such as sweet potatoes and quinoa. I plan on doing a post on my thoughts on race nutrition because I learned a LOT this past training go-round. The three days before my race I added in carbohydrates as well. There was a DRASTIC difference in the way I felt. One of the things I have noticed in cutting out grains is that I do not feel bloated like I used to. I feel more tight and compact. I like the difference. I could physically tell what the grain carbohydrates that I was eating were doing to the way I felt.
With that being said, once the race was over I was already thinking about how I was excited to get back to my paleo eating. I think it is because I have found a groove of how it works for me. I don't feel like I am being deprived. I have felt the benefits it has had internally, and seen the benefits it has had physically.

Here is my projected outlook for the next few months as far as my exercise and eating routine is concerned.

Eating:
Back to Paleo
I'm going to try and share more of the details of what my diet looks like with y'all so you have a better idea of what I'm eating, and I will surely continue to tell you if its working for me or not. :) 
Lunch today consisted of my favorite, Avocado Chicken Salad and Roasted Veggies. Divine.

Exercise:
This is where I get really excited.
Circuits, interval training, cross-fit-esque type workouts, and TONS of functional exercise. This is the type of stuff that I LOVE to do. It is fun. It is fast. I'm done with the long arduous cardio sessions for a while, and we're going to see how I do! I have been doing this with all of my clients for sometime now, and they love it. I've been adding these workouts into my marathon training as well, but I couldn't ever do it fully how I wanted to. Now I can, and I seriously can't wait!

Post Race Report:
I have been REALLY sore all weekend. I actually haven't worked out since the race because I'm trying to do this thing where I listen to my body :) Soreness-wise I am feeling awesome today. The only negative thing I have to report is I think I re-injured an old stress fracture in my foot. You may remember last year when I ran too far/too much in my Nike Free's and got a stress fracture. Wellll.. I think he's back. :( I am trying to stay off of it and let it heal, but I'm bummed about it.

On a side note...this is me facetiming with my parents from the NY airport yesterday. They are on their way to the French Rivera. I think they forgot to invite me?

 What are YOUR summer workout plans? Are you switching anything up, or are you already in a good groove? Are you liking the circuits/workout I've been posting? What would you like to see more of?  

Utah Valley Marathon Race Recap

It's OVER!!! I made it! Holy Hannah, I'm glad that it is over with.
3:30 AM - Wake up, get dressed. Breakfast of a cinnamon sugar WHITE bagel (Who am I, right?) and a banana.
3:55 AM - Picked up by my brother-in-law and sister to head to the Provo Marriot. My brother-in-law dropped my sister and I off and he headed to where he was supposed to meet for his 1/2 marathon bus. My sister's running partner is friends with the race director, so instead of riding up on the buses, we got to ride up in his car with him. Yes please.

Me, my sister Nichole, and her friend Amy were able to snap a quick pre-race photo!

 

6:10 AM - Started the run from Wallsburg! I don't like to start with the crowd when it's chip timed. So, we took our time getting ready to take off. The race scenery is BEAUTIFUL. Absolutely gorgeous. Every time I started hurting, getting tired, or feeling negative for any reason I just tried to remind myself of what a great opportunity it was to be able to do this...and that I had to get down somehow and the sooner the better, right? ;) 

The first half of the race flew by pretty quickly for me. I was able to meet some darling readers along the way which was AWESOME. I love getting to connect with people! It makes this whole blogging experience much more fun. I saw some friends that I knew were running. In case you were wondering, I totally yelled my whole way through the tunnel. 

Now, whoever said..."oh that race is easy it's all downhill"...was totally lying. Yes, there are some definite down hill portions, but MAN there are some definite uphill portions too. I thought that the course was difficult. It was pretty hard on my body, and there was a total headwind too.

Another really unique thing about this race is that due to the nature of the course, there are hardly any spectators until mile 20! I couldn't have been happier to see some of my AWESOME supporters at the bottom of the canyon! 

My SWEET friend Amanda was waiting at mile 21, and planning on jumping in with me just for a mile or two. She has had some major knee problems, and so I knew this was a total sacrifice for her. At this point I could feel my body getting tired, and seeing familiar faces cheering me on totally lifted my spirits!

 Soon after I saw some of my family, and my mom jumped in and ran with me for a sec. Isn't she the cutest?

Amanda ran with me to mile 24, and she was going to jump out but I started to struggle. I could tell that I was really dehydrated, which annoyed me because I was VERY particular about my nutrition/refueling the whole way. I knew I was getting so close, but I could feel myself slowing down. She ended up staying with me until the end. She seriously was my little running angel. She talked me through the last five miles, and helped me to keep my pace up. I really don't know what I would have done without her, and I don't know how she ran for that long with her injuries. Miracles people. MIRACLES! :)

There really is no better feeling than running across the finish line. I was so ready to be there!!

 I crossed the finish line with a time of 4:10!

I REALLY wanted to get in under 4 hours, but I am so glad to just have it finished. We spoke with the race director afterwords, and he told us that because of the headwind, most people were coming in with 10-15 minutes added to their time. I don't know if this is true or not, but I feel good about being done! 

It was a tough race, but I made it. I have several friends who are much speedier than I am, and all I could think about the whole time was how much respect I have for these people! Marathons are hard enough, but speedy marathons? UNREAL.

 My awesome sister, Nichole, and her training partner Amy came in at 4:39:20! I am SO proud of them!! Such an accomplishment :)

I even got to see a bunch of friends that finished around the same time as me. How cute is Julia?

I can't thank my family and friends enough for all of their support. I SERIOUSLY have the best support group ever! It made my cry! Having all these fabulous people cheering me on made all the difference!

Going through this training experience with my awesome sister has been something I'll never forget! I loved being able to have my mom and dad there too! They are SO great!

 There you have it!

 26.2 miles completed! My second marathon, done. I'll be honest. I am one sore girl today! I can't wait to tell you what my plan is from here forward!

Did you race? How did you do? What did you think of the course? Tell me ALL about it! Do you like having family and friends there to support you when you run??

Thanks again for all the love, support, well wishes, and happy smiles and words along the way! DONE AND DONE!

Game Day.

The carbs have been loaded. The training runs are completed. Let's see how this all shakes out shall we? It's 10 PM and I'm tucked into bed.

Tomorrow is marathon day.
Good luck to everyone running! I'll catch you on the flip side :)

Happy National Running Day! I'll celebrate in T Minus 3 Days

Thursday. Friday. SATURDAY. How in the world is Wednesday already over? My mom, sister, and brother-in-law are flying in tomorrow, which means we are really doing this marathon thing aren't we? My brother-in-law is running the half marathon, and as I've mentioned before my sister is doing the full with me!

Today is national running day, and I think I'll prolong my celebration until Saturday. 26.2 miles is enough celebrating, right? I did a 3 miler of hills Monday, rested yesterday, and was planning on doing 4 today but I have been having some weird shin splint-ish pains in my leg. So, I decided to keep it easy with 45 minutes on the elliptical instead. I did make a lot of my clients sprint today if that counts :) 

I took one of my clients through an awesome circuit if you are looking for something to mix up your workout routines...

3 sets alternating through each of these exercises:
15 kettle bell swings
15 quick step ups on the right foot
15 quick step ups on the left foot
1 minute plank
15 pushups

2 minute sprint

3 sets alternating through each of these exercises
15 kettle bell sumo squats with an upright row
20 mountain climbers (slow)
10 burpees

2 minute sprint

3 sets alternating through each of these exercises
15 jump squats
12 rows w/db
12 bicep curls w/db
12 overhead presses w/db (these last three exercises should go right form one to the next)

2 minute sprint

Try it. It's a good one.
I leave you with a photo of my blackberry. I got these at target this week, and they are seriously the biggest blackberries I have EVER seen...and SO good.

I don't even know if this picture does them justice. Fresh, good produce is THE best. Don't you think?

Are any of you running any of the Utah Valley races this Saturday??! If so, good luck!

Last Long Run! Can I get a woot woot?

I realized something today...Well, I guess I already knew this, but there is something about running and the combination of awesome music that makes me so very happy. The same goes with a great spinning class, awesome kick boxing class, or whatever else...I just love great tunes.

I am always looking for new good songs, and I love when people give me tips on new music. My friend Whit told me to listen to The Gym Class Heroes Song, The Fighter. She nailed it.

Oh my goooodness. I love it. I listened to it on repeat for the last few miles of my run. It kept me pumped! You mark my words...this song will be played during the Olympics. It is one of those. It is AWESOME. If you are needing a song to pump yourself up this is definitely a good one!

I did my last long run until my marathon! I kinda can't believe it. I had a twelve mile run today, and it went really well! I felt great and nothing hurt while I was running. I am having my same back/rib issues that I have been having all along, but I hope that I can manage without too much pain there! Let's get this marathon OVER with baby!

Don't worry...this song will be included in my mix giveaway that will go up tomorrow! It's awesome.
I hope your Friday is awesome! xoxoxo megs

A Fabulous Arizona Saturday

Have I mentioned how much I love it here? Maybe once or twice, right? Well, I do...

I started out the morning with a long run! I did the first ten outside, and then I remembered that I HATE running in heat. It's easy to remember when there is sweat pouring into your eyes. I did the last four on the treadmill at my sisters house. I FINALLY got to watch The Biggest Loser Finale while I ran!

 

Yes, I ended up crying whilst running. AMAZING. So inspirational! I love seeing such awesome success stories. I sorta wanted Kim to win. She looked unreal!

 14 miles = Sweaty Megan.

I finished up my run with some good old fashioned stretching, and a little bit of mopping. Well, a LOT of mopping. Mopping up sweat that is. I am usually not a sweater, but apparently I turn into a dripping mess when heat is concerned. Overall, I'd say the run went really well. I was able to keep the pace I was aiming for, and I had negative splits for each mile, which was great!

 I then managed to do my favorite thing in the world: Lounging in the sun by the pool. I could do this professionally. We managed to interrupt our pool time to do other important things like go get a pedicure. :)

I love when I get to hang with my family all day!! They are the absolute best.

We finished the night out with dinner at Joe's Farm Grill, an Arizona favorite. It has been featured on Guy Fieri's, "Diners Drive in's and Dives." I had a veggie salad topped with chicken. The majority of the veggies are grown fresh right by the restaurant in what they call, "agritopia."  It was absolutely PERFECT temperature-wise, and so we sat outside and ate. Delightful. I don't know if I'm gonna want to go back to real life just yet?


Did you watch The Biggest Loser finale?? Who did you want to win?

See Megan Run: 12 Miler and splitting long runs & rewards

I had a busy weekend and knew I was going to have to do my 12 mile long run on Friday this week instead of Saturday. I also knew this was going to be tricky to figure out because I had some things going on Friday that made my timing a long run difficult. I finally figured out I would have time to squeeze in 4.5 miles in between morning clients, and then 7.5 right when I got done training. I was somewhat worried about splitting up the miles, but I ended up being SO glad I did. Both segments of my run went AWESOME.
My goal pace from my training schedule was 9:50 minute miles, and I ended up doing 9:40 for 9.5 of the miles and 9:00 for the other 2.5.

Fuel: I had cereal suicide for breakfast. A mixture of Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Special K protein plus, and Raisin Bran.

After my 4.5 I had to go back to training clients, and somewhere in between training and my next segment of running I had a piece of Kamut bread with some peanut butter and honey. It did the trick. 

I was really nervous about this 12 miler because my 10 miler wasn't my favorite. This run was a whole different story. Aside from some chafing under my arms, (I had some chamois butter, but I didn't take the time to put it on...I wished I would have) the run felt so good. My joints, muscles, insides all felt great. It reminded me that I actually do like to run sometimes. Let's hope that keeps up. :) 

I rewarded myself with a pedicure. My feet were very pleased. I am all about rewards for good efforts!

Setting goals, and giving yourself non-food rewards like pedicures, new music, a massage, or a new shirt can make reaching those small goals a lot more exciting! They are a great way to celebrate accomplishments. Map out the goals you have for yourself whether it be with weight loss, nutrition, race times, etc and determine what your rewards will be when you reach those milestones! 

SO...about splitting up my run. I was super nervous that this might defeat the whole purpose of doing a long run. I did some research on doing so, and these were the pros and cons I found.

CONS:

- There is a part of marathon training that is very mental. Being able to talk yourself through long runs is definitely a part of that mental preparation. 

- Physically, long runs are a necessary part of your preparation as well. There is something important about logging the necessary miles.

- You don't have two segments of time to complete a marathon.

PROS: 

- Dividing up a long run can help mentally. Sometimes knowing you are running a shorter distance makes getting those runs in much easier. 

- There are a lot of studies that show that splitting up mileage in a day can be beneficial. It allows you to get your miles in without fully letting your muscles recover, so you are still receiving the same effect.

- It can help to prevent injury for slower runners. Speedy runners can pound out a lot more mileage in two hours than slower runners can. Many marathon experts discourage runs over 2.5 hours in marathon training, regardless of the speed and mileage. 

My thoughts?
Well, running an actual marathon doesn't depend wholly on one long run. It is an accumulation of correct training over a long period of time. This being said, I think there definitely is necessity in having long runs so that you can mentally and physically experience what they feel like, and recognize what you need to do to prepare to get through them. BUT, I think there is nothing wrong with splitting a few long runs here and there. It can make some of those days when the long runs seem impossible a lot more manageable. In talking to some of the AVID marathoners I work with they agreed.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever split up your long runs into segments? Do you have rewards for your goals? You should!!

See Megan Run - 10 Miler & iMap my run app

So, yesterday was the first time I have ran outside in a LONG time. Like...we are talking over a year. For those of you who haven't experienced the difference between running on a treadmill and running outside in a while, there is a definite difference. My goal yesterday was 10 Miles. I wanted to get a 9:14 pace, but I ended up being about 10 seconds slower. I know some of you are cheetahs, and that seems slow to you, but this girl is trying to build her running legs back up injury free! 

The Running Recap:
- Breakfast: Slow cook oats with a dallop of PB and a handful of frosted mini wheat bites cinnamon flavored. They're new. They're divine. They're full of carbs which is just what I needed. 
- Conditions/Temperature: 45ish not too bad for February. Still a little chilly for my liking. I am a total weather snob when it comes to running outside. I get why it was so warm yesterday now...it's a blizzard today! I will NEVER understand you, Utah weather. 
- Attire: Adidas running tights/capri length, Dry fit tank, Dry fit t-shirt, Columbia shell, ear warmer, Aisics Speedsters. (I wished I had some gloves, but I was pretty good temperature-wise.)
- Fuel: I should have taken my waterbelt, but didn't because I hate running with it. I stopped at a tiny little grocery store and ran in the bathroom and drank from the sink 1/2 way through. So gross. I know. I also took a couple Swedish Fish to pop in 1/2 way through. Yes, I ate candy. I didn't want to open up a whole pack of shot blocks when I knew I only would need a little bit of a glucose boost. The fishies worked like a dream (and tasted great.) 
**Usually the rule of thumb for long runs/refueling is with any runs over 75 minutes you should have some fuel. For longer runs you want 25-50 grams of carbs per hour.
- Overall Feelings on the run: My body felt great. I felt like I had the energy to keep going and my muscles/joints felt good. For whatever reason I was bored to death yesterday. I think my route was a little boring which may have been part of it. It was a decent run though. 


I have a list of about 5 million things I want. On that list is a Garmin, and because they are expensive I probably won't be getting one for a while. BUT...in the meantime. I am LOVING the iMapMyRUN app on my iPhone.

 - It is free, which is always a bonus.
- You can set it to give you stats whenever you'd like.  I am always jamming to my favorite tunes when I run, and I didn't want to be too frequently interrupted, so I set it to give me my details every mile. I wanted my distance, time, pace, and mph. It was great. I actually did a full 10 miles, but started the app a little after I took off.

It also records where you are, and includes your elevation. I love this aspect. As you can see the first part of my run was a straight incline. Maybe that is why I wasn't feeling it? Who knows. Anyways. The app is cool for Garmin-less runners like me, check it out.

Other weekend highlights included:
- Seeing The Vow, which I loved, but apparently nobody else did.
- Lunch with my Co-Workers at Zupas...some crazy/exciting changes coming up with work that I will share.
- A night out with the buddies to Coldstone. Remember that place? I haven't been there in FOREVER. I much prefer my frozen yogurt, BUT if you are looking for a healthier option there get the sinless sweet cream with bananas and raspberries. It's good stuff.

Also... Do you think it is normal for a person to have as many pairs of workout shoes as they do regular ones?? I may have an addiction. I get it.

Do you use a Garmin? Do you love it? Do you prefer to know your stats for your runs, or are you just happy to be outside running free? Do you know of any support groups for people who have more workout clothes than real ones? Hey people...it's my job. (That is just what I tell myself to feel justified...)

Holy Hannah It's Thursday!

How in the world is it already Thursday...and how is it Feburary 2nd?? Wow. We are quickly approaching the warm summer months my friends, and you know how I feel about that. SO good. First things first, if you haven't already entered the January Jamming Music Mix Giveaway you should probably do so now. The giveaway ends this Friday night the 3rd at midnight!I am loving hearing how all of you are doing on your goals! Well done!

I officially started marathon training for the Utah Valley Marathon last week, and my workout schedule is looking like this for the next few weeks...

MONDAY: run
TUESDAY: cross train/strength training
WEDNESDAY: Tempo Run/Speed Work (AKA - kicking my trash!)
THURSDAY: cross train/strength training
FRIDAY: cross train
SATURDAY: long run followed by some core focused strength training
SUNDAY: rest day

Right now my long runs are in the 8-13 mile range. It will be this way for the next few weeks, and because these runs only take 1-2 hours I can handle doing some strength training along with it. I have already been doing 60-80 mins of cross training along with strength training on Saturdays as it is, so it isn't a huge change. When my runs start to increase I will shift my schedule around a bit, so my long run days are only long run days.

I am working to improve my pace and with that I have been sure to do my normal and long runs on a 1% incline. MAN it is killer. You wouldn't think that one percent could do much harm...but man, it makes my runs a lot harder. I am such a baby when it comes to running in the cold. I HATE it, so it will be me and the tready for a while here. Adding the incline helps to mimic some of the rougher outdoor terrain that I encounter as I run outside.

Oh, and did I mention that for every 1% increase on the treadmill you burn ten percent more calories? Yes, please.

Moral of the story? Even if you aren't training for a marathon, or looking to improve any sort of time or pace use the incline! You will burn a TON more calories, and it will mix up your workout.

Do you ever add some incline work to your cardio?

Committed.

Here comes the new year right around the corner. 
And I already am committed to one of my goals for the year.

Run another marathon.
I'm registered, which means I'm committed. 
I am trying to forget that I swore to myself at mile 20 of the Salt Lake City Marathon in 2009 that I would never find myself in that position again. Funny how the amazing experience of finishing something so tough can change your thought process. Crossing the finish line of marathon is one of the coolest experiences ever. The end.

So, Utah Valley Marathon 2012 here I come. This time I get to do it with my fabulous sister.

This means we'll have a whole new segment of See Megan Run as I document my training process. I can't wait?


Who's with me? I know some of you are running the same race! Let me know if you're going to be trekking through this process alongside me.

Snakes are GROSS and A Birthday Cake to Be Reckoned With

Utah's strange weather has made what would be a brutally hot summer day, rather pleasant. It also makes for the perfect temperature for a mid morning run. I finished up with my morning clients today and I absolutely couldn't fight the urge to go running up the canyon, especially when I knew the alternative was the elliptical. My foot has felt awesome since my week off in NC, so I thought I'd see how I did.

I did 7 miles on the Provo Canyon trail. It was SO beautiful. Amazingly beautiful in fact. I really tried to take it easy pace-wise, to try and keep my foot happy. I did feel a little pain in my foot during the last mile, but otherwise I was doing pretty great. As I was running I saw TWO snakes. One is bad, but two? Really? The first one I almost stepped on because I didn't see it. I tend to be in my own, sing to myself world as I am running. When I barely stopped in time (We're talking a dead halt) it was like the snake and I were having a face off to see who would move first. I finally decided to creep around his back side, and then I sped the heck up to get out of there. The second snake was further away from me, but it was still on my trail. I could have done without seeing either of them. So gross.

As I mentioned before, my goal for the summer is to be able to run up to the Y without stopping. It was So nice outside this afternoon, and I was needing a break from some writing I was doing...so I decided to test myself. If you want a KILLER interval workout this should be your next venture.

I made it past switchback #5 (There are 10 total) so, halfway. Man it was HARD. I know my legs were already tired from my workout earlier, but dang. I think my heart rate was like 250! After switchback 5 I alternated walking a switchback and then running one to get to the top. It is a total distance of 1.2 miles, and made it up in 22 minutes. I wasn't able to run the whole way without stopping, but now I have something to measure myself against. I ran all the way down which was terrifying. It was more like taking baby steps at a quick pace, so as not to slip and roll down the mountain. My quads were on FIRE by the time I got to the bottom. I'm guessing I'll be feeling that tomorrow! It was a killer workout, leaving me with 9.4 miles for the day. My foot was killing on the way back down. I think I over did it a little, unfortunately. I'm going to be careful with it the rest of the week, that is for sure.

Tonight was my friend Dean's bday and I was designated to make the cake. Funny, because my friends know that I always try to health-i-fy all the recipes I make. This cake is a recipe my sister gave me a long time ago and it is DIVINE.

Jell-o Pudding Poke Cake
Ingredients: Yellow or white cake mix (you could use a reduced sugar mix here)
1 small box of vanilla fat free sugar free pudding (I have also used banana and it was delicious)
1 small box of raspberry or strawberry fat free sugar free jell-o mix (I have a large one here, but a small one will work perfect)
1 lite or fat free container of cool whip

Directions:
Bake your cake as directed on the box. I used natural applesauce instead of oil, and egg whites instead of eggs. I have also seen Hungry Girl make her cakes with a mix and a can of diet soda, but I have never tried that. It would cut calories out. It's on my list of "to trys." Has anyone tried that before? Once your cake is done take it out and let it cool. Once cool take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes all over the cake. They don't have to be fancy or even. I like a lot of them because It makes the pudding sink in everywhere.

 After the holes are poked prepare your jell-o. Dissolve the jell-o packet into 1 cup of boiling hot water. Once dissolved, add 1/2 cup of cold water. Pour this mixture over the entire cake. Yep, it will look like an alien planet all bumpy and weird colored. Fear not, it's delicious. Put that in the fridge to cool completely.

 Once it's cool mix up the pudding as directed on the box. Pour immediately over the cake, letting it seep into the holes. Let this sit in the fridge until the pudding is set, for about an hour or so. I know it looks weird, just trust me.

 Cover entire cake with container of cool whip and place back in the fridge until it's time to serve it. You could decorate the top with sliced strawberries or raspberries if you like.

 Cut into slices and serve. It looks really fun where all the poke holes are. It is such a light and tasty dessert that everyone will enjoy!

I have also made this recipe into cupcakes, and they turn out great.

Do you have a favorite "summer dessert?" I love frozen yogurt. Oh wait...I love that all year round. Have you ever run into anything weird or scary when you are out running? Who wants to come run the Y with me??

Happy Feet

Do you know what this is? I feel like some of you just might recognize it.

If you guessed mileage on a treadmill, you are RIGHT. I RAN TODAY!!!!! It has officially been two months since last ran, when I tore the deltoid ligament in my foot. (Two months and five days to be exact, but who was counting??) It has been an annoyingly painful recovery process, but I've been trying to be patient and let it heal correctly. 

Today as I was leaving the house this morning I grabbed my gym bag and out of the corner of my eye I saw my running shoes. I only wear my running shoes to run, and have separate shoes that I cross train, spin, and lift in. Wearing the same shoes for running/cross training/lifting is hard on your shoes and can be hard on your joints. Read more about an earlier post on that HERE. Anyways...I saw my running shoes and I decided to grab them as I left, just in case. After work I went to do my cardio for the day, and decided to try and run, even if it was just a mile. So, I strapped on my ankle brace, put on my running shoes, did a five minute walking warm up, and I was off. As you can see, I couldn't stop at just a mile. I ended up running four and it felt SO good! My biggest worry was that I was going to have lost my speed and endurance completely...and of course that I was going to roll my ankle again. It was crazy how the first few minutes I just kept having that replay of what it felt like, sounded like, looked like, when I fell and it made me cringe. I had to block that out of my mind completely to keep going. Although, I know it's still going to be a process I'll have to be patient with, to get back to where I was before I fell. I didn't do too bad! I ran my last mile at an 8:34 pace (7RPM), which I didn't think I was going to be able to do for a long time. 

I decided I'd better not push my luck, so after the four miles I finished with some stairs and the elliptical. Afterwords I did some serious stretching, icing, ibuprofen-ing, but so far I'm not dying. Because I've been overcompensating for my hurt foot my gate (walking stride) has been a bit off. This has caused me to have some issues with my piriformis muscle. 

This muscle sits on the sciatic nerve and can cause some major pain. Fun, huh? I've had the help of some a great physical therapist and athletic trainer at work. (A definite perk of my work!!) I've been doing some major stretching, foam rolling, and deep tissue rolling with a softball to take care of the problem, so hopefully I'm on the right track back to being able to work out like normal. I can't wait! Aren't injuries the worst? Our bodies are pretty incredible though, and it's amazing what can happen when we take the necessary precautions and work to correctly rehabilitate our injuries.

Healthy, Easy, Pita Pizza's

Look at that.

Now tell me that doesn't look divinely delicious. Well, It is. The good news? It's just about the easiest meal you can throw together, and a very health option. I went to Lake Powell this past weekend with a group of about 20 people, and I was in charge of the food. I wanted to make it as easy, and as healthy as possible, and these Pita Pizza's worked out SO well. I plan on making them at home! 

Pita Pizza

Ingredients: 

Pita (you can use white or whole wheat)

Pizza Sauce, Pesto Sauce, BBQ sauce (depending on your flavor of pizza)

Cheese: We used mozzarella, but you could get fancy (Parmesan, feta, goat cheese, Gouda) I am not a huge fan of cheese, so I did mine without and I thought it was delish!

Meats: Pepperoni, Canadian Bacon, Chicken, Sausage...etc

Fruits & Veggies: tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, olives, avocado, spinach, red onions, pineapple, etc. You really can just be creative with this!

You can either cook these in the oven or on a grill, depending on what you have available to you. It only takes about 5 mins, or until the cheese is melted. They really are so good, and a great meal for kids and entertaining. 

On a side note...while on said Lake Powell trip I decided to go running the morning after we got there. The run was great. The temperature was PERFECT. I got in about six miles and was heading back to the houseboat where I decided to sprint the last leg of my run from the dock to the boat. The dock is made up of rock slabs that aren't cemented down so I knew I needed to be careful. I guess I wasn't careful enough! I stepped in the crack between two rocks and was down before I could do much about it, rolling my ankle. It was pretty dang painful. Turns out I tore my deltoid ligament in my foot :( I have been in a LOT of pain, and I know I'll be out for a while as far as running goes. I am definitely appreciating a healthy, well functioning body at this point. This is going to be a rough recovery!

On another side note...I have been working with a friend on setting up a website which will be very similar to my blog, (don't worry I'm not getting rid of this guy,) but has more of a specific search engine purpose. I'll be posting a lot of useful information, so you can mosey on over HERE if you're interested. It's still in the preparatory phases, and the design work hasn't been done yet, but I want to start getting it out there. It has been and will continue to be a really fun project for me! I'll let you know when the official http://howtolosebellyfat101.com/ is up, but you're more than welcome to browse the info that is posted as of right now. 

see Megan Run & some outdoor exercise 101

70 degrees. That is what my car temperature read at 3:00 today when I got in my car.

Don't worry it quickly dropped down to the true 48 that is was, but I took that high temperature as an omen. It was time for my first outdoor run of 2010, and man was I excited. I geared up, layered up, music'd up, ear warmer'd up, and was on my way. The prescribed mileage for the day; 7 beautiful outdoor, non-treadmill miles. Wow. It felt so good. I can't even tell you. I felt like a kid at outside recess after a two-week snowed in indoor recess captivity.

While I was running I thought about how there are some uneducated outdoor exercisers...why did I start thinking about this? Because I saw several.

So, because the weather is going to be getting a little nicer, inviting us to come out and meet the sun in all our pasty glory...here is my Outdoor Exercise 101.

- Dress Appropriately. Yes, your legs look HOT in those booty shorts, but it's still 35 degrees. Don't go beggin' for a cold. Cover your head. That is where you lose most your heat. As for warm temps; wear cool, breathable clothing that won't cause you to overheat.

- Make Eye Contact w/Cars. If you are crossing streets, dodging behind driveways, or just in the way; be SURE you are seen. Cars aren't always looking for pedestrians, so you be looking for them.

- Obey traffic protocol. Cross at crosswalks, use traffic lights, wait for your turn to go...etc. etc. etc. These things are where they are for a reason. If you aren't going to obey them, go somewhere where you don't have to. Provo River trail anyone?

- DO NOT GO ALONE AT NIGHT. Yep, I mean it. Can you tell? This one get's big bold, huge font. There is NOTHING that makes me more mad, then when i see girls running alone at night. You are just asking for trouble. Please just DON'T. k? Thanks. Along with this...i'll just throw in, don't go running in sketchy parts of town or unknown areas. Be careful!

- Let someone know where you're at. Silly as this may seem, be sure that you are always telling at least one person that you are going to be working out outside. Safety first. Even if it's just a casual, "Well, I've got to go. I'm going for a run outside." At the end of a phone convo. Tell someone.

- Use those arms. If you're going to workout do it right. You up your calories and increase your intensity when you use your arms. This goes for the gym too. I always hate when i see people at the gym gripping the treadmill or the stable handlebars. If you're going to work out, make it worth it!

- Hydrate. If you are planning on doing lengthy exercise sessions, be sure to get a water belt, plant some water bottles, or know of some places you could stop at.

- Take it in. Enjoy the beautiful outdoors, because man are they beautiful!

To answer some questions: (Which I love, so keep them coming!)

The program that I use to train is from Hal Higdon's Website. Click HERE to check it out. I have used his 1/2 and full marathon programs and I like both of them.

It is fine to shift around your long runs if you need to during the week. I would try to keep them consistently on the same day weekly, if possible. However, your long runs don't have to be on Saturday. (That is just when I do mine because time permits.) I would be sure to have a rest day, or light cross training day on the day before your long run so your body can be prepped for your long run.

I am so impressed by all that you guys are doing! Keep running! Keep pushing yourselves. Your'e awesome! :)

See Megan Run.

The miles are starting to climb. This is when I hear the Kevin McCallister, our favorite Home Alone renegade, saying, "This is it. Don't get scared now."

Last night my darling friend Janae, inspired me. I pulled myself to the gym, very unwillingly, might I add, to find her finishing up her 17 mile run. NBD. She was basically working the treadmill over. I'm pretty sure she ran the whole thing on like a 9.0 at a 10% incline. She is amazing. (She is my spin teacher of choice, btw, if your'e in the market.) She's doing the Salt Lake Marathon as well, and we like to keep tabs on each other.

Well this morning when I hopped on the treadmill for my own jaunt I remembered amazing little Janae, and she helped me kick my buns into gear.

Despite the fact that the worst movie ever, Laura Croft; Tomb Raider, was playing, I managed to bust out a fairly decent time. I finished the 13 miles in an hour and fifty-three minutes. That averages out to just over an 8.5 minute mile which I was ok with. I still know I need to work on upping my pace, but we're doing the best we can here!! :)

Keep running everyone.

See Megan Run...I'm Back.

26.2. Last year I accomplished a lifelong goal of running a marathon. I wrote about it here. The ups the downs, and everything in between. I wrote about it so I could remember what got me through some tough goals. I wrote about it so that I might be able to inspire others who were thinking it might be impossible. I wrote about it so I would be held accountable for what I'd set out to do. I wrote about it so that I would be able to think...wow, I did that! Well, here goes round two. I've decided to run the SLC marathon again this year! I'm super excited about it. I've recruited some fellow runners this year, and I can't wait to have some people to cross the finish line with me. (It's not too late if you want to join me! AND...if you feel like the full marathon is too much for you the training for the 1/2 marathon doesn't start until next week. DO IT!!) Let me know if you want some help getting on a training program!

Today was the first of many long runs. 10 miles. It felt good to be back at it. I made it through pretty flawlessly, and was pleasantly reminded how boring it can be to run in the cardio cinema for a few hours at a time. It was nice to have Roxies next to me though! I'm hoping for some warmer weather this time through, so I can do some of the long runs outside. Can't wait to see how this round goes. BRING IT ON!!!

See Megan Run...The Final Chapter.

I did it. I almost can't believe it. Well, I can believe it do to the fact that I am reminded with every sore step I attempt to take today, but I am still a bit dumbfounded I guess. 26.2 miles later I completed a full marathon, a goal i have had for probably 10 years.

After a carb loading pasta dinner with the family, I slept up at my brother Tyler's house on Friday night, so I could get as much sleep as possible. As I was going to bed I just kept thinking to myself...when I wake up in the morning it is going to be go time. It seemed almost unreal to me that I was finally arriving at what the past 4 months of intense training had led up to. I had everything prepped for the big day. Part of the training process is working out all the bugs before hand so when race day comes you're primed and ready. So...I knew exactly which shoes/clothes I was wearing, what I was going to eat for breakfast, how I wanted my hair to be, what I was going to supplement with, etc. Knowing all of this beforehand makes the pre-race anticipation significantly less. My sweet brother woke up with me at the CRACK of dawn on saturday to get me up to the start line. He made sure I was all prepped to go and took some pre-race photos for me. At the start I just remember thinking..."here goes a loooong morning." I was correct.

and we were off...

My awesome family came to some of the different mile markers to cheer me on and keep me going. It helped me SO much just to know they were there cheering for me! Their encouraging words kept me going. My mom would run along side me for a sec and remind me I could do it!
Here we are at mile 13. I remember at this point thinking...hmmm...had I done the half I'd be done. But, nope. KEEP GOING!
Believe it or not here we are at mile 20. Ty snapped this photo of me giving my dad a high 5, while my mom jogs along side me. I love it. Having my mom and dad fly in from AZ was more than I could have asked for. Thanks so much M&D!! It was at this point in the race that the mental toughness started. My body of course was really tired, but I just had to keep telling myself to keep it up! It was so amazing to have random strangers lining the streets the whole way cheering all the racers on.

Crossing the finish line was one of the most surreal experiences of my life. It was so awesome to have all of the people that I love at the end cheering me on! I LOVE to shop, as a lot of you know, but I don't know if I've ever been more excited to see the Gateway Mall in my life. (The finish line ran down the middle of the outdoor mall.) I was completely exhausted, my legs felt like led, I was pretty sure I couldn't take another step, but I absolutely couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

I got an AWESOME massage after the race while my family chilled and waited for me. One of the race day highlights...besides me of course ;) ... My family met and took pictures with Blane and Dane, cousins from this season of The Biggest Loser. AMAZING, right? Check my sister Lindsey's blog HERE for photos and details. They ran the 1/2 and look awesome! After talking to them for a bit, let's just say...we know who's going to the finale. I'll tell you if you want me to...
We had a bunch of cameras there, so I didn't get all the photos that were taken of everyone that came up to cheer me on. BUT I just have to say thankyou to all my supporters. For my family and friends who to the time to come to watch, it absolutely meant the world to me. For those of you who texted, called, left facebook/blog messages; every single word of encouragement and congrats were SO SO SO much appreciated. This was such a big accomplishment for me, and I couldn't have done it without all of you encouraging me along. My time was 4 hours and 10 minutes. My goal was to finish around 4 hours, so I felt really good about it. I finished 13th out of 52 in my age group. Here's to 26.2 BABY!!! I'm officially a marathoner.
(oh, and please disregard my nastiness in all the photos...I just ran 26.2 miles ok??)