Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Running cold, and on empty

Bear with me. I took some pics Saturday morning, but was not able to upload them until tonight. But it is very important to note that Saturday was the FIRST REAL COLD RUN of the season for me....

I needed my Yaktrax! There were patches of ice and snow along the side of the roads, first time since March! I know what you're thinking: DORK!




Needed my ear muffs!



Oh, I am so excited to discover EAR MUFFS. These ear muffs are designed for exercising - they connect in the back of the head and don't slip! Last winter I wore a Nike headband thingie that covered my ears, and while I needed my ears covered, my head would get so hot and sweaty. (Hats are a big no-no for me - even though I was so excited when I discovered one that had a ponytail hole. But I get way too hot when I run, even when the temps are in the single digits! Luckily I have never had to run in sub-zero temps, but if I do I may need to put my hat to work blah blah blah blah, oh, caught'ya, you weren't listening were you?? Tsk, tsk, and blah, blah, blah...)

Doesn't it just LOOK cold? Well, it really was.

I didn't eat anything before heading out, and I really should have. I was sooooo sluggish. It took me 11 minutes to finish my first mile. I gained some momentum during the second mile, but remained uncharacteristically sluggish the rest of the run. Even a little bite of banana would have done me some good. By the time I got home, I was in desperate need of some good carbs and protein. (And a shower, my family informed me of - which I took care of eventually, I promise.)

I made myself a green smoothie....



On the bottom are chunks of banana, orange, pineapple, and apple, some raw almonds, ground flaxseed, and some ice cubes.  On top - a few handfuls of organic kale and baby spinach. I poured on about a cup of water, pushed the smoothie button, and....



Yay, a yummy green smoothie!!  If you have never tried a green smoothie, you must. I swear, the taste of the fruit overpowers the very mild taste of the greens. It looks green, but doesn't taste it.

I had also had an egg, and got protein, veggies, and fruit in one quick, healthy meal. Light, refreshing, and satisfying - perfect after a morning run! I like salads, but honestly, I like green smoothies even more. It's like a yummy, liquid salad that tastes like fruit!

2 comments:

Brian said...

I'm calling you out on the Yaktrax! Clearly from the earmuffs picture, there was not enough snow and ice to warrant the Yaktrax. I see no patches. Even if there were patches, they were easily avoidable.

You have to admit it. You were excited to wear the Yaktrax weren't you? You were just looking for an excuse to strap those babies on. Clearly I'm an expert - I live in Florida.

I like green smoothies too, only mine are spinach, a banana, organic peanut butter, milk and chocolate. It really looks a lot like baby poo, but it tastes great!

Tanya said...

No, I swear, I needed the Yaktrax!!! :D It was 21 degrees and snow flurries had been reported during the night! My husband told me I didn't need them, but I didn't listen. OK, so there was some enthusiasm to wear them, I admit. But I'm telling you, once I ventured out on the busier roads, yes, there *were* ice patches, and I ran right through them!!! I should have taken my camera with me to prove it. ;)

I should try adding peanut butter to my smoothies sometime, because that sounds delicious. My problem is that I just love peanut butter plain by the spoonful, so there's really no reason to "sneak" it into a smoothie or any other food I consume...I probably need to find some ways to *avoid* it...