Happy Friday! As you read this, it’s very likely that I’m en route to Montreal to visit one of my best blog buddies for the long weekend. I’ll tell you all about the trip when I get back, but last week I promised you guys I’d post my half marathon playlist and I am staying true to that promise!

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Work It Out

This week’s workout is a pretty simple one because I don’t want this post to get too long, but that doesn’t mean it won’t challenge you! I really like workouts that involve doing reps for time, or seeing how many reps I can do with good form in a given time period. This week’s routine is one of those. The moves don’t require much equipment, but one thing I would recommend having nearby is an timer or clock. This will help you to keep track of how long each set has taken, and when you do this workout again next week (which you will, right!?) you can compare to see if you’ve improved.

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The May Meltdown Workout

You’ll be doing 3 sets of the circuit below, doing each move in the set immediately after each other. When you’ve finished the 6 exercises, rest for up to 3 minutes in order to allow your heart rate to come back down. Be sure to time yourself for each of the 3 rounds, and when you’ve finished, compare the times. Did you slow down as you got more tired? Try this workout again once each week for the next couple of weeks to see if you can decrease your time while still maintaining good form.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

Alright, it’s playlist time! This list of songs lasts for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and I’ve included the videos for some of my favourites. I don’t know what it is about U2, but their music always tends to fire me up so I’ve thrown 3 of their songs in between the 1:20 and 1:30 mark which is when I planned to sprint towards the finish line. In reality I was a few minutes late, but I still had some fast, upbeat tunes lined up to keep me moving!

• Testify to Love – Avalon
• Jump (Malinchak Remix) – Flo Rida
• This is What it Feels Like – Armin van Buuren ft Trevor Guthrie
• Make the World Move – Christina Aguilera ft Cee Lo Green

• Cruise (Remix) – Florida Georgia Lane ft Nelly
• Party All Night – Sean Kingston
• Haven’t Met You Yet (Jason Nevins Remix) – Michael Buble

• Stutter – Marianas Trench
• Hey Porsche (Yarin & Richwood Remix) – Nelly

• Can You Hear Me (Moto Blanco Remix) – Enrique Iglesias
• Clarity – Zedd ft. Foxes
• Feel This Moment – Pitbull & Christina Aguilera
• Turn Around – Conor Maynard ft Ne-Yo
• Troublemaker (Cutmore Remix) – Olly Murs

• One More Night (Club Remix) – Maroon 5
• Payphone (Cutmore Remix) – Maroon 5)
• Back to Love – DJ Pauly D ft Jay Sean
• Take Me to the Clouds Above – LMC vs U2
• Shining Down – United in Dance ft Jenna
• People Like Us – Kelly Clarkson
• Beautiful Day (Dance Remix) – U2
• Elevation – U2

• Vertigo – U2
• Years – Alesso
• Miracle – JV Project ft Eric Solomon
• Takes All Night – Skye Stevens
• C’Mon – Ke$ha
• I Love It – Icona Pop
• I Cry – Flo Rida
• Gimme All Your Lovin’ – Madonna ft Nicki Minaj and LMFAO
• Scream and Shout – will.i.am ft Britney Spears

Have a Read

• True Grit - via Running Times – A longer read, but super interesting! This article talks about what distances are toughest for runners to handle (hint – it depends on what you’ve trained for!), what exactly is meant by ‘grit’, and tips you can use to handle discomfort while racing and training.
• 14 must-try tools to speed recovery – via Greatist.

Alrighty friends, I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you back here on Monday! Before you go, I’m curious…

• What are some of your favourite workout songs right now?
• (Related to the True Grit article) – If you’re a runner, what distance do you find most difficult to run? This is going to sound silly, but since half marathons are the distance I prefer, 5Ks and anything shorter than that are hard for me. I am NOT the sprinting type!

How’s your week going? Mine got off to a bit of a nasty start with a trip to the dentist for a filling, but on the bright side, I’ve logged some great workouts over the past couple of days. As I type this, there is some serious ab burnage happening! Even though muscle soreness is never really pleasant, it helps to reassure me that I’m making progress.

The gym isn’t the only place where great things have been happening. I can’t wait to show you what’s been coming out of my kitchen lately!

1. Recipe of the Week. Cinco de Mayo was last Sunday, but don’t take off those sombreros just yet. This week’s healthy recipe is super simple to throw together and combines a whole bunch of fresh, vibrant ingredients.

Shrimp cocktails have always been one of my favourite appetizers, and a family gathering just isn’t complete without a great big tray of fresh shrimp with cocktail sauce (the red kind, not the creamy kind). While the shrimpies on their own are delicious, I decided to invite a few more friends to this little cocktail party…

Yes, avocados again. I can’t stop, I’m sorry.

Meet my new favourite appetizer (well, tied with the Green Curry Shrimp Rolls), Pico de Gallo Shrimp Cocktails. The key here is letting all of the ingredients sit together in a big bowl for at least 15 minutes so they can soak up the lime juice and soften a wee bit. You can even make this recipe ahead of time if you like – leaving in the fridge for a couple of hours will make the flavours that much stronger. Being patient isn’t easy when you’ve got this sitting in front of you…

…but I promise that it’s worth the wait.

I’ll make these if you bring the margaritas, deal?

Click here for the recipe!

2. Fresh fava beans. Just like my globe grapes last week, these beans are HUGE!

I found them at the grocery store on the weekend, and although canned fava beans certainly aren’t hard to come by, I wanted to try my hand at making something with the fresh kind. Apparently they’re very easy to grow at home, and like other beans, are full of fiber and protein. 1 cup cooked contains about 185 calories, 9g fiber and 13g protein, and is packed with phytonutrients, folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12.

I schooled myself on how to shell the fresh fava beans here. This is the gist of how it’s done:

1. Boil some water in a pot on the stove.
2. As it boils, start shelling the beans by snapping off the stem and leaving the stringy bit in tact with the rest of the pod.
3. Pull the stringy bit down the middle of the bean to open the pod.
4. Scoop all the beans out.
5. Add some sea salt to the boiling water in the pot, along with the beans.
6. Turn the heat down and simmer for 1 minute while you fill a large bowl with ice water
7. Drain the beans and put them straight into the ice water.
8. Once the beans are cool enough to handle, use your fingers to slip the skins off of each one.

In pictures…

So what did I do with them? Well, after blanching them in water as the instructions indicated, I made a salad (are you surprised?) with some spiralized purple beets, snap peas, radishes, parsley, dill, and lemon juice. I also added 1/2 can of flaked light tuna for extra protein.

It wasn’t until after taking these photos that I realized I’d completely forgotten to do step 8, which meant that all of the little skins were still on my fava beans. #fail. However, it only took a few minutes to pick around in my salad to pinch them off, and even though I may have missed one or two, this was SUCH a good lunch! The beans were nice and meaty, and tasted so good coated in my lemony dill dressing. They were sort of buttery and smooth, especially the ones that I remembered to take the skin off of! In fact, I’m pretty sure I’m going to buy more and make a lemon and dill fava bean dip, or maybe a hummus….. oh the possibilities!

 So tell me…

• Did you try anything new yesterday?
• Have you tried fava beans before? Any great recipes to share?

How was your weekend? As I mentioned on Friday, mine was spent relaxing, spending some quality time with my mum for Mother’s Day, exploring the farmer’s market, and sleeping. I also ran a new-to-me route on Saturday morning, with plenty of scenery that I’ve never noticed before. One thing about doing a ton of long-distance training on a treadmill with only a TV and other gym-goers to keep you entertained is that it makes real outdoor runs seem so quick! Does anyone else find the same thing?

A little while ago I talked about my 3 secrets for making every early morning workout awesome, and this week I want to share my favourite post-run recovery smoothie with you. It’s full of powerful ingredients that help fight inflammation and promote quick repair and healing in our bodies, both of which are essential if you’re very physically active. Not only will this smoothie do fabulous things for your insides, but it tastes great too!

Before I get to the recipe, let’s talk about each of the superstars inside it. Many are also useful when eaten pre-workout because they help to start the recovery process before you even begin sweating, but rolling everything into one post-workout smoothie is a really easy way to reap the benefits of all of them.

***Disclaimer: Always check with your doc first before taking new dietary supplements to ensure that they’re right for you.***

Dark leafy greens

This is probably the most ‘well, duh’ ingredient on the list, but it’s a must-have. The darker the better. These gems are full of vitamin A (for immune function and organ support), vitamin C (which acts as an antioxidant to help protect cells from damage, and produce collagen to help heal wounds), and K (for healthy bones). They’re excellent anti-inflammatories, and some varieties contain high levels of folate and calcium, as well as potassium for proper nerve and muscular function. For a guide to all sorts of greens, check out this infographic.

Bananas

Simple but oh so good for you, bananas contain potassium, an electrolyte that needs replenishing after exercise. They’re also a clean carb with natural sugars, and post-workout, the sports nutrition experts of the world recommend replenishing our bodies with energy in a 4:1 carbs to protein ratio. The banana takes care of the carb bit, without causing the spike in blood sugar (and inevitable crash) that refined sugars do.

Protein Powder

As I’m sure you’ve heard, muscle is made from protein. As we work out, (particularly if you’re strength training), small tears form in our muscles that need to be repaired. This is where protein comes in. It’s also used for increasing the size and strength of your muscles, and the sooner you can consume a high-protein food after a workout, the better. There are lots of sources of high-quality protein, (think lean chicken, fish, beef, Greek yogurt, eggs, milk, chickpeas, beans, legumes, and seeds), and even if you’re vegan or vegetarian, there are protein powders that fit your dietary needs.

As many of you know, I’m a big advocate of the ‘whole foods first, supplements second’ mentality, but when time is limited and you don’t have whole food protein sources on hand, protein powder is a great alternative. My preferences are Promasil (whey, sweetened with stevia, no artificial sweeteners, gluten and soy free), and Vega Sport (plant-based, vegan friendly, gluten free, allergen free, no artificial sweeteners).

Coconut Water

You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about coconut water lately, and it’s for good reason! As you’re well aware, exercise makes us sweat. When we sweat, we lose electrolytes (specifically sodium and potassium) which our bodies need to reduce muscle cramping and function optimally. Drinking water helps to re-hydrate our bodies, but straight-up water is missing these electrolytes. Coconut water not only provides them, but also delivers plenty of naturally-occuring vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help to replenish energy levels post-workout.

Ground Flaxseed

The main reason I’ve included ground flaxseed in this smoothie is because of its high omega-3 essential fatty acid content. Omega-3s are found in oily fish like salmon and sardines, as well as enriched dairy, but these sources aren’t suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Flaxseed provides omega-3s in plant-based form, and like many of the other ingredients on this list, has anti-inflammatory properties. The addition of a healthy fat source also helps us to absorb more of the vitamins and minerals from the dark leafy greens. You can either purchase ground flaxseed, or the whole seeds (as shown above) and grind them yourself in a coffee grinder. Either way, be sure to store them in the fridge to preserve the quality of the oils.

Ginger

I was never into ginger as a kid, but these days I can’t get enough of it! Here’s the deal: Even exercise (which makes us look and feel fantastic) creates inflammation. Each time our muscles contract, they become slightly inflamed. More contraction = more inflammation, stiffness, and soreness, but there are foods that we can eat to help tame this. Fresh ginger has super powerful anti-inflammatory properties thanks its phytonutrients, which have been shown to relieve joint and muscle pain, and aid in recovery.  These benefits aside, ginger is also a fantastic natural cure for digestive issues and nausea, and can help strengthen your immune system.

Maca Root Powder

Maca root has been used for years as a healing whole food, but as far as athletes are concerned, it’s used for improving adrenal function and enhancing stamina, endurance, and overall performance. Maca is an adaptogen, which means that it helps our bodies to respond more efficiently to stress, whether it’s workout-related or otherwise. It also helps to boost overall mood and reduce post-workout muscle soreness.

Cinnamon

I like to add cinnamon to practically everything, but it has a lot more going for it than just taste! Cinnamon prevents blood clotting and helps to promote healthy blood flow. It also has anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties.

Turmeric

Yep, that same bright yellow spice that you find in your favourite curry is a fabulous inflammation fighter! Turmeric helps to boost circulation, which during exercise, means that more oxygen can travel to your working muscles. Like ginger, it can be taken before workouts to boost the recovery process before you even start sweating, or afterwards to help speed the recovery process. This is all thanks to its active ingredient, circumin, which is a super anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory.

Spirulina

This is a blue-green algae that is typically available a a powder, liquid, tablet or capsule. It’s one of the world’s most highly concentrated plant-based sources of complete protein, meaning that it provides all of the essential amino acids that our bodies can’t make on their own. Like the other superfoods in this list, it provides a whackload of vitamins and minerals, has been known to increase endurance, and speed post-exercise recovery. A little goes a very long way!

And now, for the recipe:

Click here to print this recipe.

I love chugging a big one of these smoothies after my hard runs and heavy lifting sessions, but it’s also great if you’re feeling a little low on energy. I don’t know about you, but most green smoothies tend to significantly kick my energy levels up a notch. Greens for the win!

Now I want to know…

• Do you have a favourite post-workout recovery meal or drink that makes you feel revitalized and re-energized?
• What did you get up to this weekend?

Oh my goodness, the weekend is here and it has been a crazy insane week. I am so excited to relax tonight, spend some quality time with my madre (Sunday is Mother’s Day, just in case you needed a reminder!) and catch up on sleep. I’ll also be having a FaceTime date with this handsome fella….

…otherwise known as my dad! Today is his birthday and since traveling 16 hours to celebrate isn’t really in the budget, we’ll be celebrating with our iPhones. What do you have planned this weekend?

A little while ago I was asked by a few of you for my half marathon playlist from Sunday’s race, and I’m going to post it for you next Friday. This week’s tune was included on that list, but before we talk music, let’s discuss workouts!

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Work It Out

As soon as I woke up on Monday morning, I couldn’t help but notice that I had some nasty (yet very much anticipated) shin splints. This always tends to happen to me after I’ve been running hills, so it was only a matter of time. Therefore, the cardio portion of my gym sessions this week have mostly been on the bike. Today’s workout is one that totally kicked my butt on Wednesday, and if you could use a little butt kicking too, I recommend giving it a try!

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The Pyramid Intervals Workout

All you’ll need for this is a stationary bike. I prefer to use either a spin bike or an upright ones over the recumbent bikes (also known as the ones that have a back on the seat). Take your pick and ensure it’s set up to accommodate for your height. You’ll be doing 3 sets of 7 intervals, each set forming a pyramid-like structure, like this:

You’ll do the 3 pyramids with a warm up and cool down on either side. Use whatever resistance helps you to meet the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) level listed in the far right column of the chart below.

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

If you’re a child of the 80s and grew up listening to Nelly as a teenager in the 90s and early 2000s, you’ll probably recall his earlier songs, like Country Grammar and Dilemma. So catchy at the time, but unfortunately also so overplayed, I can’t say I’ve ever owned a Nelly CD (because we actually bought CDs when I was a teenager, which honestly wasn’t that long ago). Having said all of that, my ears instantly perked up the other day when I was listening to the radio and heard his new (I think?) song, Cruise. I did what I always do when I hear a great song: Shazaam-ed it, headed over to YouTube, and searched for some workout-suitable remixes. I found this one, the Cruise Remix by Florida Georgia Line ft Nelly, and I LOVE it. It’s kinda country, but like a Nelly-fied country. What do ya think?

Have A Read

• 25 ways to run faster now – via Greatist
• 10 people over 70 who are fitter than you – via Fitbie. The words “wow” and “impressive” come to mind!

Ok, it’s go time! Before you take off, tell me:

• What bands or artists did you listen to as a teenager? Are there any you still listen to today?
• What are ya up to this weekend?

Is your day off to a great start? Mine certainly is! Since I’m taking May off of race training, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my ‘fun’, no-pressure workouts this week which have included TurboFire, cycling, and spending a lot more time with weights than I have done over the past 8 weeks! I’ve also been taking advantage of our sunny evenings by going for walks after work and love how much they help me to wind down and take my mind off of the day behind me. Anyone else feel the same way?

Let’s get over to our usual Wednesday topics of conversation: Recipes and new things!

1. Recipe of the Week. Last week you guys made it very clear to me that you have no problem with recipes involving avocado. That’s a great thing, because I’ve got plenty more in that department and I plan to keep ‘em coming fast and furious.

For those that aren’t quite feeling the ‘cado craze, don’t worry – you could leave them out of today’s recipe if you want to. It’ll still be delicious.

This Spring Chicken Salad combines every single piece of leftover greenery that I had in my fridge on the weekend, minus my green curry paste and a green pepper that had certainly seen better days.

Toss all of the above in a big bowl with some shredded cooked chicken, nice fluffy quinoa, pistachios and a big drizzle of white balsamic vinegar…

…and you’ve got a freaking huge salad full of green goodness!

I’ve kept things really simple with the dressing in this recipe because the herbs do so much on their own. A plain white balsamic pairs really nicely with the mint and parsley, but you can also get creative with fruit-infused vinegars. Fig and pear are two that I just can’t get enough of, and if you leave this salad in the fridge for a couple of hours, the quinoa takes on their fruity flavours and tastes absolutely fabulous!

Click here for the recipe!

2. Globe grapes. It’s a little hard to tell from these photos, but these grapes are HUGE!

I saw them at Sobeys over the weekend and since I didn’t have much time to think about creative fancy applications for new-to-me finds, I bought a bag of these enormous grapes figuring they’d make a good snack.

Wikipedia tells me that red globe grapes are “a variety of very large, seeded red grapes with firm flesh used mainly as a table grape. It can be grown outdoors in very warm areas with long growing seasons such as California or Australia, but in most of the world it is strictly a greenhouse grape.” I am clearly not a grape connoisseur, because the next question I had was “what the heck is a table grape!?” I soon learned that this is just the name for grapes produced for consumption, rather than for wine making, juice making, or turning into raisins. Hmm. Call them what you want, but these are freaking enormous grapes.

Simplicity took priority when I was rushed to make breakfast yesterday, so I sliced some globe grapes in half and threw them into a fruit salad with melon, strawberries and a kiwi. Combined with a Simply Whey Bar after my workout, this combo totally hit the spot!

Apart from the seeds being a minor inconvenience, these were quite tasty! I typically prefer the tartness of green grapes but enjoyed these for a change. Now that I think about it, their juiciness would make them very suitable for grape juice squirting games. Christine (my sister), if you’re reading this, brace yourself because I’ve got some new ammunition!

 So tell me…

• Did you try anything new yesterday?
• What’s one of your go-to breakfasts when you’re in a rush?

On Saturday afternoon, a big group of us met up at the race expo in Toronto. On my way I made a little mandatory stop, one that is becoming my favourite pre-race tradition…

(Highly successful stop, in case you wondered. Almost too successful.) At the expo we picked up our bibs, race shirts, walked around the booths, and posed for a great big group pic. Most of the group were from the Toronto area, but myself and Danielle came from Waterloo and Brian won the award for the furthest traveled, all the way from California!!

Then it was off to the Old Spaghetti Factory for a pre-race dinner. We had a pretty huge group and Krysten (whom you may have already met in this post) was kind enough to bring us goodie bags full of bars, gels, and chews from Clif Bar! Here’s a few snaps from our evening:

Danielle, Jess and Robyn

Myself, Sarah, Allison and Janice

Brian and his lovely wife, who was the talented photographer of our group pic!

Morgan and Krysten

Brian showing us how he fuels up for big races! (I guess they do it differently in Cali?!)

Jess and Robyn, REALLY excited to have their steak!

Danielle, Krysten and Robyn

Christina and I

I stayed with my blog buddy Morgan, whom although running the 5K at noon the next day was willing to get up with me at 5:45am and chit chat while I got ready for the half marathon. Now that is a true friend! I set all my race gear out the night before because I wanted to make sure I didn’t forget anything.

My standard race morning breakfast!

The half marathon started at 8:30, so I left Morgan’s with plenty of time to get to the starting area, park my car (always a heroic effort in Toronto, but this time it actually wasn’t too bad!) and walk to the bag check. I was a bit nervous because I went to bed with a lingering headache and still had it when I woke up, despite having taken some Advil Cold & Sinus before packing it in on Saturday night. My sinuses have not been happy these days! Rather than dwell on it, I just tried to forget about the pain and stay focused. Words can not describe how thankful I was that the weather was gorgeous and that there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky!

At that point my phone went away and the next thing I knew….

Ok, there was a little more to it than that.

I won’t give you the mile-by-mile breakdown, but here are the highlights:

• There were 1694 marathoners, 4476 half marathoners, and 1404 5K participants.
• The half marathon course was net downhill, starting from Mel Lastman Square and going down to Toronto’s waterfront.
• Even though it was net downhill, the route starts with a BIG, GINORMOUS slope around the 3 mile mark. This was very, VERY clearly reflected in my 3rd mile split!
  

  Mile splits, with #14 being the final 0.1 mile.

  

  My paces and the course elevation map

• That hill made me want to die a little inside. I chugged up it along with everyone else, and tried to just keep focusing a couple of feet ahead of me and repeating “you’re stronger than you think” in my head. For about 75% of that time I’m not sure I believed it, but my legs were very happy to finally get to the top!
• There were some sweet, sweet downhills that I thoroughly enjoyed sailing down along Yonge Street
• It was sunny. Like, really sunny. I think I need to start training with my Oakley sport sunglasses on because I nearly twisted my ankle in a big pothole around the 8 mile mark which scared the living daylights out of me. (I’ve had quite enough of ankle injuries.)
• There were some bits in the first half, and once or twice near the end when I felt like I was really losing steam. (See my splits for mile 11 above – they’re even slower than that horrible hill, and if I remember correctly, the road was pretty flat!)
• I saw the 1:30 pace bunny a couple of times in the race, but stopped paying attention after a while. I thought I’d notice if he passed me and ran far ahead, but I obviously didn’t. (He must have been a very sneaky rabbit!) I was coming around the last corner of the race with about 200m left to go, and I saw the 1:35 pace bunny sprint past me. I saw the 1:35 on his ears, and gunned it with absolutely every ounce of energy I had left to the finish line. I finished just after him, with a time of 1:35:26.

My Garmin was a little optimistic – final time was 1:35:26

When I saw that I’d finished in just over 1:35, I was a tiny bit disappointed. Of course I was thrilled that it was over, but deep down I expected a little more. I grabbed some water then walked around until my heart rate came back down. As I was walking over to pick up my checked bag, I gave myself a little “get real” pep talk, which mainly involved reminding myself that this was my SECOND outdoor run (not race, I mean my second run that did not take place on a treadmill) this YEAR. Within a few minutes, I was in a pretty happy space again. (That may have also had to do with the fact that I’d eaten a Simply Whey Bar, an apple and was lying on a yoga mat ready to do some stretching!)

It wasn’t until I got home about 3 hours later and checked out SportStats.ca that I got really, really happy.

Final time: 1:35.26.3
24 and under women’s category: 2/412
Women: 24/2427
Overall: 186/4476

I’ll take 2nd in my category, considering it’s the last time I get to run this race as a 24-or-under female! But I wasn’t the only one that had something to talk about afterwards. Brian PR’d his marathon by a whopping 6 minutes, Danielle finished her first ever marathon (in Vibrams, I might add – she’s the barefoot running queen!), Krysten ran her first half marathon of the season only 12 weeks post-surgery, Morgan set a new 5 PR, and from what I’ve heard, it was an injury-free race for all!

With one down and SeaWheeze ahead in August, I know exactly what I have to do to break my 1:30 goal: Run outside and attack some HILLS! With that, I’m off for a date with my foam roller.

Tomorrow will be a rest day, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you off the hook! If you’re looking for a workout to take to the gym this weekend, I’ve got just the thing.

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Work It Out

In honour of the 13.1 miles I’ll be running on Sunday, this week’s routine is a countdown-style workout that incorporates moves to challenge both cardiovascular and muscular strength. You’ll get your heart rate up, work up a good sweat, and stoke your metabolism to keep humming away all day long. Now that’s a multitasking workout!

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The 13 to 1 Countdown Workout (with a little surprise at the end!)

All you’ll need for this is a few pairs of dumbells. Have a look at the exercises and determine how heavy you want to go, but keep in mind that you’ll need 3 pairs that you can perform biceps curls with – that’s the surprise at the end! (Probably not the best workout for the 200lb ones, unless of course you can curl 200lbs with each hand, in which case I’ll hire you to train me!) Perform the moves in yellow, first doing 13 reps of each. After taking a quick rest (between 1 and 2 minutes, depending on your fitness level), re-start from the squats again and do 12 reps of each exercise. Continue to work  your way all the way down to 1 rep, then rest for 3 minutes. Finish off with a drop set of biceps curls, then stretch those babies out. Did someone say gunshow?

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

I heard this week’s featured tune on the radio when I was in the car on the weekend, and within 10 minutes of arriving home had downloaded it and tacked it on to the half marathon playlist that I’m building for this weekend. It’s called This is What it Feels Like by Armin Van Buuren, and once the synthesizers get going, it’s got a ton of energy!

Meet my Race Buddies!

Rather than the usual ‘Have A Read’ section of Fit Bit Fridays, I’m switching it up this week. I thouht you might like to meet some of my crazy fabulous FitFluential Ambassador race buddies that I’ll be spending this weekend with. First up, our guest of honour, all the way from California…

Brian at mile 38 of his 50-miler earlier in April. Lookin’ strong!

Name: Brian
Blog: PavementRunner.com
Distance you’re running: 26.2 miles of glory… wait, how many km’s is that?
Goal for the race: To look amazing in a tutu!!! OK, amazing might be a stretch. Let’s go with: “to make other people smile and show some love for Boston.” I’ll be rocking a blue shirt and a yellow tutu crafted by the one and only Darwinian Fail. My current PR is 3:44 on hilly course. I hear the Toronto course is reasonably flat and I think a tutu is good for shaving off at least a couple minutes… let’s place the time goal at 3:35
Your #1 must-have piece of race gear: A hair clip from the first lady. (In case you’re wondering, the First Lady is Brian’s super cute daughter.) I typically attach it to the shoulder strap of my hydration pack (see photo). Whenever I feel a little tired, I take a look at it and think “Keep running strong, it will make a great bedtime story.”
Your pre-race ritual: This is definitely one of those do what I say, not what I do moments. My pre-race meal is a Payday candy bar. If you are unfamiliar, it’s peanuts and caramel and has plenty of salt. I’ve been doing it for years and wifey always packs it in my to-go bag for destination races. As far as morning routine, I wake up 2 hours before it’s time to leave the house and sort of just “wake-up.” I’ll stretch a little bit, check Twitter, get dressed, check Instagram, pin on my bib, throw something on Facebook, grab my gear, check Twitter again. As you can see, VERY IMPORTANT pre-race focus.

Name: Krysten
Blog: The Misadventures of a Darwinian Fail
Distance you’re running: The half marathon
Goal for the race: To rock a kick-ass tutu all 13.1 miles
Your #1 must-have piece of race gear: Well I guess the tutu is kind of pivotal this time around. But my Mizuno Exilirs are a must too
Your pre-race ritual: To high-five all my FitFluential homies and to harness the power of the tutu! Both bring race day magic, sparkles, and rainbows!

Goal for the race: Running the 5K – trying for a PB of 25 mins and to star in my very own game of frogger based on how jam packed the race is

See you Monday morning with a race recap!

How are you doing this morning? I’m so so pumped because it’s meant to be a whopping 23C today – this is spring dress weather, friends!!! I’m also excited because today’s healthy recipe of the week is one I’ve been dying to share with you since I made a few days ago. Let’s not waste any time and hop right to it!

1. Recipe of the Week. Ok, it’s time for a little confessional, Eat Spin Run Repeat style.

Confession #1: I’ve recently become obsessed with avocados. Hello, my name is Angela, I’m new to AA (Avocados Anonymous) and I require a 12-step program intervention.

Confession #2: In any recipe you’ve seen prior to my vegan Fiesta Wraps where avocado was involved, I only put it in because I wanted to add something green to the recipe and I think avocados look pretty.

Confession #3: Ever since said vegan Fiesta Wraps were posted, not a week has gone by without a container of fresh guacamole being prepared and kept in my fridge (mostly for carrot dippage, which is my go-to snack as of late). I’ve got variations of guac coming out of my ears, so be prepared to see them come out over the coming months.

Confession #4: I am currently building my weekly meal plans for myself around dishes that could potentially include avocados. Case in point: last week’s Clean Vegan Pad Thai and these Cilantro Lime Shrimp Wraps.

Now that I’ve shown you nothing but avocado glamour shots, it’s time to introduce yet another recipe that feeds my addiction. Meet these Green Curry Shrimp Rolls.

I think you should make them tonight. Just promise me that you won’t dare leave out that avocado.

Head over to Greatist for the recipe!

2. Long squash. No, not just any old elongated squash. This one’s actually called ‘long squash’ and like eddoe potatoes, it’s a piece of produce that I walk past week after week but never actually decide to try. This weekend I had one of those ‘why not’ moments at Sobeys, brought it home, then brainstormed ideas for what to do with it.

According to the powerful and mighty Google…

Long squash is often considered to be of African decent but it is also common in Europe and Asia. The long squash is very similar to zucchini and it is grown in warm climates. The outer skin can go from yellow to green while the inner flesh is firm textured, white in color and contains seeds. The long squash has a mild flavor which becomes increasingly bitter as it matures. When allowed to grow in larger sizes, it is often used as a container, hence the alternate name of “bottle gourd.” (Source)

Apparently some of these long squashes (or bottle gourds) can grow to be up to a meter long, but mine was only about 8 inches. I was happy to learn that the flesh and seeds are edible, which meant less prep work on my part. Figuring it would serve the same purpose and have a similar flavour to zucchini, I threw together a curry for dinner last night containing the following:

• onion
• diced long squash
• sliced carrots
• cauliflower florets
• green curry paste (someone over here appears to be in a curry mood these days!)
• red bell peppers
• lite coconut milk
• chickpeas
• parsley

The flesh of the long squash seemed more firm than a zucchini, so I threw it into my pan with the onions, carrots and cauliflower in order to give it longer to cook. The bell peppers and cooked chickpeas came shortly after and the parsley was tossed on at the end. From start to finish, the dish took about 20 minutes to make, and it looked like this:

Taste wise, the long squash did a really good job of absorbing the other flavours in the curry. The skin seemed to be a little thicker though, sort of like a really firm eggplant. On the whole, it was really good and I’d definitely use it again in another curry or stew-type dish.

So tell me…

• Are you a fan of avocados? Any great recipes to share? Feel free to link them up in the comments below!
• Did you try anything new yesterday?

I was all set to post a recipe for you guys this morning, until I realized that it’s time for another goal check-in! April totally zoomed by, didn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I’m loving the longer daylight hours and wearing fun spring clothes rather than winter grays, blacks and browns. It’s amazing what a little colour does for the mood!

Alright, let’s get down to business…

On the whole, it was a pretty successful month. I did a lot of work, both blog and health coaching related (as well as my full time job, obviously!) but got to see a lot of friends as well. Here’s my self-assessment for April:

Oh it’s thisclose to being done! I just have one more recipe to take photos of, then she’s all finished. My plan to spend 3 hours working on it per week didn’t quite happen, but I did invest a lot of hours this past weekend and the one before in writing and making things look nice and pretty. (You wouldn’t have wanted to be at my house – the kitchen looked like a bomb site!) Now there’s the next step to complete, but I’ll get to that in my 5 goals for May!

That’s just one of the recipes you can expect to see.. there are plenty more!

Ok, Mother Nature was a bit of a jerk in April. Ideally I would have run outside every Saturday but this only ended up happening once. Last weekend I woke up to snow and wanted to cry because I rrrreally wanted to take my training outdoors. Although I’ve got a lot of stamina when it comes to endurance, I’m a huge baby when it comes to non-ideal weather conditions. This past Saturday was my last chance to get outside before my race (May 5 is just around the corner!!) so I sucked it up, threw on a couple of layers and went for it.

As for the Garmin, I like it! My only complaint is that the bezel (the outer circle that you slide your finger along to scroll through menus) is a little hard to get moving. Some of you warned me about this when I mentioned that I’d purchased this model (the Garmin 410), and you weren’t kidding! Maybe I just don’t have magic fingers, but it was a little frustrating at first when I had to go through all the setting options and I couldn’t scroll properly. Slowly but surely, I’m getting the hang of it.

The main reason I bought my Garmin was for the GPS feature, which means I don’t have to plot my runs before or after to determine how far I’ve gone. It definitely does this well, and I know that as I take more of my training outside to prepare for my second half mary of the year (The Lululemon SeaWheeze on August 10th), I’ll be loving it even more. I’m really looking forward to viewing at all my workouts in GarminConnect and using the information to improve my performance. I’m kinda nerdy like that.

Not done yet, but not because I didn’t have time! I’m waiting until the weather smartens up, and in April we saw everything from freezing rain to snow and hail. May will be the month that my Rav-4 gets all prettied up inside and out, I’m sure of it!

Oooh were these ever good. As I mentioned last week, there’s nothing I love more than a good massage, especially after a long day at work or the day after a tough workout. Throughout all of the training I’ve done for my upcoming race, I haven’t had any intense muscle soreness (knock on wood) and I attribute this largely to regular foam rolling, nutrition, and massages. Thank goodness for corporate benefits packages that make this little luxury possible!

(Source)

Hmm… ok. I’m a little challenged when it comes to this. I try, I really do! Chalk it up to my type A-ness, busy days at work, and self-imposed need to be doing something productive all the time. While I enjoyed a lot of activities that helped me to de-stress this April (massages, lunch and tea dates with friends, movie nights, sleep, and a bit of yoga) it was also a bit of an emotionally all-over-the-place month. I’ve definitely put some practices in place to help me slow down though, including taking a minute or so to breathe and say a prayer in my head (sometimes quick, sometimes not so quick) before eating breakfast and dinner. I’ve also been lighting candles in my house at night and listening to more calm music when I’m at home. (Just go to Youtube and search for ‘relaxing ocean sounds’ or ‘meditation music’.) It’s amazing how little things like this can be so soothing, especially after a long day when I come home feeling tense.

(Source)

Alright, so what’s on tap for the next 31 says?

5 goals for May

1. Run strong in my first half marathon of the season.

You guys are probably sick of hearing about this, so I’ll keep it short. I feel like my training has gone really well over the past 8 weeks, and although I know I’ve done myself a disservice by only getting outside to run on a real road once, I still feel like this race is going to be a good one. I haven’t made the specific goal to crack my PR on this one because I see it as more of a warm-up for SeaWheeze, but hey, if it happens, I won’t be complaining! The main focus for this coming weekend is to feel strong throughout the entire 13.1 miles and not to get overwhelmed by any big hills slightly elevated terrain. Prepare for the full recap next Monday!

2. After racing, have a month of ‘fun’ workouts.

There’s a class that I’ve been dying to get to at my gym but haven’t because my long runs, book writing, and health coaching clients have been taking priority. After Sunday, I’ve got 3 months until SeaWheeze and I intend to follow a no-plan plan for May. That is, there will be no pressure to run and instead, I’ll be doing more ‘fun’ workouts like this kettlebell-TRX fusion class that I’ve been wanting to get to for weeks.

3. Meditate for 5-10 mins per day.

After getting into the habit of pausing before meals to express a little gratitude, I’ve decided I really like how this simple action has helped me become more mindful. I was talking to a friend about this last weekend and we both agreed that as a society, we’ve really lost touch with what our bodies are trying to tell us. Becoming more mindful is something I always like to work, on and you’ll hear more about this from me at some point soon. For now, I’m stating my commitment to practice a little harder. Anyone else with me?

(Source)

4. Spend some quality time with my mum for Mother’s Day!

Anyone else want to boast about how awesome their mum is? Mine is pretty great, and this has been especially true over the past month. She’s been on the receiving end of a few “Mummyyyy, I don’t know what to dooooooooo! Helllllp meeeeee!” calls and has been a fabulous sounding board for my problems, occasional venting, and (sometimes crazy) ideas. We’ll be spending Mother’s Day together and I’m really looking forward to it!

5. Improve my photography skills.

One of the things I’m most looking forward to is a fun little weekend getaway near the end of May. I’m going to visit one of my blogger buddies and can’t wait! We have plans to create in the kitchen, feast on delicious food, and do some sightseeing. My plan is to snap a bazillion photos while seizing the opportunity to pick her brain for new tips.

So tell me…

• What was awesome for you in April? What was not-so-hot?
• What’s in store for you this May?

How are ya today? Do you have anything fun and exciting coming up this weekend? It’s supposed to be lovely and sunny here over the next couple of days, so I’m planning to start tomorrow with an outdoor run – my last Saturday long-ish run before racing next Sunday! Other plans include making my half marathon playlist and finishing up some recipes for my e-book, which is on track to be completed before the end of this month! More to come on that soon, but for now, let’s talk fitness.

(Source)

Work It Out

Last month I put a lot of focus on core workouts because I wanted to 1) develop more core strength to make me a stronger runner, and 2) improve my ability to support myself when doing heavier lifts including squats, deadlifts, and lunges. The Total Core Workout was posed back in March, but I’ve got another challenging one to share today. Get ready to feel a big burn!

The April Ab Burner Workout

For this one, you’ll need a stability ball, 2 small towels, and a BOSU (or other unstable surface – pillows should do the trick). You’ll perform the circuit 3 times through, stopping for rest after completing each round. The key here is to do the moves slowly with great form, so don’t try to rush through these ones! Feel free to make any modifications you need, and be sure to have a good stretch both in between sets and after you’ve finished the workout. You’ll be bikini-ready before you know it!

Click here to print the PDF.

Turn It Up

I’m not a big TV watcher at all, especially when it comes to reality TV shows that are in their kijillionth seasons. Having said that, I used to be a huge American Idol fan, and Kelly Clarkson is by far one of my favourite contestants. The other day while driving home I heard her latest song, People Like Us, and I’m hooked. It’s got a bit of a grittiness to it, with a positive, powerfulness at the same time. Let me know what you think!

Have A Read

• Fitspirational poster motivation – via Fitbie. Print these out and stick them on your fridge, in your bathroom, on your bedroom walls, or in any other location you pass daily for an extra reminder to get moving. (I’ve used some of them in this post!)
• The top 50 hottest trainers in America (plus a few Canadian ones too!) – via Shape. I spend a lot of time at the gym, but I’d live there if it meant seeing some of these guys on a daily basis!

So tell me…

• Who/what are your biggest sources of fitness inspiration right now?
• What are you up to this weekend?