I’m a snob.  A running snob.  No workout feels as good as a run.  I have tried so many workout videos lately and am trying to do more yoga and weight training, but nothing is as hard or as refreshing as a run. I’ve been trying all the popular workout videos (and I’ll review them soon), but compared to running, they’re easy.

After three months of no running to rehab my hip injury, I was really scared to see my numbers.  Not the numbers on the scale, but the ones that really matter – my lipids.  I gave in to a quick check and was shocked!  My numbers rock!

I guess these videos really do work – my HDL (good cholesterol) is 82!   My LDL (bad cholesterol) was only 77 and my triglycerides (an hour after lunch – not even fasting!) were only 78!  (Note:  triglycerides are affected by omega-3 and I’ve been getting a ton of it from the new liquid I’ve been sampling for the past two months!)

Lesson learned, maybe I don’t have to run marathons to stay fit.  My body is obviously benefiting from my new cross-training routine.

I’ve been resting and trying to heal my nagging hip injury for over a month now and I feel that I might go crazy. In fact, the people close to me have all noticed that I haven’t been my chipper self lately.

Running isn’t something I do to stay thin or for the calorie burn (although those are nice side effects); it’s something I do because I love the feeling I get while running. It keeps me happy, sane and energetic. I can sort out all sorts of problems and really clear my head on a run.

I’m doing yoga and (ugh) walking, but it’s just so boring and doesn’t have the mental effects that running does. I’m suffering from some IT Band issues, bursitis and inflammation of the tensor fascia. It hurts to do almost anything and although the pain is getting better, it’s still there. Hopefully I will heal soon… rest, ice, repeat.

I have posted this before, but since it’s such a family-favorite I thought I’d post again. My kids (ages 4 and 6) love this recipe. It’s fun and easy to make together.

Michelle and Maggie’s Pumpkin Soup

One yellow onion
2 cups canned pumpkin
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon)
Dash ground pepper – to taste
3 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken broth

Chop the onion and caramelize with olive oil in pan. In large crock pot or stock pot, add pumpkin, nutmeg and pepper. Slowly add chicken broth and heat thoroughly on medium heat. Stir occasionally.

Before serving, pour into blender or food processor and blend until smooth, will appear creamy. (Bonus, the kids won’t see the onions!)

I have been grumpy all day. I’ve injured my hip and can’t work out for two weeks, people around me have been grumpy, and I’ve got so much to do that my head is spinning.

A little while ago, I was grumping my way through my local drugstore (picking up some allergy medicine) and waiting in line to checkout when I’m pretty sure I met my guardian angel – or at least got a little message from above to cut it out! The woman ahead of me turned around, looked at me and said, “you go first; you only have one thing.” I said, “so do you,” to which she replied, “please go first, I’ve got all the time in the world to wait. I’ve just come from the doctor with fabulous news. It’s not cancer.”

Wow! I had to stop and think, what do I really have to be that grumpy about? I have a wonderful family, great friends and life is darn good.

That woman in the store spread her cheer with all around her. Have I been spreading nothing but grumpiness? I’ve already snapped at my husband and have not been my normal, cheerful self with my colleagues. I think I’d better head outside for a quick walk to count my blessings and give myself an attitude adjustment.

At the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

I can’t believe it’s already October. I used to associate October with fall color, Husker football and Halloween, but four years ago that all changed. October is breast cancer awareness month and to me, it’s all about pink! On Sunday, my family and family-friends gathered together for our 4th Annual TeamSANDY walk in Omaha’s Race for the Cure. Sandy is my mom, my best friend, and a breast cancer SURVIVOR – 4 years now! We also celebrate my grandmother, 91 year-old Margaret, a 9-year SURVIVOR!

I will never forget the day my mom was diagnosed. I had just left my OB doctor’s office with the news that we were having a BOY! I called my mom the minute I left and she didn’t answer. She didn’t answer her cell, home or work lines. My dad didn’t answer. THey’d been eagerly anticipating our news so I knew that something was very wrong. I knew her test results were due that day and knew it couldn’t have been good.

I remember pulling over on the side of the road, calling my husband and telling him that he needed to turn around and come get me. I couldn’t drive the rest of the way home.

At the time, we knew nothing about cancer and were about to get a crash course. The next week, my mom had a radical mastectomy, followed by several months of chemotherapy. She finished chemo and had a blood transfusion

two days before my brother’s July 30 wedding that year.

I thank God that my mom and dad were able to dance at that wedding and for her healing and recovery. I still have my best friend and that my kids have a vibrant, fun, loving grandma!

I am the perfect example of the old adage, you are what you eat. Have you read the O’Keefe’s blog this week? Unfortunately, I can attest to every word.

I’ve been on Accutane twice in my life and wish so much I’d have known then what I know now. Unfortuantely, that was back in the day of fat-free diets being the rage and me not knowing any better. I used to live on fat-free sugar laden cereals and other junk – and I loved soda pop. And I paid the price. My skin looked awful! As a last resort, I took Accutane at 16 and again at 22. Accutane is a miserable experience. The side effects are awful and now they’re saying it could cause all sorts of intestinal issues later in life. Not good!

I have been trying to follos the Forever Young Diet and Lifestyle for several years now and have never looked or felt better. But, for the last two weeks, my skin has looked awful! I am broken out so badly. It should have been obvious from the first zit – my birthday was two weeks ago and I really overindulged. Birthday cake and pie and sweets galore for the whole week. And it’s still visible in my face. I’m well into my thirties now and bad skin just doesn’t look professional.

All those sweets didn’t taste anywhere near good enough to be worth this nasty skin. I’m embarrassed and I am hiding my face and trying as hard as I can to cover it up with makeup, etc. It’s just not worth going through this for the minute or two of pleasure that birthday cake gave me.

For the next month I’m going to try to completely eliminate easily digested carbohydrate from my diet. I’ll let you know how my skin looks next month.

I know, I know. I’ve neglected the advice I’ve received by so many people and now I’m paying the price.

I’ve been using the “too busy” excuse for not fitting in as much core and weight training as I should. I have tried to do my running, biking and swimming workouts, but that leaves very little time for weights and core exercises. Lately, I’ve neglected them all together.

My favorite triathlon of the season, The Win For KC Women’s Triathlon, was this Saturday. I did the Cameron, MO mini-triathlon as a warm-up the weekend before and that’s where I first felt the awful pain and burning in my left hip. It was almost unbearable and my run really suffered in that race. I took last week off of running completely thinking it would improve in time for Saturday’s race. Not so.

I probably shouldn’t have even done the race, but about 1/10th of a mile into Saturday’s run the burning was back… with a vengeance. I ended up walking part of the 5K and jogging a little. My time in the 5K was 20 seconds per mile MORE than my marathon pace. Ridiculous. Hopefully by not pushing through the pain I may have salvaged myself for a fall race. I think it’s time to see the doctor. I’m also going to check with some functional training friends to see what they recommend to avoid this injury coming back.

I’ve switched gears from marathon training to triathlon and with that comes lake swimming.  I love swimming, but I always seem to have trouble with swimmer’s ear and ear infections when I swim a lot.  I’ve tried ear plugs and they never seem to stay put through a long swim.  I’ve also tried keeping my cap over my ears and that alone doesn’t help either.  Enter my six year-old.

During a recent visit to my daughter’s Ear Nose and Throat surgeon (she had ear tube surgery in May), we were advised to keep her ears completely dry for eight weeks.  Difficult at best, especially during the summer.  Her doctor told us to coat cotton balls in vaseline and use as earplugs.  The vaseline creates an air-tight seal – she compared it to chewing gum – and keeps the ears dry.  What an easy (and economical) solution.  It’s worked incredibly well for eight weeks of baths, showers, and lots of swimming.  And, it’s worked for me, too!

Cheaper than earplugs and it works much better!  I’m off to the lake…

Last Saturday employees of CardioTabs and Good Things Health made a strong showing at the Kansas City Start! Heart Walk benefitting the American Heart Association. As a frequent participant in charity runs and races of all lengths, I was absolutely inspired by the sheer number of people who came out just to walk or to show their support for friends/family with heart disease. There were no timing chips and no prizes for the first walker to the finish line, but still thousands of people came to the event.

This is one event where setting a PR was out of the question. We simply walked and had a good time. I even refreshed my CPR skills! Every once in a while it’s good for the competitor in me to take a rest and enjoy the walk.

I think I can speak for our entire staff when I say that we had so much fun meeting long-time customers and new faces, too. We gave out hundreds of samples of omega-3 and had such great reviews! I’ll be posting pictures soon so check www.cardiotabs.com for them.

More great news: CardioTabs is giving 15% of all product sales that use promo code IHEARTKC to the Kansas City chapter of the American Heart Association. Valid through June 30th.

I did it! Stomach bug and all I qualified! For some reason, the Boston Marathon has always been my gauge. Qualifying for and running it would make me a “real” runner. I thought I’d feel different in some way upon making it, but I don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited, but maybe it’s because I never took the time to “revel in the moment” at the end. I started to tear up and get excited, but the very moment I crossed the finish line, that stomach bug had me looking for the nearest restroom.

The race really did go well. My first half felt terrific and in the last 10K, I knew I had the Boston time nailed so I relaxed and had fun with it. My brother, his brother in law (who is also a friend of mine) and my husband, who all happen to be named Jason, ran the last half mile of the race with me and those are moments I’ll never forget.
I think the real finisher’s medal should go to my parents and kids. My mom and dad got the kids up very early to watch the race and helped my husband shuttle them from spot to spot along the race course. They did a lot of work and were there every few miles cheering me on. I should also thank the other Michelle. She was running my pace for the whole first half and had a ton of crowd support – I think she knew the whole city. I just pretended it was me that they were cheering for.

Boston April 2011, here I come. My good friend and running partner will even be joining me! Thanks to all of my friends and family for the well-wishes. We did it!