Amazing Quinoa, Kale, and Egg Breakfast Salad

I have just had the most amazing breakfast salad at my local Stonehaus restaurant. I am hooked. I don’t have the exact recipe but believe me, I will be experimenting with this over the weekend.

Here are the ingredients

1. Cooked Quinoa with chopped kale
2. Thinly sliced garlic
3. Cherry tomato
4. Avocado
5. Topped with two over easy eggs

When you slice the eggs and the yolk runs onto the Quinoa.. It’s delicious.
I will play around with this recipe this weekend and report back. There is a hint of spice…cayenne? I wonder if the restaurant will reveal?

My Love-Hate Relationship with Hill Repeats

Summer vacation for the kids means mommy gets to spend a lot of time running the fire road behind my house, instead of my usual long runs through the beautiful city of Thousand Oaks. When my children were little, I would take them to the kids club at Spectrum and run on the treadmill for an hour or so utilizing the incline function. Now…they would rather kiss me in public than be seen at the kids club.

Which takes us back to that fire road…

My summers equal hill repeats, and lots of them!

Now I love hill repeats for two reasons. First, running up hills is really speed work in disguise. Running hill repeats on a regular basis will make you a faster runner and will increase your VO2 max. Active.com has a fantastic article on maximizing your VO2 training. Second, I really love recovering on the downhill run. The downhill recovery makes it possible for me to repeat the inclines over and over. 

You will also notice how much easier running on fairly flat surfaces becomes.

Now enter the hate side….

It is hard work, especially after the 10th interval. This is where your mental toughness is tested. I try to overcome with mental games such as hill markers. I  run up 5 times to a certain marker (happens to be an irrigation marker), followed by another 5 to another marker. Breaking up the intervals seems to help me stay strong and finish.

 

 

 

Benefits of Flaxseed for Runners – How to Add it to your Routine Effortlessly!

Add Ground Flaxseed to your Protein Shake for an Easy Nutritious Boost!

I have seen the ground flaxseed package on the shelf at my local sprouts for years without any interest. It was not until I started the Dr. Oz skin firming regime that specifically named flaxseed as a core component that I took notice. I now take 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily religiously. Finding the tastiest way to ingest this seedy powder took some experimentation, but I have found the perfect avenue….my protein shake! I simply add it to my shaker and drink…viola’! Easy breezy!

Here are all the amazing benefits of Flaxseed aimed especially for runners.

1. Cardiovascular-Omega-3 fatty acids and amino groups found in flaxseed have shown to reduce blood pressure and normalize heart beats. Isn’t improving cardiovascular health one of the reasons we run!

2. B Vitamins – Flaxseed is high in most of the B vitamins, including brain-booster vitamin B1. It is also a good source of potassium,copper, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. Electrolytes like potassium are key in a runners world!

3. Fiber – Flaxseed contains both soluble and insoluble fiber good for digestive health. Keep it regular!

4. Cholesterol – The combined effects of omega-3 ALA, fiber, and lignans has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol in the bloodstream. High LDL cholesterol has been linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease. Some studies have equated the cholesterol lowering benefits of flax with medication. We all run to be healthy!

5. Cancer protection – Recent studies have suggested that flaxseed may have a protective effect against breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer. The omega-3 fatty acids inhibited tumor incidence and growth. Flax is high in magnesium, a cancer fighter. Cancer is scary, any kind of protection is worth investing!

6. Hormones – Lignans which have estrogen qualities may help reduce hot-flashes in menopausal women. Stay cool ladies!

7. Skin – Omega-3 fatty acids are known for increasing the rate at which wounds heal, building collagen and supporting estrogen levels. Flax increases your body’s natural oil production helping to keep skin smooth and moist. Beautifying!

8. Inflammation – Omega-3 fatty acids are key to fighting inflammation. Muscular inflammation and running go hand and hand.

Cheers to the health benefits of flax!

I would love to hear how other flaxseed lovers incorporate it into their diets. Please share your recipes!

BTW I read that there are certain people who should not take flax like pregnant or lactating women. Please talk with your Doctor before starting a flaxseed regime.

 

http://www.everydayhealth.com

http://www.droz.com

http://www.webmd.com

Easy Paleo Diet Crockpot Mexican Roasted Shredded Chicken

I have found the easiest, most delicious crock pot recipe ever! My whole family loves it. It fits into my (mostly) Paleo diet, is versatile,

AND did I say it is super easy?

So easy in fact, that I was a little embarrassed a few moments ago when a friend of mine came to pick up her sons from a play date. She walked in and exclaimed how good it smelled in my house. I smiled and thanked her, then proceeded to tell her about my wonderful discovery. Her amazement (and others I have shared this with) gave me the idea to share it here on my blog. All moms should have this recipe up their sleeve.

As I write,  I am also thinking about my two vegetarian friends Einat and Kristina who have meat eating husbands. This recipe requires hardly any handling of chicken. A big bonus for them!

Yummy Paleo Recipes!

5 Frozen Chicken Breasts

1 Jar of Mild Pace Picante Salsa

 

Place chicken breasts in crockpot pour the whole jar of salsa on top. Cover and cook on hi for 7 hours. Shred chicken with two forks and serve.

I like to serve on a bed of lettuce, with avocado, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, and sweet red peppers for me and my husband. The kids like to roll it up in a warm tortilla with shredded cheese.

There are many variations you can make.

1. Add some diced jalapeno peppers to add some spice.

2. Add some black beans.

3. Serve with brown rice.

4. Serve inside large romaine lettuce leaves and roll up.

 

I would love to hear other super easy crock pot recipes for us busy, all-ways running mommies. Please share!

 

Reasons to Love Running

Traveling, just one reason why I love running.

When I talk to people about running marathons there are usually two responses. It is either, “your crazy!!” OR “I want to run one too!”.  I always give the same answer to both, “It was a slow progression”. My love of running was gradual. It started out as a means to lose baby weight, but once I got a taste of my first half-marathon – I fell in love. Here are my reasons to love running.

1. Calorie Burn – Running burns mass calories period. I love to eat and eat to run..ha!

2. Toned Legs and Butt – Running has definitely changed my physique for the better.

3. Comradery – Runners love to talk running! It is a club!

4.  The Finish Line – There are few things I find more satisfying than finishing a race, and it is not because of the medal. The sense of accomplishment is exhilarating!!!

5. Runners High – Yes, it is true! I feel on cloud nine after a good run!

6. Healthy Body – We all know running is good for your heart, circulation, it removes toxins, and builds muscle.

7. The Great Outdoors – I really love running outside. Exploring my city or cities I am visiting is always a highlight to my day.

8. My Kids – I love inspiring my kids to be more active and I absolutely live to see their faces at the finish line!

9. Clears the Mind – There is nothing like a good run to clear your mind and cleanse the soul!

10. Music Party – I love to run to dance music, it is like a run party. I sing while running and do not care who sees 🙂

11. Food – Did I say I love to eat? Running gives my conscious a rest when I have that Saturday night pizza and beer!        

12. Races – I love signing up for a new race, training for it, making hotel reservations, and traveling to new destinations.

I could go on and on, but these are my ultimate reasons for loving the sport of running. If you are a new runner, don’t rush it! The love of running will grow on you!

          

Breathing When Running…On a Mission to Improve!

I have been running for about 8 years now, starting when my youngest child was around 4 months. I remember the hardest part of starting to run was the breathing element. I could spend an hour on the elliptical or stair machine with no problem, but run for 10 minutes left me feeling winded. As my fitness increased, I naturally learned to breath better without any formal research. I guess you could say my body adapted and I just came up with my own way of not hyperventilating! ha! But now in preparation for a faster marathon time, I am pushing my speed limits and breathing rate. I bet there is an elite breathing secret that can help me achieve my goals. What do the experts say? Here is what I found out..

• 80% of the work in breathing is done by your diaphragm. Strengthen your diaphragm and enjoy more endurance.

• The harder your respiratory muscles work in a race, the more the leg muscles have to work. Once your respiratory muscles tire, the body redirects oxygen from your limbs to your diaphragm.

• Deep breathing is the key. You must utilize all of those tiny air sacs to get the most oxygen delivered to your muscles.

• Become a belly breather not a chest breather.  Belly breathers use the diaphragm instead of the chest and shoulders. Chest breathers sap up their energy faster.

• A trick to teach your body to belly breath naturally while running is to practice when resting. Inflate your belly while inhaling and exhaling. This habit will carry over during a run.

• How to check that you are indeed belly breathing and not chest breathing. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly, take a deep breath. You should only see the belly hand moving while breathing. The chest hand should stay still.

• Coordinating breathing with footfalls can improve diaphragm strength. Try a 2-2 coordination first (inhale on left, right, exhale on left) and work up to a 4-4 coordination (breathing in on four steps and out on four).

• Breath through your mouth. This provides the most oxygen to your lungs.

• Pilates can strengthen diaphragm and intercostal muscles while teaching controlled breathing. Check out the pilates video from Runner’s World.

• Poor posture while running diminishes the amount of air getting into the lungs.

And last but not least, there  are  respiratory strengthening devices you can buy. They look like a kazoo and can be quite costly. The benefits are debateable.

Respiratory Trainer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am definitely a belly breather, but I am excited to try breathing in patterns tomorrow during my long run. I think the thought process of it all will keep my mind busy!

Disneyland Half Marathon..So Good I Have Forgotten How Many Times I’ve Run It!

As I sit here preparing for the Disneyland Half Marathon race coming up on August 31st, 2014 (early this year), I can’t seem to remember how many times I have run the happiest race on earth. Has it been 5 or 6? I need to go upstairs and count the medals to be sure. One thing is for certain..this is my favorite half marathon. If you are running the DL half for the first time this year, you will be thrilled! There is a reason this race cost more than other races…Here are the reasons why I love running Disneyland!

1. You get to run through both parks! Running through Disneyland and California Adventure at sunrise with no crowds is amazing!

2. You get to run through Angels stadium! My favorite part is getting to see myself on their big screen on the field!

3. Disney characters cheering you on!

4. Amazing hydration and fuel support!

5. Local cheerleaders, dance teams, and singers along the course!

6. Pretty flat course.. !

7. Antique cars to keep your mind distracted!

8. Awesome medals!!

9. Well organized start and finish!

10. Ok.. Last but not least I love the cool towels and awesome food at the finish! Disney really knows how to do it!

 

More information on the Disneyland Half Marathon 2014

Ventura Marathon.. Ready to Get Back on the Horse!

I have run a handful of times since finishing the Mountains 2 Beach Marathon in May. I have enjoyed the mental time off from running, especially with the kids home from school for the summer. We have had a culmination, celebrated a birthday, and enjoyed a few beach trips. But now it’s time to get back on the horse!! I have my eyes on the Ventura Marathon September 7, 2014 which boasts a fast, flat Boston qualifier course.. All of my favorite racing words ha! My only hesitation is I’m running my favorite half marathon Disneyland only a week before. Is that enough time to taper.. Hmmmm…

So close… But a huge improvement!

My journey to Boston continues… I ran the Mountains to Beach marathon in 3:52:16 a huge improvement from my 4:13 at the LA marathon but still 7 minutes shy of the needed 3:45 to qualify! Ugh!!! While I am disappointed.. at the same time I am quite impressed with my 21ish minute time improvement!
There is always another marathon right!??
In fact, I am already scouting out my next race. I found a handy website which lists all the fast Boston qualifying marathons, complete with stats.. Interested? Here is the link.
Fastest Qualifying Marathons
Sooo.. The question is how long should I wait before I give it another shot?

Mountains 2 Beach Marathon Mile 23

My family cheering me on at mile 23! A much needed boost with 3 more to go~