A Greek Historian Once Said....

“A human body in no way resembles those that were born for ravenousness; it hath no hawk’s bill, no sharp talon, no roughness of teeth, no such strength of stomach or heat of digestion, as can be sufficient to convert or alter such heavy and fleshy fare. But if you will contend that you were born to an inclination to such food as you have now a mind to eat, do you then yourself kill what you would eat. But do it yourself, without the help of a chopping-knife, mallet or axe, as wolves, bears, and lions do, who kill and eat at once. Rend an ox with thy teeth, worry a hog with thy mouth, tear a lamb or a hare in pieces, and fall on and eat it alive as they do. But if thou had rather stay until what thou eat is to become dead, and if thou art loath to force a soul out of its body, why then dost thou against nature eat an animate thing? There is nobody that is willing to eat even a lifeless and a dead thing even as it is; so they boil it, and roast it, and alter it by fire and medicines, as it were, changing and quenching the slaughtered gore with thousands of sweet sauces, that the palate being thereby deceived may admit of such uncouth fare.”
― Plutarch

Reunited and it Feels SOOOOOO Good!

I have no photos today. Those of you that need photos...well, there are none.

I am running again. Truly running again.....and sometimes while I run, I cry. They are tears of joy, but it is a good thing that I run alone because I am sure that isn't much fun to run with....and I probably look like a crazy person to passers by when I forget my sunglasses (like yesterday) and you can see tears on my cheeks.

I ran 7 miles yesterday. The last time I reached this distance was during the run I injured myself on. It was October 18, 2009.

The best part is that I am okay. I am sore today, but I feel great and much better than I have ever felt running before. My times are not what they once were (9 mile per hour average yesterday), but I am taking it easy and not trying to push myself. It will come with time.

Yesterday during my run, my music turned off after the first mile because I am awesome and I forget to charge anything that requires charging. Technology and I are not friends.

It was surprisingly ok, though. I really enjoyed just taking everything in as I ran and observing parts of my neighborhood that I don't really get to appreciate when I am in my car. It was also nice just to spend an hour in my own head. Running has always been such a release for me emotionally and mentally. I think this is why I prefer to be a 'lone runner'.

Manfriend and I are practicing for a triathlon. I don't know if I will be able to do the one that we had planned on, but we are swimming together nonetheless. 

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

I am not a mother, but I do have a dog and I decided that if he had opposable thumbs and could cook that he would make me pancakes today.

Blueberry Protein Pancakes

Flax egg replacer (1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed with 1 1/2 tbsp warm water) *you can use one egg white
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Optimum Nutrition Soy Protein)
1/3 cup oat flour (you could also use whole wheat pastry flour)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk of your choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 packet stevia
*1/3 cup warm water (I had to add water because of the consistency of the soy protein. This may change depending on the protein that you use. If the batter is too thick, add water 1 tbsp at a time.)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries

Mix all of the ingredients and then pour 1/4 cup scoops onto a heated, non-stick skillet.

This makes 4 pancakes which I decided is one serving because I am hangry.

I served mine with Walden Farms pancake syrup....and by served, I mean to myself. Manfriend was still sleeping so no pancakes for him.

Enjoy!

PB2 Shortage and The Wizard

I went to Good Earth earlier this week to pick up some groceries, including my beloved PB2. When I came to the shelves full of peanut butter there was a gaping hole where my beloved PB2 is supposed to be. A cute store clerk asked if she could help me and informed me that the PB2 jars would be out until VALENTINES! She then proceeded to tell me "We sell the packets". The packets have about 1 whole Summy serving. Who is she kidding?! I go through about 4 jars in 2 weeks. The poor girl took a step back because I think I must have been snarling and foaming at the mouth. I was forced to get these:

 

Yes, that would be the chocolate PB2 and some other powdered peanut butter substitute that has more sugar. Thumbs down. I even checked Whole Foods. They are out too. I promptly went home and ordered 4 pounds of PB2 in bags that should be here on Valentines day. 

I also picked up some Ezekiel brand pita pockets! Yeah buddy!

At least I have my pitas and hummus to save me during this PB2 famine. 

Biggest news of all. I went to see the Wizard. The amazing and wonderful physical therapist that I was referred to. Cheryl Farnsworth. Every time I go to see a therapist they look at what is hurting and treat it. This therapist did a head to toe analysis of my body to find out WHY I keep getting injuries. I was in her office for three hours being poked and prodded by two therapists. The final word was that my feet pronate, which causes my pelvis to come out of alignment forcing strain on my knees and IT bands which are stuck in the middle. She explained that I can wear high heels on end because I am not pronating in them and am standing on the balls of my feet. She also told me that was ok and I am welcome to wear....wait for it....ANY KIND OF SHOES THAT I WANT! I am officially in love with this woman.

They taped my feet, my knee and my heels. They gave me exercises and referred me to a podiatrist for orthotics. Final answer: I will marathon again and I will wear heels for-ever.

So now I am wrapped like a mummy in medical tape:

Don't mind the tramp stamp

My feet are taped too, but I didn't want to take off my shoes because my feet are cold. Sorry kids! Hopefully my blog will soon be full of race training scheduled and runs to come this year. I am hoping to be able to run a full marathon again by the end of the fall if this magic works!

I Really Wanted to Run

My physical therapy appointment with the magical therapist is on Monday and I can't stop thinking about running. My knee continues to hurt just about every day and every day that I am at the gym, I have to convince myself to not get on the treadmill because I am aware of what will happen. Sore knee for days....even more so than it already is.

I woke up this morning at 8 am and it was no different, so I decided to make the best of it and went to the gym determined to make the next hour of cardio the best hour ever. I got on this machine that they have at my gym....I don't think you can actually call it an elliptical? Maybe?

It is this thing:

 

The Cybex Arc Trainer. Anyway, it is basically like lifting your knees up to your chest for an hour with resistance. I burned 930 calories according to the machine. I still wanted to run....so I went to Bikram Yoga. Apparently the desire to run fills me with energy. I went to Bikram Yoga for 90 minutes and I don't think I have ever had so much sweat in my eyeballs. Ever.

I came home around noon and finally had my "morning" cup of coffee and then the urge to run came over me again....oh dear. I sat on our stationary bike downstairs for 30 minutes. Yes, I am a crazy person. 

Speaking of crazy, I have been reading this awesome book by Rich Roll that I highly recommend. He is an ultraman, meaning that he competes in Ultraman which is twice the length of an ironman. Amazing book and HE IS VEGAN! Yay! The book is called Finding Ultra. 

So now I have been having a dream about running and cycling in an Ultraman about every other night...one of these days.

I have been trying to convince my dad, who is also a vegan, to start cycling again. If you ask him about his cycling career, he will say "Oh, I liked to bike a bit once." The truth is, he was an AMAZING cyclist. He took 3rd overall in his first ever race when I was a little girl with almost no experience and would go out for 50+ mile bike rides every weekend until I was probably 8 years old. I will leave you will a pic of me and the pops both pre-vegan:

 

Have a most excellent weekend!

Less Gluten, More Food and Possibly Running Again

I have an appointment with ANOTHER physical therapist that was recommended to me. This time may be different. The referral came from an adorable nurse I work with, who I recently found out has been referred to as a ninja "because she comes outta nowhere and wins marathons". She recently ran a marathon in California that she "wasn't ready for" in 2:55. I have high hopes.

I have been started my mornings off for a long time with oatmeal or Low Sodium Ezekiel Bread with PB2 and sugar free apple butter. I will never understand why some companies put sugar in apple butter....

 

It is delicious. If you are unfamiliar with PB2, I have been eating it for some time. It is peanut butter that they drain all of the oils out of. It comes in a powder form, is 100% natural and all you do is add water.

 

They have a website: PB2  

The chocolate is amazing as well and the nutritional value is the same as the original. I have also been eating Ezekiel Bread for some time. I have found recently that a lot of the foods I have been cutting out are full of gluten. I haven't been doing it on purpose because of the gluten, but I find it pretty interesting that all of these foods have this in common....

I have also been making green protein smoothies with spinach, water, a scoop of protein and frozen blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

 

I also made a salad the other night. Mixed greens, almonds, cranberries, tomatoes and avacado with Walden Farms dressing...yummmy AND I was so full! I shall include the dressing link: Walden Farms

Last, but not least, I made my first excursion following a massage I had downtown. I took a break these last few days from any upper body exercises. My back was so sore that manfriend said the knots "felt like gristle"....just what I was going for. Anyway, Trader Joe's a scheming sonofabitch with all of their delicious foods! I got this THREE LAYER HUMMUS and it is AMAZING!!!

 

Yes. I eat it right out of the container. Don't judge. 

 

 

 

Snowed in and a Clif Bar

The snow storm continued last night and I woke up with my car covered in snow and the roads had yet to be plowed. My job allows me to work from home whenever I need, so I stayed home and made oatmeal with vanilla protein powder, stevia and cinnamon.

  

Work was going well and then I started coughing and sneezing and my back hurt and I figured since I was already home, I would just stay there instead of going in this afternoon. 

I looked up my favorite massage school after work was done and they had no appointments, so I did the only logical thing and passed out on my couch for what ended up being 2 and half hours. I woke up feeling like a million bucks and put my "Pumas on my Puma Piggies" (that is what my nephew says) and headed to the gym for leg day.

 

I did an hour and fifteen minutes of cardio and burned 840 calories between the bike and the elliptical. I had a lot more energy than I anticipated. Today was leg day and I have been makin' all kindsa gains in this area recently. I even took a pic on my phone and then it disappeared into the abyss when I tried to load it on here. I have increased all of my weights and will be up to 6 plates on the leg press in no time!

When I got home, I ate the most wonderful thing. Manfriend and I went to the Outdoor Retail show this past weekend and Clif Bar came out with these vegan bars called "Kit's Organics". I bought some of them today. They only have SIX ingredients and they taste like heaven in your mouth. I ate so many samples at the Retail show that I think the poor girl was going to cut me off....who does she think she is?

 

 

A Blizzard and Starbucks

Whew, it has been a while. I continue to tell myself that I am going to keep this thing updated and then my 5,467 other interests and hobbies kick in and I forget....

I got up this morning, sat on the computer for a little while and then went to the gym. They were playing Indiana Jones in the "cardio cinema" so I watched Harrison Ford battle with the Ark of the Covenant while I cranked out 53 minutes of cardio on a elliptical and burned 667 calories. I didn't stop at 666 calories because it is Sunday.

I did biceps and triceps today and then I went into the aerobics room where two girls had decided to make it their very own workout gallery and they were blasting Whitney Houston from the speakers so I went and did my situps and stretches by the stairs instead.

This afternoon I went to visit a dear friend of mine who was once one of my patients. He told me that he had been transferred to a rehab center from the hospital last week so I drove into the city to see him and we talked for an hour about him and his family and everything in between.

I really love being a nurse. The people I have met have made every second worth it.

When I left the rehab facility, a blizzard had started. I was covered in snow in 0.1 seconds and I headed to my brother's house to see my favorite nephew and give him a frog hat that I found for him at the Outdoor Retail show and then decided to drive home because the snow wasn't stopping and the plows hadn't started....did I mention I have two bald tires?

One hour and a starbuck's coffee later I was home to my sweet manfriend. Sitting warm and cozy now. We talked at length about apple and his new ipod and determined that neither of us knew anything about loading music onto one of those gadgets.

Making my workout schedule for next week!

This is the year....

Ok, so I know that everyone everywhere makes resolutions and claim that they are going to do something and within a few weeks they stop. I am serious this time. I think that manfriend thinks that I am a little crazy with my bodybuilding obsession, but as a fellow athlete I also think that he understands. Living with another athlete helps, but he is also one of those that was blessed with a metabolism that naturally burns 10,000 calories a day and he has a six pack just by sitting there and watching TV. Thumbs down.

I have decided that this is the year of the Summy Six Pack:

That isn't me. That will be me this year, though. Back in March/April, I was workin' a 4 pack and then....well I lost some lean. I have found over time that my desire to become more and more lean has just increased. I have sort of become "pissed off" for it as the Hogetwins would say. I wish I would've taken a pic of my abs back then to use as a bit of motivation. I haven't been posting a lot of recipes recently because I haven't been cooking a whole lot. I have been trying to focus more on my diet and frankly my meals have consisted mostly of things that I don't have to cook, like fresh fruits and veggies.

I have also been spending some time on my facebook Summy Fitness page. Summy Fitness

I have been taken back by how many people started following me and it feels pretty neat having some peeps share their fitness goals and accomplishments with me.

I will post some of the things that I eat and products I use.

Whatever your goals are, stick with them. Stay focused!

P.S. I have been pushing it extra hard at the gym. Supersets and working to failure and I keep forgetting to take my magnesium and calcium . So sore. Don't do that. Calcium and Mag and sore muscle article