My workout buddy is back!

My husband is not quite so into exercising as I am. He generally needs a little kick in the pants to get going. We used to exercise together when we were dating -- for a while, we were regulars at this fantastic yoga class, and we've done a fair amount of swimming together.

But the past year or so, I've missed my yoga and training buddy. He's been working on some other stuff, and I've gotten involved with the swim team. And while we do the occasional yoga DVD together at home, it's not quite the same.

But this past week, he joined my gym! I'm really looking forward to doing some yoga, weight training and swimming together. I'll admit that it's nice having the time to myself, but I think working out together will be even better and a lot less boring.

We start tomorrow morning with a swim. He's already grumbling about being dragged out of bed...

16 Ways I Learned to Love My Body Health & Fitness: glamour.com

Well, considering the current state my body is in (i.e. pregnant), I've found myself noticing some changes that I'm not completely thrilled with and I'm sure there are way more to come.  I caught myself getting upset and feeling helpless.  This isn't a totally new thing for me - I've always found things I don't like about my body - but I don't want those feelings to get worse and then hate myself for the next 6+ months.  I know that's not healthy.

But the real truth is, my body is doing something AMAZING. In fact our bodies do AMAZING things everyday! Don't even get me going on human physiology :).  I just don't know why we as women have such a hard time respecting, loving and accepting our bodies...

I wanted to write this post, but I really didn't feel like I had a ton of insight on how to "love your body" so blessed Google helped me find this little feature which has some very positive suggestions:

16 Ways I Learned to Love My Body Health & Fitness: glamour.com

Enjoy!  And love that body of yours!!!

Temptations...

(You may have noticed a bit of a change with the background and set up of the blog. Don't worry, we are just trying some new things...)

For the month of February, it seemed that I was constantly surrounded by chocolate or oreo truffles or cupcakes or cookies...some sort of sweet.

So, because so many people around me were giving up things for Lent, I decided to join them and give up something I truly love. I tried giving up all sweets (no, I am not Catholic, but it seems like a good time to do something drastic). Le Fiance decided to give up chips.

I lasted about a week-ish. 

I know. Pathetic.

So maybe I can't handle such drastic measures. 

However, I did lost 2.7 lbs last week. It was torture, but that just proves how addicted I am to chocolate.

 

Le Fiance is still going strong, although he is trying to find alternatives to chips. He asked me if he could eat popcorn (he doesn't even like popcorn).

Instead, I am back to the whole moderation thing, which time and time again proves the way to go. I can enjoy my sweets, but still be in control. 

How do you guys keep in control when temptation is all around? 

Any tips?

I've got 22 lbs to go to reach my goal weight for the wedding. 

Trucking along...

  

An Announcement...

After a couple weeks of slacking, I am back. Seems like some exciting things are going on with these bloggers!

I myself have some exciting news to share...

I am just over 3 months pregnant! yay :)

But no worries, I will NOT turn this into a pregnancy blog. I would, however, like to share some thoughts about how I feel about my body now...

First of all, I've never been extremely obese, but nor have I ever been extremely thin (not in the genes people...). In fact, since I was a teenager I've been making some very conscious efforts to watch my weight. I've had ups and downs, but in the past couple years I've been decently happy with where I was at. I must say, that as excited as I am about this little bean I'm carrying, I am really dreading the weight gain. According to my doctor, someone with my 5'4" frame should only gain about 25lbs. And that should be achieved by only eating an extra 300 calories a day (which really isn't all that much). I just am afraid that it will be easy to spin out of control but be very difficult to get back into shape...

I'm trying to change my focus though: I'm not "eating for two", I'm not even eating for me - I'm eating to grow a tiny human. That's made me think twice about what I put in my body, because I want this thing to be healthy (doesn't mean I haven't splurged a little though :)). I think a lot of this journey will be mental - having a positive attitude, not focusing on "feeling fat", feeling "in control" of my body, not giving myself too many excuses to indulge or be lazy.

Any of you have thoughts, suggestions, advise, for a healthy pregnancy???

Let's talk about lentils

I love lentils. They're easy to cook, nutritious, filling, versatile and cheap. Oh yeah, and they're delicious. What more could you want?

Lentils are a staple in our rotation, and each time I make them a different way. A few weeks ago, I followed a recipe in one of my many cookbooks that yielded a sweet version of lentils with dried apricots. This week, I went a simple route using ingredients I happened to have on hand: onion, garlic, paprika, fresh thyme, red bell pepper and kale. I used French lentils, which I buy in bulk and always have in my pantry. They're more flavorful than most lentils, and they hold their shape better than other types that turn mushy more quickly.

I topped the lentils with a bit of nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with some saffron. I also love eating the lentils with a poached egg -- which always feels so luxurious -- on top. Add a piece of crusty bread, and that's a tasty healthy meal.

Changes...

My apologies for my lack of posting this week.

But in my defense, some major things happened.

1. Le Boyfriend was in town, and that always throws off my schedule

2. Le Boyfriend proposed to me, therefore becoming Le Fiancé

cue the happy dance

What better motivation do you need to get into shape than to fit into a wedding gown??

So I have been transitioning from getting fit to meet someone to get fit to keep the someone to get fit to marry the someone. 

This is exhausting. But a good exhausting. The kind that makes you want to accomplish your goal.

In preparation for this, my schedule for working out looks like this:

Monday- Run

Tuesday- Run

Wednesday- Run or Crossfit

Thursday- Zumba

Friday- Run

Saturday- Zumba or Crossfit

Here are some additional links for those of you who are looking to get into shape before walking down the aisle.

Buff Brides

Get Fit Moves

Workout for Brides

Motivational tools

Above is a photo of my breakfast today. It was just so good that I had to share. In that bowl is oatmeal made with almond milk and topped with ground flax seeds, fat-free Greek yogurt, chopped almonds, blueberries and raspberries. Over all of that I drizzled a good amount of honey. Delicious, filling, and super healthy.

On to the topic of the day: motivational tools. While training for that Miami-to-Key West relay, my friends and I discovered DailyMile, a fantastic and simple motivational tool for all sorts of athletes. The site, which features a Twitter-style feed, was originally created by and for runners, but it soon expanded to include all sorts of athletic activities: swimming, cycling, rowing, yoga, weight training, and walking to name a few.

Whenever you do a workout, you log it, and it shows up in both your feed and those of your friends. Not only is it great for accountability, but it's also a fantastic place to get positive encouragement on those days when motivation is low. Friends can comment on your activities, so when you have a great workout they'll congratulate you, and when you've had a crummy day, they'll remind you that you're doing great and it'll get better tomorrow.

In addition to the motivational benefits, it's also an easy way to keep track of your workouts, which is important to be able to look back and see what kinds of workouts helped you get that PR and what might have, say, caused an injury.

So if you're having trouble staying on track with your exercise plan, I'd definitely recommend joining DailyMile with a few friends. With a little accountability and mutual encouragement, you'll be sure to reach your exercise goals.

Love...

Happy Valentine's Day!

I heard on the radio yesterday that men felt a lot of pressure to make this day a "perfect" day for their girlfriend/wife/lover. That they felt this need to get the most wonderful gift or plan the most amazing date...and that they felt this every year. Its not like they get a break from one year to the next. Every year.

But instead of giving you gift ideas, or a recipe to keep you on track that is still romantic enough to celebrate this day, I propose that we throw all of that out of the window and celebrate ourselves.

I don't care if you are single, married, divorced, or in the "its complicated" stage...

You are wonderful. 

Do something today that makes you happy because you are worth it!

Go ahead. Eat those cookies.

I've been on a bit of a sweets tear lately. I have, for the most part, kicked the regular ice cream habit, but I just moved on to chocolate truffles (which, in my defense, were leftovers from a birthday gift I made — I couldn't let them go to waste!) and now cookies.

My go-to cookie for satisfying a craving is a banana chocolate chip cookie recipe that is actually pretty healthy, as far as cookies go, and is also really delicious. I've had this recipe for a while and have tweaked it over the years until I think I've got just the right proportions. It's a great one to have in your repertoire, because it's egg-free (which came in handy when my godson had an egg allergy) and can be made dairy-free if necessary.

In fact, I made the cookies last week with butter and tried coconut oil this week. I was hoping it would give the cookies a bit of a coconut flavor, but it didn't — the cookies tasted pretty much exactly the same.

OK, so these cookies aren't exactly low in fat or sugar. The recipe calls for either a stick of butter or half a cup of coconut oil, both of which are pretty high in saturated fats and calories. And there's a whole cup of brown sugar in the batch.

But check out all of the good things: whole wheat flour, wheat germ, bananas and walnuts! And I would certainly throw dark chocolate into that category too. It is good for you, right?

I'll be honest — these are not as satisfying as a really delicious, gooey chocolate chip cookie. But they are delicious in their own right and are definitely worth a try.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c toasted wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 rounded tsp sea salt
1/2 c unsalted butter or coconut oil
1 c brown sugar
2 bananas, mashed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
walnuts
dark chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, wheat germ, baking soda, baking powder and salt).

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter or coconut oil until light and fluffy, and then beat in the sugar. Add the banana and vegetable oil and mix together thoroughly. Add the vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients and beat well. Finally, mix in as many walnuts and chocolate chips as you like.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Some inspiration for us all...

I'd like to post this video featuring my grandmother. She has been faithfully attending a wellness center that caters to her needs as an 87 year old woman. This past summer, when we were visiting her, she made it a point to take me down to her center and show me what she's been working on. She LOVES it there! You should have seen her throw a weighted ball against a trampoline and catch it over and over again! The people at the center have been so impressed with her, they decided to use her in a promotional video.

Anyways, the moral of the story is...forget about "getting skinny", the most important thing is being healthy and maintaining good health for a lifetime. My grandmother tells me all the time she is so grateful that she is still able to do the things she needs and wants to do (garden, take care of her home, travel, etc.), but she has really worked hard to remain so fit.

I hope you enjoy and feel inspired! Of course, I'm a little biased, but I think she's a perfect example of how exercise and being healthy improves quality of life at any age.

Crossfit: The latest thing?

Have you heard of Crossfit?

According to the official website,  "CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide."

Some of us here at So Maybe Mom Was Right have started training with Crossfit. We will keep you updated as to how it goes. But in the meantime, here is a video showing you what it is...



Can you handle it?

Stats

On my other blog, I have this Thirty before 30 list...things I want to accomplish before I turn 30 (which is happening in November. Yes, I am fine, no, I am not talking about it). 

One of the items on the list is to reach my goal weight before I turn 30. As mentioned in a previous post, I managed to do really well during the summer, but in September started dancing around with the same 5 lbs, doing really well one week, only to crash the next. 

With some encouragement from my mom, last week I joined Weight Watchers again, only this time I am doing the online program, because sometimes going to meetings is just not possible. 

Here are my stats-

Weight loss for last week: 5.8 lbs

Total weight loss (including summer loss): 32.8 lbs

Pounds to go: 29

But I would like to alter my goal so that I lose those 29 pounds by the summer. Summer officially begins June 20th, but I would like to be at my goal by June 1st.  That gives me 115 days days, or 16 weeks to achieve this. 

Care to join me on my journey?

 

This is it.

Summer of Hot Bod is on!

Lessons from a centenarian runner

Meet Fauja Singh, a 100-year-old marathoner profiled in the latest issue of Runner's World. As the oldest person to ever run a marathon, he offered a few pearls of wisdom for those of us mere mortals. My favorite is his take on preventing injuries: "I look where I am going."

Words to live by.

"23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Hello! I guess I'm back! I was enjoying a lovely vacation in Argentina for the past two weeks. But now, back to reality :).

I found this video via a friend on facebook a while back. It's a tad long, but super informative and delivered in a creative way (at least I think so). Definitely worth a view..and then share it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo&feature=share

I'm extremely impressed with the endeavors of our other bloggers! But, to those of you who are at different levels of physical activity (or motivation, in my case :)), just remember that it really doesn't take much. The most important thing to do is just MOVE!

Preparing for the Super Bowl!

Super Bowl parties are amazing! I just got invited to one where the invitation read:

Pizza. Wings. Guacamole. Chips. Dip. Kelly Clarkson. Madonna. Commercials. Football. America.

Just reading the first five words on that invitation made me gain five lbs.

Here is a video from Brett Blumenthal on how to survive your Super Bowl Party

 

Am I crazy?

How many of you out there are runners?

I certainly like to pretend I am a runner, but really, it takes a lot to motivate me to run. I've done that Couch to 5K program a million and a half times, and have gotten to the point where I was running 3 miles a day, but then life takes over and I give it up. And with my knee problems...its a hassle. Icing my knee every night, dealing with time management, exhaustion from work. It can be quite the commitment.

With all of that, why did I just sign up for the 2012 Warrior Dash? Not only is it a 5k race, it also has an obstacle course.

Here is a glimpse of what I will be facing...this is from last year's race

My first race...this should be interesting...

Squash and Spinach Baked Ziti

For the past few months, I've gotten into a rhythm of cooking up a storm on Sundays so that my husband and I have plenty of leftovers for the week. It's helped us cut back on those budget-eating workweek takeout lunches (or in our cases dinners, since we both work evenings) and, since most of the meals have been vegetarian or meat-lite, it's helped us incorporate more veggies into our diets.

Last week, I made a fantastic chickpea-eggplant-papaya curry from one of my favorite cookbooks. This week, I was thinking lasagna, but then I remembered the boxes of rigatoni in our cupboard from our last trip to Costco. So I started thinking baked ziti, but a meat-free version chock full of vegetables. Using one of our favorite homemade pizza variations as inspiration, I came up with a butternut squash and spinach version that turned out well, if a bit dry. I've written what I did, although if I were to make it again, I'd consider this as just a template and try to figure out how to make it a bit more moist. There's always the tomato sauce option I guess. Or maybe more bechamel? Any other suggestions?

And while this does have lots of veggies in it, there's also a fair amount of fat from all of the dairy. Feel free to make this even healthier with whole wheat pasta and, if you must, low-fat cheese.

Squash and Spinach Baked Ziti
(Or quality time with my box grater)

1 small-to-medium butternut squash, peeled and grated
1 lb. frozen spinach
1 box rigatoni
8 oz mozzarella, grated
1/2 cup grated parmeggiano reggiano or grana padano
1 1/4 cup ricotta
10 oz. milk
5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 large shallots, finely chopped
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

First, boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and set aside. Then pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Next, make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the shallots. Saute for about 4 minutes on medium-high heat.

Add the flour and whisk until you've created a paste. Then, while whisking with one hand, slowly pour the milk into the saucepan. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes a thick sauce. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Mix the sauce, squash, spinach, ricotta and pasta together in a casserole dish or lasagna pan. Sprinkle the parmeggiano on top.

Bake for about one hour, until the top is lightly browned.

Recipe Friday: Chili

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but in DC, it is cold and rainy. 

A perfect day to stay in bed with a book, hot chocolate, and some chili on the stove.

Here is a recipe from the Food Network that promises to combine delicious flavor and some much needed comfort food.

Three Bean and Beef Chili

Advice from Dara

Do you know who Dara Torres is?

You know, the 40-something Olympic swimmer...who will be swimming in the 2012 Olympics (her sixth Olympic Games!)...

Who better to give advice on fitness and nutrition??

A question of motivation

How are your resolutions coming along?

Did you make it to the gym at least 5 times last week?

Cook fabulous, but low fat/calorie meals every night?

Did you get 8 hours of sleep on work days?

Me either.

I saw an awesome quote the other day that said, "You are the only thing that is stopping you". I don't know you said it (full disclosure, I saw it on Pinterest). But isn't that the truth? Everyone morning, I tell myself that it is going to be an awesome day. I pack my breakfast and lunch, make plans to workout when I get home...and then reality hits, and I am exhausted, and its easier to sit on the couch to watch a movie than go outside in the bitter cold (right now it is 37F). 

So. What can we do to change ourselves? How can we remain motivated throughout the day, so that when the moment comes, the motivation is just as fresh as it was in the morning?

No, really, I am asking you. 

How do you motivate yourself everyday?

And as a funny little side note, I saw this and could not agree more...its just getting to that point that I need to work on.

Resolution 2012

I've been thinking a lot about what I'd like to accomplish in 2012. Last year was a bit of a disappointment in the health and fitness department. I had two main goals in mind for 2011: to complete an Olympic-distance triathlon and to run a sub-2-hour half-marathon.

I managed to do neither of those. My bike training was derailed by a cranky illiotibial band in my left leg, and that half-marathon didn't happen thanks to some really painful tendinitis in my right knee. And now I'm dealing with a sprained ankle. Throw in some flare-ups of the bursitis/tendinitis in my left shoulder that I've been battling for a few years, and 2011 just was not fun in the training department.

So, goal #1 for 2012: Get healthy and avoid injuries.

My ankle is healing quite well, but I've put myself on a self-imposed running hiatus until March, no matter how quickly it heals. Prior to doing any running, I'll get back in the gym and do all of those leg strengthening exercises that my physical therapist showed me.

I had briefly entertained the thought of doing something like running a marathon for my 30th birthday -- which is, unfortunately, rapidly approaching -- but training for that in the next few months is just asking for yet another injury. Which is the last thing I want.

So instead, I'm going to take it very, very slowly.

Goal #2: Commit to strength training.

This is super important to achieve goal #1. Also, I really like the results I see in the mirror when I strength train. I just need to do it more consistently.

Goal #3: Run a sub-50:00 10K by the end of the year.

I think a 10K will be a good distance to shoot for this year, since I'll be starting off to a slow start. It's a long-ish race, but it doesn't require the mileage that a half-marathon does. I ran a 52:17 in October and wasn't all that well trained for it, so I think this is doable. But I will absolutely drop this goal if training for it gets in the way of goal #1. Avoiding injuries is the priority.

Goal #4: Race a 200 butterfly

I've been thinking about this one for a while, as my butterfly stroke has felt pretty good in the water. I can certainly swim a 200 fly, but I'd like to train properly and actually race it well. At my last swim meet, I swam a 100 fly, and on that last lap, all I kept thinking was thank goodness I didn't sign up for the 200. So we'll see if this happens. But it's a good goal to shoot for, I think.

Goal #5: Eat less ice cream.

I say this as I sit here polishing off a pint of Haagen-Dazs. I am constantly complaining that I can't lose those last 5-10 pounds, but then I also often end my night with a bit of ice cream. The two are probably closely related.

These are just a few of several goals I've got in mind for this year. What are you hoping to accomplish in 2012?

Recipe Friday!

Here at So Maybe Your Mom Was Right, we are all about healthy fulfilling meals full of big time flavor. 

As I was perusing the New York Times Health Section today, I came across this recipe that I thought I would share.

Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Omelet

Happy eating!

And Happy Friday!

Back on the wagon

Hey there!

You know, during this break that I had from writing on here, I found myself wondering if it did me any good. Writing on a healthy living blog can be a challenge, especially when you aren't doing the "healthy living" you are supposed to be preaching about. 

I have a confession to make. 

I fell off the wagon.

Here is a picture

Urgh

But then, I went to Spain for the summer with my study abroad kids.  And something weird happened. I was walking 6-7 miles a day (I had a million and a half errands to take care of everyday). I was eating smaller portions because I didn't have time to eat big meals. And I made sure to include a ton of fruit in my diet.

And guess what?

I came back 27 lbs lighter.

Me and The Man

Now here is the thing. I came back to real life, and a full time job where I can't just pick up and walk 6-7 miles. I was searching for a place to live, I start seeing someone and life took over again.

Right now I am in the awkward phase where I keep losing and gaining the same five pounds over and over again (Oh, and let's not forget the Holidays. They get me every time!) And Le Boyfriend doesn't help because he is a major chocoholic and candy guy. 

What is a girl to do??

Instead of crawling in my bed and covering myself in blankets, I have decided to be a mature adult and attack. 

I am going to cook healthier meals.

Go to yoga once or twice a week

Play volleyball once a week.

Go to Zumba twice a week. 

Swim once or twice a week. 

And I am going to walk more. 

And when the weather gets warmer I am going to ride my bike to the store.

Anyway, the point of all of this is that I am absolutely thrilled to be back here, writing and having some accountability of my health goals.

I didn't write any New Years Resolutions, because I always feel like a failure when I don't do them. 

Instead, I am making a goal for healthier living.

Glad to be back.

Jillian

A few health tips from Jillian Michaels 

Put me on the disabled list

Hello!

We realize it has been 6+ months that we have posted on here. We all went through some major life changes and at the time we all felt that we needed a break from blogging.

But now it is 2012 and we are ready to get back to business. We have new bloggers, new topics, and we are ready to share our thoughts and information about healthy living with you. Enjoy!

*****************************

Allow us to introduce on of our new bloggers, Carolina

I'm a Miami native currently living in New York City with my husband. A former food writer turned legal journalist, I love to cook and later burn off those calories with a mix of swimming and running, with an occasional triathlon thrown in.

This is a healthy living blog, yet I'll start my time here by telling you about something I did last weekend that was decidedly unhealthy: I ran 9.5 miles on a newly-injured ankle, causing a very painful sprain that currently has me in crutches.

Why would I do something so colossally stupid? It had something to do with my 11 other teammates depending on me. Had this been a solo race, I would've dropped out immediately, but my teammates were counting on me to do my part of the Ragnar Florida Keys Relay, a 200-mile running relay from Miami to Key West, and I couldn't let them down or ask them to take on more miles when they were already exhausted. I was going to get across that Seven Mile Bridge if I had to walk the whole way.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'll start at the beginning.

A few years ago, my friends and I read about running relays, and we decided it might be fun to try one out. The four of us — all close friends from college who now live in different cities — asked a few more friends to join us, and we put together a seven-woman team for the 2008 River to Sea Relay, a 90-mile race across New Jersey.

We were hooked. We began looking around for other races and discovered the Ragnar Relays, a series of 12-person relays held all over the country. The Florida Keys race, begun in 2011, seemed perfect — it's a nice warm vacation for those coming from northern climes, the scenery is pretty spectacular, we have lots of local connections, and it's flat as a pancake.

So our little group expanded to include husbands and other friends and cousins, until we had put together a great 12-person team that included some more seasoned runners and a few people just getting off the couch for the relay.

Each person runs three legs in the same order. So, for example, since I was Runner 2, I ran legs 2, 14, and 26 (which were 4.4 miles, 4.7 miles, and 9.5 miles). Each of the legs was a different distance, and runners ended up doing anywhere from nine miles total over the whole race to almost 22 miles. Runners 1 through 6 are in one van, while Runners 7 through 12 go in another van. The two vans trade off throughout the race, allowing the "off" van to have a few hours to eat and nap.

The whole race can take anywhere from 24 to 40 hours. Teams run nonstop through the night, catching shut-eye whenever they can.

It is physically challenging and exhausting in a way no other race is (barring, perhaps, some of those crazy 100-mile ultramarathons), but it's also incredibly fun. And there's nothing like the thought of letting your teammates down to motivate you to get off the couch and make sure you do the training.

So, back to race day(s). My first leg was a lovely jaunt through Coconut Grove and Coral Gables. I was worried about my knee (I'd been dealing with some tendinitis for the past couple of months), but it held up just fine, and I felt great.

My second leg was a bit more interesting. It involved running in the dark (with a headlamp of course) on a gravel, uneven trail in the Everglades that featured some larger-than-usual rocks. About halfway through that run, I began to feel like I'd strained something in my ankle. But I hoped it would go away by the next morning, when I'd have to run my longest leg.

It didn't go away. As soon as I started running, I began to feel a sharp pain shooting from about the inside arch of my right foot up through about my mid-calf. I literally limped across the Seven Mile Bridge (which made up most of the run), averaging 12-minute miles, about 2 to 3 minutes slower per mile than I should've been running.

We eventually made it to Key West 34 hours after we'd started, exhausted, happy to be done, and ready to party. My ankle limited my mobility quite a bit, so I spent my time hobbling from the pool to the beach across the street. Not too shabby, but a bit frustrating.

X-rays showed no broken bones, but the doctor told me it should take about six weeks, or possibly a bit longer, to heal. In the meantime, I can barely walk (did I mention I live in a fifth-floor walk-up apartment in New York City about a half-mile from the closest subway stop?), let alone run, which is pretty much out of the question until at least March.

Which begs the question: was it worth it? Right now, I'm going with yes, definitely. If I'm still on a six-Advil-a-day diet come February, however, I might re-think that.

Still, the pain isn't nearly bad enough to prevent me from doing it all over again. We're already planning our next relay.

Changes are coming....

...for more information...