Book Review: Wild

Wow! It's been 2 years since I last wrote a book review (or read a book??). I don't think I mentioned it on the blog before, but I joined a blogger book club in January.

There is a theme for each month, and everyone chooses their own book to read. If you're a blogger and wish to join in, just click the above picture for more info and the monthly themes.

January's theme was A Motivational Book.

I had a hard time deciding on a book since I'm not usually one to read motivational, self-help type books. After getting a few recommendations, I ultimately decided on Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. Thinking back, it probably doesn't really fit the motivational theme. I'd say it fits inspirational more, but that's even a little stretch.

I promise I'll do better at fitting the themes in the following months. :-)

I finished this book one morning before work. It had been so long since I read a book; I had a difficult time moving on and getting ready for work. I wanted to stay longer on the Pacific Crest Trail.

I could really relate to Cheryl. Maybe because I also grew up in Minnesota and lost my mom as a teenager. My life didn't go spinning out of control with the loss of my mom, so I didn't necessarily relate to her sense of loss that drove her to the PCT, but I could sympathize with a lot of her back story.

Here is my review on GoodReads.

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book! Cheryl did a great job describing the PCT, her adventures on it, and what led her to it.

It was interesting to learn about her, and the experiences she had that led her to the PCT. The mistakes she'd made. The hurt she'd felt. Glimpses into her family and pre-PCT life.

I loved meeting the people (most of them) that she met along her journey. I loved hearing their stories, and the break in solitude and monotony that they provided her.

Above all, I felt like I was out there with her. I could see the desert and trees and the snow. I felt scared when she did. And even when she didn't. I often anticipated the worst during certain situations, and felt relief when my worst fears didn't come to fruition.

It did make me think about how I'd respond if I saw a bear or a rattlesnake. Would I be as brave as Cheryl? Would I be able to survive on little money? On being so alone? I couldn't help but wonder what I would think about if I were doing a long distance hike all by myself.

After spending 1100 miles with Cheryl on the trail, I didn't want it to end. All along, I knew eventually she would reach her destination, but when she did, I wanted more. I wasn't quite ready to say good-bye. To Cheryl or to the trail.
View all my reviews

I'd hoped to watch the movie after reading the book, so I could compare the two. I didn't realize it was still in theaters. Oops. I'll wait for it to come to video.

I'm definitely more excited to see the movie now that I've read the book! I can't help but wonder which characters will make it into the movie and if any of the experiences will be told differently. Maybe I'll write a follow-up post after watching the movie.

Have you read this book or seen the movie? What did you think?
February's theme is A Love Story. Any recommendations?
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Check out these other Motivational books that people read in January.

An InLinkz Link-up

Big Game 5k Goals

Happy Friday!! Are you excited for the weekend?

I guess it's possibly a big weekend for a lot of people. I don't follow football at all, so I don't even *gasp* know who's playing this year.

BUT, I actually am doing more to celebrate the Super Bowl this year than, well, since before I can remember. :) What crazy plans do I have to celebrate?

Running my first race of 2015!

Would you even guess anything else?!

My first race is a 5k. There was a 10k option as well, but since I'm trying to work on speed this year, I opted for the 5k.

I've not been too consistent about writing goals for races in the past, and probably never for a 5k, but it's a new year. :-)

Goal A: Sub-30:00
Goal B: Sub-31:00
Goal C: Sub-33:00

Not even the A Goal would be anywhere near a PR, but at this point, I would be elated for a sub-30:00. I feel like it's been a very long time since I saw that happen.

I kind of took it easy in January after my marathon in November, followed almost immediately by the #RWRunStreak. I knew I needed to focus on something other than running, to give my body time to fully recuperate.

So, I did strength training and yoga with 1-2 easy runs a week. No speed work. No tempo runs. Just one-foot-in-front-of-the-other runs. Good runs. Meh runs. But no real challenging runs.

I'm using this first 5k of 2015 as a baseline race. To analyze where exactly my speed is at, and how far I have to go to meet my ultimate goal - a sub-25:00.

I'll also be counting this 5k as my first virtual race in Laura's Spring 5 by the 5th virtual race series. It's a fun race series. You run either a 5k or 5 miles in the first 5 days of the month from Feb to May. I think there are monthly prizes up for grabs, too. You should join the fun!

Anyone else racing this weekend? Running a Super Bowl race? Going to a Super Bowl party?
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#NoExcuses #SweatPink Challenge Week 3

Have you been doing the #NoExcuses challenge with me? We're already in week 3!! Whoo hoo.

I joined this challenge to help me stay motivated in January. I ran marathon #4 in Nov and then ran the #RWRunStreak from Thanksgiving to New Years, so I knew that I needed to cut back on running in January. My body needed some recovery time. My mind, too.

Strength training and yoga are never my go-to workout choices, so I've been using this challenge as a way to keep me at least somewhat focused on exercise this month.

I'd love to say that I've been 100% with it, but to be honest, I haven't. There have been a few days that the excuses still crept in.

Work has been super busy and stressful. I know I should work off that stress with some sweat, but well, you know, I HAVE NO GOOD EXCUSES! :-(

Despite a few hiccups, the challenge has motivated me, and I have done more strength and yoga workouts this month than I probably would have.

And there's still time for #NoExcuses.

What are your favorite ways to make #NoExcuses?
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And just as a reminder... :)

YOUR WEEKLY PROMPTS! 

Monday, 1/26: Stop, drop and breeaatheee...5 minute self-meditation
Tuesday, 1/27: 90-second wall sit
Wednesday, 1/28: Jumping jacks during the commercials of your fave TV show
Thursday, 1/29: Grab a partner & sweat together for at least 20 mins
Friday, 1/30: #FREEFriday - choose something to share and tag #NoExcuses
Saturday, 1/31: Share your favorite healthy eating “cookinghack” in the kitchen
Sunday, 2/1: #SundayZenday: show us how you get your zen on!

Workout Recap + Jan 25 Meal Plan

It's been another stressful week. This time not because of Sallie (thank goodness!), but because of work. I was working on developing a training program and up against a deadline, which resulted in staying late a few nights. Which zapped my energy. Making it difficult to find the motivation to workout and to make a proper dinner.

So, here's to a better week next week!

Workout Recap

Sunday: 3-mile run.

Monday: W/U: jumping jacks, high knees, arm circles, butt kickers, mountain climbers (30 sec each). Weight-Free Arms (pin). 10-min abs/core (pin).

Tuesday: 20-min Lengthening & Opening Yoga (YouTube).

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: The Excuse Proof Workout (pin).

Friday: REST

Saturday: REST

I got a complimentary month to ClassPass, so I'm hoping to take some classes around town next week. Hopefully that will motivate me to get back my workout mojo. While my workouts weren't terrible last week, they definitely weren't as good as I'd have liked.

What's for Dinner?

This was a Bountiful Baskets weekend, so my fridge is nice and stocked with some yummy produce. And I think I've got a pretty good plan to use it all. Except the coconut. I didn't actually snap a pic of the one I got, but it was one like this.

This is difficult to admit, but just in case anyone else out there is like me, I thought I'd share my story.

This didn't look like a regular coconut with the brown fuzzy shell, so I foolishly didn't realize that this still needed to be cracked open. I thought it was the actual coconut meat, so I attempted to shred the shell.

It didn't work very well. Obviously. Though it wasn't at the time.

I expressed my frustration to Jeff, and he mentioned that you still had to crack through the shell. What?! So, I hit up YouTube, and found this very helpful video. Easy-peasy. Now I have a container of coconut water and one of coconut meat in my fridge, and no real plan to use them this week. So, I need to still figure that out this afternoon. Leave me a comment or let me know on Twitter your favorite ways to use fresh coconut.

Here is what I do know that I'll be cooking up this week.

Sunday: SW Bean Wraps

Monday: Homemade Vegetable Soup

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Pasta & Garlic Bread

Thursday: Baked Chicken Chimichangas

Friday: Leftovers

Saturday: Jalapeno Poppers Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Breakfast:
Carrot Almond Bread
Scrambled Egg Wraps with Bell Peppers

Lunches:
Leftovers
Salads
Roasted Jalapeno Soup

Snacks/Dessert:
Carrots and Bell Peppers with Hummus
Yogurt
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies

Sunday Prep:
Hummus
Yogurt
Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies
Cut veggies for soup

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?
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Be sure to stop by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast and Jill Conyers to check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Hello, Las Vegas. Introducing... ClassPass

I first heard of ClassPass a few months ago and was bummed that it wasn't yet in my city, so I was beyond excited when they contacted me to help promote the launch here in Las Vegas!

In case you haven't heard of ClassPass before today, here's the skinny.

For one monthly price, you can take unlimited classes at various studios. What a great alternative to a regular gym membership! You could build a workout routine full of variety by visiting studios of all types like barre, yoga, pilates, indoor cycling, bootcamps, martial arts, or strength training!

I can't wait to try out some new studios. I'm generally a solo workout girl, but taking a class now and again can be fun, and the flexibility of ClassPass makes it even better!

There is a limit of 3 classes/studio each month, but if you discover a favorite, just wait for the next month to start and you can visit that studio once again! Plus with so many studios available, I don't think you'll have any worries about running out of classes to take.

For those of you not in Vegas, ClassPass is also available in these other cities. NYC, Boston, San Francisco, LA, Chicago, Washington DC, Seattle, San Diego, Portland, Dallas, Austin, Miami, Denver, Philly, Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbus, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix.

You can use it in ANY city. Perfect if you travel a lot.

If you're interested in getting your own ClassPass, here's a link for you to skip the wait list and sign up today!

Membership does automatically renew, but there is no annual or long-term commitment. You can also put your account on-hold for $19/month, which still allows you to take 1 class per month.

The thing I love about ClassPass the most is the flexibility! I received a complimentary month subscription, so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Instagram as I explore new studios in Las Vegas! 
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#FrostyVoxBox Review

It's been a couple of weeks since I unboxed my #FrostyVoxBox. In case you missed the unboxing, you can watch it now.



Since then, I've been enjoying all of the fun products that I received complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Let's check them all out.

NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum - $1.99
I LOVED this lip color and would definitely recommend it. The color is perfect, and it's so creamy when you put it on. I also loved the smell. I don't know why, I just did. This lip color definitely perked me up and made me feel pretty. Plus it lasted for hours. Maybe not all day, but definitely from morning into the late afternoon. Love it! #SugarPlum

Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner - $4.49
If you're looking for a bold, black eyeliner, this is a great one. It goes on smooth, but I did find it a little tricky to get the right amount of application. It was easy to make it a little too dark for the work day. I did think that it lasted throughout the day well. Unless you apply it to your waterline. I loved the effect of it on my waterline, but it was pretty much gone by lunchtime. It also comes in other colors, which I'm excited to try. I'm hoping that a lighter color might be easier for me to work with. #Rimmel

Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover - $7.49
Another winner. However, since this is gentle, it didn't work quite as well when removing the Scandaleyes eyeliner. I had to scrub a little harder than I would have liked when removing the waterproof eyeliner, but this worked really well for my regular eye makeup. The biggest plus to this eye makeup remover is that it is non-oil based, so no oily residue. Yay! I also used this for touch-ups on those mornings when my makeup just wasn't working. #Rimmel

EcoTools Hair Brush - $10.99
I'm now a hair brush enthusiast. Well, that might be going a bit far; it's still my only hair brush. :-) I love that it's got a tangle-free design, and you can use it on wet or dry hair. I think it helps control the frizzies when combined with my blow dryer. Plus, who doesn't love a little head massage in the morning? #LoveMyEcoBrush

Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea
I think this was my first experience with green tea. Not sure I could tell a difference between it and any other kind of tea. I did enjoy the tea, though. The candy cane flavor was mild enough to be enjoyable without being too overbearing. They didn't have any at my grocery store, but I'll have to remember this flavor for next winter. #CelestialTea

McCormick Gourmet All Natural Thyme - $4.79
After trying this, I really think that everyone could use a little more thyme in their lives. :-) I tried this in pasta as well as infused in my water. It's really fragrant, and I love the earthy taste. #McCormickGourmet

Fruit Vines Bites Strawberry - $1.79
Yum! Enough said. :-) lol. Seriously, I'm a big licorice fan, and I love FruitVines. These bite-sized versions are super fun, too. It's a perfect little treat when you're craving something sweet. #SweetSide

Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED - $29.99
The sample I received wasn't really enough to try it out for 2 weeks to see how well it works, so keep that in mind. :-) I did like the lightness of the product. It smoothed on really well, and even though it suggested using it with a moisturizer, I didn't feel like it was necessary. It's not at all sticky, but left my face and neck feeling light and fresh. #GetADVANCED

Which of these products would you most like to try?
If you've tried any of these products, what did you think?
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Workout Recap + Jan 18 Meal Plan

This hasn't been stellar blogging week for me. Instead, it was a pretty stressful week with a couple trips to the vet to try to figure out what was wrong with our Sallie girl. Of course, it turns out, it was NOTHING. Blood work came back good, and the x-rays were fine, too. Ugh. So, my theory is that she had a terrible case of gas. Ouch!

She is getting much better now - if not a bit spoiled. She still won't eat her regular food, but is gobbling up the canned dog food.

Despite the stressful week (or maybe because of it), I'm really happy with how well I stuck to my workouts AND meal plan. :-)

Workout Recap

Sunday: 3-mile run.

Monday: Beach ISO Attack Workout (pin).

Tuesday: 3-mile run.

Wednesday: 10 Burpees. 20 min stretching/yoga (YouTube).

Thursday: 20 squats. Erase Arm Flab - Fast (pin). Miley Cyrus Ab workout (pin).

Friday: 25 min Restorative Yoga w/ Sebastian & Gillian (YouTube).

Saturday: REST

What's for Dinner?

I did pretty good with using up the veggies from our Bountiful Basket. We did get a pineapple that ended up rotting before I got around to cutting, so that kinda sucked. I did use all the broccoli (which I normally never do) and all the zucchini.

Since we only get a basket every other weekend, and try to only do grocery shopping the same weekends, this week's menu is using ingredients we already have on hand.

Sunday: Soup and Cheese Roll-ups

Monday: SW Bean Wraps

Tuesday: Beans & Rice Dip

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry

Friday: Pizza Pasta

Saturday: TBD

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Scrambled Egg Wraps with Bell Peppers

Lunches:
Tomato Cucumber salad
Wraps
Canned soups

Snacks/Dessert:
Carrots with Hummus
Bell Pepper and Cucumber Slices with Hummus
Yogurt Parfait
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sunday Prep:
Hummus
Yogurt
Chocolate Chip Cookies

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?
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Be sure to stop by Mommy Run Fast and check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Happy Monday + #NoExcuses SweatPink Challenge

Happy Monday!!

I just finished a super sweaty workout, and my legs are going to be screaming at me later. :-D

Have you heard about the #NoExcuses SweatPink Challenge?

Well, it officially started TODAY with a 30 sec plank.

And just for fun to kick it all off, here's a little Fill-in-the-Blank Mad Lib type letter.

Hey 2015, it’s me Clarinda.

This year I would like to run faster, run in every state on our road trip, and run a 30k trail race.

It would also be super duper awesome if I also did a sub-25 min 5k this year. It’s not a resolution, though, just a reminder to myself to try and have the best year yet because I'm totally worth it.

The thing I am looking forward to most this year is having fun.

I’ll use the one thing that truly gets me out of bed in the morning which is having time to get my workout in before work to help me get up, get MOVING (verb) and get after my #NoExcuses 2015.

Speaking of excuses (ahem), my very favorite excuse is I'll do it after work and I have used it to get out of doing a run and yoga on more than 1,000,000 (number) occasions.

I vow to move my body and be more healthy this year even if it means I have to wake up earlier.

Even if my alarm clock gets eaten by the dog in the middle of the night, I'll still workout. I will stop blaming the husband [ex: kids, dog, husband] for eating the rest of the cookies when everyone knows it was really me.

My husband [job, hair, car, husband, kids] is not the reason I make excuses. I will show my husband [same as before] who's boss this year and get my run [type of sweaty activity] on.

I know that strength training [type of workout] is better than running alone [noun].

I will reward myself by relaxing every now and again.

No Excuses 2015 has just begun and already I am imagining myself a winner. I can’t wait to rock a tank top (article of clothing) from Augusta Active. I can’t wait till my sweaty friends are jealous of how fresh, clean and glowing (adj) I am between workouts with help from ShowerPill body wipes. I can see myself rocking crow [yoga pose / workout move] in new leggings [article of clothing from Actio926] from Actio926 and looking fit and fly while doing it. And of course, I’ll be taking my workouts to the next level and improving my speed [noun] with my new ActivMotion Bar to help me train for my next 10k [distance] race with Sasquatch Racing.

Oh, and let’s not forget how amazing my shorts [article of clothing] will smell in my / during my run [favorite type of workout] after washing with some WIN Detergent. And lastly, I’ll keep rocking my 2015 with clean eats and nutrition from Beaming with Health!

That was super fun! Now, it's YOUR turn! What are you most looking forward to in 2015? I'd love to read your fill-in-the-blank letter. Just fill in some of the blanks in the comments below OR if you posted to your blog, leave me the link in the comments.
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Here are the WEEKLY PROMPTS for this first week of No Excuses!

Monday, 1/12: 30 sec. planks (any variation)
Tuesday, 1/13: Run or walk for at least 1 mile
Wednesday, 1/14: 10 burpees (any variation)
Thursday, 1/15: 20 squats (any variation)
Friday, 1/16: #FREEFriday - choose something to share and tag #NoExcuses
Saturday, 1/17: share a healthy snack or recipe

Workout Recap + Jan 11 Meal Plan

It's been kind of a stressful morning. My Sallie-girl wouldn't eat her breakfast this morning, and she NEVER turns her nose up a food. And then, her tummy started making all kinds of gurgling, crazy noises. Poor girl.

We finally gave her some Pepcid and got her to eat some soup. She seems to be doing much better now, so hopefully she's on the mend and won't require a trip to the vet.

It's heartbreaking, but on to some better news. I feel like I did really good with my workouts this past week! I only took one unplanned rest day, and I'm OK with that.

Workout Recap

Sunday: REST

Monday: Thigh sculpting workout (pin). 2 rounds. Could really feel this this next few days.

Day after #LegDay. The day every woman wishes she could pee standing up. #FitFluential #sweatpink
— Clarinda (@EnjoytheCourse) January 6, 2015

Tuesday: Yoga for Runners (YouTube) 25 min.

Wednesday: REST

Thursday: Yin Yoga with Yoga Nora (YouTube) 35 min. Didn't care for this video. :(

Friday: Melt Fat, Build Muscle Dumbbel Blast (pin) Really enjoyed this one, too. Only did each circuit 2x, though.

Saturday: REST

Despite feeling pretty good about my workouts this week, I still had a feeling fat kind of week. Does this happen to anyone else? The first week of strength training = feeling fat? I like to think it's something to do with the growing muscles pushing out the fat, so that the mirror betrays me. I could be making all that up, though.

What's for Dinner?

I think I've got a real good plan for dinners (and food in general) this week.

Sunday: Cheesy Vegetable Chowder



Monday: Broccoli Chicken Cheese Roll-ups

Tuesday: Leftover Soup

Wednesday: Zucchini Pizza Boats (for me) and Pizza Wraps (for Jeff)

Thursday: Baked Potatoes with Chili

Friday: Soup and Cheese Roll-ups

Saturday: TBD.

Breakfast:
Omelets
Smoothies
Oatmeal

Snacks/Dessert:
Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake
Apple Crisp

Sunday Prep:
Hummus
Upside Down Cake

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?
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Be sure to stop by Mommy Run Fast and check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Fun Fitness Survey

I was browsing through the drafts of posts I never completed and found this fun fitness survey from July 2013. I can't remember where it originated, but I thought it would be fun to fill out now!

1. What did you eat for breakfast? Leftover white rice with a vanilla protein shake, cinnamon, and raisins warmed up in the microwave. Also, a banana.

2. How much water do you drink a day? Not enough. :(

3. What is your current favorite workout? Running's my favorite, but you all know that. :)

4. How many calories do you eat a day? No idea. Not a calorie counter.

5. What are your favorite healthy snacks? Carrot sticks and hummus.

6. What do you usually eat for lunch? Leftovers.

7. What is your favorite body part to strength train? Strength training is my weakness. Not sure I have a favorite body part.

8. What is your least favorite body part to strength train? Same answer as #7.

9. What are your “bad” food cravings? I have a MAJOR sweet tooth. :-(

10. Do you take vitamins or supplements? Nope.

11. How often do you eat out? Not very often. Maybe a couple times a month.

12. Who is your biggest supporter? My husband, of course!

13. Do you have a gym membership? No. I prefer working out at home.

14. How many hours of sleep do you get a night? Generally around 7ish.

15. Do you have a “cheat”day? Every day is a cheat day. lol.

16. Do you drink alcohol? I mean, not excessively.

17. Do you have a workout buddy? I'm mostly a solo girl, but sometimes Jeff will workout with me, and I have a few local running friends that I sometimes get together with for a run.

18. What is the best thing that has changed about your life since committing to a healthy lifestyle? Idk. More energy?

19. What was the last healthy thing you did? Yoga this morning.

Feel free to play along. Answer in the comments or on your blog.
Do you ever come back to drafts years later?
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To blossom, you must grow. My 2015 planner.

I know. I know. I said I would share this post with you yesterday, but well, we met some friends for drinks Sunday night, which meant I didn't have time to write the post in time to publish Monday morning.

I know you'll forgive me, though. :-)

If you haven't found a 2015 planner yet (last year I didn't buy one until February, so I figure I'm way ahead of the game this year. lol.), I think I found a real winner!

Isn't it super cute?!

I love, LOVE the elastic band. I'm sure there's a real name for it, but I can't think of it. :-( I love calendars and journals with this feature because it makes it so easy to find which week I'm in without having to flip through all the pages.

It came with TWO pages of fun stickers that you can use to mark important dates, like holidays, coffee dates, date nights, appointments, etc.

In the front of the calendar, there is a page for each month. I love the shaded area at the bottom - perfect for jotting my monthly goals!

Then, each week is on a 2-page spread.

It's a little difficult to tell from the above picture, but there is an inspirational/motivational quotation under the dates.

Last week's quotation:

Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest.
~Christian Dior

There are also a few lines for notes at the top of the right side of the week, along with a snapshot of the current and following months.

I also love that there is a column on the left called "This Week" for notes, goals, whatnot for the full week. And then a full column for each day of the week, starting with Monday. This will be perfect for me to record my workouts, blogging ideas, meal plans, etc.

Many of the planners I've had in the past didn't really give me enough room to write everything I wanted to, but this one seems like I'll have plenty of room. Yay!

The last fun feature to this planner is the multiple pages of Shopping List / To Do lists in the back.

There are 3 to a page, and they're perforated, so it will be easy to take on-the-go without grabbing the whole planner. Not sure how much I'll use these, since most of my shopping and to do lists are done with apps on my phone.

I bought this planner at Office Depot for $14.99. I hemmed and hawed over buying it, because I wasn't sure that I wanted to spend that much for a planner.

But after I got home and searched for planners on Amazon, I realized that it was a pretty good price for a planner, and then it hit me just how much I loved all the fun little extras this one had to offer.

I'm really looking forward to using it throughout the whole year!

Do you use an old-school paper planner?
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Workout Recap + Jan 4th Meal Plan

After yesterday's Ultimate Coffee Date, I went on the hunt for a new 2015 planner. My first stop was to Walmart cuz that where I do most of my shopping, but their calendar section was pretty picked over. Nothing like the one I had last year.

So, I headed to Office Depot and sifted through their calendars. I finally decided on this one, and I really think I'm going to love it.

There are some very fun features that I want to share with you, so come back tomorrow for the full calendar tour. :)

Like I mentioned in my January goals post, I want to share weekly updates on my workouts in 2015. Hopefully this will help me stay focused and achieve all my goals.

Here's my first workout recap:

Sunday: 1.15 mile run

Monday: 1 mile run

Tuesday: 1 mile run

Wednesday: 1.4 mile run

Thursday: 1.5 mile run (last run of #RWRunStreak)

Friday: Dumbbell workout (20 min)

Saturday: 3 mile run (11'13" pace)

I've tried meal planning by planning out dinners for each day of the week, and I've tried it by doing just general meals I want to make that week without specific meals on specific days. I wouldn't say that I'm particularly successful with either. :-(

My last attempt at meal planning was a bit of a failure. My intent was use up all the veggies I'd received in our Bountiful Basket, and now my fridge needs to be cleaned out because it smells SO bad. I'm talking every time the fridge is opened, the bad smell wafts through the entire apartment and lingers! Icky. :( Pretty sure it's rotten broccoli. Epic Fail.

So, I'm going to try a hybrid - dinner plans for specific days How many times can I use the word specific in one post?:) and general ideas for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts.

Sunday: Crockpot Lasagna with Roasted Turnips with Balsamic Vinegar and Thyme



Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken Stir Fry

Wednesday: Soup and Grilled Cheese

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pizza Rolls and Brussels Sprouts

Saturday: TBD. We'll be picking up a Bountiful Basket in the morning, so it depends on what we get.

Breakfast:
Gingerbread Spice Tea Cake
Oatmeal
Smoothies

Snacks/Dessert:
Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake
Apple Crisp
Hummus and Pita Chips

Sunday Prep:
Tea Cake
Hummus
Upside Down Cake

What are you cooking up this week?
How were your workouts last week?
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Be sure to stop by Mommy Run Fast and check out what everyone else is cooking up this week.

Ultimate Coffee Date - January 2015

I'm super excited about the Ultimate Coffee Date in 2015! Mostly because I've decided to do these coffee dates on YouTube.

So, if you want to join me for some catching up and chatting, you can check out my vlog.

Or you can read on, if video isn't your thing.

If we were having coffee today... I'd tell you that I was actually drinking tea this morning. Celestial Seasoning Candy Cane Lane tea that I received complimentary from Influenster in my #FrostyVoxBox. Verdict? It's really tasty! Kind of a subtle flavor - not too overpowering. I also used a coupon I received to buy some Caramel Apple Dream tea, which I am super excited to try out. I'd ask if you ever drink tea and what your favorite variety is.

If we were having coffee today... I'd tell you complain a little about the DOMS I'm experiencing from yesterday's workout. One of my January goals is to do strength training 2x a week. Yesterday was my first workout. It focused on arms and core, and man, am I ever feeling it today. AND IT FEELS GREAT! I'd ask if you secretly love the DOMS as much as I do.

If we were having coffee today... I'd tell you how much I'm in love with makeup and nail art right now. I went a little overboard with new makeup last month, and my makeup drawer was getting a little out of control.

So, we bought a makeup organizer.

I love it, but there isn't really room for it in either of our bathrooms. Hopefully we'll find a house that we love that will accommodate this organizer. :-)

There still isn't enough room for all my nail polishes and art, so we might get another organizer as well. If you follow me on Instagram, you probably saw my Christmas trees, Peppermint Swirls, Gold gradient, and NYE nails.

So much fun! And the best part is that a couple days ago, Jeff mentioned how impressed he was that I was getting into nail art. He seemed really sincere, too. Whoo hoo.

If we were having coffee today... I'd tell you about all the fun things I'm looking forward to in 2015. Buying a house. A huge road trip this summer. Ragnar Zion. Trails of Fury. I'd ask you what you were looking forward to in the year ahead.

If we were having coffee today... I'd invite you to join me for #RaceShirtFriday. Just share a pic and tag me on Twitter (EnjoytheCourse) or IG (Enjoyingthecourse). I'd love to see all your different race shirts. And hear your stories.

Well, that's all I've got this month! If you want to hear me ramble on a bit more about all of these things, be sure to pop over to my YouTube video.

And don't forget to stop by all the others who linked up for the Ultimate Coffee Date over at Confessions of a Mother Runner.

If we were having coffee today, what would you tell me?
What are you most looking forward to in 2015?
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January Goals

I really want 2015 to be the best year EVER!

So, in addition to my 2015 goals that I shared yesterday, I plan on doing monthly goals as well - to help me stay focused.

In January, I will...

• Do yoga 2x each week (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
• Do strength training 2x each week (Mondays and Fridays)
• Run at least 25 miles
• Share 3 videos
• Gain 30 more followers on Instagram

For our date night, I think we're planning on going to see one of our friend's band play mid-month.

Our first book of 2015 is to finish the one we started in Nov - To Ride Pegasus by Anne Mccaffrey.

Stay tuned for weekly updates every Sunday. :-)

What are your goals for January?
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Happy New Year 2015

Happy New Year!

Who is ready for 2015! I can't believe it. I remember when the year 2000 seemed SO FAR away! And now, we're 15 years passed that already. CAH-RAZY!

Anyway, New Years is one of my favorite holidays. So full of promise and excitement. A time to reflect and make plans for the future.

This morning, I finished out the #RWRunStreak that started on Thanksgiving. It really was #36daysofawesome. I'm a little sad that it's over now, but there will be another one at the end of May! Until then, I have some work to do to make the next streak even more awesome than this one.

Before writing this post, I went back to look at my last few New Years posts. You can read them here: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Some years I was a little more successful at sticking to my goals than others.
Hopefully 2015 will be one of the more successful years. :-D

I'm going to break my goals in "Individual" and "Goals With Jeff," like I did last year.

Here goes:

Individual Goals

Run a sub-25 minute 5K. I want to run faster. I mean it this year! Yes, this is the 3rd year in a row that I have listed this as one of my goals. And you know what they say, 3rd times a charm, right?

In order to focus on this goal, I've promised myself that there will be no full marathons in 2015. There will be a lot of shorter runs (races?) and speed work and yoga and strength training. Obviously, I'm no expert, but I do strongly believe that simply running and speed work will not be enough to help me achieve this goal. I need yoga and squats and overall stronger and more defined muscles.

Lose at least 20 lbs. I'm not a huge number on a scale person. I'm not someone who even weighs herself with any regularity, but I reviewed a scale nearly 2 years ago, and since then, I have gained nearly 15 lbs. This was kind of a slap into reality for me, but when I told Jeff, he said, "Well, that doesn't seem so bad."

What?! I mean I wasn't even at my ideal weight when I did that review. I'd have liked to lose a little since then - not gain. *sigh*

Hopefully with all the work I'm doing to achieve that sub-25, I'll be able to drop some weight, too. Of course, I also need to work on making some healthier food choices as well.

Shoot more videos. My original intention was to make this a video post, like I did in 2013, but I decided to hold off until Saturday for my first video post of 2015. Now, I just need to figure out a way to make my videos a little more interesting. I re-watched a few of the ones I've done in the past few years, and YAWN! Boring or not, you can expect 1-2 videos a month in 2015. ;-)

Goals With Jeff

Monthly Date Night. Or just dates, in general. We tend to be homebodies, so we're trying to push ourselves (mostly Jeff) to do more things out and about. The sky's the limit on this one. It could be something small or extravagant. It could be indoors or outdoors. I think our only rule on this one is that we leave our home. :-)

Read 12 books. This one might surprise you since we had a goal of reading 3 books in 2014, and that was an utter failure. So why the huge bump to 12 books? We felt that 3 was too small and too easy to put off and put off - until there really wasn't enough time to finish them. With 12 as the goal, we're hoping to read 1 book a month, which doesn't leave much room for procrastination.

Buy a house. We are so sick of our apartment (and especially the management company) and so excited for this next chapter in our lives together!

What goals do you have for 2015?
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