Whitney with son Charlie and daughter Annie after MCM marathon
The marathon demands respect and every time I run one, I respect it more. Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC gave me a new respect, not only for the 26.2 miles of running, but also for the elements like weather which are totally out of our control. Waking up Saturday to 32 degrees and rain (which would turn to sleet and then a little snow by the end of the day) was a real psychological test for me and probably most of the runners, who lined up with umbrellas outside of the National Guard Armory to pick up race numbers and packets. I could see it on the faces of other runners and could hear it in the conversations around me. “If this keeps up till tomorrow morning…you can count me out of the race”. I heard these rumblings all around me. Most of us were just glad it wasn’t Sunday, but we all knew it wasn’t going to warm up much in 24 hours. [Read more…]
There is no room for instant gratification when it comes to fitness. We live in a world that is driven by instant results; cell phones, computers, cars, even cooking, can deliver results immediately. But when it comes to our exercise goals, we need to kick the instant gratification need out the door. My friend Alan Tyson, physical therapist and owner of Architech Sports and Physical Therapy, works with lots of athletes and deals with injuries often, and with those who are trying to get back into action. He knows that most of us want results quickly, but he also knows that sometimes the long term outlook is crucial to success. 
My son John (#7) turned eight yesterday, and we celebrated with dinner at CiCi’s Pizza (early carbo-loading for my marathon:)) and a movie (refrained from popcorn, however), 
It takes about 30 days for your body to adapt to a new lifestyle change. In other words, after working out consistently for about a month, your body really starts to feel it as something habitual. It just so happens, I believe, that one month is about the time it takes for us to see real change in our bodies from working out (either from starting up from nothing, or changing up the routine.) Why is that important to know? Because this is the best time of year to make a change and stick with it.
I realize I’m going to sound very contradictory with today’s recipe (not the slow carb way I wrote about Monday), but it is what it is. Our family is very fortunate this week to have my brother-in-law and his girlfriend (Carrie) visiting from Chicago. Of course we are just happy to see them, but there is another reason we are excited to have them here. Carrie graduated from the Johson and Wales Culinary Program. Her specialty is sauces and her favorite is Italian food…tonight she is making Alfredo. Although I am trying to eat healthy the next week before my marathon on Oct. 31, there is no way I’m passing up “Garlicky Alfredo” made by someone who really knows what she’s doing. Although I definitely know how to feed lots of people, my kids will never say that I am a chef… and I am OK with that. Needless to say, the whole family appreciates a real chef. 
I am always seeking good nutrition information and I found this article recently while searching the Web. While I know that the “no carb” way of eating is too limiting, and the “low-fat” way can be high in the wrong kinds of carbs, Shannon Clark explains the reasons the “slow carb” way is a smart way to go. Her website 
I ran a ten miler hard this morning with my iPod “plugged-in”. This is the first time since starting my marathon training that I have used the iPod. I actually don’t even own one; I used my husband’s and my kids created my playlist. It wasn’t a great run; but that’s for another post, actually it was the iPod that saved me. When I felt like I was dying and wanted to stop, the music motivated me and the words kept me moving. I ran the trail near my house which is about 5.8 miles out to the turn around. I was cruising at about 7:20 pace until I reached the turnaround…then my legs decided they had really had enough of my silliness and they were done. 
My husband, James and I took some of our kids (#5, #6, and #7) and ran a 5K on Saturday. I think what I like the most about 
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