half-er

i have some co-workers who are becoming runners, and the talk at the office turns to running pretty often these days. a group of us ran running with ed earlier this year in park city,
and we had a ton of fun cheering each other on.

i loved the race, and i loved feeling in shape for the first time in a while. so i kept the ball rolling and signed up for a half marathon without much thought. it was a bold move,
and i don't think i really understood my commitment until i drafted a training schedule and started some of those longer practice runs.

but lo and behold, d-day arrived today. or rather this morning at 3:30 am when i woke to a very dark house. i left at 3:45--this is am remember?--to catch a bus in american fork that dropped me off at the starting line eight miles up american fork canyon. the race clock started at 6 am, and i worked my way into steady jog down the cool canyon. from the canyon i ran through cedar hills and into american fork, passed the temple and finished at dad's alma mater af high.

my longest run before today was eight miles, and surprisingly i felt great through most of the race. at mile ten i had what felt like ten knives grinding into my stomach, aka side ache of death. i walked for about 30 seconds and ran the last three miles with a side ache off and on.

overall, great experience and i think i would do another half.
but seriously, i don't know how anybody gears up for a marathon. i felt exhausted and so pleased to see the finish line at half that length. those people are hard core.

resolution no. 3

plan a weekly menu.

i know life is in order when i spend time on saturday planning lunches & dinners
for the following week, and then i go to the store and buy all of the groceries i will need.

it fixes the problem of getting off work at 6 and then trying to think of something to make
followed by jumping in the car for a quick trip to the store,
only to start cooking dinner way too late.

it fixes the problem of wondering what to buy at the grocery store
and buying items that sit in my fridge unused until i dump them in the trash.

it helps me eat more home-cooked meals and less taco bell dinners.

and i think there is something about a home-cooked meal,
especially when i have the right ingredients and know what i'm making.

here is my inspiration.

from ollibird.

this post concludes my 2011 resolutions.

here's how i'm doing with resolutions no. 1 & 2:
i joined my neighborhood book club this month and am reading googled by ken auletta.
and i'm baking bread like crazy.
one month down, eleven to go.

resolution no. 2

read 10 books.

i know it sounds a little weak for so many of you, but i'm just not a reader.
in fact, i only read three books last year.
ha - embarrassing fact!
i think it's a combination of other distractions--computer & tv--and that
i take so long to get through a book that i start forgetting what i've read.

not this year.
i'm starting by joining the book club in my neighborhood.
i hear they meet next tuesday.

'til then i'll be sorting through my stack of never-before-read books i own.

image from here.

resolution no. 1

i've spent a lot of time thinking about what i want to accomplish this new year.
over the next few days i'm going to share what i resolve to do in 2011 with you.

bake homemade bread for everyday use instead of buying it at the store.

this is something my mom does and i've been wanting to give it a try.
we got a bread slicer and wheat grinder from my parents for christmas,
and i took really good notes when i made bread with my mom earlier last month.
here are pictures of jared and i giving it a go last week.

it's a cracked light wheat bread that uses some bulgur wheat.
i use my kitchenaid mixer to make the dough,
and then it's a process of kneading and rising followed by rolling and rising.

each batch makes two loaves, meaning i probably only need to make
bread twice a month or even less.
i'll freeze a loaf once it's made and then use it when needed.

mmm. honey + butter.

bread slicer.

sliced bread.

so there you have it. resolution no. 1.