Guess who's back?

Me! :)
...and Morton :(

Last week I went to NYC for work and boy, it was CHILLY!!!. I still love NY and got to visit a lot of our friends. It was great to get a little taste of real winter and then come back to the great FL temperatures, gotta love FL in the winter! :)

I hate running in the treadmill and tried while I was there. After 1-2 miles I was done and bored so I opted for the stair master. Yesterday was a beautiful day here so I went out for a long run, 5.8 miles. I felt tired and it wasn't a great run, but I finished it and my pace wasn't terrible (9'5'' per mile, I believe).

Part of the problem while running yesterday was my foot, looks like my old "friend" Morton is back :( ...I better get back to the Podiatrist and finish my alcohol treatments for the Morton's neuroma. I think walking in NY in high heels disturbed the nerve or something because yesterday the numb feeling was back after mile 3 or so. Before this it really was feeling better, but I know I have to finish the treatment the Doctor recommended (7 shots, so I have 4 to go!).

I still got a few more miles to run to hit my 40 mile run in January....but I'm on track!.

Just two weeks for the 5K, I have to determine what my time/pace goals will be for this race!.

Happy Monday :)



Update: Going for my 4th Alcohol Shot tomorrow morning...so I better get a good workout in today since I'll be down for a couple of days :(

Happy December!

(Note: you can click on the pictures so see them bigger)

I can't believe December is here already!!!. By this time last year I was busy busy with wedding planning, fittings, etc...wow, time flies!

Thanksgiving was a big hit. Alejandro thought the Turkey was the best one we've made so far and the gravy was top notch. I owe it all to Mr. Scanonne!! :) My sister's apple crisp pie was delishhhh and my pumpkin pie didn't disappoint!.
Thursday running update: Nah, I was sore from my 3 days straight of running (M-W)....in all of which I ran in the 9s min/mile pace!!!






Friday, as promised, we had a lazy but fun day. We started with brunch (pumpkin pancakes -with the help of a little one!-, chilaquiles -my sis' made- and fruit salad). Then while the sis' and I cleaned, the rest went to get the Christmas tree!....a beautiful and perfect Christmas tree!. We decorated, did some crafts and relaxed.
Friday running update: Didn't I say it was a lazy day?...no running!



Saturday we headed down to Miami for a wedding. It was a good time and the hotel was beautiful!!!.
Saturday running update: Went out for a 3.32 mile run, it was awesome...great weather, good pace!. After the run I joined Alejandro at the gym for some toning and then it was time to get ready for the wedding!



Sunday we drove back..and let's just say I wasn't feeling my best...so no running :(

That brings me to December. I started the week at the Doctor!...but in a good way because I was headed for the third Alcohol Shot for the Neuroma!. I was excited because I can already (with only two shots) feel the results!!! My foot doesn't go numb when I go pass the 3 miles anymore!....woohoo!. The Dr. still recommends I get all seven shots, but I'm not sure I need to get all of those...so off to Google later today to find out what other people have done.

So no running yesterday due to the shot (my foot actually got pretty swollen this time around!), I will try going to the Pump class today and tomorrow it is....BOOT CAMP!!!. I am so excited!! I don' think I'll enjoy the morning workout thing, but if the class is good it will be all worth it!.

Since I couldn't run yesterday, I took time to use leftovers from Thursday!! Made Turkey Veggie Soup and Pumpkin Honey Wheat muffins.

It's Official - Part Two

I signed up for Boot Camp!!!. Due to my crazy schedules (between travelling and my Podiatrist treatment), I had to get on a modified schedule and the first session starts on 12/3.

No time to mess around, I need to be ready to go for my 10K in one month and let's face it, I want to say happy New Year feeling good about how I look...so here is the plan.

Week 11/17 - (this week-Morton's treatment #2)

• Mon - Off for Morton's treatment
• Tue - Pump Class
• Wed - Off (girl's night out ;))
• Thu - Ran 3.7 miles
• Fri - Plan to run between 3-4 miles
• Sat - Plan to run in the AM prior to leaving to Orlando! (Girl's weekend!!)
• Sun - TBD (depending at the time I get back home)

Week 11/24:

• Schedule updated (on the right).

Week 12/1: (Morton's treatment #3)

• Pump 1 day
• Boot Camp 3 days
• 2 short runs (3-4 miles)
• 1 long run (6 miles)

Week 12/8: (travelling)

• Boot Camp 1 day
• 3 short runs on threadmill (3-4 miles)
• 1 long run at home (6 miles)

Week 12/15: (Morton's treatment #4)

• Pump 1 day
• Boot Camp 3 days
• 2 short runs (3-4 miles)
• Saturday 10K RACE!!!

And there you have it. A plan....Ahhh, I feel better already!!!!!

New week!

And hopefully this week I will be a better blogger!...bad, bad, bad...It's just been crazy lately. Why you ask?...WORK and FUN!. Last week was an interesting week, here is a quick recap:

Monday I left to go to on a business trip...bright and early, so bright and early that I got confused and thought my flight was at 5am rather than 7am. So at 2:30AM (after a failed attempt to sleep) I was in my car driving to the gas station when I decided to check my blackberry for the flight details....Surprise, surprise...my flight didn't leave until 7am. needless to say, I drove right back home but at that point I was completely unable to fall sleep....so I basically pulled an all nighter :/

Yep, I'm an idiot (I hate calling myself that, but seriously!!?) and if you need yet another reason to believe it...I had bought a book to read after Marley and Me...turns out I had already read it (not even that long ago!!)...*sigh*

Tuesday was a long day at the office and Wednesday I was on my way back home!. Why you ask? (ok, you didn't ask but I'm still going to tell you...) it was the husband's birthday!!!. By the time I made it home it was already 6pm...that didn't stop me from giving him a Tapas Dinner (one of his favorites!). Dinner consisted of: Spanish cheeses, Jamon Serrano, Olives, Spanish Tuna Empanada (Empanada gallega), Garlic Shrimp (Camarones al Ajillo) and of course nice toasty bread!. For dessert we indulged in a delicious Birthday Carrot Cake...not like any cake though...this was a RAW carrot cake!. His mom made it and it was different, light, healthy and delicious!!!. We finished off the night welcoming our friends that came to stay with us through the week :)

We had a great time with them and got to celebrate Alejandro's birthday the whole weekend :)

Running Update:
Because of the terrible flight schedules, I couldn't run much. I still managed to run 2 days, which is not bad considering Monday-Wednesday was not an option. Last night was the best run I've had in a long time. The weather was AMAZING and if it wasn't because my foot started bothering me, I would have gone a little longer! (did 3.5 miles).

Today I got my Alcohol Shot (second round)...right now my foot is swollen and I need to stay off of it for two days. I am so looking forward to getting Round 3 in two weeks because supposedly that is when you start seeing improvements!. Until then, I will stick with doing 3-4 miles at least three times a week.

So there you have it folks!...(yeah, by folks I mean Dad who has been calling me asking me why my blog has been neglected! ;))

This weekend I'm off to Orlando for a short girl's trip. I am so excited!!! Road trip!!!!!!!




Next up: Marley and Me book review! :)

Pass that alcohol shot!!!!!!!

No, No...I didn't get my drink on during election night!! I got my first alcohol based shot on my right foot!.

Went to the Doctor and was officially diagnosed with having a Morton's Neuroma on my right foot. I'm not thrilled, but at least now I know what it is and can act to fix it. I already knew what the treatment options were:

1. Cortisone Shots: Seemed like temporary relief, painful and not successful.
2. Surgery: Long recovery time and to be used as last resort.
3. Do nothing / stop running: Not an option!
4. Alcohol based shots: Quick recovery, highly effective, not painful. Essentially, the shot acts by reducing (killing!) the neuroma. If after 3 shots you don't see improvement, then it's time to look for other options. But I'm highly confident that it will work!!! :)

So the choice was clear!. The treatment consists of 7 shots (but I've read you can stop if you reach full relief after a few shots!). They are about 2 weeks apart and each time you have to stay away from running/pounding on your foot for 2 days. It didn't really hurt and today I've had swelling and discomfort. It should feel better tomorrow and if so, by Wednesday I'll be out running trying it out ;)

So bring on the shots and Cheers for a successful Neuroma disappearing act!!

Good night :)

Halloween Week Updates!

So many updates so little time...and I know all my readers just couldn't wait for me to check back in! haha ;)

First things first. I had a horrible week at work so I never really did make it out for a second run in AZ. On Friday, I got back and was exhausted (had taken a 5am connecting flight!)...so there was no running either!. Saturday, I decided to go out for a run before our Halloween party, did about 3.5 miles and my foot didn't bother me much!!!...I do have an appointment on Tuesday with the Podiatrist to go check out my friend Morton!. New week tomorrow and hopefully I will get back to my training normally.

We had a very nice weekend!. We got invited to a Halloween party on Saturday. After going to the stores most people go to to get their costumes and not finding anything, we decided to go to one of our favorite stores....Sports Authority!...so here we are..very creative right?? ;)). Hey, at least I get to wear my outfit again! (that's actually a cute running skirt I bought last weekend!). Which reminds me another great reason why I love running. You can now run in skirts! Hello? how cute is that!?

I love Halloween...I already took our decorations off (sniff, sniff), but bought a few more (on super sale!) that will make an appearance next year :)

Here are a few pictures from Friday:

Today we went to a comedy show (to watch Frank Caliendo). He was AMAZING! that guy can do any voice and imitate just about anyone!....but his impression of Bush is just too much! plain hilarious!!!!!. I love comedy shows and this one was very good!

I'm ready for bed. I have some recipes in line (with pictures!)....I will get to all of them (eventually)...but if anyone wants a particular one then drop me a comment and let me know which one you want me to show you first!

The recipes are:

• Rubbed Spices and Garlic Grilled Snapper
• Parmesan Truffle Oven Fries
• Andreina's Pot Roast
• Swedish wanna-be Meatballs
  
  Good night and I hope everyone starts off the new week great!!!

"Off" week update

Yesterday (Tuesday) I wanted to go for a run really bad...(specially after Sunday's crappy run!). I did 2 miles quickly on the treadmill before heading to my business dinner. No pain!..of course it was only two miles and the Morton's pain doesn't start until mile 3 or so...but that's ok!....better some exercise than nothing at all.

Today is not a good day (work wise) so I won't be doing any running...tomorrow I do plan on getting back and doing at least another 2 miles.

I hope everyone is having a great week!

What a pain in my..foot :/

After my long run on Friday, I took Saturday off and just iced my foot. Today I went and exchanged my shoes (I was on day 29 of my 30-day return window!). I got the same shoe, which did provide great stability, but the "wide" version and a 1/2 size bigger. They felt much better on my foot so I thought I would go out and try them out. I wanted to run 3.75 miles......

At mile 3 I couldn't take the pain on my foot anymore and decided to stop....I wasn't even enjoying the run anyway :(

I'm so upset. This week I'm off to Phoenix on a business trip and decided I'm going to take the week off and give my foot a break (at least until Friday). I'm not happy about it because I was making some real progress!!...but, after reading about Morton's Neuroma I think it's better to stop until I can see a Doctor when I get back.

I did get some very cute running outfits over the weekend!. Can't wait to be able to wear them and get back on my training schedule :)

I did it!!!...Livestrong and Morton who??

Woooo-hoooooooooooo. I did it! I completed my first unofficial 10K!. Today I ran 6.23 miles in 1:03'43'' (10'13'' / mile). I gotta say, it wasn't the easiest run I ever did...even at the beginning it was a little tough. It was muggy out and I had a pounding headache. I was excited to get out there anyway so I took two Advil and took off!.

Wait a second....did I just say I was excited to get out there? What in the world is wrong with me!!!?. I'm never excited about working out. Yes, I know I have to do it...for health reasons and all that good stuff, but I don't actually get excited about it. So yeah, something is not normal, but I'll take it while it lasts!...or maybe I do have the marathoner genes in me after all!!

And there it is, my Nikeplus summary. It almost looks like a downward trend, but in reality I think I started to fast and then settled at a more comfortable pace. So there you have it kids, my longest distance to date...and I don't want to brag or anything, but Lance Armstrong decided to make an appearance at the summary to congratulate me. Yeah baby, Livestrong!

This was the first time I ran while listening to an audiobook (see post below). I think the book helped!. I thought maybe it would slow me down, but it really didn't...if anything it kept me from thinking about the actual distance I wanted to run. Once in a while I would drift away thinking about the run and what not, but would quickly get right into the book. So overall, I do recommend it. Specially for longer runs (this was long for me!) and specially if you have other things that may affect your run (like the thought of the awful headache!). The book, Nineteen Minutes, so far it's pretty good. It started to pick up right when my run was ending and if my foot wasn't bothering me so much I may have kept going just to see what was going to happen next!.

Now on to the not so great news. Looks like I have a Morton's Neuroma. This is not the first time I get this pain..it's just the first time I thought to ask and the first time I realize I need to go see a Podiatrist!. I get this pain on my right foot, like numbness and it feels like there is a sock all bunched up under my toes (that is exactly how I described it to Alejandro during dinner). Afterwards, I decided to go over to the Nest and ask the Nesties about it...sure enough, they knew exactly what it was...a Morton's Neuroma

Now thinking back I think I may have had some discomfort ever since I broke a toe in College. I get this numbness feeling every time we go hiking (I always thought my sucks were getting all bunched up!)..and I have felt it every time I run longer distances. I won't be able to see a Dr next week because I'm out of town, but it's my first priority when I get back!. For now, I iced it for 20 minutes and will be going to the running store tomorrow to ask some questions.

After the run I got home so excited to share, but had a less than happy husband due to a tough day at work (very very very crappy market). I needed to go get some food for dinner and decided we both needed a rewarding and nice meal (and quick!) so I went for a good, hearty and delicious menu: Grilled Filet Mignon, Baked Potatoes and Summer Salad. And of course, some vino!

Alejandro takes the award for the best griller...no doubt. The steaks were amazing! (he just adds rock salt and Worcestershire sauce and then works his magic on the grill!). I quickly got some baked potatoes, due to time constraints precooked them in the microwave and then popped them in the oven at 450F to get that yummy crust that I love!.

Summer Salad in Fall??...we live in Florida, so yes, it is still Summer here!.

Summer Salad

Organic Baby Romaine

Organic Baby Arugula

Campari or Grape Tomatoes

Strawberries

Red Onion

Goat Cheese

Dried Cranberries

Sliced Almonds...although I didn't have any this time around :((

Toss the ingredients in a bowl with S/P and balsamic vinegar and Olive Oil...that is all it needs!. Voila!

So there it is...sorry it got a little long, I guess I had a lot to share ;)

Erpapin - Te llamo manana, les deje un mensaje!! Besos!