Category Archives: General

Good news First or Bad?

Posted on May 23, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

Turns out the news is both good and bad at the same time.

I had a conversation with Nicole, my PT, today about duration of healing time and the future of my running career. The good news is that I will run again. The bad news is I will not be running the New York City Marathon in 2013. When I told her I was already registered for the race in November and asked if it will be possible for me to run it, she said “not likely.” BAM! Holy cow, this shit is serious. I mean, I knew it was, but I honestly thought it might be possible to be marathon ready by November. I had my cry, and now I’m ready to get well.

This is also good news. I like to see the good in everything that happens in my life. That’s not easy to do in all situations, but in this one, it is. I can now focus on my recovery with no timeline. I will not be disappointed in a few months when I know I need to be starting marathon training, and I am unable. This injury is going to take months to heal. I already had a feeling about this, but Nicole confirmed it for me today. When I thought about the race being in November, and me needing to start training by July, I naturally had a feeing like it would be too much pressure. This is the right thing to do. I know it is. Even though it sucks, not having a timeline and an unreasonable expectation of when I should be ready to run again will allow me to really focus on the issue at hand.

So for the next couple of months, this will be me:

Source

I had a great swim this morning at the Y! I did 700 yards (or is it meters?), which for all of you who want to know what that is in laps, is 14 down and back or 28 lengths of the pool. I have a love/hate relationship with swimming. It is hard. Yeah, we all know that. It takes a lot for me to get to the pool, but once I’m there, I feel such a sense of accomplishment after I’m done! Being at home so much by myself tends to put me in a dark and lonely place sometimes. I just get lethargic and tired, and completely unmotivated to do anything. It’s really hard to get out of bed some days. Once I do, though, and get in a swimming workout, I feel SO much better. I have to keep telling myself that all I have to do is get up and get in a swim. Since swimming is the only thing I can do, I plan to be Michael Phelps by the time this is all said and done Open-mouthed smile .

As far as my recovery goes, I feel the same now as I did two weeks ago. It still hurts if I stand or walk for more than 10-15 minutes. Nicole says it is normal to still hurt, so I am not giving up hope.

She said that she wants me to be able to put an exclamation point at the end of “I’m back” when I’m finally healed. I agree with her!

So NYRR, please please please please PUHLEEEAASSSEEEE let me defer my entry until 2014!!! I beg you! It really is a situation beyond my control!

I’m off to have either a bake-fest in my kitchen while sitting on my stool, or a “sand-fest” while I work on my table tonight. I need to keep my mind busy. It’s a scary thing to be alone with sometimes. I miss all of you running friends! I’ll be back eventually! When I am, get ready!! NYC and Boston here I come!!!

Love you all!

‘Til Next Time!

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Running

Tagged hamstring injury, ING New York City Marathon, physical therapy, running, running injury, swimming

What’s For Dinner Wednesday: Spinach and Portobello Mushroom Mac’n'Cheese

Posted on May 22, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

I have been thinking about this dinner for two days now! It turned out really good! It took a lot for me to only take three more bites of the leftovers and put them away. I love Mac’n’Cheese. I’ve loved it since I was little. Kraft mac’n’cheese, Velveeta Shells and Cheese, my Mom’s homemade version she brought to family get togethers-I could eat it everyday (if it was a little bit healther, that is!)

Tonight’s dinner was adapted from a recipe I found on Health.com that was written by Tina from Carrots’n’Cake. It is a much healthier version than most are used to. I used a few different cheeses, and also added some spinach and Portobello mushrooms for added flavor and nutrients. Tina finished her version off by putting it in a baking dish, sprinkling on breadcrumbs and baking for 20-25 minutes. I skipped this step because I was starving, but feel free to add it in if you please .

Spinach and Portobello Mushroom Mac'n'Cheese

Ingredients

One box quinoa pasta (I used elbows)
2 small-medium Portobello mushrooms cut in half and thinly sliced
1.5 cups chopped baby spinach
1 tbsp EVOO
1 tbsp mined garlic
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheese (I used cheddar jack)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1 oz herbed goat cheese
2 oz brie cheese
1-2 tea light butter
1 tsp dijon mustard (I forgot this ingredient! I'll use it next time ;-))
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, then set aside

Saute mushrooms, spinach and garlic in EVOO until cooked through

In same pot you cooked the pasta, combine the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium until cheese is melted

Combine pasta and veggies in pot with the cheese and stir until combined

Serve!

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by ZipList Recipe Plugin

http://pugmamastace.com/2013/05/22/whats-for-dinner-wednesday-spinach-and-portobello-mushroom-macncheese/

I hope you all enjoy this recipe! Have a great rest of your week!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating

Tagged Healthy Eating, healthy recipe modifications, recipe

Just Checking In

Posted on May 22, 2013 by pugmamastace| 2 Comments

Hi my lovely readers! I am just checking in to say hi. So HI! Smile

I have been going to PT and doing my exercises at home, and at this point, I can say I don’t think I am getting worse anymore. That is actually an improvement for me. Although, I did have more pain today than yesterday after PT. I’m going to talk to Nicole about that tomorrow.

I am going to do What’s For Dinner Wednesday for tomorrow with a different recipe than I intended to last week. The previous recipe didn’t turn out quite the way I liked it, so I will tweak it some before I end up posting it.

I also want to try a few modifications on the Cowgirl Cookies that I think will make them more like the consistency I want them to be.

I have been playing around with a menu across the top of my blog, and I got it to work! The only problem is it’s grey and I can only change it to a few different colors on the drop-down menu for the plugin. I want it to be purple, but can’t figure out how to do it. Any HTML gurus out there? I really don’t want to drop $400-500 on web design when I don’t even make money off of my blog. Plus, I’ve done everything so far by myself, and I’m proud of it! That’s not to say I will never pay for web design…it’ll just have to be a little bit more reasonable than what I have found so far. Also, whenever I click on my homepage, the banner picture disappears after like 5 seconds. Is this happening to you guys? Then, if I click on the link to the post itself, the banner comes back. I have no idea how to fix this. Again, any experts out there wanna help a poor pharmacist with her HTML??

This is the story of my life lately. I am trying to reduce Ali’s calorie intake by substituting a handful of her food with no-salt added peas. She loves the peas, but somehow still feels the need to beg for food every hour. I am also planning on gradually transitioning her over to Blue Buffalo food, providing she’ll eat it. She’s a picky eater. She’ll protest and starve herself until dinner if she doesn’t like her food. We’ll see how that goes. I’ll keep you posted.

I’m not a huge fan of eating cucumbers, but I don’t mind a little in my water. I especially don’t mind it with a little bit of mint! I enjoy trying new ways to coax myself into drinking more water, especially during the summer. When I swim, I don’t always think to drink water-because I’m IN it. You know what I mean?

Speaking of swimming, I have gone to the Y to swim three times since Friday! It is a helluva good workout, and hard, too! I did 16 laps Friday, 12 on Sunday, and either 22 or 24 today. It’s really easy to lose count. Now I know why Michael Phelps is ripped.

Anyway, I am going to bed now, because I have a busy morning planned tomorrow. Meeting, PT, swimming, relaxing on my butt, icing my butt, and some more cooking. I’ll be sure to post the recipe from tomorrow’s dinner and the modified Cowgirl Cookies ASAP!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating

Tagged hamstring injury, healthy baking, Healthy Eating, Healthy Living, physical therapy, running injury

Another Attempt At Pomegranate’s Cowgirl Cookies!

Posted on May 19, 2013 by pugmamastace| 2 Comments

If you live in Phoenix and have never been to Pomegranate Café (and are a healthy eater like me), you are missing out. If you’ve been there and never tried their Cowgirl Cookies, well, that should be your next goal in life. They are seriously the best cookies ever! I tried to make them myself last year, and they didn’t turn out anything like them! They were flat and not as full of goodness (chocolate chips, raisins, pecans, walnuts, or whatever nuts they use) like the ones at Pomegranate are. I’ve been thinking about trying to make them again, and finally did tonight!

I got everything I might need out and put it all within arm’s reach on my counter.

Yup, I have a really small kitchen. One deal-breaker when it comes to purchasing a home sometime in the future. MUST have BIG kitchen with PLENTY of counter space and an ISLAND!! Non-negotiable my friends. I can only take so much of this clutter!! The good news is that I was able to sit on my trusty stool while making the cookie dough!

“Heeeeeeeey!”

I adapted this recipe from one I found on LiveLearnLoveEat.com. I also read about refrigerating the dough before baking it on this website. Like I said above, my first batch last year turned out flat. I was hoping this would help my cause. The cookies at Pomegranate must rise while they bake or something, look!

So this recipe is really easy:

Cowgirl Cookies (Attempt #2)

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ tea ground ginger

½ tea ground cloves

1/8 tea allspice

2 ½ cups (total) of dark chocolate chips, raisins, walnuts, pecans, almonds or any nut you like in any ratio you prefer

1 flax egg (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons warm water)

2/3 cup apple sauce

¼ cup Splenda brown sugar blend (or ½ cup sugar of your choice)

¼ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

½-1 tablespoon honey or agave

1 teaspoon vanilla

(pre-heat oven to 350*)

First, you put all of the dry ingredients (including the nuts, raisins and chocolate chips) in a large bowl, and mix together.

Then, put the 2 tablespoons of flax seed into the 3 tablespoons of warm water and whisk. Wait a few minutes for it to thicken up. (This is a trick I’ve never seen before. It is a substitute for an egg. Pretty cool, huh?) While you wait for it to thicken, you mix the apple sauce, Splenda, almond milk, honey and vanilla until uniform, then add in the flax egg.

Next, you slowly add in wet ingredients to dry ones in a standing mixer, and mix until you get a big clump of dough. It will be a dryer dough, and that’s ok. If you get a little bit of flour left on the bottom of the bowl that the mixer doesn’t reach, that’s ok. Transfer the dough to another bowl, and throw the flour away.

Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes. This will help the cookies to not flatten out while baking.

Grease a cookie sheet, or lay down parchment paper. Form 2 inch balls of dough and place on sheet about an inch apart. You have to press firmly on them so that they stay together since the dough is so dry.

Bake for 12 minutes at 350* F. Let cool on wire rack. I got 20 cookies out of my batch. (Plus the random leftovers on the right up there that I ate right out of the oven!)

See!! Random little cookie didn’t even make it long enough to be in the picture Winking smile .

Now unfortunately, these still didn’t turn out like Pomegranate’s. They did, however, end up being very good! I just don’t know how they do it….I will keep trying and someday, I’ll duplicate them! Until then, I guess I’ll have to pay $3 per cookie if I want to get the real thing Sarcastic smile .

For cookies, these are pretty healthy. In fact, I will probably have a couple of these in the morning with a banana or fresh juice for breakfast for the next few days.

What did you make for dinner for your family/yourself this weekend?? Leave a comment below and let me know!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating

Tagged Cowgirl Cookies, healthy baking, Healthy Eating, healthy recipe modifications, healthy snacking, Pomegranate Cafe

Physically Same, Mentally Better

Posted on May 16, 2013 by pugmamastace| 2 Comments

Today was just a great day in general. Had the same “oh wow I feel great” upon awakening, followed quickly by “just kidding” after 10-15 minutes of walking around at home. Oh well, I guess I should just expect this for awhile….mentally, though, I was in a much better place. At this point, I have grieved a loss-the loss of something I love-just temporarily. Now I’m ready to move to the step of taking action, which is exactly what I did today!

I went to see Nicole, Coach Susan’s PT this morning, who has been suggested time and time again by both her and Ari. I was hesitant to even start PT again so soon, because I thought it might aggravate things, but I have been pleasantly surprised! She started me out with some very simple, yet effective strengthening exercises. She said that a lot of runners that come to her (she pretty much only deals with runners) are to the point where they are waiving the white flag and will do absolutely anything they’re told-including taking months off of running-to get better. Ding ding ding! I told ya’ll that the other day didn’t I!? So I will be going three times a week indefinitely, and working my ass off in every way possible to get better.

I made some progress on my table today, as well:

I finished the two coats of red on the top, and now just have to finish around the edges. I also started on the stain. I am going to have to do two coats of stain to get it even close to the darkness that I want. Ali is just thrilled to see me create my masterpiece, can’t you tell? I did get a tiny drop of red paint on the carpet…anyone have any ideas as to how I’m going to get that out? I have paint thinner!?? Will that disintegrate the carpet, too?? I’ll worry about that after I’m done with the table. For now, though. it’s coming along quite nicely, don’t’ you guys think?

I will be posting what was for dinner Wednesday tomorrow. It is 12:30am, and I don’t feel like being up until 2am. I will say it was very good, though! I can’t wait to share it with you!

I got some new toys for when I am able to run again tonight:

They are sitting on a shelf in my room with a smiley face on the box to remind me of what’s yet to come Smile

Can you guys believe I was deciding between these??

Nicole said she wanted me in neutral shoes when I start running again, so I took that as “Stacey-I think you should go buy a new pair of shoes. Today!” lol! The ones on the left are Newtons if you’re not familiar with what they look like. They have cushioning in the mid-foot, which I found to be very intriguing. The Asics just felt right, though. I always try on other brands, and the only ones that come close to the Asics are usually Brooks. These are the Asics Gel Nimbus. Thanks to Jared at Sole Sports for helping me out tonight! He seriously brought me like 12 pairs of shoes to try on. I love shoes. Running shoes…heels…flats….boots…flip flops…all of them. Open-mouthed smile

Look what else they had!! The new Watermelon and Cherry Limeade Nuun!! The Cherry Limeade one has caffeine….another thing in life that I love Open-mouthed smile . I tried the Watermelon one tonight, and it didn’t disappoint!

Here was dinner and dessert:

Hawaiian Beans and Rice with grapes, mango and watermelon.

(Hint hint: That’s what was for dinner…Wednesday….)

I’m tired, can’t you tell? I’m going to shave my legs and climb into my warm comfy bed and read until I fall asleep. I will be praying that the tears in my hammies continue to mend themselves. Dreaming of running a half marathon in my new Nimbuses….

‘Til next time…

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running, Sweat Pink

Tagged Asics, eat clean, hamstring injury, hamstring tendinitis, Healthy Eating, physical therapy, running, running injury, running shoes, Sole Sports Running Zone

Are you having a Martha Stewart Moment?

Posted on May 15, 2013 by pugmamastace| 1 Comment

Today wasn’t as bad as Monday regarding my outlook on life. I had conversations with Ari, Melissa, and a few Sweat Pink Ambassadors online during the past 24 hours, and they made me feel a lot better about everything. I am definitely not the only one who is/has been completely down and out with an injury. In fact, my decision to take time off of work was supported by another SPA that said she wishes she had done the same a few months ago when her injury first started. I feel good about the decision I’ve made, and I’m ready to work hard to get better!

I woke up this morning, and was pleasantly surprised about how good I felt! Then, within 30 minutes of being up, I started to get pain again. I guess that was just wishful thinking.

I went to the Take Care clinic this morning because my throat has been hurting since last week, and I just wanted to rule out strep or tonsillitis. I knew if it wasn’t either one of those, it was just really bad allergies. Well, fortunately, the strep test turned out negative, and my tonsils were just a little bit inflamed. I already take Allegra and Flonase on (almost!!) a daily basis, so I really didn’t know what else to do besides maybe a sinus wash. I learned a few things from the nurse practitioner today that I did not know!

(Necessary disclaimer: I’m not a doctor (well, technically I am a doctor of pharmacy, but I’m not an MD) and I am not recommending you do any of these. I am just telling you what I learned today, and what I am going to try. Do not try this at home without consulting your MD! Thank you )

First, apparently the second generation antihistamines (i.e.: Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra) only minimally reduce the amount of histamine that is already in the body. They will keep them low if they already are, but will only lower by 10-20% on their own. If you have been suffering from allergies for a week or two, and introduce one of these 2nd gen meds into your body, you will not reap the full benefit unless you reduce the histamine first. Two first generation antihistamines do just that: Benadryl and Atarax (hydroxyzine hcl). She told me that if you take Benadryl every night for 7-10 days only, then d/c Benadryl and introduce your Claritin, Zyrtec or Allegra, you will have significantly better results. Also, she said that a lot of times it is better to rotate your “drug of choice” for allergies every season. She said Claritin usually works better for fall, and Zyrtec for spring allergies. I’m not sure about this, but I get the concept. Different things grow at different times of the year. What I have always told patients is that choosing which of the three is best for you is a trial and error process. Try one for 3-4 weeks, and if it doesn’t work, switch until you figure out which one works best. She agreed with this, yay! I told her we should just sit and chat all day and school each other. I love being a nerd with another cool nerd!

Second, not only should you wash your pillow case every week or two, you should also put your pillows in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes just as often! I told her that my throat seems to hurt more at night and in the morning. When you have a pillow full of allergens, no wonder it’s worse at those times, right?? Seems so simple, but I never thought of it! So that was my morning.

Then, I went by Goodwill on my way home to get a stool for my kitchen so I can sit while I am cooking.

I also brought home my newest project:

Thank you to the guy at Goodwill for loading it into my car, and for my neighbor Jason who brought it inside for me. Not a chance in heyell I’m going to try lifting that! I can barely lift Ali as it is now! (I mean, she weighs 26 lbs., ok? She’s just a little fluffy…) This is another great thing about having a convertible. You can load large things into it. I never realized how convenient this would be!

Yup, I had Spaghetti Squash Boats with Ari’s amazingly good meatballs and sauce for dinner again.

When I was looking at the table, I had the idea to smooth the surface with some kind of material and paint it. I ended up getting this:

I applied it all over the top of the table, because I didn’t like the pattern of the wood.

I covered the whole table with the wood filler, and tomorrow, I’ll sand it smooth and apply the paint. The paint is a dark red that matches the red in my rug:

I might stain the rest of the table a dark cherry like my dining room table. I love dark colored wood in general. I usually like darker or cherry colored cabinets and furniture when I see it.

I told my Mom about my little project and this is what she said lol!

I’ll keep ya’ll posted on the progress of the table. If I have to stay off my feet as much as possible, at least I can be Martha Stewart while doing so! Plus, now I’ll actually have a place to put a drink in my living room! Hallelujah!

I had freshly cut watermelon for dessert. After watching a guy fully cut a watermelon into chunks in 21 seconds, I managed to cut this one up in about 15 minutes, lol!

Watermelon is quickly becoming my favorite snack for the summer. I like it better refrigerated, is that weird?

I also juiced some fruits and veggies today to go with my lunch. I knew beets were good for you, but I didn’t realize this:

(FitnessRx Magazine—issue on stands now)

So endurance athletes, don’t forget to eat your beets! Or juice them…that’s what I do!

I also saw this online today:

I will not be getting a tattoo nearly this big or cool looking. Don’t worry. I just think it is so fun to look at! Whoever did this one is very talented!

Last, but not least, this was on tonight, and it made me very happy! Goosebumps before they even rolled the opening credits. I love this show!!

That’s all the randomness I have for today. No improvement in pain, especially in my right leg. Hoping tomorrow will bring some better news for me as I am seeing another provider to try and get some specific guidance as to how to kick this thing for good. Will keep you posted on that

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Healthy Eating, Running

Tagged Ari's Menu, hamstring tendinitis, Healthy Eating, Healthy Living, Martha Stewart, running injury, SYTYCD

If You’re going to complain….

Posted on May 13, 2013 by pugmamastace| 1 Comment

I am not in a good place right now. You guys know what’s going on physically, and that’s leading to a not-so-good emotional and mental state. I read a few friends’ blog posts tonight that helped me to realize that even though things might not be good now, they will get better. It’s going to be a long road to healing, and an even longer road to get back to running. In the end, though, it’s all worth it because running makes me happy. It makes me feel like I am capable and strong. It allows me to set goals and achieve them. It gives me something to look forward to, and something that enriches my life in ways I could never imagine! So I’m trying to keep it positive. Everyday will be a challenge for me, so bear with me, please Smile .

I’ve been complaining a lot lately. I don’t want to be the complainer that that just sits back and doesn’t at least try to help themself-that’s annoying. So trying to be the “not hypocritical” person that I strive to be, I thought I’d show you guys what I have been doing to help with my situation. Yes, not doing anything (as in resting) is what I really need right now. I’m not talking about anything crazy here, just things I can do mostly while not on my feet.

The most active thing I did today, besides going to a meeting this morning, to Dr. A’s, and to Walgreens, was do a few yoga poses that don’t involve hamstrings. I’ve figured out that if I go from child’s pose into plank, into a chaturanga with a few push-ups added, it doesn’t bother me! I don’t stay in plank long enough to really engage my hamstrings. I tried downward dog before I did child’s pose, and felt like it could end up being too much if I went to deeply into it. That’s why I switched it.

I also did some laying tricep extensions, some mini-bicep curls, and some arm raises (working deltoids) while laying in bed. A few sets of these everyday, and I may come out of this with arms like Coach Susan, Meeker or Karen! Wouldn’t that be awesome!!!! Open-mouthed smile

Still haven’t gone to the pool yet. Not going to lie. I will get there. Baby steps. I’m probably going to end up getting doctor’s approval before starting to swim. I’m not messing around here, people, this has to heal for real.

You like my strategically censored photography skills?? So I’ve also been wrapping the little bastards with ACE bandages for a few hours at a time, and wearing compression socks to stimulate blood flow. You see, these tendons that are inflamed don’t get a lot of blood flow compared to muscle tissues. Blood flow helps with healing, and they can use all the help they can get! It may be a long shot with the socks, but at this point, I’ll try anything!

Then there’s the ice packs. I have been icing the areas for between 15-30 minutes around 3-4 times per day. This is pretty standard for hamstring tendinitis and for many other injuries. It seems counterintuitive to ice when you want to increase blood flow, right? That’s what I said. However, Dr. A says to only use ice because it helps with inflammation, which will also help with healing. So I listened. I know, there’s a first time for everything. Winking smile

Last, but not least, I have been applying this a few times a day. My fellow Ragnar teammate and running friend Melissa from Trying to Heal recommended this because it helped her when she was injured last year. I already had some at home, so I said why not! It’s too soon to tell if it’s working, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to try. Thanks for the suggestion and words of encouragement, Melissa!

Always trying to eat my almond butter sandwiches and the bananas on top. Spoiled.

That’s why she’s spoiled. It’s so hard to say no to a face like that! Do you guys see what I’m up against? #pugmomproblems

Anyway, I think I’m going to order in my favorite wonton noodle soup from Beijing Beijing for dinner tonight. I don’t feel like standing and cooking or going anywhere to get anything.

Is anyone else excited for the season premier of So You Think You Can Dance tomorrow!!??? (Which from here on out will be referred to as SYTYCD. Please make a note of it, lol Smile .) I AM!!!!! I know you are, Ari!!! You’re going to have to come over one of these nights for a viewing party!!

Ok, now I’m going to go. I’m hungry. Ya’ll have yourselves a good night and I’ll be on here a lot more in these coming weeks!

‘Til next time…

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Running

Tagged Ali the Pug, cute dog, hamstring injury, hamstring tendinitis, running injury, SYTYCD

Waiving the White Flag

Posted on May 12, 2013 by pugmamastace| 4 Comments

I’m sitting here on my couch, hamstrings wrapped tightly with ice packs, watching TV. This is what I’ve done all weekend when I wasn’t at a meeting or my friend Abbey’s baby shower.

No running. No biking. No Yoga. No nothing. Even standing at work for more than 10-15 minutes at a time hurts. I surrender. I’m waiving the white flag. I’m going to do whatever I need to do to make this injury get better. So far, that has been a lot of this:

I’m getting depressed. I feel helpless, incapable, and broken. I’m not looking for a bunch of sympathy, I am just venting because I am really frustrated. It’s so easy to take health for granted. To take something as simple as running, or being able to run, for granted. It’s kinda crazy how you realize all of the functions your hamstrings serve when they are broken! Even driving hurts. Pointing the toe for an extended period of time (on the worse of the two legs of course) eventually causes pain.

My only hope now to stay in shape is swimming. Once I start feeling a little bit less pain, I want to try it out. I haven’t been able to get myself motivated to do it yet. I will soon, though, and when I do I’ll let you know how it went Smile .

On a happier note, Ms. Tater had her teeth cleaned and a couple of suspicious bumps removed from her neck on Friday. She is doing great! Her puppy breath has gone from stinky back to puppy breath, and I couldn’t be happier! Dr. Iverson will be letting me know what the bumps turned out to be and if she got everything when she removed them (if they turned out to be something bad, that is.) I’ll keep ya’ll posted on that, as well. Look how stinkin’ cute my baby is!!

This is her thinking if she hides under the chair, maybe she’ll be safe!

This is her right after surgery. She was just a little stoned, that’s all!

I don’t have a whole lot else to write about, since I spent most of my weekend in bed or on the couch. Devin and I watched Safe Haven, and it was good! Poor guy had to suffer through a chic flick, and no complaints! What a good guy Smile .

Now I am going to watch the season finale of Revenge. Word on the street (a.k.a. Facebook) is that it leaves quite the good cliffhanger. I hope everyone has a great week!

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Running

Tagged Ali the Pug, cute dog, hamstring injury, hamstring tendinitis, pug, running injuries

A Special Weekend

Posted on May 6, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

This is me to a “T”!! I’m a 31 year-old female, conservative with some socially liberal views, that doesn’t drink, yet sells drugs for a living Winking smile . For the first time ever this weekend, I posted on Facebook about my sobriety. I have been sober for 3 years, this past Sunday. I had my last drink on my birthday in 2010, and haven’t looked back. To make a long story short, the drinking needed to stop before I completely screwed up my life. It took me awhile to get to the point where I wanted to get help for myself. Throw in the risk of losing the first thing that was more important to me than alcohol, and you had a catalyst for change.

Getting sober was one of the hardest things I have ever done emotionally in my life. The key is you have to want to help yourself, and I did. No one can force you to change. It has to come from within for it to really work. Everyone follows a different path, and this was mine. I can’t explain how emotionally raw I was those first few months. It’s like I was stripped down completely with paint thinner before I was built back up. It was all worth it, though, and I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Soon after getting sober, came hiking, and then running, and my life was completely changed for the better. A lot has changed since 2010, and life has only gotten better since. I now feel like I have more of a purpose, and I look forward to far different things in life than I used to. The friends I surround myself with are real. I didn’t surround myself with the healthiest people while I was out there, but now, I won’t have it any other way.

So, as you have figured out, May is a special month for me! My birthday is 5/4, directly followed by my sobriety birthday on 5/5! One of the cutest texts I got on the 4th was this one:

Brat!! Lol!! My friends know me SO well!! None of my plans aligned and worked out on Saturday, so I went to a meeting that morning, and stayed home watching a Smash marathon on On Demand trying to catch up with the season. I was kind of sad, but really, it wasn’t that big of a deal.

Sunday turned out much better! Ali decided that we were going on a walk to the dog run whether I liked it or not! On our walk, we ran into a pair of ducks! They appeared to be boyfriend/girlfriend:

They were so friendly and fearless! They came right up to me like they kind of just expected me to give them something to eat! I didn’t have anything with me, so Ali and I started to walk back home, and they started following us down the sidewalk!

So I went home and brought back a couple of pieces of bread for them. They bravely came right up to me, and the female ate bread right out of my hand!!

They were so adorable! They made my morning! I saw them outside again today. I wonder if they’re lost? The lake is a couple of buildings over….anyway, they were cute nonetheless!

That afternoon, I hung out by the pool, and Devin took me out for sushi that night. We went to Ginban Sushi over on 40th St and Chandler. It was excellent!! Even their basic rolls like Spicy Salmon and Spicy Tuna were exceptional! The fun rolls we got were the Ginban Roll (right)and the Spicy Girl Roll (left) pictured here:

Fan-freakin-tastic! I could’ve eaten like four of either of those rolls. I will definitely go back and try more of their stuff. After dinner, we watched Silver Linings Playbook and ate candy Smile .

This whole candy thing’s gotta stop…..

The movie was really good! Jennifer Lawrence definitely earned her Oscar for her role in it. What a great representative of my hometown!

So the weekend was really nice. I am so blessed to have such supportive people in my life! I really didn’t expect the kind of response I got to my Facebook post on Sunday. I am grateful! Here’s to another great year of healthy living and continuing to grow into the person God created me to be Smile

‘Til next time….

Happy Trails!

Stacey

Posted in General, Vacation Time

Tagged birthday, ducks, Silver Linings Playbook, Sobriety, sushi

Rest of the week randomness

Posted on May 5, 2013 by pugmamastace| Leave a comment

All in all, I had a great week! After I got home Tuesday, I went by Pomegranate Café and got their Wild West Tacos. They are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

Ali apparently thinks so, too….she got a couple of pieces of sweet potato. She loves sp’s! Whenever I cut them up to make fries, I always give her the small pieces on the end. She eats them raw! Glad they’re good for her!

Then I took like a 5 hour nap because I got like zero sleep the night before, and I was exhausted.

Later that evening, I decided to try my luck at finding spaghetti squash again. I called Safeway for shits and giggles, and they had just gotten some in that morning!! Woo hoo! Spaghetti squash boats for dinner it is!!

Never in my life have I been so excited over a vegetable. Compared to the typical human being, I don’t really even like vegetables. I don’t like cucumbers, celery, brussel sprouts, or raw tomatoes that aren’t chopped small like you chop food for a toddler. I only like green beans from a can, and I don’t like raw broccoli, cauliflower or carrots (only steamed.) I know, I know….at least I eat them, though!

Thunderous, yes it was.

Currently, it hurts to walk. I have to get up from sitting to standing with my weight evenly distributed between both feet, and even yoga poses where you have to balance on one leg hurt. Yet, look what I want to do!!

Look at this elevation profile!!! When I get healthy, I am going to PR here!!

Right now, my injury is really humbling me. I switched my avenue of healing to Dr. Ackerson by recommendation of my coach, who happens to have recovered from the same injury as me. Did I tell you guys that my hamstring issue is ischial tendonosis with degenerative tendinopathy (In both legs)? According to Sports Injury Clinic.net, here is the definition:

Hamstring Origin Tendonitis

Hamstring tendinitis is inflammation of the hamstring tendon as it attaches to the Ischial Tuberosity at the top of the back of the thigh.

Symptoms of Hamstring Tendonitis

Pain and tenderness at the ischial tuberosity.
Pain when stretching the hamstring muscles.
Pain when bending the knee against resistance.
A gradual onset of pain following a sprinting session.

What is Hamstring Tendonitis / Tendinopathy?

Hamstring tendinitis is inflammation of the hamstring tendon as it attaches to the Ischial Tuberosity at the top of the back of the thigh. It can follow a tear of the hamstring tendon which is poorly treated or more often is an overuse injury.

So I am completely sidelined from running right now. I agreed to take 4 weeks off from running completely, and only to do workouts that don’t aggravate my injury. Even strength training on the hammy aggravates it right now. I did some on Wednesday, and since then, it has hurt to walk. I may be taking even longer than 4 weeks off. We’ll have to see. I just know that I am kind of depressed right now that everything I do hurts, and I need this to heal. Completely. There is a Zero Gravity type of treadmill thing I found out about in my neighborhood that I am thinking about trying if it doesn’t hurt. I just have to get in some form of exercise, and I am still trying to convince myself to try swimming.

Anyway, on a happier note, I finally got a new trash can/ Kleenex box holder for my car! It was $15 at the car wash and worth every penny. Look!