It’s not that cold here. The first snowstorm of the season dumped a very manageable six inches, yet I’m definitely in hibernation, and I love to hate it. Ok, I mostly hate it but I would never want to move.
Having my treadmill and bike trainer set up in the basement is definitely not helping. The only time I leave the house is to go to the indoor pool at the Y or grocery store. And it’s not even February.
WEEK OF JANUARY 18, 2016
RUNNING
I’m becoming a total wuss because of my treadmill. There, I said it. Days when I would be forced to run in the elements can now be spent in the comfort of my basement in a sports bra and shorts, watching The Today Show. It’s just not right. Although I love having the option, I definitely need to get outside more because I feel much more satisfied, accomplished and aware when I get out there and get it done!
Instead of gorgeous (but freezing) pictures of running outdoors, I have this as my view:
Despite the pampered running conditions, I had a great week:
Sunday: 6 miles easy after a swim, 8:06 pace
Tuesday: 3 miles at Half Marathon Pace then, 6 x 20″ hill repeats with speed, 6.2 miles, 7:50 average pace
Thursday: 4 miles easy after bike, 7:56 pace
Friday: 10 miles with 5 x 1 mile repeats at 6:40 pace < – – this was hard!
Total miles: 23 and all done on the treadmill..whomp whomp
CYCLING
The good news is that my butt is completely used to being in the saddle for an hour plus. Again, I would prefer to be outside but until we move south, it just isn’t happening.
My coach likes to give me “optional” workouts on days that are meant to be lighter or if I have an extra long swim or run. I’ve been taking her up on most of the bike options since it’s so easy to get on and ride for 30 minutes or so. The best part is that the drills she is giving me are definitely paying off though my cadence. It’s truly all the little things that make the biggest impact.
Optional bike work done before 9am. Then off to Barre…
My cycling week looked like this:
Monday: 45 minutes of threshold intervals
Wednesday: 30 minute optional pedal for form
Thursday: 50 minutes 10 x 30″ speed intervals
Saturday: 30 minute form focus ride
Total time: 2 hours 35 minutes
SWIMMING
Heading to the pool at the Y is the only time I get outside for exercise…and then head right back in to a steamy, indoor area with lots of glass so we can pretend we’re outside…or in a cage at a zoo. Such is a life of hibernation in the Northeast.
I started the week with some tough kick sets, settled into a long, steady swim midweek and finished up with some quick and tough swims. It was perfect!
Sunday: swim and kick sets, 1,450 yards
Tuesday: 1000 x 8 x 25 (I used to have no clue what that meant either so don’t feel bad), 2,000 yards
Friday: 2 x (10 x 50 negative split), 1,900 yards
Total swim = 5,350 yards
STRENGTH TRAINING
Guess where I’m strength training? In my basement! I’m telling you, it’s getting bad. I may go all Jack Nicholson in The Shining over here. I already have the twins and I’m a writer, so it’s not that far of a stretch.
I think Miles took this one. I love that my kids are so willing and happy to take my Instagram pictures…
FUEL
I’m in a little bit of a rut with my eating so I’m seeking some nutritional guidance. I think I’m eating super healthy and correctly for the amount of training I’m doing but I want a check-up. As soon as I finalize some things, I’ll be posting more about this!
For now, my go-to breakfast or snack (or second breakfast) has been Siggi’s plain yogurt with strawberries and granola from a local bread shop.
There IS some yogurt under that pile of goodness.
GEAR
Guess what? I’m not talking about KUHL clothing. Ok, I will just mention that I got the Flight Jacket which is an “adult sized lovie” as promised:
Only briefly outside before heading inside the gym for a swim and run…
…and I tried Stitch Fix for the first time since so many people I know absolutely love it. If you don’t know, Stitch Fix is basically a personal online stylist. You fill out a ton of information about your style likes and dislikes, sizes and what you absolutely do not want, and they send you a neat little box of clothing selections right to your door. Love it? Keep it and pay for it. Hate it? Send it back for free.
I received my first box last Friday so more on that in the coming weeks…
THINGS I LOVE TO HATE
I’m jumbling these together this week because I had yet another ridiculous adventure in the kitchen. Why I continue to try and bake I have no idea! And, my kids didn’t even have anything to do with this one.
It was snowing outside. There was a fire. I was going to have wine. I had yet to use my brand spanking new bundt pan.
It was a perfect storm.
I gathered all the ingredients and even waited for the eggs to be room temperature. Why is this important?
Notice the fire and storm tracking on tv…
I mixed all the ingredients, exactly as instructed, and poured the mixture into the “buttered and floured” bundt pan.
I popped it in the oven and retired to the fire with a fresh glass of wine. My first, by the way, I was not drinking prior to making this. I wish I was because at least I could blame it on that. Anyway…
A few minutes later I smelled something burning. I checked the oven and saw this:
OMG! It was bubbling over like lava. I seriously could not believe it. Luckily I had a liner in the over so I pulled out the pan, put it on the stove top, cleaned the rack and the liner and put everything back in.
My husband thought it was hilarious and insisted I take this picture to “capture” the moment:
Mine does not look like the one on the box!
I put everything back in…and it continued to bubble over. I cleaned everything again determined to cook this damn thing, and this time I put a pan underneath it.
It cooked forever and then came out like this:
Does that belong on Pinterest or what?
My husband and I actually ate all the lumps that baked onto the pan and they were delicious! Crispy on the outside and moist and delicious on the inside.
After it cooled, I flipped it over and held my breath…
Perfection.
And that my friends is NOT how you make a Devil’s Food bundt cake.
Who knew there are different sized bundt pans? #InformationINeededYesterday
MUSIC
I’m in love with this song from my Barre class. We do an ab routine to it that I just have to get a video of. My friend, the instructor told me she absolutely does not want that to happen, so I’ll be sure to get one this week…I’ll bring Vodka.
TELEVISION
If you have not yet seen the new series on Netflix “Chelsea Does…” I highly recommend you stop what you’re doing and watch all the episodes.
She is her hilarious self but in a much more interesting way.
There are four documentaries in all – Marriage, Silicon Valley, Racism and Drugs – I only watched the first two but they were fantastic!
The scene from her interview with the CEO of Ashley Madison alone (prior to the shit hitting the fan) is worth the watch. Did anyone else know he was married? Don’t worry, neither did he…
Of course there is inappropriate language in this clip so don’t let your kids hear it…
RANDOM QUOTE PICTURE OF THE WEEK
Why am I hibernating when these two are running around out in the open?
How was your week?
Are you hibernating where you are?
Would you have eaten my bundt cake?
OOOH I MUST WATCH CHELSEA DOES…after I finish my new addiction of THE MINDY PROJECT.
ANd again.
SERIOUSLY.
really.
I wanna move in with you.
Except Id mess up your potential to be jack but maybe I could be your MARY (Poppins :0))?
I love the way you think! :-)))) Come anytime. The invitation is OPEN!
I’ve kind of been the same way with my workouts. I forced myself to run outside a couple of days last week because I felt like such a wuss. The whole time I was like WTF am I doing?!? I have a treadmill at home that I could be warm and comfy on! Glad you have your Flight Jacket to keep you cozy – it’s quite awesome, huh? And if you love Stitch Fix – you’re welcome! If not, I don’t know who told you it was a good idea.
LOL!!! Seriously -on all points!!
I actually really liked my “fix” and cannot wait to share…
Ok what?! Omg. What is happening in you baking life?! I think your oven might be a bit too hot. Did you set the timer on the oven? did you check halfway? It’s pretty crazy homey. Are you using the broil option?! I know these questions seem silly but I’m pretty stumped as to how this can happen! I don’t think it’s you, I think it’s your oven.
Great job on the indoor workouts. My dream is to own my own peloton bike. I talk about it everyday and hubby said that I can use money made from my blog to get one. I will *really* hibernate when that happens!!
LOLOLOL!!! I was so thinking of you when this happened!!! The issue was that the pan was too small for the mix. I had no clue there are different sized bundt pans and the mix I had was for a 10-cup pan. I’m guessing mine is more a 5-cup! But thanks for all the questions – I especially love that you thought I was using the broiler!!! HAHAHA
I have a few friends who just recently got those bikes and I haven’t seen them since…:-)
We got about 18 inches of snow here and I’ve become “pampered” myself with the treadmill. Ha! We did attempt to run outside once. It was cold and I busted my butt!! That cake looks exactly like how I cook. Haha but the end product looks amazing.
At least you have a VERY good excuse for using your treadmill. The only way I “run” in snow like that is with snowshoes or trax on my sneakers!! Of course, I chose to just stay instead, hence the wuss status.
Thank you for saying that about my baking. I cannot be the only one who has these issues…right?
Oh heavens no! I’m the worst in the kitchen lol
I’m just stuck where I’m at. I’ve been on the West Coast all week and hopefully our flight comes back today. Not that I really want to be stuck in the snow but it will be nice.
Oh how I would love to be STUCK in the sun…I would definitely run in that!!
Good luck getting home!
30″!!!! 30″!!!!!Yes I am hibernating and I am pretty much NOT a fan!!!! I wouldn’t mind it quite as much if my treadmill was working, but I did get in a few hours of shoveling on Saturday (which is probably better for me anyways). I am definitely getting out there today though!
Your bundt cake is so funny…definitely belongs on pinterest! We went into baking mode over here too….chocolate chip cookies and chocolate chip muffins…hmmmm…I am noticing a theme.
I saw yours and they came out quite a bit better!!!
And yes, shoveling is great cross training – especially when the sun is out.
Good luck with all that snow and be careful out there.
Ahhh! They were screening Chelsea Does at Sundance but we couldn’t get tickets to it. Surprising, I know but I want to watch it. And, I’m so glad that I missed the blizzard!! I’m hoping that our flight gets in and out today with no problem. Fingers crossed! I’ve also had many baking fails like that but the crispy burnt parts are the best!
I saw that and immediately thought of you!!! Total bummer – you have to watch it – I know you will LOVE it!
I’m sure you will have no issues getting back home. Cannot wait to hear all about your amazing trip.
I would have eaten your bundt cake, but I knew when I saw the picture of that pan that it wasn’t going to turn out well…lol! My biggest problem with those cakes is that they get stuck in my pan and break. Anyways, I’m sure it tasted fab.
Looks like another great week of workouts for you…when will the novelty of the treadmill wear off? LOL
That was actually the ONE problem I didn’t have with the stupid cake. I’m just glad I was able to salvage it and that it tasted so good despite the trauma!!
I’m hoping the novelty never wears off!!…but I do need to get my butt outside. Maybe tomorrow… 🙂
My kids used to take my instagaram pics until they got really sick and tired of it….just like my instagram husband did:(( I would totally have eaten the pan drippings of the cake….
I have been seeing everyone’s snow pics and getting just a teensy bit jealous, and then I remember that I’m someone who has to get outside and do something every day in order to avoid murdering other people, and remember that it is best I live in LA.
It is definitely best to admire snow from pictures or maybe go on a ski vacation for one week. That’s it. Trust me.
I’m still able to wrangle at least one kid to take my pictures…I wonder how long it will last?
Enjoy the sun my friend!!
Oh I laughed so much as I looked at the cake!!! So me!!
I mean really!!!! You would have died! And then we could have polished off the whole thing 🙂
After all that – the bundt cake looks pretty darn amazing! I am so so jealous of your treadmill. Saturday morning I was determined to run and my gym said it was open (mind you NYC blizzard) so I walk the half mile there – and they are closing. It is about 8am now and I call my gym in midtown (I live in Queens) and they say they are open so high tail it another half mile back to the train to get in the city to the gym and stress the whole time running about them suspending service. The things we do for a workout.
OMG I was stressed out just reading that!!! So glad you were able to finally get a workout in and, hopefully, some stress relief 🙂
Your bundt cake still looks really delicious! I somehow always manage to break mine.
Great job on all of those indoor workouts! Especially those mile repeats, I would have been so scared of flying off the back of the treadmill at that speed.
Hibernating is not an option in Seattle right now – it’s 50 degrees and finally stopped rainy, so my Midwestern-born-and-raised mind thinks it’s April right now.
Thank you! Blood, sweat and tears went into it!
I was a little afraid of slamming into the wall behind me during those repeats. You definitely have to be more AWARE when you’re on the treadmill!
Enjoy your weather…sounds a lot better then here right now 🙂
There, I’m glad YOU said it:
I’m becoming a total wuss because of my treadmill. There, I said it. Days when I would be forced to run in the elements can now be spent in the comfort of my basement in a sports bra and shorts, watching The Today Show. It’s just not right. Although I love having the option, I definitely need to get outside more because I feel much more satisfied, accomplished and aware when I get out there and get it done!
If I had said it (& I’ve repeated it ad infinitum over decades to 1000s of clients), I’d be maligned and accused of being an elitist, and not empathetic to those who make the effort to get in shape, lose weight, etc.
The TM and Bike trainer set up are just a stop gap for those special days once in a blue moon so as not to interrupt the conditioning you derived on the roads or trails where the human body evolved. Feedback from TMs are inflated to make you feel good and are not representative of how you’ll perform in nature.
The foot Never lands like that in natural running, the terrain is never flat for miles on end, (on a TM, you keep up with an artificially powered rotating belt, in nature, you push back on the Earth), the body sets up muscular imbalances to protect an artificial gait, blah, blah, blah!
The bike trainer is no better, (and totally bad for the structural integrity of the frame and components).
Well, I don’t want to sermonize, but there’s a reason you had that ‘gut feeling’ that running outside is more fulfilling. Listen to your intuition, it knows best!
I know, I live in SoCal; but I did bike 20Miles of mountain drenched to the bone on the 6th, courtesy El Nino (and I have a bike trainer, makes a great bike stand to clean it). Anyway, triathlons and road races don’t take place indoors. It’s paramount to train to replicate racing conditions (if you race).
In response:
I would eat that Bundt cake in a heartbeat! It’s beautiful!
Week was good and bad; good because I’m gaining fitness, bad because I don’t sleep well (any suggestions?)
I hibernate in the am when I wake too many times at night or for too long. This is terrible for consistency!
I couldn’t agree with you more and I’m definitely making more of an effort to get outside and push my paces. Although I cannot bike in the snow, I can absolutely run!
As for your sleep, I’m the wrong person to ask since I sleep like a rock. I would think with all your hard training you would have no issue there. I wish I had some good advice for you.
Excellent on the running:) Yes, biking in the snow is of concern, I don’t really picture chains on a road bike, and too dangerous with the cars that can’t see you. I seem to recall you live in a mountainous area? how about a mountain bike? https://youtu.be/sN5o3Od83Ng
Mountain biking is a killer workout. I used to have an MTB until it was stollen, I loved it, made me stronger on the roads. It’s ALL legs, all the time, no coasting, the hardest cross-training leg workout you can put your legs through, IT’S JUST PURE MUSCULAR!
I’m jealous of your snow; but I don’t think it wiill ever happen here in Woodland Hills, CA.
I have a lead on the sleep, and of course the answer may have been hiding in plain sight. I’ll keep you posted in case it might help others, I need time to see if it works! I’m jealous of your ‘rock’ thing too:)
Sounds like you’re spending a lot of time in the basement!! Ha. But it also sounds like you’ve gotten in some great training lately!
And wow, that cake came out awesome! I’ll take a piece right about now please. 😉
I’m definitely training hard but I need to get outside!!
And I seriously cannot believe how good the cake came out after all it went through… There’s actually only one small piece left 🙂
OMG, I started laughing out loud when you started talking about The Shining!! Too, too funny!!
Your treadmill looks pretty sweet – enjoy it!!
After all the craziness, your bundt cake looks good! Definitely Pinterest worthy 🙂
Stay warm and cozy my friend – or you could always come and visit me for an outside run!
xoxox
You have no idea how badly I want to run in the California sunshine! Don’t be surprised when I just show up…with a bundt cake of course 🙂 Thanks Natalie!
You want to compare notes on hibernation? We have been locked inside since last Friday. Holy crap this city can not handle 28 inches of snow. We are going on our sixth snow day and they won’t even go back to school til Monday. Shining? Oh yea, we’ve got that going on over here. Constant wine IV and thank goodness I was not single parenting otherwise…well, I don’t even want to know what would have happen. Anyhoo….yea, the treadmill has forced me to become a total wimp as well but it’s so easy and convenient and did I mention warm? But I do need to get outside to try out my new Oiselle tights… The bundt cake looks delicious, and eh, just a minor error with a pan too small, i’m sure it still tasted delicious!
Oh mama I feel for you! That is WAY too much snow for you and it brings back very scary memories of last winter up here with a snowstorm every other day!! Hopefully it’s over for you until next winter 🙂
And yes, luckily the cake turned out absolutely delicious!!