get out!

I went snowshoeing yesterday. It was the perfect day for it too. Not only was it an unofficial "team" exercise with my best work buddies, but it was warm enough to be comfortable yet cold enough for nice fluffy snow. We’re very fortunate to have some beautiful wilderness trails in our area.

Huffing and puffing our way up and down hills, we panted our agreement that we were having a great time. Being stuck inside the house/office all winter is boring and depressing and sucks, but if you can get out and enjoy everything the season has to offer, you’ll find that winter isn’t bad at all.

A lot of people say “I just don’t like the cold.” To those people I say, “Get over it!!"

As my husband is fond of saying, “There’s no such thing as too cold, just under dressed.” Once you get moving you’ll break a sweat no matter how cold it is. Grabbing some sunshine and fresh air is especially important at this time of year. It can really pull you out of your winter funk.

There are plenty of outdoor activities you can use to inject vitality into ho-hum winter days.

· Skating – inside or outside, it will get the heart pumping

· Downhill skiing – for daredevils

· Snowboarding – for über daredevils

· My personal favourite is cross country skiing

· Snow shoeing is fun and sometimes very practical

· Take the kids tobogganing

· Nobody’s stopping you from going for a run or a walk!

· Shovelling snow – it may be a chore but it’s a fantastic workout

Winter is long. It can be a waiting game until summer or it can be a whole world of fun. The choice is really up to you. Personally, I choose fun.

rae's super mega fantastic update

That's right folks, I said super Mega FANTASTIC.

(There is no font large enough or flashy enough to emphasize what a great week I'm having.)

1. I'm an Aunt....again!

My sister announced the arrival of my beautiful niece on Monday. Introducing Savannah Marie...

Welcome to the world, little one! I can't wait to meet you this weekend.

2. I am down 6 pounds from last week.

Winter running pays off! This may just give me the motivation that I need to continue outdoors now that we've been dumped on with over a foot of snow.

3. Blogger Secret Santa Exchange is in full swing

Jill over at Run With Jill has organized a massive secret santa operation. Yesterday I received a fabulous surprise in the mail...

It reads: I hope this gives you the inspiration to continue living a life of fitness and running!

Eeek! Thank you, thank you, my bloggy secret santa!!!! I can't wait to curl up by the fire with this book on the weekend. When I'm finished reading it, I'm going to lend it to my running 'partner in crime' so that she can enjoy it as well. It looks fabulous. XOXO Now...you didn't leave me with many clues to track you down, but I'm going to do some sleuthing! :)

4. Patrick at The Road has unveiled a new social network for athletes.

I'm a little late to the party (been meaning to join for a week now!), but I finally got around to it. The Endurance Athlete Project is a great source of inspiration for newbies like me. Go, now...check it out!

5. I got a promotion!

After nearly two months spent jumping through numerous HR hoops and hard negotiations, my promotion to Director was finally announced (& technically, the role created) yesterday. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to continue developing professionally with a team that I respect and love working with every day. I'll be working through a transition period while I take on more planning and strategy work while stepping away from my client-facing work. My teammates were thrilled with the move, which is important given my peers will now be reporting in to me. It comes with more responsibility, more money and more work....two of three make me smile.

Have a great weekend everyone - be good!

Rae

xo

running cold - rae's gear & tips

Those of you who are frequent visitors will know that I've been whining about the cold, dark days of winter for the past several weeks. The temp has dropped to minus 15-degrees celsius here in Southern Ontario (that's about 2-degrees fahrenheit for my friends south of the border). The world has been blanketed in pristine, white snow and the neighborhood is actually quite pretty. I kinda feel like I'm living in a snow globe...

I didn't always have such an optimistic view of the white stuff. It threatened to force me inside for dreadmill runs. That was, until I did a little research and invested in some simple winter-wear. You'll be pleased know that I have made peace with winter running. Read on.

As it turns out, all you need to survive winter running is some common sense.

1. Stay dry, stay warm

Dressing in layers is a great way to stay dry and warm. It's not about bulk - it's about layering thin, moisture wicking fabrics to keep your skin dry and trap warm air between layers. I've added 4 critical pieces of gear to my standard ensemble of tights and a shirt. First, I invested in a insulated, wind blocking jacket from the North Face ($129). This jacket is so comfortable! It is breathable and has velcro at the wrists to trap warm air in. Better yet, it has a nice reflective stripe across the back - perfect for evening visibility.

Second, I found a New Balance long-sleeved shirt at Winners ($14.99) - a great second layer over top of my normal running shirts. Can't beat that price! :)

Third, a good hat that covers the ears. Did you know the body loses most of it's heat from the head? It does. Wear a hat.

And finally, some gloves ($1.99). Mitts are actually better for keeping warm, but I hate it when my hands get hot, so gloves it is. Running shoes: Mizuno Wave Alchemy 9's ($149).

2. Prepare for the elements

The winter air is particularly harsh and dry. Be sure to apply a good moisturizer and lip balm before you head out. Don't forget about SPF protection! Just because it's cold doesn't mean the sun's rays won't get you. In fact, the snow will reflect the light....sunglasses are a must for those of you lucky enough to run in the day. ;)

3. Go easy

I have found that it takes me quite a while to get warmed up in the winter. Be sure to take it easy so that you don't injure yourself. Let those muscles get warm before you cut loose. As well, recognize that not everyone is kind enough to shovel and salt their walkways. Tread with caution. Take small steps. You don't want to risk a wipe-out on the ice!

And there you have it. Me...a snow bunny! It took some time, but it's finally happened and my cardiovascular system and weight are the better for it. I'm already tracking a three-pound loss this week. Eat THAT winter!!!

Happy trails everyone!

Rae

xo

to the victor go the spoils

With November just a distant memory, the Throwdown has officially come to an end. I embarked on this challenge with Katie just four short weeks ago, so that we could motivate one another to accomplish great distances in our respective running programs.

Katie technically beat me on this challenge with 39.27 miles to my 39. While I talked a big game on the weekend, my intentions were bigger than my resolve. In the end, I found myself in a position similar to that immortalized in the photo above....should have seen it coming! ;)

The truth? Everyone's a winner!
You see, this is one of my greatest milage months to date. I could not have done it without the constant threat of annihilation from Katie. tee hee.

Not only did we get in some great mileage, but we managed to inspire a few other bloggers to come together in competition. I encourage you to visit the other contenders to read about their challenges. Some have even renewed the battle for December:
Big Clyde and Alan
Jess and J
Travis and The Traveler

Now......what goals have you set for December??

Keep on keepin' on!
Rae
xo

encouragement from a former addict

No, the former addict isn't me. I'm a huge fan of Craig Ferguson. He's the host of The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, on CBS. If you're not familiar with him, I'll give you a quick background. He's originally from Glasgow, Scotland but now lives in California, USA and has become an American citizen. He dropped out of high school at age 16 and became addicted to drugs and alcohol, all the while hopping from punk band to punk band, repeatedly falling short of success. He went through rehab, stayed clean and got his big break on the Drew Carey Show.

He battled his demons and seems to have evolved into one of the wisest and most down-to-earth personalities in show-biz today.

I've been reading his autobiography 'American On Purpose,' which is a great read with brilliant story telling. I had only made it as far as the preface when I realized how good his book was going to be. In the preface he wrote, "we prepare for glory by failing until we don't."

My stomach did a flip when I read it and I knew that this statement would be added to the mental Rolodex of phrases I keep to inspire myself when I'm feeling daunted.

Through his failed marriages, his addictions, his numerous attempts to break into show business, he continued to fail until one day he didn't. That's the secret!

The people who become truly and uniquely successful aren't the people who learn how to succeed, they're the people who learn how to fail and start over. They are the sort of people who fall and get back up, dust themselves off, and prepare to fall again. They fail until they don't.

People say things like this all the time. I've heard things like this before and shrugged it off and you may shrug this off today. Realistically, no one really 'gets it' until they're ready. You need to reach that place in life where you're prepared to make a mess of things and try again, without fear of looking foolish, because you finally know that there is no other option for you but to try until you succeed.

It applies to anything worth achieving, whether it's a battle with weight, or addiction, or the drive to succeed academically, athletically, in your career, or in love. If you persevere you have an infinitely better chance of success than you have if you give up.

Long story short, it's OK to fail as long as you keep trying, as long as you keep failing until you don't. Have a great day everybody!

darkness falls

On most days, I wake up at 4:30am....in complete and utter darkness.
I walk the dog, get ready, drive into the city by 7am....darkness.
I head into an office building for 10-11 hours and emerge into...you guessed it, more darkness.
I have dinner, think about running......but there's that darkness!



I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm becoming nocturnal.

I am missing the long evenings of summer in a BIG way, and it's starting to affect my running. I have zero motivation to head out into the night. By 6:30pm I am ready to pack it in for the day. It makes no sense.

In the summer, the fun would just be getting started at 6:30pm! That would be the time I started thinking about getting in a run and maybe squeezing in another walk with my dog and maybe even hitting a bucket of golf balls.

Now? Pajamas look mighty good around 7pm.

* shakes head *

I think it's about time I re-set my internal clock.

After all, it's only November!

'movember virtual run

I took part in a virtual challenge today which allowed me to get in 5k towards my monthly goal. I decided to join Kelly virtually, as she issued a challenge to runners. She will be participating in a run to benefit and raise awareness for prostate cancer; a disease her dad is fighting. Such a fantastic cause!
My husband is actually growing a mustache in support of 'Movember - his theory is that everyone is sick of charity runs and walks, so the men at his school are sporting the 'stache and raising funds. To each his own. I still have some run left in me. ;)

The "before" shot:

Moment of Proof shot - yes, I did this one indoors given some thunderstorms:

The "After" shot. Sweat. It. OUT! <3

Ladies - has anyone else noticed some serious boob shrinkage on this journey? I know they're just fat and therefore it makes sense for them to go....but come on!

Hope everyone else had a great weekend. If you didn't catch my travel survival tips, click here.
Rae
xo

home sweet home

I've returned from sunny So-Cal with good news: I not only survived my business trip, but I thrived! If only those on the stranded Carnival cruise could say the same. Oh my!

San Diego Highlights

10. Learning about the fascinating projects that others in my field are involved in. I felt completely energized by my conference, which is a rare thing! I gathered plenty of great ideas to take back to my team.

9. Daily walks through San Diego's gaslamp district: taking in the sights, sounds, artwork and people watching. Good for the soul!

8. Choosing Starbuck's oatmeal for breakfast over the fatty/sugary hotel breakfast buffet spread. Every day.

7. Getting my 8 glasses of water in. Every day.

6. Hitting the hotel gym 2/5 days

5. Nordstrom sale. Who would've thought I'd have to go to San Diego to find an incredible winter hat? Ha! I also scored my favourite body wash & lotion through a gift set. One of the few luxuries I can't find in Toronto. ;)

4. Vitamin D! We enjoyed a few patio breaks throughout the conference, overlooking the bay and taking in the sun. It's amazing what a little sunshine can do to your energy level. I'm having a hard time adjusting to the 50-degree F weather now after being in 78-degrees!

3. Shopping at Target! Love, love, love Target. Especially as we get closer to the holidays. Oh Target....when will you come to Canada?!?!

2. Running with my coworker 3/5 days without humiliating myself. She was fast, but I had the stamina. We met in the middle with an easy jog and I got in a few 3-miles runs.

1. Logging 14 miles on foot towards the November Throwdown. Did you hear that Katie? LOL I know you're still kicking my butt, but I vow to over-take you this weekend. ;)

Hope you had a great week!

Rae

xo

i'm scared

On Sunday I will be packing my bags and heading to San Diego for one week. This is my first lengthy business trip in quite a while and I'm feeling a little uneasy about the whole situation. My current paranoia is revolving around the following uncertainties:

1. Will my butt fit in the airplane seat?

2. What will a week of restaurant food do to my progress?

3. What will five days of 8am-7pm meetings do to my butt!?

But what really sent panic through me was the following email, sent by the coworker who is travelling with me:

"I have good intetions: I'm throwing my work-out gear/running shoes into the suitcase. I am not a long distance "runner", but I can fake the Running Room's run for x minutes, walk for x minutes approach. It might be nicer to get outside vs. the hotel gym?? And my biggest motivator is peer pressure - Rae ...!!!! "

*GULP* She wants to run with me?? You'd think I'd be super-stoked to have a running buddy. Thing is, my coworker is probably 110 pounds soaking wet. I know she claims she is not a runner, but this girl plays soccer and does boot camps. Hardcore. And she has work-out gear. GEAR! She is going to wipe the floor with me! I am seriously terrified of making a fool of myself in front of her.

I am still doing the couch to 5k program. I haven't graduated much farther than running for 7 or 8 minutes with walking breaks in between. Am I "faking it"? I love running with my friend down the street, but that's because we're both complete turtles.

What have I gotten myself in for? And why am I acting all psyched-out about this? It's not as if I haven't been putting in some miles lately. I hate that I still feel like the completely unfit fat chick being picked last for sports in high school.

Of course, I replied to her note with the promise of fabulous ocean-side runs...daily. If nothing else, I have to get my Throwdown miles in (Katie is edging ahead of me and I am not liking it! tee hee).

Now, who has some business travel tips for me?

Rae

xo

in a word....

I've had such a crazy week. Things aren't letting up, either. I've decided to capture the highs and lows of the week by sharing a photo and a one-word caption to describe each of the past 7 days. Yes, I am THAT strapped for time today. Here is a snapshot of what has been happening in Rae-land:

1. Delicious

2. F@%&*!!!

3. Spooky

4. Spirit

5. Why??

6. Tradition

7. EVIL

Next, a quick update as OktoberFast comes to an end. My goals for the month were to:

1. Avoid the Starbucks drive-thru all month.

I was successful with this challenge. Not only did I avoid my grande americanos, but I avoided ALL drive-thrus. My car was a beverage and food-free zone and I love it!

2. 50 miles on foot

I accomplished 41 miles. At first I felt a little disappointed in this, until I realized this is probably the most I've ever ran in a 31-day period. And hey - we still technically have 1 day left this month, so maybe I'll squeeze in another 4-5miles. ;)

November will soon be upon us. There is still time to find a worthy adversary for the Throwdown!

Rae

xo

throwdown!

Big news! In the spirit of motivation, bloggie support and fuelling competitive fires, I am stoked to announce a new challenge for November:
This challenge idea was born out of a blogger friendship with Katie from Finding the Thin Within. You see, we have bonded over a mutual love of the Biggest Loser, running, and Bobby Flay (hence the name, which we borrowed from his Food Network show!). We have similar fitness levels and feel we're fairly well-matched for this challenge. The premise is simple: find a blogger of similar fitness level/weight and challenge one another to accomplish great things in November. For us, this is a mileage challenge. We will track all miles logged on foot. The one with the most miles logged by the end of November wins. Simple as that.

Now, I have to admit, I am getting nervous as this challenge draws near! If you read my last post which illustrated the extent of my dedication to running via pie chart, you'll know that I need a push in the right direction. I'm hoping the cold, dark days of November don't slow me down. ;)

I encourage you to get out there, find a worthy competitor and throw down the gauntlet, folks!

Now, being a teen of the 1990s (and from Toronto at that), the very word "throwdown" automatically brings the beats of Maestro Fresh Wes' Let Your Backbone Slide to mind:
"This is a throwdown, a showdown
hell no, I can't slow down!"

Sorry - but I just had to include the video as a little blast from the past. Don't hate! LOL


Have a great week, everyone!
Rae
xo

NSVs abound!

This week can only be characterized as The Week of Non-Scale Victories. I managed to lose two pounds this week thanks to my renewed focus on my diet. But more importantly, I started to notice some interesting improvements that have nothing to do with the numbers on the scale:

1. I can take my jeans off without even unbuttoning them.

Yes! The jeans that I purchased not more than 2 months ago can be taken off by simply pulling them down over my hips without stopping to undo them. How did I learn this, you may ask? Well, let's just say that a long car ride and a full bladder resulted in a particularly eager sprint to the bathroom this week. A bit of frantic fumbling and...lo and behold - they're officially too big! The frugal part of me hates this development because I refuse to buy new clothing as the sizes drop (I try to recycle through smaller clothing that I've held onto over the years), but jeans are....essential. Know what I mean?

2. The small bath towel now wraps around me - and stays up!

I may have posted about this in a comment this week, but it is worth sharing again. You see, I have been using "the mammoth" bath towel for quite some time. My husband uses the regular bath towels because....ahem ...they just didn't wrap around me. Well, this week I happened to grab a regular sized towel and YES! It not only wrapped around me, but stayed up as I did my morning routine. No gaping, either. :)

3. I can sit in a booth at my favourite local diner - with room to spare!

It's been a few months since I visited this little restaurant. I used to loathe sitting in the booths because I had a hard time sliding my fat @$$ in and felt the table was right up under my ribcage. Well, it is now comfortable. *sigh of relief*

I know these NSVs may not sound like much to you, but for me, they are incredible feats. They truly illustrate the differences between being 300+ and 240+. I still have a long way to go on this journey, so I'll celebrate these little victories to keep me going. ;)

OktoberFast Challenge Update

I remain drive-thru free for October! I haven't caved to my morning Starbucks ritual yet. I have accomplished 30/50 miles on foot and need to step it up in order to meet my goal by the end of the month.

A Note on Balance

Last week I discussed how I have a hard time focusing on diet and exercise at the same time. It seems to be one or the other for me. This week was no exception. I focused on my diet so much that I let my running slip a little. The chart below illustrates the extent of my exercise commitment! I did manage to get out for two 5ks, but it became an ongoing joke between Hubs and I that I was talking the talk and not walking the walk.

Hope you have a great weekend!

Rae

xo

diet renewal, DM and tasty tuesday regrets

For me, weight loss is more about diet than it is exercise. I worry that with my renewed commitment on the exercise front, I've been letting my diet slip a little. You see, there was a time that I was religiously tracking my calories with a 1500-1700 target in mind. Meals were planned every week. I rarely found myself standing in front of the fridge with a blank stare....hoping something delicious and healthy would magically appear!

This week I'm determined to get back on track with my diet. The meals are simple, easy and pre-planned. I'm focusing on 1500 calories per day with 3 meals (including breakfast) and 2 snacks. Oh, and no more eating after 7pm.

Unfortunately, this means I won't be creating any particularly inspired meals this week. My usual Tasty Tuesdays post is going to have to go on hold...at least for a week or two. Instead, I'll share some pics of the good (but boring) stuff I'm eating this week:

Source

Is this what your meals look like when you're "on plan"?

Don't let this post fool you into thinking that the scales are going to tip away from exercise. I mean, I still have 25 miles to put it on foot as part of my OktoberFast challenge. ;)

As some of you know, I've been logging my mileage via updates on Daily Mile. If you are open to having one more website to login & track, I highly recommend it. It provides a great summary of your progress and a very supportive (experienced!!!) community of fellow athletes. If you're on DM, please add me as a friend.

Have a great week, all!

Rae

xo

the pain!

How wrong is it that I felt like Carl after my 5k today?

progress, soccer hotties & the perfect running song

Sorry for being MIA this past week - things have been insane at work. I've hardly had time to breathe let alone blog. In the spirit of a frantic Friday, let me get some stuff off my chest rapid-fire style!

1. The scale finally moved. It's only a one-pound loss, but I'll take it! I didn't think it was possible to hit a plateau with this much weight to loose, but here I am. Oh wait...was I supposed to be tracking calories?!?

2. I think I may have found the perfect running song. Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes. That's it playing right now (well, unless you've muted my player!). It has been perfectly crafted to match my running pace and kicks it into high-gear right when I do. Wicked! What are your favourite running tunes?

3. OktoberFast Challenge Update: I have remained drive-thru free for October and I am slowly working towards my goal of 50 miles on foot for the month. To date I've managed 20/50. Looks like I have some catching up to do for the next two weeks!

4. Hubs scored two premium tickets to the final Home game for the Toronto FC which takes place tomorrow. Apparently the Reds have never beaten Columbus in nine attempts, so my hopes aren't high....at least there will be some eye candy. Have you ever noticed that all soccer players are HOT? Must be all that running! ;)

That's it folks! I'm looking forward to catching up with your blogs this weekend.

Rae

xo

thankful

This weekend marks Canadian Thanksgiving. Rather than lamenting all the goodies I won’t be indulging in this year, I felt it appropriate to commemorate the holiday with a little display of thankfulness. I’ve been blogging for about 5 months now and in that time I’ve come to be thankful for many new things in my life.

First, I am thankful for results! I started this journey some 40-ish pounds heavier than I am now. The first few months were quite frustrating because no matter how the scale changed, I just didn’t see any results. Don’t get me wrong – I felt the results. I enjoyed having more energy and sleeping better. But I never had the satisfaction of seeing my clothes fall off of me or having people stop me in my tracks to say how they’ve noticed a change. Well, that’s starting to change. People are starting to notice and there’s no denying I need a new wardrobe. I mean, my pants literally fell down off my butt as I ran up some stairs this morning. How cool is that? It also helps that I finally took the time to compare some Before/After pictures:

The pic on the left was taken in April of this year. My husband and I were at a maple syrup festival with some friends and this picture was snapped as we were about to make a long uphill climb towards the parking lot. It was about 1.5km on a 10% incline. I don’t know how I made it up that hill! I was huffing, puffing, red-faced, sweating and completely embarrassed that even 92 year olds were out-pacing me. This was a turning point for me. Flash forward to the pic on the right: taken last weekend while on a 10km hike. "Look ma...one chin!"

Second, I am so very thankful for my running shoes. Getting fitted for proper running shoes changed my life and enabled me to carry on with my intervals without pain. I hope that Mizuno never gets rid of the Wave Alchemy shoes! More than that though, these shoes represent the path to fitness and a new lifestyle that I can’t imagine trading for the world.

Third, I am thankful for Clean Eating magazine. Many of you have heard me profess my love of this publication before. It has become the most invaluable ‘cook book’ on my shelf and provides me with loads of inspiration to adjust my favourite menu items into healthy, delicious, satisfying meals (and they don’t even pay me to say that!).

Finally, I am thankful for YOU. I could not do this without the encouragement, support and occasional (but much needed) ass-kicking that I so faithfully receive from my readers and friends. If you had asked me why I blog 5 months ago I would have told you it was about accountability. It’s more than that. Blogging has been a way to connect with people who share similar goals, similar dreams and, most importantly, a vehicle we can all use to remind each other that our dreams ARE possible.

What are you thankful for?

Rae
xo

Tasty Tuesdays #9 - Just Stew It!

I love me a good stew. This weeks recipe represents the first of several seasonal dishes that will feature the best of Canada's Fall ingredients. It is hearty, satisfying and allows you to get in your lean protein and veggies.


Ingredients round up: a cup or two of good red wine, 2 T tomato paste, pearl onions, olive oil, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 potatoes, 2 onions, 2 turnips, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1.5 lb sirloin steak or stewing beef.

PLUS a secret ingredient (to be revealed below!).

Begin by chopping all of your veggies. This should be a rough chop.


Next, heat 2 T olive oil in a deep pot. When the oil is hot, sear the beef on all sides. You may have to do this in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Cook the beef just long enough to get a nice brown caramelized colour.


It will look like this. Don't worry about all those brown bits in the bottom. That is just flavour waiting to be included in our stew stock.


Add a cup or two of your favourite red wine. TIP: don't cook with anything you wouldn't drink! This will deglaze the pan. Scrape up some of those brown bits with a wooden spoon.


Time for the secret ingredient! In the spirit of OktoberFast, I decided to include a can of Creemore Springs Kellerbier. This is a hearty beer from a fantastic local micro-brewery - it should help beef up the stew. If you're not fortunate enough to have access to beer from Creemore Springs, just substitute your favourite dark ale.

Top up the pot with a few cups of beef stock.


Next, add all of your veggies: potato, celery, carrots, onion. Top up the pot with water so that the contents are just barely covered with liquid. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5-10 minutes.


When the veggies have started to soften, add your flavouring agents: tomato paste, pearl onions, bay leaves and rosemary. Put on the lid and let this simmer for 90 minutes. The longer the better!

Mmmmm......tastes like Fall!

Enjoy!

Rae

xo

OktoberFast!

Well, well, well…no weight loss for me this week, but given I was able to keep off the 5-pounds I dropped due to my cold, I’ll take it!!

This marks the first day of a new challenge I’ve decided to embark on:

Designed by Big Clyde and Patrick, this choose-your-own-adventure challenge is going to help Yours Truly commit to a few focused short-term goals:

1. I will log 50 miles (on foot) this month
I have been slacking off on my running since I was sick and I need a proverbial kick in the butt to get back on track. A goal of 50 miles will force me to get in three sessions of Couch-to-5k per week. Who knows – maybe this will be the month I actually ‘graduate’ the program. I will need to throw in a few bonus 5ks to reach this mileage. I’m already envisioning a few long hikes in the crisp Fall air! :)

2. I will be drive-thru free this month
Nope – this has nothing to do with convenience “meals”. It has everything to do with reducing my insane caffeine intake. I’ve been drinking 2-3 HUGE coffees per day, primarily when behind the wheel. Coffee has become an absolute necessity to get me through my commute. So much so that I’ve actually conditioned myself to seek coffee whenever I’m in a car. Just the other day I berated Hubs for not enabling me by stopping for coffee before we got on the highway for a long drive. Poor guy. To be honest, this is going to be the most difficult of the two goals. I could almost hear Starbucks calling to me this morning as I drove past. Here she comes! Wait a minute. What the…? Rae?! What will you do without your Grande Americano?” *tear*

Finally, in the true spirit of Octoberfest, I am going to feature seasonal meals that include beer as much as possible in my weekly recipe posts. Join me next Tuesday for stewy-goodness! Miam!

And remember…

A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it’s better to be thoroughly sure!

– Czech proverb

Have a great weekend!
Rae
xo