Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Grand Canyon approaches

Less than a month to go until the Grand Canyon. Yikes!

Nathan and I have recently taken to exploring the McDowell Sonoran Preserves in order to get ourselves ready. How have I lived in Phoenix my whole life and not hiked this area yet?! The trails are beautiful, well-groomed and much less traveled than some of the Valley's busier hiking spots.

If you haven't done so already, I highly encourage you to get out and see for yourself!



Wednesday, April 4, 2012

No sugar for Katie

If there's one thing we can all agree on its that I'm certainly no health food freak. I enjoy a generous serving of fried food fairly regularly and if I could, I'd put bacon on everything I eat. Don't get me started on the joys of pizza, hamburgers and butter.

Fried pickles, twice baked potato and a chili cheese burger at the Haunted Hamburger, Jerome


What won't I eat?

Processed sugar.

Why? Because it makes me feel gross.

Back in October I enjoyed two tasty desserts in one single day; a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie with lunch and fresh pizookie with dinner. By the time I went to bed that night, I wanted to throw up. The sugar was doing terrible things to my stomach, my energy levels and my general comfort. I couldn't help but think that something causing so much pain couldn't be good for me. Right then and there I pledged to stop eating less sugar and by golly, I've done pretty well.

I began to turn down dessert options and by New Year's, was ready to cut them out altogether. I've always preferred spicy and salty to sweet and sugary anyway so the adjustment was pretty painless. After three months of near-abstention, I can hardly get through a Hershey's kiss, let alone anything more substantial.

Turns out, there's another good reason to give up sugar. Recent research has concluded that participants with lower levels of sugar in their body on average appeared to look 20 years younger than those with higher levels. Now, don't get me wrong, the participants in the study from Leiden University were aged 50 - 70; I don't think my not eating sugar will make me look like I'm five. What it will do though is keep my skin fresh and my stomach not upset. Let's be honest here folks, I already spend enough time in the sun, my skin would appreciate a little help here and there.

So, despite those tasty treats that co-workers continue to bring to the office, no sugar for Katie!

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Preparing for race day

The big 10k is taking place on Sunday. Ah woo, ah hoo!

Nathan and I, per the excellent coaching from Trainer James, have been scaling down this week in preparation. Monday was 50 minutes, Tuesday was 45 and so on down to today's 30. After having run lots of four and five milers recently, 30 minutes was nuthin'! It was refreshing. So refreshing in fact that I was able to chat the entire second half.

Although, I would like to point out that I did have my first running injury. It's only a flesh wound...

Friday, February 10, 2012

Here's what we've been doing...

... For the past month or two.

How 'bout you?


Hiking.



Enjoying the great outdoors.



When competing with other hikers on the hill, 'tis always best to win.



Now, I know it only says 4.9, but that's because I accidentally paused it for about 0.2 miles. My bad. And yes, yes this was on Super Bowl Sunday. We are dedicated, what can I say?



Squaw Peak on a beautiful, cloudy January day.



And this one doesn't have anything to do with running, but I wanted to point out that my best friend and "little sister" just became a US citizen. Here we are post-ceremony. 




Sunday, February 5, 2012

Five miles

We ran five miles today! Five miles for the first time in two years and only the second time in 5.5 years.

I'm so proud...