Tag: running

Proud mama moment amd extras

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, training, travel

Happy Saturday morning!!!

Wasn’t feeling 100% great yesterday so i spent the day napping and cuddling on the couch with Artemis

I got Artemis almost 2 years ago and she was so timid. Over the last 2 years i have taken Artemis on road trips and hikes and overnight trips and now to a farm and she is also sharing her house with 2 other dogs and slowly……very slowly she has started to come out of her shell. 

I showed you guys her and the cow

And now here is a video of her playing with DeeDee the other girl dog in our house 

She is working on learning how to play lol.

She loves to run full out. She gets the buggest grin! She loves to be out exploring on a hike or out on a farm. She loves to ride in the car. 

This was from our hike last September.  I LOVE the picture of her under the sleeping bag. I have that framed in my room

Playing in the snow
I love my crazy dog. 

Now for the extras…..

I just booked my Vatican city tour! 

I just bought some new shoes because the other ones i got were giving my blisters blisters.

These feel like they should be better on my feet. 

I also wanted some comfortable but cute walking shoes for Europe that i could wear with dresses as well as jeans. Running shoes don’t go well with dresses 

They are Keens!!!! Just like some hiking shoes i have and my favorite water shoes!! I am pretty stoked about them. I looked and looked and looked until i found a pair on sale on Amazon. Score!!!!!!

What is one awesome thing about your pet?

What’s been going on over here

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training, travel

I have been on a serious sweet tooth kick over here. Made my coffee a mocha.

Always fun to study something that no one knows what it does

Salad and something with cheese has been a big lunch time ritual for me lately.

pork roast with veggies and rice. I love using the slow cooker

Artemis and I enjoyed the eclipse by going for a run. It was pretty eerie. People looking at the sun with glasses while it got dark then as a group would turn and look at us run by, very pod people-esque. I kept waiting for zombies to jump out at us.

Smoothies are still a big thing over here.

More salad and cheese.

Mmmmm breakfast sandwich from the coffee shop near work.

Life has been food, running, work and starting to freak out about Europe hahaha. Talk to you soon!!!!!

Long run of the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

My long run this week was 5 miles, it’s also my longest run to day since my half marathon 2 weeks ago. I went ok, the bf and I were both pretty tired and sluggish feeling which could be due to several things. It could have been the 10 hours we slept, the sitting on the couch and binge watching the Netflix original series Strange Things or it could have been the McDonald’s and Taco Bell we ate, or it could have been all 3 put together.

Either way we stumbled through our run and made it. We went to a park a few exits away to run in the shade and got 4 of our 5 miles done. The park closed at “Dusk PM” …….what does that even mean? It is sunset, is it when you can’t see your shadow anymore, what? While we should have had time to finish that last mile I didn’t want to risk us having to sprint back to my car or have the gate lock us out and have to get my car the next day so we left at 7:40pmish. Drove home then I dropped the bf off at home, he needed to get rid of the taco bell, and I ran to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Yes I literally ran to the store, then walk/ran back. Carrying a semi-heavy bag while running is a killer bicep workout.




After I got back we had ice cream, watched an old game of thrones episode (I am slowly catching up) then passed out.

Some other news, Thursday is now slow cooker day in my house

By the time dinner rolls around on Thursday i don’t want to cook. I’ve usualy been doing laundry and dishes and the bf and i either go for a run or out to a movie or whatever and i am too tired to cook so slow cooker day it is. 

And i got a little extra so i could freeze the rest

All i have to do is take it out of the freezer, throw in the fridge overnight and dump it in the crockpot the next morning. 

Ariana’s travel tips

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training, travel

 

  1. plan, plan, plan- I know some people like to fly by the seat of their pants and that is great but in some cases you need to plan. If you are not on a budget then you might have a little more room to play with this but if you are on a budget, as I always am, planning is your best friend. Also if you only have a limited amount of time planning ahead can save you hours of wasted time standing in line.
  2. research- Groupon is international if you didn’t know. For most places if you do a little research you can find inexpensive skip the line passes, semi-guided tours, activities and so much more at reduced costs and it definitely saves you on those hours in line.
    1. planning and research also help you squeeze in as much as possible in a short time period. For example we are packing Venice into a day and a half then on our last day in Venice which would have been a 3/4 day anyways we are instead taking the train and spending a few hours each in Verona, Florence and Pisa before laying our heads down in our AirBnB accommodations in Rome.
  3. Think outside the box when it comes to lodging- you don’t have to stay in a nice hotel to feel luxurious when traveling. If you once again research you can find nice places for a lot less expensive. I have stayed in some seriously nice hostels and and used AirBnB several times when I have travelled. If you are traveling with friends AirBnB is a great choice. We have accommodations in the heart of Venice, Rome and Barcelona through AirBnB that are less than $150/night,  whole apartment in each place, split the cost between everyone and you are looking at $20-30/night for each person in a nice place. and having and entire apartment means you have a kitchen so you can hit the market and make a few meals to save some money. You are still eating locally!!!
  4. Do a few things that aren’t overrun by tourists- on my first morning in Venice after some coffee and a pastry I plan on walking the opposite direction of the crowds and will continue to do this. That is how I will explore Venice, going the opposite direction of the crowds (obviously do a little research on places you should avoid and use common sense, if you turn down a street and it feels sketchy, backtrack quickly).
  5. Safety!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- Be safe, research the places you are going, know the areas to avoid, know the laws and customs. Pay attention to the dress code. If something or someone doesn’t feel right get out of that situation and place ASAP. Think before you act. If you are alone, don’t get so drunk that you are impaired. That movie TAKEN with Liam Neeson is a fun thriller but it is also real, people are kidnapped and murdered every day, enjoy your vacation but be smart and be aware.
  6. common sense should see you through-if you wouldn’t do it at home don’t do it abroad. Again take 10 minutes and learn about the place that your are going, I would sunbath topless in Ibiza, I would cover all tattoos and most skin in the middle east, different place different experience.
  7. Check in. Give someone at least a vague itinerary of where you will be and when you will be there and when you will be home so someone will know if you don’t arrive. Try and check in at least ever 72 hours (I tend to check in at least once every 24 hours) you can find a free or very cheap internet café almost anywhere. And most cell phones have international coverage if you check. It will cost me $.55 every day to send 1 text message to my mom and get one back from her both acknowledging we know I am alive. $.55/day is not much to ensure piece of mind.
  8. Be a dork. Take selfies and make stupid faces and journal and take videos. Who cares what the people around you think, in 5, 10, 15 years you are going to be so glad you can look back on those memories.
  9. Be respectful. It may not be your culture, religion or favorite food but it is theirs. You wouldn’t want someone to bad mouth your way of life so don’t do that to anyone else. You don’t have to believe in it or even accept it but don’t be mean about it. Step to the side, quietly leave the church, discreetly bow out of the ceremony, say thank you and try the tiniest bite you can manage.
  10. lastly HAVE FUN!!!!! You may never be back, you may never experience something like this again so drink it all in. Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way and truly live this experience.

Europe prep

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training, travel

Holy Guacamole!!!! I leave for Europe in about 7 weeks! That snuck up quickly. Europe prep is in full swing over here, we have one day were we take the train 4 different times (we are cramming in everything we can) so we just bought our train tickets for that day so that we don’t need to worry about navigating ticket counters or worrying about currency when we are on a strict time table, a gondola ride has been booked and paid for for Venice, a coliseum tour has been booked and paid for for Rome. We are prepaying what we can so we don’t have to worry as much about spending money when we are over there.

That is my quick Europe update now lets talk about normal things.

July is over!! I got some good mileage in (good for me at least hahaha) my goal for next month is 46 miles!

Got my juicing in though I switched it up, morning juice was green

and afternoon was orange-ish

 

Artemis enjoyed another bone I bought her at the beach

I made 2 new running calendar things for me to keep track of my running as I want to start really building up my miles.

 

the first one is super simple to see me month mileage progress and keep me honest, a quick something to look at, like an at-a-glance thing

the 2nd one is a bit more in depth to really dive into each run and analyze the week. I want to get used to doing this so next year I can buy a running training journal thing and know I will actually keep up with it so I don’t waste the money.

And i found this to put on my wall to remind me to stretch

Half Marathon Check In

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

25 days until my half marathon and the longest I have run is 5 miles……..Yesterday and today I did 3 miles and 3.4 miles, both felt pretty good. If I could get a 7 mile run in this Friday, a 9 miler next Friday and 11 miles the Friday after that I will be golden. That is going to be my goal.

It is going to be pushing it a bit for me but I can do it. As long as I don’t try and increase my pace I’ll be fine, but increasing pace and distance at the same time is a recipe for an injury. I also need to make sure I stretch and foam roll if I am going to push it.

My two runs this week have been good so fingers crossed.

I also think I am going to start some kind of juice cleanse/reboot thing. I have been eating like crap ever since I went to California and my body is revolting. I can’t seem to eat almost anything without my stomach/digestive system cramping, not eating leaves me feeling bloated and a little nauseous, though so does eating so its a lose/lose. I am lethargic and having headaches. It is time for a system overhaul.

I watched this on Netflix 
 image from google

The question is, how do I want to do it?

Should I have a smoothie for breakfast have a healthy solid food lunch and juice for dinner, should I juice all day, should I intermix juicing and smoothies, should I juice with little solid snacks of nuts and seeds and things like celery with peanut butter? What is going to work for me and have the results I would like without driving me crazy or being too extreme so I cannot complete it? I am going to do a little research and set up a plan. I will let you know if a few days what the verdict is.

Please feel free to weigh in with your opinions, comments, and advice in the comments.

Also, does anyone want to join me?

Monday Motivation**July 10, 2017

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training, Uncategorized

Week 3 of summer semester classes. The weather is heating up over here!!! Well it is heating up then cooling down then heating up then cooling down. Early morning is the best time to run but that is a problem for me on several levels right now. Saturday and Sunday morning I already get up at 5am to make it to work by 7am. I would need to be in bed asleep my 8pm to get up at 4am to run, that is really hard to do especially in the summer and especially when Friday is the only full day I get with my boyfriend currently so that is pretty much a no go. Mon-Wed I work 2:30-11pm. If I am lucky I can be in bed falling asleep by 12:15am, normally it is closer to 1am though. Which gives me a 8:30-9am wakeup, which isn’t too bad except currently my mattress is killing back (I am hoping to have a new one soon) and because of this I have to let my back stretch out in the am before I can run, meaning the earliest I can run is around 10am. I need to find something productive to do that still rests my back between when I wake up and 10-10:30am because right now I just watch TV and a body at rest tends to stay at rest.

That is my current conundrum.

 

(Image from google)

Workout goal-3 workouts

I made 2 workouts last week. I just had no energy and watched too much TV. Got to get my stuff together again.

 

What is your workout goal for the week?

What is your biggest workout challenge right now?

Tidbits for the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Hi!!! Lets catch up on this week.

There is not a single day I go without studying, whether it is reading a chapter and doing work like that below (PS that is what your tonsils look like when you have tonsillitis), working on my online hw, or studying vocab on an app.

I got this little gel for curly hair in the little sample packs I was getting each month and loved it. I had been looking for a good curly gel , I just went out and purchased the full size one.

I went to Costco looking for this Chinese chicken salad mix they used to have but of course they discontinued it!! ARG!!!! So instead I walked out with Strawberries, raspberries and chicken sandwiches. OMG the fruit prices at Costco!!! Why have I been going to the grocery store???!!! All of this was $15. I am so going back.

I have been making smooties with the fruit, though really its like a fizzy drink more than a smoothie because I don’t have ice at home and have been adding strawberry kiwi emergency powder. It’s pretty good though I need to get some frozen fruit to add in and thicken in up, but this works for now.

2.3 miles run/walk on Monday. My times are still pretty slow but hey the 2nd mile was faster than the 1st so yay!!!!!

Tuesday held a delicious pre-run breakfast curtosy of my wonderful boyfriend

After that yummy breakfast we went out for a 5 mile run. 6 was the goal but we went out a little late and ran out of time before I had to come back and get ready for work.

Check out this grading!!!!You need a 75% to pass, I mean yay that medical students are held to a higher standard, I certainly want the people saving my life to be extra competent but damn lol. I have been in classes were a 68% was passing.

Quickie little run Thursday morning, my legs felt a bit like lead.

Post run small glass of wine

I have been thinking about swinging my eating a bit more toward the Mediterranean diet kind of eating.

How was your week?

TMI running post

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, training

Fair warning: this contains bathroom content.

I thought about not posting about this being that it’s bathroom stuff, but then I thought: everybody excreats their waste and I’m gonna be a nurse so this shouldn’t be the taboo subject it is. Also I feel like runners will relate……and it’s funny in a horrible way.

I went out for a run a few days ago, I’ve been slowing upping my mileage but have been staying pretty close to home so I can cut the run short if I am not feeling it that day. This day I decided to go farther from home so I couldn’t cut it short.

At 1.5 miles I took the turn away from home instead of toward it…….a few minutes later I felt a twinge in my stomach. I slowed down and it went away. After it had gone away I picked up my pace again and by about 1.8 miles…..wham!!!! I doubled over my gits wrenching, it felt like my intestines were being squeezed.

(This is my uncomfortable face)

This was one of those times where it wasn’t if I was going to need a bathroom but when and how long I could hold it. I barely kept walking until the cramps went away then I walked a little more. At this rate I would never make it home in time, so I set interval timers on my watch to run 30 seconds then walk 30 seconds and so on.

Sometimes I had to walk longer than 30 seconds while cramps overtook me.

When I was about .4 miles from home the cramps hit worse than ever and I seriously questioned if I could make it home in time. I danced around at the intersection waiting for the light to turn praying to not have an accident.

I got to my street and kept the 30/30 interval going until I could see my house. I figured worse case scenario I could let my dog off the leash and race her home, even if I couldn’t make it I’d be pretty much home…..then I got closer to home and saw the long line of cars and all the people…..school has just let out, I couldn’t make a break for it because there were kids and cars everywhere……

I was about .2 miles from home when the worst wave of cramps hit

I actually had to knee down to the ground under the pretense of petting my dog to try and not die right there. It passed, I got up and made it in the house by about 2 seconds, I have never run for the bathroom so fast.

I think at some point all runners go through this at least once, though I would bet more than that in their life.

I am so thankful I made it home and didn’t go the way of Charlotte and Poughkeepsie in my pants, in front of like 200 people none the less.

Has this ever happened to you?

Tidbits from the week

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, school/studying, training

Holy crap only 2 more weeks!!!! I am so excited for this quarter to be over, I feel like I am going to be swimming in oceans of time. Next quarter (summer) I am taking medical terminology online so I am going to have so much more time.

Food from the week:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

The bf and I also walked to baskin robins and got ice cream. 

Friday

 

Last Saturday my great friend was in town for the quickest of visits, she was here for a funeral, my boyfriend and I met up with her and her friend after work Saturday afternoon. When your friend is in pain and drinking it away and asks you to drink with her, you do. So I did. I don’t drink much and when I do its usually a glass of wine or something (though I will be trying more wine soon but more on that later) but I try in general to limit myself to 1 glass of whatever it is. I wasn’t the best with my limits in college and I don’t ever need to go back to that. Anyways, I ended up drinking 4 cans of Mike’s black cherry hard lemonade, this is how much of a lightweight I am now, I got drunk off 4 cans basically fruity beer hahahaha. We were at a golf course and ended up just staying there so I ate a hot dog. Thankfully I was in bed by 10pm because I had to be up at 5am for work. But those 4 cans were too much for me, I woke up sick at 2:30am and needed to get something in my stomach, I ate a pop tart. I was hung-over the next day, hence the Mexican food on Sunday and Monday. I cannot believe how long it takes to recover from a hangover now!!!! Like the whole week to feel 100% again. Anyways that was my weekend lol.

Monday I relaxed in between classes but Tuesday I got my butt out for a walk and a run. The roommate and I did 1.3 miles walking then I did another 4 miles on the treadmill.

Wednesday the pup and I got out for about 1.5 miles walking in between classes

Thursday I went out for a run and got 3 miles in. This run was quite tumultuous and will do a whole post on it in a few days. Beware for TMI hahaha.

Friday the BF, the pup and I went for a little hike. 9.4 miles. I will do a more in depth review on the hike next week.

This was a pretty big jump in miles for me this week and I am feeling it in my legs and feet. But I am excited, this is how to get back in shape and lose weight!   19.2 miles total for the week between walking, running and hiking.

Can’t wait to see what next week brings!

How was your week?

Did you get any miles in?

What is the best meal you had this week?