track

a month and a half ago i got back on the track (tentatively) after coming back from the over use injury to my left hip flexing muscles...it was mile repeat night...but coach being the nice coach that he is (sometimes ;0) gave me 5x800...don't go killing it he said...but i was excited to be back on the track...ran one...3.29 ok...i was ok with that...but then came the next four...there was no negative split...and this was the HARDEST track workout...it was taking everything i had to not fall off...but fall off i did...last one was somewhere about 3.39...ught...i was not happy...i remember being really upset and wondering what happened to my negative split...

tonight was a different story...the workout was 7x800...negative split the set...i did...i was so excited...and running the last one...kicking down the last 100 meters...felt good...felt not at all as hard as that first 800 that april evening...even if i thought it would take forever to get that feeling back...it didn't...and i'm going to enjoy it...now to get faster...

memorial day baking

gluten free
mexican chocolate cup cakes








apple-cranberry crumb topped pie











matt's blueberry pie

food blog back-up

so it has been a long time since i posted any of my cooking adventures...and well there really have not been that many...but i am making up for it this week...made a batch of pesto, tofu/chocolate/banana pudding, turmeric potato salad, dilly green beans, english muffins (the second try), pie dough, gluten free cupcake mix (for baking later this weekend) and i am thinking about throwing together a pizza dough recipe from peter reinheart and we all know that takes days !! but so worth it...anyway here are some photos of my cooking adventures that had yet to get posted :)...

train cake was for j's birthday...loved the smile it put on his face...english muffins are attempts one and two...the first batch (pictured cooking in the pan) were too dense...but still tasty... this last batch (the split on) SO much better...very very good...can't wait to make a breakfast sandwich tomorrow after my 40/7 brick...mm weekend

and we are done

finished my last exam of the semester at noon today...and boy it was rough...i was there the whole three hours...it is mentally and physically exhausting to sit and try and take an exam for that long...and thank goodness i had a sweatshirt with me...because i was sitting under the air vent for the hug lecture hall....by the end of my exam i was wearing the hood and my nose and right hand were freezing...i was thankful for the beautiful day out side to help me warm up....

had a celebration lunch with amy! yeah...at whip in...i had chana masala...yum...if you are in austin and have not been to whip in to eat...you are missing out...go it's really good...and i had a glass of zin to celebrate a rough semester...

so nice to catch up with amy...and we started chatting about what i was going to do with my time off...and well i was going to go get a cupcake...and well somehow i twisted her arm and we ended up at polka dots in west campus...uhm yeah...excellent cupcake...great coffee...and a really great porch with perfect weather and company...

home for a bit to catch up on all of the stuff that i had been putting off until after the exam...just some running of the house stuffs...then off for a run...i can't tell if i felt strong and fast because i have a huge weight off my shoulders or due to the fact that the humidity is below 90%...maybe both...either way it was a great run...loved it...

then just home to hang out with j...nice!...no stress...just cook eat relax...

and last but absolutely not least...we are going to the french laundry (squeeee!!) the sunday i do vineman...it's j's anniversary gift to me...darn...now i need to figure out something to get him... :D

Mix Up

one thing that is really good about dead days and finals week is that i get to mix up the routine a bit...now you know that i LOVE a routine...but sometimes it feels really good and relaxing to be able to work out whenever...or sort of whenever...

yoga session ended...so sad...so post rookie monday was a sleep in day...a treat for sure to make the it really seem like classes have ended...the reality has not quite sunk in...i had three review sessions to attend so decided to get my run in the morning...holy cow...it was about 80% humidity out there...i was covered in sweat by the time i was about half a mile from home...any way it was a hot hard run...but as the quote on my mirror says...i've never regretted going for a run but i have regretted not going on one...

hit all three review sessions...and am thankful for the lead o-chem TA ....she's good...really good...

tuesday morning i was going to swim as usual but decided that i could switch it up...so i spun...great class...chrissie kicked my butt...in a good way of course...

home to study for the rest of the day...

so the rest of this week is getting in my workouts a little differently...which for some reason makes them feel new and exciting again...and well if i'm not working out...i'll be studying...a lot

Rookie Results

Rookie 58.14
-5th in AG

swim 6.49 (they say the swim was a 400 not a 300)
t1 1.48
bike 33.39 (20mph average)
t2 .58
run 14.59 (7.30 average)

a happy one year tri-versary to me!

Last Day!

Just finished my last class of the semester...now i just have to study for finals...i am so happy to be coming to the end of this round...somehow i will make it through finals...hopefully without too much of a freak out... :D

so in between my 1 year triathlon anniversary (racing Rookie on sunday)...mother's day...love ya!...and celebrating the last class of the semester i will get to some studying...at the moment though i think a nap is in order...

due to racing this weekend...i did my long ride/brick on thursday and my long run this morning (13 miles starting at 5am!) i bet there are very few other students who were doing that this morning...or who were wearing compression socks to class today...hot! in more ways than one

after all this time...

i am still trying to be perfect...and still disappointed when i am not...knowing full well that one cannot and really should not be perfect or perform perfectly every time...i know this yet still the cycle continues...

my husband knows best...

spoke to j on the phone after his presentation (200 people!) he said it went well...he asked what i was doing...

studying o-chem...

"aren't you tired of studying o-chem"

yes...j...yes i am...