Chevron Houston Marathon Weekend 2016

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wooooooo!  more than 27,000 runners from all 50 states and various countries participated this year. WHAT a turnout and what a blast i had!  it took a record 41:00 min JUST for everyone to get across that start line.  soooo many people.   finishing my half marathon was my ultimate goal but seeing so many fit friends along the way was icing on the cake (that i'm eating later). 

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CONGRATS, RUNNERS!!!! WE DID IT!

friday afternoon, we headed to the GRB Convention Center for the  Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute EXPO.

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i have made visiting this EXPO a friday tradition since 2009.

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follow the feet, Dego!

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we went straight to pick up my race packets, 

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i know, i look a lil' 'Hell Raiser-ish' (remember that movie? lol) but i will get back to this hair of mine in a moment. keep reading!

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then we visited a couple of the vendor booths.  Dego saw that basketball and it was all over.  nobody else could shoot it but him. nobody.

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this was Sonny's first time attending the EXPO with me!  all the other years he was working at his engineering job. a lot has changed for us in this past year!

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ready!!!! kinda sorta not really!!!!

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 i finally feel like i'm getting somewhere with this natural hair of mine.  Bantu Knots for the win!  there are plenty of YouTube tutorials on how to create these guys and i love how they turned out. going on day 3 and my curls are still poppin'.  i was supposed to get braids for the weekend but we simply ran outta time for an 18+ hour job.  my girl Ogechi was still able to hook me up cause that's what she does!  

saturday morning, it was 5k time!  i parked right in front of the Toyota Center and booked it to Discovery Green. 

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i squeezed right into a good lil' spot at the 7:00 min per mile mark this year!  last year  i was back by the 13 min mark.20160116_075453-01-1

peek-a-boo

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 done in 30 min and some change! i found some fit friends and started snapping victory pics.  great job Ayesha! she did the half marathon the next day and we literally ran into each other during the race.

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beautiful, buff, natural sisters, Ama & AJ! #HairGoals i was crushing HARD on Ama's pineapple top! AJ competed in her first bodybuilding competition a few weeks ago.

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  then i ran into my Soror, Arlene before and after the race!

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i had to go teach my Lifetime class after running but i wanted to go check out the post-race food first. so i did...and the line was crazy long and i didn't have enough time to wait. so i walked out of Discovery Green and tried to go back the way i came (i.e., walking right into the flow of post-race people traffic) and a security guard immediately warned me that i could NOT do what i was about to attempt and that i'd pretty much have to walk all the way down towards Minute Maid park first and go around. i was like, "but i parked by Toyota Center and i need to get outta here, sir!".  that's what i get for being greedy, LOL. out of nowhere though, this guy appeared and said "it's ok, i'll escort her since i need to go tell people to keep moving along anyway." WHEW. so off we went!  i saw the back of his jacket and thought, angel indeed! he definitely saved my butt.  i would not have made it to teach on time if it weren't for him.

 

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after HIIT class, it was time to carb the heck UP!20160116_124446-01

oh yeah.  Jason's Deli has always been a favorite of mine.  i got the manager special: half turkey sammich w/ fruit & side salad bar. oh and some un-pictured self-serve vanilla fro-yo.

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back home to get ready for the next day!

sunday morning, i got up and headed down town to the GRB.

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this was around 6:30 as the runners were heading out to the start line a few blocks away. MAN IT WAS COLD out there! but the GRB was nice and toasty and i did not want to leave.

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waiting and being random....

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taking my traditional starting line selfie and talking myself through this!  

why he so salty back there though? bwhahaha

i wore my Fearfully & Wonderfully MADE shirt by Active Faith Sports.  a few spectators saw it along the route and shouted "Amen!" 

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the race officially started at 7am, but i finally made it to the start line around 7:21.

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but not before running into one of my  5:30am crew Lifetime class members!! 

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and we're off!  about 2 miles into the race a heard a bunch of commotion.  naturally, i turned around and proceeded to have a good laugh.

look, it's a Wookiee!!! Chewbacca had no idea how much he lifted my spirits!  i ran with him for a while and EVERYBODY he passed shouted his name. everybody!!  hilarious. 

i so wish i could have taken a pic of all the ridiculously funny signs i read!!!!!! here are a few that made me bust out laughing:

*at the 5k mark* "You're almost to the finish line! Wait, my mistake. " -Steve Harvey 

 "Remember when this sounded like a good idea?"

 "You feel like crap, but you look good."

"You run better than the Government."

"Could you hurry? We're freezing."

"Worst Parade Ever."

"I love your endurance.  Call me 713-229-3390"

"Pain is temporary, but Facebook posts are forever."

"You trained for this longer than Kim Kardashian was married." 

aaaagh, there were SO MANY.  a sign contest needs to be apart of this event, seriously.

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was having a little hip soreness at the halfway mark but i kept going. i even had to pee before we started but i kept putting off using the port-a-potty and never did! passing mile 12 and entering downtown made me one happy girl. time to book it.

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mama is on her way, boys!! Sonny told me Chiso turned around and said "Papa, this is not very fun." waiting does suck sometimes, Chi!

[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="http://fitfoodiele.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/chevron-2016.mp4"][/video]

 

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we DID that!!!

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2:25:04!  #SkeeWee

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couldn't wait to hug my boys and find more fit friends.  HEB was handing out ice cream sandwiches and i couldn't wait to kill mine! then... Chiso happened :) 

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great minds think alike :)  Lifetime Fitness instructor and trainer, Milton, finished strong today!  his wife, Jessica, is preggo with their first child! congrats to them and their expanding family.

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ran into my girl Pam....again!  she run yearly as well; always fun chatting it up with her!

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soooooo proud of Nike.  she said FORGET a 5k, i'm taking on a half marathon for my first race.....ever!!! she wanted to cross it off her bucket list...... and she did.

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in 2 hours and 30 minutes at that! 

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i ran into my girl and supporter, Angel! she got to meet Chi and Deg in person, lol.

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afterwards i sat down to stretch and wait for Papa to go get the car so we could go EAT!  all i wanted was a burger from Jerry Built!  they wished me luck on Instagram so they had been fresh in my mind ever since.  thanks again, guys! that burger did not disappoint! 

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never does. #LookAtIt #GoneIn60Seconds

thanks for reading!  i put off my post-race nap to blog so GOOD NIGHT!!! :)

Q: do you have a favorite race or event you participate in annually?

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because i do. Chevron Houston Marathon EXPO

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we moved right on along to carrots today in the homemade baby food chronicles!

i switch new foods every 4 days or so to give any allergic reactions time to reveal themselves. we'll see what happens. i just eyeballed and simmered raw carrots + cinnamon + water until tender then puree in the Ninja. carrots are naturally sweet like sweet potatoes so they don't need any extra sugar! they also:

  • slow down aging
  • reduce blood pressure
  • reduce risk of stroke
  • helps prevent cancer
  • facilitates digestion
  • boosts immune system
  • improve eyesight

my eyesight has been terrible for as long as i can remember.  i've worn glasses since elementary school and only need them to see far distances and to drive.  i pray the boys get Sonny's eyesight cause i am pretty much legally blind!  i hope they get his teeth too cause i went through braces, a head-gear, a retainer...the whole 9.  i'd love to get Invisialign as they are shifting again from not wearing my retainer years ago. i was so happy to be DONE with all that stuff i didn't care. but now i do. that's how it goes!

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so far so good!

i've been doing solo dates once a week with Chiso for a while now and today i took him downtown to the GRB for the Chevron Houston Marathon EXPO!  i registered for the 5k while i was there and ran right into my Sorority sister and fitness expert, Crystal!  she was there to do the same thing.

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only she was using the 5k for her warmup for the marathon on sunday! superwoman status!  I will be running along side her in a marathon one day, mark my words!  i have yet to do my very first full marathon, but my goal is to do a half mar sometime this year.

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i can't wait until this guy can keep up and run alongside me.  i plan to put him in his first 1k this year and i am SO excited to watch him run across his first finish line.

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we walked around and visited the booths for a little while,  ate Cliff Bar samples, and eventually made our way to the 'I RUN HOU BECAUSE....' wall.  i gave Chiso the marker and he started drawing shapes :D.  then i asked him, 'why do you like to run, Chiso?' and he simply looked at me and replied 'because i do.'

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i didn't even ask him to explain! this time.

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pose for the frame! neat idea!

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then we went to Whole Foods for lunch.  we discussed his new friends in the child care center at our gym and also sports he would like to try this year.  3 is still tougher than 2 in my opinion but it has its highlights like all ages i'm sure!  i'm loving our discussions these days.  pepperoni pizza for Chi,

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spring mix salad with pomegranate vinaigrette,

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and a few scoops of the hot bar items for me which included: chicken fajitas w/ peppers & onions, hoke (white fish), cilantro-lime rice, and a scoop of spinach/mushroom enchiladas- they looked too good not to try!  the enchilada pan was pretty much empty and i saw why. YUM.

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i got my race stuff ready as soon as i got home!  the ABB 5k shirts matched my shoes this year, how cool is that?  bib #55808 is ready to RUN! that said,

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and blogging of course!  have a relaxing friday night, friends!

Q: what special things do you do for one-on-one time with your kiddos?

le

let the Christmas shopping BEGIN + clean, gluten-free, dairy-free SUGAR COOKIES!

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finally started a little Christmas shopping!

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 for myself :lol: .  i found these guys yesterday at Hobby Lobby for half price and i can't wait to make healthy sugar cookies with Chiso.  here's a tip that you may or may not have known- you can just pull up the featured Hobby Lobby coupon right on your mobile device and show it to the cashier, no printer or hard copy needed.  i found that out while in line yesterday cause the lady in front of me did it.  i logged onto www.hobbylobby.com super fast before my turn and immediately clicked on Coupon; it was for 40% off one regular priced item. SCORE.

we might leave these out for Santa this year, try'em!

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clean, dairy-free, gluten-free, vanilla and chocolate sugar cookies

the stuff:

  • 1 1/2 cups almond meal / flour
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla OR almond extract (either works)
  • dash of sea salt

--->for the chocolate cookies, make 1/4th of the almond meal unsweetened cocoa powder (which leaves 1 1/4 cups almond meal left, right? right.)<---

do this:

  1. mix your batter well.
  2. place bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes. **i know you want to skip that step but don't!** it determines the texture of your cookies.
  3. press dough out on flat surface and use cookie cutters, or roll dough into 22 balls.
  4. bake for 7-9 minutes on 350 degrees or until golden brown.

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makes 22 cookies! per cookie: 44 cals, 3g fat, 4g carbs, 3g sugar.

Q: :shock: Christmas shopping....... have you started!?

le

chocolate, chips, and crackers, oh my

this morning i got the chance to walk it OUT again at the gym! you've seen the quote 'you're one workout away from a good mood,' but baybaaaay, i was already in one and the early workout made my day that much better.

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i did about an hours worth of treadmill incline intervals.  i switched back and forth between these two settings:

4 mph @ incline level 4

2.5 mph @ incline level 15

sweaty, saturday FUN.

IMG_20140712_150854back at home, i had a gangload of zucchini (about 6 medium) i needed to spiralize so that's exactly what i did before they went bad.  i sauteed the zoodles in a large wok for about 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat, then added them to a large bowl with about 3 large spoons of homemade guacamole from yesterday.  i didn't really have a sauce prepared and was being lazy. it worked though!  i paired them with tilapia and a few fresh tomatoes for lunch.  Sonny really enjoyed this! Screenshot_2014-06-11-09-33-55-1seriously.  these postpartum cravings...  i try to fight them as best i can and it is pure torture some days. i am a bottomless pit and i'm not even working out like i used to yet, jeez.  i either want chocolate, salty, crunchy chips, or crackers, so I turned to my old friend, popcorn.

IMG_20140712_1948513 cups of air popped popcorn is only 25 cals, 1g of fat, 22g carbs, 6g fiber, and 3g protein. soooo I made a big vat of homemade Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn! I melted 2 tbsp of dark chocolate and drizzled it over the popcorn (that I cook on the stovetop with a lil coconut oil) and added a pinch of sea salt and a few mini chocolate chips. i suggest putting the entire bowl into the fridge so the drizzle can harden first, but i didn't wanna wait nor did i mind the mess.

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 so, friday night ended differently that i expected! hubs came home and suggested sushi and i did not dispute him.  i order the same thing at our fave spot every time with the following adjustments:

  • salmon teriyaki bento box with the teriyaki sauce on the side
  • steamed veggies instead of vegetable tempura
  • 2 salads instead of the soup & salad my meals comes with as the sodium from the miso soup bloats me
  • i customized my roll and asked for brown rice with fresh shrimp and avocado.

according to Sonny my roll always tastes too healthy.  whatevs.

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dinner... and a show.

 Q: what special healthier requests do you make when ordering food at a restaurant?

le

 

game changers

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anybody else used to buy those tiny wheatgrass shots from Jamba juice?  i did it more than a handful of times.  seeing this wheatgrass powder at Sprouts Farmers Market reminded me of my frivolous spending days.

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i cracked the bag open for the first time yesterday and made some  maple wheatgrass pancakes with it!  turned out good enough to share. so i will. image (8)

maple wheatgrass pancakes:

the stuff: ?

  • 1/2 cup oat bran ?
  • 2-3 heaping tbsp wheat grass powder ?
  • 1 tsp maple extract ?
  • 1 tsp vanilla ?
  • 2 egg whites ?
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder ?
  • 4 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or more if batter is too thick)
  • 1-2 packets stevia ?
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce

do this:

combine real good and cook up like cakes in your no-stick cooking spray coated, medium heated skillet!  3-4 minutes each side.  top however you like - i chose pecan pieces and Walden Farms zero calorie pancake syrup.

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stats:

197 cals, 4g fat, 160mg sodium, 39g carbs, 8g fiber, 5g sugar, 16g protein. ???????????????

i took a FULL rest day yesterday and did some grocery shopping .  Walmart was planned.  Whole Foods was not.

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after sacking 43 lbs of sweet potatoes in Wally World, my eyes caught ahold of a big end cap of these One Step French Fry Cutters.  *jaw drops*  and then i saw the price directly below them: $9.88.  *jaw drops lower*.  i threw the cutter as well as all the skepticism 'as seen on tv' products come with in my buggy and kept truckin'.

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i'd say it worked pretty well, wouldn't you!? great investment.  i like to chop my veggies by hand, but you can use this thing to chop up a bunch of other stuff too (garlic, shallots, etc).  here's an IMPORTANT TIP though: nuke your potatoes for 1.5 minutes or so (really depending on size) AND cut them in half so it will fit in the gadget (think hamburger style, not hot dog).  and be super careful not to  over cook them! it will create a huge mess.  don't ask me how i know. ugh.

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i tried it out on my Spicy Smoky Sweet Potato fries from my ebook!

so about Whole Foods... it never fails. i always come out with extra stuff and a biggER bill. i went to get some Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour which i could not even find (nor could the store associate) so i got some from the bulk bins. and on the way out i found these two gems:

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vegan, gluten-free, organic Sprinklez by Let's Do Organic (cause they DO exist apparently), and vegan (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free) Chocolate Chip cookie dough by Eat Pastry.  why did i even bring this up in my house :shock:

cookie dough

 i entered a crazy fluffernutter (marshmallow fluff) challenge on IG last night at the last-minute using what i had and made a big fluffernutter pazookie pie!

image (10)since the dough is egg-free i'm definitely eating the rest raw.  go get somma that DOUGH.

 ok back to my cookie dough :)

le