I Want to Be A Spartan.

I woke up to three more inches of snow on the ground.  It’s funny because in the beginning of the winter I don’t mind bringing up the snow blower and doing the driveway all the way to the street.  Now?  I just shovel enough to get to my car!  It was a long commute – usually 35 minutes but yesterday morning took an hour and twenty minutes!

Not only did I have to pee because I had a whole bottle of water AND a 16 ounce coffee, I was hangry!  I could smell the breakfast tacos I made before work.  Just reheated in the toaster oven with a tangerine on the side.

I decided to run a 5k at lunch.  I can’t even remember the last time I ran a 5k – maybe December?  I have to tell you, the first 20 minutes were rough.  My breathing was bad, I kept telling myself to stop, but I stuck with it.  I do have to say though that I was cursing myself while I was running.  It was just last November that I was still in the zone with my strength and Insanity and did a sub 30 minute 5k for the first.  I remember thinking how easy it was because my muscles actually helped me run faster.  I kept lamenting the fact that if I just kept up with it – where I could have been by now?

But when I finished I felt good – and although it’s about 5 minutes slower than my PR, back in the day I would have killed to have a sub 35 minute run.   Later in the day I read Aimee’s post about negative self talk, and it brought me right back to my run.  Instead of cheering myself on for even running again, I kept telling myself it would be better if I were smaller.  Gah!  I should be proud of myself that my diabetic body lets me do all the things it can do – the negative talk has got to go!

I had more lasagna soup for lunch – shocker!  Only one more day and I will have finished off this last batch.  Louise, next time you make it, you need to use cheese tortellini instead of pasta.  Just cook the tortellini separately, and add it to the soup just as you reheat it.

Work has been so slow lately.  I have literally done everything tiny task I can think of to be busy.  My boss is writing right now, so not that busy, one boss is on vacation and the other boss just got back into the office after being sick so was playing catch up – not a whole lot of work going on.  So I added more of my recipes to My Bizzy Kitchen Pinterest Board – I have a board of my recipes – up to 303 recipes added!  I had a ball going through and reading old posts.  And some of the recipes I completely forgot I made!  I was adding a recipe when I came across this picture:

Three years ago yesterday I weighed 168.4 pounds.  Right now? I weigh 164.6.  So basically after three years of sweating, counting calories, etc. . . . I’ve lost 3.8 pounds.  I thought my brother Charlie would appreciate that, now as he starts on his Diet #112.   I sent that WW picture to my sister and she said “just think of how big you would have been if you didn’t do all that exercising!”   And I have to agree.  While I have weighed less at different times throughout these last 3 years, guess what?  I have maintained my weight.  While I know I need to maintain at a lower number, I am a healthy diabetic who can run a fricken 5k!   And whether or not I get down to 135 – I have a happy life.  I eat good food, I enjoy wine and I can still have pizza and tacos.  #lifeisgood!

Lent started last night.  While I am not Catholic, Tony is and I believe the last time he went into a Catholic church was when he married his first wife in 1985, he still observes lent.  Guess what he’s decided to give up this year?  CATFISH!  I made super simple fish stick tacos.  The slaw is 1 cup of slaw mix, a teaspoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of orange juice, a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.  That was the base of the taco, then topped it with the cooked fish sticks.  These are actually filets – so maybe more “fish” than a fish stick, but that’s about as close as I’ll get to a fish taco.  Sorry Melissa, I know you loves your Wahoo fish tacos!

So maybe by now you are wondering what my blog post title means.  Have you ever heard of Spartan Races?

I’ve actually secretly dreamed in competing in one of these races one day.  The thought of going through mud, over hills, pushing yourself to the limit.  #awesome

So I was so excited when I got a recent email from one of the race directors asking if I’d be willing to give away a Spartan Race to any location in the U.S.  While I am not in good enough shape yet to participate – I know that you – or someone you know – would love the opportunity to try this event.  Right now they have races in Miami, Atlanta and Charlotte coming up – but the winner would be able to pick from any race in 2014.  The entrance fee ranges from $60 – $100, depending on when you register.

Do you or someone you know have what it takes to be A Spartan?  Just leave a comment letting me know you’d want to win, or know someone who would want to win a free entrance to A Spartan Race.  You get an extra entry if you tweet about it, just leave me a second comment and let me know.  Good luck!

Right now I am off to the gym – I need to get into Spartan shape!  Make it a great day!