Squats on Squats

Date: November 16, 2014

Author: astottler

Well, I think our new squat program is working. After the first day, I couldn’t walk the rest of the week and I did not understand how this was going to work. Well, I’ve been way less sore each time since then. I missed the squats on Thursday, so I did them on my own Saturday morning. The final set called for 8 reps at 80% of your max. I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. But guess what-I did it! And it was fine. It even felt easier than 6 reps at 80% the week before. I guess that shows what a dedicated program will do!

So guys…will you excuse the photo dump if I include lots of delicious food photos, and promise a real post tomorrow?

Ok. Let’s roll with it.

Post-speed work breakfast.

My favorite ever quick bread. Long referred to as “mystery bread” on my blog, its true identity is morning glory bread. SO amazing. Fun fact: the green is from a chemical reaction between the sunflower seeds and baking soda.

Saturday morning we had brunch with the resident fellows at my dorm. (The RFs are a family that lives in a house connected to the dorm and they are sort of in charge of us.) They made crepes that I filled with lemon juice, whipped cream, and berries, plus a slice of pumpkin bread.

I finally, FINALLY made it out to my favorite ice cream place this quarter. It was amazing, as was expected.

Today (Sunday) I went home. My family went out to lunch at Whole Foods to sample their Thanksgiving fare. We don’t normally make Thanksgiving dinner ourselves, but this year we are. While I definitely want to make our own sides, I don’t think we have any need to roast our own turkey.

Another part of going home is working on CS homework. If Charlie is on top of my homework, that means I don’t have to do it-right?

My little doggy-so tired!

For dinner, we tried a couple of new recipes. The first was roasted cauliflower from Ina Garten’s cookbook. It had panko and parmesan-It was delicious!

We also made goat cheese and broccoli soufflés. Seriously-souffles aren’t too hard to make! And so beautiful too.

Sadly, the soufflé didn’t have quite as much flavor as I would have liked.

And that’s all I have for today! Have a great week-we’re almost to Thanksgiving!

Preparations for Holiday Racing

Date: November 14, 2014

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Happy Friday! We made it! Yay! I actually was able to get my big assignment finished last night, which is a huge load off my shoulders!

This is what I made:

Luckily we didn’t have to do any graphics for this assignment, and I just had to work on game play. I have played enough Yahtzee now to last a lifetime.

Not going to lie, I like days better that include 3 straight meals. It seems simpler and more in order. Which is weird. Either way, yesterday was one of those days. My morning began with an hour of spin on my own, followed by breakfast.

I think the pancake was whole wheat cinnamon? Plus the typical yogurt bowl.

Then I settled in to a coffeeshop to work on the above assignment.

I had coffee Mon-Thurs this week and I think about half of those days it was unnecessary. This was way too strong and I was WIRED.

Lunch before lab was same old, same old. My last freezer meal :'(

After lab, I really wanted to go to Crossfit because it was squat day, and we’re following a specific program, but my feet were bothering me and I had a lot of work so I skipped it.

Dinner was a mix of a whole bunch of things-edamame, potstickers (chicken and veg), butternut squash, barley, and teriyaki chicken. For dessert, I had hot chocolate cake with fudge. With ice cream in a separate bowl so it wouldn’t melt.

I’ve gotten into the bad habit of having dessert at the dining hall more often than not, so something to work on. This was delicious though.

And those were my 3 meals!

Now onto running talk.

I feel like I’m not at all in speed shape, unfortunately. I’m doing a Turkey Trot 10k, and it definitely will not be a PR. On the plus side, I have been running 6 miles a lot lately, so the distance should be fine. In mid-December, I’m doing the Santa Run 5k that I’ve done the past 2 years. Last year I tried to PR this race (spoiler alert-didn’t happen), but this year I know I’m not going to be close because that’s in a month! That being said, some speed work is definitely in order. I’ve been doing Friday morning track workouts, although not super consistently. This morning was 10x400m, and I feel like in the last few repeats I was starting to get in the groove of running faster. I think next week’s track workout will be longer and not as fast, in preparation for the 10k. In addition, I think for now I’m going to make Monday afternoons (I only have 2 more of these of normal classes though) treadmill runs. These will vary somewhat, although for next week I’m thinking I’ll do 2 miles @ 8:00 pace, plus 10 2:00 intervals at 7:30. I did a shorter version of this last Monday, and I think after that I’m ready to kick it up a notch! To be honest, my main PR goal races will be in the winter-probably the same ones I did last year! So I have plenty of time. Right now, my running isn’t super focused, which I’m enjoying, but some speed workouts will be good for me!

What are your upcoming goals?

A Day In The Life Fall 2014

Date: October 22, 2014

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Hey guys! It’s been a looong time since I did a Day in the Life post! (See my last one here! After looking over it, my quarter is definitely much saner!)

7:05 Alarm goes off. Jump out of bed and remove my foot straightjacket.

It’s a night brace for my plantar fasciitis. It really helps, but I feel really constrained so I typically wear one at a time to give one foot some freedom.

I wake up grateful that my feet are feeling good! They were bad yesterday.

Heading out for a run. I have trouble getting out the door on time this morning. My route takes me 2.5 miles more or less up a gradual hill, and 2.5 miles back. It feels pretty good. The plan was 6 but I’m short on time and the turnaround works better this way. I think about how much I miss running in DC. 2.5 miles there would take me from my house in Georgetown to the monuments. Here, it takes me…up a street.

I had to wear long sleeves! It was cold this morning! I think about how hard it will be to get out the door in a few months, but it’s fine once I get moving.

Not the fastest time, but it was up hills and felt better than last week!

9:00am Go to breakfast. They had roasted cauliflower with the eggs! I get a small bowl of eggs+veggies, plus my usual yogurt bowl with sun butter and pears. It seems like a lot of food, but run days make me hungry!

I contemplate getting coffee. My decision is made for me when the dining hall is out! I decide that taking back some roasted veggies for lunch will save time in my lunch prep, and I’m still running late.

9:15 Pack up lunch and back pack, and then shower and get ready.

9:52 Walk out the door and refill our candy bowl.

Bike clear across campus to my first class.

10-11:50 Developmental Neurobiology

We talk about synapse elimination in the spinal cord.

12-Lunchtime! Contemplate getting coffee because I’m dragging a bit, but decide against it.

Lunch is mashed sweet potatoes, roasted veggies from this morning, and precooked lemon pepper chicken from Trader Joe’s. I was impressed and surprised by how lemony the chicken was.

Also here’s my outfit. Jeans. Moccasins. Long sleeve shirt+scarf. It’s fall my friends.

12:30-3 I did work. Normally I’d have a Chem section in there too but since we just had a midterm, there wasn’t much material to go over.

I spent some time working on Wednesday’s post.

I also watched Monday’s CS lecture. On Mondays I have overlapping classes, but one of my lectures is filmed so I watched the lecture today!

~3:00 Head over to CS lecture. This class has 700 people in it, but luckily in week 5 people stop going to class so it’s easy to get a seat!

4:15 Return to dorm. I need a nap! Dinner doesn’t seem like it will have a ton of substance so I eat a bite of blueberry vanilla goat cheese.

I then change into leggings-GOTTA SUPPORT THE TEAM-and crawl into bed until 5:00 when the game starts.

5:00 Alarm goes off. I just up and run to the dining hall to grab dinner before first pitch at 5:07. Dinner looks better than expected.

A piece of quesadilla, salad, roasted carrots, a little cilantro brown rice, some dry chicken.

Then-game time!

Between innings I run back to the dining hall to return my dishes and grab a bowl of ice cream with hot fudge.

Continue watching the game and work on pre-lab during commercials.

Game ends around 8:45. Sadly we lose. We’re now 1-1 for the series but we’re headed home!

8:45-9:15 Work on this post and chat with a friend. She learns about this blog and wants to follow it.

9:15 House meeting. Only a couple of announcements, but they bring in Sprinkles Cupcakes! I haven’t had many sweets this week so I don’t worry that I already had ice cream.

I decide that Sprinkles doesn’t compare to the other cupcake places in DC, although I swear the Sprinkles Cupcake I had in DC was better. And bigger…

9:38 Now. Typing up this blog post. I’m ahead on work so I’ll probably go to bed soon. I also realize that I’m almost certainly allergic to the Halloween candy that doesn’t contain nuts, but is packed and processed near so many nuts. Booo. I’ve gotten so sensitive!

It’s interesting to see this Day in the Life compared to the last one-my life is so much less crazy now!

What do you think of Day in the Life posts?

Crush Cancer 2014

Date: October 19, 2014

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Saturday morning, I participated in an amazing fundraiser, and my first Crossfit competition-Crush Cancer! This event was held at Crossfits throughout the world to benefit Stand Up to Cancer, an my home box was hosting. (For more info, check out this post.)

So, Saturday morning I ate breakfast and drove up there.

It was so great to see so many people out there to support a great cause!

I was in the first heat, which I was really happy about. I was a little nervous, and I didn’t want to have to wait around to go!

Of course, it wouldn’t be an event if my mom didn’t take an awkward picture of me stretching…

The workout was 3 five minute chunks, with a minute in between each. Each round consisted of:

1 minute power cleans (65#)

1 minute shoulder to overhead (65#)

1 minute double unders

1 minute kb swings (16kg)

1 minute burpees

(The pictures of me warming up are less blurry.)

Here’s the breakdown for me-the power cleans were super light. The shoulder to over head would be a bit heavier especially after cleans. I had no idea how double unders would go because they are super hit or miss for me. KB swings would sort of be a rest because 16 has felt pretty light lately and they were just Russian swings (not overhead). Burpees would be….burpees. Blech.

Here’s how it went:

I ended up muscle cleaning the power cleans because it was light, which means I didn’t really jump it up. The first round, I started WAYYY too fast-I think I got 20 reps in the first 30 seconds and then realized I needed to slow the heck down because it was starting to gas me. I did push press for shoulder to overhead, and it definitely wasn’t light after the cleans.

Then it was on to jumprope, which I was grateful for because my shoulders were shot. To my surprise, the jump roping went really well. My double udders were cooperating and it turned out to be a non issue. Note-jump roping with rubber arms is a weird experience.

The kettle bell swings were pretty uneventful.

And the burpees were surprisingly good. Because the kettle bell swings were fairly light and I muscle cleaned in the first minute, my legs were actually pretty fresh so these actually felt good. Weird…

Round 2 was definitely the hardest round for me. I slowed it back quite a bit in an effort to not die. Rounds 2 and 3 were when I started having the problem that my grip was failing on the barbell movements and kettle bell swings.

And as I write this, I’m realizing how sore my forearms are now….lots and lots of cleans will do that! Plus kettle bell swings-those can be hard on grip too!

I think the last round felt better than the second, maybe because I was almost done! Grip was definitely worse though! It was awesome to have so many people cheering me on through the last round.

But man, I was happy to be done!

^Pure relief.

That was HARD. Definitely the hardest workout I’ve done in a LONG time. Competition push and normal push in workouts are 2 different things! WHEW. I finished with 336 reps!

After watching another wave compete, I headed home for lunch, homework help, and kitties.

Lunch was pretty basic-taco salad with ground turkey and cheese.

Plus some fancy cheese and crackers on the side.

Then, I spent the entire afternoon working on CS homework. On the plus side, I’m really close I think!

I also did a little experimental baking-recipe to come soon!

I stayed for dinner before heading back to school-we ordered takeout from a fancy burger place. I got a wild salmon burger with sweet potato fries.

And I’ll leave you with some last cat pictures:

^He makes sure all my clothes come back to school furry.

And here I am! I stayed out too late coding (until I realized I couldn’t think straight and it was time for bed). I was planning on running this morning but brunch is about to open so that can wait!

What did you do this weekend?

CS

Date: October 10, 2014

Author: astottler

Categories: Uncategorized

Happy Friday! Who’s ready for the weekend? My night will be spent on schoolwork. Meh. On the plus side, I was reading some of my posts from this time last year and they were so much more sad-my last fall was so much harder!

Anyways, I’ve been working on CS since my last class. Until my next class in a little bit which is CS section. Which is directed followed by CS lecture. After which I’m going to lock myself in a coffeeshop off campus and work on my CS problems.

YAY.

On the fitness front, I went to Crossfit this morning so I wouldn’t waste time this afternoon waiting for it to start and I can get to work sooner. I had plans on running this evening before locking myself in said coffeeshop, but I can. not. walk.

Yesterday I did squats. And while I know it’s a bit early for Halloween, I’m definitely rocking the Frankenstein walk. Yesterday morning’s workout incorporated a new piece of equipment for me-the stair climber. I wanted some low intensity cardio I could zone out for, so I spend 45 minutes on that thing. The good news is that I didn’t fall off…I followed that with 8 minutes of 2 squats every 30 seconds, for a total of 32 squats. I didn’t even go that heavy-last time I used 20 pounds more (and then I REALLY couldn’t walk the next day). But man. Ow.

Foodwise, breakfast has been yogurt bowls.

And lunches have been packed or bought quickly. The first is a Trader Joe’s salad that I really enjoyed!

Yesterday before lab I was starving so I ran to a cafe for a quick turkey, cranberry, and brie on whole wheat.

Lunch today was an old classic from the summer-green bean salad with balsamic vinaigrette, dried cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Plus a little turkey stolen from the dining hall the night before.

In addition, last night I learned the true meaning of the “death” in the death by chocolate cake at the dining hall. Yeahhh I felt like death! I seriously could not focus on anything, so I went outside and practiced my jump roping. Note to self-next time: LONG SLEEVES! I have some nice little welts on my arms now. Cute.

Ok, now I really need to get back to CS….