Change the World Wednesday - daily challenges

This week Reduce Footprints started posting daily challenges on how we can better our lives and the environment at the same time.  It's hard for me to do the daily ones just because I don't have a ton of free time, I do follow them and figure I'll post once a week or a couple times a week regarding the different challenges.

Yesterday the challenge was to say no to bottled water and yes to a re-usable bottle.   If you know me, you know that this isn't hard for me. I have several re-usable bottles and always seem to want more (in fact I'll be ordering a new one within the next week or so haha). I don't really see the point of bottled water. I know people who keep it stocked in their fridge and use it at home. Um, why? Our fridge has a water filter in it so when I want water I just grab a cup and use that. If I'm headed to the gym or we're going to be doing errands for awhile, I grab a re-usable bottle and fill it up with the water function on (in?) our fridge. Problem solved.  I also keep one bottle at work during the week that I fill up and use all day, no buying bottled water for me. If I forget to pack a bottle in my gym bag I usually remember this while at work and just take the work one with me. Problem solved.

Today the challenge was to limit the use of your laundry machine.  Here's what Reduce Footprints has to say:

Only use your washing machine when you have a full load, and run it on cold whenever possible. Run at maximum spin to reduce drying times and avoid using a tumble drier, opting instead for a clothesline. A typical washing machine uses 90% of its energy to heat the water. Generally, cold water gets your clothes just as clean and saves about 2 pounds of CO2 per load.

Now, I actually feel like I do a lot of laundry for two people yet I know the loads are full.  The only one you could argue could be fuller is the workout clothes, but come on, I only have enough to get through 1 week so I have to do those once per week. Due to the type of clothing (boy does it hold in stink) I use a detergent specific for sports clothing so that's why I don't mix the clothes in with others.    Even so, it's still a decent sized load.    I also always use cold water.  As far as drying, we do use our drier for each load. I've touched on this before and the reason I don't try to dry outside is due to my allergy issues.  However, I make up for it by having 2 laundry lines hung up in my laundry room. If the item is not dry the first time through the dryer, I hang it up instead of running it through again.  This helps out immensely!  

Wordless Wednesday: Time to Prepare

More Wordless Wednesday can be found here.

Peanut Butter Cereal Treats Recipe

I was going through an old copy of a cooking magazine I had laying around the house and tore out recipes I thought Husband would enjoy.   They were sitting in a stack on the kitchen table and when eating breakfast on Saturday he pushed this one towards me with a grin.  It didn't take genius to learn this is the one he wanted me to make next.

This is different from what I usually make but man it's pretty darn good.  I'll list the recipe and instructions as it comes and then put my comments below.

Peanut Butter Cereal Treats

30 large marshmallows
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp peanut butter
6 cups peanut butter cap'n crunch
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate m&m's

In a large saucepan, combine the marshmallows, butter, and peanut butter.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the cereal an M&M's.

Pat into a 13x9-inch pan coated with cooking spray.  Cool. Cut into bars.


I actually followed the recipe as indicated except I used multi-grain peanut butter cheerios instead of cap'n crunch cereal.  I figured the cheerios had to be a bit healthier and we would be more likely to eat what was left over that way.

After making this there are a couple of things I would change.  30 large marshmallows isn't exactly one whole bag but it's somewhat close.  I would just add the entire bag next time, minus the ones I eat.  Is it just me or do others forget how good marshmallows are until you have a bag in front of you and decide to snack on one?  Also, the m&m's was almost an entire bag so this is one that next time I would just dump in the entire bag instead of measuring. Ok..and minus the ones that I decide to eat because who can resist eating m&m's?  Although I suppose if you buy one of the large sized bags you would want to measure. or not.

Triathlon marked off the bucket list

My facebook status read this on Sunday afternoon:  I swim. I bike. I run. I tri. Pregnant

Sunday morning I officially completed my very first triathlon.  Now, it was a sprint tri which means the distances were very low. It was a 400 yard swim, an 8 mile bike ride, and a 2.5 mile run.  This is compared to the Ironman 70.3 that Lance Armstrong competed in on Sunday. The distances for that one were a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run.   Everyone has to start somewhere though right?

I had decided I wanted to get into triathlon's last year.  At the point I did strength training and I ran. I have a pool in my yard but don't swim in it (who would when you could float around on a raft and nap?) and I don't own a bike.  So why would I think it would be a good idea to do a triathlon when it had been years since I did the other two sports?   I think it was because of the challenge.  Why would I think I could possible do a triathlon?  The more I thought about it the more I felt it was something I wanted to prove I could do.

giving Husband the thumbs up before I started

I talked to Husband about it and he didn't really want to spend the money on a bike when we own a pool and I don't even swim.  So we made a bet that if I could prove I could swim the distances for a sprint tri I could get a bike.  Not long after that I was able to join a gym that had a lap pool inside.  I slowly started to work on swimming and started to take spin class.  I could do the swim for a sprint tri but not very fast.   I couldn't ever get Husband to get to the gym to prove it though.  Still no bike.  I didn't push it though because by then I was training for my fall half marathon and I cut out swimming to focus on the running again.  

Then I was happy to find myself finally pregnant and kinda put doing a tri out of my head because I knew money would be spent on things getting ready for the baby and medical costs etc.  However I started to have Achilles issues and had to take time off from running, hello cross-training.  I started to build up the biking and swimming again.    I also realized that part of my depression was being upset I couldn't do any of the winter races I had planned on.  So I did a quick search and found an indoor triathlon.  This wouldn't required me to own a bike since it's all inside at a gym.   Now I had something to train for.

Proof I can do the swimming! Now when can I get that bike

You might think I'm crazy for deciding to do my very first triathlon while pregnant.  I'm sure many who found out I was training for it thought so.  I even felt crazy sometimes.  I waited until the last week in January to sign up for it, waiting as long as I could to make sure my body was ok and baby girl would approve.  I got worried the week leading up to the tri though because it was my worst week yet and I wasn't sure how I would feel that day.  That morning, though, I awoke excited and ready to go. Baby girl was cooperating.

While I was nervous, I wasn't too bad. I was more nervous about how it would work and what it would be like than anything else. I actually think it helped for me to do my first one while pregnant. I knew I had to watch my heart rate, which means I couldn't go as fast as I could or want to.  This means I had no placement goals, I couldn't try to be first in my age group.  I knew I didn't want to be last but also knew it was a strong possibility and told myself not to be upset if I was.  This was my first triathlon and I was completing it while 26 weeks pregnant.

During the swim portion I knew I was slower right away.  I was doing breaststroke while everyone else seemed to be doing freestyle, which is just naturally faster.  I kept it steady and did what I could.  Husband said that I was behind the first lap but after that I started to gain on people and finished before 2 others..although barely.

Just getting started on the bike

I was last getting to the bike area though due to a required restroom break. Shrug. It happens when pregnant. haha!    Normally I can keep my heart rate down and push it on a bike but due to doing the bike right after the swim I was at my max heart rate within 5 min of pedaling.  At times I would get it too high and have to back of but I tried to keep it at a steady pace, the fastest I could do.  I believe I was last off the bikes for those in my heat but not sure.

Then the run was next.  This is where I felt the most comfortable. After all, I rarely stop a run at 2.5 miles and that was all I had to do. My legs were very tired and fatigued from the swim and bike though, during the bike I was actually worried about the run portion.  However the minute I started to run that all went away.  My legs felt strong. My breath was even. I felt GOOD.  When my 2.5 miles was up I didn't want to stop. I wanted to run faster and I wanted to run further.   That was one of the best feelings.    It also felt good that I know I passed up two others on the run portion. I admit, since we were on treadmills I would sneak glances at the two ladies on either side of me and I could tell that my pace was faster and I slowly watched as I gained on them.  Man did that feel freaking good. I was doing a tad over an 11 min pace. My normal pace for my non-long runs is under a 9 min mile.  I can't even imagine how well I would have done had I been able to run a normal pace. Plus, knowing I only had 2.5 miles I would have pushed the pace and gone faster than normal.

Not a good picture but the best of the runs
I was putting on my ipod since running on
a TM is boring as heck

As for how I did in my very first sprint triathlon?  I wasn't last!  Woohoo!  I was 91 out of 108.  I am so freaking pumped about that. I wasn't even the bottom 10.  I came in 11 out of 15 for my age group. Another  happy surprise.  In my specific heat I was 5th out of 8.   I cannot believe how well I did.  I realize that the people who competed were, for the most part, just doing it for fun and first time triathletes.  However it was my first time too and I was 26 weeks pregnant, that has to count for something right?

I cannot wait to do this same triathlon next year.  I won't have to watch my heart rate so I know I can go faster and push pace.  After completing only one triathlon I know I want to do more and I realize that these distances aren't going to be the challenge I need.  I also feel that I want to do several more of the sprint tri's though just to get comfortable with the sport and to watch myself improve.  Of course, until I get a bike I also have to stick to indoor tri's and most of those are of a sprint distance.    

All finished!!!

 In fact, I'm signed up to do a triathlon at work in early March. It's their first one (I work for a University and we have a gym on campus where it will be held) and instead of having people do a distance it will be a time. It's a 15 min swim, 15 min bike ride, and a 15 min run.  Your place will be figured out based on the distance you can do in that time.  I have no idea if there will be more students than faculty/staff, so I have no idea what to expect as far as my placement.  However I'll be even further along at that point and figure just completing it will be awesome. Plus, if I'm not last, I'll feel on top of the world.

Change the World Wednesday - non-curbside recycling

This week's Change the World Wednesday challenge at Reduce Footprints is as follows:

This week create a recycle bin for all the non-curbside recyclables - batteries, CFL bulbs, misc. plastics, etc. - and then find out where to recycle them.

Or ...

If you're already a recycling "guru", please tell us about your toughest items to recycle and how you've managed it. And, of course, any tips and ideas you have for recycling would be wonderful!




This is actually an easy one and one I should have thought of doing long ago but haven't.  I try to save things that I can't recycle curbside and take them to alternate locations but a lot of times it's easier to just throw them away because I have no where to put them until I have the chance to recycle them.


I have lots of storage in my laundry room, it's on the main floor between the garage and kitchen so it's a convenient location.  I can easily put an empty box in there and start throwing everything in to it.


My concern, though, is when will I remember to take this stuff to the store or specific location to recycle them?  I know local hardware stores can recycle batteries and bulbs. I know Whole Foods will recycle wine corks.  However that doesn't mean I've managed to bring in the two wine corks currently taking up residence  in my kitchen.  They've been there for months because I know I can recycle them. I just keep forgetting to grab them whenever I go to Whole Foods.


I suppose that is going to be the real challenge.  It's easy to throw these things into a box with the good intention of actually recycling them.  The challenge comes in remember to take them with me when I go to these places so I can recycle them.    I've thought about just putting them in the trunk of my car, but even then it isn't always a reminder since I don't look in my truck before heading into the store and sometimes not even when I leave.


As far as something tough to recycle, I've got one for you.  Do you have tennis shoes that are so old you can no longer wear them and it wouldn't be right to donate them?  Either shoes you wear in the yard or shoes you work out in or just every day tennis shoes.  Did you know that some of your local athletic stores might have a recycle bin for you to drop off the shoes? 


I go through running shoes pretty fast, well, fast compared to a lot of people.  I switched them out once I hit 400 miles.  To give you an idea, my current pair have about 210 miles on them and I've been wearing them a little less than 4 months.  This is actually somewhat low mileage too because I've had to take breaks due to injury and also really limit my running due to the pregnancy status.   When I hit 400 miles my shoes don't look like they need to be replaced but I know they are broken down and it's time.  Normally what I do is then rotate shoes. These shoes become my weight lifting/cross-training shoes, the shoes I was wearing for that become yard work shoes.  So then what do I do with the yard work shoes?  Recycle them!!!


Nike has a recycle drop off box in all their stores.   You can also mail them to them, you have to pay shipping though.


What I prefer to do, however, is find a location for Shoeman Water Project.  This is a local project, so unfortunately those of you in other states won't be able to use this.  The Shoeman Water Project has several donation boxes all over, all I have to do is enter my zipcode and it gives me a list of the closest ones. I just have to remember to take my shoes there.  

Wordless Wednesday - Time for new workout shirts

More Wordless Wednesday can be found here.

Asking for help is not a weakness

I've helped several friends through some tough times and I've told even more that when things are rough, you need to talk about it and it's ok to see a therapist. It is NOT a sign of weakness to reach out.    Yet when I started to hit rock bottom I resisted asking for help. I didn't want to open up to friends and I didn't want to seek out a therapist.  I felt it was a sign of weakness and while I know I'm not always a strong person I like to pretend I'm strong.  If I admitted to how bad the depression was it meant I was weak.  If I had to ask for help instead of working through things on my own, it meant I was weak.

Taking our own advice is the hardest thing to do sometimes.

I suppose I'm starting to use this blog as a big of self therapy.  I don't run the risk of running in to any of you in my day-to-day activities, I don't think anybody I know in my home town actually reads this.  For some reason it feels safe.

I admit to having a lot of problems, a lot of things that I've never worked through that have been with me since my teenage years.  Normally this is not an issue as when I feel myself starting to get depressed and the old insecurities and crap start to creep up I can work through it before things are bad.    I suppose all the extra hormones kept me from being able to do that this time.  I started to get bad in August and it just got worse and worse until I was having a major break down at least once a week.  I tried to hide it, I don't think most knew what was going on or if they did notice a change they didn't realize it was as bad as it was.   If I happened to mention being depressed people would comment that it was the hormones and it was common to be upset over nothing.

I wasn't upset over nothing.  Everything that was depressing me were things that bother me a lot. This time I just couldn't fight it.

I tried to take my own advice and I reached out to somebody that I thought I had a connection with and was close to.  I misjudged that one big time.  Yet like an idiot a little over a month later this person seemed like they were reaching out to me and I opened up again, thinking the first time was a fluke.  Bad move.  It's really hard for me to open up to people so for me to open up to somebody and to be ignored and treated the way I was, not good.  At least I can use this as a learning experience.

Now, you might be wondering where Husband was during all this. I have to say he was great. There were nights I woke up him at night because of the crying and he would be there for me.  There were days he would get home from work and see how bad I was and lay down with me.  The problem was he didn't know what was going on, I wasn't talking. If I did talk I would skirt around the major issues and mention some things but not the major things. I wasn't ready to admit my problems.

It took Husband to tell me several times that I needed to call my OB and tell them what was going on and get on medication for me to make one of the hardest decisions in my life. I called a therapist and made an appointment.  See, you might not see that as being such a hard decision.  For me, I felt like I was being weak.  I wasn't strong. I had to admit that I wasn't strong.  I didn't like how that felt.

It took a lot for me to convince myself that asking for help WAS the strong thing to do, not the weak.  I wasn't showing weakness by admitting that I couldn't handle these things myself. I showed strength in admitting I needed help and taking the necessary steps to get that help.   As you can see, I am talking about this. This is a huge step for me, something I'm working on.  I  have come to realize recently that talking my own advice and talking about it really is the best medicine.  I found help in some very unlikely places, something I'll be touching on in another post.   If nothing else..I think I wanted to talk about this because this might reach somebody who is in a similar situation I was.  Maybe it'll  help somebody else in a time of need. If so, then it was worth it for me to open up with this post.