Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Mishmash - Medal Winner, Cookbook Giveaway and More!

Crazy busy mishmash today. Let's get right to it. First, thank you for all of the comments and emails regarding my ankle. I really appreciate the outpouring of support, empathy and understanding as I tread this new territory. I tend to go through life with blinders on, not really acknowledging or worrying about things like the possibility of getting injured while running. So it definitely threw me when it happened. But. I'm doing what I should to get it healed as quickly as possible (is tomorrow too soon?;) ). I went to the gym on Wednesday and Thursday and am muddling my way through the recumbent bike - not real sure what level I should be at and how hard to pedal (and it's weird to be able to read a magazine while I exercise), but the good thing is that it doesn't hurt my ankle, so there is progress with that. Plus, I did 6 miles in 30 minutes the first day and 10 miles in 45 minutes the second day - if I could only run that fast, lol!

********************

OK, I know you are all wondering WHO was the lucky winner of the Allied Medal Displays medal hanger...the winner is (drumroll, please):


Congratulations! Send me an email (40somethingsjourney@gmail.com) with your contact info and I will pass it along to Joel so you can get your beautiful hanger!

********************

And now, another giveaway!I have two autographed copies of Rocco DiSpirito's new cookbook, Now Eat This!, to give away! Have you ever wondered how some of these celebrity chefs can cook such delicious food and still stay fit and healthy? Well I have - and what I discovered a few months ago is that Rocco is a triathlete. He also is a contributing chef to Runner's World magazine, where I've seen some healthified versions of traditional runner's fuel, like Fettuccini Alfredo - I know, did you ever thing you'd see the words "healthy" and "Alfredo" in the same sentence? I actually made his recipe last March and holy yum, it was good! Along with weight loss tips, Rocco also offers his thoughts on training for triathlons. I will be very interested to see them, that's for sure!

Here’s how you can win your own signed copy of Now Eat This! signed by Chef Rocco DiSpirito himself: Leave a comment telling me how you are doing with your New Year's Resolutions...still on track, or do you need to change trains? Entries will be accepted until Thursday evening, January 27th. Two winners will be chosen (U.S. residents only, sorry) and I'll announce them next Friday, interwebs-willing. And if you don’t win the cookbook, rest easy because Rocco shares healthy tips and recipes from both his Twitter account (@RoccoDiSpirito) and his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/roccodispirito]. It’s like having a celebrity chef cheering you on towards your healthier 2011 self! Good luck to everyone who enters!

********************

In keeping with the food theme, I wanted to tell you that I didn't actually eat all of the candy pictured in Wednesday's post. The Raisinettes had a funny chemical taste, so they went in the trash after my first bite. Which is weird because my co-worker and I used to eat them all the time a few years ago. Tastes change? Who knows. I will say that drowning my sorrows in candy was fun for a while. But I'm glad I don't do that very often anymore.

********************

Picture stolen with permission from here ;)

I recently discovered Roz at Weighting for50's blog - her motto is "Fitness and fun for the end of my 40's" - love that! Anyway, the other day she posted a picture of a gorgeous fruit plate - and strangely, what caught my eye the most were the oranges. I'm not a huge orange fan, simply because they are difficult to peel and I hate the pith that is usually left behind. Well, she had sliced the peel (and pith) off, and I tried it - and let's just say that I've been getting my vitamin C this week!

I know they say that raisins are nature's candy, but to me, these oranges beat raisins hands down!

********************

Tonight I will be eating dinner with my running club at Carinos - everyone is carbing up for the last long run of our training - 12 miles for the halfs and 21 miles for the fulls. Sigh. I will be carbing up so I can help with the aid stations - this run will be set up to simulate a race-day experience. I really, really wish I could do the run. Instead, I will be having a temper tantrum on the inside cheering on my fellow running club peeps while offering them water, Gatorade and GU (and if there's Chocolate Outrage, I may find a reason to suck one down, lol). This leads in to Fashion Friday - what I'll be wearing to dinner:
This awesome shirt - it reads "I need more cowbell!" and has a picture of a runner girl on it. I won it in a giveaway that Tricia had last month and I love it! Family Fan Club sponsored the promotion - they have lots of fun shirts for athletes and their supporters (and if you think I just giggled at that sentence, you would be correct)!
Paco is leaning into me - I think a tree branch rustled and scared him.

I'll also be wearing my new Frye Billy Shooties - not boots, but shoes that look like boots, which is wonderful for people with abundant calves (like me!). I won these in a giveaway that Tina had recently - they came from Shopbop.com.I have wanted a pair of Frye boots ever since I saw them in Seventeen magazine back when I was, well, probably younger than 17, truth be told. But they are normally way out of my budget - and let's face it, if I'm going to spend a lot of money on shoes, they are likely to be running shoes. So I'm really grateful that I won Tina's contest, because I LOVE these shoes! They are rustic, stylish and comfortable - and I feel like a fashionista when I wear them! Although tonight I will be a limping fashionista. Ah well.

Have a good weekend, stay warm, and don't hurt yourself.


FTC disclaimer: I will be receiving a copy of Rocco DiSpirito's cookbook in return for promoting this giveaway. The opinions expressed are mine, obviously, considering I made and posted about one of his recipes nearly a year ago.

35 comments:

  1. you and I are so so so alike.
    In ways I wont share here on a public forum.
    To our love of the WF and the cowbell right on YAHAW down to our Fryelove!!

    We must meet in person :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. No resolutions...Just showing up each day! LOVE those boots...I have more boots than ANY other type shoes...

    ReplyDelete
  3. You look fantastic! Love the Shooties (and the name) and the tee shirt. Your current picture happened to be right next to your first before picture in your sidebar and it blew me away how you look like a different person. So inspiring.

    I hope the ankle heals super fast and super well. The streets and trails are missing you!

    I'd love to enter the giveaway so my report on how I'm doing with my resolutions so far this year is that I'm doing better than I've done for a couple years. Sticking to the WW program, getting in as much exercise as possible. Lost 6.8 lbs my first week and will be weighing in tomorrow. It's been a good week so far. Have a great w/e Shelley!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I refuse to call it a "resolution" that word make me oshgypots, some weird Yiddush word my dad used.
    But, my eating has been AWESOME, thank you very much, since I turned it around, yes, in January.
    (call it what you want).
    On to you...first of all, how did you win 2 great giveaways????
    Second of all, you are just adorable, maybe even cuter than Paco, sorry P.
    Good for you for helping out w/ the run. I can imagine it will be a little hard. Chocolate GU will help, you'll need your energy to hold those water cups.
    What time did you post this? it says 4:30 a.m., I hope you were sleeping.....

    ReplyDelete
  5. My resolutions were big ones: get healthy (doing pretty good thiss week), finish my dissertation (I should maybe look at it this week), and get married in October (that's a given but I am doing wedding planning this week)...so I think I'm doing alright! This week. But, heck, it's one day at a time, right?

    LOVE the cowbell short! I need one that has a geeky girl sitting at a computer...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Omg we DO need more cowbell!! I love that shirt. I am in the mountainy land of Utah. I grew up in oklahoma and went to undergrad at Rice in Houston. Ended up in Utah by accident to go to grad school in 84 and just stayed there. Here's to you on your recumbabt bike. Don't forget to read junk mags like "Star" while you are pedaling away!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I actually haven't made any New Year's Resolutions for several years now, but I do have a personal goal of trying to eat more healthy. I had a bit of a stress period right after New Year's where I had more caffeine and sugar, but this last week I have done better. The cookbook looks really good!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like the shoes!

    Destination Athlete is such a deserved winner. She now has something to put her first marathon medal on! Congrats for her.

    Have fun tonight at the dinner, even though you can't run tomorrow, I'm sure you guys will have a fabulous time tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Don't enter me in the giveaway but I just had to say you look fabulous in that first photo of the shirt! Your hair, your makeup, your accessories, the shirt - all FAB!

    Also, see how your left hip (right if looking at the photo) is a bit higher because you've got yourself cocked and posing? That's what I look like every day now. Boo Hoo.

    I think manning the aid station qualifys you for chocolate GU. Because the stress of not being able to run and watching your club run by you? That will burn some calories right there.

    Have fun at dinner tonight!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I tried not to make resolutions this year but am working on improving myself in a lot of way. I am trying to save money and live a healthy, non-cluttered life. So far, I am working towards it at a slow and steady pace.

    Have a great dinner out!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love your blog. Woke up this morning with ankle pain, no idea why-perhaps sympathy pain? Am doing well on my resolution to eat better and lose weight (I know original), have lost 8 lbs. Hope you heal quickly

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Shelley, Happy Friday! Thanks so much for the shout out!!! Have a great orange filled weekend!!! Keep healing! BTW, I LOVE your Shooties, and Paco is so cute!!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. So sorry to hear about your ankle! I'm coming back from a chipped bone in my ankle only to then break my wrist...seriously...no joke! I am back on track...slow and steady wins the race, right? It's so cold here in Chicago that the thought of going to the health club and leaving the warm car is hard. :) But I'm still rockin it!

    ReplyDelete
  14. So sorry to hear about your ankle! I'm coming back from a chipped bone in my ankle only to then break my wrist...seriously...no joke! I am back on track...slow and steady wins the race, right? It's so cold here in Chicago that the thought of going to the health club and leaving the warm car is hard. :) But I'm still rockin it!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am doing pretty well on my goals for the year, although I did miss a few runs thanks to a cold (so sorry about your ankle - not being able to run stinks!). I am also still making small changes to help meet my health goals.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good job resting that ankle. I know it's tough when you want to be "doing" instead of "resting", but sometimes the resting is the doing. I'm doing okay with my New Years resolutions. I am doing great with the exercise, but could work more on the snacking.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Don't enter me in your giveaway because I already have that book coming to me - um, did you see that he has mozzarella sticks in a spicy red sauce?!

    Cannot wait to get my hands on that book.

    I've never heard of Frye boots before, but then again, I don't live in boot country - they look cute though!

    Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yay for the boots! (I'm so glad that you won that giveaway.) And yay for more cowbell! There was a team when I rode my bike across Iowa in RAGBRAI called Team More Cowbell. Always made me smile.

    My resolution have gone compeltely out the window. My eating and exercise are crap. I need help!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hmm, on track with SOME resolutions, but not all. That's okay: I tell myself that I've got 11 more good months to make up for this sort of slacking month.

    p.s. reading about your running club is making me want to join one, too!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Weeellll - I admit I didn't have any resolutions this year. Just got tired of breaking them, lol!

    Love, love the boots! I had a pair Frys when I was around 17 (thank goodness for the 'rent's financial contributions at that age) but would love some now and those ROCK!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Too cool on the shoes. I also giggled at that sentence. Enjoy your carbing up tonight. That handing out of gatorade and such can be exhausting. Don't be too bummed.

    I LOVE oranges like this. It works for grapefruit too. Try this-cut your oranges, drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil on them and a little salt and pepper. It's an Italian thing and my Nanny does this. It is YUMMY!

    ReplyDelete
  22. I did resolve to eat a healthier breakfast this year. I've been juicing vegetables most mornings and drinking that first thing, and finishing up the rest mid-morning. It's much more filling than I would have thought and keeps me energized all morning, so it's going well.

    Love your shoe-boots! They're great and in such a wonderful color.

    ReplyDelete
  23. You look so slim and trim in the outfit, Shelley! Guess I need to run more...

    I am doing good with my 'to do' list for the new year. I haven't weighed myself this month though - I am waiting until the end of the month, so not sure how it is going on that end. (good I think,though based on pants)

    ReplyDelete
  24. Man you win a lot of giveaways. You must be more consistent in entering than me. I really want that book. I entered somewhere else to try to win. Maybe if I enter multiple giveaways I'll win one of them. Love frye boots. Had some fashion ones once upon a time 25 years ago when I was thin for a year! And yes, I agree with everybody, you look mah-velous!

    ReplyDelete
  25. More Cowbell, Baby! Love it. You sure are a winner. Good for you. Love the boots as well. I like the sqaure toe Frys. They are aboth cute. You will be be the cutest water girl EVER!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I agree that fruit platter looks fantastic!
    Pity about the book giveaway since I'm in Australia ;( but I think I might buy a copy anyway, thanks for bringing it to our attentions

    ReplyDelete
  27. More cowbell!

    And no, I'm not doing well on my resolutions that I made in November (cause I don't DO NY resolutions! Ha!) but that's because I'm working two jobs. That will be over on the 27th of February and then BRING IT ON, BIG FAT 5 MILE RUN!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'd love to win that cookbook as I've been way off track with my new year's goals. Eating healthy is one of them so I really need this book!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I am mostly on track. Eating better and exercising a lot more. The only thing I'm not doing so well on is blogging more:-(

    ReplyDelete
  30. My 3 resolutions for this year are to lose some weight (no specific # of lbs...that was getting old, lol), get my personal assitant business up and running, The Errand Fairy...and quit smoking after having smoked for 20 years.
    How am I doing?

    Haven't lost a single lb. yet.

    Got my website up (thanks to Tina!) and recv'd my business cards in the mail last week, and have been out putting up flyers in different places.

    Haven't smoked in 23 days. :)

    P.S.

    I want that cookbook. :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. I also wonder how people can be chefs and not spend all the time eating what they cook. I could never work any where near food as I'd probably be too tempted. In recovery from food addiction I have to be really vigilent around food, as I don't want to be back bingeing. I don't think I have ever eaten one of anything I like!

    Alison

    ReplyDelete
  32. My New Year's resolution is a big one: to get off as many prescription drugs as possible -- I'm diabetic and hypertensive and I don't want to be. So, to reach this goal I've started a running program (ok, walk/run program for now) and I joined Weight Watchers on January 3rd. I'm also reading a book called "Younger Next Year for Women". It's GREAT motivation. The cookbook would be a great addition to the plan. :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. I am still on track with maintaining my weight which was my New Years Resolution (for the first time actually). I am excited to be maintaining and having lost the holiday weight I gained this year.

    ReplyDelete
  34. I WON I WON I WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!



    LOVE the booties....I even googled them for myself just because they look so cool.

    As for the giveaway - resolutions are going...well, they're giong ok. Weight loss is at a stand still (actually a gain) but is going to be restarted ASAP. Yoga is slow but also started...

    ReplyDelete

Comments are now moderated to prevent spammers from leaving, well, spam - but rest assured that as soon as I read a real comment, I will publish it. So please, comment away, even though the blog is officially closed. Thanks!