Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you make 2011 your best year yet! I know that one of my goals this year is just to be a better person. There are all kinds of ways that I can accomplish this and make myself stronger. I can train harder and more regularly (which I've already started doing but will need to stick with), I can take time to volunteer more and make my community a better place, and I can really take time to savor the moments that I have with my family and friends because I know that once they pass, I won't get them back. What are your resolutions for the new year?

My five mile run went great! I'm terribly sore today, but thank goodness it's a rest day for me. Pace-wise, it was about the same as the four mile, but we encountered strong wind, a big hill, L took a fall, and I had to stop to tie my shoes three times, which is weird because I've *never* had issues with them staying tied before. So, factoring in those variables, I'd say it was an improvement overall :-) I feel really good about accomplishing that, and if you'd asked me at the beginning of 2010 if I'd ever thought about running five miles, the answer would have been a quick and hearty NO WAY. I've come a great distance, but I still have far to go and 2011 is all about setting goals and attaining them. I'm so excited about the possibilities that this year holds in store!

Nutrition-wise, I did great yesterday! And then I hit dinner. German food night always gets me, and although this year was much better than before, it wasn't really any exception to the rule. Here's my food log for yesterday:

Breakfast: 1 cup of Kashi cereal with half a banana

Snack: Protein shake and an apple (this was just prior to my run... I knew I'd need fuel)

Lunch: Turkey wrap on a wheat tortilla with a dab of mayo, avocado, tomato slices, one slice of cheese and alfalfa sprouts with a bowl of tomato soup (running five miles really took it out of me!)

Snack: a Fiber One pop tart

Dinner: 1 cup of German potato salad (could be worse!) 3 pieces of schnitzel with jaegersauce (totally bad!) and a small glass of red wine (again, not too terrible).

Snack: a piece of jello no-bake chocolate peanut butter desert and 2 Vernor's ginger ales

Overall, the first part of the day was great! Dinner wouldn't have been so bad except for the three pieces of schnitzel. There's no need for that. I could have stuck with just one and been okay. It's a good thing that we really only do German food once or twice a year. And it's a good thing that Vernor's is so hard to find here in Texas. It's all over up north, and I blame my Michigan family for getting me hooked on it :-) Truly though, it kicks some serious ginger ale butt. And it doesn't help that it was an impulse buy. I had been sent to the store to pick up something for dinner and happened to see one lonely six-pack sitting on the top shelf at the end of the aisle. So I nabbed it. And now I have to limit myself with it. Perhaps one Vernor's for every ten pounds I lose. I told myself I wouldn't use food rewards, but maybe I can make an exception for rare foods. Or maybe Charlie will drink it and I won't have to worry about it, although I'm pretty sure he doesn't like ginger ale...

Anyway, I'm back on track today. We didn't make enough German food to have leftovers, thank goodness, so I don't have to worry about being tempted by schnitzel calling my name. I'm ready to hit the gym tomorrow for a short run, and I read a good article today about triathlon to get me pumped up and ready for training, which will begin as soon as my 15K is over. I'm ready for the challenge! Bring it on, 2011!