A Case of the Runs

In nearly every running blog I've come across, there is an entry in each regarding body image, allusions to weight issues, or mention of some sort of dieting. Given how these things are constantly on my mind, I have made little mention of them here. This is assuredly NOT because I am confident about myself. I am constantly thinking the worst of myself (to put it nicely) and comparing myself to others (because I KNOW others are doing it already). In fact, you could say that because I am afraid of opening up a can of worms, I stay away from all topics of this genre. Time to make my contribution to the blogging world. I've always been preoccupied by my appearance, because I was a slightly chubby kid, at least in relation to my skinny older sisters. As I got older, I only got more large, seemingly, and the Asian girls around me looked more alike and more... skinny. And because I didn't look like that, I thought I could never be pretty. So I made little effort to learn how to pu...

These bars have a funny name, don't they? Well, maybe that's because they are supposed to be for kids. Kiddie or not, this is a vegan and organic bar that is actually quite tasty and under 100 calories. These are made from the makers of Larabar , but unlike their moist, date-y cousins, these bars are light and crispy, yet have some chewy density so that you feel decently satisfied (with some milk/soymilk, ideally... I wish I had these as a kid!). These come in a few flavors, though peanut butter goes really well with the texture. None of them are very sweet, which is good, but trust me, they are tasty! I found these at Trader Joe's.

I can't believe I am posting about this, since anyone who knows me will understand that I tend to have an aversion to feet. I don't know if this is some sort of disorder, but much better, I think, than the opposite sentiment (i.e., fetish). What don't I like about feet? I don't know. As a kid, you're always told to keep them clean and that they smell. I looked at cracked, fungus-ridden, and chipped-pedicure feet and rather quickly associated feet with "gross." Anyway, I can't bash these body parts, since obviously they are the key to running and are often taken for granted, shoved in uncomfortable shoes, and just overused(!). Unfortunately for me, genetics in my family have led me to form this pseudo-bunion on one of my feet. I say genetics because my mom tells me so, and although I like any shoe that makes me taller, I doubt it was the primary impetus for this painful affliction. There is no cure for bunions. Even those who get surgery risk re-develop...

A few weeks ago, I flew the coop yet again at work to celebrate "The Ukrainian"'s birthday. This is not the first birthday of his that we've spent together, but this is the first time I have been able to plan something for him. That morning, I told him that he could not come downstairs from his shower until I told him he could. Downstairs, I was quickly churning away these crepes, hoping to make a breakfast light enough so that we could eat at our ultimate destination. This was my first time making these, and they were surprisingly easy and very much tasted like intended. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take a picture of the setup I had once I called him down (it was more presentable than these pics below), but we managed to get these shots later as we were eating them. Above: Crepes w/banana, powdered sugar, apple butter, raspberry preserves. I later saw him put syrup and cream cheese on his. Shortly thereafter, I gave him his gift (rice cooker), which he like(...

Guest Review by Tea Time: A couple of weeks ago it started to get really hot here in Socal. I am one of those people who wear too much clothes to run. Not sure why. I always figure that I can always take it off but if I didn't have it with me, then if I get cold, I would be screwed. Anyways, as I mentioned it got really hot here lately so I had to start wearing shorts again. I hate my legs so I was not looking forward to this. I went to Target one day randomly to pick up other things, not intending on buying a running skirt but I did wander into the workout wear section and saw these Champion running skirts. I've read lots of blogs where girls would praise these things up and down but I never thought they were for me. I decided to try a pair on because I noticed that the skirt would cover my butt when I was running. I have a thing about people looking at my butt while running. Especially if I am running next to a heavy traffic road. Okay, maybe that is just me. Anyways, I ended...

I've been wanting to try apple butter for quite some time, but I wince at the thought of spending more than $4 on a jar of anything. I looked around at the usual suspect stores and realized that this must be a seasonal item or something. I did find a huge, cheap jar, but decided that the high-fructose corn syrup was not worth it. Finally, "The Ever-Nurturing Ukrainian" found a pure unsweetened version in the $3-range at Henry's Farmer's Supermarket from the L&A Juice Company . So the ingredients in this one read: apple juice, evaporated apples, cinnamon, clover, and citric acid Nutritionally, it seems similar to regular spreads, and taste-wise, think of some very smooth applesauce with a stronger apple flavor... that's apple butter! This stuff tastes best when it's cold and requires refrigeration since it doesn't have preservatives. And no, it is not really a "butter" by any means, except for that fact that it's spreadable. In my wea...

It's been a long time since I've posted a sample, so here is one for the knees (see link below)! Lately, I haven't been able to run very much at all due to this pain in my hip that is healing only verrrryy slowly, which is a horrible blow since I had been becoming faster. Then this past weekend, I had another lip-swelling episode, presumably because I either ate something weird at the barbecue I attended or because I attempted to put on some lipgloss for the first time since this whole ordeal started two months ago. I'm going to try to get a doctor's appointment finally, because it is really annoying and embarrassing. ------ Link: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid73180.aspx

The latest obsession of mine is kefir, fermented milk commonly found in supermarkets. You may have seen these thinned-out-yogurty drinks at race expos and wondered who would possibly like them. I have nearly completed my first huge bottle of this stuff, which is approximately ~$2.50/bottle (32 oz). I've been running around to different stores to compare the prices and even found coupons for the stuff so that my kefir habit can be sustained. I get the low-fat plain variety, which has 110 calories and 14 grams of protein per cup serving, plus 30% of my daily calcium requirement. Given that I don't drink milk due to my slight lactose intolerance and don't care to drink straight-up soy milk very often, I can have my dairy fix (albeit thicker and more sour) and maintain my bones. One would be surprised at how satisfying dairy is until it is unavailable, or in my case, indigestible. There are many other flavors such as pomegranate, cherry, vanilla, and blueberry, but I would rath...

I decided to put in place a theme for this random photo entry. For those of us in the United States, it's Independence Day weekend, when we show our love for our country and freedom by overindulgence and polluting the air with fireworks. Not glamourous-sounding, but it's still fun to me! I'm thankful for living in America, and here's why: Above: In America, I can pay to run and get a medal just for finishing! (This photo is a bit dated, so a few of the recent medals that can't fit on this hook are missing... *blush*) Above: Things grow easily in most of America's climates, including my still-alive forget-me-not sprouts! Above: A novice like me can bake blueberry pie filling bread and get compliments over it! Above: I can go to Asian markets to get ingredients to make my own sushi! (fillings: imitation crab meat, avocado, cucumber, smoked salmon, vegan cream cheese) Other reasons why America is great: ethnic cuisine is abundant most Americans will acknowledge...