The Discipline

welcome back to teh interwebz?

2009-07-22T23:40:00.000-07:00

okay okay okay. it's not that i stopped going online. it's not that i lost or broke my computer. it's not that i haven't had anything to write about.... it's TWITTER. Ever since Twitter took over the world, I have completely neglected to write anything longer than 140 characters!

Tonight, this changes. Back to long, gritty messages detailing my workouts. Back to recounting each drop of sweat, each sip of Ultima Electrolytes, each grain of sand stuck in my wetsuit after each current swam.

OK maybe not. But things have been going pretty well. It's summer time, I've been riding my bike like crazy, attempting to get back into a good swim routine, going to pilates classes and just trying to get out of the house as much as possible. Riding my fixie whip with friends has proven to be some of the most fun i've ever had... playing beach volleyball and ultimate frisbee... eating good food and laughing a ton.. it's days like this that keep me alive.

this is a very vague, generic post - but i promise i will try to update more often again.

tomorrow is an ocean swim with Dana and some others. more to come!

THE DISCIPLINE IS BACK!

Icebreaker.

2009-04-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

hahahaha I pretty much haven't updated this blog since I got a twitter. Micro blogging is much more fun than real blogging, right?

Ummm. I am doing a triathlon in less than two weeks. Icebreaker tri in Grass Valley.

1/2 mile swim (in 55 degree water, eeee), 14 mile hilly bike ride, and a 4 mile trail run.

It might be a little bit hard. I haven't been training nearly as much as I should. We'll see!!

My sisters and mom are all doing the race with me. Hopefully everything goes swimmingly.

In the mean time..... twitter.com/staceyxvx and twitter.com/staceyeats

yeaaa!

Raw.

2009-02-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

My BFF Sara has convinced me to try a raw diet for 30 days. I agreed to do, like, 90% raw, and still kind of wondering what exactly I am going to eat. Hmmmmm. Time to brainstorm. Okay, here we go:

avocados, coconut, bananas, melon, berries, squash, plums, nectarines, oranges, lemon, lime, grapefruit, kiwi, flax & hemp seeds, cashews, almonds, walnuts, jicama, spinach, kale, sprouts, nut butter, cacao, dates, agave.... hmmm

restaurants that I can get raw meals at: Juliano's, Euphoria, RFD, Flore, Elf, Cru....

definitely getting ready for lots of salads, smoothies, fruits & veggies, nuts...

+ lots of exercise

+ for christ sake i need to permanently stop drinking coffee !!!

I'm going to start tomorrow, after I finish my last Mighty O donut !!!

Morning of Champions.

2009-01-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

5:05 AM: alarm
5:20 AM: 150 sit-ups, 30 pushups
6:00 AM: soy yogurt, granola, blueberries
7:00 AM: work

=

Morning of champions!

Day 7.

2009-01-07T22:20:00.000-08:00

My 7th day without food. Honestly, not much to report. I feel skinny. My body feels clean. I feel like I am almost done detoxing. I think I'm kind of ready to start eating some fruits and veggies or something. I guess maybe I am just kind of bored with lemonade and tea.

Cross fit challenge is going well. Abs hurt from so many sit-ups. I feel good.

It's high time I got back in the water, but it's so damn cold out. brrrr.

Day 4.

2009-01-04T10:43:00.000-08:00

Day 4 without food.
I feel amazing.
My caffeine withdrawals are gone,
no more headaches,
I'm sleeping like a rock,
it's fantastic.

6 days to go!

Cross Fit.

2009-01-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

My sister Dana just signed me up for the "Cross Fit Challenge."

It takes one month.

It is (in addition to your normal swimming/biking/running):

Week 1: 50 sit-ups and 10 push-ups per day
Week 2: 100 sit-ups and 20 push-ups per day
Week 3: 150 sit-ups and 30 push-ups per day
Week 4: 200 sit-ups and 40 push-ups per day

Today was my first day, and I had to take a few breaks. 50 sit-ups is a lot harder than it seems, especially when you normally do crunches.

I am going to look so good by the end of this month. ha. awesome.

xo

Day 1.

2009-01-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

Day 1 of 10 with no food.

Last night I enjoyed my "last meal," a hearty bowl of peanut butter bumpers.

Oh, did I mention that last night was New Year's Eve? Always a disappointing holiday, in my opinion, but I guess you could call the next 10 days a "resolution" of sorts.

Anyway. I started the cleanse today. Juiced a bunch of lemons and got myself mentally prepared.

I have only consumed about 20 ounces of my lemon drink so far though.... I'm hungry.

The next 10 days will be interesting.. don't worry, I'll keep you updated!

OH MY GOSH.

2008-12-31T17:57:00.000-08:00

I haven't updated in so long.

Know why?

Because I have been COMPLETELY lazy all month long!!

Okay, when I say lazy, what I really mean is working 12-15 hours per day. Which isn't really lazy, but definitely doesn't leave any room for training and such.

SO, now that it's (almost) 2009 and things are slowing down at work, here's the plan:

For the first 10 days of the year, I will be doing the Master Cleanse. For those who aren't familiar, this is an extended detox / fast which involves consuming nothing but water, lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and tea for 10+ days. I have done this cleanse three times, and it is truly amazing... it eliminates food cravings, totally cleans you out, gets rid of headaches / allergies / insomnia, gives you more energy than you know what to do with. I am super excited to do it again!!

Once I am done with the 10 day cleanse, I am going into full-time training. I am planning on doing the international distance Desert Triathlon in March, which means I need to get my ass into gear ASAP!!!

Still planning on doing a half Ironman this summer (september - the Big Kahuna race).

I will update a LOT over the next 10 days with the progress on my cleanse!! Stay tuned.

Love always,

Stacey

Schedule.

2008-11-08T10:10:00.001-08:00

New Schedule.

Sundays: ocean swim / PCH bike ride / run
Mondays: off
Tuesdays: pool swim after work
Wednesdays: gym - weight training / treadmill run after work
Thursdays: pool swim before work
Fridays: yoga class after work
Saturdays: bike / run after work

Here we go.

Goal.

2008-11-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

New goal:

Half IronMan by summer 2009.

1.2 mile swim.
56 mile bike.
13.1 mile run.

6 month training schedule.

I don't even know what I'm getting myself into.

Slump.

2008-10-27T16:56:00.001-07:00

OHMYGOSH I have been soooooooooooo lazy since race day. I have literally only been swimming twice in two weeks, and only ridden my bike a total of probably 10 miles. And I haven't run at all. I need to get back in the swing of things!!!

Official.

2008-10-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

I am officially a triathlete now.

Sunday I completed the sprint distance tri at the Arrowhead 'day at the beach' Triathlon. Here's the overview:

It was early as hell (I woke up at 4:30 am...seriously, ungodly). Still dark and cold outside. We biked over from the hotel at 5:00 and got to the race site with plenty of time to set up transition and hang for a bit. Thankfully, the waves had calmed down after the storm, so the swim was manageable. Okay, my swim was really slow. Damnit, I am just a bad swimmer. I'm going to work on it. Anyway, I felt really strong about the bike portion. I kept up a pretty solid biking speed, 18 to 20 MPH, even though the course was extremely crowded (a 3 loop course with over 1000 bicyclists. insane. 5 people crashed!) My run was quite a bit slower than my average 5k (I can run 3 miles in 25 minutes. BUT, when you put that after struggling through a swim and then using all your calf muscles racing your bike, it slows down your running stride! It took me 29 minutes. Not a time I am proud of, but hey I completed a triathlon, okay? What have YOU done!?! ... just kidding.)

Anyway. The total race took me 1:28. Not the greatest time in the world, but I guess I am happy enough for my first triathlon.

I'm already signing up for another race. November 30th. 1/2 mile swim, 14 mile bike, 4.5 mile run. Time for more training!!

Pictures soon...

xo

Home Stretch.

2008-10-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't been able to train since Monday, so I'm pretty much just flying by the seat of my pants at this point. Went to the doctor this morning and she basically told me to man up, get more rest, and I should be able to race on Sunday.

My team is staying in a hotel on Saturday, which means I need to get all packed up and ready to go tomorrow. This involves a lot of careful preparation.

To Bring:

__Backpack
__Bike
__Helmet
__Wetsuit
__2 towels
__3 water bottles
__goggles
__swim cap
__body glide (to get the wetsuit on... don't ask)
__flip flops
__biking & running shoes
__socks
__race belt (to clip your number to)
__TnT top
__honoree bracelets
__watch
__sunscreen
__sunglasses
__electrolyte packets
__clean water to rinse sand off
__Clif bars
__tubes, tire, tire levers, allen wrenches, c09 cartridges
__tickets for dinner / victory party

eee I hope I'm not forgetting anything.

Okay some awesome pictures from last week's practice triathlon:

Here I am totally reppin' TnT with the wetsuit, swimcap, AND water bottle. Yeaa!

Leaving T1 to start the bike!

...and crossing the "finish line" !

Okay wish me luck on Sunday!! Or better yet, come watch me....Hermosa Pier 7:00 AM!!

Sick.

2008-10-08T11:51:00.000-07:00

Well, I spent Sunday morning and Monday morning in the Pacific Ocean, off of Hermosa Beach. The waves were big but I was able to get a bit more comfortable out there. I met a really nice girl, Carolyn, who trained with me for the two days. She's 20, and Hermosa is her first triathlon as well. She is almost as terrified of the ocean as I am, so we either made a really good or a really bad training team.

When I woke up yesterday I was sick as a dog. There's a strain of strep throat going around my store right now, and it looks like it's caught up to me. This completely ruined my training plans for yesterday and for the rest of the week. I am seeing a doctor tomorrow and hopefully can get some antibiotics in me in time to feel better for our swim on Saturday and of course the RACE on Sunday. This is going to be a brutal weekend if I am still feeling sick.

Things just aren't going my way this week.

I think I am going to sign up for the Treasure Island tri in San Fransisco on November 11th. I originally hadn't planned on it, but the closer I get to doing Hermosa the more I want to plan for the future. I guess we'll see how this weekend goes before I make any official arrangements.

Okay, going back to bed now.

Anyone want to bring me some soup and orange juice?

Rattled.

2008-10-04T16:30:00.001-07:00

Well, today I had my worst tri practice to date.
I completely freaked out in the ocean. Panicked. Couldn't swim past the break. It was terrible. The waves were pretty huge and the current was absolutely brutal, everyone was having trouble, but I just froze up and couldn't do it.

So, I am supposed to race next Sunday and I am completely shaken up. I am going to get in the ocean tomorrow and also Wednesday to try to overcome it and get mentally prepared for the race. I know I need to push past this, but it's probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.

Anyway. Then my chain fell off in the middle of a bike sprint and I had to get off and fix it and was super pissed off.

Sigh. Bad practices happen, right?

So, let's take a minute to reflect on where I was 10 weeks ago, just to make me feel better about this morning.

1. Running. I am told I am a "natural" runner. I don't know, I hadn't ran since hating "the mile" in high school (my average - 12 minutes) up until February when I begrudgingly raced in the "Run for your Life" 5k because Dana was sponsoring it. I did poorly, but it encouraged me to start running more regularly. I can run a solid 8 minute mile now. I feel good about that.

2. Biking. I took a couple gnarly falls off my childhood bike in grade school, one in particular where paramedics were called because my foot somehow got stuck between the pedal & frame of the bike. I swore I would never ride again. Obviously, I eventually had to get over that and picked up a bike again last year. Thankfully, riding a bicycle is well, like, riding a bicycle, so I've found it to be fairly easy to pick back up.

3. Swimming. Well, I have written a lot about swimming already.... like the fact that up until I started with TnT I didn't know how to swim! I have always had issues with swimming. As a child, I took swim lessons at the YMCA, but dropped out when the counselor threatened to drown me if I didn't stop crying (no joke!) Swimming has always frightened me. It is really quite incredible that I have progressed even this much in the last 10 weeks. I am proud of myself, even though the ocean still scares the bejesus out of me.

Picture time!

This is our practice transition area. Almost looks like the real thing, right!?

This is my bicycle. Isn't it sexy?

My teammate, Jay. He is a total character.

Kelly and I rockin' what I like to call "wetsuit couture."

Yea, I know I look hot.

Come watch me race next Sunday!! You know you want to!!!

The Ocean.

2008-10-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

The thing about swimming in the ocean is, while it is completely terrifying while you are out there, the moment you step back onto shore it's like "holy crap. when can I do that again??" It's almost like getting tattooed or something - while it hurts like hell, it's worth it every time.

God, I sound like some sort of "extreme sports" bro. YEA, I'M INTO AGGRESSIVE INLINE BLADING. WANT SOME GATORADE?? (kidding).

Anyway. I've been swimming a lot. It's really weird to think about the fact that 2 months ago I literally did not know how to swim. I could float. I could kind of dog paddle. But ask me to put my head under water and I would have serious trouble! Now I am at the pool or 250 yards off shore, 3-4 times a week. Who would have thought?! I'm still not GOOD at it by any means, but I am starting to really enjoy it.

"Courage isn't not being afraid of something. It's being afraid of something but doing it anyway."

If you want to come watch me race, be at the Hermosa Pier on October 12th at the crack of dawn. Come cheer me on!!

Playa Del Run.

2008-09-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

This Sunday I competed in the Playa Del Run 5k race.

I took 1st place in the women 20-25 division!!!

3.2 miles in 26 minutes, so I'm averaging about an 8 minute mile. Not bad!!!

I did my first open ocean swim on Saturday. Holy crap it was so scary. I really need to practice out there the next couple weeks to prepare for my race, otherwise I am going to get completely beat up by waves / current / marine life. Swimming in the ocean is a whole new challenge for me to overcome... I am a bit nervous, but I think I'll be able to handle it (I hope).

I am almost done with my fundraising though, thank goodness! Now I can just focus on training, training, training every day for the next three weeks!

Oh, also, I am attending the Interbike expo in Vegas this week. Very exciting! I will post pictures when I get back!!

Gear.

2008-09-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

I no longer have a kitchen.

What used to look like a dining room now looks like a bike shop.

It is amazing how much equipment I am racking up for this race. Lots of hand-me-downs from my sisters, and lots of clearance REI merchandise, for sure! Let's see, I've got:
1 LeMond "buenos aires" 27 speed road bike
3 helmets (hand me downs, i don't know why)
many tires, tubes, wrenches, lights, etc. for my bikes
1 pair of bike shorts
2 pairs of tri shorts (meant for swimming, biking, AND running)
3 tri tops
1 pair of running shoes
1 swim suit
6 water bottles
an endless supply of Luna bars and electrolyte powdered drinks
2 pairs of swim goggles
1 pair of bike shoes

still waiting on my wetsuit, a water-resistant bag, and new pedals for my bicycle.

This is crazy.

(but I kind of love it.)

Update.

2008-08-30T18:47:00.001-07:00

Friends,
I am sorry I have been so terrible at updating my blog. The ironic thing about writing in a fitness blog is that, once you are under a strict training regimen, you have no time to be online!! I have been working out 6 days per week, swimming, biking, and running like crazy to prepare for this triathlon.

Swimming is really intense. I literally hadn't swum (swam?) since I was 18 years old, so it's taking me a lot of getting used to. I am not good at it. It's extremely difficult and frustrating. In a couple weeks I have to start swimming in the ocean, which scares the living crap out of me. I'm not looking forward to it.

Biking is becoming easier and easier every day. My team has been doing what we call the "Amalfi loop" - which is a 6 mile loop up and down these brutal hills between the coast and the palisades. It is extremely tough, but I am proud to say that I have been able to conquer the loop 3 times without needing a break. Go me! The other day, Dana and I did a "brick," which is a bike / run combination. We did 8 miles on bike and 3 miles on foot, and I felt really good. This gives me hope. If I can just get the swimming down, I will be pretty much ready to handle the race in October.

One thing I will say is that, when you're training as much as I am, you really need to make sure you are getting enough sleep. I've been to 3 shows this week (Radiohead, Reggie, Portugal the Man) and went out dancing last night... I am SO EXHAUSTED.

New plans:
1. Sleep more
2. Swim more
3. Drink more water
4. Stop eating ice cream every night

Training.

2008-08-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

This week, I start my 6-day-a-week training schedule for the Arrowhead Triathlon.
Here's the plan:

Sunday: Swim 1 hour, bike 1 hour
Monday: day off... but I'll probably bike ride regardless
Tuesday: Coached swim practice with my team
Wednesday: Bike 65 minutes
Thursday: Run 45 minutes
Friday: Swim 1 hour
Saturday: Coached bike ride with my team

Each week the times get a little bit longer, until October 12th which is the day of the triathlon!

So, yesterday I got the creepiest massage I have ever recieved in my life. The dude hopped up onto the table with me!! WEIRD. He was also listening to Christmas carols the whole time. Extremely, extremely creepy.

eeee

Arrowhead Triathlon.

2008-08-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

I caved.
I was peer pressured.
I finally signed up for Team in Training.
I will be racing on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on October 12th at the Arrowhead Triathlon. 1/4 mile swim, 10 mile bike, 5k run. I have 8 weeks to learn how to swim and train for the event. I also have pledged to raise $2600 for the LLS charity.

INTENSE!

Updates to come.

In the mean time, please donate!! I would really appreciate any help you can give!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/arrowtri08/sspencer

Summer = Food + Bikes

2008-08-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

I am trying to embrace the essence of Summer. It is already August (where does the time go?) and there are really only four weekends left of the season. Granted, it is 70 degrees in Santa Monica until late October... then back to 70 degrees in early March... but STILL, Summer is special and is like no other time of year.

With that being said, I have to admit I've been a little less disciplined in my exercise regimen. I bought a new bike this week, and have been riding every day instead of running. Admittedly, this is not nearly as good of a workout, but it is more fun and a lot easier to get my friends to ride with me than it is to get them to run with me!

ANYWAY, I bought a Masi "Commuter Speciale." It is a pretty sweet 1 speed with a free wheel, that can be flipped into a fixed gear if/when I feel ready. Here ya go:

Of course, for biking instead of running I had to trade out the Nike running shorts, sports bras, and training shoes in exchange for high tops and cut offs. I did it Stacey style though, which means taking scissors to a pair of $160 7 For All Mankind jeans. Whatever, they were boot-cut anyway. So 2002.

ANYWAY. Enough about the bike. The other important part of Summer is pigging out on delicious food. There is so much to eat in this city, it's ridiculous!

SUNDAY, Beaver took me to this little place called The Vegan Joint. Just one of those random thai / burgers / pancakes / everything hole in the wall places, but pretty delicious! My favorite part about it was the sign out front when we pulled up:

It really made me wonder: What constitutes a Vegan Joint emergency? Is it when someone just REALLY needs soy chicken and pancakes in the middle of the night? I'm not sure, but I kind of want to call some time and find out!!

TUESDAY, Will cooked up some sweeeeeet vegan pasta & cheezy sauce with tomatoes. oh man. delicious. AND, chocolate biscotti! It was so good.

THURSDAY, Lisa and I went out to M Cafe for breakfast. French toast, breakfast panini (which is panini with tofu scramble, tempeh bacon, soy cheeze and cranberry sauce. amazing), and chocolate cookies. Sooooooo good:

TONIGHT, Beaver and I went on a long bike ride down to the marina, through Venice, met up with Critical Mass for a bit but got bummed on the dumb drunk kids with their lame bikes swerving all over the place so we broke off after a little while and just rode around. Fun.

TOMORROW, maybe seeing X Files with my sis, SUNDAY I'm gonna go down to the Farmers' Market and I really should get a run in, MONDAY I have completely free! Summer fun is in the works.

Strawberry Fields.

2008-07-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Today was the Strawberry Fields multi-event race in Oxnard.
My sister and I signed up for the Olympic distance relay triathlon. Here's how the day went:

We spent the night at the Best Western in Oxnard with our other sister, Kelly. Set our alarms for 4:45 AM because we had to be at the race site at 5:30 am (ouch). Left for the race before dawn, got there and got set up and waited for our start time. Dana started in the water, a 1/2 mile open ocean swim. She says it was "brutal." She then transitioned onto bicycle, taking on the 24 mile bike leg of the race. That took about an hour, meanwhile I was standing around waiting to take my turn on the run portion of the triathlon. I used this opportunity to stare at all of the beefcake dudes that were racing. total eye candy. ANYWAY. Dana finished the bike and passed the relay anklet over to me, I booked it out of the transition area and ran my ass off. 6 miles. It took me about an hour, which is about what I expected. Not too bad, considering 6 months ago I couldn't run one mile without feeling like I was going to pass out. Dana and I took 7th place in the Olympic relay. I feel like we could have done a little better, but all in all that's not bad for our first relay and my first ever 10k run!

Seriously, if you would have told me when I first moved to LA that at some point my idea of a good time would be waking up at 5 in the damn morning to run 6 miles, I would have thought you were a crazy person. No joke.

My next goal: a Duathlon (run, bike, run). I think this would be ideal for my first long solo race because I am not a strong swimmer at ALL but I want to start training on a bicycle. Fun!!

Running. pt II

2008-07-17T10:10:00.000-07:00

I am trying to find a balance in my running training so I don't hurt myself. The process looks something like this:

being lazy >>being active >>pushing yourself >>hurting yourself* >>injuring yourself

I want to be where the asterisk is. Somewhere past pushing myself, in the "no pain, no gain" category, but certainly not seriously injuring myself. Two friends recently told me about injuries they've accrued via running and it freaked me out a little bit. On my last long run, my feet were starting to hurt kind of bad and I got paranoid.

Here's the thing about running: they say that your lung capacity expands much more quickly than the capabilities of your muscles and joints do. I am noticing this firsthand. When I started training, I would run until I couldn't breath anymore. Even when I couldn't breathe anymore, my legs and feet still felt fine. Nowadays, I no longer get winded unless I'm sprinting. My lung endurance is incredible. Now my body triggers me that it's time to stop by making me feet, legs, and knees feel like they're going to give out. The problem with this is, leg pain is a lot easier to ignore and push through than not being able to breathe is. So I think I might be pushing myself too hard, too quickly.

I think I'm going to take it easy until my 10k on Sunday. Wish me luck!!

The Executive Lifestyle.

2008-07-09T23:12:00.000-07:00

Today I am staying at a Hampton in Agoura Hills, due to some meetings at the GC corporate office. Knowing I was going to be bored and stir crazy, I brought my running shoes with me and figured I would check out the hotel gym.

Now, I used the term "gym" loosely....... this particular room was titled the "fitness center" by the Hampton Inn, but would probably be more fitting just to say it was a stationary bike, an elliptical, and a shoddy treadmill in a dark little room. It was sort of sad, but I'll take what I can get. I did 2 miles on the treadmill, and then watched the Simpsons on the hotel television while riding the bike. Reasonable workout, all things considered!

Yesterday was yoga night, and I am officially exhausted now so goodnight!

Tomorrow: Bike ride
Friday: Yoga
Saturday: day off
Sunday: another 6 mile run

Weird day.

2008-07-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

All day I felt so bored, fat, and lazy. The only workout I did was my abs, the only time I left the house was to go buy a bike pump from REI (which ended up not even fitting.) I was feeling completely lethargic, irritated, and ready to just cut my losses and head to bed when my friend Beaver called & invited me on a bike ride. I almost turned it down, but he managed to persuade me and basically drag me out of the house with him and his two buddies.

I am SO glad I went. I feel much better now. We just rode down to Main St., up through the Promenade, then back up Wilshire, but just that short ride turned my mood around. It's amazing how much getting a little workout makes everything seem that much better.

The annoying thing is that I still only have my 1961 Schwinn cruiser to ride around on - I need to get a road bike SO BAD. I don't know where to start or what to get though. Any suggestions? I saw this one at Performance Bikes & it was only $400 and seems like a pretty decent single speed... What do you think?

Yogi Ab Workout of Death.

2008-07-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

So, I mentioned in a prior post that I have been doing an abdominal workout daily. Here is the rundown of the workout, if you are interested in keeping up. This workout was created by Ally at Santa Monica Power Yoga, and it is absolutely brutal. Her students call it the "ab workout of death" because she is basically the slave driver of your core strength. Here's how it goes:

1. Start by engaging your core in Dolphin pose.

Keep your body straight and your hands clasped, propping yourself on your forearms and flexed toes. Do this for 1-2 minutes, keeping your low belly engaged and flat.

2. Sit up in Boat pose, then shift your torso & arms to the right side then left side then back to the middle:

3. Then, from Boat pose, lower your torso and legs without touching the ground, then come back up to Boat. Repeat 10 or so times.

4. Lift your legs into the air and lower your torso so your shoulder blades are off the ground. Reach up with your right arm, then over with your left arm, switching back and forth as if you are climbing a rope above you. Do this for 1-2 minutes.

5. No pictures for this one, but for at least 30 seconds lay on your back with your legs straight in front of you, 3 inches from the floor. Slowly lower your right leg then switch to your left leg. Then scissor kick your legs still 3 inches from the floor for another 30 seconds minimum.

6. At least 1-2 minutes of crunches, touching your left elbow to right leg then right elbow to left leg.

And you're done! It's intense!!!

Today I ran 6 miles up the canyon then back down Sunset. I am so exhausted now. Night night.

7. Namaste.

Running.

2008-07-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

So, I have been training to run in an Olympic length relay triathlon at the end of the month. For those who are not familiar, this means I will be doing the 10k run of the race, which is over 6 miles on foot. My training for this has consisted of running twice per week so far, and starting this week I will be doing 3 runs a week (two short, 3 mile runs and one long, 6 mile run per week). I am trying to vary it up between running on the treadmill, on the street, and on the beach, just to keep things interesting and challenging.

Sunday 06/29 I ran a 5k race in Culver City. I averaged a 9 minute mile (first mile 8 minutes, second 9 minutes, third 10 minutes because I walked a bit...), I had only gotten 5 hours sleep the night before and didn't eat breakfast, so I think that under perfect conditions I could probably consistently run an 8 minute mile. I am pretty satisfied with this, though I will continue to push myself of course. Oh, here's a random picture I found of me crossing the finish line:

funny.

Monday night, Lisa and I had some fun at the gym. We lifted weights for about an hour, it was a good time. I was able to do 20 bench presses! (granted I was only lifting the 40 lb bar, but still!) I'd like to keep up some sort of weight lifting regimen, just to stay toned. Yes, we took pictures:

This week I am planning a LONG run (my house to the beach, all the way to Santa Monica pier, then back) for Sunday, then two short runs wednesday and friday. And yoga on Tuesday and the gym on monday... perfect!!

"Ooh, it feels good to be free!"

2008-06-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

Today I put on my booty shorts and running shoes, braved the 100 degree weather, and ran the 2 miles down to the Farmers' Market. It was kind of embarrassing being there all sweaty and disgusting, but I ignored the weird looks and bought some raspberries, avocados, raw vegan sushi, and flowers. Then I hauled all my purchases the 2 miles back up the hill, Rilo Kiley blasting on my headphones, and I swear to god I had the biggest smile on my face the whole time. Seriously, how does life get this good? It doesn't even seem fair that I should be allowed such an amazing existence (knock on wood).

This week:
Monday: yoga
Tuesday: working late
Wednesday: run
Thursday: working late
Friday: yoga

Exercise.

2008-06-20T22:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, here is the training plan:

-Run: twice per week (Sunday & Wednesday). Runs will start at 4 miles and increase up to 6 miles (or more?) over the next two months.

-Yoga: twice per week (Tuesday & Thursday -or- Friday). 1 1/2 hour yoga sessions with Ally at Santa Monica Power Yoga. To build strength and hopefully more flexibility over time.

-15 minute abdominal work out: every day. That core strength is so vitally important. Plus I totally have a "store manager tummy" - this is what you get from a mixture of stress, bad diet, and often sitting behind a desk (as well as, for most managers, drinking beer nightly. At least I have that one working for me!)

So, that is the PLAN. As of right now, I am generally doing yoga twice per week, running only once per week, and doing the ab workout about three times per week. It's time to step it up!!

The best part about the run training is that my apartment is almost exactly 2 miles from the beach, so a perfect run takes me to the beach and back for a solid 4 miles. As my endurance builds I will start to run 2 miles to the beach, all the way to Santa Monica pier, then back up to my place which is probably about 6 miles total. I know I can do this, I just need to keep it up!!

Here's the view coming down the hill from my apartment to the beach - amazing:

I love Santa Monica.

stop eating crap!

2008-06-15T13:54:00.000-07:00

nataliedee.com

No more junk food for me! "Vegan by default" crap (i.e. bbq Pringles, oreos, those chewy chocolate chip granola bars, etc etc) have officially been banned.

Uncooking

2008-06-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

My BFF Sara Beth XVX was in town from Seattle last night & today - she is an avid food lover like myself, & not only vegan and straight edge, but also currently on a raw food diet. I love how restriction & discipline teaches you to try new things. Abstaining from certain activities somehow forces you to be more creative. Kind of like Christian teenagers saving their V cards for marriage that involve themselves in wild "everything but" debauchery, right??

This is Sara, the amazing Raw Vegan Straight Edge Warrior:

In this photograph she is completely overwhelmed by the amount of delicious raw food we found today.

We went to Juliano's Raw in Santa Monica. It was absolutely incredible. Here's the full menu of what we enjoyed:

Raw cocoa / nut / etc. shakes:

Delicious avocado soup mixed with their signature tortilla soup:

The Juliano's Raw version of a double bacon cheeseburger:
(raw flax bun, dehydrated nuts formed into a patty, veggies, etc, complete with zucchini "fries")

Lasagna:
(zucchini "noodles," tomato, cashew ricotta-esque cheeze, veggies)

Overall an extremely delicious afternoon.

Tonight's exercise: shouting at my laptop screen on espn.com while watching Lakers / Celtics Game 4. Intense.

Oh, Starbucks

2008-06-11T09:27:00.003-07:00

If I am truly going to abstain from all my vices, I really need to stay far, far away from Starbucks. Venti soy no water chais and tall soy mochas will be my downfall. This weekend has been a bit hard - lots of late nights and early mornings in Tahoe. My daily caffeine intake got completely out of hand. New rule: No more daily Starbucks. Maybe an occasional special occasion chai, but that's IT !! Mornings should be for fresh fruit or whole grains, not sugar and caffeine. I feel like a zombie right now...

The Discipline

2008-06-10T10:11:00.000-07:00

The key to self-liberation is abstinence from the destructive escapism of intoxication.

I separate from the poison, a mindlessness I've always abhored.

-Earth Crisis

Hi. I'm Stacey Spencer.

(This is me in my awesome Squaw Creek Resort bathrobe. Very luxurious!)

This blog will be dedicated to healthy, clean living, fitness, veganism, feeling good, and anything else I feel is relevant. A lot of posts will basically be journals for myself to keep track of my personal health, but I will also post information, recipes, workout ideas, as well as invite stories and testimonials from friends who live similar lifestyles.

My overall personal goals: eat healthy vegan food, work out every day and stay fit, share ideas with friends.

Specific goals: stop eating so much junk food and caffeine, run a 10k race, be able to touch my toes, stop eating out for every meal.

SO, here's today:

I am currently in Lake Tahoe with all of the Guitar Center managers at our annual retreat. It is beautiful, the air is clean, and I am surrounded by middle-aged men with beer guts. The food is questionable, but I was able to track down some vegan cereal & soy milk this morning as well as some cantaloupe and honeydew melon. Delicious. Yesterday I had a decent Swedish massage and lounged by the pool all day, so today I figured I better do something active. I hit the gym in the morning for about a 15 minute ab workout, some stretching, a mile run on the treadmill, and some free-weights. Feeling good so far. Maybe an afternoon swim or hike? Tonight we are bowling, does that count as exercise? Probably not!

I return home tomorrow and can't wait to get back to my yoga class. I think I will wander the Farmer's Market for a bit and get some fresh vegetables and fruit as well. mmm.

That's all for now, stay tuned!

With love,

Stacey