Just Keep Swimming...Literally

Hi all! Want to know what I haven't done in a while/ever? Posted a real workout. I may have posted one or two workouts before, but I have a whole inventory of different workouts that are fun and hard and most of which are easy to do at home. Remember when I said I wanted to get more serious about the blog and post workouts with pictures? I am holding true to that resolution, well minus the pictures. I'm still working up to the whole, "let's post picture tutorials instead of writing out how to do the workouts" thing, so I do apologize for my lack of picture/tutorials. I will just try to be extra detailed in my instructions on how to do these exercises.  Maybe the next workout I post will have pictures? Don't hold your breath.

Anyways, today's workout is way different from anything that I have posted/will probably ever post. Why? Because the only pieces of equipment you need are a swimming pool, kick board, and a pull buoy. Yep, that's right folks, today's workout is a pool workout. I thought it was reasonable to post this seeing as yesterday was a cross-training day for my marathon training.

I used to be a swimmer in high school and my blog is called "Just Keep Swimming" so I found it fitting to post this workout for you guys. Now, because this workout is in a pool and because it requires you to swim long distances, please only do this if you are really comfortable, and I mean REALLY comfortable in a pool/swimming at all. This is a distance set and you will repeat the main set twice. The warm-up is broken into two parts. The first part of the warm-up (1x50 and 2x100) will be repeated twice and the second half of the warm-up will be repeated four times. Also, please note that if you don't feel comfortable or know how to do breast or back strokes, just stick with freestyle (your basic front crawl).

Also, just as a reference for those of you who don't know your pool distances:

• 50 yards = 2 lengths
• 100 yards = 4 lengths
• 200 yards = 8 lengths
• 300 yards = 12 lengths
• 400 yards = 16 lengths
• 500 yards = 20 lengths

Here it is:

Only do what you're comfortable with.

So there it is! If you like to swim, give it a go and see what you think! Keep your eyes open for more pool workouts and more dry-land workouts in the near future. Oh! And I'm probably over due for a healthy eating post, too. Until next time, just keep swimming, literally! ;)

Marathon Training and Tortilla Pizzas

Well folks, it's official. I am training for a marathon. My first ever! I am simultaneously really excited and super terrified, but I trust my plan and I know I'll be ready when the time comes. For those of you training for your first marathon or thinking about it, the concept of actually getting through the entire 26.2 miles on foot may be a little daunting. I'm right there with ya. The distance itself isn't what worries me, it's how my body is going to feel during and after the race. Since this marathon, taking place in May, will be my first, I'm not really going for a time goal of any sort. I just want to finish. Ideally I'd be able to that without walking, but I don't want to be unrealistic.

The training plan I'm following came from a special issue of Runner's World magazine. My mom used this plan when she ran her marathons. It's nice because it allows you to start small and gradually increase distance as you build up your endurance, so even total beginners can work up to a marathon. I am still in the first week of real training, but I've already completed two weeks of what is called the "pre-train", the part of the plan that gets you back into the habit of running every day. I plan on doing a post about what I did and did not like about this plan, the marathon I will be running and the things that I did and what I could've done differently after all is said and done. This marathon training is a learning period for me and I will use it as such. Can't wait for the actual event!!

Well, enough about my marathon blabbing, for now, at least. Today I want to share with you guys a healthy-ish take on pizza. Over break, I experimented a bit with the food my family had in the house and I wound up making a lot of tortilla pizzas. They were great! I have two "flatbread" (a.k.a. tortilla) pizza recipes to share with you guys.

The first pizza is pretty festive....in a Christmas-y sort of way, but spinach and tomatoes are good on pizza all year long!

Spinach, Goat-cheese, and Tomato Tortilla Pizza:

Ingredients:

1. Handful of fresh baby spinach leaves
2. Two or three fresh basil leaves
3. 1/2 fresh green bell pepper
4. 1/4 fresh tomato (or 4 cherry tomatoes)
5. 2 tbsp. Montchevre goat cheese (or soft cheese of preference)
6. Sprinkle of Oregano and Rosemary
7. 1 whole wheat tortilla

Directions:

1. Wash all vegetables
2. Dice tomato and green pepper 
3. Spread goat cheese onto entire tortilla
4. Lay down spinach then add rest of vegetables
5. Tear basil leaves and spread around pizza
6. Sprinkle Oregano and Rosemary over top of pizza
7. Broil on top rack in oven for 3-5 minutes

Yummy!

Sunshine Tortilla Pizza:

Ingredients:

1. 1/3 yellow bell pepper
2. 1/3 orange bell pepper
3. 1/3 red bell pepper
4. 4 cherry tomatoes (or 1/4 regular tomato)
5. 2 tbsp. Montchevre goat cheese (or soft cheese of choice)
6. 1 whole wheat tortilla

Directions:

**Same as above**

....aaaaand....VOILA!

In just a few short minutes, you get a delicious tasting, crispy little pizza. Don't let the ultra-thin crust fool you, these little tortilla pizzas are actually quite filling! Next time the cafeteria is closed at school, or if you're home, give one of these a try. It's a quick, easy, tasty, and healthy lunch option. It might even be great for a dinner for nights when you're short on time.

Do any of you guys know how to knit? I'd been trying to teach myself on and off for years but I could never get the hang of it, until recently when one of my friends taught me. Now all I can think about is knitting. Isn't that sad? I think I'm slowly becoming your stereotypical grandma. Don't believe me? Here's some picture evidence:

   

See, knitting cat lady. Oops. Oh well. No shame. Anyways, wish me luck in these next few months of torture  training for my marathon. I'll be sure to keep you guys posted! 

Looking Back on 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, I realize it's a little late.

2013 was no big "year of the blog" for me. I mean, it was the year I started Just Keep Swimming. Does that count? I know I wasn't a super consistent poster, but honestly, I didn't start the blog for other people; I mostly started it as a way to motivate myself to get back into and stay in shape. It's a way for me to record my workout and recipe ideas, and my thoughts on life, health and fitness. For these reasons, I didn't exactly post everyday.....or even every month...awkward. However, just because I wasn't a huge blogger last year, doesn't mean I didn't do anything in other aspects of my life.

Picking a major:
When I first entered college, I had really no idea what I wanted to do with my life - I still don't. I started out thinking I might want to do something with physical therapy, but quickly found out that science is NOT my forte. I've always been good at English and for a while I even thought I would major in it, but I guess college is about experiencing different things, and in my case, I needed to struggle through some science classes to reassure myself that English is definitely the right choice for me. The end of 2013 marked the end of my first semester as an official English major.

Getting (back) in shape:
I spent most of 2013 gaining back the fitness I lost in 2012. Over the summer and throughout the new school year I've been more active then ever and I've been making an effort to eat pretty healthy. I definitely think the blog has helped with that, but so have other blogs like Pumps and Iron and Strong Like My Coffee, both of which post great workouts and recipes to help you live a healthy lifestyle. I also started using Map My Run to record the foods I eat and the workouts out I do daily. I'm still not in high school shape, and I may never be again, but I'm ok with that because I'm getting back to a level of health that I'm comfortable with, and that makes all the difference.

Being social
Usually I'm pretty quiet around people that I don't know, but over the past year I've stepped outside of my comfort zone. I've joined clubs and gone to shows and made a lot of new friends. Of course, I still keep in contact with all of my old high school friends and we had a blast being reunited over winter break, but it's still nice to have new friends to go back to at school.

Basically 2013 was a great year. It may have been one long, bumpy ride on the struggle bus that is my life, but it was fun and fantastic nonetheless. And now that we've said goodbye to 2013 let's look forward to 2014:

The blog:
I plan to actually get more serious about this blog...I know, woah! I'm not going to call this a resolution or anything, but I'd like to start posting more workouts and recipes, and maybe even some picture tutorials to go along with my workout posts. Hopefully I'll also manage to get at least one post in every week, but hey, I'm not dreaming big or anything, we need to start small, here.

Dat young fitness life:
I am officially registered to run the 2014 Wisconsin marathon in May. Eep! Boy am I excited! BUT! That does mean that I will have to start training....now. In fact, I have a four mile "pre-train" run on the agenda for tonight and since it's a solid 11 degrees and dark, I guess I'll be hopping on the treadmill for that one. I hope to add some sort of marathon installment on the blog. Can't exactly say what that will be or that it will be very consistent, but the key word in that sentence is hope.

Other important things:
For my French major, it is required that I study abroad for at least a semester in a French-speaking country. I'm not even going to pretend that this doesn't excite me. I am currently applying for a program in Paris! I won't know if I've been accepted for quite some time, but hopefully I'll get to spend my entire junior year gallivanting around France studying in cafés and art museums. ;)

I can't pretend that this post actually qualifies as something to do with health and/or fitness, but I promise that I will get in a good number of posts that do throughout this year of the big 2014.