Survived a networking luncheon. Not one slice of pizza.

Yesterday,  the Altoona Chamber of Commerce had their networking luncheon at a local pizza place today.  Wow, theEating for business sake salad was one word: delish!  I kept focus on the salad, not pizza.  Yes, it was a pizza and salad buffet: big nice area of carbs and more carbs.   My portions were 2 helpings of ice berg lettuce, cheese, olive (oh my!), mild peppers with one bread stick.  Surprisingly, I was full and satisfied.   As long as you keep the eye on the prize of better health, you can survive a pizza buffet.  Focus on all the better stuff like salad.  It does sound boring compared to the double-double stuffed pizza, but your waistline will thank you for it later.  Plus, it reflects more as a business person. You care about your body, you care about business, period.

All that good stuff led to an EASY 3 mile run today with my running group today.  Yes, I said E-A-S-Y.  That’s huge coming from me.  Everything that you eat effects everything.  For me, it’s running performance and business performance.  I sing at church and help coach soccer.  So, the extra energy and good nutrition is a bonus in both areas.

Peg

Mattison Web

Ran 6 miles yesterday. Survived coaching soccer today

Yesterday, I felt like a rockstar!   Thinking I ran 8 miles, did 6 miles instead.  Thank God for www.mapmyrun.com.  My distance can be seen on that.  All of the sudden I realized, running is becoming easier than walking.  Sounds strange, but everytime I kicked back to take it easy, it got HARDER!!!   So, with a 20k coming in 4 weeks, I have some serious mind games to figure out.  Plus, I have not done Dam to Dam since 1997. Since then, I have had 2 kids and put on an extra 40 lbs. I still have those pounds by the way.  Not that I am complaning.

So, fast forward today, I coached soccer today and kept up with very energetic 5-year-olds today.  The opposing team coach complained about his back hurting.  Wow, if that guy would be working out like myself, the back problem could be just a wee-bit better.  I have my back days also. 

On Thursday, I went to the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Lunch Club.  Yes, networking with food again!  We had lasagna and wow, it was excellent.  I didn’t eat the pasta, just the fillings and salad.  Yeah, it sounds a little Atkins, but I am a big fan of cheese.  I know, so bad but tastes oh so good!   Afterwards, the lunch included ice cream from Over the Top Chocolate.  Okay, I wanted to eat that.  Yum, yum, yum!   The networking went well, but I planned my eating.  Ate first, then Network.  Seems to work well and beautifully.

Tomorrow morning, I have my 5:30 am running group.  I am very excited to go. Anything under 5 miles is exciting for me nowadays.  Next Saturday, I plan to run 12 miles.  I need some therapy that one.  ;)

Please excuse me, I have to tinkle.

Today, my Altoona Campus running group went for at 2-3 mile run. We did intervals in between distances. I tend to forget the ankle injury that happened 3 weeks ago! THANK YOU DR. JEFFREY STICKEL! Anyway, I am completely Gotta go!exhausted right now. I have an upcoming networking thing today. Just sticking with some tea today. I am handling the eating part of this journey soooo much better. Currently, I am down 6.5 pounds. That ain’t something to sneeze at. I just gotta pull through. Somehow, the rain in Des Moines happens to arrive 30 minutes after each run this week. Strange. It’s like the highly power is doing me a “favor’ and holding off rain until we run ourselves to exhaustion. :)

Todays topic: using the facilities

How do we handle that in running situations? Here are some 5 suggestions (and you don’t need a pair of Depends Undergarments).

5. Outdoors. When in the woods, this is easy to do #1 or #2. Just remember to bring your own TP.
4. The Port-o-Potties. These are a great option. Sometimes, you may bonus and get hand sanitizer included.
3. Convenience Stores: Restrooms here are usually very clean and no waiting. Just stay away from the doughnuts and snacks.
2. Fast Food Restaurants: Usually, it’s so busy in here that you’re in and out within a few minutes. Becareful with the drive thru traffic.
1. Someone’s house. The golden opportunity to use a nice facility and visit a friend for a few minutes.

No one ever thinks about stuff like this, but it sure beats holding it all the way back home.

blogger’s breakfast, training day, mother’s day

It's always something.

It's always something.

Last Friday was a strange day for me.  I arrived at the Central Iowa Bloggers breakfast meeting at Panera U.  First thing I did, ate a quiche, then started networking.  I was a rockstar!  Then, to witness one of my the attendees get arrested.  I was shocked, but, as a professional, I had to move on.  Like I said, Friday was a strange day, but you have to move on business-as-usual.   You can put a lot of negative energy into something like that, so best to move on.  I was  still recovering from the intense running-hill-work in Pleasant Hill, Iowa.  So, I had my mind on other things like maybe some ben-gay for the sore muscles or a serious massage.  I had my game face on.  Makes me wonder how athletes to it: playing through pain.  In my case, it was networking with pain.

Saturday was great.  I went about 5 miles with blistering winds and cold at Copper Creek lake.  My winter down coat got me through the first miles and a half.  Where’s all this strange weather coming from???  An hour later, I was done.  Even the horrible geese that occupy this area were no where to be seen.      Mother’s day was a breeze.  No workouts.  Although, I did coach my kid’s soccer game.  I don’t know a thing about soccer, but it was a great challenge. Kids teach us to have fun with fitness.  As adults, we see fitness as a chore.  A pain-in-the-ass chore.

Back to the networking breakfast, I had one person ask me how to handle food at networking events?  I was speechless.  I will cover that in my next post. Besides, I got to start working here.

Networking and portion control

Watch your portions at Networking Events.

Yesterday, I attended the Altoona Chamber of Commerce Ambassador luncheon.  It was great.  One thing I did discover: the kid’s menu!  This restaurant has a kid’s menu!!!  The portion is way too much for a child, but for an adult, not bad.  I did not get that overly stuffed feeling like previous networking opportunities.  Not only it’s a smaller portion, but the price is 1/2 of the regular adult size.  So, I felt better leaving without the desire of taking a nap afterwards.   Remember, eat until you’re satified, not to the point of exhaustion.

As far as my running workout, I did hills.  Many hills.  I hit the wall midway through the first hill.  Still strange that I can do this only 2 1/2 weeks after an ankle injury.  Well worth going to the Chiropractor twice beforehand.

Today.  Wow, no workouts. I needed a break.  Business networking consisted of 3 hours a Panera Bread in West Des Moines, Iowa.  I made it a point to order my food, eat, finish the food, then network.  It was much more of a pleasant time for me to meet people without the distraction of eating breakfast.  Thank goodness it was not a buffet.   These buffets send subliminal messages of pure eating frenzy.  My taste buds love it, but my health does not need it.