green monsters and a bum foot

Last week, during the Blogger fail, I hurt my foot while I was out running. Funny story actually.... Finn went to chase a squirrell and I planted my foot poorly, then got dragged a bit. Now the arch of my foot is strongly protesting any physical activity more difficult than a casual walk.

No big deal, I like walking. Finn likes walking. We just have even more reason to hate squirrells now. :)

I'm going to wait a couple of weeks until around my birthday when I get fitted for new running shoes to start back training. It just doesn't make sense to me to start back in after an injury when I'm due for new shoes so soon anyway. I don't want to risk reinjury.

The break from running doesn't mean I'm slacking off though! I'm sticking to the plan of being good to my body and giving it the things that help it work best. Probably the most important thing for a body to be strong and healthy, besides TONS of water, is fruits and veggies.... on that note:

[image from Google... I'm too lazy to take one of my own]

Allow me to introduce the green monster smoothie. I think I've mentioned it before. This sucker is full of fruit and veggies to fill you up and give you tons of energy during the day... not to mention essential vitamins. There are many variations of this smoothie, an entire website in fact, but my favorite is simple:

1 cup loosely packed spinach leaves
1 banana cut into pieces
1/2 cup cantaloupe pieces
1 cup almond milk

Blend all ingredients in your blender or food processor, pour it into your favorite drinking glass and you are good to go! You could also add a drink umbrella if you're feeling frisky... or if you're off alcohol for some reason and you want a fun fruity drink by the pool. It could work, just sayin'.

Ready to Run

I've really been missing my morning run lately. For a few months I would wake up every morning, go to the gym, and just go on the treadmill for about 30 minutes. Of course, not all of that time was completely running. I did the run/walk thing and I felt really good.

Running the Fallen Heroes of Georgia 5K in April felt incredible. I felt like super woman at the end of that race.

Then for some reason, my morning exercise tapered off to non-existance. I miss it.

As part of my 101 in 1001 I decided to run another 5K in the hopes that another event to train for will get me back into my previous routine. After browsing active.com, I have two strong contenders:

• 2010 Enmark Savannah Bridge Run - the course takes you across the main bridge spanning the Savannah River. It's the most difficult bridge run in the south as the entire course is at a 5.5% grade incline. Definitely a challenge for me considering I'm definitely a beginner. However, part of me wants to do this because I feel that running across that bridge will help me get closure on all of the issues I've had to deal with since moving here. I heard about this race when they did it last year and I was first starting the c25k program. I remember thinking I'd never be able to do it and then getting annoyed with myself for thinking that.
  
• Chateau Elan Vineyard Run for Hope 5K - A run through the vineyard to benefit the Gwinnett County Children's Shelter. If you know me at all, you know how much I love kids. All kids. I'll do pretty much anything to help out a kid and I've got the experiences to back up that statement. If running a few miles will benefit not just kids, but kids in the community where I grew up? I'm there.

The bridge race is in early December and the vineyard race is right around Thanksgiving. I'd have plenty of time to prepare for either of them... or both. Who knows. We'll see how training goes. I might even get Finn to come with me.