Thankful Thursday!

Hi everyone, it’s that time again. Thankful Things Thursday where I reflect on some of the many things I have to be thankful for this week.

Yoga and KT Tape for Running: Since mid August I’ve been struggling with the joy that is ITBS. Recently I added yoga and KT Tape to my treatment routine. On Monday I ran 1.5 miles with zero knee pain. Not far, but it’s something. I also ran a little bit on the treadmill yesterday to warm up before strength work and had no pain. So far I’ve only gone short distances, but even while walking and biking I’ve noticed a decrease in IT band tension. I think the yoga and KT Tape (www.kttape.com) are helping. I’m thankful for them and the collaborative power of the internet that lead me to discover these solutions.

Free Photobook from Shutterfly: Got a random email from Shutterfly for a free photo book. I love making photo books. So that was a happy email to get. You can check out my super easy recipe idea book here.

$1 Subs from Jimmy Johns: Yay! Today Jimmy Johns was selling $1 subs in the Twin Cities metro area. Waited 20 minutes, but it was worth it! Thanks Jimmy Johns! I love as tasty bargain!

Caffeinated Crystal Light! Thanks for helping me get through the day! Enough said.

Good Friends! I am so thankful for our good friends Libby & Caleb. We got to spend most of Sunday with them doing the Urban Assault Ride in Minneapolis. They were the ones who originally got Josh and I into biking. It’s been such a busy summer and was great to spend time with them this weekend and cruise around the metro on our bikes. We also enjoyed adult big wheels, a three legged obstacle course, and other fun adventures.

Me, Josh, Caleb & Libby at the Urban Assalt Ride

8 New Things I Did This Summer

Listed in Chronological Order

1. Experienced Vegas: I attended my first Tradeshow for work this year: PTC’s PlanetPTC Live show in Las Vegas where I ran the booth, talked to prospects, and various other marketing-person tasks. That trip was my first time in Vegas. I also rode in a cab for the first time. I know, so sheltered, right?!

The Fishbowl Booth in Vegas!

2. Ran 10 miles… at one time: Big thanks to Josh for this one because he convinced me to do it! Being new to running this year I didn’t think I could run 10 miles. Now I know I can, and I’ve even started looking at marathons for next year. I’ve come a long way since the kid that dreaded running the mile in PE!

3. Discovered Stand Up Paddleboarding: So much fun! Stand Up Paddleboarding is like a big surfboard that you stand up on and paddle with a long oar. It is easy to learn and great core work. For those in Minneapolis, Lake Calhoun rents them at the same rental station as the canoes and kayaks.

Josh and I on Stand Up Paddleboards.

4. Tried to Wake surf: I tried to wakesurf. I couldn’t actually get up, but I tried. Josh, however, rocked the wake surfing! We’d never even heard of it before this summer, but our wonderful friends Libby and Caleb introduced us to the awesomeness! It’s really fun to watch. You basically surf on the wake of a boat and when you get the hang of it you don’t need to hold the rope, the boat propels you. Because the surfer is only 5-10 feet behind the boat you can talk to them and see them a lot better than skiing/wakeboarding which makes it that much better for those riding along.

Josh rocking the wake surfing!

5. Ate at Zorbaz :This one makes the list because it was pretty amusing. Libby told me, “we’re thinking Zorbas on the lake for lunch” to which I replied, “I’ve never had a Zorbas, but they sound tasty.” Who knew? Zorbas is not a food, it’s a restaurant chain, but it was tasty all the same. And now I have eaten there.

6. Pitched my own Tent: This wasn’t the first time I’ve helped pitch a tent, but it was Josh and my first time using our own tent that we got as a wedding gift last October, and setting it up ourselves and being our own little family at the group camping trips. At Fourth of July we were able to lie in the tent with the flap rolled open and watch the fireworks over the lake. It was so much fun and we picked a great tent because it was really easy to set up and kept us dry through the downpours.

Our tent at Fourth of July!

7. Rode a bike “clipped in”: I got “clipless” pedals in July and they are awesome, except for the part where I have tipped over 3 times since installing them. (All of these tumbles were on my old bike. Fingers crossed, I haven’t tipped the new one yet.) Two of times I fell were within one week of each other and I had lovely bruises on both hips. Me and the clipless pedals have had a rocky start to our journey together, but I’m optimistic… and a big fan of the added efficiency!

8. Completed a Triathlon: I did my first sprint triathlon in August. It was amazing! I am addicted. You can read all the details here: Race Report

Our Group Before the Triathlon

Try anything cool this summer? I’d love to hear. Leave me a comment or share a link.

Thankful Thursday!

Thankful Thusdays
Hi All! First, I am thankful for Lauren (@forwardpace) of www.forwardisapace.com who inspired me to start these Thankful Thursday posts. This is my first one and I hope to make them a weekly event. Also, Ali Feller (@AliOnTheRun1) of aliontherunblog.com. who inspired Lauren to start them. So thank you to these lovely ladies for spreading the thankfulness. You can also follow the hashtag #thankfulthursday.

Josh’s Patience… and Endurance
Yesterday Josh and I set our for a mid-pace 24 mile bike ride. We both thought we knew which side of the fork in the trail we were going to take, only we didn’t take the same one. Josh, being the faster rider, usually gets ahead of me, and then waits at major intersections for me to catch up. He took the south trail and I took the west trail and when he waited for me on the next intersection (of the south trail) I never showed up. So he went back looking for me, thinking I had a flat or something had happened. In total he rode an extra 10 miles looking for me, meanwhile I was blazing along the west trail trying to catch up to where I thought he was, and eventually arriving at our front door with no phone or keys to discover he wasn’t there. I had a few minutes of panic thinking he might have been hurt, but was very relived and comforted to find out he was out there looking for me thinking the same thing. Next time: I’ll bring my phone. And double-check the route. Thanks for being awesome Josh!

Beautiful Weather
I am very thankful for the beautiful weather we’ve been having this week in MN. It makes it so fun to get out on the trails and enjoy the evenings. I didn’t even mid sitting outside when I got locked out of my apartment. I plan on being outside as much as I can, in this nice weather before the cold sets in.

Clean Running Water
Yesterday I came home to really nasty rusty water in our apartment. I know rusty water isn’t necessarily unsafe, but I didn’t want to drink it. It made me realized how much I take for granted having clean, safe, clear water to drink, cook with, and take a shower. So many people in the world do not have this luxury, and this serves as a good reminder of the little things that are so important and yet often go unnoticed.

Hope you all have a wonderful week with lots of be thankful for!

My First Triathlon

Our Group Before the Race

Hi all! Many of you heard I was doing my first triathlon last weekend and I promised a blog post. I was a little slow getting this up here, but better late than never, right?

So for anyone who’s asking or curious:
Lake Marion Sprint Triathlon by the Numbers:

• Swim 400m – Bike 17 mi – Run 3.1 mi.
• Swim: 10:40 | 14 of 16
• T1: 4:11 | 10 of 16
• Bike: 1:03:48 | 8 of 16
• T2: 2:28 | 14 of 16
• Run: 30:25 | 6 of 16

Before the Race:

The day before the race we drove down to Apple Valley to pick up our race packets, and then went for a short swim in Lake Marion to test out the waters. I think this was a good idea because I went into the race with a bit more open-water experience and knew the water wasn’t going to be too cold. I also realized that my ear plugs weren’t working and was able to buy new ones at the last minute (a little risky, I know). I managed to get to bed around 10pm and surprisingly fell asleep faster than I thought I would.

Based on the recommendation of an article I’d read, we woke up at 2:00 AM to have “breakfast”. I had a package of S’mores Poptarts. Not really your typical endurance food, but they work for me. We woke up (again) at 4:30 AM got our bags together, and hit the road. I had a mini Clif bar in the car and sipped on Powerade Zero. I packed in a duffle bag. Lesson learned, next time I’d use a backpack, so it’s easier to carry while walking my bike from the parking area to transition.

Getting in early was nice because we had plenty of time to pick a transition spot and set up our gear as newbies taking in the day. We got our numbers written on our arms and legs and found Josh’s two uncles, Bob and Mark, who were racing with us. We all headed down to the lake for the pre-race meeting and national anthem.

The race managers couldn’t find the national anthem (I’m assuming a CD), so they asked for volunteers. Another woman and I volunteered to sing spur of the moment. I used to do this a lot in high school, but it had been about 5 years since my last national anthem. It was fun; I’d do it again, but it was probably the most nervous I had been, because I was so anxious and excited for the race and I didn’t have a pitch pipe.

Classic Kim, Two Thumbs Up!

The Swim

The swim was not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. The worst part was waiting for the seven heats that went ahead of me, but once I hit the water my nervousness disappeared and I just focused on swimming. The water was really warm, which I thought was awesome. I was also happy that my new ear plugs didn’t leak, and I didn’t get weeds all over me. I decided to start in the back of the pack because I wasn’t a strong swimmer. Next time I won’t do that. I think all the newbies had the same idea. I couldn’t figure out how to get around people without getting kicked. But about half way through I managed to pass some people and then I had more room. The swim was my worst leg relative to my age group, but probably about average for my ability. I was satisfied with it for my first time and learned some good lessons for next time.

T1

As soon as I got out of the water and started running up to the transition area I was greeted by cheering spectators including Josh’s aunts and cousins holding a “Kick it Kim” sign. How awesome! That made me smile, which was good because I was starting to worry about the pain in my left knee as I ran to get my bike. I was pretty slow in T1. Just over 4 minutes. I used baby powder on my feet to get my socks on which rocked! It made it super easy, and I think saved me time and blisters. I’m not really sure how to improve T1 other than practice. I felt kinda frantic the first time like I didn’t know what to do in which order.

Our cheering squad!

The Bike

The bike was so fun! It was cool that everyone had their age on their legs so I could see if people were in my group or not. The course was slightly hilly but not too bad. It was great having the road blocked off so I didn’t have to worry about cars. My chain came off at about mile 14 which was my own fault because I forgot which gear I was in, and tried to shift too drastically. That probably cost me about 20 seconds, but even so I was pleased with my time. I averaged about 16 mph, which for me and my non-road bike is fast.

T2

I think I did worse on T2 than T1 relative to the norm. I couldn’t get my shoes on. I had yankz, so I wouldn’t have to tie my shoes, but I think I had them too tight, because I struggled a lot. Other than that nothing too exciting to report about T2.

The Run

Oh the run! Yes, that was definitely the worst leg for me, which is ironic because it is the leg I placed the best in relative to my age group. I had tears in my eyes for about the first 400 meters because my knee was hurting so bad. I had to stop twice because it gave out and needed to be rubbed it back into working order. But I was determined to finish! I felt fantastic aerobically, like I had prepared well and could have ran faster. My last brick before the tri I ran around an 8:40 pace, but ended up just over a 10 pace on race day. Pain and all I had a smile on my face and I was glad to be there, and happy to finish.

Looking Forward

All and all, it was an awesome first triathlon! I am definitely addicted. I think for the most part I prepared adequately. I didn’t try to eat my weight in pasta the night before or slam 10 gels on the bike. It was awesome to be there with so many people spanning a wide age range all competing. It certainly inspires me to train harder and stay active. And I must admit, I have the best training partner! Josh rocked. He beat me by like 17 minutes, which I expected. Sharing this entire triathlon journey with him has been awesome. It was also a blast to race with Bob and Mark (Josh’s uncles) and have their families there cheering all of us on. It was all four of our first triathlons and we all finished without any catastrophic events. Afterward we went out for Italian. It was at that point that I tried to eat my weight in pasta! OK, maybe not quite… 🙂

A big thanks to everyone out there in the blogosphere and the twittersphere who have encouraged me along the way and share lots of helpful advice!

Hello World, let’s try this again!

Hi Everyone! So about 4 months ago I decided to try blogging, and as you can see by my post history , that attempt was short-lived. But here I am trying again. Since my last post I’ve had quite a few changes in my life and they have inspired me to try the blogging adventure again. This spring I discovered I can run! Who knew!? I am I’m not that fast by any means, but I can run. So far I’ve worked my way up to 10 miles, and I’m hoping to do a 1/2 marathon in October.

Josh and I after the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

I ran my first ever 5K on April 15th. It was snowing that morning! Because, of course, in Minnesota it would snow! I finished without walking and beat my goal pace. My husband Josh (@joshnegaard on Twitter) has undertaken this running adventure with me, which makes it that much more awesome! Since the April race we have done 3 other races in the 3 to 4 mile range. I’ve gotten a lot faster and am in so much better shape than when I started. As a teen I was convinced I couldn’t run. I tried track and cross-country, but anything over 400m was death for me. I’m honestly not even sure what changed, but it has been a fantastic new experience!

Our crew after the Litchfield Watercade race in July.

This brings us to phase two: Triathlon! Josh and I bought bikes last year and since moving to our place in the Minneapolis burbs, have been enjoying the multitude of nearby bike paths. This combined with running and inspiration from friends led us to sign up for our first Triathlon. We’ll be competing this weekend in the Lake Marion Sprint Triathlon. I can’t wait. At this point my goal is to finish and get the first one under my belt…. Hopefully the first of many.

Since signing up for the tri I’ve gained so much knowledge and inspiration about triathlon and fitness through Twitter and the blogosphere. The power of social media throughout this adventure has made it that much more fun and exciting. And so it is with that excitement in mind that I now have renewed motivation to keep up with this blog. I hope i can inspire other non-runners to give it a try, and share some helpful or funny stories along the way. Stay tuned for an update on my first Triathlon and thanks to all who have helped me along the way!!!

How To: Make a book of “Recipies from Home”

Introduction

Last weekend my husband and I went to visit my parents and my sisters in southern Minnesota. As a newlywed, who has been taking on ever-increasing cooking adventures, I thought it would be great to have the recipes my parents used growing up. I had copied down recipe cards here and there through the college years, but not many, and some of them had been lost in the shuffle of multiple moves. About of month ago I got an iPhone and discovered the convenience of having a decent camera with me at all times. I pulled out my mom’s recipe box and starting photographing the recipes, which brings us to…

How to Make the Book:

1. Take photos of your favorite recipes.
   I used my phone, but you can use a standard digital camera for the same results. Taking pictures prevents the hassle of typing in recipes by hand and preserves the nostalgic look of handwritten, well-used recipies.
2. Upload to Shutterfly.com
   Since I took the pictures on my phone I used to Shutterfly app to upload the pics, but you can just as easily log in to the web page to upload the pictures. You’ll have to log in to make the book anyway. I recommend making a new album for recipes.
3. Start a Photo Book Project
   The Shutterfly photo book creator is really easy to use. If you’ve never used it there are online help and chat options. I have shared my book, so if you want to start from my colors and template use this link and choose “Make One Like This”. Otherwise, create the book as a “normal” photo book (not a recipe book since you won’t be typing the recipes in, and therefore won’t need that much room to type). I made a soft-cover 8×8 book, which for me works well. You can also apply this method to a 12×12 hard or soft cover book.
4. Add Your Pictures
   Once you have a book started (whether from mine or from scratch) all you have to do is drag and drop the pictures into the book. Make sure to check the box “hide used”, that way you won’t put the same recipes in more than once. You can add titles to the pictures or leave them blank.
5. Preview and Order
   Add a cover (you can add pictures too, if you so desire) preview you book and order. Mine came in about a week.
6. Share, Cook, and Enjoy!
   These books make great gift ideas or easy ways to share favorite family recipes. Now cook and enjoy some true homestyle cooking! View my finished book here.

Hello world!

Hello World! For those of you who don’t know, I’m Kim Negaard, a twenty-something, newlywed,  marketing professional who likes to work out, eat out, and geek out. I live in Minneapolis, Minnesota with my wonderful husband Josh. I graduated from Bethel University last May, and now I work in product marketing at Fishbowl Solutions – a super fun software and services company offering E2.0-related solutions. This is my first blogging adventure and I am excited to see where it takes me. I’m starting this blog because I wanted a better way to keep in touch with family and friends, and because, as a geeky, social-media-loving, marketing type, I thought it was about time. In the days and months to come I hope to post stories, photos, and reviews on everything from iPhone fitness apps, to the pizzeria down the road. I hope you’ll join me for the journey.