Daniel 1:8
But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
I don't have to ask anyone's permission to eat or not eat. I remember the days of my childhood when I tried to be a picky eater and my parents refused my request. I had to eat whatever they gave me. (West Indian parents don't really allow kids to determine their own diets.) And when I got older and started working and discovered the power of purchasing and making my own food to suit my own palate, things changed. And living in NYC where everything you want to eat is available at any time you desire it, the only thing that separates you from your culinary delights is the money to purchase them. But just because it's available, doesn't mean you have to eat it or eat it all.
My blog is supposed to focus on running but even the best machine can't run unless it's properly fueled. If you pump all the diesel you want to in a non-diesel engine, it still won't run properly. So it's not just ANY fuel but the right fuel that we need.
Last Friday, I was reading the Bible, specifically the book of Daniel with Paul and I prefaced my reading of Daniel 1:8 by saying that I have a bunch of treats in my fridge right now but when I've eaten them, I am going to try the Daniel's diet again. (Excuses!)
I did the Daniel's Diet successfully in 2011, I have done it with varying degrees of success a few times after, but I know this is the right way... the wright way?
What exactly is the Daniel's Diet? Daniel 1:12 explains "Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days, and let them give us pulse to eat and water to drink." It is the request made by Daniel, a young Israeli captive in Babylon but because of their stock, he and his fellow captives were being groomed for service and being fed the choice foods that the king ate. But the boys asked for permission to eat the foods they were accustomed to: pulse to eat - fruit, vegetable, grains, all wholesome, plant based foods - and water to drink - as opposed to wine or any other artificial beverage. When the "DIET" is undertaken, it is usually done for 10 day periods, which is kind of like a fast - abstaining from other foods and asking God to do something special to make you even better for having abstained. 
I've been thinking of returning to the Daniel's Diet in January 2014 but today... today is when the rest of my life begins, right? And I have some weight that I need to start losing right now, not in 2 weeks time. So what's to prevent me from starting to eat like Daniel today? Nothing! You see, Daniel had to ask permission to not eat the rich foods from Babylon, which was akin to disobeying a direct order from the king, a crime punishable by death. Instead, all I have to do is choose not to eat some of that chicken that I am semi-addicted to. And THAT is an act that can be rewarded with new LIFE. 
I want the life where my clothes fit again. I want the life where I don't feel hungry at midnight and find myself eating large meal-looking snacks. I want the life where I can run and feel light enough on my feet to keep going for long distances again.
Today, I dare to be like Daniel.
Do you?
The key is to plan ahead. Plan what I am going to eat in advance rather than try to play catch-up and just eat whatever is around.
Tomorrow is the Sabbath but tomorrow evening, I will go to the supermarket and buy some whole grains and beans and vegetables and fruits.
I still have some fried chicken in the fridge but I don't need to eat it. It's okay if I give it to someone or just let it go.
I resolve that my next meal will be healthy. And the next and the next.
What I will give up
1. The candy that is always in my purse
2. The ginger ale that is always in my fridge
3. The meat that is always on my plate
4. The oil that is always in my pot as I am constantly frying things -I fry vegetables! Come on!
5. The excuses that are always on my lips

What I will gain
1. A brand new, healthy profile
2. Better rest at night as my stomach will be more settled since it's easier to digest plant based rather than animal based meals.
3. Control of my weight
4. A brand new wardrobe as I still have my new clothes from when I was healthier - for a long time, I refused to accept that I no longer fit into my former size so I continued buying those clothes even though I couldn't wear them. I hope to fit into them someday soon.
5. Spiritual purity.
6. Faster running ability - can hardly wait for this.

I am SOO excited. Wish I had done this last week so I would be feeling great already but I am ready to take it one step at a time.
Stay with me.
Happy Sabbath! May God inspire you during your rest.

This post previously appeared in a blog  I started in 2012.
I kept it from August to October 2012 at the site healthyadventist.wordpress.com. Many of the resolutions I made then, I didn't keep, hence my being here today, trying again. But they say failure is just another opportunity to start again. So I want to add these to my journal in an attempt at full disclosure, as a way to keep myself honest, remind myself of my motivations and motivate myself with my accomplishments.
So, I'll  copy the postings in one long article for my own records but I also hope it gives you a better idea of who I am and some of the struggles I have been having and some of the solutions I have tried. 
Becoming health-conscious. Originally posted August 18, 2012
Greetings! Thanks for sticking around to read my post. I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, trying to live a healthy life, making choices according to how I think God wants for me to live optimally. I will try to explore what I think that really means and explain the basis for my beliefs… later.

For now, I just want to share that I’ve been a Christian for many years but am just getting to a deep understanding of how my everyday acts… including sleep, exercise and food… impact my relationship with God and with others.

Since I started learning more about that, I’ve been trying to eat healthier meals, get more exercise and get more rest. I hope to chronicle some of those experiences through this blog and hopefully give you some insight on making healthier choices for yourself.

My exercise of choice right now is running. As a child, I had a heart murmur which rendered me unable to participate in competitive sports. As an adult, I have recently returned to the world of running. I did my first 5K in June this year – the inaugural NY Giants run at the Stadium. I ran 11:39 per mile and I was so happy with myself. After all, with your first race, whatever your time, it’s your Personal Record (PR). You just need to keep improving so each time you compete, you can set a new PR.

Since then, I’ve been training for a half marathon, signing up to compete in shorter races and following a Beginner’s Half-marathon training plan I found in the Runner’s World book. I’m also using Runkeeper app to record my training and feeling psyched when I get those emails that let me know I’ve achieved a new record. Exercise is fun!

There’s a new book that I want to read but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Eat and Run by Scott Jurek, who credits his vegan diet to fueling him for the marathon. For 3 weeks, I did the almost-vegan diet and loved it… felt energized by it… almost got to the point where I was writing sonnets about it… then I fell back into carnivore-land. I’m SO ready to be vegetarian again.

Maybe we can strengthen each other. Vegetarians unite!

Health Updates posted August 29, 2012
I started running again a few weeks ago. It’s hard to say “again” because I never really stopped thinking I was running but I wasn’t doing it. All these years I wasn’t running, I was thinking about running. But there is a big difference between running and thoughts of running. Like right now, it feels like ice-cubes or hot coals are in my shins. (more on that later) Those feelings are conveniently omitted from the virtual running I used to do in my dreams.

But a few weeks ago, with some unscheduled time off work and lots of energy from the warm summer sun, I resumed running and decided I was going to train for a marathon of some sorts. 

In June, I ran my first 5K, ever! The best part of running your first event is, no matter what your time, it’s a Personal Record (PR) and mine was pretty solid. I averaged a little over 11 minutes per mile. Considering this was in the hot morning sun on a solid asphalt course at MetLife Stadium, I was so proud of myself for having just finished. That pride was enough to keep me buzzed for a few days until the momentum waned and I was finding reasons to run shorter and shorter distances instead of increasing my miles.

Fast forward to today. I have an event in two days. Four miles. No big deal. But this evening, I found myself at 110 St on the Central Park Loop, huffing and puffing to run over the hill. 

And my diet which has been in a state of flux, varying from my very successful “almost-vegan” in July back to the traditional “comfort” foods after runs, is one of the things I can change now as I work on getting better… getting better on the road, getting stronger muscles for when I start biking again, soon, getting better brain power for those exams I have coming up, better energy and vibe for all my social connections.

I know that Vegan is the way to go. And I am pretty awesome at making delicious and interesting vegetable dishes. Inertia is my biggest setback. But must do better tomorrow than I did today.

So, here I am, feet up, tired from the 3.6 miles I ran this evening, a straight run for the last 1.5 miles because the only time my shins didn’t hurt was when I was running. Not even a walk would calm these babies down. Trying to get to bed for a good rest in preparation for all the healthy decisions I can make tomorrow if I am fully energized and well rested.

Until then, Happy trails. 

New Personal Record: 4 in 44:44 Posted August 31, 2012
Ran the NFL Back to Football run in Central Park this evening. 4 miles in 44:44. Pace of 11:11 per mile, I really like the numbers. Set a new personal record for myself tonight and feel so proud! And when I consider how the event started. Being a bit of an overachiever, I tried to do so much this evening which resulted in me being late getting to the event. I had to run to try to find the event, nestled in Central Park and since I had no time to spare, I started my race early, running about a mile and a half to get to the start line.

And I’m feeling the positive effects of not having eaten any meat in the past two days. Almost-vegan day two is being called a success.

Next event on the horizon is a mountain climb this weekend. Be blessed!

Exercise Updates Posted October 8, 2012
So it’s been a month since my last post and I am ok with that. Because in the last month, I’ve been busy! Not posting because I didn’t have anything to post would have been a terrible excuse. Not posting because I’ve been so active that when I sit, I’m too tired to write. That’s ok in my book.

I know you’re asking yourself what has been keeping me so busy. I’ll share. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do:

8/30 – 4 mile training run along Henry Hudson Park

9/2 – I climbed Old Rag Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, VA – 10 mile circular mountain hike/rock scramble covering about 2,000 ft of elevation in 8 hrs. Read thisrecap of someone else’s experience that I kinda wish I had read before  I started the trek. I still would’ve done the climb but maybe been a little more prepared for it. My hiking buddies were Keiva, Kyla, Kerice and Tanya.

9/6 – 2 mile training run

9/8 – 2 mile training run

9/9 – Ran the Bronx 10 mile race with New York Road Runners. Average pace of 11.5 minutes per mile (It was a really hot and exhausting race)

9/13 – 2.12 mile run

9/15 – 6 mile power walk with Kerice. 15,524 steps.

9/16 – 2.1 mile run in the a.m. 4.5 mile power walk in the p.m. with Kerice.

9/22 Rode 30 miles from Manhattan to Westchester on my new road bike.

9/23 Marched in the Harlem Health Initiative parade – walked about 3.5 miles, ran the last half a mile with one of the kids.

9/24 – 10.25 mile hike on Henry Hudson Parkway – 138 Street to Battery Park City with Kerice.

9/25 – Biked 6.41 miles from the Bronx to Harlem. Kinda scary to ride on the roads at night, too much traffic. I’ll save my road biking for less busy roads.

9/26 ran 1.6 miles. Joint pains. Walked 1.11 miles.

9/30 Ran 3.26 miles.

10/4 Ran/walked 2.48 miles.

10/7  Ran the NYRR Staten Island half-marathon. 13.1 miles. Not adequate preparation. Those last 3 miles were brutal. Average pace of 12 mins per mile for the event, even though I ran the first few miles with an under 10 min per mile. I wanted to set a Personal best but the hills on those last 3 miles got me. And, I shouldn’t have been running because I’m fighting a bad cold and cough but I thought exercise would be a better remedy than rest. shows where my mind is. I’m just glad I finished. it’s my first half-marathon. The longest event I’ve done so far so whatever my time, it’s still a personal best. My Runkeeper tracker says so 

Now today, rest!


Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff posted October 28, 2012
I just ran the last 5 miles of the ING NYC  marathon this morning. NYRR arranged a 5 miler which covers the last few miles of next Sunday’s marathon. So I crossed the marathon finish without having run most of those 26 miles. But whatever distance you run, it’s a “marathon” in itself, because you’re always pushing, always trying to go some distance, competing against your former self, trying to be better and stronger than you’ve every been before.

It’s taking a long time for me to get into form because my running is not as consistent as it should be. The mental preparation is just as important as anything else you do. It’s not easy to create room in your life to run everyday or every other day, when you’re running for an hour or so each time. To find that perfect marriage where the right time of day, the right energy level and the right venue coexist happily. So it takes some getting used to and as with any other routine, when you move away from it, sometimes, it’s the hardest thing to get back on the path.

So the last few weeks, I’ve only logged a few running miles here and there. I’ve been biking. Did the Tour-de-Bronx 40 mile spin from Yankee Stadium, to City Island, Orchard Beach, SUNY Maritime, Wakefield and ending at the Bronx Botanical Gardens. I felt great when I was done. I’ve been trying to prepare more of my meals at home so I can cut down on salt and fat and unnecessary preservatives. That’s going well. The number of times Trader Joe’s appears on my checking account statement is increasing exponentially every week, it seems. But I am feeling better.

So this is a recap of my events in the past 3 weeks:

10/14. Bike 40 miles. 3:20. 3 rest stops.

10/14 Walked 4.52 miles 1:17:21

10/17 Ran 2 miles 22:12

10/21 Ran 3.32 miles 40:22

10/23 Ran 2.06 miles 21:35

10/27 Ran 1.49 miles 16:05

10/28 Ran 5.27 miles 58:34 (unofficial time)

I am going to start posting some food pics soon. The stir fries have been going great, I almost always forgot to take a pic before I start chowing down.

Happy Trails!

That's the temperature outside today. Yesterday's low has become today's high.
And rather than run in 40 degree weather on Monday, I chose to postpone my workouts until today. I didn't expect it to get this cold but Monday was rain and Tuesday was snow and Wednesday was cold and before you know it, it's Thursday, I haven't run all week and now I realize it's 23degrees outside. 
I didn't run last week, because I wanted to rest my ankle. I've sprained both ankles multiple times and a flare up usually sidelines my workouts for weeks at a time so this time, when I felt a slight give that reminded me of a flare up, I decided to take it easy and rest.
I've been walking almost everywhere I go and doing yoga and squats in my living room but how much do we really walk when it's this cold. And at the end of the day, no matter how much you wish it did, walking does NOT build a base for running a marathon. So TODAY I am going to try to run at least a mile in this weather. Updates later!
Pray for me!

Update:
Yes I did it! I ran 1 mile in 23 degree F weather. 
I ran fast but I had to stop a couple times just to cover my nose with my scarf so I could breathe. The air was freezing so I wondered if I was inhaling ice chips :-)
I was running late to meet a couple of people so I came home from the run, energized, and sweating  (I really loved that) and took a shower and changed and headed out again. Since I was trying to get there fast, I was power walking for about 10 minutes and the strangest thing was happening. I was still sweating, under my North Face sub-zero fleece and coat but all around me was freezing air. So then, I was wondering if my sweat would turn to ice and I would have ice chips falling out of my shirt. It was funny.
But I so felt like a runner.
This weekend looks like 2 days of snow so I might not get another chance to run outside until Monday but I am looking forward to it, whenever it happens.

RACE RESULTS
Race Name/Date/Distance (miles)/Net Time/Pace per Mile/Overall Place/Gender Place/Age Place/Age-Graded Time/Age-Graded Performance Percentage 

2012
Race to Deliver November 18, 2012/ 4.0/45:24/11:21/3937/2035/317/44:48/42.93 %
Poland Spring Marathon Kickoff October 28, 2012/ 5.0/55:26/11:06/4267/2045/364/54:42/44.24 %
Staten Island Half October 7, 2012 /13.1/2:42:12/12:23/5719/2481/397/2:40:06/41.12 %
Bronx 10-Mile September 9, 2012 /10.0/1:59:50/11:59/5441/2337/378/1:58:17/42.01 %
NFL Back to Football Run August 30, 2012 /4.0/44:44/11:11/2931/1388/183/44:18/43.43 %
New York Giants Run of Champions 5K June 24, 2012/3.1/37:07/11:59/2356/930/145/36:46/40.27 % 

I did it! 

I have to get up and run today. Otherwise, today would be 3 days without any significant workouts. Or not. You'll decide based on what you read below.

Every training manual, every magazine and every runner will tell you that sometimes you have a take a day off. 
Since I am just getting back into the thick of things, I planned to run short distances every day this week but last night I woke up with a monster headache and after tossing and turning and finally going back to sleep, I woke up this morning with the same monster headache and his mother too. Pounding headache, muscle aches, cramps, nausea, eye strain, all of it. I don't like to take medication, at least not until I've tried and exhausted my personal 4-point remedy: hydration, massage, exercise and rest. So I flushed my system with water, lots and lots of water, I stretched, I massaged all the pressure points on my feet, my neck, I rubbed my own back, massaged my scalp, had some fruit, but nothing was working. Finally, I decided maybe all I need is some good old fashioned rest.
So today, I decided to bypass the running shoes and the sweats and find my cheetah-print Snuggie, power up the Netflix and just... REST!

2.4 miles of running errands today. No focus on time, just glad to put in some mileage in a trick learned from A.J. Jacobs in his book, Drop Dead Healthy... sneak in workouts as we travel from place to place, literally RUNning errands.
I have pains in my feet and my head, although the headache I think stems from unbelief that I have already run 8.4 miles in the past 3 days. 
Maybe I can add to that total tomorrow... make that later today.

Today, I finally broke my 10 minute/mile pace. Yes, I could run a quarter mile in 2 minutes so technically, that is less than 10 m/mi but for any distance longer than a mile, I always stop to catch a breath and walk or just slow down to whatever slower than a jog is called and so my pace is usually over 10 minutes.
Cut to today. It's chilly. 43 degrees. And windy. But when I run, I get hot so I usually wear as little as I can to run. So the temperature is not really a deterrent yet. But the longer it took me to get outside, the more I was considering not running today. But the Runner's World Big Book of Marathon Training is on my nightstand and I can't help but be motivated.
And then I talked to Paul who, although he is not training yet, is good at motivating me. I was telling him of some pictures I saw on Facebook of a 5K run/walk in Jamaica and the thing that stood out was that none of the people in the crowds seemed to be fat. And then I realized I couldn't really talk about running without wanting to go running. 
So the decision was made. I would run today. I would just do a short run because I ran yesterday and I don't want to push too hard. 
So at 9:34 AM, I cued up my Nike Fitness Watch and my Runkeeper app and just started running. I ran 1.8 miles. I had to stop a couple times for traffic lights and, yes, I stopped to catch a breath because it's cold and my breathing patterns need some attention, but I ran. 
And when I was done, I was energized, filled with positive thoughts and ready for my day.
And then, I realized that a goal I had set for myself had been accomplished without me even planning it.
That's what happens sometimes. 
Sometimes, when you're not paying attention, good things happen, goals are met and dreams come true. And you just have to celebrate the moment and then make new goals so you're always striving for something.
So my next goal is to keep that pace for 3 miles. 
3 miles in under 30 minutes.
But today, today, I celebrate!

Because I can!
And because sometimes, you just do things!
3 years ago, I stood on 135th Street in Harlem and watched the INGNYC marathoners run down Fifth Avenue, on their way to Central Park Finish Line. I watched the exertion but pride that was on each and every face and in the middle of the cold day, I decided, "I want that!" 
The day after the marathon is dubbed Marathon Day. That's the day you can officially enter the sweepstakes to get a shot at winning one of the coveted spot in the very oversubscribed marathon for the next year. Although I am not a betting woman, I entered the lottery for a chance to enter. And I lost. By the time I received the email that told me I didn't get in, I started my "training" runs. I read the books, browsed the websites, talked to the people who knew anything about marathons. But when I got the email confirming what so many told me, that because there are so many people who apply, the chances of getting in on a lottery are so slim, they might as well be nonexistent, I got a little discouraged and eventually my enthusiasm tapered off. 
Cut to 2012 and a conversation with my cousin's husband, Garry. He told me had signed up with the NYRR and he was trying to run 9 races in a year to get a guaranteed entry in the marathon next year. Although it was already the middle of spring and I was a little behind, I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try to do it too.  Because I observe the Sabbath and do not participate in races on Saturdays, there were a limited number of marathon-qualifying races that were on Sundays. I ran 8 of those races, with terrible times but I was on my way. And then I realized that because life has a way of getting in the way of the plans you make, suddenly the year was almost up and I hadn't finished my 9+1 (run 9 races and volunteer during 1 race) to qualify for the spot. So I abandoned my mission.
Cut to November 3, 2013. Marathon day in NYC. So much had happened in the past 12 months to affect the marathon. The 2012 race was cancelled with just a few hours notice on account of Superstorm Sandy and the tragedy at the Boston marathon ensured that people wanted to come out and support the 2013 NYC Marathon in a big way. I woke up early and watched the TV pre-race coverage, watched the elite runners take off in Staten Island, watched them make their way through Brooklyn and Queens, over the Queensboro bridge and into the Bronx before I made my way to 135th St and 5th Avenue to welcome the marathoners to Harlem. And although they had already run 20 miles at that point, they looked strong. it was a cold day, temperatures in the mid 30s. I wore my North Face down coat, gloves and hat, and stood on the corner watching men and women run in tank tops or singlets and shorts. True their heightened metabolism kept them warm but I like to think that the light that seemed to beam from their faces was evidence of some internal energy source. They were running. 26.2 miles and loving it. True, some were having a bit of a rough patch. I stood next to an emergency tent and saw runners stop for  treatment for a tight muscle or cramp, or vaseline to help with the chafing but when they were treated, they just went right back to running.
Scott Jurek in Eat & Run says "sometimes you just do things" There are demands on our time for a myriad of things that we like or things that will make others happy. Sometimes, we want to do them, sometimes we realize we should do them even if we don't want to. Whatever the reason, "sometimes, you just do things."
On Marathon Monday 2013, I entered the lottery for the INGNYC Marathon 2014. I don't know if I will win a spot. If I don't, I will try the second lottery. If that doesn't happen, I will keep running and see if I can get one of the time qualifying spots or sign up with a charity and raise money on their behalf so I can earn one of their spots, or....
There are lots of ways to get a chance to run the marathon. I only need one of them to work out.
Paul is one of my best friends and main motivator and the person who, when I bring up my crazy schemes like training for the Cross Fit games or riding a century in the Gran Fondo, he always manages to keep a straight face and says "yeah, you can do it!" He plans to run INGNYCMarathon2014 too. He is light and fast and athletic but I don't know if he knows what he is getting himself into. He hasn't run any previous races in his adult life and he has some disastrous stories of races in his childhood but he has been called "Flash" on a soccer field so that counts for something. At some point, perhaps in January or February, he says he will start training for it. Maybe then, we can run together. 
But I can't wait that long. I've been running regularly again since late spring. I got a little sidelined with a tendonitis injury but just as suddenly as it came on, I was healed and I am back on the road, running.
Today I ran 2.73 miles with an average pace of 10.46 min/mi. Tomorrow, I will be better. I just have to keep doing it.
Marathon training isn't going to be easy but it will be worth it.