I might have to change my name.

Not my name name. My blog name. I'm thinking The Happy Cross-trainer.

OK, not really.

Running is still my #1. But, I'm getting into this cross-training thing. I worked out with Jackie Warner on Thursday and did one of the Biggest Loser workouts on Friday. Saturday, I felt the effects in my core, my butt, my arms, my whole body! I'm hoping that this renewed enthusiasm for cross-training will have a positive effect on my running. I think it will. It certainly can't hurt. I had a decent run on Saturday and an enjoyable, although fairly slow, run on Sunday.

In other news . . . I made my September to Remember goal! If you recall, I set out to run more than 60 miles this month. As of yesterday, I had run 71.1 miles -- well past 60 and I will probably sneak in another run before the month comes to a close! I'm so happy with how I did and grateful to JKRunning for setting up the challenge.

Yum!

And now, for your Friday, I present . . . food!

I've been mixing it up around here, trying new foods and new recipes, all in an effort to eat a wider, more healthy variety of foods. Weekends are a great time to try out new recipes, since most of us have a little more time then. So, here's the first of what I'd like to make a weekly habit: Friday Yummies!

Couscous Salad*

1-1/2 c. couscous
1-1/2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tsps. white vinegar
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 c. grated carrots
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. slivered almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Pour couscous in a bowl and pour water over it. Cover and allow couscous to soak for about 5 minutes.

Whisk (important! Use a whisk!) together the yogurt, olive oil, curry, salt and pepper until slightly emulsified. Fluff couscous with a fork. Pour yogurt sauce over couscous and mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix again. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve cool or at room temperature -- I prefer it at room temp.

Enjoy!

*Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa.

Reading.

I finished reading Bart Yasso's book, My Life on the Run, about a month ago. I enjoyed it; it was a quick, fun read. At one point, I thought about posting a review but I didn't get to it before I had to return the book to the library. So, the review is gone forever. I will say that Bart's stories of far-flung and often loony runs and races gave me the itch to get out there and run some different races. I'll let you know when I actually start to scratch that itch.

Yesterday, I picked up Run Less, Run Faster and Ultra-Marathon Man at the library. I have a long-term goal of running another marathon in two years. It's just not on my list for right now but I think that fall 2010 will be the perfect time for me and the marathon. I can see possibly using the FIRST plan outlined in Run Less, Run Faster when I do get around to training for that marathon. We'll see if I use any of the techniques and training plans for my current runs. Since I'm working on my endurance, I'm hoping that I will pick up some tips from these books that will help me improve in that area.

Also yesterday, I had an enjoyable, easy run that had only one down-side: My socks! On most of my recent runs, I've been wearing the DryMax socks that I won from Runners' Lounge. Yesterday, they were dirty and I am not one for re-using the dirty socks. Too skeevy for me. So, I went for the Thorlos and . . . unh-unh. They made my feet feel heavy and hot. Lesson learned: It is time to splurge on a few more pairs of the DryMax! I've been trying to get by on the two pairs that I have (weak, I know!), but that requires a lot of coordination in the laundry department. I guess with the money I save from taking books out of the library I can afford some socks, right? Yeah -- why not?

Have a great day, everyone!

Gliding.

You know that feeling you have when you run strong up and over a hill that normally kicks your butt, and you're gliding through a flat patch and that easy downhill is within sight?

I had that feeling through my whole run tonight and it was marvelous.

I attribute my good run to how I ate today. Lately, I've been trying to eat more of the good stuff (fruits, veggies, lean protein, low-fat dairy, etc.) and less of the not-so-good stuff (mountains of jellybeans, scoops of melted cheese, assorted junk food, etc.). I've also been trying to eat a little more regularly, with smaller meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. Today, I had success. I started the day with a bowl of mini-wheats, had a mid-morning snack of almonds, a lunch of leftover veggie soup and a mid-afternoon snack of half a cinnamon-raisin bagel. In the morning I drank coffee and then switched over to water.

By the time I headed out for my run I was neither hungry nor thirsty. Nor was I crampy from chomping on some last minute dried cranberries or some such thing before I headed out.

Eating has such an impact on running. When I eat well, I run well. Most of the time, that is. Sometimes there are other issues but, for the most part, it is true: Eat well, run well.

So, I'll continue to strive to eat better and hope that by doing so, my running will improve. Now, I will not become some kind of strict health-food-only maniac. I will still eat ice cream. I will still have a cocktail now and then, and French fries, nachos, burgers and all that. But, I will make most of what I eat the healthy, good stuff. Runs like today's run have made me a believer!