Wethington Family Blog

Gluten Free Chicken Fingers

Posted on 14 April 2010 | No responses

Heather has some fun dietary needs and cooking dinner can sometimes be an adventure. In times past, it was a little easier when we were vegetarians for about 12 years. We later added fish to our diets and were “pescetarian” for an additional 4 years. However, a little over 2 years ago Heather found out she was allergic to wheat and dairy and the road back to eating meat began.

Anyway, there are meat dishes that are still off limits; burgers on a bun, meat lover pizza or deep fried foods, like chicken fingers. While there’s GF bread to use as a bun, even GF pizza crust, there’s just nothing to work in the deep fried area of the food pyramid. So I fixed that!

Using some gluten free biscuit mix as the breading, I cut up the chicken breasts into better sizes and took care of business. I “floured” the chicken, dipped in an egg wash, and re-dipped into the “flour.” After some sitting, I let the chicken bath in a pot of 350 degree oil until done.

I hope this helps some other gluten free people who have been missing chicken fingers, I know it did Heather.

C25k – Q&A

Posted on 5 April 2010 | No responses

There’s been some questions about my C25k experience and methods. Instead of answering each independantly, I’ll make one post and refer to it. I hope this helps.

Q: What the heck is C25k?

A: C25k is the shortened version of Couch to 5k. The idea is a training program to take non runners from the couch to running a 5k (3.2 miles) in 9 weeks.

Q: Are you following the C25k program exactly?

A: No. As a guy over 270# and rapidly approaching 40, running is not something I can just decide to do. I’m lucky enough to have been playing basketball over the past 3 years, so my cardio wasn’t horrible to start, but running is really difficult on my joints (as if basketball isn’t?). For other people in my general fitness category, I recommend starting by doing 2 weeks worth of walking. Others have recommended this as well. Other than that, my only modifications have been for ease of remembering the run while on the road. To stick to the exact plan, get the podcasts that have the intervals in the audio. I’m also one to push myself a little, so I did make some runs a little longer. Be very careful with this as it is the easiest way to hurt yourself.

Q: How do you track your runs?

A: If you go back through my runs  you can see that I struggled in picking out a time keeping method. There’s a couple of options. If you only want to use an iPod (or mp3 player) you can download a podcast for each run at the C25k site. They actually have the intervals in the audio. I currently use RoadRunnerGPS on my Blackberry. It tracks time, mileage, everything. And like the Nike+ posts the results to Facebook. If you have an iPhone/iTouch, there is an app you can download for C25k, but there are also GPS apps specifically for running. Then there’s the Nike+. All have +’s and -’s and you almost have to try each one and see what works best for you. My current method; Timer for my warm-up/cool-down, RoadRunnerGPS for the run and Pandora for music.

Q: Did you go out and buy new shoes?

A: Shoes are really the only equipment that is a must have for a runner, and the quality of equipment can make or break your ability to keep going and stay away from injury. I bought new. I went to a place to do a running analysis to make sure I got the right shoes. If you’ve never really run before, I recommend it as bad shoes will cause you to fail before you really begin. Expect to pay anywhere from $60 to $150. I am also, due to my weight and previous running experience, researching and trying to do forefoot/midfoot running. Again, I have more info in my previous posts.

Q: What is this forefoot/midfoot running you keep talking about?

A: Some of my co-workers who run a lot had informed me about forefoot/midfoot running and I decided to research it. You might remember in the ’84 Olympics a runner Zola Budd who ran barefoot. The idea is that barefoot running forces you to the balls of your feet. The normal style of running is heel strike. For a guy my size and even some normal runners that is a high impact issue and causes pain especially in the knees and back. I did some research and decided to give it a try. You’ll have to make your own decision though.

Q: Do you run the same route everytime?

A: My routes normally have the same starting and ending point, but they change from week to week. It tends to be similar, but I do change it up. There are also days like this past Saturday where I run on the beach, or travel to a trial, but most often it’s just around the house. Click on the links for each run and you can see a map of my run. The big thing is keep your runs fresh. Running is very mental and if you’re bored it’s really hard to keep going.

Q: How do you stay motivated?

A: Goals. Like anything in life, set yourself a goal (World DOMINATION!). If you’re gonna start the C25k, I suggest finding a 5k that takes place soon after your training is done and register for it. Don’t try to win, don’t even set a time expectation, just make a commitment to finish it.

If you’re starting a C25k or using my experience as motivation, let me know, I’d love to hear about your experience. Now, go get em!

Week 6 – C25k

Posted on 4 April 2010 | No responses

Quick review for week 6. I know some of you get the daily updates via Facebook as well, so I’m sorry if this is a bit too much information about my runs as well as the fact that this is just a recap of what gets posted.

Tuesday was interesting as it was a slight combo day. Normally, I play basketball Monday/Wednesday/Friday and run Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, but my work basketball team got bumped to playing Tuesday night. Luckily, or not, I only played about 1 minute or so I was more than ready for my run. I ended up running 2.02 miles doing a 8min, 5min, 8 min run, which was the same distance as about 2 weeks prior when I was still including my warm up and cool down.

Thursday was more normal. The goal was 2 x 1 miles run. The first mile I completed in just over 10 min, so I was thrilled to see that. However, the second mile took a tad longer. My run of 22 minutes for the 2 miles was something I could still be proud of.

Saturday was both daunting and amazing. I wanted to do a beach run before my 10k for Miracle Miles for Kids, which is run from Morro Bay to Cayucos on the beach. The run was a continuous 25, that ended up at 29 minutes for a total of 2.4 miles. It was very cold and windy, but I felt really good about completing it. So far, the hardest part of every run is the first 5 minutes.

I’m quickly closing in on completing the Couch to 5k and so far I’m amazed I’ve been able to get this far. I’ve never been a runner, and still don’t consider myself one, but this is a good start.

Brighten A Corner – March Project

Posted on 4 April 2010 | No responses

It’s funny, we’ve been volunteering with Brighten a Corner for a while now, and this is the first post I’ve made. Well, funny may not be completely correct, but you get the picture. The project for March was for a family in Nipomo:

Liz works with battered women in the county and Manuel used to be a landscape contractor. Four years ago Manuel was diagnosed with Amyo- trophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) commonly known as Lou Gherig’s disease. Liz works faithfully with those who are literally beaten down every day, then she comes home to love and care for her husband.
The mobile home in which they live in Nipomo is very clean but outdated and increasingly not meeting Manuel’s needs. It gets very cold in the winter and at night, which makes things even more difficult for Manuel. It is also not handicapped friendly, and as he moves closer to needing a wheelchair permanently, that becomes increasingly necessary.

We were able to only help out for a couple of hours, but I want to encourage to keep an eye on their web site for future projects where you can help. Brighten a Corner is also always looking for financial help. You can see pictures of this most recent project via their Facebook fan page, or go to the Brighten A Corner homepage and check out past projects.

Week 5 – C25k

Posted on 29 March 2010 | No responses

I’ve made it over half way! The Couch to 5k program is supposed to take you from the couch to running in a 5k in only 9 weeks. For some of us non-normal sized people, 9 weeks may be a little aggressive, but Basketball gave me a little bit of a head start. If you’re contemplating doing the C25k yourself, consider your general health. Many people maybe better off starting with 2-3 weeks of walking before beginning to run. You might even be encouraged by this great group I found doing the C25k.

As for my week, I was amazed to have finished, and finished strong! For tracking purposes, I stopped counting my warm up and cool down walk for my totals. For those of you comparing to the actual plan, I did modify this week heavily, except for Saturday and will return to the normal plan on tomorrow.

On Tuesday, I did a 5 min, 8 min, 5 min run and completed 1.86 miles. I had planned to only walk 1 minuted between each, but after the 8 minute run, I needed more time. I felt completely dead and was wondering about the rest of the week. Playing basketball on Monday/Wednesday/Friday makes my Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday runs difficult sometimes, and this was certainly one of those times.

For Thursdays run, I my goal was simply 2×8 min runs. I ended up making the second run a little over 10 minutes and completed my first full mile run! My total was 2.07, the same distance I did a few weeks ago in more time! It was crazy. Again, I felt completely dead after my run. My dog, while normally assistive, was a pain! She stopped and pooped 3 times, of course, only during the run, not during walks. After I finished, mentally, I began dreading Saturdays run. Why… 20 MINUTES.

Yep, Saturday was a 20 minute run, or 2 miles. I asked Heather as I was getting ready to walk out the door, “is it bad that I already believe I’m going to fail?” Of course it was bad. I don’t recommend the negative mental gymnastics. For this run, you’re just going to have to take my word. My GPS decided it didn’t want to start, so I just set my phone timer to 20 minutes. When it went off, I decided to finish  at the next corner, and I’m so glad I did. By reaching the corner, Google says I completed 2 miles in just over 20 minutes (21ish?). I must say, I was shocked. I felt like my pace was extremely slow and that I didn’t run all that well, so what a fantastic surprise to see I did great.

Well, just a few short weeks to go for the 10k, but I’m looking for an actual 5k so that I can finish what I started out to do. Perhaps the Strawberry Stampede? See ya on the road!

Week 4 – Couch to 5k

Posted on 20 March 2010 | No responses

I’ve decided to switch to a weekly recap of the Couch to 5k training, hope that keeps down the chatter between Facebook and such. I’m using a new program RoadRunnerGPS with my BlackBerry and it’s charting each run if you’re interested, link posted after each day.

In my last post, I commented how week 4 in the Couch to 5k plan was really confusing, so I modified it as I began the week. Tuesday run was done during my lunch at work. We’re not far from a running/biking trail and it was certainly a welcome brake from a really tough day. I knew I was going to be at work late, so I brought everything with me for my run and it paid off. As I said, it was a welcome break, but it was also very warm, the warmest day I’ve run yet. The plan was 5min, 3min, 3min, 5min with 90 second walks in between. Totaled 3.8k in 30 minutes.

Thursday I was back to running in the evening, taking both Harrison and Hailey out on the run with me. I ran the same plan as Tuesday, but ran just a little longer on the last 5 min run. Harrison cracked me up near the end as he was cheering me on while riding his bike. Another 3.8k in 30 min.

Today, Saturday, has been my best run yet, 4 x 5min runs with 90sec walks. It’s also the longest run yet. However, I had a tough time with Hailey. I felt like I was dragging her the entire run, and it’s very evident in my pace. Not sure she’s entirely responsible, but it was discouraging. Not sure if I’m going to keep bringing her if she continues to make it hard on my run. Total of 4k (ok, 3.95) but it took longer, when 20 min was running. Typically, all runs start and end with a 5 min walk.

All in all, I’m feeling much better each day. My shins aren’t hurting nearly as much. The cardio improvement is starting to show on the basketball court (I play M-W-F at lunch and city league Monday nights) and I’ve even lost some weight. I’m even starting to look forward to the Miracle Miles for Kids 10k (still time to sponsor me!).

Loren Radis @ Gather Wine Bar Tonight!

Posted on 13 March 2010 | No responses

My friend Loren is playing at the Gather Wine Bar tonight in AG. He sent out this reminder and thought I would not only promote his event, but highlight his comedy! Here’s the reminder he sent out:

Tonight’s the night, march 13th at 7pm, the Show at Gather Wine Bar (122 East Branch Street, Arroyo Grande).  People will remember this event, for years to come.  The true extent of it’s power and influence won’t even be fully realized for decades.  Generations from now, people will speak of it in hushed, reverent tones.

When your grandchildren sit upon your knee in living quadrant of your Cloud Palace of the Future ™ and they ask you, wide eyes filled with wonderment, “Where were you, the night that Loren Radis played his show at Gather?”.  Will you smile and regale them once more with the story of how you were there, you saw it happen, and you were never the same afterwards?  Or will you turn your head in shame, and distract them with something shiny, so as not to reveal the truth, that you didn’t go?

The choice is yours.

-loren

Day 9 – Couch to 5k

Posted on 13 March 2010 | No responses

In the words of the video game StarWars™ Pod Racer, “It’s a new lap record!” 3.4 k! I modified the run to push myself a little and get ready for next week, 3min run, 90sec walk, alternate for 20 min. If you add it up, the run would actually end at 18min. I decided just to run out the 20min, so I finished with a 5 minute run! Feeling pretty good about next week.

If you look at week 4 in the Couch to 5k, it seems very confusing. My plan, right now, is to make it easier on me to remember while I’m out: alternate 5min run with 2 min walk. We’ll see how I do.

My shins only seem to hurt when I’m done with the run and doing a cool down walk. During the run, they’re ok. Still icing, and stretching though. I just see the pain as evidence I haven’t done this in a very long time.

Day 8 – Couch to 5k

Posted on 11 March 2010 | No responses

Quick update tonight. 3k total. Felt good but pace really slowed at times. Looking forward to a strong run on Sat.

Day 7 – Couch to 5k

Posted on 9 March 2010 | No responses

Cold but nice run tonight. Completed my longest distance and longest interval of running; 3.3k with a long interval of 4 minutes! While really cool, it wasn’t supposed to be 4 minutes, only 3. The plan this week is 90 sec run, 90 sec walk, 3 min run, 3 min walk, alternate for 20 minutes. I ended up running 4 minutes due to difficulty in keeping track of the time splits and an inability to read the time on the new program I used tonight.

As you may have noted, I moved my run week start day from Sunday to Tuesday. Hopefully, this allows me to push for a longer run on Saturday and enjoy a quite Sunday. Shin spints are still bugging, but I’m stretching really well and icing down both the front and back of my calf. They didn’t start hurting until the run was done. I thought that was really good. It’s interesting talking about running with people. I’ve looked on the internet and have been reading a book, and there’s just not much info on running for a guy 5’11″, 275#! I’m taking it one week at a time and feel really good so far

As for my tracking program, I still haven’t decided between the Nike+ system and just using my Blackberry with AllSport GPS. The Nike+ is nice as it will track both my outside run and treadmill, but it is very dependent on a constant stride, something I’m not doing well with right now. My Blackberry is great outside as it has GPS, but useless for inside runs. Nike+ is $30 and my BB program is $20. Hmmm, what to do.

Anyway, thanks for following along with me. I hope this may inspire some of you to grab a pair of running shoes and hit the road.

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