I had wanted to do a meat cleanse for the month of April, and in fact, I started it a few days early!  The last meat I’ve had has been on Saturday, so I figured Sunday was a good day to start because it’s the beginning of the week.

I have decided that fish will be allowed, because people are concerned about my not getting enough protein.  I thought this was an actual concern, but then I realized that I have TVP (texturized vegetable protein).  I did a google search, and according to this site, 1/4 cup TVP (which makes about 1/2 cup wet and is the perfect amount for me) is 59 calories, and has 11g of protein.  I did some research, and I need between 70 and 90g of protein because I am an “athlete”.  That’s a big difference, but I keep finding different numbers on different sites.

I get 18g from my 3/4 cup egg whites.  My protein burgers have 13g.  I have Kashi Go Lean cereal that has 11g!  I’m looking for a yogurt that has high protein, such as Better Whey which has 15-17 grams of protein!  However, they only sell it at Whole Foods near here, and that’s about an hour away.  Perhaps if I do get a chance to go, I’ll try to stock up!

Anyway, I’m giving up meat until May 9th - the day of my half marathon.  Should be an interested experiment.

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Yesterday was a 3 mile run, and it was raining all day so I had to do it on the treadmill.  I did the whole 3 miles without stopping once.  It was great!  But really, it was very hard, and the gym was very hot, and I was sweating, and I was tired and wanted to stop.  It wasn’t really that I was tired or sore, but I just wanted to stop because I was bored.  Today is a rest day, and I forgot to wear my pedometer when I went to my practicum, and also when I went to pick up trash.  So today will be a stepless day on my exercise calendar.

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Jeanne called me and joined Niles and I in our trash pick up afternoon.  Niles also brought along his friend Jackie.  On our way up the street, we found Chris (who hangs with us for Lost).  We got to the house we really wanted to clean (it’s vacant, and a mess), and a girl across the street yelled out her window, “You guys are doing a great job.  Thank you!”  And I yelled “Come and help!!”  And she did.  Then, a friend of Niles’ or Chris’ drove by, then called Niles to find out if we needed help.  Yes.  His name was John, and he came back, and even helped us after Niles and Chris had both left.  It was a good day for picking up trash, and I think we filled about 12 bags.  At the busiest time, there were seven of us!

Running is going very well - I did my four miles on Wednesday, and my five miles on Thursday.  The five was actually a LOT better, and I’m not sure if it is because I went a better route - I combined two routes that I normally do.  I had already done two miles when I started up my regular route (where I usually run), so it kind of felt like I had just started my run, when really I had already ran two miles!  Then I just had my regular 3 mile run to do, for a total of five!

Tomorrow is 8 miles, and I’m a bit worried about where to go.  Roots, my local organic foods store is 4.5 miles away.  I can run there, and run 3.5 miles back, and then walk the last mile.  Or, I could try to run the whole thing, or stop when I’m almost at Roots.  Or, I could figure out another route all together.  I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do.  I do, however, want to be completed with my run by noon.  I’m dragging the whole family off to pick up trash in the afternoon!

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Speaking of trash, my trash pickup afternoon yesterday was FANTASTIC.  Niles and I headed out, but not before I facebooked my friends Bria and Rob to ask them to help.  I also ran into Rob while I was running and told him to join, he promised he would after he got out of work.  I dragged a wheel barrow and trash can on wheels (I had the trash can in the wheel barrow, which was also filled with orange DPW cones) the .6 miles to Pearl Street, where the clean up was to be held.  On my way, I called my friend Dave and asked him to help.

Niles and I started, and one of the neighbors asked if we were on parole.  No, just cleaning up the environment. He watched us for a little while, then started picking up trash in front of his house, then slowly moved across the street to help us.  His name was Scott, and he’ll be important later.

A local jogger ran by and told us we were doing a great job. Then he paused, and said “You know, I’ll help you out.”  He grabbed a trash bag and headed up the hill.  Then were then joined by Bria and Rob.  Then Dave stopped by after a bit.  At one time, there were SIX of us cleaning up Pearl Street.  It was absolutely wonderful.  There were several other people who stopped and asked why we were cleaning up the streets.  One of Rob’s friends pulled over in his car, and when he asked “For what?”  I replied “For the environment.”  Everyone thought we were in a club, or were a part of a program.  Really, we were just kids who wanted to clean up the street.

(This is Rob)

The afternoon ended with Bria, Rob, Niles and I, and we were left with many trashbags. We had spent two hours picking up trash.

Bria ran down to get her car, but on the way stopped and asked Scott if he could help us.  He didn’t hesitate, and pulled his station wagon around and loaded everything inside, including my wheel barrow, my trash can, and me!  He drove everything back to my house, because my trash day was the next morning.

We talked about looking at what trash day it is in the city, and doing that area the day before.  That way, we don’t have trash sitting around for a long time.  Thursdays seem to be a good day for everyone, so we might make it Trash Thursday.  Bria and I were trying to think of a slogan, and I thought of “We’re Young, But We Care.”  We should get it printed on T-shirts we wear while out.  And we can make them bright neon so we stand out and don’t get struck by traffic.

Nice and clean.  I walked by there today with my mom (she was going to City Hall, I was walking to the grocery store), and I felt so proud of what we had accomplished.  I really do have great friends.

When I got home, Niles grabbed a table from the neighbor’s house to put in his backyard (reuse), and as I went to drive him home, I REALIZED I HAD LOST MY KEYS PICKING UP TRASH.

I grabbed my spares, and Niles and I went to look for them.  We were climbing up and down that hill (see photo above), and Niles and I went and searched the hill.  We had given up and were returning to my car when I looked up and spotted them!!!!!  See the boulder?  And then that tree right above the boulder?  They were up near that tree!!!  I took a picture of them before I grabbed them:

Thank God I have that bright green Vera Bradley wallet thing attached, or they would be long gone.  It was easy to spot now that the hill was so clean.

Thanks to my friends who helped me clean up Fitchburg.  It makes me feel proud not only as a person, but as a citizen of this town.  If anyone wanted to help tomorrow afternoon, I think I’ll be picking up trash around 1pm, and dragging my mom, dad, and brother with me!  Feel free to join in.   More people really does make it go by a lot quicker, and you certainly get more done.

I should mention that Olivia, the baby in the picture from yesterday, is not my daughter.  I just nanny for her and her brothers every week.  I call her “my baby” cause she is my baby that I watch.  I also call her “the cutest baby in the whole world”  because she is!

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I’m thinking that since my half marathon is on May 9th, and I was planning on making April “Eat No Meat” month, that I would just extend it to May 9th.  I will try to do a whole body cleanse of all bad things, so I will also be removing diet soda.  I was thinking that I would also not drink any alcohol, but I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, so I don’t really think that is a problem.  And if I want to drink the occasional half glass of red wine at Niles’ house for Lost, then I think that’s ok.

April 1 through May 9th   - No meat (fish is ok, I’ll be a pescetarian), and no diet soda or other diet drinks.

The only thing I’m concerned about is my weekly Monday night class, where I have to bring my dinner.  I’ve been bringing a ham sandwich because it’s easy to transport, and doesn’t need to be heated up.  What could I bring instead?  I like peanut butter and jelly, but I’m not sure if I’d want that.  Megan, I also don’t want any suggestions for “a cheese sandwich.”  I know they may be delicious, but I think I would like more substance than that.  For a usual night in class I bring:  a ham sandwich loaded with lettuce, yogurt with fresh fruit, a spinach salad, carrots and other vegetables to snack on, and an apple and an orange.  I eat a lot of food, yes.  I love to eat.  I was thinking a eggplant parmesan sandwich… but it’d be best warm.  Any thoughts?  I guess I could have tuna, because that’s fish.

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I got a blister on my hip yesterday from running with my iPhone holster.  Today I’ll have to switch what side it’s on while I run.  I run with lots of gadgets: my iPhone, my pedometer, and my iPod shuffle.  Larry says that at least it makes me look important!

(the green at the top is my sweatshirt, and the grey is my pajama pants. )

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Niles is helping me pick up trash today at 2pm!  I am going to drag along with me a trash can on wheels for all of the material that can be recycled.

Today is a five mile run.  Yesterday was a rest day, and Monday I did 3 miles.  Actually it was only 2.81 because for some reason, my 3 mile route that I mapped turned out to be only 2.81 according to my iPhone.  Close enough.

I’m doing my 5 miles to end up at the library.  I’m going to help them with work, and then I have my Friends meeting at 5:30.  I’ll be stinky at the library, and sweaty and stuff, but I’m alright with that.  I gave my mom my Friends info, and my bottle of water for when I’m done.  I had a hard time figuring out my trip, because I wanted to end at the library, and I also wanted to have it be fairly flat.

I spent both Monday and Tuesday at City Hall helping out Trevor in the IT department, but he’s going on vacation starting tomorrow.  I’ll see if my dad needs any help in his office while Trevor is gone.

I walked to Larry’s last night to watch the City Council meeting, and it was a 1.5 mile walk that I went “the long way” and made it over 2 miles.  I took a lot of nice pictures on my walk, and I even SAW THREE DEER!  It was absolutely amazing, and I would never have seen them if I hadn’t been walking.  I even said an aloud, “Thank You” to Mother Earth.  I also saw so much trash.  It makes me extremely sad.  I am going this afternoon to the DPW to get some orange cones so I can pick up trash on a busy road and not worry about getting hit by cars.  The area on Pearl St is VERY hilly, and I don’t want to fall in the road and get run over!  They also said they would give me some reflective vests for my friends and I.  Will I wear those?  Only if I’m picking up trash at night (not likely).

Now, I just need some friends to help me.  I plan on picking up trash on Thursday, Friday, AND Saturday afternoons.  I’m recruiting my parents on Saturday.  Please let me know if you are available.