We've moved!

If you've been with me for some time, you know we started on WordPress. I started with my own URL and even bought some hosting space. Well, when that ended, I didn't feel like paying for it. Hosting can be expensive. This is a hobby, not a job! 

Anywho, Blogger has been great but I've decided to go back to WordPress, mostly to connect easier with some other great blogs (what up, Anne!). Please head over to our new home and make sure to subscribe!

---> https://corkscrewsandcadence.wordpress.com/

Thanks and we'll see you over on WP!

It's ok to not be ok

 This weekend would have been the Detroit Free Press Marathon races but, thanks to COVID, it went virtual. I'm actually not participating in any of the activities, however, I still hold this race near and dear to my heart. It was my first marathon. Detroit is the best city in the world. Michigan is my home and damn, I wish I was there right now running in the beautiful fall weather.

I literally just got off of Twitch with this live panel that included the amazing (and my personal favorite), Des Linden. She even gave a shout out to Rochester, my hometown. Let me tell you, I think Michiganders have thick blood especially if you train outside through the winter. I actually miss running in the snow. This would have been my cousin's first year running the Freep and I'm bummed it won't be on the actual course. I may be biased but this race doesn't compare to anything else out there. How many races do you run into another country and back, going through an underwater mile? I hope to make my return next fall. 

Alright guys, so it's been a week. It's actually been a few weeks. What I mean by that is I went through a rut that ran pretty freckin' deep. I took my first mental day off of running in probably......ever. You know what? It's okay to not be okay. Last week's speed workout kicked my ass. I felt like hot garbage for the rest of the day. The rest of the week just felt like I was throwing myself at the ground like a limp fish. My fatigue level was 100 and my motivation level was -100. I adjusted my long run to just be an easy, slow run. I'm extremely thankful for my always understanding coach. She lent me some great words of wisdom. Going into the beginning of this week, I still wasn't feeling right, both mentally and physically. Monday passed and I woke up Tuesday saying to myself, "No. This isn't happening today.". As runners, we toot our horns saying we work through the pain and suffering of whatever it may be and we fight our mental ability to want to quit. When it's something completely different, it's ok to take a day off. Take care of yourself. Your body will always be the one to tell you whether it's ready or not. So I did just that. I didn't even bother going out. I didn't bother getting dressed. I mean, my running clothes. I put real clothes on. I didn't do any warmup or stretches. I didn't even work. I took care of myself. I did a long meditation. I put on some yoga for anxiety. I ate a heck of a lot of Oreos. I also treated myself to something on Prime Day. 

I hate how excited I got about buying a salad spinner but I guess when you hit your 30s and love cooking, kitchen stuff is literally just as amazing as buying a new car or something. I also finally got some Stasher bags!

I've been wanting some for a long time. They aren't cheap, though, but they pay off in the long run both with less waste and not having to buy more plastic bags in the future. Plus, I actually saved $15 on them with Prime Day. Winner, winner! I'm slowly but surely ditching plastic or products we just throw away after one use. My running coach sent me a bunch of extra silicone muffin baking cups a few weeks ago and they work amazing! I whipped up some vegan banana muffins. They lasted a whole two days. 

Can't you tell I didn't have enough walnuts?

No clue why I didn't get these sooner. They don't stick and they are actually really easy to clean as well. Another way I'm ditching throw aways is making my own running fuel. So I've been on the fence about honey as a vegan. I've talked about it before but I was a Honey Stinger ambassador and loved their products. It was pretty much the only non-vegan thing I was consuming. Well, we finished our stash of that stuff and I finally said "I'm done". I'm going back to my roots of a fuel I used at the beginning of the year: Endurance Tap. Here's the thing, though. They're kind of pricey. For 6 pouches, it's about $16. For someone who's ballin' on a budget, that adds up quick, especially during distance training. But I wondered, can I make it myself? It's three ingredients: maple syrup, salt, and ginger. The ginger is especially my favorite because it's great for keeping your stomach in check as well as your GI system. But what would I put it in? I searched "reusable food pouches" and came across some I couldn't say no to. 

Come on, how cute is it, though? It's a whole set of animals. It was $12 for 6 pouches. They're 3.5oz, if I remember correctly. I measured out 2oz of maple syrup, added in the salt and used powdered ginger. It literally taste the exact same as Endurance Tap. But how would it do on the road? It worked great! These pouches basically work the same as what Endurance Tap uses, with resealable lids and all. I may look a little funny taking fuel from something a baby probably eats food out of but hey, if you aren't having fun then is it really worth it? They're easy to clean and again, better for the environment. I'm all about saving money these days and each of these little changes helps.

I forgot what week of training I'm on but I can assure you I'm in a much better place after taking care of myself. Remember, it's ok to take a day off. A week off. Heck, if you need a month, take a month. Use a resource like Headspace to start some meditating. That's been a game changer for me since May. I told myself I need to start journaling again. Whatever your niche may be, roll with it! Happy training.

What's in a coach?

I recently have had a few good conversations with fellow runners about coaching. One has a coach, one doesn't. Without going into detail about personal information, one is having some major issues with her coach and it got me thinking, what should you really look for in a coach? Why get one? Is it really worth spending the money when the wonderful world of Google can give me a free plan to train for (insert race distance here)? Let's talk about it. But first, it's time for 'a rundown of Britany's life right now'! We should really think of a clever title for that...

A year ago, around this time (obviously in September), I was in Michigan for a few weeks. I've really missed home lately, mostly because it's officially Fall and as much as I love living in Arizona, nothing beats running during the Fall season in Michigan. I can almost visualize going down the Macomb Orchard Trail, the tunnel of trees that are changing colors, stopping at every bathroom because I was ignorant about my dairy consumption. Too much? I told you I'm transparent. You know what I miss the most? Eating enough cider mill donuts to put you into diabetic coma. I actually found out Yates, my favorite place near my local town, ships donuts and cider. I thought I was saved but the $35 shipping fee made me close that browser window real quick. Needless to say I'll be filling my own donut pan this year. With the uncertainty of the world still and not knowing when I'll be able to go see my family again, it really puts a downer on your mood some days. Sure, some people will fly willingly right now but I am not one of those. Maybe I'm being too cautious but when you live with someone who is in the high-risk category whom you also love to the moon in back, you won't take the chance. I hate technology but in this case, I'm thankful for video chatting.

I believe we're finishing off week 5 of 5K training, if I remember correctly? Things are actually going really well. My knee *knocks on wood* is feeling fine. I haven't had to tape it this past week. My skin started to get a little irritated so I gave it a break but it seems to not be calling out for the extra support any way. The mornings are dark much later nowadays with the sun not giving any peak of light until almost 6am. My Noxgear vest has been getting a lot of action! Thankful that I have it, especially since I run along the road pretty often. I see a few other runners in my town wearing dark colors with no lights. I may look like a running rave party of weird but at least I'll be seen. I've also resorted to wearing a proper HR strap that I forgot we had stuffed in a drawer. I forgot how much more accurate it is than the wrist-based sensor. Some days, I'd be out on a easy run and my watch would read 180bpm. I definitely knew that was whack. Heart rate straps might not be the most comfortable, especially for us ladies who have to wear bras, but knowing I'm getting more accurate data makes me happy. What can I say, I'm a nerd. I like numbers. I've been peeping through the internet for some potential next races already. I may or may not have ultra on the brain again....

So, let's talk coaching. Obviously, this will all be my own general opinion. You do you. I've been on both sides of being on my own and working with one. I currently work with one and have for about three years now so maybe I'm biased. I decided to throw my 10 cents into the pot because I've had this conversation before and have seen multiple posts on my running team's app of people seeking advice on coaching. 

• Why should I get a coach? This is probably the one question I see the most. I usually offer advice on different spectrums. Do you have a specific goal in reach, maybe a personal record or trying for that Boston Qualifier? Maybe you want to build endurance or have more structured workouts. The biggest game changer for me? Coming off of injury. I've seen so many runners injury themselves, take time off (or run through it like an idiot) and then try to come back into it firing on all cylinders only to sustain an injury again. My coach has lifted me from three injuries, all of which I've successfully come back from and raced with healthy and happy results.
• I should probably get one of those pro runners to coach me, right? That's your prerogative. If you want to be coached by the great (insert athlete name here), go for it! I know some professional runners who love to coach. However, keep in mind, their resume isn't yours. Don't assume that you'll become Hercules on the marathon course because your coach just ran an insane time at Chicago. Your goals will be your goals and only yours. 
• What should I look for in a coach? First and foremost, credentials. Would you go to a doctor if they weren't board certified? I would hope not. Make sure they are indeed certified, typically through the RRCA. It doesn't hurt to skim through their accomplishments. Some may publish it, some may not. It does help to work with someone who may have ran the distance you are looking to run or a specific race. Aside from certification though, the biggest thing, at least to me, is being able to have transparent and open communication. If you aren't sure if you're ready to sign the imaginary contract line, see if you can have a call with them and talk about what your goals are. See if you two align well. Make sure you'll feel comfortable bringing up issues you have with a specific workout, what's working or what's not, and even share your personal victories! If they work with an application such as Final Surge or Training Peaks, they can see your data, but sometimes saying, "I can't believe I did that good!" is a great feedback line not just for yourself but also for them to know you're on the same page. Some coaches may require a higher fee to have more communication and, in my opinion, it's worth it.
• How much is TOO much to pay? I don't really have an answer to this question. It's all within your own budget. For myself, I stay within the $100/month range. I don't pay for a gym membership since I do all my cross training at home and most of my resources are free, so the expense works for me. Sometimes I tell people you can't put a price on your goals but at the same time, I see some coaches charging upwards of $300 with basically no options other than 'here's your plan, have fun'. I don't need the whole kitten caboodle but I also want to make sure I'm getting what I deserve to pay for.
• Are the free plans just as good? Sure! If that's the route you want to go, be sure to use legit sources. I trained for my first marathon using the Hansons Marathon Method. Hansons offers free plans on their website as well as in their book, which I highly recommend getting even if you don't use their plans. I used the 'Just Finish' plan. Honestly though, having someone do the work for you and take the guessing out of the numbers involved is wonderful. When you get sick or injured and have to take a break, it's nice to also have someone be able to adjust things at the drop of a hat. Again, my opinion.

At the end of the day, the ball is in your court. I'm not knocking the free route whatsoever! I think it's a great way to get going. I know not everyone can afford the expense of having coaching services. I hope some of that offers a little insight to whomever may be on the fence. I will always work with my coach as long as I'm running. She has become my sister from another mister and has been my foundation to building back from injury to becoming the strongest runner I've ever felt to be in probably forever. She's coached me through short runs to ultras and never hesitates to be there when I'm like "I don't know what the F I'm doing". 

On that note, happy spooky season though I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like we've been living in a horror film since the beginning of the year. 

Crafted Energy

 Wait, it's September already? Looks like it has been for like two weeks, I'm just super lazy with writing anything. Between working, trying to get my CEUs in order to keep my Medical Assistant certification, and race training, I guess I use up most of my time! Of course, when none of that is going on, I'm sleeping. Work hard, rest harder, am I right? 

Speaking of training, how are things going? Much better than half training because the weather is finally cooling down, hence me being able to drink coffee outside without sweating. When I say cooling down, I mean it's just 105 instead of 115, but the mornings are crisp, in the mid-70s. I kicked off week three of 5K training yesterday. The knee seems to be cooperating about 85% of the time. The first week went well, just relaxed runs to get the body back into the game after a week off. Week two ended up swapping a run for biking due to knee annoyance. I had my first fartlek workout of this cycle today and it went exceptionally well. I told my coach last week that if this week ended up in shambles due to my knee being an a-hole again, I'm pulling the plug on running until 2021. *Knocks on wood* Really though, I'm hoping it works out. A girl can only do so many quad sets in a day.

So I have something new to write about today, at least from what I can recall. I don't think I've given a food product review before. Maybe I have? I didn't care to scroll back and check so we'll roll with it. Before I continue on, I will mention that because I am a Switch4Good Athlete, I received these bars for free. 

I honestly had never heard of Crafted Energy before until they popped into my Inbox. Surprising since they're located right here in the heart of Arizona. A bar that's Vegan, Gluten Free, AND full of clean ingredients? Sign me up. I was very excited to give them a try.

I'm a total geek for cool packaging. Some say it's a total waste of money that the company spends on, which I suppose is true, but if you have unique packaging, I'm giving you bonus points. It comes with a type of graph outlining all of the different nutritional aspects of what they are achieving in their products as well as a little run down of each bar. 

Crafted Energy has created bars for specific sports to support athletes in their endeavors. Kind of an interesting concept. I found it very unique because I've done all three activities. Boy, do I miss climbing, though. 

As mentioned, they focus on specific sports. The sampler pack is one of each bar, all of which have their own unique flavor profile. I tried the Climber one first.

Pretty hefty in calories but that's a good thing when you're doing endurance sports. 

Here is the list of ingredients for this bar, specifically. Talk about clean ingredients!

The texture and appearance reminded me of a Larabar, another one of my favorite brands. It was soft on the teeth but hearty enough to provide a good snack. You can really get a great flavor profile as well, especially the ginger. 

I didn't capture anything from the other two bars but they were very enjoyable. The blueberry flavor in the cyclist bar reminded me of pie. I have to say though, the runner bar was my favorite. Maybe I'm biased because I'm a runner but I'm from Michigan and I think we have cherry flavor in our blood. Overall, I was super pleased. I'd definitely buy some in the future. If you are interested, you can get a sampler pack of your own by clicking here. It's $7.99 with free shipping! I do not get any kickback from the sales, I'm just simply here to spread word about a cool company who is doing something great.

I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend and we'll see you next time!

Sober Racing

Let's kick this one off shooting straight out of a canon, fireworks and all. I officially finished the SeaWheeze Virtual Half Marathon this past weekend!

When we left off last, I was post-MRI and had the plan to resume running the following week. That return to running after roughly two weeks off felt great. I felt strong and wanted to just zoom through the town. My knee pain returned later that week and I had to take a few days off. About three days before race day, I had to bail on a run about a 1/2 mile in. To say the least, I threw getting a PR out the window. I trained really hard these past 10-12 weeks. I hit paces I never thought I would. Heck, I PR'd my mile two weeks after running an ultra marathon. The old me would have been super upset. The new me takes it with a grain of salt. I have a very "at least try" attitude nowadays more than I ever have.

I took Friday off of work, which is still weird because I'm working from home, but I treat every race the same. I pretty much spend most of the day doing a whole lot of nothing. I elevate my legs, stretch, do my daily yoga, and take an Epsom bath. I typically watch a movie to pump me up and since it's come out, that movie is The Game Changers. I think most would ask if I get sick of watching a documentary about vegan athletes but I don't. I read Rich Roll's 'Finding Ultra' as well, which was also inspiring, especially since I'm trying to transition to more of a whole-foods, plant based diet. I'm pretty much already there aside from some treats here and there. One of my favorite treats to make comes from The Game Changers website! Appropriately named 'Damn Good Cookies', the best no-bake cookies I've probably had. Take a gander here. My pre-race dinner is always the same: spaghetti. A lot of it. As we sat at the table, my husband asked me how I was feeling since he knew my knee problems were weighing on my mind. "I'm feeling fine. We'll go out and try and see how far we get!". I say we because he bikes along side me, carrying my water, Nuun, and my nutrition. I'm rather lucky to not have to worry about anything except running.

We set out just after 5:00am Saturday morning. The sun doesn't rise nowadays until almost 6:00am. We've been under an excessive heat warning for what feels like forever. This race also has made me realize that I'm never training/running a race in the summer again, ha! 

I threw on my Noxgear vest (code BRITTERS for 35% off), my headlamp, and off we went! My knee felt a little uneasy to begin with but that subsided. I planned on doing four loops, measuring a little over 3 miles each time to equal 13.1. This way, I could avoid stops and pass the house just in case I needed a bathroom. I think this is the first half marathon that I didn't have to stop and pee during. Maybe that was mild dehydration? Who knows. The first two loops went well. The third one was when the heat set in. The humidity level was 50% that morning, which is much higher than we're used to. Typically, it's less than 15%. I took some walking breaks. My legs started to feel heavy and my right glute was really talking to me. I think they were confused because we hadn't run this far in quite some time let alone anything over 3.2 miles since having to take a running break due to my knee issues. My knee started to feel some discomfort around mile 10. I was actually surprised it lasted that long. Once I made my final turn to finish the race out, I did a slow run up to my street. While this was my slowest half marathon, I wasn't even upset. I was happy to finish another race. I was happy to be able to even run when there are so many who can't. Checked it off in my training journal and closed the chapter on distance running, at least for a while. It's funny to think how pumped I was to set my eyes on ultra running and now my patience runs thin on anything that lasts longer than an hour. I have a fire lit in me to conquer shorter distances and see what barriers I can break with anything from the mile to the 10K. I don't completely hate distance running but I've had my handful of marathons and halfs to make me happy for now. 

So what's with the title of 'Sober Racing'? This past weekend (Saturday) was my 100th day sober. From what started as something I wasn't really trying to do has become a rather big accomplishment to me. Most races, I'd pour a beer but this time, I made a cup of coffee. My history with drinking is a whole other story I'll tell one day. Do I think I had a problem? I don't know, honestly. Some days I think I did, some days I think I didn't. Either way, I'm happy to be sober. I still have yet to be around others who are drinking but obviously, we're in a pandemic still, and being at restaurants and bars is something I'm not doing. Makes me think of the days I quit smoking. Yep, I did that too. I had to stop drinking for a week to help because having a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other was just common sense. Dear lord, I'm so glad I got through that habit a long time ago. I have 30 bottles of wine in my wine fridge still that I could easily open if I wanted to but I have no desire. Now, my obsession with sparkling water is another conversation. I treat this the same as my Veganism. If you drink, that's fine! You do you. I don't think of anyone different if they decide to have some spirits in their life. If you think you need help, don't be afraid to reach out to SAMHSA. There are tons of support groups online as well.

What's on tap next for training? I'll take this week off of running. Coach said if I feel good, I can start doing some mild cycling mid/late week. My next goal is a virtual Turkey Trot in November. Do you have any goals for the remainder of the year? Has it been hard to commit to anything due to the state of the country we're in? I'd love to hear about it.