Ready, set, go!

The two weeks following the Mesa Marathon actually went fairly quickly. When you throw in a little vacation in there, it really helps you not go stir crazy from laying low and not doing any activity. I did my daily yoga practices, kept my body pretty mobile, and felt pretty dang amazing. I'm still kind of shocked at how good I felt after the race. My body doesn't hate me after all!

We'll touch base real quick on that lull time. We went to California for a week for my husband's birthday getaway. We're only around 2.5 hours from the border of the state which still blows my mind. It seemed so far away when we lived in Michigan BECAUSE IT WAS. I honestly hate traveling to California, mainly if we're headed to the Los Angeles area. Everyone drives like a crazy person and traffic sucks 24/7. We drove somewhere that was only 6 miles away and it took us over 30 minutes. So we stayed in Universal City for a few days and visited Universal Studios. Neither of us had been there before and I'm a big Harry Potter nut so I was pretty jazzed on the idea. Hold for photos:

 

 

The first stop was Voodoo Donuts. Now, this isn't the original location but it was as close to them as we could get for the day. Their vegan donut selection is LEGIT and they actually taste super good. We ended up there the next morning as well. Then we explored the park. We saved most of the Wizarding World for the second day. The studio tour was my favorite attraction. The Minions ride was super cute and fun. I could give you a review on everything else but I'll save you the time. Harry Potter world or whatever you want to call it was great. They did a fantastic job on Hogwarts. Overall, I definitely like Disney a heck of a lot better than Universal. Disney just knows how to do it up and create an overall amazing experience for their guests. Would I go back to Universal? Probably not. We headed to Ventura for the rest of the week and visited Ojai, which is an awesome little town. I would definitely go back there. We hung out a local vineyard for a bit (Old Creek Ranch). It was such a cool place. We headed home that Friday and then came time to snap back to reality, Eminem style.

The one announcement I'm super excited to say is that I'm back with my coach, Kristen Griffin, of Find Your Stride Coaching. Kristen has been such a great help to me in the past and I missed working with her so much. She's an amazing athlete herself but also an incredible mom and wife. I think she was equally as excited as I was when I messaged her and told her the news. Week one started on February 24th. Since then it's been base building. Slow-paced runs to get the legs turning. I program my Garmin for the length of time I should be out as well as what pace range I should stay in. While I am not a fast runner by any means, I have a hard time staying in that recovery pace area. It helps to have that thing yell at me to keep within my limits. Remember when I said I felt amazing after my marathon? My first day of training included a 2-mile time trial and boy were my glutes sore the next day but that definitely means the activation is there. The first week went by great. It took me a few days to get into the groove of that recovery pace but it set in about midweek. I told Kristen to make sure I kept up on my PT exercises and keep me out of therapy. I'm a huge advocate for physical therapy, as it's helped me tremendously, but I will do whatever it takes to keep myself injury-free. I do my exercises EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. This is non-negotiable. I do a big dynamic warmup before every run and do a stretching routine after. Most people say they "don't have time" and skip this but let me tell you, you can take as little as five minutes to do something that will help. A little goes a long way. Your body won't stay in tip-top shape forever. Save yourself now before you can't turn those legs anymore. *steps off soapbox*

The one thing I didn't really line up properly was the fact that I had forgotten I signed up for a local race. If you remember, last year I ran the Mountain 2 Fountain 5K as a "comeback race" after nursing an injury. It was awful and I said I'd never run it again. Well, here's my finisher's medal.

I should preface I did this for my Volée team. This time, I signed up for the 15K, which made us eligible to win our weight in beer. You need a team of at least four people to qualify for this and finish in under 2 hours. While we ended up not having a full team, it was nice to meet up with two of my fellow members and hang out for a bit. The race was basically a fun run for me. The hills hit hard as I had not run any in two weeks. I don't understand why they don't close the road down for this race from the point you leave the park to where you enter back into town. Running the majority of it on the shoulder of a road which is essentially two feet wide is uncomfortable. The road slightly slants at parts to allow rain to run off. Needless to say, my right ankle got a workout. I did finish pain-free, which is all I ever want nowadays. One of my teammates and I determined we won't run this race again and I actually mean it this time. I think the organizational skills of whoever runs it nowadays is way out to sea and they cut costs in areas they shouldn't. Don't advertise there will be Nuun on the course when in fact, there wasn't. I carried my own water and Nuun in my vest but many runners didn't. Last year, I spectated after I ran my race and many runners were dying because they had run out of water. Anyway, I won't rant too much. It's over! We had amazing weather. I got to hang with two amazing ladies. The end.

Okay, I think that's the best update I can give you right now from the past few weeks into week one of training. Unrelated but I hope to get back to recipe sharing soon. I have a few new things on my list to cook so we'll see if they make the cut! 

Across The Years

Anyone else still writing 2019? Hope I'm not the only one. All of the Christmas decorations are put away, the house is back to normal, and the days are slowly getting longer. We're now 30 days away from the Mesa Marathon. The full is sold out! I'm getting pretty amped up about this race for many reasons. This will be the first race I'm running for fun. Now, that wasn't always the case. When I first started training, I had a set time goal in mind but I also didn't want to rely on hitting specific paces. I basically just wanted to show up and see what would happen. When my knee issues set in, I threw that out the window and while I was bummed at missing so much running, it almost felt like a big weight was lifted off of my shoulders. No expectations. No keeping of time. Show up and run like this is the one thing that makes you the happiest person alive. It will also help having company along the way! My friend and fellow Volée bird, Trinity, who hails from my home state of Michigan is flying out to join the fun. Party pace!

Alright, let's get to Across The Years! If you aren't familiar with Aravaipa, they put on some of the most popular races in the Southwest, including the 'Burning Man' of running: Javelina Jundred. 

That's Rob (Steger) up there, mid-200 mile race. I had the privilege of crewing for him and his endeavors. Rob is a very established ultra runner, with his most recent accomplishment of the Triple Crown in 2019. I met him via the wonderful world of Instagram right before his book launched. I really appreciated his approach to becoming a runner and representing us middle pack runners. Fast forward to about a month ago and he messaged me asking if I'd like to help out at the race. He stated it'd be a great way for me to learn a lot as I'm about to start my own endeavors into the ultra distance.  I jumped on the opportunity right away. With a few weeks of back and forth, specific planning of what his expectations were, fueling, timing, and everything in between, he was landing in Phoenix. We met up Friday (1/3/2020) morning, picked him up from his hotel, and set off to the race. The vibe was very chill. This specific race is set on a loop that's just over 1 mile in distance. When we arrived, there were many other participants that had been running since the previous weekend. That was 6 days ago! And they still had 4 days to go. 10 TOTAL DAYS OF LAPS. So epic. We set up shop right along the course, just feet from the timing block corral. Time flew by and before we knew it, Rob was off. It was great to watch him in person. He's a great athlete and has an even better sense of humor. Now, Rob was actually attempting two races at the same time: 200 miles and Last Person Standing. This was the first year they added Last Person Standing and it was definitely an interesting race to watch. Remember, I had the best seat in the house. With LPS, you do one loop at a time with a 15-minute time limit. If you finish your lap in, say, 8 minutes, you have 7 minutes to basically just relax and wait. Sounds great, right? It's not so great when you're coming off being in flow with a different race that has no rule except get your miles in a set amount of time. Rob ended up DNF-ing Last Person Standing after 3 laps with a little advice from me and his own head. 

I think my favorite part about this race, besides being part of the action, was watching all of the other people running. I saw so many different abilities and people with so many goals. At one point, I was in the aid station around 1am Saturday morning, and one of the athletes, who was from Australia, had clocked in over 500 miles. The oldest participant was 84. He clocked in just over 100 miles. Seriously, so amazing. People will ask me, "well, you see people of all ages at road races too" and yes, you do. Something about this community, though, is different. I basically felt like I was surrounded by a bunch of my closest friends yet I had just met them. A girl, who's table was set up next to ours (Aisling), was all alone. Unsupported 200 miler. While those many hours might seem lonely, she kept a smile on her face, went whatever pace she felt like going, and was so nice. I still wish I would have gotten her contact info. So, fast forward to Rob's 68th lap. He started feeling it. The disadvantage of a totally flat course was getting to him. Now, I know some of you will read that and think "how is that a disadvantage". It is when you aren't used to it, especially after running on it for like, forever. I'll skip over a bunch of little details but he ended up calling it quits, which I found smart. Pain is temporary but injuries suck and that's not what we needed, especially since he'll be running Black Canyon in February. I downed my 7th cup of hot water, which I was basically using to keep warm, made sure he was ok, and headed to the van to sleep. It was 2:30am. I was awake for 22 hours. I can't remember the last time I did that for fun. 

Side note: I can't wait until we have one these guys ourselves (this is a friend's). This is seriously the ultimate way to transport to a race. With a full kitchen set up and a big bed, what more do you need? Okay, back to the race. Takeaways? I have a lot to learn about fueling for a race that's longer than 6 hours. Be organized. Strategy. Lube. Baby wipes. Vegan grilled cheeses. That last one is an inside joke. Will you see me at Across The Years 2020-2021? Probably. Crewing or running? We'll have to wait and see! 

If you want the audio recap, Rob has a podcast you can subscribe to via Apple, Google, and on his website. You can even witness my podcast debut and what my running goals are for this year. I'll give you a hint, they're epic! 

Did I mention the port-o-potties had entertainment of their own?

Let's shift gears here. I've decided to go dry for January. I would think most of you know what that means but just in case, to clarify, I'm not consuming any alcohol. It'll actually continue into February leading up to race day. Why am I doing this? Because I want to. I'd like to keep my epinephrine levels up so I can have better and quicker recovery. I don't like feeling like a sack of rocks during my long runs because, let's be honest, what day of the week do we normally consume adult beverages? Fridays! What day is my long run? Saturdays! It just doesn't work. I've also noticed that I feel a heck of a lot more sluggish after not a lot of drinks. A sign of getting older? Maybe. Now, I'm not a regular drinker at all. I maybe consume one drink a week, if that. Yes, I have a big wine collection, but I'm not busting corks every day. It's been 10 days and I feel good. It's coinciding with Veganuary very well. That's vegan+january. Yep, another month! I went Vegan in November, why not do it again. I'm actually finding it way easier this time around than last. My body feels great. I don't feel inflamed or "fluffy", as I like to call it. I don't go vegan to "detox" or lose weight and if you think going vegan is the key to both of those, you are doing it for the wrong reasons. For the record, I'm vegan for ethical reasons. Watch Dominion and then we'll talk about it.

*Steps off soapbox* See how I distracted you with a photo of bread? Hello beautiful loaves of carbs. This is the first vegan dessert (if you want to call it that) that I've ever made. I had some VERY ripe bananas chilling and instead of freezing them, I baked! I present to you, vegan banana bread. 

I have baby loaf pans, so I made two. I'd be lying if I said they weren't already half gone. They came out perfectly moist and delicious. They pair well with some coffee. Just make them already! I'll link the recipe here.

I think that's it for now. We'll chat soon. Adios!

Peace Out, 2019

I suppose we're overdue for an entry, eh? I mean, it is the last day of the year and it's been two weeks. I may or may not be still listening to Christmas music. Judge me, please.

So, my feed is filled with 'top 9' posts and people reaching milage milestones. Maybe you're one of the few that doesn't care about any of that. Please, step into my corner. Someone tweeted on my feed recently regarding this and said: "Just run or rest as you ought to in order to stay on the trajectory of adding fitness every day." Finally, my thoughts put into an actual proper sentence. If you hit a million goals, PRs, and ran 8 million miles in 2019, that's great! If you didn't hit a single mark, guess what? You're still improving whether you think you are or not. No one wrote a handbook on what's expected of someone to be classified as a "proper runner". You aren't required to sign up for x-amount of races, achieve one specific finish time, or run a set amount of miles. Run because you want to. Run because maybe it's a great form of therapy that comes at no charge other than maybe feeling sore. Run because maybe someone you know can't and you want to for them. Now, I'm not saying don't set any goals. They're a great way to have something to work toward. I'm saying if you do have goals and you don't make them, your life will still commence. You will wake up tomorrow into a new calendar year and it doesn't change a damn thing. Maybe make 2020 the year where you take a load off your shoulders and stop being hard on yourself when your performance lacks. I've been exceptionally more positive with myself since I've changed my tune but that doesn't mean I don't have doubts on myself ever. I just texted my coach and go-to for honest feedback a few days ago and told her this is the least prepared I think I've ever been for a race. You know what she said? "You have 6 weeks and a lot can happen!" Stop doubting and start doing.

Alright, reflection time. Queue the music. 2019 has been eventful! Let's start with the non-running related things. We settled in on our first full year living in Arizona. I still wouldn't trade it for anything. We survived our first summer with 115-120 degree days. I graduated from college (again). We went to Disneyland and it literally was a dream come true just like the commercial makes it out to be. I became a certified Registered Health Information Administrator. Don't ask me to explain it because I can't in normal terms. We flew back to Michigan twice on unwilling occasions and spent a weekend in Vegas. My dad survived his first major surgery and was benign of cancer. I finally bit the bullet and got my wisdom teeth out at the age of 31. Seriously, why did it take me so long? I dove into adopting a vegetarian lifestyle and more recently transitioned into trying to be more vegan. Lots of car shows, museum visits, new restaurant finds, and art shows. We did some great hikes and I peed out in nature for the first time. Bet you wanted to know that. I learned to crochet and I don't completely suck at it like I did at knitting. Brittany Runs a Marathon, Downton Abbey, and Star Wars were seen. Oh yeah, and Game of Thrones ended which still really sucks. 

Shall we move on to running now? I started the year slow, coming off of injury from the fall. I trained for a 5K in February and an attempt at a PR. I failed. I joined the club of having a hydration vest (Osprey Dyna 15) and it literally was a huge game-changer. I don't know how I ran with a belt before.  I went on my first proper trail run. Like, one with actual inclines and declines. Not just a flat gravel path like Michigan has. I joined Team Nuun, Honey Stinger, Squirrel's Nut Butter, and became an ambassador for the Mesa Marathon. I started training for a half marathon PR attempt and ended up with major knee issues putting me out for almost two months. I started physical therapy (still in it) and am so blessed to have the best team of therapists helping me become stronger and build my endurance. After being a faithful Saucony shoe owner for years, I switched sides to Hoka One One. The Clifton 6 has been my lifesaver not only for my feet but just overall everything. I learned that my actual foot size was smaller than I thought and my overpronation wasn't as bad as previously suspected. I deferred my fall race plans in favor of putting my marathon on the front lines instead and I'm glad I did, despite having serious FOMO. I spectated my first ultra race (Javelina Jundred) and boy, did that light a fire under me. Having Kaci Lickteig within an arm's length and talking with Catra Corbett are memories I'll never forget. Just typing that sentence gave me goosebumps. Lots of highs and lots of lows but the most important turn of events was mental. I finally let go of trying to fight for faster speeds and personal records and just run because I love the idea of reaching for the stars. My training has become so much more positive and I look forward to setting out. I can't wait to run this upcoming marathon with no expectations but to just finish and have fun.

2020 brings a lot of the unknown. Do I have races in mind? Yes. Of friggin' course I do. The Mesa Marathon will be my last road race for a long time unless someone tugs my arm to join them in a fun run. I've enjoyed my miles on the road but the trail is calling and I'm answering on the first ring. I encourage you to try something new and out of the ordinary. Maybe you want to do that aerial silk stuff. I saw a woman do that in Vegas and it was mind-blowing not to mention her back muscles were amazing. Maybe you want to learn how to cook more meals as opposed to eating out. Maybe ride your bike to work or learn to stand up paddleboard. I don't know. The possibilities are endless when you open up your mind more instead of having tunnel vision. 

Shall we raise a glass? Whether it's an adult beverage, coffee, tea, or whatever you like; cheers. We'll see you next year.

Friday the 13th

Anyone else get a little superstitious on days like today? I mean, let's talk about that moon. The last full moon of this decade. DECADE. It's crazy that we're about to turn the clock to not just another year but another 10. 

12/11/2019, not my house^

Well, first and foremost, we've moved locations! WordPress was great to me but my hosting fees got way too high and, quite frankly, this is a hobby, and hobbies shouldn't cost a ton (running not included). I set out to do this for fun and not for a monetary value. The only other blogging site I knew of was Blogger so that's where we will call home for C&C for now! I'm still trying to tweak some things so it's going to look a little weird. I was able to import all of my old posts so if there is something, in particular, you remember reading about in the past, you can still try and search for it using the box on the left sidebar. 

Speaking of hobbies, I've taken up a new one! I've tried to really get into knitting these past few years but it just takes me forever. A friend suggested crocheting and boy, is it SO much better. And yes, it's a cheap hobby. I learned how to crochet watching YouTube. Yep, I'm not even kidding. You can learn anything on that dang website. I've finished two projects so far in a little less than a month's time and plan on finishing #3 by next week. Hooray for homemade Christmas gifts that don't break the bank!

My bag of tricks

So, how's running going? The miles are piling on. I texted my fellow Volée bird, who is coming into Phoenix to run the race with me, that she might have to piggyback me to the finish line. In all seriousness, workouts have been fine. I've accepted that I'll never be where I was at and, to be honest, I like going slow and steady. Time on my feet is more important than anything right now. I've managed to make it up to roughly 30-35 mile weeks so far. My longest jaunt has been 10 miles and it felt refreshing. I know I've written about it before but I'm so glad I've jumped off the "fighting for PRs" bridge and now float on the lazy river of actually enjoying what I'm doing. If you like getting those fast times, that's great! I found that it was really eating up my soul and I lost touch with why I'm a runner. I finally said to myself, "Hey, I have this crazy idea! Let's run a race and have fun for once!" 57 days to go. I have some big plans for post-marathon. I'll give you a hint: it involves more dirt and less pavement.

Post-10 mile run 😀

There is still time to register if you feel like flying to the Southwest to escape the winter blues. You can use the code BRITTERS10 and receive $10 off the half marathon or full marathon! Let me know if you're running! 

Let's backtrack to Thanksgiving week since, well, I haven't written in a while so why not a big 'ol recap. The family came to down for a few days. We managed to break a new Jenga record. We also visited Sedona, which is home to my favorite Starbucks. I know, that sounds super cheesy, right? But just check out this view:

Yeah, I could sit on that patio all day. I even managed to cook an entirely Vegan dinner.

Vegan spinach dip in bread bowls. Could carbs get any more glorious looking?

So, the second picture includes mashed red skins, homemade Vegan biscuits, Tofurky, Vegan stuffing, and Vegan green bean casserole. It was all seriously so good, even the family enjoyed it. Even the gravy was plant-based! I'll probably do a repeat for Christmas but swap out the "turkey" for Tofurky's ham roast. If it's as good as their Tofurky, it'll be another great treat. 

While we're on the subject of Veganism, if you remember, I took a pledge to become Vegan for 30 days in November. 

App: Quit Meat

I downloaded this fun little app called Quit Meat to track my progress. Now, this screenshot was on 12/2/2019. I managed to be Vegan for 28 of the 30 days. I had a few slips on foods I didn't even think twice on. It happens! I'm still very proud of myself for taking on this journey. I'm a data geek and it's cool to see all of this. I've decided to keep it going as long as I can. If I do manage to have something non-vegan but is vegetarian, you can add it in. For example, if you consume any type of dairy or eggs, you can input it into the app. I've been vegetarian for quite some time and barely consumed any dairy as is so the transition wasn't too difficult. I even managed to make dishes at restaurants Vegan. As I've mentioned on my Instagram, don't be afraid to ask your waitress if they have a vegetarian menu or if you can customize dishes. You'd be surprised how many places will go above and beyond to cater to different lifestyles. See, I said lifestyle and not diet. Because that's what it is. This isn't a temporary endeavor. It's great to see how the plant-based community is so much stronger than it ever has been. For the record, though, if you are a meat-eater, please know I don't think any less of you. You do you and if that means you like eating meat, great. Get on down with your bad self. I want my friends to know that I still respect them even if it means our eating choices are different. I would hope you'd think the same about me. This is a judgment-free zone! Just be open to what I eat. I bet I could blow your tastebuds away with the things I enjoy. I've voiced my opinion on this before and that wasn't really right of me to do so. Come on now, let's hug it out.

I don't have a recipe share this time around as I've been busy trying to move things about and whatnot. I haven't cooked anything epic in over a week! I do have recipes for my Thanksgiving dishes so let me know if you want any of those. For now, I leave you with Whole Food's Vegan margarita pizza. I ate 5 pieces. Carbs are good for you, don't know you this?!

We'll see you next time. Hopefully sooner than later. 

Tofurky Time

I think Thanksgiving is by far my favorite holiday. Yes, family time is great, but I love food. Comfort food, to be exact. The tofurky is already purchased and I'm reviewing the rest of the menu after I write this. This will be my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian but since I'm trying this '30 Days of Vegan' for November thing, everything on the menu will coincide. So far, it's looking pretty friggin' delicious if I do say so myself. Trust me, there will be pictures shared after next weekend.




News flash: it's raining in Arizona!

Look at me, trying to be artsy from my office window. But yes, the rain is here. I find it entertaining because the news treats it as if it's a huge snowstorm in the midwest. They send anchors out to different parts of the state and keep asking what the conditions are where you're at. Yes, the rain here can create pretty hazardous situations. Flooding happens fairly quickly. The temperatures have dropped from 80s to 60s. I can't tell if I'm happy or sad but let's be honest, it's great for running.




Speaking of which, training is going well. We are officially 80 days away from the Mesa Marathon. I've been limited to running at the park because it's the only 'flat' part of town as hills still irritate my knee slightly. I don't know what's worse: treadmills or running the same loop for 5 miles.

I started breaking in my custom orthotics this week. They definitely give that extra support to my rather flat arches. Still have to train some anti-rotation issues and work on glute strengthening but Rome wasn't built in a day and luckily my (not always there) patience is doing well. I even won a contest at therapy and scored a new Hydroflak! Hurray!

Switching gears from feet to pedals, I spectated my first mountain bike race this past weekend. Cycling is definitely something I know I need to do more of, it's just the whole pushing myself to get out and do it thing. I have a decent mountain bike (Specialized) that hasn't seen any dirt. That needs to change.

Speaking of the holidays coming up, we're hosting, and that means cleaning time. I mean, I already clean every week because I'm OCD like that and have to always have a clean and organized environment but like extra EXTRA clean this time. While I've always used normal bleach-containing products and good 'ol fashioned Windex, it was time for a change. A change to something way more environmentally friendly and stuff I could use around the house without making my husband have an asthma attack from the fumes. I'm a big fan of listening to "How I Built This" on NPR. I've always seen Method items at Target but never really knew the back story until the creatures appeared on the show. It's nice to know that if I accidentally drank this stuff in my sleep, I wouldn't have to ring up poison control. I'm a big fan of all of it so far. I like the minty smell. The floor cleaner is the bomb! We even got the laundry detergent! Why the hell does normal laundry detergent have petroleum jelly in it? I've become an ingredient reading crazy person and not just for food. Yes, you will shell out a little bit more but trust me, it's worth it, not only for you but for your whole family.

There's honestly a bunch more stuff I want to write about but I'm going to save it for next time and jump to the part where I share a recipe! What's my biggest downfall in trying to be Vegan? Pizza! Yes, I know there are vegan options out there, but a good, brick oven cooked margarita pizza is my jam. I know there had to be other ways to try some other options at home since frozen pizza isn't my thing. Queue Sam from 'It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken', my favorite recipe website.

Holy matrimony, this was GOOD. Feast your eyes on a BBQ chickpea pizza, complete with red onion, some banana peppers, and vegan mozz cheese. The dough is even homemade because that's how we do it here. This was so simple to make and I was thoroughly surprised how good it tasted. I even dabbed each piece in some vegan ranch like your typical midwestern would. Highly recommend giving this one a try. I'll link the recipe here.




Alrighty, folks. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you are celebrating it. If you aren't, have a great week. Try to #OptOutside on Black Friday instead of bowing to the man. See you next time!

Earn the Bird

And just like that, we turned our calendars to November. As I write this, I may or may not be listening to Christmas music. What? It's positive! Don't judge me even though I know you are.




So, let's take care of the elephant in the room. I've mentioned before that I'm an ambassador for the Sprouts-Mesa Marathon but I never talked about which specific event I'm participating in! Obviously this is old news if you follow my Instagram account (@britanyg) but, you know, I'm bad at this whole keeping up on writing thing. With the folks at Spooner PT nursing me back to life and slowly easing into piling on the miles, I'm committing to running another marathon.

Use the code BRITTERS10 for $10 off the half or full!

I'm pretty excited to embark on another journey of marathon training and to run the streets of Mesa. I've had a huge change of heart about running, for the better. I'm finally accepting where I am today and not where I used to be. Des Linden actually gave me that advice *lifts a glass of imaginary bourbon*. I recently spectated my first ultra race and it blew my mind how no one gave a crap about how fast they were but just had the goal of finishing. Oh, the goals of 2020 I have in mind already but, one page at a time.




Speaking of which, that race was Javelina Jundred. As Kimberley Newberry (Mile Long Legs on YouTube) described, it's "Burning Man for runners". Though I wasn't a participant, I took in all of what the environment had, including the sea of crew tents, the food court area, and the beer garden. I stood at the loop start/finish line and could see runners of many ages and abilities from elites to a woman who appeared to be in her 60s. What an amazing community and I can't wait to join them in the future.

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  Costumes are incouraged

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  Kaci, overall female winner

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Let's shift to another subject: nutrition! As I mentioned having a huge change in heart about running, I also have made changes to my overall perspective on many things. Now, this is going to go against a lot of principles I've promoted in the past. I've been down the path of being a stickler for tracking food, whether it's with containers or macros or whatever. I was recently watching some of Steph Bruce's videos and she mentioned how you'll rarely see elite runners tracking their nutrition. Clearly I'm not an elite runner but I literally paused the video and said out loud, "Holy crap, she's so right". I've finally decided to step away from the community of individuals who are obsessed with trying to have "perfect" nutrition and burning millions of calories to just rolling with the punches. It's been three weeks now since I've logged a meal and it feels so good. Now, I'm not saying I'm just shoving whatever I want in my mouth. I'm mindful of my habits. I've been doing this for so long that I could probably tell you from memory the macros of specific meals. I'm also enjoying the foods I love to eat as well, including the burrito that was the size of my face. If you've ever rolled your eyes at me promoting things in the past then I apologize. Though I'm not here to impress anyone or think you need to be doing what I do, I also do want to flip the switch and promote healthy living by living free from the square you could end up standing in forever. I think my husband is also happy to not have me obsessing over specific numbers anymore. No hate on those that like to keep things by the book in a book or app or whatever. This is just how I'm going to roll from now on to keep my everyday life as stress-free as possible. I feel more alive than ever and that says a lot. Speaking of which, you know I'm a vegetarian but I've embarked on a 30-day challenge of being vegan. It was "World Vegan Day" on November 1st so I figured, what better day to start.

We'll see how far I get. Which brings us to the end of this entry and surprise, a new recipe share! Though we're still sitting in the 80s here in Arizona, it's Fall, and that means I want all of the savory things.

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I hate turning on my oven when it's hot out but I really wanted to make this recipe. This is vegan stuffed acorn squash! While the recipe calls for quinoa, I *forgot* it at the store but always have brown rice on hand. It worked just fine, it just took longer to cook. It's spiced up with some sage, thyme, cinnamon, and pepper as well as walnuts and cranberries. So friggin' good and it tasted like Thanksgiving. I'll share the recipe link here. It can feed 4 or have leftovers for 2!




Well, now I'm hungry so I guess we'll cut it off there. Thanks for coming by! With more training ahead, we'll see what the week brings.