As I think about my blog, I realize that it started as a blog about being a new runner, for other new runners.  It transitioned into a blog about training for my first half marathon, with a lot of lessons learned along the way and motivational strategies thrown in.

Now that I’m tapering for my second half marathon, it makes me think about my running goals.  What I’ve realized, is that I want to focus on living my best running life.  That might mean training for another half marathon in the spring, or it might mean getting faster for a 10k and enjoying that goal.  It might mean planning another race vacation, or trying to run 5 days a week instead of three or four so I get my positive exercise endorphins more frequently.

It definitely means finding ways to eat healthier, find balance in my training, and live my best running life possible… and recognizing that it will keep changing.

I want to keep running, and to keep evaluating how to make running work for me in my life to live the best running life possible.

Living my best running life means eating more plant based whole foods, so I’ll be sharing some of those recipes here!

For starters, here’s what we had for dinner a few nights ago.  It features wheat berries, a less processed version of a wheat kernel that are high in protein and fiber.  They’ve got a chewy texture and a slightly nutty flavor that I love combined with comforting flavors like olives, spinach and tomatoes.  I buy them from the bulk food bins at Whole Foods – and the cost of enough wheat berries for a full dinner (two helpings each) for Greg and I was a whopping $1.17.  Makes it easier to splurge on high quality tomatoes, olives, and fresh greens!

Red Wheatberries – Mediterranean Style

1 onion, diced

1 T olive oil

1 package baby spinach or baby spinach & kale mix

3/4 cup chopped & pitted kalamata olives

2 cups red wheat berries

1 can (28 oz) diced san marzano tomatoes with juices

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sautee the onions until transluscent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the wheat berries and the diced tomatoes with juices.  Turn heat to low and cover.  Simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if the pan starts to dry out.  Once the wheat berries are tender (but still chewy), add the mixed greens and stir over low heat just until wilted.  Remove from heat, add kalamata olives, and serve.

What does your best running life look like, and how can you get there?

 

Hope you’re enjoying the beautiful autumn outdoors 🙂

 

I did my last 10 mile run for my second half marathon yesterday… now I have two weeks of tapering, and another 13.1 to look forward to!  I did 10.68 miles of scenic running, and felt great afterwards.

After my half marathon on November 10th, I’m wondering what comes next!  I plan to reduce my distance running over the winter because it’ll be less enjoyable to be outside in the limited daylight hours and colder temperatures.

Hoping to find good ways to keep running part of my life, work on my running and life balance, and get faster for the spring!

As part of my running life balance, I’m going to be blogging less frequently.  I have closets that need to be cleaned out so there’s space for our winter mittens, a garage that is too filled with strollers rather than cars, and meal plans to be made if we’re going to keep eating healthy without wasting food and relying on meat-filled meals because those are the recipes I’m most familiar with.

I’ll still be here.  Just with a little more balance 🙂

Thanks to everyone who took the Reader Survey!  It was less than 10 percent of my average daily hits, so I’m giving people a few more days before I share results!

 

 

UPDATE: This was the last turkey I ever ate – I became a vegan less than two weeks later after watching the documentaries Forks Over Knives and Vegucated.  Read more about my life-changing decision (and why I’m so much happier and healthier) here!

Ok, so a Turkey doesn’t have much to do with running.  Until you have company and decide to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for them the night before your long run.  Couple glasses of white wine, huge turkey dinner, three slices of pie… I was feeling a bit apprehensive about my 10 miles scheduled for Thursday afternoon!

So I cut it down to 8 miles.

But then my hamstring started to bother me at mile 2, and I freaked out about the possibility of making it worse and came home after only 4.5 miles.

Whoops.

And yet… I’m not going to worry about it.  I’ll go for a run tomorrow, hopefully my hamstring will be fine, and I feel pleased that I didn’t cancel either my Turkey dinner plans or my long run.  I just tried to do the best I could with each one, and knew I might run a little less or a little slower, but I was getting the most enjoyment out of life by not making myself choose between them.

I wouldn’t eat a Turkey dinner or drink wine the night before a race, but for one out of many training runs?  Sure.

How different is that from my first half marathon training, when I used to have weird dreams the night before every long run, and stress out about being able to complete them?

It’s nice to have running be so normal that I’m not panicking about working my life around it the same way I used to.  I run when I can, and keep my schedule as much as possible, but I’m flexible, too.  I’ll hit 16 miles this week instead of 21.  I’m pretty sure my 13.1 in November will happen just the same.

Because after all, once you’re past 10 miles a week, the rest is just for fun, right?

 

Lately I’ve been having trouble getting organized and finding enough time to eat a good breakfast or a good recovery snack when I come home from a long run.  So this week, while I was making dinner for Greg and I one night, I threw a pot of beans on and a pot of rice on specifically to keep in the fridge.  With some shredded cheese, spinach tortillas, and jarred salsa, we now had ingredients on hand in the fridge to make vegetarian burritos any time of day.

I know that breakfast burritos traditionally have eggs or other more breakfast-y ingredients in them, but I don’t really LIKE eggs in my burritos, so I decided I’d just as soon eat a regular burrito with my coffee in the morning.

They make a great post-run snack, too.  The beans and rice keep for days in the fridge, and assemble in no time to become a quickly microwavable meal.  I lay the ingredients rather flat on the tortilla, microwave for 45 seconds on high, then wrap and let cool slightly before eating.

Suddenly, I have more energy in the mornings because I’ve had a complete breakfast instead of a few slices of toast or some cereal.  (I actually despise cereal, which is really inconvenient since it’s so fast, easy, and my kids’ breakfast of choice.)  Too many quick breakfast options are high in carbs and sugar without having enough protein to stick with you for the morning… which is one reason I really love a rice, bean and cheese breakfast burrito.  It keeps me full!

The kids will even eat them for lunch if I don’t have anything else planned.

 

I’ll have to do this more often!

What ways do you make eating breakfast / post-run snacks easier?