My thought progression during my run today; feeling tight➡️ you can't take five miles to warm up during the marathon ➡️ panic - can't hit my paces ➡️ text P to come pick me up.....
Marathon Meltdown / Peak Training Week
Closed out this week with 75 miles, including the last 21 miler before Chicago!! But the best part of it is that P still loves me, despite the fact that I threw a three hour fit of epic proportions on Friday. After a long week, it was just a special mix of insomnia, hormones, and peak training tiredness. I realized I was in the wrong corral for the Chicago Marathon and the deadline to change has already passed. I've been checking weekly and hadn't been able to see my corral until Friday. I think psychologically speaking, it was just the last banana and I was so mad at myself for missing the deadline. After working so hard this season, how could I have overlooked that??
Roasted Banana Caramel Swirl Vegan Ice Cream
I have been lactose intolerant since before it was a 'thing'. The older I get, the more sensitive I am to even the smallest amounts of dairy. That being said, I don't even want to eat ice cream anymore because it makes me feel so terrible. One of my goals for the summer was to perfect a recipe for vegan ice cream. After many trials and tribulations, I realized there were four major problems. SPOILER ALERT. I SOLVED THEM ALL and Roasted Banana Salted Date Caramel Swirl was born! I think this is one of the best recipes I've ever developed!
Snakes on a Trail/on my leg . . .
After climbing rocks, descending on gravel, running through sand, and climbing under and over trees, the only painful part of my body after running 20 miles at the Cumberland Plateau Stage Race was where I got stung. The pain of the sting/bite completely stopped me in my tracks out there on the trails. I screamed and yelled bad words. After the race packet suggested learning to identify poisonous and non-poisonous snakes and their bites, I looked around for snakes and checked to see if I had been stabbed by a stick or something, that is how painful it was. When the swelling and pain got worse 72+ hours after the race, I thought I better get things checked out by a doctor!
Cumberland Plateau Stage Race
This weekend I ran in the Cumberland Plateau Stage Race! My very first long trail race! I participated in Stage 2, which was 20 miles. I had a 20 mile run on my training schedule, so I thought this was a more enjoyable alternative to road running! I was excited about the shade while running in the woods, soft trails, and a brand new course!
Watermelon Cocktail
Last week, we found out Lainee Lou Hou relapsed, Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia is back. The medications kicked in last weekend, and have bared their teeth through the week.
To end a particularly stressful week, because Wednesday was National Watermelon Day, and because both Lainee and I LOVE watermelon, I thought it would be fitting to share this recipe today!
Burrata, Peaches, Cherry Tomatoes, and Grilled Sourdough Bread
Every summer, there is one dish that dominates mealtime. We try to make it whenever possible. Last year it was Grilled Romaine and the year before that, it was Heirloom Tomato Panzanella. This year, the winner is this lovely compliation of everything that is in peak season right now!
Educate, Show Up, and Choose Love
Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. I wish I had more eloquent words to share. I've done lots of reading and listening and processing over the last two weeks. Here are my takeaways and links to helpful resources.
US Olympic Track Team Trials and Tour de France: Inspiration for #TrackTuesday
My inspiration and motivation came from watching the US Olympic Team Trials and the Tour de France. It is so inspiring to watch them during their big events, but even more so to think of the path they took to get there.
Summer in a Bowl (BEST SALAD EVER)
This salad has a different name in our house, but it has a bad word in it, and I know there could be some of my GOTRs that read this, so I am keeping it out of this part. The first time I made this salad was on my birthday which is April 30th, and it was after my first bite that I gifted this salad its signature name. We had it every day that week, and since then we've had it every week.