drinking water like its my job

 this week has been a recovery/cutback week.

it felt great. i've needed it.

 i feel rested and strong again.

today was a 12 mile long run.

rich ran with me the first couple miles.

and then i headed toward woodward park

to finish the remaining 10 with a few hills.

took my handheld with me.

and yes, i still love it. 

don't even really notice it anymore.

i did really make sure that i kept on the

hydrating routine.

felt really great the whole run.

nice and strong.

here's the stats:

12.16mi./2:01:30/avg 9:59/avgHR153

this week is gonna be busy.

i start school tmr.

chem class mon, wed, fri. at 9am, with lab mon at 10

nutrition class wed night.

so excited.

and i have 50 miles on my schedule this week

monday: strength/core

tuesday: 10 miles LT w/5@8:30

wed:  4 mi recovery

thurs: 11 miles med/long run

fri: rest

sat: 7 mi. general aerobic w/8 strides

sunday: 18 mi long run

last week of vacation for the kids.

they've been enjoying the skatepark

and eating lots of ice cream.

can't believe summer is almost over.

went by WAY too fast.

learning from a master.

headed out for my run this a.m.

so this hydration/fueling issue
has been weighing on my mind for a while now.
i had this sinking feeling
that it would be my downfall during my marathon.
i needed to get a plan down so that during the race i will know exactly how often to drink/fuel.
after my 16 miler last weekend.,
the whole chills thing had me researching more and i knew i was not hydrating enough. (thanks for worrying about me grandpa & pattie :)) i figured i only drank about 30 or so ounces of water the entire run.
not enough!
i sweat like a pig and the weather isn't even that hot.
i usually run early in the morning when its nice and cool,
and i still come back from runs covered in salt.
usually i have white patches on my arms, legs and face from the accumulation of salt. so gross.
so i know i need to drink.  my problem is always how to carry it, & how often i should be drinking.  i have a fuel belt, which i hate.  the thing is so bulky and jostles around, and is not the least bit comfortable.  i've tried to make the best of it.  so i don't usually carry water. i plan my routes so that i will have access to water fountains, and usually just grab a few sips whenever i pass one.  but that is not the only problem.  my friend, katie, went with me on my run last weekend on her bike, and she carried my water, and i still didn't drink anything until about mile 5.5.  i drank when i gu'd. we were chatting so much that time just flew by and i hadn't drank anything. i know i need to pay more attention to hydrating.  so i've been emailing with my new running coach...just kidding.( hi tony!) and he's been so graciously giving me tons of advice.  i told him about my frustration with hydration/fueling and he gave me the ins & outs on how to become a HYDRATION MASTER. 
1. lose the fuel belt...get a handheld waterbottle...he recommended this.
2. sip gatorade or GU brew from said waterbottle every half mile...refill every 7 or 8 miles.
3. gel every 45 mins
4. use a salt tablet every hour.
how could i question what a Western States 100 mile endurance finisher is telling me??  I was out the door and at REI buying my new handheld water bottle within 30 minutes. i would have been there quicker, but the kids took a long time to put on their shoes. LOL seriously. i tried to hunt down the salt tablets too, but no luck...so i just ordered them online.  should have those soon!
so this morning, i was like a kid at christmas time. so excited!  i couldn't wait to use my new waterbottle/hydration plan. i weighed myself before my run and i was 142. my plan was to weigh myself after, to see how much i'd lost. so i took off about 5:30 or so for my 8 miler with gatorade (that is what they're having at the marathon) in my handheld.  the bottle is super comfortable...problem is that its cold.  now if you know me...you know i have issues with always being cold, plus i have Raynaud's Syndrome.  my fingers like to go numb when they come in contact with anything cold. so when i set out...i wasn't sure  if this was going to work, but by half mile, when i took my first sip...my fingers/hand was fine. no worries. by the first mile...i was in love. this handheld bottle is OSOM!!  seriously, love it.  and by the end of the run, i didn't even notice it anymore.  i made sure to sip every half mile and gel'd at 45 mins. the whole run really felt great. i wasn't as tired as i usually feel, especially the last few miles, and i'm sure that's from being more hydrated.  i weighed in at 140 when i got home, so i guess i still need to drink more.  8 easy miles in 1:19:15. avg pace 9:53, avg HR 152.  all in all, a good run, and i think i'm on my way to becoming a HYDRATION MASTER...thanks tony!

new shoes & a race.

last week i retired my white/purple nike pegasus' with 430 miles on them.

i loved them, so comfortable.

the perfect fit.

i needed to get another pair of shoes,

so i could have two pairs to rotate.

i've been eyeing up the new pegasus 27's

and tried them on at sports authority

and they felt great.

so i ordered them online.

roadrunnersports.com was having a killer sale

and i got free shipping!
well, my new shoes showed up on my doorstep last night.

i tore open the box and just smelled them.

i couldn't wait to take them for a spin.

so i got up this morning and laced up for my 8 miler.

they felt OSOM. so cushiony! (is that a word)

i leave the house about 5:25

and its pitch dark...

no problem...there's some light from the streetlights

until this one spot...and of course they're doing road construction

so i'm cruising on the sidewalk for a while,

and then i see they have the sidewalk torn apart

so i need to hop back on the street

and of course, i step right into a giant mud puddle.

my new shoes were not very happy with me.

i had only run about .3 of a mile and this happens.

ohh well. they're broken in now.

but the important thing is...they felt great the whole run.

8.03mi in 1:18:30 w/5x100m strides

avg HR 153

avg pace 9:46

and i mailed in my registration form

for the smokey bear 10k run

in september.

really excited about this race.

its small and hopefully i will be able to run a PR.

plus some awesome friends are running it too :)

this week is a cutback week

so here is what's on my schedule:

wed: 5 recovery miles

thurs: 8 mi easy

fri: rest/cross-train

sat: 4 recovery miles

sun: 12 mi

next week is my first 50 mile week! eeek!

strength training

this is my favorite all-time exercise dvd.

i started using this dvd when i first was losing weight

over a 18 months ago.

it is awesome.

it has 3 different levels,

you start with level 1, and after 2 weeks,

add on level 2, then after 2 more weeks

add on level 3.

i worked through the progression a long time ago,

so now i just do the whole video about once a week.

it is a serious workout for your butt, legs, core & arms.

i love it.

bob shows you the exercises but also ways to make them harder.

and he's really motivating.

it never fails that i am sore for a couple days after doing this dvd.

sore... in a good way.

strength training is really important.

especially when i was trying to lose weight.

it builds lean muscle, which burns more fat.

plus...when you're done working out

your metabolism is still burning calories.

but strength training is vital now to keep my legs and core strong

so i'm able to run the high mileage i've been.

the dvd runs about an hour...

and at the end i am dripping sweat.

i love it.

serious inspiration

in need of inspiration?

take a look here
tony is a friend of my sister, lisa.
i have not had the pleasure of meeting him
but would love to.
he just finished the Western States 100 mile Endurance Run.
so amazing!!

the perfect run

i don't think a run could get any better.

the weather was perfect this morning

and the company even better.

katie offered to ride her bike with me this morning

and be my pitcrew.

of course, i was super excited.

i was a wee bit nervous for my 16 miler

this is the longest i have ever run

and i was supposed to run 10 miles at marathon pace

which i hoped would be 9:30 pace per mile.

to say i was nervous...

would have been an understatement.

so i was stoked that katie offered to come.

got up about 5am...wanted to make sure

i ate something (1/2 banana, bagelthin w/pb2 & coffee)

and went to the bathroom before i left.

been having stomach issues as of late...

but i think its cuz i don't get up early enough to eat

and go to the bathroom before i leave.

so i wanted to iron out my nutrition & prerace fuel

and fueling during the run.

used my new gas cap

w/3 gu's

the cap is awesome.

the gu's stay put and you don't even feel them

definitely worth the 20 bucks.

got to katie's at about 6 and we took off.

the first five miles were on the trail

and then we got to woodward park and i Gu'd there

the eaton trail was busy this morning

and the miles were flying by

we were chatting away and having lots of fun

gu'd @ mile 10 as we were leaving woodward park

and got back on the bike trail

just drinking water every so often

then about 13.5 i got the chills

figured i should gu again. so i did.

i LOVE chocolate GU.

and drank a bunch of water.

feeling good...we're cruising along until we arrive back at katie's.

right after...chugged a bottle of water

and a slimfast

and drove home.

jumped in an ice bath

and i'm feeling awesome.

was wicked excited when i saw the stats of my run.

for those 10 miles i averaged 9:27.

GOAL MET!!

10:42

10:12

10:20

10:11

10:17

9:53

9:17 HR159

9:23 HR160

9:24 HR159

9:22 HR159

9:40 HR158

9:40 HR158

9:41 HR157

9:36HR156

9:32 HR158

9:19 HR160

2:00(9:24)HR 160

so excited.

16.21 miles in 2:38:29 average HR 155

and

i'm craving pizza :)

so yesterday was my tempo run day

and i was not really looking forward to it

why?

cuz my right quad has been bugging me...

not really pain...

just a stiffness/soreness

like you get after lifting weights or something.

i think it's time for new shoes...

my beloved nike pegasus' have a little more than 400 miles on them

and they need to be retired.

so i wasn't sure how my quad was going to react

when i asked it to go fast.

i figured i would just take the first couple warm-up miles slow

and see how it went...

rich had massaged it the night before and

i really stretched it well before i ran

so the plan was 9 miles w/4@ 8:45pace
the first 2 miles were fine..took them nice and slow..10:36, 9:45

the leg felt great...just like new

lots of pep

so at mile 3 i took off

love to go fast

checked garmin to see my pace & heart rate

wanted to keep my HR between 156-171

which is my optimal HR for a tempo run

(according to Pfitzinger is 77-88% of heart rate reserve)

8:33 (HR160), 8:38 (HR165), 8:28 (HR169), 8:37(HR169)

so excited...made my goal

the last mile was HARD

finished the run with 3 cool-down miles

10:02, 9:54, 9:38

and when i got home i had a BIG glass of chocolate milk

i deserved it :)

i've pretty much settled on a redemption race...

the smokey bear run/10k

saturday september 25th

its a pretty small race

about an hour from here

in other news. the kids have started running

i can't tell you how happy this makes me.

shan wants to do cross county for school

and ryne is just running

both kids and even drew have been taking turns on the treadmill :)

i told them it would be fun to do a family 5k

so i think the plan is to do the komen breast cancer 5k in oct as a family.

ryne has already been saying...

"i have to run tmr mom...so i better drink more water"

he has been running 2-3 miles a day

so proud of him :)

july recap.

so the month of july just flew by

monthly miles: 160.89

rest days: 8 days

miles to date for the year: 600.52

longest run: 14.08 in 2:24:36

current favorite drink: water...can't get enough water

current song: ok...my ipod was ruined while on vacation, but before that my power song was naturally by selena gomez...shan got me hooked on that one...

current triumph: 6 mi tempo run in 52:18

current bane of my existence: my right quad has been giving me fits...just noticed it being a little sore...not sure when it happened..but rich has been massaging it and it feels SO much better.

current goal: i have a long run this weekend...16 miles...longest to date w/ 10 miles at marathon pace...shooting for 9:30 pace for those 10 miles

current blessing: that i am healthy and am able to run. god has given me this gift and i'm so grateful.

back at it.

well vacation was so fun and relaxing.

we had the best time.

ate TONS of boardwalk fare

soaked up some sun

froze a little bit

played in the sand

put our toes in the ocean

rode some rollercoasters

ate pizza my heart

in capitola

& twice in santa cruz

and i think i gained 5 lbs. literally.

but yesterday i was back at it.

training...

with a renewed focus.

i have 100 days til the marathon.

eeeek!

yesterday i ran an easy 8,

and this morning ran an easy 10

my "easy" pace is getting faster & faster

today it averaged 9:52

i'm so excited...

i'm thinking my marathon pace could possibly be 9:15-9:30

maybe?

tmr is a recovery run of 5 miles

and then

sunday is my first 15 miler!
can't wait!!!

wharf to wharf race report

so we were finally on our way...

i couldn't believe it.

rich still wasn't feeling the best,

but he was going to make a go of it

and we were all excited

to get this vacation started.

finally got to santa cruz

and it was FREEZING.

we couldn't believe it

it had never been this cold...56 degrees @ midday

so crazy.

had some food and checked out the race route.

such a gorgeous 6 mile course right along the ocean...

beautiful.

got up sun morning at about 6 or so.

had a bagelthin w/pb2 and a banana

got ready and was out the door

by a little bit after 7

met up with my friend, lisa & her friends at the shuttle

we rode the shuttle and made it to the start line

the crowd was HUGE

we got in line to use the bathroom

and waited

and waited...

for about 45 minutes.

the race started while we were in line for the port-a-potties

such a huge crowd...

it took ten minutes for me to hit the starting line

and from there on i stayed to the left hand side of the road

and weaved in and out

i was running up on curbs & even in the dirt

about half mile in, the road narrowed and i was walking...

walking...

i couldn't believe it.

first mile 10:24

second mile was just as crowded...

still dodging & weaving

mile 2...10:01

third mile was still packed...

i remember there being an uphill and thought people would slow

and move to the right...

nope they started walking right in front of me.

still weaving in & out

i was passing people on the hills

felt so great!

mile 3...9:17

i felt like i could not get going...

i would surge when i could and then would have to slow down..

it was driving me bonkers

mile 4...8:43

mile 5...8:57

last mile...things started to open up a bit...

followed a girl who was clipping along pretty fast

stayed with her

until the final downhill

when she pulled away.

i felt like i could finally run

and i was running fast

mile 6...8:25

last 300 feet i was running at a 6:49 pace

so happy for it to be over

final time was 56:08 by garmin

official time was 1:07:00 since everyone has the same start time

i had fun, but didn't feel like i had my best race

headed over to the beach to grab my goodie bag & t-shirt

and took the shuttle back to the hotel

i didn't feel tired or worn out

my best race is yet to come

picture of lisa, laura, & me in the porta-pottie line :)

so...as i write this

we are going.

it's been up in the air.

the kids have been sick.

rich is sick.

not much of a fun vacation to santa cruz

w/my little race tucked in the middle

with a sick family.

but we are going.

we're gonna make the best of it.

rich is being a trooper.

he knows it means alot to me.

i've been training for about 14 weeks.

not specifically for this race,

but for my marathon in november.

but this race is important.

it's a marker to see how far i've come.

my original goal

when i signed up to do the 6 miles was 54:00

and i thought that was a stretch.

in fact, on the race sign-up it asks approx finish time...

and i put...57:00.

i was scared.

scared i wouldn't make my goal.

last week, i ran a 6 mi training run in 52:18.

that just amazes me.

i'm my own worst critic.

rich tells me all the time

that i sell myself short.

he's right.

i need to just shoot for the moon.

i may just suprise myself.
the other 14,999 people running on sunday

better watch out :)

new improved goal...

51:30

run.

in april 2009, when i started on this journey to get healthy
i had no idea that it would lead me to where i am today.

what was my motivation? & how did i do it?
i was tired of being tired...
just wanting to lose weight & feel better about myself...
i didn't want to wear a size 16/18 anymore...
i didn't want my legs to rub together anymore...
i didn't want to be embarrassed of myself anymore...
that decision brought me to weight watchers...
& exercising...
which brought me quiet, alone time with my Savior on that treadmill...
everyday...
HE helped me realize what a special person i was...
it was impressed upon my heart, like never before...
what my savior did for ME...
and how much HE loved ME...
and how much i needed HIM...
that time spent with HIM was savored and treasured & looked forward to...
everyday...
it was where i realized...
HE is with me always...
HE is my strength...
HE has forgiven me...
HE has given me new life...
HE is my purpose...
HE is my love.
which ultimately, led me to LOVE running
which brought me back to my love of competitive sports
which motivates me to make healthy eating & exercising a permanent change...
for me and my family.
a change that will honor HIM...
our bodies are HIS temples...
i strive to be healthy & run
in thanksgiving to HIM.
i run to HIM
& for HIM.

edit: photo added later.

found my new tempo...FAST

well...fast for me anyways :)
you guessed it...it was tempo run day.
love tempo runs.
especially after a day of rest,
my legs felt so fresh.

on the schedule...
8 mi w/6 @ 9:00
was actually hoping to beat my last 6 mi.tempo run
from a couple weeks ago (53:34)

headed out and it was still dark,
but seemed to lighten up pretty quickly this morning.
a couple times i wondered if i had looked at the clock wrong
and left later...but nope... normal time.
so just cruised along for my warm up mile,
stopped for a second to stretch before i hit the tempo miles.
and then at mile 2 i was off.
i got up to speed and the legs felt awesome.
look down at garmin and i'm cruising at about 8:15 pace
WHAT???
better slow down.
slowed it down...and tried to keep it at about 8:45 pace or so.
just cruising now....
miles 3 & 4 felt tough for some reason.
stopped quickly to get a drink at the fountain
and i was off again.
TONS of people on the trail today
bootcamps going on and lots of people walking.
tried to really push it the last mile,
then an easy mile cool-down.
here's the splits.
i was so EXCITED to see them when i got home

10:20, 8:22, 9:02,8:50, 8:37, 8:51, 8:36, 9:55, 1:02(8:59)

8.11 miles total
avg. pace for whole run was 9:04
for 6 tempo miles 52:18 WOW!!! that is a new PR for me.
i can't wait for santa cruz.
i'm just a little worried about how big the hills might be.
i think i'll do one or two of my runs this week over at woodward park
to get in some hill work.

ohhh and i got my new Gas Cap in the mail yesterday.
tried it for the run this morning.
super comfortable & holds the GU's tightly without any movement.
didn't use any GU's on this run, but took them along for the ride.
plus its super cute :)

a surprise...and a sunrise run

i've been following the pfitz plan pretty closely and today was a scheduled long run of 13 miles

no problem..had it on my schedule since the beginning.

surprise arises when...

i pick-up the book again from the library yesterday...

and its the second edition book.

had no idea they updated the book...and the training plans.

so i'm looking over all the updates to the book

and training plans and notice that my long run of 13 miles

now includes...8 miles at marathon pace.

wish i would have known that before i did an hour of strength training/core work

ok.

well...i really don't know what my marathon pace is going to be.

or what i'm capable of.

based on my last 6 mi tempo run time (53:34)

from the mcmillan calculator... MP is 9:58.

and from vdot calculator ...MP is 9:41.

so my plan was to try to run in between those two times.

rich was working today, and its going to be 103 degrees today...

so i needed to get an early start this morning.

woke up at 4:45.

and was out the door at 5.

legs felt tired right away from the strength/core work

i did yesterday.

and i couldn't see my garmin to tell if i was on pace

because it was PITCH DARK!!

i stayed on the sidewalk/trail until things lightened up.

the run itself was pretty uneventful.

but after a couple miles my legs loosened up

and i got in a groove.

here's the splits: (need to figure out how to just copy info from garminconnect)

10:45

10:08

10:12

10:30

10:28

9:59

9:54

9:55

9:59

9:44

9:50

9:39

9:37

0:56(9:07)

yay! i did it. i can't believe it! those 8 miles averaged out to about 9:52 pace.

so excited. and this is just the beginning of marathon training.

13.1 mi. total

avg pace 10:02

2:11:36

weekly total 40.02 miles

yearly total 505.23

off to go rest up, eat, and pack.

gonna spend a couple days with my sister.

you know it was a good workout when...

you look like you just got out of the swimming pool
and sweat is dripping from the bill of your hat :)

yep...love those kinds of workouts.
had intevals to do today.
the goal was 8 mi total w/6 x 800m @ 4:05 (400m RI-3:00)

i was thinking of heading to the track this a.m.
but...decided to sleep in a little bit
and do the workout on the treadmill instead.
i wore my garmin just to keep track of my heart rate...

so i'd have an idea how hard i was working.

started out with 2 easy miles warm-up (10:30, 10:30)...felt great

HR 141 4:03 HR 165
HR 141 4:03 HR 166

HR 136 4:00 HR 170
HR 146 3:58 HR 172

HR 145 3:56 HR 172

HR 152 3:50 HR 174

this one felt so great...i decided to do another one...

HR 147 3:47 HR 174

2 easy miles cool-down. (10:00, 10:30)

9 total miles...about 90 minutes

how did your workout go today?

happy running.

week 2

glad today is a rest day...up late last night watching fireworks and hanging out with good friends. i ate way too much. i tried to be really good with my eating the whole time, but as the night wore on...i splurged with a piece of strawberry pizza and some snacky stuff.

well...the first week of training is in the books. all went well. and today is a rest day. gonna plan on stretching a bunch & resting my legs.

got my race packet in the mail for the wharf to wharf race on the 25th. i'm #1914. i'm getting really excited for this race. Lots of fun, family & friends :)

this weeks plan:

monday: rest day
tuesday: 5 mi easy core/strength
wednesday: 6 mi easy
thursday: speedwork 8 mi total w/6 x 800 @4:05
friday: core/strength
saturday: 5 easy
sunday: 13 mi long run

total mileage for week: 37 miles

a little speed

went to bed early last night...
i was a little bit nervous for my run today.
on the schedule was a tempo run...
8 miles w/6@9:15.
this is basically a simulation of my race
at the end of the month.
my goal for the race is to go sub 54:00
and this tempo run would give me a good indication
if my goal was even attainable.

the alarm went off at 5:15.
got up...threw on my shoes, garmin, ipod, & hat
ate a yogurt,
and headed out the door.
the first mile was a warm-up..
felt good.
eased into a faster pace...
and surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as i thought.
the whole run felt really good.
during the last mile, i started to get a mild headache..
dehydration.
need to drink more.
but i did it...
here's my times for the run
10:16,8:57,9:01,9:01,8:55,8:59,8:41,10:23
the first and last miles are warm-up, cooldown

by my calculation, i ran 53:34 for the 6 miles.
i'm beyond excited.

also added up my mileage for the month of june...
138.93 miles
that is the most i have run in a month...
ever.

total for the year so far is 447.67
not bad considering i didn't run for 2 months.

off to read my new runner's world magazine that just came in the mail :)
happy running.

just a few of my favorite things

PB2- i absolutely adore this stuff. peanut butter...guilt free.
pb2-powedered peanut butter
ingredients: roasted peanuts, sugar, salt
serving size: 2 tblsp.
calories: 45
calories from fat: 13
fiber: 2 grams
protein: 5 grams


vs. traditional peanut butter
serving size: 2 tblsp.
calories:190
calories from fat:130

once you try it...you will never go back to traditional peanut butter. it's super easy to use. just mix with a little bit of water and voila...yummy goodness. they also have tons of recipes on their website.





the gas cap. i just saw this the other night. i want one of these SO bad. right now on my long runs, i use this cumbersome hydration belt. its so heavy and jostles up and down when i run. but it is a necessity. it holds my water and my fuel for my runs, not to mention it holds my keys and my cell phone as well. but this cap would be an awesome alternative. it has the ability to carry keys and hold up to 6 energy gels, plus its super cute. don't you think?






thomas' bagel thins






100% whole wheat bagelthins. these things are awesome.
great for sandwiches or just toasted with some pb2. this is my favorite post-workout snack.










GU energy gels.


these are my favorite way to fuel up
during a long run. chocolate outrage is the yummiest flavor ever made. tastes like chocolate frosting.


these are a few of my favorite things right now.
do you have any favorites??

its all about the plan

i'm really excited to finally get going on training.

i've been combing over tons and tons of training plans

for what seems like forever,

and after much thinking and reading, and contemplating...

i've decided on the pete pfitzinger's 18/55 plan (18weeks long/55 miles per week at peak)

from his book advanced marathoning.

with a first marathon...the goal should be JUST to finish.

but i would like to finish, but under 4:30:00, and maybe even...

dare i say it...4:20:00.

so i've laid it out...those are my A,B, & C goals.

i've been working on building up my base weekly mileage for the last couple months,

along with training for the Wharf to Wharf 6 mi race

in Santa Cruz on july 25th.

this race will give me an idea on what my fitness is...

so i will be able to plan training times for my runs.

the first 3 weeks of my marathon training with take into consideration

my 6 mi race coming up, so it is a mix of both training plans.

i also added in a lower mileage week, the week of my race.

so the plan is for this week is:

monday: strength/core

tues: 7 miles easy run + 10x100m strides

wed: 5 mi. recovery

thurs: 8 mi total, 6 mi tempo @9:15

fri: rest

sat: 5 mi easy + strength/core

sun: 12 mi long run

weekly total: 37 miles

looking back...and ahead

so i found this old picture of me the other night...

all i can say is wow!

i don't even know who that person is anymore.

i just can't stop staring at it...

it's like i never really saw myself like that.

its really strange.

but i am a different person now.

i'm trying to eat healthy..

for me...

and for my family.

i feel really guilty because i was not a good role model for my kids when it came to eating.

it was always junk food galore at our house.

but i've come to think of food in a different way now.

food is fuel.

food is fuel.

what does my body NEED?

sure...i would love a big sundae

but i will regret eating it when my body doesn't feel good after.

food is fuel.

that has been my mantra over the past year.

i've really tried to educate myself on everything nutrition...

what to eat...

and why.

read tons

and tons

of books.

and along the way...

i have found two things that i'm very passionate about...

running

and helping people eat better & be healthier.

it starts with just one change...

then another...

and another.

looking ahead.

i'm excited...

i've decided to run a marathon.

two cities marathon november 7th

here in fresno.

i officially started my training today.

and

i will be taking a nutrition class @ city college

this semester...

with the hopes of becoming a dietician someday :)

i'm gonna try to post my training

and recipes

and other stuff

that i come across

that helps me stay healthy.