Tag: Run

• Brain Splurge with a Side of Fun Facts

  Posted at 6:43 AM by Brittany, on December 30, 2014

  Whole lotta random coming atcha in 3…2…1…

  – Christmas was great this year, calm and casual just the way I like it. I gifted my mom tickets to see one of my favorite artists, because he happens to be playing with the Seattle Symphony. I knew she would like the symphony, and I would like him. Win.

  

  Fun Fact: I’ve never been to a concert. Unless you count a local radio stations throw together of artists that I went to when I was 12 with my friend and her dad. All I remember is a light up pin and ear plugs. I’m not going to count that.– I escaped to the mountains on another solo hike last week. I decided waiting on other people wasn’t worth it, so off I went with my Mace and kitchen knife.

  

  Fun Fact: I LOVE the look of rustic, old, and tattered things. Buildings, cars, boats, you name it. I drove past that boat pictured above many times and finally stopped to take a picture. Look close and you’ll spy a chicken and a cow.– I have officially entered the world of plant based caramel sauce. I hesitate to say “vegan” because I do use honey, but it’s close enough folks. Here is is pictured with a recipe I plan to share later this week. I’m absolutely obsessed.

  

  Fun Fact: This recipe inspired me to start making more raw like treats.– I’m in Arizona until the 4th of January. Mountains no longer look the same as the above photo from my solo hike. Not a green tree in sight, just red red rocks.

  

  Entering desert land, last of the white mountains.

  

  Fun Fact: Sunshine is a drug, and I’m prepared to overdose.-I’ve started training for my next half marathon in March. Running in Arizona has been an ego boost of sorts. FLAT lands mean quicker paces. Busting out an average 9:20 pace after taking months off doesn’t happen in my area, much too hilly.

  

  Fun Fact: Arizona is having one of its coldest winters. Almost feels like home.

   Q: What’s your fun fact of the day?

  

  | 72 Comments Tagged Arizona, Fun fact, Half Marathon, Random, Run, Vacation

• Elastic Pants, Here I Come

  Posted at 4:01 AM by Brittany, on November 21, 2014

  I’m always craving sweets, always. I eat 75% plants and 25% sweets which usually keeps me satisfied and in balance. On the off chance I don’t get my full 25% portion of sweets, I may splurge to a solid 30-40% instead. This is not a pretty sight.

  I successfully avoided the seasonal Bark Thins at Costco, until yesterday.

  

  Don’t ask how many servings I ate upon opening this package. I will lie to you and say less than one. OK I had more than one…more like..three. I then proceeded to run, do a Jillian Michaels workout, and cool down with an incline walk. If you’re looking for a way to ensure you want NOTHING TO DO WITH all the chocolate this is it.

  I felt sick for hours, resulting in plants on plants on plants for dinner.

  

  I ate 213874 lbs of spinach.

  You win this round Bark Thins.

  Speaking of food, I’m still super jazzed for Thanksgiving. Can we just take a moment to talk about how cute, perfect, and TRUE these cards are!?!

  

  The inside says: “And you. Happy Thanksgiving.”

  Seriously, get these in your life ASAP. Buy them here. Elastic pants, here I come.

  In completely unrelated news I made a smoothie a few days ago that I thought had the taste and texture of butterscotch pudding. I had my mom try some so I could gather information for scientific research(aka an outside opinion), and she said it tasted like a candle. This was moments after my sister said her cereal tasted like dog poop.

  Either my taste buds are skewed, or I should be concerned about what my family does when I’m not around. Or both. Happy Friday!

  Q: Have you had any of the Bark Thin flavors? They are all CRACK, crack I tell you!

  

  | 64 Comments Tagged Plants, Random, Run, Smoothie, Vegan

• Does it Make Me…

  Posted at 8:01 AM by Brittany, on November 10, 2014

  Does it make me out of shape if after doing one day of week one “Ripped in 30” with Jillian Michaels, I was sore for two days? Don’t ask me to pick up dropped items.

  

  My cat has the idea.

  Does it make me a grown up if the thought of having a dog no longer disinterests me? I’m house sitting again, this time with a VERY WELL BEHAVED DOG.

  Does it make me unmotivated if I am counting down the days until I am done with the chemistry class I am taking? I’m going to say yes. Arizona/freedom is calling me.

  

  Can’t.Wait.For.This

  Does it make me soulless if I compare babies and puppies interchangeably? Both I cannot stand, unless well behaved like the aforementioned dog. I don’t do drool.

  Does it make me addicted if all I can think about is sugar? I may be eating my feelings towards school. Just a little. Also, Thanksgiving cannot come soon enough.

  

  

  Face plant

  Does it make me ambitious for walking to the store when I’m fully capable of driving? I didn’t think anything of it until I was asked TWICE by people driving by if I needed a ride. No, I just like to walk? Cars are overrated.

  Does it make me lazy if I’d rather walk than do any other kind of exercise right now? I’m soaking up all the fall colors while I can before the white blanket of death arrives.

  

  Does it make me a bad blogger if this is the best I could come up with for a post?

  Q: Fill in the blank: “Does it make me ________?”

  

  | 60 Comments Tagged Does it Make Me, Fall, Random, Run, School

• Poulsbo Half Marathon – Take Two

  Posted at 3:59 AM by Brittany, on October 16, 2014

  Last Sunday I completed my sixth half marathon, and it was absolutely fantastic.

  

  This was my second time running the Poulsbo half, and it is the only half I’ve repeated thus far. This is also the course that holds my current PR from last year. Everything about this race is my favorite from the course to the time of year. October makes for perfect running weather.

  

  This year Lily was in town to run it too, and she took second female overall. No big deal.

  As for me, the race was just what I expected. My training was on point, and although I didn’t get a PR I was CLOSE. I felt strong the entire race, and didn’t feel the desire to walk despite the massive hills throughout the course. My time was about 2 minutes and 23 seconds slower than last year (and my current PR,) which I was more than OK with.

  I finished with a time of 2:11:52, a 10:03 pace.

  

  I wasn’t sure what to expect with this race because despite finishing all my long runs, my mid week runs were slacking the last couple weeks because I was so wrapped up with school. I also didn’t have “fresh legs” because of all the exploring/hiking Lily and I did the two days prior.

  I think I’ve come to a point where running half marathons are not longer a “big deal.” I didn’t feel nervous, and I was only moderately tired/sore after. I did run this entire race in my Vibram’s, which I had never done before. This contributed to some sore calves, but otherwise they were great. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this race.

  

  I’d also like to thank my giant spaghetti feast and this Texas sized cookie for my prerace fuel.

  My mentality throughout my entire training process and the race itself was they key to my successful run. I smiled, I laughed, I cheered on other runners, and I knew that I had the ability to finish strong. I’m still on such a runners high, & I’m searching for half marathon number #7!

  

  I didn’t stop my watch at 13.1 so this is my time for an extra .04 of a mile. Every second counts.

  Q(s):

  • Runners, what’s your favorite time of year to run?
  • Non runners, what’s your favorite time of year to do outdoor activities?

  

  | 53 Comments Tagged Fall, Half Marathon, October, Race, Run, Vegan

• Adventures with Lily

  Posted at 3:40 AM by Brittany, on October 14, 2014

  I had the pleasure of spending last Thurs-Mon with a dear friend I met through blogging. Lily and I became friends through blogging wayyy back when this little blog first started, and our friendship has blossomed more and more as each day passes. I went to her wedding before we actually met in person, because blogging has a magical way of bringing people together.

  When deciding what to squeeze into the few days she was here, this is what I came up with.

  Hiking

  

  

  

  A four mile hike in the heart of the Olympic Mountains. The views were stunning as per usual.

  

  Playing Tourist

  

  Deciding what baked goods to purchase is serious business.

  I took Lily to Pike Place Market for baked goods (for both), beer (for her), coffee (for me), salmon (for her), and a day of Seattle exploration. I also got a cookie the size of Texas to split.

  

  Half Marathoning

  

  We both ran the Poulsbo half marathon. A separate post dedicated to this race will come later this week, but I’ll just say the race was fantastic, and Lily got 2nd female overall. She is a beast.

  Coffee Dates

  

  Lily humored my love for coffee and went on multiple coffee/tea/beer dates with me. I got coffee every time because I am a square and I like square things. Like black coffee.

  Random Activities

  

  Building a sad yet epic looking haunted house.

  

  Carb loading on pasta and bread pre race.

  

  I got Lily to try a handful of vegan items. The success rate was about 50/50.

  CliffsNotes Version: We ate, we drank, we laughed, we hiked, we ran, and we explored.

  A fantastic weekend with fantastic company.

  Q: Have you made any friends through blogging? I’ve made a handful of solid friends that I cannot imagine my life without!

  

  | 47 Comments Tagged Bloggers, Half Marathon, Run, Seattle, Vegan

• Not My “Standard” Deviation

  Posted at 3:43 AM by Brittany, on October 9, 2014

  My typical daily eats look a little something like this: nut buttes, fruits, veggies, nut butter, cayenne pepper, tempeh, beans, nut butter, cinnamon, and nut butter. Basically I eat the same foods day in and day out, and the only deviations I usually make are for treats. I like to think the wicked healthy diet I eat balances out the treats I allow myself once in a while.

  Sometimes my deviations take me away from my standard treats of just cupcakes and cookies. Sometimes I enjoy being wild. I’m not talking “see you on the 5 o’clock news” wild, I’m talking straying from my clean eats for season themed treats wild. When it’s fall and pumpkins are everywhere, I trip into the genius marketing traps faster than a mating rabbit.

  Let’s take a look at last weeks “pre long run” dessert of choice. FOUR pumpkin Joe-Joe’s, at least 2 tblsp cashew butter, and a solid serving of vanilla coconut ice cream. Twice…in two days.

  

  I thought I had it under control with the pumpkin themed treats by keeping it at one simple and happy box of cookies, but then I began to see pictures online of pumpkin this and pumpkin that…so after my 10 miler I went to Trader Joe’s…again.

  With a sweaty face, and a determined spirit this is what I walked out with…

  Breakfast Foods

  

  I use the term “breakfast food” loosely because I don’t actually eat these for breakfast. I need something of solid substance and these two just aren’t solid in my book. I used the cereal for multiple desserts, and the bagels for a snack. The cereal was good, but the bagels knocked my pants off. I’m talking clear across the room off. Topped w/cashew butter and cinnamon.

  If you take anything away from this post let it be this: get these bagels in your life right now. Don’t even look at the ingredient label, just put them in your cart.

  Snack Foods

  

  Fortunately for me, most of the snack items had dairy in them which made them easy to stay away from. These pita crisps however, did not. I basically had to wrestle my own arm to keep it out of the bag. This is not a safe scenario while driving. These.Are.Un.Real. Get them. Now.

  Dessert Foods

  Also known as, the most important meal of the day. As you already know I snagged a box of the pumpkin Joe-Joe’s, which took me all of two days to consume. I did have a little help. Those Joe-Joe’s were festive and fun, but Halloween would not be complete without at least one box of Halloween Joe-Joe’s, the one cookie I immediately turn into a 12 yr old child after purchasing.

  Plus, I can’t deviate toooo much from my standard treat “norm.”

  

  Fun Fact: This photo of Joe-Joe’s is from this post, where I first shared my love for pumpkin faced cookies as I finished my last week working at Trader Joe’s in 2012! I still miss that job…

  How about a recipe?!

  

  Pumpkin Pie Cereal Cluster

  • 2 cups Trader Joe’s “Joe-O’s”
  • 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1/4 cup cashew butter
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 tblsp cinnamon

  1. Mix together cereal, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon.
  2. Heat on low to combine honey, cashew butter, and pumpkin puree. Once smooth pour over cereal.
  3. Set in fridge for 10 minutes. Serves three-four.

  These were meant to be cereal bars, but didn’t hold together as well as I had hoped. The flavor was TOO GOOD not to share though, so make do with a cluster.

  There you have it, my version of “PUMPKIN EVERYTHING.” I’d also like to note I did purchase substantial food items too like all this squash, pounds of honeycrisp apples, enough vegetables to power a mini van, and enough beans to (gas) power a tiny home, but these are wayyy more fun.

  Q: Have you fallen prey to the pumpkin themed treats?? 

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged Garmin, Pumpkin, Recipe, Run, Trader Joes, Vegan

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 6:42 AM by Brittany, on September 25, 2014

  1. Pumpkins. Orange. Brown. Leaves. Scarecrows. Sweet Potatoes. Baked Apples. Yellow.

  FALL, FALL, FALL.

  

  2. I haven’t gone hiking in almost three weeks. WHAAAAT!?

  3. I have been drinking coffee in mugs made for the mountains though.

  

  4. Instead I’ve been running, and walking, and…working. T-minus 17 days until half time.

  5. I went to visit a friend last weekend and she told me she signed up for her first 5K. After I expressed pure joy by running up the side of a building, she asked if we could go practice run.

  UHH yes!? I didn’t even care that I wasn’t wearing proper shoes.

  I don’t advise running 3miles in TEVA’s.

  

  6. I’ve been doing 90% of my half marathon training in my Vibram Five Fingers. I’ve had the same pair for over five years, and they are fantastic.

  7. This made me insanely excited for Thanksgiving. It also made me wonder why I don’t have something like a sloth or wildebeest as my mailbox. I should rectify this.

  

  8. I went an entire week without treats. I plan to try a new experiment where I only have treats once a week, but if you see me on the news it’s because mentally I didn’t make it.

  9. I’m running out of things to share, so I will mention how delightful my first official fall weather run was. I went out for 5 mi, but ended up running 8 mi. Crisp air and yellow leaves are magical.

  

  10. I haven’t worn deodorant (and by this I mean I haven’t slapped baking soda under my arms because this is what I do for “deodorant”) in two weeks. I hope I haven’t been walking around with a green aura spewing from my body. I only had to reshower once. Win.

  Q: What’s your confession?

  

  | 49 Comments Tagged Confessions, Fall, Half Marathon, Random, Run

• Post Vacation Shenanigans

  Posted at 6:45 AM by Brittany, on September 22, 2014

  Since arriving home from my mini trip to LA, things have been busy. The day after I came home I attended the most adorable/rustic wedding for a former coworker of mine. Total swoon city.

  

  

  The dinner tables were littered with pages from Harry Potter and large vegetables.

  

  The day after the wedding I had my long run for the week. I worked 5:30-2 that day which meant I had to run in the peak of the heat. I was dead, it hurt, I wanted to quit, but I slowly finished.

  This is also the day I started house sitting for the honeymooners from the wedding I went to, and another lovely lady that frequents Starbucks. I was able to run in a different town because of this!

  

  The run was a bad idea. Well, I would have done it regardless, but it further induced a minor head cold that was brewing behind the scenes. It started with a sore throat, and progressed to full on mucus overload. I blame germ infested Disneyland and airplane travels!

  I ended up skipping my run last Tuesday because I couldn’t muster the energy. Instead, I walked to a local yet new to me coffee shop, enjoyed a cup of black coffee, and proceeded to go for a walk around the water. This was a much better decision.

  

  

  

  

  One of the houses I am house sitting for is within walking distance of an adorable row of stores, coffee shops, and the water. I am in pure heaven staying here.

  It seems that taking a couple days off from running and going to bed before 8 for a couple nights put me on the fast train to healthy town. I was able to run a 3 miler last Wednesday, which put me back on track for the week along with a few more 3 mile runs, and a 6 miler yesterday.

  I’m much better this week, but man do I hate getting sick.

  

  Truth, my mom was sick, my coworkers were sick, I didn’t prepare for this!

  Today I go back to school, and the adorable house I am staying in right now is giving me the motivation to power through chemistry (my third chem class, and they never get easier) with the end goal in site! I want to buy one of these tiny houses!! WEEE. OH and as promised/requested here are two lovely photos of the cat I am house sitting with, in all her (semi) lion cut glory.

  

  

  Meow.

  Q: What are your remedies for a head cold? I eat oranges like they’re crack, rest like I’m a mummy, and let the bugs run their course. Thankfully it never lasts more than a few days. 

  

  | 46 Comments Tagged Cats, Random, Run, Running, Wedding

• 10 Tips to Get Back Into Running “Longer” Distances

  Posted at 6:48 AM by Brittany, on September 9, 2014

  For the past seven weeks this has been happening…

  It took time, and the motivation of Lily coming to visit me in order for me to feel ready for another half marathon. The last two I ran were mental struggles, so I’m pleased to say that taking time (even if short) to just run for fun was enough for me to bite the bullet and sign up for my sixth half. I also ran this half last year, and it was one of my most memorable races (right up there with Disney) so I just had to run it again, and this time with Lily! I can’t wait to see her…

  I hadn’t run over 4-5 milers in a good few months, so I had to come up with a few tips to mentally get myself back into running “longer” distances. I chose the above “novice” training plan because I loved it so much when I used it for my first race. Up until week five of the training plan everything was a piece of cake. Multiple runs a week felt great, and 4-5 milers were a cake walk. Once I hit the 6 mile Sunday I knew it was time to get a game plan for the next seven weeks.

  I also went hiking (here) the day before the 6miler, which was brutal.

  

  Slow and steady.

  Tip #1: Switch up your route – I’ve been running the same roads over, and over, and OVER again for years now. For anything over 5 miles I know mentally it will be better for me to switch up my route. Running in new places is always a fun time.

  Tip #2: Have energy bites waiting for you when you’re done – Or any food for that matter, it gives you something to envision when your stomach starts to yell at you. I also like to stuff dates in my shirt. (The edible kind, not the male variety. Those are nonexistent.)

  

  Tip #3: Don’t get discouraged if you need to walk – I used to think my run was a fail if I had to walk even once. Now if I need to walk I do. Sometimes I think I walk more than I should, but whatever it takes to finish the distance! It’s very mental for me.

  Tip #4: End your run at the market – Similar to tip #2, knowing your car is parked waiting for you in the lot of your favorite local market gives that extra boost of motivation. The endless possibilities for a snack post run are pure adrenaline. 

  Tip #5: Run early – Self explanatory, the quicker you get it done the quicker it’s over.

  Tip #6: Pick a place of zen to relax at when you’re done – Along with envisioning dancing cookies and piles of avocados at the market post run, knowing you have a spot to sit and zone out after destroying your miles makes the run go quicker. I choose places like quaint coffee shops.

  

  Tip #7: Remember why you’re running – Running 13 miles on an untrained body hurts like hell, so whenever you think about quitting at mile 6, 7, or 8 think about how it might feel to get hit by a bus if you stop. Put in the work now, and it will be easier later.

  Tip #8: Drink lots of this…

  

  …and this…

  

  WATER, not vodka. Vodka will not help you run instead it will help GIVE YOU the runs.

  Tip #9: Eat all the food the day before – Seriously, stuff your face because you’ll need it the next day. My favorites are nut butters, chips, and chocolate…all together. I’ve noticed eating MORE the day before and LESS the morning of makes for easier running (for me.)

  This also leaves more room for post run snacks.

  Tip #10: If all else fails, find a nice spot to sit -Like a random couch on the side of the road…

  ….or here.

  

  Sunday I ran my first 7 miler in a while, and it was fueled by two cups of Anniversary Blend, chocolate banana bread for dinner the night before, 120 oz of H2O the previous day (and more that morning), a sweet potato medley for breakfast, and a stellar mindset.

  

  Ohh it’s so good to be back.

  Q: What tips or tricks do you follow for longer runs (or other workouts) after being away for a while? 

  

  | 45 Comments Tagged Coffee, Half Marathon, Run, Vegan

• Random Things

  Posted at 9:40 AM by Brittany, on September 5, 2014

  What happens when I have random pictures/things to talk about, but haven’t blogged in a week? You get random pictures tied to random things to talk about. What can I say, I’m living life. I’m also going to Disneyland with this babe in less than a week and about split my pants I’m so excited. Or maybe that’s from the cookies…but I digress.

  — Anniversary Blend has officially been released at Starbucks. Fall is coming, & I am so ready.

  All you haters can just stuff it because summer is done in my book, DONE! Bring on the crunchy leaves, apple pies, Halloween Joe-Joe’s, pumpkin patches, windy runs, and enough squash to fill a dump truck. Which is what I assume my backside will look like from all the Joe-Joe’s and pie I plan to consume. Winter hibernation starts now.

  

  I’m legit obsessed with this blend. Buy some NOW.

  — Remember that summer biology class I took?

  It left me with a bizarre obsession for any and all species of lichen. Now whenever I spot some on a hike I become entranced as if they have some kind of mind altering properties.

  

  Usnea – used for antibiotic and anti-fungal treatments.

  

  — I’m ready for fall, but still soaking up tank top hikes.

  

  Marmot Pass – 10.6 round trip miles, 6000ft elevation.

  

  

  “Does this look as awkward as if feels?”
  “yes.”

  — I don’t know who Levi is, but he’s got some pretty sweet wheels. I want to go for a ride.

  

  — I’ve been sitting on a secret for about 7 weeks now.

  

  More on this later…

  — I made this bread, and it basically ruined my life. So good.

  

  Not my photo, I was much too busy stuffing my suck to take my own.

  I apparently didn’t have as much to share as I thought. On that note I’m off to run/eat more bread.

  Q: Who wants to sit on top of a mountain eating chocolate bread and drinking Anniversary Blend with me? Bueller….Bueller…

  

  | 57 Comments Tagged Coffee, Explore, Hike, Marmot Pass, Olympic Mountains, Random, Run, Starbucks, Vegan

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