a wednesday walk-about

I was born in Bremerton.

It is the town where I grew up playing twilight summer softball with the neighbor kids. It is the town where my friends and I, in typical Junior High fashion, would scour the local Safeway for the just right hair color ("you're going amber? Ballsy.") It is the town I skipped out of without a second glance as I left for college. It is the town that welcomed be back with open arms when I returned after carelessly abandoning it for four years and two continents.

It is also the town that I have slowly come to realize will be my home's home for quite a long time. This epiphany was strange for me when it first arrived because for some reason, I always envisioned myself settling down somewhere else. I'm not sure why. I mean, does anyone ever think to themselves "I am going to grow up here and then grow up here some more and then do some more growing here and then die here"?

But yes, we will be here in our home for a nice long while. My husband, you think he's married to yours truly, but in all actuality he's more married to this town. Which, thankfully for him, brought him to me. He has a story for every business (past and current), hedge and street pole that he likes to hash out with his friends whenever the slightest of an opportunity is presented.

And after today's neighborhood walk-about, I'm at ease with this whole growing-roots thing. I've lived in this house for three years now, which is a comforting feeling after moving six times in five years. And in those three years, I never once turned right at the bottom of our cement stairs and went alllll the way down and explored the neighborhoods beyond. I've never had any friends down thataway, and there are no stores. Just houses, and old cars, and new mail boxes, and so much character.

Today packed a punch of 66 degrees, and was perfect for such a stroll. Here's a little peek:

 

I have to admit...

...I'm a little unsure of discuss in this space that's typically reserved for all things running, when I'm not doing any of that these days.

Scratch that, I DID manage to run from the front door of work to my car. Any spectators most likely believed this to be due to me, well, leaving work...but it was more just my legs needing to feel some sort of stertching and freedom. Short distances like this don't hurt it, but give it a mile and the pain starts to set in.

I've tried running once a week since this runner's knee set in, and each time the disappointment sinks even lower. Being injured sucks. It makes me realize how much I took running for granted when it worked for my body. Never again!

How about I do a little photo montage of what's been preoccypying my time as of late. Warning: none of it is altogether excisting, but pictures are cool.

Rhubarb (fresh from the yard!) and apple cobbler. Sans ice cream. I recommend ice ceream.

Local Natives at The Neptune - awesome show. Please go see them!

Seattle's Pizza Pi

talent show TALENT

sunny softball games

strength training for the injured

Since getting injured with the dreaded runner's knee, I've had plenty of time to work on my strength. After doing a lot of research, it appears that the blame for such a nasty condition can be places on over-training, increasing mileage too quickly, and weak hammies/glutes/hips.

Since hindsight is 20/20 and I can't do much about the first two, I've decided to take the third point and run (figuratively) with it. Here's what my muscles have been up to, which is no way, shape or form "boot camp," but these exercises definitely kicks my booty so it has to be doing some good.

1. As mentioned before, I downloaded an app called SworkIt, which is the neatest. I try to complete at least 10 minutes of a workout before and again after work. It can also be a good warm-up for any other kind of cardio or exercise because it seems to gradually get my heart rate up.

2. The Fitnessista's tabata workouts.These suckers are gut-busting, muscle-soring monsters that get your heart rate and sweat glands going in a matter of 4 minutes. I love doing one before work because it totally energizes me and gets me pumped for the day. Even on Mondays, whaaaa?

3. I've also tried to be a good little runner and complete sciatic nerve stretches, such as these. Stretches could not get any more boring, but I know it can do some good for this cranky body.

4. Walking! Which can be really depressing when you're used to cranking up the pace and zipping around town doing 7 mph instead of 2, but it's been surprisingly nice to just slow down and take note of the world. Also, this weather with this view isn't too shabby:

Do you have any good exercise app recommendations?

I KNEEd this runner's knee to disappear

I apologize for being so quiet lately, but I don't have much running to discuss when there isn't much of it going on in my real life. I took two weeks off, hoping that would decrease the pain and inflammation so that I could run more than 50 feet without wanting to cry fat baby tears. I did attempt a 3 mile run yesterday on my "2 weeks of boring" anniversary and made it a whole 2.2 miles without any pain. And then it kicked in and I got to walk the rest of the way home.

It's really easy to get upset about not being able to do the one form of physical exercise I rely on - not only to stay in shape, but to stay sane. It also doesn't help that I have a marathon on June 2nd that I was really hoping to PR on.

But then, when I start to think those thoughts, I think about how selfish that sounds and how one week ago there were people who were injured and killed who will never run again. Perspective helps.

So for now, I am going to soak up this week's glorious Seattle sunshine (sunny and mid-60's all week!) and bask in the fact that I have my family, my health, and even my stupid knee that will (hopefully) end up working for me again.

What are your injury-coping mechanisms?

Grief and Goodness

Like many of you, I have found myself in tears the past few days. What happened at the treasured Boston marathon was a giant robbery. Some lost their lives, their limbs, their spirit, and their dream. It's a day that will be engrained in many minds forever, and will be replayed over and over for so many of the people who were there to witness the senseless act.

I've been doing my share of reading the countless articles that continue to pop up, and many offer some solace in such a dark time. As Patton Oswald said, "We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago." Amen to that. When those bombs went off, people were running to them to offer any sort of assistance they were able to. Competitors, after putting their physical limits to the test for four hours, continued to the hospital after crossing the finish line. Decisions like these came naturally to those heroes. There was no second-guessing.

In times like these, it's incredibly comforting to me to think about how many good, honest people there are in this world who are "the helpers," as Mr. Rogers says. Personally, it's easy for me to get caught up in an overwhelming sadness that makes me just want to give in to tears and grief. I need to remind myself of the positive humanity that exist in the world and not let it get beat down by all the negativity and violence.

Here are some articles that have struck a cord with me:

The People Who Watch Marathons

The Boston Marathon: All My Tears, All My Love

The Helpers

By a Spectator

Keep on loving,
Brittani

straight up debauchery

Happy Thursday, friends! I will be MIA until next week while the hus and I are splashing around in Palm Springs and dancing our boo-tays off at Coachella. This is the third time we've taken the venture together, and I can honestly say it just keep getting more and more FUN.

We are meeting up with our good friends tonight who have the cutest 1 year old daughter that we haven't gotten to spend much time with, so it will be fantastic to visit with them. Then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will consist of morning pool time followed by afternoon/evening/buttcrack of midnight Coachella time - all in 96 degree heat! I sweat just anticipating it.

SeaTac snacks. You can keep your $3 granola bar.

Have a great weekend, and I will meet you back here Tuesday!

what I ate wednesday :: 4.9.13

Since taking a minor break from running, I had thought my appetite might be on a downward slope of how things usually are. This theory proved to be way wrong, given that I ate the rest of my Easter candy in one (short) sitting Monday afternoon. I would say "oops" but it was totally on purpose and tasted phenomenal so whatever.

Below are my eats from a typical Tuesday, without any running. I did do core and arm exercises from my new favorite app, Sworkit, which I have the free version of and loooove it. You tell it what type of workout you want, how much time you have (ranging from 5-60 minutes in 5-10 minute increments) and then it comes up with different exercises that you complete for 30 seconds and then switch. It's a great resource when you want to squeeze in a quick ab workout before heading out to work. Get it, get it!

Breakfast :: 6:30am
Green smoothie (frozen spinach, nanner, pineapple, orange juice, chia seeds, flax meal) and a dirty chai.

Morning Snack :: 9:30am
Two slices of this banana bread that I made, ahem, twice last week.

Lunch :: 12:00pm
A salad monster, complete with tons of veggies and a vegan enchilada.

Afternoon Snack:: 4:00pm
An ORANGE. No picture, so I hope that was a good description for you. ;)


 Dinner :: 6:00pm
Veggie red curry! Funny, I made this my last WIAW post. Curries are kind of a staple.

weekend happenings + an unfortunate turn of events

So this knee pain I've been having an issue with on my past few runs? I'm pretty sure it's not due to any sciatic nerve has I had originally thought. Instead, I had a nice appointment with Google yesterday, who told me that it could actually be runner's knee, which there's a better, more legitimate name for that I"m not about to spell out and get wrong for you guys.

Apparently the cartilage underneath my patella isn't happy with me working it, most likely due to over-training it. Since I started marathon training in January, my weekly mileage has been higher than ever before in my running history. I thought I was being smart about it since I was following a plan, but didn't really stop to think about how it might also  be negatively be affecting my body that isn't used to be working it so hard.

So yesterday on my supposed 16 mile run was my breaking point. I had a little knee pain starting at mile 3, intense knee pain starting at mile 12, and then walked miles 12-14 back home. Walking surprisingly felt fine, which will be nice since I have a feeling I will be doing a lot of it these next few weeks.

My plan right now is to take 2 weeks off for recovery. I'll start back out with easy runs to make sure I don't re-injure it and will hopefully be in tip-top shape by the time this marathon rolls around on June 2nd.

In the meantime, during these (extremely tedious) two weeks you'll be finding me doing these stretches for the nerve (just in case) and work on some strength training. I was happy to find this article on recuperation - the author makes it sound like a pretty simple recovery so here's hoping he's right!

Here's a little tasteroo of what went down this weekend:

Friday night Seattle meetup with a dear friend of mine who recently moved back to Seattle from LA! We went to Boom Noodle in Capitol Hill, did a little window shopping in University Village, and ended out night at Veggie Grill for dessert. Friday night at its best.

I ordered the "Tokyo Ramen" veggie-style from Boom, and while it was delicious, I don't think it met it's $14 price tag. I'm a volume eater, and my heart sort of stopped when the bowl was already half-full when it got to me. The "Chocolate Pudding Parfait" at Veggie Grill, however, was inhaled.

The oh-so-sad Saturday long-run view. This came straight off my 'gram.

 

Saturday afternoon plant sale on Bainbridge Island! What's hilarious is the irony of this - I get injured on a run and am on the prowl for a relaxing afternoon. Instead, I find this plant sale which was at the end of this 1 mile (albeit beautiful) walk. I was searching for veggie plants so when I discovered there weren't any I grabbed the first vibrant plant I saw and went with it. We waited in  line for 30 minutes in the rain for this little guy, and then promptly ran (hobbled, actually) away to fund some lunch.

 Sunday afternoon curtain-creating! With the madre, who knows all things sewing and could make anything out of a needle and thread. I'm sure of it. ;) My sad husband got some sort of stomach virus so I stayed away as much as possible yesterday. We got these curtains done in 5 hours, and I couldn't be more pleased with how they turned out. I'll post a picture once I get them hung!

Have you ever had runner's knee? How do you deal with being injured and taking time off from training or working out?

thoughtsday :: 4.4.13

1. Washing my hair - when did it get so complicated? Lately, I've been hearing a lot about this "no-poo" method, which is a fancy way of saying you don't wash your hair with shampoo. The most popular substitution I've been seeing is using apple cider vinegar and baking soda instead of shampoo and conditioner. After reading about Tsh's and Heidi's experiences I'm quite tempted to test this out, too.

I hate washing my hair every day, which is pretty much a necessity after running 6+ miles 6 days a week. I'm thinking this might be a practical, cheap solution for my dried out hair (which is also extremely greasy by the end of the day, how does that work?). I'll let you know how it goes.

2. Composting! I started my bin in January, and have kept up with it since. Everything is starting to break down, but it's definitely not useable yet. I can't wait until I get to put it to work in our garden!

3. Interrupting my marathon training plan. As I previously mentioned, My sciatic nerve has been rearing and flaring = angry eyes. Last night at the end of my 8 mile run at marathon pace, my knee pretty much broke down with searing pain. Luckily, it was at the end of my run and I was close to home, but I really don't think it would have been wise of me to continue running after that. So, I decided to make today a rest day and see how things look tomorrow. I might do my planned speed workout on the treadmill, or I might just hold off until my long run on Saturday.

Injuries are totally frustrating, no? I'm hoping this mini break will build up my motivation again and remind me what I love about running - the release, the thinking time, the sweat (holy buckets, the sweat). My day felt off today without running; I didn't know even know when I should start making dinner, since that's typically the first thing I do after I get done running.

Do you have a compost bin?

How often do you wash your hair? I find this requires some forethought, depending on my running and work schedule.

Hanson Brothers Marathon Training :: Monday (ahem, Wednesday) Marathoning 4.3.13

WHOA. I apologize for the absence over the past few days! No excuses at all, but between Easter, Scott starting Spring Break, and fighting off a couple of colds my time seemed to totally slip away from me. Let's see if we can get back on track, shall we?

So, week 9 of using the Hanson Brothers Marathon Training plan just wrapped up, which means I am halfway through! Things are going well, despite this pesky sciatic nerve acting up in my left leg/rear region, that I'm working on just stretching out before and after runs. Other than that, I'm thankful for nothing else going wrong.

Monday: Sick day - switched Monday for Wednesday's rest day
Tuesday: 6.00 miles, 8:41 pace
Wednesday: Speed work on the treadmill! 3x1600's, + w/u and c/d
Thursday: 7.04 miles, 8:40 pace
Friday: 7.21 miles at marathon pace; 7:57
Saturday: 15.54 miles, 8:21 pace.


 Here's what to expect this week:

  

How was your Easter holiday? Did you have nice weather? It was a lucky 70 degrees here in the Pacific Northwest, which naturally meant we stayed outside until 9pm soaking up all we could.

a book review :: "The First 20 Minutes" by Gretchen Reynolds

I finally got "The First 20 Minutes" from the library after having it on hold for a couple months, and I sped-read through it all. Gretchen Reynolds, author of the New York Times column "Phys Ed," does a great job of holding your attention and walking you through otherwise lifeless research documentation and outcomes. The book is more scientific, albeit interesting, than I was prepared for. I was fascinated with many of the research outcomes she discusses, such as the studies on speed workouts, hydration, strength-training, and eating before workouts.

Some myths that were "de-bunked" by studies the author included that I am particularly fond of:

1. Studies indicate that stretching before a workout is counter-productive and actually causes more harm than good by decreasing strength in that muscle by as much as 30%. To go along with this, researchers have also found that when comparing runners' 10K race times, those with the tightest, least flexible hamstrings had the fastest times. Best yet, research shows this isn't bad for an individual, and there's not much benefit to being more flexible than you probably already are.

2. Studies indicate that "the most dehydrated runners in any race are the winners." Athletes have it in their heads that we need to drink x amount of glasses of water a day so that we keep our hydration up. This is fine and dandy for those who are actually thirsty and their bodies are craving it, but it's unnecessary when you don't physically feel like you want to drink. As Gretchen states, "the most widely accepted DIY method of deciding if you're drinking properly is to weigh yourself before and after a race." One physician states that hydrating levels are fine if a runner is not losing more than 2 pounds of their body weight in an hour of exercise. This was chocolate to my tongue - I would rather drink fermented pickle juice than water.

3. Speaking of pickle juice (smooth segue, ex-lax), turns out the stuff actually does muscles some good. The author brings up a study done on the juice and it easing muscle cramps within mere seconds. I can dig it, but I might have to invest in a mini-bedside-fridge for those late night charlie horses.

4. Core work isn't as great for athletes and originally thought. (Obviously not so true if you're a professional body building competitor.) The studies indicated in the book had resulted in athletes with stronger cores doing no better at certain exercises (sprints, vertical leaps, shuttle runs, etc.) than those with weaker cores. However, core strength exercises such as the plank, lunges, and push-ups are still very much in the game. Apparently a women in her 20's is supposed to be able to complete 36 push-ups (and I'm not talking "girl push-ups", and that title needs to go), a number that my arms laugh at because I collapse after 16.


I realize those are some hefty words, so I'm really curious to hear what you guys have to say about the above matters. While it is tough for me to swallow the results from those studies after trying all my running years to drink more water! Stretch all the the time! Carbo load! It does soothe my brain to remind me that us humans, our bodies, are adaptable. I really do believe that they're smarter than we give them credit for, and stronger, too.

Exercising probably doesn't require all this extra science and forethought. Just get out there...run, jump rope, lift weights like you mean it. Drink water if you're thirsty. Maybe take a shower. Listen to your body and just be.

Poster source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/118321334/sweat-smile-repeat-11x17-typography?ref=cat_gallery_1#zoom

Has anyone else read "The First 20 Minutes"?

thoughtsday :: 3.28.13

Hi there! This has been quite a weird-o week that I haven't been able to get a good grip on. Between myself being sick, our furnace deciding to give up on life, having a slumber party at my parents, and then my husby getting sick it's all just been a little slippery around here.

Just when you think you have complete control of a situation (which we never do), the blindfold is pulled back over your eyes and you're wearing your mom's snuggly socks taking Nyquil on your parent's couch.

But honestly, it's sort of a good time to have our routine switched up a bit. Sometimes I feel entirely too calculated and type-A with my actions, so it's a nice reminder that I can go with the flow and actually embrace it.

Plus, ain't nothin' got somethin' on mom's fuzzy socks.

Onto some thoughts!

1. Homemade pho: it's the only thing I want when I'm sick, and it is so easy to make! All I did was boil 6 cups of water with one cube of Pho broth, which I found at an Asian store. Once that got to boiling, I added in cellophane noodles, but I'm sure you could easily use any kind of rice noodle. I also added in broccoli and a white onion, cut in thick slices. Once the veggies were done, I stirred in kale and turned the heat off and seasoned it with tons of Siracha.

It soothed my throat like no tea can, and the spice helped make my clogged nose start running, which I actually appreciated. Plus, my woozy stomach was a happy camper because rice noodles are so plain and the broth helped fill me up without making me feel overly stuffed. And now, this is all I have on the brain for dinner. Focus, focus, focus...


2. GARDEN-PLANTING! I have all sorts of big plans for planting a nice-sized garden using both our small entry-space plot of dirt and containers on our back porch. It's a little elaborate but I'm really hoping to pull it off. I read Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" last year and it really resonated with me. I definitely recommend it if you're interested in learning more about eating genuine, salt of the earth, locally-sourced food.

3. Marathon training: I'm hoping it's because my health hasn't been the best the best this week, but I have had zero motivation to go running. Surprisingly, despite being sick I have kept up with my runs, but it definitely required a strong positive mindset and a good dose of caffeine. I feel almost back to normal today, so hopefully tomorrow I will be ready and raring to go. If not, I suppose lack of motivation is another trait of marathon training that I'll have to push through.

Do you exercise when you're sick?

What is a meal or dish that you would rather make at home than go out for?

VEGFEST 2013! :: Seattle, WA

One of my favorite events of the year was on Saturday - VegFest! It takes place every March in Seattle, but I'm sure every state has one of their own (at least I hope so!). Ours is put on by Vegetarians of Washington, and is basically heaven by way of samples.

I briefly wrote about it for my weekend recap, but I wanted to write a separate post reviewing some products that are brand new to me! While this was only my second year (of many) attending, it's easy to see that there will be different trends each year. You can count on trying dozens (seriously, 12 upon 12 upon 12) of faux meats, cheeses (I tried a macadamia nut one - and it was good) and new chips or protein bars, but you never know what will fill in the cracks as the new up and coming hot items.

Last year it was healthified gluten-free options, sweet items (such as bars, cookie, etc.) made with beans, and chia seeds. Oh, and Kombucha! There was a lot of that.

This year, it was juices (for going on a juice diet), probiotic drinks and savory teas. The popular BluePrint cleanse was there, in addition to a couple other companies. There were also two juicer demonstrations, which unfortunately I didn't want to take advantage of because it would have taken me 3 years to get to the front of the line. I have pounds of soy to eat, crazy wait-in-liners.

I was really surprised to see how many Probiotic drinks there were; I would say three tables, which was three more than last year. I tried all of them, and have to say that I would not choose to drink one unless I was on anti-biotics. They were pretty flat tasting, even the one that was carbonated. However, I should also mention here that it reminded me of Kombucha, which I am not a raging fan of either. Both are fermented and have that sour taste, so if that's your bag then pro-biotics might be as well. Kevita was one of the companies, so if you feel like you need some biotics in your life, check them out.

Lastly, SAVORY TEAS. Oh my gosh. They are basically like veggie broth, but have different veggies mixed in that can get pretty strong and pretty fabulous tasting. When I first saw Millie's sign for "tomato basil tea" it threw me for a loop (literally, I walked straight away from it to find more fakey cheesy) but luckily my curious sister pulled me back.

It is really good stuff, and I guarantee you would like it if you're a fan of pho. It's just like drinking that last bit of broth, after all the noodles and veggies and flavors have hung out together in that hot bath and it has that amazing taste that is never the same as any other "last pho taste" you've ever had because all the ingredients and portions are different.

The tomato basil is killer, which I had after breakfast this morning and it soothed my slightly queezy stomach (thanks, 21 runs). I also had the broccoli cilantro flavor after lunch, which had a strong cilantro and spicy kick to it. The tomato basil won in flavor, because of both the ingredients and because the teabag lasted longer and produced a stronger taste.

I got a coupon for both Numi and Millie's Savory Teas and will have to keep you posted on what flavor I end up getting.

Oddly enough, I was all about the beverages this time around. That's not to mean that there wasn't incredible food there, but there wasn't anything that I hadn't already seen before. I've been majorly into Chai tea lately, and was hooked the second I tried this stuff:

This is the best chai I've tried in a long time, and it has way less sugar than many other brands. My stomach doesn't like the chai tea bags, so I was really happy to find a  powdered version that is a quality morning beverage instead of dessert. (Quality morning beverage = not too sweet and caffeinated. BINGO.) My sister and I both got a box for $5, which I thought was a great deal.

Oh, there also were these amazing sunflower seed spreads by a company called viana. Not only were the spreads amazing, but their veggie gyros and cowgirl steaks were to die for. I'm pretty sure their table was 50% to blame for the intense full belly I had when we finally rolled to the ferry.

And that's why I gained 8 pounds this weekend. I'm sure celebrating two birthdays on Sunday had nothing to do with it. ;)

Have you tried a savory tea? What brand, and what did you think?

Are you a fake meat eater?

Hanson Brothers Marathon Training :: Monday Marathoning 3.25.13

That's a wrap for week 8! It's been an off/on week due to this annoying sciatic nerve pain that had completely disappeared after emerging for my first marathon back in October. I think my 14-miler that I ran last weekend might have something to do with, as my new shoes are still feeling comfortable. I can't figure out what triggers it to act up since some runs have been fine and others it's shooting pain for a few minutes at a time.

I've tried out some new stretches, so hopefully those will start to show some improvement. I haven't let it get me down too much - the good thing about it is that I know I can run through it and it won't make things worse, unlike an injury or muscle pain.

Here's what went down:

Monday: 5.86 miles, 8:42 pace
Tuesday: Speed work on the treadmill! .5 mile w/u, 2x1600's, 2x800's, 6:30 pace, .5 mile c/d
Thursday: 6.10 miles at marathon pace; 7:57
Friday: 5 miles, 8:25 pace.
Saturday: 10 miles, 8:19 pace.
Sunday: 6 miles, pace unknown - didn't wear my watch

 Here's what to expect this week:

weekend happenings :: 3.24.13

Saturday morning birthday cake baking, consisting of a cookie dough layer, followed by a double dark chocolate ice cream layer, followed by peanut butter frosting, followed by a chocolate drizzle. Let me tell you, this turned into a fanTAStic cake! It's crazy weird to believe that it's 100% gluten-free and vegan, but it works.

Three things I need to say about this cake: 

1. The ice cream layer tastes like coconut, due to the coconut milk (weirrrrd.) If you're not into that, I"m sure you could use another type of"milk."

2. The parchment paper stuck to the bottom layer like a mofo, so I'm just going to give the pan a good oily spray-down next time and forgo the paper altogether.

3. The cookie layer on the bottom was the BEST. I'm going to make it another time and eat it all by itself, because it deserves such attention.

Saturday afternoon was a sunny ferry ride to Seattle for VegFest 2013!

So many killer sample. I went with my sister, and this was our lunch AND dinner.

Veg swag.

Sunday morning started out with a nice (albeit 19 degree) run. Love those sunrises.

Sunday afternoon was spent birthday party-ing! We went to Azteca for my mother-in-law's celebration, and then hopped over to my parent's for a BBQ to honor my sister's big TWENTY-FIRST birthday. Crazy. How did that creep up so fast?

I wish I would have gotten more pictures but my phone is out of space (not-so-perfect timing). So I should take care of that today.

Is Spring starting to sprout where you are?