A blog by a dietitian about running with a "dash" of real life and nutrition thrown in!
For the last few years, I have participated in the Still I Run May Run Streak for Mental Health Awareness. Each time I have done it, I have thought that there would be no way I could run or walk at least a mile every single day in May. And every year I have made… Continue reading May 2021 Training Recap
I was fortunate enough to grow up in a family that saw mental health as a part of overall health. When I was a freshman in high school, my mom realized that when I said "I didn't feel good" and wanted to stay home from school that my mental health was what needed attention, and… Continue reading My Running for Mental Health Journey
[Trigger warning: depression, suicide, self harm. You are not alone - If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call 1-800-273-8255. Help is available 24/7.] "Being depressed is like being locked in a cage and losing the key. You keep beating yourself up about it, but its not even your fault.… Continue reading Depression
Within days of my mom’s death, my social media was flooded with ads for Mother’s Day. It wasn’t long until I realized that the holiday would mark one month since my mom died. In the same way that you always seem to see the make and model of your new car purchase everywhere right after… Continue reading Happy Mother’s Day
If there’s a common theme for 2020 and 2021, it is that my training will not go as planned. In November I started a marathon training plan in hopes of running Little Rock. When that race got postponed, I took a break, and then started to train for a half marathon. That race ended up… Continue reading April 2021 Training Recap
Trigger warning: substance abuse, alcohol abuse On April 9th, 2021 I was celebrating the retirement of one of my coworkers. Everyone that I was with was drinking alcohol, laughing, and having a great time. I was laughing and having a great time, too, but I wasn't drinking. In fact, I was celebrating 6 months of… Continue reading April 9, 2021
February was a difficult month for me. All of the struggles of 2020 seemed to come to a head and it effected every aspect of my life... including running. Towards the end of the month, however, I got back on track and I started March strong. I owe some of this to the wonderfully motivating… Continue reading March 2021 Training Recap
I was supposed to be running my 6th marathon today. As I start writing this, it is 7am - I’m sure I would be at the race, anticipating the 8am start. The current weather in Little Rock, Arkansas is 36°F, partly cloudy, with barely any wind. By start time it is supposed to already be… Continue reading February 2020 Training Recap
A few weeks ago I read a post from a runner that I follow on Instagram that talked about social media being a highlight reel. It is something that I have seen posted by people over and over again - "social media is a highlight reel". My social media is absolutely a highlight reel. While… Continue reading Real vs. Reel
January was filled with ups and downs, successes and opportunities for improvement. My plans and goals changed throughout the month and I adapted to them. Honestly, the month started strong and fizzled out towards the end, and I’m okay with that. (That’s some self-care for my February challenge right there!) I ended the month with… Continue reading January 2020 Training Recap
My challenge to myself for February is to take care of my mind. A lot of the challenges I make for myself involve caring for my body through exercise or eating. This month I want to dedicate a little time each day to taking care of my mind and my spirit. I am challenging myself… Continue reading February’s Challenge: Mindfulness
One of the lessons I learned from 2020 is being okay when something doesn’t work out as planned. The races I was looking forward to were canceled. The concerts I had tickets for were postponed or canceled. Some of the money we had saved for a new bathroom remodel went to pay for tree removal… Continue reading Now what?
January is half over already, can you believe it?! I've been tracking my fluid intakes this month and experimenting with hydration during my training. One of the things I have experimented with is using a sports drink on my longer workouts. Over the years I have varied back and forth with whether or not I… Continue reading Hydration Challenge Update #2: Should I Drink Sports Drinks?
It has been well over a year since I did one of these. I guess you could call 2020 sort of a "rebuilding" year for me. With so many races canceled and plans changing constantly, I felt uninspired. I honestly thought, "Why bother with boring my followers with numbers and stats with no fun race… Continue reading November and December 2020 Training Recap
I chose to focus on hydration as my first challenge in 2021. My goal is to drink 85oz fluids daily and try to get at least 20oz water as part of my fluids each day. I have been tracking what I drink in my planner and at the end of the day I add up… Continue reading Hydration Challenge Update #1: What’s My Sweat Rate?
