The First Long Run and a Disappointing Farmer's Market.

Tomorrow morning marks the first long run of my 1/2 marathon training schedule. I have been mentally preparing for this event all week.

To some, 4 miles is a joke. To others, it is unfathomable. To me, well I suppose I will just have to get back to you on that one.
(1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of almond milk, 1/2 scoop of chia seeds, 1 tbsp almond butter, sprinkle of cacao nibs.)

The first week of training has been tolerable. I ran two 3 milers back to back on the dreadmill and participated in a cycling class and hour of weightlifting yesterday. It makes perfect sense why my body is absolutely exhausted today, and although it took an hour and a half to muster up the strength and determination to go to the gym, I got there. 30 minutes later, I was gone. That is all the schedule dictated and I was glad to be done. (Yes, this is a breakfast. 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 cup of organic strawberries, 1/4 cup organic blueberries, 1/4 cup raw oats, 1/2 scoop of chia seeds, 1 black bean brownie square.)

Tonight, I will prepare as if it were a race night because tomorrow I face a new hurdle...the heat. Seeing as the forecast states it will feel like 86F by 8AM I intend to get my butt moving once my feet hit the floor. The goal is to be out the door no later than 6:45AM. That means I am being a cool kid tonight and going to bed super early. But it is fine by me. I am thriving off of the challenge.

(Mixed green salad with hummus and salsa. 2 slices Ezekiel bread with hummus, pineapple tomato, and avocado. All topped with salt and pepper.)

I am looking forward to reuniting with an old friend that has been collecting dust on a shelf in my room for one to many weeks. The beast and I will find our groove in this weather because well, we have no choice. (Roasted sweet potato with cinnamon, Dr. Praeger's vegetable burger with ketchup.)

Hopefully, my clean eating habits of the past two weeks will fuel me through the run.

~~~~~~~~~

I restocked my vegetable supply at the local farmer's market today, so I will be able to stick with the idea that "food is fuel" in the coming days.(Downtown Little Rock aka The Rivermarket.)

Although the heat was blazing today (the car monitor read nearly 100F!) I still made my way to the market because my dad offered to come along. We had a great time, but by the time we got back to the car we were both drenched in sweat. We agreed, never again at 11AM. Show up at 7AM or do not show up at all.

(My sweet dad picking out tomatoes.)

On a slightly different note, I was rather disappointed in the selection and size of the market. I went religiously last year and I just remember it being, for lack of a more appropriate word, better. (The crowd. The heat. The crowd. The heat!)

It was clear that some of the produce was not local. Moreover, when I asked someone at a booth if his cucumbers were organic or sprayed with pesticide killer, he did not know the answer. He actually looked at me as if what I was asking was completely bizarre. I think I will be researching other markets with more knowledgeable vendors to buy my produce for the rest of my time at home. (Organic blueberries [I bought them!] and blackberries.)

In the end, we purchased quite the load of fruits and veggies. Among them were corn, peaches, blueberries, tomatoes, and cherries.(Non-organic Arkansas tomatoes.)

I've gotta go get my game face ready. See y'all tomorrow!

Question: Do you ever "try to get to know your farmer" at farmer's markets? By this, I mean asking questions about what you are purchasing?
Normally, vendors are eager to talk to customers. I think I just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time. People are really friendly in Arkansas, I promise. :)

~Jenn

3 meals a day.

I did something today that I have not done in a very long time...

called a rest day from working out??...wait that's definitely not it seeing as I did not log one workout during my last week in Strasbourg. No no...today was special because I actually cooked all three meals for myself!

I started off the day with a sweet breakfast. On my last jaunt to Whole Foods, I picked up something I have been seeing around the blogosphere for a while now, Raw Cacao Nibs. I went with oats because, well, they work with just about anything.

(1/2 cup oats, 1/2 almond milk, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tbsp almond butter, 1/2 tbsp chia seeds, and sprinkle of cacao nibs).

I'm a fan for sure. They taste like healthy chocolate chips! :)

Mid-morning I snacked on a whole mango (it was a baby) and a kiwi.

Lunch consisted of another first for me.
I cooked lentils. Ever since the host mom made me a dish containing lentils I haven't been able to stop thinking about the little guys. I really like the texture of them and they are a great source of protein for vegetarians. (Expect to see a lot of lentils around here!)

(1/2 cup lentils, leftover grilled tofu, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Spices: dash of garlic powder, salt, and pepper).

I spent the afternoon running fun errands. And by fun errands, I mean shopping. Clearly it was of the utmost importance that I buy a new day planner (mine ends in July for some reason) and a photo album for my travel photos which should be arriving tomorrow! Then I hit up Kroger for dinner ingredients.

Small aside: The man in front of me at the checkout like caught my eye. I am not one to judge what people purchase at the grocery store, but his selection made me very sad. It was clear that he had walked to Kroger (as he was sweating profusely) and was not well off. Yet, he purchased 10 packages of ramen that were on sale (for around .20 cents each), a package of $4 cigarettes, and a 6 pack of Heineken beer. I was struck by how much more he spent on poisoning his body rather than nurturing it. I guess the point is that I wish all people had the opportunity to learn about health and nutrition and how to properly take care of themselves.

Okay, back to dinner which was based on a recipe that I found on Cara's blog. The moment I saw her post about Zucchini Lasagna I knew I had to replicate it. (Click the link to see the recipe. I don't want to claim ownership of her genius!)

I made a couple of alterations based on what I had in the fridge and cupboard. I omitted the rosemary, used wine + regular vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar, and added spinach to the tomato sauce. I also served my portion on a bed of fresh spinach.This recipe is magic. Seriously, make it. It tastes exactly like the heavy calorie laden lasagna your grandma used to make. I ate half of the pan (the recipe is 2 servings) and I can't wait for leftovers!

Dessert was the norm tonight, but with a fresh twist. Summer berries to be exact!(Blueberry vitatop, 1 tbsp dark chocolate dreams, 1 cup strawberries and blackberries).

On the workout front, I decided to push up my 1/2 marathon training a week. That means I start Monday! Ready or not, it's happening! I'm excited to have something to work toward but I am also intimidated as hell. But I figure adding a week will give me time to adjust as necessary and redo a week if I feel as though I am not ready to move forward.

Until next time,
~Jenn