stormy.

This past weekend I went on a (rather) breezy long run to train for a marathon. For awhile it was lonely and dark, but as soon as the sun started coming up, it was beautiful.

This is why I love running in New Mexico more than anywhere else.

tri harder.

In high school, I finished a triathlon so I could cross it off my bucket list. For the next six years, through high school and college I focused on competitive running and my triathlon past fell by the wayside. However, after an injury last December, I returned to my roots, so to speak, and began biking and swimming a little more, all in combination with running. I forgot how much fun I used to have biking (swimming, less so...), and how good it felt to ride over the rolling hills on a sunny day. More than anything, I love how balanced I feel when doing these three sports together. Thus, I decided to sign up for a triathlon just to see how it went. Thankfully, I did not die and I had an absolute blast and I even walked away with the award for first place in my age group.

While there were some slipups (a mismarked bike course, and me forgetting you can't dive into the pool - I did an awkward side flop instead), but it was wonderful, and I plan on doing one in the spring.

pre-workout snack conundrums.

One of the awful things about Celiac's and other digestive issues is that you never know when you might eat something to set your stomach off. This is one of the reasons I always have to be careful of what I eat before running or cycling, especially if I do it later in the day when I'm usually drained and I need some comida for energy. I've learned many things: some bad (ranch and I will never be friends) and some good (peanut butter was better). However, the best thing I have found is definitely almonds. Perfect amount of carbs for energy and easy to digest. And the other really great thing is that they travel really well, so you can even bring some along for a mid-run snack. I know this post isn't super substantial, but it's something that has served me well, and I hope this advice does the same for you.