Kroger is on my rotation of main grocery stores. I tend to visit at least once a month as my primary weekly shop, simply because they generally have everything I need in one stop, and there are two stores fairly close to my home.
My local Kroger Marketplace.
As an added bonus, because I have a rewards card, they send me coupons once a month to entice me back. The savings from these alone add up to at least $10 per packet, plus they have specials every week.
My Kroger coupons for the month!
For those who prefer to shop online and pick up, Kroger also has click list. This has been a great resource when I’ve needed it. Although I’m typically a touch everything before I buy it in store kind of shopper, there are times that this has really saved me! Navigating this system is simple. Since it uses your customer card for your account, it saves your frequent in store purchases for reference. Be aware that they will make substitutions if they are out of items.
Kroger’s store brands are good. Their Simple Truth Organic brand has really stepped up their plant-based game recently, adding burgers, jarred Alfredo sauce, and sweet goodies, too. I have to say, especially for the price point, their plant-based burgers rival Beyond Meat.
In the Richmond market, we have smaller stores as well as Marketplace superstores. The two locations I frequent most are the larger stores. All of our local stores have removed the “natural” sections in the past year and have essentially integrated all of their organic brands into the main parts of the store.
My primary frustration with Kroger is that each store is organized slightly differently, so you have to learn each store’s layout, and they recently moved all of their fermented products to a separate refrigerated aisle in the middle of the store. Sometimes I miss the kombucha!
So, what are some of my must-haves from Kroger?
The produce section at my local Kroger.
Produce
Selection and quality are typically very good. They do separate most of their organic from conventionally grown produce, with the exception of berries, root veggies, tomatoes, and bananas. There is usually also a wide variety, so if there is something specific that you need for a recipe, they usually have it. This is also where I stock up on bagged Organic apples, either honeycrisp or gala.
Farro
Kroger sells their own brand of this ancient grain. As I have written about before, I love this grain for its high protein and fiber content as well as its delicious nutty flavor! You can find this on the rice aisle near the quinoa. Check out this blog post for recipe ideas!
Canned beans
Their Simple Truth Organic brand canned beans are available in 4 packs, usually for less than $4. This is also an item for which I’m typically given a coupon. I’ll buy black beans for soup and Mexican nights, kidney beans/tri-blend beans for salads, garbanzo beans for mock tuna or chicken salad substitutes as well as homemade hummus, pinto for chili, and white beans for salads and soups.
Frozen, prepared Vegan foods
Gardein products are stocked here, with their “chicken tenders” and “meatballs” as favorites for me. These are good back-up emergency meal starters.
Hillary’s breakfast sausages are also a favorite of mine that are carried here. I really like these because all of the ingredients are identifiable.
Amy’s frozen meals. I love the tofu scramble, and I try to have one on hand for a last minute meal.
Simple Truth Organic products
Plant-based “meats.” Like I said in the intro, I really do like their burgers. They also make a ground pack not formed into patties that I have yet to try. For the price point compared to the name brands, these are worth it.
Sauces. They make a jarred, plant-based Alfredo sauce (pasta aisle) and red curry sauce (international aisle) which are both good and are vegan. The curry sauce is SPICY! When I don’t have time to cook from scratch, these are meal savers!
Tofu. I really love that they sell a block split into two as one pack. I’m the only one in my house who will eat it, so I like the convenience of smaller portions.
Plant-based milk alternatives
Kroger carries the entire Silk line of products. I love the dark chocolate almond milk for my coffee. For unflavored milk, I love their oat milk!
Bean based, high protein pastas
Both the Pow! and Banza brands are sold here. I’ve tried both. I actually prefer the Banza brand, which is made from chickpea flour. The texture is most like regular pasta to me. The lentil based pastas from Pow have a peppery kick, though! If you are looking to boost your protein intake, these are great options while still enjoying pasta!
Dave’s Killer Bread products
These are, by far, my favorite breads! Organic, whole grain, and delicious. My family is addicted to their berry bagels, but we love all of their products. Now if they could just start making sandwich buns…
Grocery shopping at Kroger is a good, general option. Prices are always competitive, they have weekly specials accessed by my Kroger card, and they send me valuable coupons! This past week, I saved just under $29 between coupons and store specials. I can count on their Simple Truth organic products to be on par with the name brands for a good price, but they also carry the name brands I know and love. And I can use Click List when I really need it! And they have also added a delivery service!
My Kroger haul this week.
Do you shop at Kroger? What are your favorites here? I’d love to hear about it!
Since this race began 5 years ago, I have wanted run it! Initially just offering a marathon, marathon relay, and 8k option, Flat Out Events added a half marathon last year. Since I typically run a winter/spring half every year, I knew this was my race! So when they ran a special for $60 for the half, I registered. I actually had an issue in this process, and ended up accidentally registering twice! I messaged Flat Out events via Facebook, and they responded very quickly. The issue was resolved the next day. I was impressed!
With my finisher’s medal! It features the Victory Arch downtown and the propeller from Mariner’s Museum.
Flat Out events is based in my hometown of Newport News, VA. They organize several races each year, including the Christmas Dash in December at Busch Gardens and a 50k in October featuring the Noland Trail. One City is designed as a point to point race, with the full marathon starting in Newport News Park, the largest city park in the United States east of the Mississippi, and ending downtown at the Victory Arch. (Newport News is actually 23 miles long!) The half marathon follows the same route beginning at the halfway point at Menchville High School. Because of this, both races have a 7 hour time limit by default.
The original plan for this race weekend was to run it with my best friend, but she had a family emergency, so plans changed! I’m grateful to still have family in the area and a free place to stay, so this made the race weekend easy.
The race shirt, which is a super nice, long sleeve technical tee.
Here’s my review of the race. I’ll start with the expo. Although very small, every vendor had something good to give away. It was held at the Holiday Inn Newport News/Hampton, conveniently located right off the interstate and right down the road from where I grew up! Getting in and out was a breeze.
Outside the Expo.
The website for this event was very thorough. They have an app for spectators to follow their runners, which my brother used to track me, and the site itself had all the information you need, including course maps and a parking map. Since it’s a point to point race, you park downtown at the finish and take a bus to the start of your race. Parking was free and plentiful for participants. This is important to me, because parking for a race is always my biggest stressor! Race volunteers were super helpful with both directing parking and where to go for the shuttle buses, also making sure you get on the right bus! I’m grateful that I got to meet up with one of my friends from Richmond to start the day’s adventure together!
With fellow Legacy Nunn ambassador and Richmonder, Nikkia. We were grateful for the warmth of the gym at Menchville High School before the race!
For the start of the half marathon at Menchville High School, they actually had the school open. This meant you could stay warm inside and use actual toilets, even though there were plenty of porta potties as well. They had both gyms open. I wore a throw away shirt to keep warm at the start, and I didn’t really need it because we were allowed this luxury. The school was also an exchange point for those running the marathon relay.
The race started at 7am. I really love having the early start! It was chilly at 28 degrees, but warmed up into the 30’s later in the morning. We really couldn’t have asked for better weather, with low humidity and beautiful sunshine.
Since I’m familiar with Newport News, I enjoyed running past places I remembered from my childhood. The race transitioned fairly quickly out of the neighborhood surrounding Menchville High and onto Warwick Blvd. The best part of the course for me started at the campus of Christopher Newport University, then taking you into neighboring Mariner’s Museum Park. You pass the trail head for the Noland Trail, then head to the James River. The only really significant hills are in the park. You then transition back into the Hidenwood neighborhood, crossing the Lion’s Bridge before heading back onto Warwick Blvd. This takes you through historic Hilton Village as you make your way downtown.
At the Lion’s Bridge at mile 6ish. This is where I turned on my music and settled in for the long haul!
Things I learned on the course? Todd Stadium looks exactly the same as when I was in high school, Newport News Public Schools took over the building my orthodontist once occupied, Hilton Village is just as charming as I remember, and the valedictorian of my high school class is running for the school board (I saw several campaign signs on the course!) I was also reminded of how delicious Skittles are when running (thank you to whoever it was in Hidenwood who was passing those out!)
Around mile 11, a race official on a bike approached me. He told me I was doing a great job, then proceeded to politely ask me to move to the right, as the race leaders of the marathon were about to pass. I felt simultaneously inspired and humiliated. In all, 4 male marathoners passed me. That means they ran sub-2:30 marathons! The top 3 leaders had police escorts on motorcycles. Folks, if you are in this league of runners, this is special. I don’t think I’ve ever run a race where the leaders had this VIP treatment. The job of these escorts seemed to be to make sure these runners could focus solely on their performance, not dodging slower half marthoners like me! Maybe they did this because the courses overlapped, but I was impressed.
Finally reaching downtown, I found myself feeling extraordinarily grateful that I didn’t sign up for the full! I was ready to be done. The water stop at mile 12 was absolutely phenomenal, by the way. The volunteers here cheered the loudest, and they made me feel like a rock star! And when I approached the turn at the gentle downhill finish, I heard the cheers of my family! My brother, sister-in-law, and niece were waiting for me! And the race announcer called my name as I crossed the finish. That was awesome!
With my brother and niece at the finish! I was really happy to see them as I rounded the corner to the finish!
I will absolutely run this race again. The course wasn’t too hilly. There were several gentle inclines to keep things interesting, but nothing Richmond runners can’t handle! It was well organized with a huge NNPD presence on the course. Crowd support was sporadic, but those who braved the cold were enthusiastic! The food at the finish included bagels from Panera and beer, although I forgot all about my 2 free beers until I got home, which made me sad. Also, with only 2,700 participants between all the races, you never felt claustrophobic.
The Marathon winner was supposed to run a race in Japan next week. Because of the coronavirus, he decided to change his plans, and he found One City. His story is featured in the Daily Press.
One City Marathon is a Boston qualifying event, so hopefully it will continue to grow!
Have you run any of the Newport News One City races? What other spring events are on your calendar? I’d love to hear about it!
This is the first in a planned series of grocery tours for Vegans!
I am lucky to live in the Richmond, Virginia metro area: the place where grocery store chains love to converge. As old time Richmonders collectively mourn the loss of our beloved Ukrop’s, several chains have moved in to console us and attempt to fill this void. This phenomenon is not lost on the industry, as it’s been written about many times! (Check out this article from Food and Wine, and this one from Richmond Magazine.)
Our variety of stores is both a blessing and a curse, because there are awesome products at every store in the RVA that are must haves! Even different locations of each store carry different products. This forces me to visit one large grocery each week and rotate the smaller, specialty groceries when I have time for an extra shop. Aldi is on that second tier, and is the first I will explore with you in this grocery shopping for vegans series!
My local Aldi store.
Aldi entered the Richmond market in 2015 and has gradually expanded its base as a low cost grocery here. I have many friends who have not yet explored Aldi, so I wanted to share what they have to offer, especially for those who eat vegan. Before you go to Aldi, you need to know the ground rules!
You need a quarter. One of the ways they cut costs is to keep their carts locked. You need a quarter to unlock your cart, which you get back when you return it to the corral. No, there are no hand baskets!
You need to bring bags. Don’t worry, though, because you can buy bags if you forget. You can also usually grab an empty box from a storage bin in the store, just like Costco, to carry out your goodies.
Be prepared to bag your own groceries. They have a very nice area to do so but they basically put all of your purchases in another cart to take to this area. Again, another way to cut costs.
Most of the merchandise is their own brand, just like Trader Joe’s.
Merchandise changes frequently. If you find something you love, stock up, because it may not be there on your next visit!
The store layout is essentially the same in each store. Once you learn it, navigating is easy. They don’t play the rearranging game every so often to make you spend more time in the store! (Trader Joe’s, which is related to Aldi, is notorious for doing this!)
What are some of the must-haves for Vegans at Aldi?
Chocolate.
Not all of their chocolate is vegan, but most of their dark chocolate is. It’s also fair trade! Their Moser Roth brand, which they carry consistently, looks like it’s a big bar from the outside, but it’s actually 5 individually wrapped bars. These are perfectly sized for your lunch box! My favorites are the 70% dark chocolate and the dark chocolate mint.
Nuts and dried fruit.
Their prices can’t be beat for the quality of these items. Today I even found raw cashews. I will try to make an “alfredo” sauce with these! And I find that eating dried fruit, besides providing lots of fiber, cures me of any cravings for chewy, sour candy like Skittles for me.
Produce.
Prices are usually really great on their produce, and the quality is usually good. The problem is that what is available is very hit or miss. So if you need something specific for a recipe, you’re better off going to a bigger grocery store. However, they usually have avocados, and today they were 79 cents! They also had organic berries today at my location.
Vegan snacks and dips.
There are usually several items available, although the products change frequently. Last time, I found Bada Bean Bada Boom snacks (I stocked up!) This visit, they had new cookies made with cashews and coconut which are surprisingly delicious! They also had cauliflower crackers, which actually aren’t as bad as they sound. At less than $2 per box, it was worth the gamble. Organic tortilla chips are a staple at Aldi in some variety. I also found an olive tapenade hummus and a black bean dip in the refrigerated section today that have both passed the taste test with one of my kids!
Organic canned beans.
These are consistently available, especially black beans and kidney beans. Always less than $1 per can.
Vegan meat and milk substitutes.
Aldi makes “chicken” patties, several varieties of bean/veggie burgers, vegan “meatballs,” and “chicken” tenders in the freezer section. I’ve tried most of these, and they are all decent. Today in the refrigerated section, they also had meatless Italian sausage and hot dogs. Read your labels, though, as the sausages contain egg! I didn’t purchase either. Although I don’t eat meat substitutes on a regular basis, the fact that most of these are frozen make throwing together a quick meal easy when you really need it!
They also have several varieties of plant based milks, including a few flavors of almond milk, as well as soy and coconut milk, all Aldi brand.
Kombucha.
Aldi usually carries limited flavors of the GT’s brand (my husband is addicted!) They also have a store brand which is quite good, but they also carry other brands from time to time. Always just a bit under $3 each.
So if you’ve never explored Aldi, now you know what to look for! I think of Aldi as an adventure each visit. It’s never my primary shop of the week, but I try to stop in about once a month to stock up on chocolate and nuts, at least! They also have an aisle of non-food items which vary, and can have anything from vinyl records to sweatpants to generic TRX rigs. You never know what you’ll find!
My haul from Aldi this trip.
Do you shop at Aldi? If so, what are some of your favorite items?
Next week, I’ll have a race recap of the One City Half Marathon!
When I first started my fitness journey, my self-talk was typically pretty negative. Even when I lost all the weight I had set out to lose, I felt that I needed to punish myself for eating too many calories. I would do things like “buy” treats with exercise. This is why calorie counting became dangerous for me.
When I shifted my focus in my fitness journey from weight loss to performance goals, my self-talk also began to shift. I also stopped counting calories. But when I first started running, the shuffle of my feet seemed to mock me. I heard, “nanny-nanny boo-boo.” It was in perfect rhythm to my cadence. I learned to run with music to drown out that negative mantra.
During my first cycle of marathon training, something changed. Now, if you’ve ever run long, double digit mile runs in the heat and humidity of the South, you know things can get crazy in your head. But I recall clearly on a 14 mile run in the brutal August heat of Virginia the moment my mantra changed. Instead, I heard a mariachi band telling me, “You can do it!” (I told you things get crazy…) It was the first run where I really felt it was possible for me to finish a marathon.
I often tell this story of my mantra shift to teammates during training runs with my marathon training team. (Long runs yield lots of opportunities to share!) But I can’t say that all of my self-talk with exercise has been positive. It’s actually more like a roller coaster ride, with many ups and downs.
Going to a CrossFit gym is an extremely humbling experience. It’s challenging to not compare yourself to women half your age who are simply beasts in the gym! But I learned to channel that frustration into my next lift. I also WOD like I marathon: slow and steady. And I’ve also learned to compete with only myself at the gym. It’s one reason why the YMCA is my happy place for now.
I also recall clearly making a deal with God in my final miles of the Marine Corps Marathon last October after slogging through a monsoon and finishing in brutal heat and humidity, my feet screaming to get out of my wet shoes. I definitely had a personal Shalane Flanagan moment when I reached the last cutoff at mile 22, screaming “F*%k YEAH!!!” But I was also surprised to see many of my friends behind me at the out and back through Crystal City. Sometimes races are just hard, especially when Mother Nature throws curve balls.
This winter, I have struggled with my running. I feel slow, like molasses. I have to remind myself that it’s a miracle I’m running at all. Last spring, I was so stressed out, I ended up in the emergency room with heart palpitations and chest pain. My blood pressure was through the roof. Of course they couldn’t find anything wrong in the ER. So I got the “you are a stressed out crazy lady” speech with instructions to quit my job. (I wonder if a man would have been treated differently.) After some follow up testing with a cardiologist, they found that I throw PAC’s and PVC’s fairly frequently, but that it’s “normal,” and that my BP elevates easily with exercise. But when your resting BP is 110/60 and resting HR is 51, medicating will not help! I was cleared to exercise. And I did eventually quit that job. And now I plod on, comparing myself to my best, chasing what once was.
Rich Roll posted recently on Instagram about the phenomenon of self-judgement. Rich Roll, the vegan ultra-running and triathlete legend, struggles like the rest of us. I find his admission comforting. He advises to “train where you’re at,” accepting what is, and to “find yourself where your feet find themselves.” (By the way, read his book. It’s inspiring!)
So I’m letting go of what once was, because my best was a few years ago. I will train, but I will also try to focus on enjoying being out there, hopefully inspiring others to do the same. I will congratulate myself for getting back to double digit runs and feeling comfortable with the effort. I will take back my PR’s with weightlifting and be happy with that. And then I will reassess my goals. And I will find my new mantra.
If you’re new to fitness or not, realize that your journey doesn’t move in a straight line. There are many twists and turns and ups and downs along the way. But above all else, be kind to yourself. If you’re still getting out there and moving, you’re making progress, whether you realize it or not. Make sure your self-talk is positive.
Do you struggle with self-judgement, especially with your fitness journey? Do you have strategies to help deal with this? I’d love to hear them!
I know. For those of us who grew up with Nickelodeon, this evokes an image of copious amounts of green goop falling from the sky and enveloping anyone under it!
But the type of slime I’m referring to doesn’t look like anything, although it may FEEL like something. So for all of you runners and gym rats who use plastic bottles, I want you to do this for me. Take a look inside your plastic bottles. See anything? Turn on the flashlight on your phone and use it to look again. Hopefully, you won’t see any black mold. Now feel the surface of the inside of your bottle. Does it feel squeaky clean? You know, like your Tupperware fresh out of the dishwasher? Or does it feel, well, SLIMY?
So what IS this slime? It’s biofilm. Sounds fancy, I know. But it’s gross, right? Biofilm loves to grow in moist environments, and it’s basically a living layer of bacteria living on a surface. It can also feed other organisms, like mold. And your running bottles made of plastic, all sealed up with just a bit of leftover water from your last run with a few microbes from you, are the perfect breeding ground for this. It’s especially true if you use sports drinks or forget your bottle and leave it in your car during the summer! Sugar and heat are definitely great accelerators for growth of bacteria.
My current fuel belt and handheld made by Nathan.
Ok. Don’t panic. I recently hauled my fuel belt out of my pile of marathon gear, and I found the same issue, even though I had emptied them prior to storage. Regular washing with hot water and dish soap usually won’t fix this problem. You need friction!
Just like good old hand washing, friction is the secret weapon to getting rid of germs. Bottle brushes are nice, but often they can’t reach those corners very well. So what can you do? Rice to the rescue. Take a tablespoon or so of uncooked rice, pour it into your bottle, add a drop of dish soap, and fill about halfway with hot water, replace the lid, and shake for at least 30 seconds. Make sure you squirt some of that soapy water through the lid. Rinse thoroughly, and your bottles should be good to go. You can pour the rice/water into another bottle if needed. I check my bottles every couple of weeks to see if they need this treatment, and I try to do a quick wash and let my bottles dry upside down as often as I can!
I shared this tip with my marathon training teammates last summer. One of our members shared that she also takes the valves of her bottles apart and washes them. I don’t go this far, mainly because I’m afraid that I will ruin the valves, but if a bottle is especially visibly grimy, it may be worth a try. I’ve also never used a hydration vest (I just get too hot!), so I don’t know how useful this tip would be for the bladders of these.
One of the articles I read about this suggested that you use glass and stainless steel bottles instead of plastic and that you make sure your hands are clean before you fill your bottles. Great suggestions, except that no one in their right minds would add the extra weight of glass or plastic to their running gear, nor would you want anything breakable with you on a run. The author also advises against sharing bottles. I do subscribe to the hand washing prior to filling my bottles, and I use a stainless steel water bottle for the gym.
I hope you found this information helpful! Happy hydrating!
We are officially done with January 2020. Our New Year’s Resolutions are surely being tested at this point. Did you make any?
Chances are you made a resolution to take better care of your body, whether that was to lose weight, exercise more, or just to eat healthier. How are things going?
I can tell you that my local YMCA is already less crowded. Gone is the super packed cardio floor from the beginning of the year. Yes, it was frustrating as a regular patron. But it was also exciting. I love to see people beginning a fitness journey!
Yet here we are. It’s February. This is when the motivation begins to fade. So what can you do?
Mix it up!
Bored of your standard gym routine? Frustrated about how to progress? Try something new!
If you a member of a gym, you probably have a lot of options. Try a group exercise class. My YMCA has everything from HIIT, spin, barre, pilates, elite club, and water aerobics. (It’s also a great way to try new things without investing too heavily in a boutique style gym membership.) Try a yoga class in a real studio (Totally different feel and greater variety than at the YMCA.) Get in the pool and swim (most indoor pools also have kick boards and flotation belts which help if you’re not fully comfortable in the water.) Try CrossFit for a real challenge. (In the Richmond area/West End, I recommend DBG CrossFit. They have a great community and great coaching!)
Changing your exercise stimulus is good for you. It forces your brain to concentrate more on what you are doing. It’s also great for your muscles to change activities periodically. You may find that you are sore in different muscles or more than usual after a workout that your body is not accustomed to! Changing your stimulus is also important for reducing your risk for injury from overuse. Plus, you may find another activity you love to do!
My primary exercise is running. I will always consider myself a runner first. But even I get bored of running the same routes. Don’t get me wrong… I love the streets and trails of Ashland. But I do enjoy new scenery every now and then. So if you find yourself in a rut with running, try a new location. I ran in a park today because I was running errands in a different part of town. I took that as an opportunity to seek out a new venue!
Change your goals.
Most people begin their fitness journey with a goal to lose weight. Sometimes in this quest, we become lost. Weight loss can certainly be a great motivator, but if you’ve met the weight loss goal, or the number on the scale isn’t moving, maybe you need to shift your goals to something more fitness based. For example, completing a 5k race, or holding a plank for a minute, or increasing the amount of weight you can lift. Shifting your goal will change your focus and may improve your motivation for your workouts. Besides, the number on the scale does not reflect changes in body composition or overall fitness.
Keep a fitness journal!
It is immensely satisfying to look back on my little notebooks and see what I’ve been up to and how I’ve progressed. It makes me feel productive and accomplished. For marathon training season, Sports Backers MTT participants are lucky to get a training guide with space for notes about how your runs went and what cross-training you’ve done. I keep my own journal in the off season, documenting my weightlifting and how far/fast/where my runs went. I can look back and see where I am in my rotation of primary lifts and what accessory work I want to complete that day. It keeps me focused on gym days so I don’t meander.
My MTT training guide from last season, and my current fitness journal.
Find a partner in crime!
Nothing is more motivating than accountability. You are more likely to show up for a workout if someone is counting on you to be there. It’s also fun to compare notes on exercises, etc., or to try a new class together. And there’s definitely tremendous value in a good running partner. There are many runs I wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for a promise to one of my running sisters that I would show up!
With Patty, one of my sole sisters!
One easy way to stay accountable, especially for running, is to join a training team. I’m partial to Sports Backers programs in the Richmond area. They are responsible for helping me fall in love with running, discover the Richmond running community, and to find my sole sisters! I’ve run with the 8k, 10k, and Marathon training teams. Training teams develop what I call the herd mentality: we’re in it together, in a positive way, with guidance and coaches who care. When training for longer races, the teams are by far the best way to get through those long, double digit mile runs, with planned routes and water stops. There are also many local running groups in the RVA which are great when these teams are not in session. Don’t know where to start with finding a group outside of the RVA? Ask at your local running store. They will know!
Members of the Sports Backers MTT before the Richmond Marathon 2019
The herd mentality is also significant in CrossFit! A good box builds a strong community with a positive, supportive culture, good coaching, safe scaling without shame, and great programming. CrossFit, like running, is for everyone!
But you can also find your herd if you are a part of a group fitness class and attend the same class regularly. I promise you will meet friends!
Sign up for a race!
For runners in a rut who are NOT injured, sometimes giving yourself a race to train for is the key for ramping up your motivation for running. I occasionally suffer from burnout in the winter after training all summer for a fall marathon, so having a spring race to train for helps me maintain a running schedule. Even if you are more of a walker, there is surely a local 5k or 10k coming up this spring to look forward to!
In Richmond, we have several choices. The Monument 10k is March 28. This event is one of the biggest parties in the RVA. It’s also very walk-able. There’s also the Uncorked 5k and Half Marathon in New Kent on May 2 and races in conjunction with the River Rock Festival May 15-17. If you are looking for a 10k PR, the Richmond Road Runners Club Carytown 10k on April 26 is a fantastic race, especially because it’s less crowded than the Monument 10k, and the course is more interesting than an out and back. It’s fairly flat with the exception of the long, gentle uphill on Grove! Speaking of the RRRC, the Sweetheart 8k is coming up in less than 2 weeks! That course is definitely NOT flat!
I will be running the One City Half Marathon on March 1st in my hometown of Newport News. They also have an 8k, a full marathon, and a marathon relay. I’m really looking forward to running this event! One year, I will hopefully run the full!
Go shopping!
Sometimes a new outfit, pair of shoes, or a better fitting sports bra are what it takes to get you back to work. If you’ve followed my blog, I did an overview of what to look for in workout pants last year. I hope it was helpful! But just having something new to wear when you’re working out is refreshing. Take inventory of what you have, what fits, what doesn’t, and consider what types of workouts you plan to do. Personally, what I wear for a long run isn’t at all what I would wear to CrossFit. See what you need, and treat yourself to something new.
Look at your need for shoes. Taking up running? Or already running, but you’ve got over 300 miles on your shoes? It’s worth your time to go to a local running store to be fitted for shoes that suit your gait and the kind of running you will be doing. (My favorite store in Richmond is Lucky Road Run Shop.) Starting with that investment is much cheaper in the long run if it prevents injury and frustration for you. (I’m a Hoka fan myself!) Doing lots of gym workouts? Having a training shoe is better than running shoes for these workouts. They tend to be flatter (lower drop) and are more stable for weightlifting, body weight, and agility exercises. (My current ones are Reebok Nano’s, but I really want to try a pair of NoBull because they are so pretty!)
Wearing my Reebok Nano 5’s during a workout!
And for the ladies, having a good fitting, supportive sports bra can make exercising so much more enjoyable. I personally have a large collection of the Victoria’s Secret Incredible sports bras. I tend to stock up during their clearance sales. I noticed that they changed the bra last year, unfortunately, so I will be looking for a new go-to soon! Whatever you choose, try it on first. Jump around in the fitting room with it on. Make sure it keeps the girls in place! (And if you have a favorite, please comment, because I need some guidance!)
Be honest about your nutrition.
Are you really consuming the healthiest foods? Keeping a food diary, even for a few days, can be revealing. There are apps for this, most notably My Fitness Pal, which can help you track calories in vs. calories out. But all calories are not created equal. 100 calories of candy is not as nutritionally dense as 100 calories of fruit, for example. Don’t get obsessive with this, though, as it’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole tracking calories. I will try to do this for a week if I feel like my fitness is off. The app also tracks macros (protein/fat/carbs), which is super helpful.
Did you decide to go plant based for the New Year? It took me a while to really get the hang of the transition from vegetarian to vegan. The worst part is eating in restaurants. I tend to go to chains like Cava or Chipotle frequently. I also have a few Asian and Mexican restaurants in my area which are vegan friendly. If the restaurant isn’t of your choosing, look at the menu online ahead of time. It can help you make better choices, and if your meal will likely consist of a salad and French fries, you can prepare by eating a snack first! For non-chain restaurants, I often ask the server what they recommend for vegans. Sometimes they even have a separate vegan menu. Sometimes I’ll get really lucky, and the chef will make something special. So it’s definitely worth asking! (The Kill Devil Grill on the Outer Banks of NC will do this if you call ahead. And on our recent trip to Wilmington, NC, the chef at Sweet n Savory Café made me a special meal off menu.)
My vegan meal from Sweet n Savory Cafe in Wilmington. Marinated mushrooms over rice with veggies.
Invest in recovery!
If you are new to exercising OR if you’ve found new workouts that leave your body sore, give yourself permission to invest in tools and services that help you recover more quickly. Don’t neglect the importance of at least one rest day a week. Also allow for time after your workouts for stretching. I could write a whole blog post about recovery!
Some things you may find helpful in your tool box are Epsom salts for hot baths, a foam roller, a rolling stick, and finding professional services in your area to assist with recovery. If you love massages, finding a good therapist who specializes in sports recovery is great! Cryotherapy is also popular, and there are new centers that specialize in this (CryoRVA.) And there are some talented rehab professionals who have made a career about helping athletes recover and avoid injury (DuraMater Therapy.)
Learning the best ways to help your body deal with the physical stress of activity will help keep you moving!
If you are lacking a bit of motivation after January, try one of these tricks to hit the refresh button. You can do it! Have you found other ways to stay motivated? I’d love to hear about them!
Those of us in the Metro Richmond area are so lucky to live in a region with so much access to trails! Richmond and the surrounding areas have much to offer for outdoor adventure, whether you are biking, running, hiking, or dog walking.
The North Bank Trail, part of the James River Park trail system. Hollywood Cemetery is on the left; Richmond’s skyline is in the distance; the James River is to the right.
Personally, I am in awe of the James River Park trail system. Until I started running, I had no idea the vast network of trails surrounding the James River existed. It’s still tough for me to navigate these trails on my own, as it’s quite a maze, but I really enjoy getting together with friends to run a few miles with amazing views of downtown Richmond and the river. In the spring and summer, Mother Nature shows off her wildflowers. And I have come face to face with a buck near Forest Hill! And on my run this week, we saw a blue heron.
Wildflowers near the T. Pott Bridge in April 2019
A blue heron as seen on the trail.
The North Bank Trail in the James River Park system will link you to the Tyler Potterfield Bridge to Manchester and will also link you to the Capital Trail. The Capital Trail will take you all the way to Jamestown.
The RVA skyline and CSX rail line as seen from the T. Pott bridge. The James River was moving that day!
I remember when the Capital Trail was in the development stages. I was not yet running or cycling in 2005 when it was first started, so I was indifferent about how it would affect me. But now that I do these things, I’m really glad it’s here! The full trail wasn’t open until 2015; the portion mainly along Route 5 was the final part to be completed. One of my good running friends worked for a company who helped one of the plantations along route 5 develop their restaurant in Charles City. I recall her telling the story of convincing the owners to have outdoor seating to accommodate runners and cyclists, knowing that outdoor enthusiasts would become patrons of their business. She was right!
Ruffner Hall at Longwood University, Farmville, VA.
Outside of the Metro Richmond area, the little college town of Farmville is enjoying the benefits of its new trail, the High Bridge State Park trail. Downtown Farmville is at the trail head. I am a graduate of Longwood College, now University, and back in the 90’s, the railroad track upon which the trail is based still existed. The tracks are now long gone, replaced with flat, pea gravel trails. The highlight is the High Bridge itself, towering over the Appomattox River. The views are outstanding! The trail is host to several running events throughout the year, including the High Bridge Trail Ultra 50k and 30k.
“Joanie on the Stony” inside the Rotunda in Ruffner Hall. Longwood University.
My daughter and I were in Farmville last weekend, as she has been accepted into the Cormier Honors College at Longwood University. We were visiting during accepted students’ day. She is still trying to make a decision as to which school she will attend in the fall. We had a nice breakfast with a presentation about the honors program, met the dean of the honors college, and had a private tour of the honors dorm. Crossing my fingers that she chooses my school!
One of the murals in Downtown Farmville.
Anyway, we spent the afternoon exploring the quaint downtown Farmville district. It was bustling with shoppers. Other than its two universities, the other being Hampden-Sydney, Farmville is known for Green Front Furniture, which now occupies a dozen buildings downtown. One of the places we visited was Pairet’s, a screen print/t-shirt shop, to buy my daughter a Longwood shirt. I struck up a conversation with the gentleman who was helping us. He just happened to be the owner. I remarked about how much the town has changed for the better since my time there in the 90’s. He agreed, crediting the change to the new trail. He said there was a lot of opposition from the business owners in town initially, but now that the trail is here, all of those business owners are thrilled with the economic benefit it has brought.
The characteristics of Farmville are very similar to my little Town of Ashland just north of Richmond, home to Randolph-Macon College, where my husband earned his degree. We already have a few short trails in town, and now we have the opportunity for a major trail, too! The Ashland to Petersburg Trail is in the development stages, and, obviously, the Town of Ashland is the trail head. The first part of the trail in Ashland is already complete, starting at Carter Park with a multi-use path that essentially leads to nowhere, or so I’ve thought for 2 years of running the paved, multi-use path that leads to an industrial site! But just beyond that lies the old Ashland to Richmond trolley line, part of which is about a half mile of existing trail which is not marked from Carter Park side, but from Gwathmey Church Road. In progress is a boardwalk which will connect the multi-use path to the existing trolley line trail.
The end of the multi-use path from Carter Park in the Town of Ashland.
This is the stretch of trail from the multi-use path which is under construction. It may not look impressive from this angle, but the steel rods will apparently support a boardwalk type path to the existing trolley line trail.
North end of the existing designated Ashland trolley line trail, which is about a half mile long. This will take you to Gwathmey Church Road.
The south end of the trail at Gwathmey Church Road. Directly across the street, this path continues, but is not marked as public trail. This path, however, will hopefully be developed into the ATP.
This trolley line runs from Ashland through the South Anna District of Hanover County, and then into Henrico County roughly parallel to Greenwood Road. Some of this line is adjacent to Lavender Fields Farm, a favorite business of mine in Henrico. They even discuss it on their farm tours! My husband’s grandparents used to talk about taking the trolley into Richmond from Ashland to shop and work. The trail will extend to cross the Capital Trail, but will also eventually take you to Petersburg via Chesterfield County and Colonial Heights. The proposed path will be over 40 miles long! The fact that the ATP will cross the Capital Trail means that you could potentially bike from Ashland or Petersburg to Jamestown with little vehicular traffic.
When I first learned about this project, I was attending an interest meeting for Bike Walk RVA Academy through Sports Backers. If you’ve followed my blog, you know how much I appreciate Sports Backers and all they do for the Richmond Metro area. That’s why I became an ambassador for them and why I’m a Marathon Training Team coach. But between these things was Bike Walk Academy for Hanover. I had to apply, then attend an 8 week long advocacy training program, from which Bike Walk Hanover was born. I’m still actively involved in this organization. We work to promote active and healthy living in our county by advocating for safe roadways and organizing community events. If you live in Hanover, visit our Facebook page, and see how you can get involved!
The Ashland to Petersburg Trail will be a wonderful, important addition to the Metro Richmond trail system. Its development will help promote living an active and healthy lifestyle, help preserve the nostalgia and history of the old trolley line, promote economic sustainability for the localities and businesses along its route, and will give runners and cyclists a safe place for activity other than our increasingly busy streets.
If you are a resident of the Town of Ashland, Hanover County, Henrico County, the City of Richmond, Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights, or Petersburg, and you love the idea of this trail as much as I do, please reach out to your leaders for support! Change can be good, but our leaders are more willing to support change if they know that their constituents want it. All it takes is a quick email. You can even copy the paragraph above, which I’ve bolded for you, and include it in your correspondence!
Don’t live in the Metro Richmond area? Don’t have trails like this where you live, but want them? Contact your area government leaders. Contact your local cycling and running clubs to find allies. Get organized. The more your leaders know about what their constituents wish to see in their community, the greater chance you have of turning your desire for access to safe places to run, walk, or cycle into reality.
This was an event that I almost didn’t attend! But I’m so happy that I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Wilmington with my running crew. I think it’s been about 2 years since we’ve all been together on a runcation.
With Laura and Sarah. So happy to be at the beach with friends!
The Southern Tour Ultra holds 3 races in one day: an individual 50k, individual 50 miler, and a team 50 mile relay. This year, instead of 5 mile loops for the relay, they made it 5.5 miles. We were to each complete 2 loops.
Almost ready to run!
I wasn’t really sure what to expect. The only other trail races I’ve done are the Sports Backers Trails and Ale’s 5k, which was super fun and held on trails I run on a regular basis, and the Richmond Ragnar trail event at Pocahontas State Park, which was a miserable, hot and humid, one and done event for me! Thankfully, unlike Ragnar, all of the running in this trail event is in the day, which means no run-ins with bats swooping in to eat moths who are attracted to the light from your headlamp.
Base camp at sunrise
All of my friends with me had run the Southern Tour Ultra at least once before, and they gave it rave reviews. No overnight camping. More like tailgaiting, as one of my crew described it. In “camp,” there were lots of pop-up tents for changing between legs of the relay, canopies to protect from the elements, bonfires, good music, and kegs of local craft beer and kombucha. The atmosphere was laid back and relaxed. Plenty of excitement for “serious” runners, but also lots of fun to be had by friends just looking to spend time together doing something we love.
The main bonfire. They had just dropped a Christmas tree on the fire!
We all ran a leg of the relay alone. About 30 minutes before I left to run, a young man with CP started his loop along with 2 helpers, as he could not walk the rough terrain on his own. There was a log crossing almost one mile in, and when I got there, he and his helpers were sitting on the log, inching their way across the giant log bridge that spanned across a waist deep creek. Plenty of runners happily jumped into the water to cross instead of waiting. Not wanting to get that wet so soon into my run, I waited for them to finish crossing. As a team, we were running for fun, not to smash records! Pausing was not a big deal. Besides, I needed time to strip my long sleeve layer and drink some water. And right after that, he was done crossing.
The log bridge 0.8 miles in. There is a rope to the left to help you cross. The creek below was about waist deep.
The next challenge was running across some mud flats near the water. Beautiful views, but lots of mud! There was no way to avoid getting your feet wet. And this was intentional! As the race directors emphasized, is it actually a trail race if you don’t get wet?
The mud flats.The view after crossing the mud flats. This is at the turn around. Yes, we crossed the mud twice each loop!
The rest of the course was fire road mixed with single track and a few fields. There were places which were marked extremely well, and others which were not! This confused one of our teammates, as she took a wrong turn, and she ended up running a couple of miles extra on her loop!
At the start of my first loop.
After I’d finished my loop and had been done for a while, the young man with CP approached his finish! He received a hero’s welcome as he made his way to the exchange tent. About halfway through the finish chute, a runner came in hot, shouting “RUNNER RIGHT!” We aren’t entirely sure he fully understood what was going on, because he broke the grip between the young man and his helper to get through the narrow chute, causing the young man to fall. Everyone watching gasped. It was awful!
Broke in my Hoka Speedgoats!
My second loop was run by most of the team together. It was much more fun the second time with company! And we ran part of that loop with one of the runners helping the young man with CP. She was very gracious about the situation earlier with the disruptive runner who caused that young man to fall. She was sure the faster runner didn’t really get what was happening; he was simply focused on getting his best time. That is so NOT the reaction I would have had, and she’s a much better person than me! We finished that second loop as the sun set.
Wrightsville Beach
And with that, the first race of 2020 is done. The rest of the weekend was full of time on the beach, good food, and great conversation. If you can make a long weekend out of this race, it’s definitely a fun time!
Do you need to supplement with electrolytes when you exercise?
Well, that depends.
In general, if you will be exercising heavily, say, doing a long Metcon like Murph, challenging yourself with a group HIIT workout, or running for over an hour, or if you are exercising in hot, humid conditions, you should probably be taking in electrolytes during activity. But for your standard gym workout, or for easy runs in ideal conditions that are less than an hour, you should be fine with just water. But you can also take in extra electrolytes in anticipation of long, sweaty runs or workouts as a preventive measure to avoid hyponatremia.
(If you want to geek out about the science of electrolytes and exercise, check out Good to Go by Christie Aschwanden. I was compelled to buy her book after listening to an interview with her on NPR. She also discusses other aspects of recovery and the latest science behind everything from using anti-inflammatories to ice baths vs. Epsom salt baths after workouts. Good stuff. And check out this article as well.)
Everyone by now has heard the story of the football coach for the University of Florida worked with a doctor to create Gatorade, the first electrolyte replacement. That was in 1965. Once their team started using this new drink, their incidences of heat stroke and hospitalizations greatly decreased. Electrolyte replacements have evolved so much since then!
When you lose electrolytes through sweating, drinking water will help prevent dehydration, but will not do anything to help prevent hyponatremia, leading to confusion, nausea, cramping, and sometimes swelling. Another symptom that you may be drinking too much water is if you have a sloshing sensation in your stomach.
As I trained for my first marathons, I tried various electrolyte replacements. So many I tried had so much sugar that they didn’t settle well on my stomach. I actually got into a bit of trouble during the Chicago marathon in 2015, which was super hot and humid, because the electrolyte replacement on the course did not agree with me. Not to mention that most have artificial colors and flavors. And did you know that athletes have higher incidences of tooth decay as compared to non-exercisers? Sounds so unfair when we do so much to take care of our bodies! But this is largely attributed to all the sugary drinks and snacks we consume while doing all that work!
On the “T-Pott” bridge with the Richmond skyline in the background
When I found Nuun, it was a game changer for me. They have great flavors, no artificial colors, flavors, or sugars, are vegan friendly, and are very portable. There is only 1G of sugar per serving as compared to up to 34 grams of sugar in other commercially available electrolyte replacement drinks. Nuun has also added a few other formulations, like my favorite Immunity to help boost your body’s defenses, Vitamins to provide not just electrolytes but also 11 essential nutrients, and Rest to help you sleep at night. They also have a new Endurance formula for activities lasting more than 90 minutes. There’s a reason why I’ve been an ambassador for Nuun since 2017! If you’re struggling with fatigue, cramping, and generally feeling “off” during your workouts, give Nuun a try.
*Today, January 15, 2020, Amazon is running a Deal of the Day with 40% off of Nuun products!*
Farro has quickly become one of my favorite whole grains. It has a chewy texture and nutty flavor that lends itself well to all kinds of dishes, but I especially love it as a base for salads, making an excellent backdrop for all kinds of veggies.
The variety most often found in stores here in the states is partially cooked, speeding up your prep at home. It’s not that common of an item to find, but I can find it at Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Publix here in Virginia. Look for it near the rice and quinoa. This article from NPR details a bit of the history of this ancient grain.
My current favorite salad made with farro features diced tomatoes, Kalamata olives, diced cucumber, green onion, beans, and homemade mustard vinaigrette. Just look at how beautiful this is before mixing it up!
Farro Salad
Ingredients:
One cup dry farro, cooked to package directions and allowed to cool to room temperature (try cooking it in vegetable broth for extra flavor, but water with salt to your liking works just fine!)
One cup diced cucumber (I like the small Persian variety; typically takes 3-4)
One cup diced tomato (I like grape or Roma tomatoes)
One can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup pitted, halved Kalamata olives (or more to your liking)
2-3 green onions, diced (discard white bulb)
Ingredients for vinaigrette
For vinaigrette:
1 part olive oil (about ¼ cup)
2 parts apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg’s)(about ½ cup)
1 T dijon mustard
1 T dried dill weed
1 T dried parsley
Salt, pepper, and onion salt to taste
Directions:
Assemble salad ingredients in a large bowl. For the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake! If you’re a big olive fan, you can add a bit of the olive brine to the vinaigrette for some extra flavor. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients in the bowl and combine. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. I usually serve this with some type of fresh greens, but it’s great as is as well!
Prepping the vinaigrette
There are infinite ways you can modify this recipe. Have leftover roasted veggies? Make them into a farro based salad and sub some of the vinegar in the vinaigrette with balsamic. Don’t have apple cider vinegar? Sub for what you have. Prefer a Mexican twist? Use black beans, tomatoes, peppers, corn, onions for your veggies and sub a bit of lime juice for the vinegar, and swap a bit of cumin for the dill in the vinaigrette. Or roast some peeled, cored, and sliced apples, add toasted walnuts or pecans, leave the dill out of the vinaigrette, mix with the farro, and serve over arugula. So many possibilities!
Anne the Vegan 