Ten miles was just what my Monday needed. I went with a St. Patrick’s Day theme because I thought the kids would think my socks were cool:) I don’t think they noticed but that’s okay. Never ever moving away from these mountains.
First, a minor rewind to first thing in the morning. Nothing like trampoline jumping at 7:30 in the morning.
It was actually too hot for the long sleeve top I was wearing and I wish I had just gone out in a tank! This has been an amazing February for Utah. I’ve got a race at the end of the week (most likely…) so I will do a little bit of speed work tomorrow and then take the rest of the week easy. It feels like it has been forever since my last race (October!!) and I’m excited to see where my pace is on race day! It’s a hilly course so I’m sure it will beat my legs up quite nicely with all of the flat running I’ve managed to do while training.
10 miles @ 8:19 average pace and a 163 cadence?! Also, not super sure how accurate the heart rate info is because I had my watch on over my sleeve.
I worked a bunch a year or so ago on my cadence and bumped it up into the 170ish range but it has dropped back down because I haven’t been working on it.
“Ideally you’ll have 170 to 180 steps per minute. But a shorter stride should produce lower forces with each foot fall. Overstriding is a common mistake that can lead to decreased efficiency and increased injury risk.” (source) Time to work on bumping my cadence back up. I typically start doing this by focusing on it a mile per run for a week and then bump it up to two miles etc. I do best making small changes and bumping it up from there.
PS just a reminder about injury talk… injuries don’t usually just pop up out of nowhere. They usually start with some small aches and pains and turn into MORE when we don’t take care of those problems by changing our form or taking a few days off or getting worked on by a pt/chiro etc.
I don’t have enough fingers or toes to count the amount of times something has started to feel off in the past and not listening to my body asking for rest and running through it= it turns into something worse. Talk about a tangent:)
Anyways, work on your cadence with me if you need to improve it so that we can reduce the odds of getting injured!
We didn’t have long before we were out the door to drive up north to hang out for President’s Day! Put together a mini bagel sandwich to eat on the road.
We drove out to Antelope Island. The ice along the way by Great Salt Lake looked pretty amazing. On this little island they have a pretty incredible 50 miler and 100 miler race… should we all meet and do that one year together?
We didn’t see any antelope on antelope island but we did see buffalo all over the place. We jumped out of the car for a quick picture and then we were right back in the car. Brooke wasn’t so sure about the whole situation.
I had no idea how huge these animals were. Huge.
For dinner we went back to Andrew’s parents’ house for a bbq. There is a cheeseburger somewhere in there. We also made some sweet potato fries.
Followed by some ice cream sundaes.
Beyond happy that Brooke has bonded so well with her cousins on this side of the family.
And something that makes my heart and head very happy… A PIANO.
We have been searching for a piano like crazy because we want the kids to take lessons in the next few years and I also really want to get playing again. We found one for a KILLER deal and we picked it up last night. The sound is amazing and all of the keys work perfectly.
And then we were off to bed. Brooke prefers to cut me out of our selfies.
A few of Andrew’s family members are thinking of starting Whole 30. I would love to hear what experiences any of you have had that have tried it!
If you have done Whole 30… what was the hardest part? What were the benefits?
Cadence… something you pay attention to? Where are you at with it?
What’s your run today? Any speed work today?
Those with some races on your schedule… when is your next one?
93 comments
Hollie
One of my best friends did the Whole30 and saw pretty big results. She said she felt less bloated and less tired, which is awesome. I’ve given up sugar before and I’m currently limiting it now trying to get back on track. I will say I’ve always felt better doing it.
Lynn @thenotdeadyetblog
My run today: 6 miles. I’m looking forward to it, I think.
Did you know most buffalo today are part cow, genetically-speaking? They were almost extinct at one point (kill the buffalo = kill the Native) so a lot of the wild herds were boosted by purchasing animals from private herds, which had been bred with cows. I’m pretty sure I have a lot more useless information, if you want it. LOL
jessie
Love your pictures of Antelope Island. In August we are driving from Moab to Jackson, Wyoming. My husband and I disagree about the route – he wants to go via Dinosaur Monument – I keep telling him our son has seen enough dinosaur stuff. I want to drive up through SLC, through Logan and over past Bear Lake. 25 years ago driving across country we came from Elko, NV and camped at Bear Lake but we didn’t stop and see the Great Lake at all. But I do remember driving up past Logan was one of the most beautiful drives of our 8 week trip and I kept saying I need to do it again! It is going to be a long day regardless because we are going to drive 500 miles in one day, but I was checking out Antelope Island and really hope to be able to stop there!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh I am so glad that you though Logan was gorgeous… we just love Utah. I hope that you make it out to Antelope Island this August!!!!
Mallory
My workout today was supposed to be 3 x 2 miles @ 6:52 pace, but I woke up with major abdominal pain and icki-ness (thanks time of the month!). So it ended up being a little more like 2 x 1.5 miles and then another mile thrown in there at that pace. 7 miles total.
Next race is a 10 miler on March 11!
Have a great day :)
Jade
I have done 3 whole 30s and will do more in the future after having baby #2 this spring and establishing a good milk supply. I will say it tanked my milk supply when I did it while breastfeeding and I would not attempt it in the first 6 months. I think it would be very hard to do running high mileage too. It took a while to adjust to lack of and different carbs and really made me slow/sluggish for the first week or so of runs. But after that I felt GREAT! But wasn’t running too much at the time.
Abbie
I have a similar situation as Jade. I waited until 6 month post partum – I didn’t see a dip in my supply, but I also made sure I ate a lot and a ton of fats. I felt sluggish as well, so I’m not sure how well it would work with your training. I definitely felt less bloated, and its curbed my need for sugar (that I felt all the time since the holidays :)
Julie
My friend Rachel and her husband did Whole 30 and loved it! http://rachlmansfield.com/
Kelly
Hello! I have done the WHOLE30 and it went fine. I think the hardest part is finding out what foods you can eat and then the food preparation. SO MUCH FOOD PREP and I felt like I ate a lot of meat. I like meat but I was eating alot. After a week or so I just ended up eating the same thing pretty much so the monotony of the same old foods got boring – but I am not a great cook so I didn’t get too adventurous.
Judi L.
I just completed my first Whole30 at the end of January……….it was very beneficial for my digestive system and I also lost 6lbs and a few inches from my waist (although this truly was not my goal, but by eating this way, you are bound to lose some weight). I noticed less bloating and less stomach issues. The hardest part for me was giving up my coffee w/ sugar and cream in it for 30 days. The rest of it wasn’t so hard – I didn’t miss bread or cheese nearly as much as I thought I would. I learned to make my own salad dressings which is a key part because all store dressings have sugar. I am still trying to adapt that lifestyle of eating into my life – but do allow myself some chocolate from time to time — AND I am drinking my coffee again :) I suggest to anyone thinking of doing it read the approved Whole30 food list and get some ghee (clarified butter, it’s a life saver).
Going to try and get a few miles in tonight since it’s beginning to stay lighter after work. I have a 5K coming up in March, a 10K in June and a fall half in September…….maybe a a half in June but that one has historically been blazing hot and humid so I might skip it this year.
Gretchen
Last year I did two Whole30s and saw amazing results with it. I started a group on Facebook for runners (called Running Whole30) with a few hundred people now if any of his family members are also runners! Lots of great advice and questions about how to fuel and eat on the run. I switched to a vegan diet after finishing my second W30, mostly because I found that dairy was a big problem for me and I felt better with eating lots of plant-based foods.
I also have a race this weekend and my last one was in October too! I’m really excited. This is a test run for my upcoming marathon to see where I am. Still lots of time until my big race so I can’t wait to see how I’m doing with training.
Lauren
I’ve never paid much attention to my cadence and my fitbit doesn’t work it out properly but it does tell me the total amount of steps I do per run – I’ve just divided this by the number of minutes and my average cadence is 138 – I’m guessing that’s not brilliant?
Do you have any tips to get it into a better range please? :)
In terms of the whole30 – I have mixed feelings about it. As someone who wants to promote a balanced and unrestricted diet, I don’t really like the fact that so many food groups are cut out, for example, all dairy is cut out. I’m lactose intolerant but I still try to eat the dairy that I can to make sure I’m getting as much natural calcium as possible. I also don’t think the body really needs to ‘detox’ – naturally it’s programmed to do that already. However, it is only for 30 days which I’m guessing isn’t too bad, I suppose it’s all down to personal choice :)
My next race is the beginning of April – I’ll be doing a half marathon in preparation for my first marathon at the end of April!
Suzy
Hi Lauren! I have a cadence tip for you, only because it just worked for me last night! Find a song with a beat that goes for 180 beats per minute and then match your steps to the beat!
Lauren
Hi Suzy, thank you!! Without sounding silly, how do you know how many beats a song has? Is there a easy way to do this :)
Suzy
All I did was start the song and then start my stopwatch and count the beats until I hit 15 seconds and then multiplied that by 4. Or count until you hit 10 seconds and multiply by 6, etc. I’m sure you can also just Google “songs with 170 beats per minute” and you’ll get a tonne of results!
Martha
There is also a great website that you can find when you google “tap bpm” – it lets you tap the space bar and find the beats per minute for songs. Kinda brilliant! Then you can type this into iTunes and create a whole playlist based on songs at a certain tempo/pace/cadence. :)
Dawn
You could also try a metronome app.
Allison
Hahaha I love Brooke’s face in that picture with the buffalo. I don’t blame her; I would be a little wary, too. Although that’s amazing that they’re just wandering around out there!
That is such a beautiful piano. I used to play when I was younger too and really wish I had never stopped. So fun that you want to get the kids playing, too.
I have never done Whole 30, but one of my co-workers did and she loved it. She’s actually about to do it again in the next couple weeks. She said the hardest part was going 30 days with really minimal social activities. There were only a handful of times that she participated in dinners or events out, and she said it was near impossible to resist temptation. But when she was at home or already had food prepped, she said it was actually enjoyable!
Kaytlin
Ahh! Good luck in your race- real talk, I think you are wayy fitter than you think. You are going to nail it :)
My whole family has a respiratory infection and I am showing signs of falling in that hole, so no speed work/depletion work until I am in the clear!
I know my cadence sits around 181-187, averaging around 183. Bae sits in the high 180s-190s (even on easy runs), which baffles me but with his scoliosis, the mobility in his hips and back prevent anything longer. I hurdled in high school and didn’t really start distance running until 2ish years ago, so shortening my stride took a lot of conscious effort on lifting my knees and moving my new stride to a rhythm I could make into a habit. If you ever have the chance, you could try out a steeple chase or obstacle race-longer strides are really helpful for hurdles :)
Kaylie
I LOVED the Whole30 although it was so, so hard. The biggest change I noticed was that my energy level went wayyyy up – I work a desk job and I used to be almost falling asleep in the afternoon and had a hard time sleeping at night. After the Whole30 I have NO issues getting through the day, even when I am tired. My sleep has improved too! I think the hardest part is the first 10 days. It is really, really hard to do (at least for me) if the entire house isn’t doing it because I get so mad if other people are eating stuff in front of me that I’m choosing not to eat. My key was to drink TONS water and go to bed early. That helped fight the fatigue and the cravings.
Also, they have a daily newsletter you can get – it’s an extra charge, but not much. If one person can get it and share it with other people, it is SO HELPFUL because it makes you laugh, makes you feel excited that you got through another day, and tells you what to expect in the next days.
Erinn
Love reading your blog!!
Which Garmin are you using (the one in the picture on this post)? I’m looking to upgrade and I am really interested in using the heart rate feature to amp up my training. Thanks!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Erinn!! Thank you so so much for your comment. Yay for upgrading! I have the garmin 225 and I have a review here:
http://hungryrunnergirl.com/2015/11/why-i-switched-garmins-my-sisters-running-and-i-should-not-be-allowed-to.html
I personally love it and the hr in the wrist was the main reason I switched over too!
Erinn
Thank you so much for getting back to me! I have been working on cadence too and I’ve really noticed a difference in aches and pains in the IT band/knees. Can’t wait to start tracking heart rate, I love analyzing the stats ;)
Jenny
A few years ago I had peroneal tendinitis that would not go away no matter what I did. Finally I increased my cadence to 180 spm and it went away and never came back. Now I am very vigilant about keeping it up there, so I run a couple times a week with a clip-on metronome. I set it to beep at 60, and take three steps every beep. It’s pretty much my natural cadence now, but I like to have the metronome beeping in the background just to make sure. I’ve used a couple different clip-on metronomes and also the metronome app on my phone and always keep it at 180. But my garmin (I have the same one Andrew has) always tells me my cadence was 177. So, I don’t think the garmin is a reliable way to measure cadence. The good news about this is your cadence may be a bit higher than you think!
Angie
We haven’t been to Antelope Island since we moved but we mentioned going there yesterday. The sky was so clear yesterday you can make out Antelope Island when we reached the top of our hike in Sandy! I did Whole30 once and it helped get rid of bloating and stuff and it wasn’t too hard, but you have to prep a lot. I had a difficult time running long distances though. I couldn’t do more than 5/6 miles without feeling completely wiped out and I ate quite a few sweet and white potatoes too.
Sally @ sweatoutthesmallstuff
I literally just started tinkering on my piano yesterday after a few years of it sitting untouched.
Suzy
Okay, kinda cool that you talked about cadence today because I was just thinking about it last night. I did a 3 mile tempo (6:40 pace) and I listened to “It Ain’t Me” by Selena Gomez (FANTASTIC running song, btw) and my steps matched the beat exactly. Just counted it. 210!!!! That is HIGH. I do have a high cadence already (I average 180 steps per minute at like an 8 min/mile pace) but still. 210 is HIGH.
Jessie @ The Acquired Sass
My last race was the end of December – a 5K, but, my last LONG race was in MAY! It has been a while. I’m running a 10 mile race this weekend and am excited to see where I am. I’ve just started HM training, but have a great base, so I know 10 miles is NBD, just gotta see what my pacing looks like.
Cadence is a huge issue for me, mine is way too low, and I have no doubt I could be a much faster runner if I could get that number higher.
Whole30 – I’ve done 2. The first one I had all the great feelings the book talks about, less bloat, tigers blood, more energy. Slept better too. The second round – none of that. My running REALLY suffered during my 2nd round AND I found that I was NOT eating because things didn’t sound good, or I was out somewhere that didn’t have good options. Which is not a good mindset for me to slip into.
The biggest thing? Having a support system that lives with you is huge. Hard to do all this work & prep & sacrifice if everyone around you is still eating pizza.
Arthi
Hit 59 miles last week (really high for me) so decided to hit the pool yesterday AND today! My legs feel so much better after back to back swim days and I’m ready to get back on the road tomorrow!
Next race … Not for a long time! Don’t have anything scheduled until August (running the Lululemon Half Marathon in Vancouver) … But might do a half here in Chicago in April and MAYBE slightly considering a full marathon in May (Bayshore in Traverse City, Michigan)!
Natalie
I had to start focusing on my cadence back when my plantar fasciitis was really bad. A doc told me if I shorted my stride and increased my cadence, it would likely help the way my foot was landing with each step. It actually helped a lot!
I had an easy 5 miles today. I’m still not back to 100 percent and probably won’t be until I have this procedure to get rid of my kidney stones, but I’m just happy I was able to run today!
By the way, I got those Cupcake Hershey Kisses, and they really do taste like actual cake batter! :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh yay… I’m glad you found them, they seriously do taste just like cake batter! KIDNEY STONES>.. OUCH!?!? Good luck with the procedure Natalie and I’m glad you got to get out to run!
Jonna
Hi Janae,
Just curious if you have any helpful hints on your garmin? I got one for walking and also interested in tracking daily activity. Just used it for the first time this morning. Just trying to figure out the ins and outs! Assuming you leave the activity tracking all day long, when you go for a run or walk and want to track another particular activity I’m assuming it gets added in your daily activity tracking. All these fun things to find out…hopefully the kids will help me figure it out!!!
Thanks!
Jonna
The Hungry Runner Girl
Great question Jonna and I would be interested to know more about this too if anybody else can help too. I just use my Garmin during my run and push stop when I am done. If I do wear it all day long it counts my steps without pushing any buttons or anything to start doing that. It just shows up right on the main screen underneath the time. Let me know what you find out. THANKS!
Erica
I have not and do not know anyone who has done whole 30, but I have had 2 friends absolutely reset their fertility with diet alone.
Rachel B
I have done 4 rounds of Whole 30. Every single one has taught me something new about my relationship with food. It is an incredible program, if you follow it. I would definetly recommend reading the books cover to cover before starting because then you get more of the mental benefit of knowing why you are cutting out these foods.
Rachael
I agree! Super important to read the book first so you understand the philosophy behind why certain foods are eliminated. I felt like knowing this information made me more committed and less tempted to cheat.
How hard Whole30 is depends on your relationship with carbs and sugar. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so it wasn’t super hard for me. Giving up bread, pancakes, bagels, rice, corn, etc. was really hard though!! The trick is definitely to have your fridge prepped and stocked at all times with approved foods. And guacamole on everything. That’s totally Whole30 approved and delicious. There is a lot of meal planning and prep involved, however, since you’ll be making most/all of your meals from scratch.
Krista @ Gringita
hahaha they love that trampoline! So awesome! Especially that Barretta gets in on the action. That piano is so pretty! I never played .. I don’t really like how people get when they’re doing whole30– they seem to feel superior and go a little too extreme with it.. but thats my perspective as someone recover(ing) from an ED I guess..
Nathaly @NathyCure
I’ve been hearing/reading about cadence but I have never payed attention to mine. Should start doing it though.
Last night I ran 5 miles and today is cross training day:)
Meagan
My birthday is St. Patrick’s day and I’ve already put a few dollar spot things in our apartment to decorate for my holiday birthday! So I’m lovin’ your green running outfit!
And yay for a piano! I’ve always loved the piano.
Rachel Diehl
I did Whole 30 for a few days and am not a fan. I felt like I was eating too much meat (I normally get my protein more from dairy, beans, and legumes, which are all eliminated in Whole 30). Eating that much meat bothered me from an environmental perspective, and I don’t like the idea of restricting foods that are good for you. The underlying science seems questionable to me, other than that an elimination diet can help you figure out some GI issues. Plus, being healthy is being balanced. Whole 30 isn’t balanced (there is nothing wrong with an occasional treat & I think not restricting is more mentally healthy anyway) and it also makes social situations challenging.
Jen
I couldn’t agree more with your comment, and I am a healthcare provider. I suspect a lot of the people who see huge results with the Whole 30 program are eating a poor quality diet, and any reduction of processed foods and replacement with whole and nutrient dense foods would have an improvement in their overall health. A small percentage probably do have some degree of undiagnosed food intolerance, so it makes sense that they would see drastic improvements as well.
The science behind this program is not sound. It is so restrictive and prep intensive, people tend to get in a “food rut”. It often makes it difficult for women in their childbearing years to get enough folic acid to support a healthy pregnancy, and enough calcium to support their body’s requirements.
People tend to be such zealots about the program I’m sure I will get irate responses to my opinion, but we can agree to disagree. I’m truly happy it works so well for some people. As for myself- I try to follow a diet of 80% clean, unprocessed, nutrient dense foods, drink water, move every day, and get enough sleep. I don’t worry about the 20% of the time when I don’t do all of those things. Life is all about balance and my mental and emotional health is important too!
Stephanie
I’ve done whole 30 twice. It’s a lot of planning and meal prep, which is not fun for me, but do able. The hard part for me was condiments….I missed ketchup and fun salad dressings. Tell your fam to order some approved dressings from Tessamaes – they’re expensive but good and they definitely helped me on my second round of whole 30.
Meg
I’m 7 days into my first Whole 30 and I like it so far! I’m also training after coming back from and injury, so I’ve had to think creatively about fueling. This weekend I did sunflower butter dates instead of gu and they were awesome!
Definitely requires meal prep and I do eat more meat, but I’m hopin to incoporate the clean eating principles into my diet long term. The Whole 30 cookbook is also great!
Tanya
I have done Whole 30 and would say the hardest part (minus no sugar–UGH!) is that you have to plan ahead–not a lot of grab and go. I’m also a “sauce” person and so I had to make EVERYTHING from scratch. But I felt really good–I usually do when I cut the sugar because I feel less joint issues!
I did run today 2 miles before my treadmill class which was another 2.5 miles of hills, speed intervals and then 2 times off the treadmill doing squats, high knees, jumping jacks, etc. Love that class.
Races this coming weekend–Gasparilla Challenge is a 15K and 5K on Saturday then a 1/2 marathon and 8K on Sunday. Then another 5 K and 1/2 marathon in March so I can be done with my running “season.” Too hot in Florida to really race after that, just easy running!
Ashley Steinberg
I’m doing the Gasparilla 15k this weekend too! I feel you on having a running season in Florida. The saddest day is when you realize it’s too hot to run outside. Good luck this weekend!
Tanya
Thanks you too Ashley!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Tanya!! So many awesome races coming up for you.. I want to hear all about them! Good luck Tanya and Ashley this weekend!
Oh and the sauce thing would be so hard for me. I put sauce on everything!! PS KILLER workout today, that class sounds amazing!
Dawn
Using spices on food helps adjust to the lack of sauces. A good quality dill, oregano, curry, turmeric, rosemary, etc. helps me enjoy veggies and meat a lot easier.
Jenn
Have you listened to the Run to the Top podcast with Tina Muir and a researcher…I forget his name. Cadence doesn’t matter. Don’t fall for the hype.
Are family members planning to do the Whole 30 or are you guys? Here’s my caveat – can anyone help me with this?? Coffee with a little bit of milk. Like an Americano Misto. I get the Lact-aid milk…but I know it’s still dairy. I can give up bread/sugar/etc…but can’t imagine my coffee with cream – and yet I know I should because I don’t feel the greatest after and I’m attached to it. #HELP
Olivia
I order “Nut Pods” off Amazon. It’s a non-dairy creamer that comes in 3 flavors. Pretty good and Whole30 approved!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Interesting Jenn! I am totally going to look up that podcast episode. I am not planning on doing Whole 30 but just some family members! Hopefully the Nut Pods that Olivia recommended works perfect for you!
Dawn
I use Ghee (clarified butter) and coconut oil in my coffee. Coconut oil in coffee sounds weird but it’s actually pretty popular.
Ashley Steinberg
I have a race this weekend too! My first 15k ever. Slowly but surely getting faster and better at running. I’m excited!
I’ve done the whole 30. It’s hard at first but I cannot stop boasting about how great I felt about a week and a half in. I had incredible energy. My workouts were more efficient. I stopped craving junk food. It was great. Difficult to keep up if you want to have a social life in my opinion (we like going out to eat with friends) but well worth it to try. My husband and I still eat whole 30 during the week and have one cheat meal on Saturday and one cheat meal on Sunday. It’s helped us stay accountable and get in shape. I definitely recommend it!!! Good luck at your race this weekend!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND ASHLEY!! I am stoked for you and please let me know how it goes. I am so glad that Whole 30 worked so well for you and it sounds like you have an awesome set up now too with your husband each week!
Olivia
WHOLE 30 IS MY JAM. I am currently 5 days in on my 4th? 5th? Whole 30. I cannot recommend this program enough. The first few days of sugar detox are ROUGH, but then “the fog” lifts and you have so much more energy, sleep better, better skin, no bloating and better MOOD. It’s hard to truly believe unless you experience the benefits yourself. It was tough round 1, but I have soo many Whole30 cookbooks and recipes now, that it’s super fun. Yes, the food prep stinks, but if you do a little planning ahead, it’s really doable. My husband has NEVER done one with me, so it does take self-control and motivation if you are going solo. I have a lot of great products that I find are life-saving if you ever have questions. Amazon has some amazing “approved” products. I follow a lot of Whole30’ers on Instagram, as well, for support. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! <3
The Hungry Runner Girl
Way to go Olivia!! I am so happy that Whole 30 has helped you so much… those benefits sound amazing!!! I won’t personally be doing it (with a disordered eating past I have to stay clear of too much structure or else I become obsessed) but I am going to send your comment over to Andrew’s family members that want to start. Looks amazing!
Debbie @ Deb Runs
Buffalo are huge! Have you heard about the wild horses that roam freely on the Outer Banks in North Carolina? We have a beach house on the Outer Banks and years ago cattle and a few buffalo roamed with the horses. I’d be out on a run on the beach and see them walking toward me. Eventually, the cattle and buffalo were removed from the beach, but the horses are still there. It’s really cool seeing them trotting along the ocean. One summer my husband took the coolest picture of me running with the horses and the ocean in the background.
I felt a tingle in my right leg/hip this morning, but met my friends for a run anyway. I ended up walking most of the second half of our run because I knew it would be stupid to keep running…
BTW, congrats on your new piano!
The Hungry Runner Girl
OH NO about your right leg/hip hot spot. I’m glad you walked (I’ve made the mistake of running through it too many times) and I hope it gets back to 100% asap Debbie! Okay, I bet that scene you described of the horses running along the beach was absolutely stunning! I WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE:)
Christina @ montessoriishmom.com
That is amazing that you saw wild buffalo! I don’t know why, but I’m not really a pet person, but LOVE seeing animals in the wild. All of our favorite trips have been to national parks / wildlife destinations. I need to go to Utah someday, it looks so beautiful!
Virjinia
Your pictures are so pretty! I would LOVE to be able to run near mountains! That island race sounds like a blast!
Mel _OutRunCf
I find that my cadence always goes down in the winter because I run so many miles on slippery roads and on snow covered sidewalks. Doing one day of speed work on the treadmill is helpful for me. I can really concentrate on form and accelerate without falling on my face ha I did whole 30 and it made me realize that I feel stronger and better with proteins at every meal. Also lifted my brain fog during the day. I doubt I could conciliate it with marathon training though. The food prep is something and it did force me to go out of my comfort zone and discover new flavours and spices. Not easy when you have kids and a social life though ha Eating out was a headache and eating while travelling for work was very complicated. Lots of good sides but also challenges. I will keep things I have learned from the experience and make them work with my life.
Carol
I think the whole 30 is a great thing to do. It’s only 30 days so it’s not meant to be forever. After my first whole 30 I reintroduced grass-fed, full fat dairy with no issues but bread and legumes were a definite no for me. I had not realized how many stomach issues I had that were a result of those two things. Definitely read the book and be open to being your own experiment. By cleaning up your eating you can learn a lot about how your body works.
Socially it’s hard to maintain. Going out to eat is just a pain.
There are a ton of sites now with plenty of recipes that are whole 30 compliant which is helpful. My final tip is to focus on what you can have instead of what you cannot.
Fiona @ Get Fit Fiona
Your cheeseburger totally looks like one that I would make. Haha it always seems fine until I have to put the whole thing together and I realize there’s no way it’s going to fit in my mouth.
Julies
Janae, wherever did you get that green top?!? I only run in long sleeves with necks like that, to prevent age spots, and I am ALWAYS on the lookout for kelly green tops, and can never find them!
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY!! Here it is… you are going to fall in love with this one. SO comfy!
http://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens-dash-hoodie/221124.html?dwvar_221124_color=342#start=5
Jules
Girl, you are awesome! Thanks so much!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
Christine
I did Whole 30 a couple years ago. I saw results and felt healthier BUT I will never do it again. I felt like I started to spiral into some disordered eating after the 30 days. I’m such an “all or nothing” person (I think you are too!) that I feel like it affected my mentality toward food. I was obsessive about reading labels after and staying away from anything that wasn’t pure for a few months.
Even though my body was probably healthier on Whole 30, my mind is healthier with a focus on a “everything in moderation” mindset. :)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Yep, I am JUST like you Christine and I think the same thing would happen to me if I did Whole 30. I don’t like cutting foods out because it makes me obsessive. I’m so glad you have figured out what works best for you! I hope your Tuesday is an amazing one so far!
Nina
Okay, first – I LOVE Beretta with ball in mouth on the trampoline with the kids. How cute are they? and that ice and the buffalo? amazing.
I have not done whole 30, mainly because I don’t eat a lot of meat and you’ll have to pry legumes out of my cold dead hands. I have done other food resets and I do think it’s worth finding foods that may trigger inflammation, especially if you have a chronic disease. (I don’t eat wheat or dairy and when I am good about skipping sugar I feel my best). Friends have done whole 30 and their pain has dropped considerably while on it. No one diet or eating plan works for everyone so the key is finding what makes you feel your best and is something you can sustain long term.
I pay attention to cadence in spin, I’m going to work on it in running. No run today, an hour of spin and an hour of mat Pilates has me spent.
I still have not picked a race. The one I wanted to do is the same day as my sister-in-law’s baby shower and it’s a brunch so I can’t even attend after the race. (Does that sound bratty? I like her but we’re not particularly close. Still I wouldn’t feel right about missing something so important to her).
VT
We did whole 30 and like everyone else says, meal prep is challenging. There are no simple meals, really. Everything has to be made. We don’t live in an area with a lot of variety in grocery selection so specialty ingredients are harder to come by (sugar-free bacon and coconut aminos for example.)
I wouldn’t do it again. Not because of the meal prep issue, that’s actually a better habit to have. But neither of us ever felt that “tiger blood” feeling, we both felt lethargic up until day 30. Not as bad as that “carb flu” in the first week, but just waiting for that energy to kick in like the books said it would.
Salina
My sister did the Whole30 and it definitely seemed like a good idea! I personally would never do it because I am a vegan but it did seem like it helped her!
Marissa @ Run Riss Run
Today’s run will just be a quick warm up and cool down, with strength in between :)
I have a race this weekend too! I’m running a 1/2 marathon about an hour and a half from where I live with the hubs and one of our running partners.
Lizzie Royer
A friend of mine, (mom of 3 children) and a very active runner did the Whole 30 and while she felt good about getting back to whole foods, she kept telling me how she was tired and didnt have much energy during her runs. Her body was CRAVING carbs and every morning she wanted her oatmeal so badly and couldnt have it. I told her that I think she is learning what her body needs and that we NEED healthy carbs. I don’t agree with Whole 30 but then agian, it is temporary…
Mary
How do you figure out your cadence? And then how do you work on increasing it? I don’t know any of that stuff.
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY Mary! So my garmin tells me my cadence but you can also count. Cadence = how many times each foot hits the ground per minute. Cadence should be around 170-180 which means each foot hits the ground 85-90 times per minute. You can count yourself for a minute every now and then and here is an amazing article with ways to improve your cadence (fast music helps me the most because my feet want to hit the beat:)
https://runnersconnect.net/running-training-articles/heelstriking-running-cadence/
Emily
I’m actually running my first race post injury on Saturday and I am super excited! It has been over a year since I was able to race and I am so happy to be able to finally run again!! I did Whole 30 last February….I will say it helped me learn that I was allergic to tree nuts….while these are allowed on the Whole 30 I was still having tons of stomach pain and it allowed me to figure it out and then go to the doctor and get tested. I have had significantly less stomach pain since. I will say that I think if you have had any disordered eating in the past you need to be very careful with a plan that talks about removing so many foods. I found that although I was doing it from the perspective of determining a cause of my stomach issues it led me down a path again that was not healthy for me. I think we all need to make our own choices and Whole 30 is not a choice I should personally make again. I will say I think it is fun to look at the different recipes to experiment and get out of a food rut!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh good luck Emily!!! Please let me know how it goes! Bummer about tree nuts… glad you got that figured out! Yeah, I personally couldn’t do Whole 30 just because I know my brain too well and I don’t do well cutting things out! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Enjoy the rest of your day!
Allison
I’ve done Whole 30 several times and love it! It’s my favorite way to get back on track after eating too much sugar and too many treats. It definitely makes me feel less tired/stressed/bloated and generally better, not to mention the weight loss is a lovely benefit ;)
Clark
2 miles of intervals this morning followed by stadium stairs and hills.
Hey HRG? Any idea what happened to Tina Muir’s webpage?
The Hungry Runner Girl
HEY CLARK!!! She is working on a new page/design and it should be up soon! I’ll post about it once it is. WAY to go on a killer workout today!
Kate Buckley
I finished my second whole30 this past January! The second time was by far harder than the first for me! For both it was difficult to curb that sweet tooth calling to me in the evenings. Though it was really hard and I need a mental break from thinking about my food for a while, health-wise it was really good for me. Even when I don’t eat strictly W30 I have a more positive mind set for how I should be viewing food, and while on the diet my skin clears up really well!
Marcie
I would totally love to see a video of your dog on the trampoline..too cute.
The Hungry Runner Girl
HAHAH that is a great idea! We will do it. I am confused why she loves it on there so much but she does. I hope you are having a fabulous day Marcie!
Kassie Strout
I love the Whole30! I have done a few different rounds, mainly just to ‘reset’ and get out of a health/fitness rut. The best part is the way you feel after week 2. The first couple weeks are tough- low energy, fighting cravings and emotional eating (for me it was sweet food) and not overdoing it with caffeine.
The most recent round I actually completed during peak marathon training- and completed a couple races doing it. I was in great running shape in the time so that probably helped :) But I was on week 2 or 3 and got my half marathon PR. The hard part was not rewarding myself with ice cream/some sort of treat afterwards!
Abbey
I tried Whole30 a few years ago. Honestly it just wasn’t for me. I felt like the protein and fat intake was too high. I’d rather have carbs any day! But I DO think its a great idea to experiment with cutting out common inflammatory foods, especially dairy! I would really recommend cutting out dairy completely.
Kristen
I want to try whole 30! I have a 5 week old and am looking to lose the baby pooch!
Kelly
I am probably the only person on the planet that doesn’t like Whole 30 in its entirety. It’s quite restrictive and so far, everyone I’ve known who has done it is sort of annoying to be around (at least at first) and then slowly goes back to their natural way of eating……until the next year rolls around and they’re back on it. I think for someone who does not normally eat a lot of fruit/veggies/nuts/etc it is a good idea to wean off of highly processed and sugary foods-I’ll give it that much. Plus it might be a good jump start to better nutrition, but it’s a mind mumble mess in my little opinion. However, for many of us we alreay pile on the produce and other good stuff. Going into our staff lounge during the mass Whole 30 trend is difficult for me (I struggle anyway so hearing about all the “can’t haves” is so hard). I”d rather see people increase their fruit/veggie/lean proteins than wham go all restricted…..
Megan D
I like that with whole 30 you don’t count calories or anything and the food prep doesn’t scare me, but I don’t know if I could live without peanut butter, beans or oats. I don’t think I could do it. But hats off to those who do it and like it.
Love your new piano!
Carrie
Hoping you read this but please don’t do Whole 30. I have a history of disordered eating and Whole 30 though it did curb my sugar cravings and expanded my thinking of some foods really set me off on a bad track. They warn you that if you have a history of an eating disorder that you need to tread very carefully. In my case it was very complicated because I was having issues with my stomach so I did it for that reason. I just honestly want to warn anyone who has had even the slightest bit of disordered eating to not do it. Take portions of it, read it and get an opinion. .
My take now on it is that it is a fairly unresearched fad type diet. I say that and in the Spring I was this huge advocate of it. But if you really track their thinking and sources in the book it leads to nothing. Right now I really believe in a mostly plant based diet with some dairy (though I can not currently tolerate any) and some lean meats. Granted Whole 30 is really supposed to just be for 30 days and if you do it just for that then you add in items it makes sense but NOT if you have a history of disordered eating. The diet feeds obsessive thoughts. I would not comment honestly if the Whole 30 book did not actually warn against doing the diet if you have a history of an eating disorder. This isn’t obviously just my experience if there is a warning.
I have recently been watching things like Food Matters, Fed Up, and Forks over Knives on Netflix. Those type of documentaries are very interesting and have some more authentic research. I am not going Vegan but it has made me think more about using meat as the smallest portion on our plate and limiting dairy. So that is my Whole 30 warning!
Domenica Caporusso
As a registered dietitian who believes in a non-diet approach with foods, I am 100% against whole 30. There are no food groups that need to be eliminated from the diet unless an individual has a legitimate allergy to a particular food. I believe in intuitive eating which. Intuitive eating allows someone to be “one” with their body and actually listen to the body’s natural, instinctive cues. A fellow dietitian I know uses the analogy. “If I have to pee, I’m going to pee I’m not going to restrict my body from using the restroom the same way I am not going to restrict food that my body is craving”. If you restrict what your body is craving you likely will eat everything in sight leading to overeating rather than just eating the piece of chocolate or scoop of ice cream your body wanted. Our culture has become so obsessed with restricting food, no one is listening to their body. Hungryrunnergirl, I encourage you to check out http://www.immaeatthat.com. Her non diet approach and blog is 100% about mindful eating, intuitive eating and reconnecting with your body. Also, because she is a RD (registered dietitian) who specializes in eating disorders –I know her information is legitimate.
Libbie Brinkerhoff
I tried doing the Whole30, and really believe in the idea behind it, but advise you to wait until you are at a calm place in life. I am super busy with work, planning my wedding, and training for races, so I struggled more than those who may have a little more time on their hands. Meal prep is key.
I will say that my workouts were really off from it. My energy levels dipped, and I actually had to stop and will restart later because my runs suffered. Basically, don’t do this if you are training for any major races and are are putting in high mileage weeks. Your body needs time to adjust, and your training will be impacted because of it.
Tess
I did Whole30 – actually I did half of it, because I ended up with such a stomach ache in the hospital! I’m not a fan of anything that has you take out whole food groups. I know some people really loved it for a while, but it makes me so nervous when people do it!
Juliet
I did a Whole30 last year and LOVED IT! i would honestly eat that way for ever. It took a lot of meal prep though, and eating out wasn’t an option, which made living life kind of hard. But definitely a good challenge. And we saved a bunch of money that month because we couldn’t eat out.