Marathon #10: the Virtual Boston Marathon

Eight months passed when I took a break from running. After the Summer Camp Run 50k and many marathons, I honored my body’s request for rest.

When I started back up in April to train for the virtual Boston Marathon, about 90 percent of my endurance had been lost. That meant starting from the beginning and rebuilding my endurance from the ground up. Because I’ve already done so many marathons, it didn’t take long for my body to quickly bounce back. It knew what to expect.

Still, training for my tenth marathon was quite a journey. It began just as I started my new dream job, finished moving to a new home, and established a stronger relationship with my new partner. The sudden life upgrades threw challenges, as I navigated the intricate workings of my senior-level job—on top of balancing training, rest, self-care, a writing class, and quality time with my partner.

About two-thirds through the training, I had two running assessments with MoveMend. (See Part 1 and Part 2.) Those assessments offered recommendations on adjusting my form to run better. Tanner also showed me a few hip strengthening exercises to stay strong when the going gets tough—and trust me when I say it always does during a marathon.

Ideally, I would have applied these recommendations at the beginning of training. Introducing them just weeks before the actual marathon still helped some. These exercises and adjustments can take a couple months for me to fully benefit from. But at least I have these tools to apply to the next race.

What I brought under the best conditions

For the race, I brought the usual: my hydration pack with energy gels, my wallet, and my phone. The Boston Marathon has an official race app to record the time and distance. I used it to do the virtual race, in addition to the Strava app.

The weather was perfect: 50 degrees and cloudy with just a hint of breeze. That’s the best weather to run in. The body warms up during exercise, so it doesn’t feel like 50 degrees when you get going. I could already feel that it was going to be a good day.

My virtual Boston Marathon path

Starting from Capitol Hill, I ran down the hill through the Central District. It felt like my feet had wings! I soared along the trail leading to the I-90 bridge. I ran across the bridge over Lake Washington and into Mercer Island. I continued east on the trail until I reached Bellevue. From Bellevue, I turned north, running up Downtown among the glittering buildings. I kept going strong and reached the SR 520 pedestrian bridge to get back to Seattle.

For the first 20 miles, I ran at a consistent pace. I was on track for a sub four-hour finishing time. But after the 20th mile at North Lake Union, my pace gradually slowed until my feet were shuffling. I forced myself to run faster, but my body wouldn’t keep the pace for long.

The 20th mile is usually where the challenges begin. The biggest long run before the race is 20 miles, so I’m wasn’t used to running past that distance—especially after taking eight months off. At that point, I had burned through my body’s energy reserves, including all of the Clif gels.

When this happens, it’s like tearing through another realm beyond. Pastel pink, blue, and green gradients shifted before my eyes, the heavenly hallucinations illuminating the overcast skies. The world fell away, and at the same time, I was at one with the world and the path before me, winding around the lake. Everything felt far away: pain was an abstract concept, the ground detached from my feet, and my consciousness was removed from whatever physical reality this was anymore.

The opiated dissociation during these last few miles is probably the closest feeling I can imagine what it’s like floating on a morphine cloud. It usually happens as you gather the last of your will to the finish. In an in-person race, it’s much easier because the energy of the crowds emanates the good ju-ju, or positive energy. The route is also cut out for you, which means no guesswork on where to go. But when you’re doing your own route with somewhat unfamiliar intersections, it takes a little more focus to stay on the right track. It took an even greater focus to tackle the last stretch before the finish.

Because I started from Capitol Hill, that meant that I had to end in Capitol Hill. Around Mile 25, there was a steep overpass that made me reexamine my life choices. But gosh darn it, the views were astounding: it overlooked Lake Union, the Space Needle, and the city that I get to call my home. It continued up a hill that may have been a mile long total. At that point, I had no understanding of the past or future. As far as I knew, that hill would go on forever.

By the time I reached Broadway, I ran a little further down until my Strava ticked 26.2 miles. But the Boston Marathon app only read 25.9. That’s how it is sometimes. At least I was on flat ground. I gathered what little remaining energy I had left and sprinted the last .3 miles down Pike Street.

I crossed the invisible finish line.

The sweet endorphins broke through the floodgates of my brain. I just ran my tenth marathon. And I finished at 04:54:25, my fastest virtual time yet!

Why it means a lot to me

Realizing that I’ve run ten marathons feels like a warm hug. As someone who has always struggled with depression and anxiety in an unsupportive environment growing up—all which made it harder to move forward in life—this achievement means a lot to me. When I was younger, my self-doubt and fear of failure were so severe that it felt safer to not try anything at all. You could imagine how that can impact anyone. My mental health regressed as pieces of myself disappeared. My first marathon in 2008 was a desperate attempt to build some resilience. It never occurred to me that I would one day have finished a double-digit quantity of marathons.

A journey like running a marathon coincides with the life lessons we go through. These don’t just go on a t-shirt. They’re hard-fought. The resilience snowballs in an upward spiral over the years, like unlocking new levels in a video game. Why not throw in some long-term traveling, a career change, sobriety, maybe a lovely partner to come home to?

…And before I know it, I’m here.

Treat yo’self…with Wayward Vegan

The Biscuit Mountain from Wayward Vegan

Of course, no marathon day is complete without a delicious reward. After running a distance like that, it’s so important to treat yourself. You deserve something nice. For me, that reward is the best vegan food I can find.

The Roosevelt light rail station recently opened, so I zipped to Wayward Vegan from Capitol Hill. There, the melt-in-your-mouth Biscuit Mountain was waiting for me to consume it in all of its salty glory. This dish features two fluffy herb biscuits on a bed of fresh spinach, topped with corn and vegan bacon crumbles—and smothered with decadent country gravy. A side of hash browns offers additional crispy deliciousness. This meal has the perfect salt-fat-carb-protein ratio that my tired body craved.

Taking my time

Today is the first time I hit the road since the marathon two weeks ago. I get to rest a little now. I’m sure there will be another race in the future. Maybe I’ll run the Boston Marathon in Boston one day. Maybe.

Running Assessment with MoveMend (Part 2 of 2)

Three weeks ago, I had the first part of a two-part running assessment with Dr. Tanner Melnick at MoveMend. As a refresher, it’s been 14 years since a professional has looked at my form and offered guidance on what needs adjustments for better running. There were many things I learned that day:

  • Circumduction (how much my feet swing out and cross over my body’s midline)
  • Cadence (the steps per minute)
  • Running quieter (I’m very stomp-y)
  • And more

The past three weeks, I applied Tanner’s recommendations to fix my running form. These small adjustments make a big impact, and keeping this form up has been harder than expected. With each stride, I did my best to run quieter while keeping my cadence to 175 steps per minute. Staying with the beat has been physically and mentally challenging. Deliberately aligning my body while running takes a kind of focus that will take some time to build.

I also found that I space out much more than I realize when running. When that happens, I don’t even notice it. My mind drifts into auto-pilot, and before I know it, I’m slogging up a hill with my old habits.

When I come back to earth, I nudge my footsteps back into place. My heart rate goes through the roof as I do my best to stay with the beat.

When I reported all of this back to Tanner, he said that other runners have similar experiences. Adjusting the form will take longer than three weeks. It could be a couple of months before these adjustments start to feel natural.

Capacity vs. load

The body has a certain capacity for stress, or load, that it can handle. In this case, my load is the increasing weekly mileage during marathon training.

Running is physically stressful, largely because of the feet’s initial contact with the ground. With every foot step, the impact force is 2 1/2 to five times the body weight upon landing. Multiply that by 26.2 miles, and that’s tons upon tons of force that the body is absorbing.

The way I increase my capacity is by gradually putting on more mileage every week, and then scaling it back every three weeks. Every week, I push my body just beyond its max capacity to adapt—especially with the long runs. It’s good to do that often enough to get stronger. But if I did that every day without giving my body a chance to catch up, that can lead to an injury for sure.

I follow the training plan and increase my capacity safely. All is well, unless I’m not eating or sleeping enough, or even if I’m stressed. (I even shared what helps me get more rest after noticing my performance had seen better days.) It makes perfect sense, because without enough rest, my body can’t increase its capacity for a bigger load, or more miles. If I’m not taking care of myself, then my body won’t adapt as well.

Posterior chain exercises

My quadriceps (front thigh muscles) have been doing most of the work when I run, so it would be helpful to strengthen my posterior chain, or the backside of my body: the glutes (the butt muscles), hamstrings (the back of the thigh), and calves. When the backside of my legs work together, that would give more power to push me forward as I run. This is especially important as I run up those steep Seattle hills; it means switching to a lower gear.

Doing these posterior chain exercises would help make my hips stable, so there’s less circumduction. It would be easier to keep a good running form for longer as well. Maybe that would make my slight hip flexor pain feel better.

Tanner introduced four different exercises to help strengthen my hips so that I can run stronger. He recommended doing each set until reaching fatigue, and then switching to the other side. As far as how often to do these, he said that at least once a week is enough.

Single-leg dead lifts

This exercise tested my balance. I focused on my breath and core, and slowly hinged forward at the hip on one leg with a 20-pound kettlebell. I stopped when I felt a good stretch in the hamstring. Then I slowly stood up to the starting point without putting my raised foot on the ground. I continued with more reps, dipping forward again like one of those toy drinking birds. My right leg is stronger, but I have better balance on my left leg. I kept doing the dead lifts on each side until my hamstrings burned.

Side plank hip abduction

With my elbow firmly planted on the ground below my shoulder, I slowly dipped my hips as closely to the ground as possible and then raised them back up. I could feel the burn on my lower back and glutes.

From my experience, I find it super helpful to strengthen the core. When started I running more marathons, my lower back would ache from holding myself up for many miles. A strong core gives more support for those long distances.

Single-leg heel raises

A wooden block or a stool could be used for single leg heel raises. It felt easy at first. It wasn’t long until my calves burned as I slowly pushed my weight onto the ball of my foot. After about 12 of these, I switched to the other leg.

Single-leg sit-to-stand

The single-leg sit-to-stand exercise was the hardest. I had to push myself to stand using just one leg without momentum. At first, I focused all of the energy in each of my quads, or front thighs, to push me up. I fell over a couple times. Then I remembered to shift the power source towards my glutes and hamstrings. Not only did using those muscles give me better balance, they also lifted me more effectively. This exercise was still so hard! It didn’t take many reps to be done with this one, so it must be very effective.

Applying what I learned at MoveMend to run better

Now that I have a better idea of how to run stronger, I can apply what I learned from MoveMend and hopefully get a faster time. I’m still mindful of keeping my footsteps quieter as I run to a higher cadence. Changing old habits is going to take some energy and patience. These new posterior chain exercises should make me more stable, so that I can use my energy to run stronger. Eventually all of this will become second nature. Maybe running will be even more enjoyable, since I know how to move better.

*Thank you, MoveMend, for sponsoring this post.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended as medical or professional advice.  I’m sharing my experiences, and they should not be a substitute for physical therapy advice for anyone. Any exercise has potential to cause injury or pain if it’s done incorrectly. You should consult with a physical therapist or doctor for any medical advice.

Running Assessment with MoveMend (Part 1 of 2)

I have been running for 21 years. I do it for the enjoyment and benefits, because nothing beats the feeling of an endorphin high from a workout. Of course, there’s lots of science behind the sport. We’re looking at a wide range of many things working together, whether it’s nutrition or biomechanics–the science of movement of a living body. Even though I had been running for so long, I was due for a running assessment at MoveMend. This would measure my body’s movements and give proper interventions for better results.

My first running assessment from a long time ago

I had a formal running assessment for the first time at age 20. My old running coach owned a shoe store and—in helping me choose the best shoe for my chronic shin splints—measured my footstrike by having me run on the treadmill. (Footstrike is what part of the foot hits the ground when running.) He also made suggestions for my running form: Feet should generally hit the ground at midfoot for better shock absorption. Arms should swing back and forth, not across the chest, for more efficient movement. Keep the back straight, with a slight lean forward, for a stable posture. He noticed that my feet pronate a little too much. In other words, my feet’s arches rotate inward more than they should, which puts stress on my shins. He recommended the perfect shoe, the Brooks Ravenna, plus Spenco inserts for additional support. I never the had shin splints since.

Bodies change with the times

Fourteen years have passed, and my body has changed over time. I’m pretty sure my form needs work, since I haven’t had professional guidance to keep it in check all these years. So, I went to MoveMend, a physical therapy office along Eastlake in Seattle for a two-part running assessment.

I met with Dr. Tanner Melnick, who runs marathons himself. He did the first part of my assessment by first going over my running and injury history, and then observing my cadence, footstrike, and overall form. I told him about the slight pain in my right hip flexor, which is a muscle that runs through the hip and attaches on top of the thigh bone.

My running assessment at MoveMend

I learned a lot of new words about running.

First is cadence, which is the number of steps per minute. A good cadence is about 170 to 185 steps per minute. On the treadmill, I ran at a comfortable pace to see what my number is. It was 171, the lower end of the range. Tanner said that’s probably because I’m taller. My legs stride longer, so it takes less steps to cover a distance.

Next Tanner observed how much noise my footsteps make. As an aside, a few months ago, my neighbor asked me to kindly tread quietly as I go down the wooden stairs in the mornings, because the clomping of my boots would wake her up. I remedied that. But I didn’t realize that I’m also a stomp-y runner! My feet made so much noise upon striking the treadmill, you’d think it was a two-legged horse.

Tanner noticed that my feet do have mild pronation. He also said that my knees don’t angle outward from the midline, which is known as valgus. My body’s sway is minimal. But I do have a slight hip drop that is worse on the left side. It just means that one hip drops lower than the other with each stride. It may explain why my right hip flexor has been hurting some as marathon training increases.

My vertical displacement, or how much I bounce with each stride, is minimal. This is good because if there’s too much bounce, you lose energy by going up with each step instead of forward. My forward lean is good as well, which means slightly leaning forward for a stable running form. Both of my feet strike the ground on the heel, and then the rest of my feet follow, the toes propelling me forward. I used to hit the ground midfoot. Sometime over the years, my footstrike gradually went from landing on the middle of my feet to the heels.

Finally, Tanner mentioned that my feet cross over the midline with slight circumduction. In this case, circumduction is when the feet swing outward and back in with each stride, like a circle motion. My left foot would swing out a little and cross my body’s midline into the right side, and vice-versa. That kind of motion spins energy away from the body, instead of using it to go forward with a normal stride. You can imagine that’s an inefficient way to run. It might also be contributing to my hip flexor pain.

MoveMend’s interventions for my running form

First, Tanner increased the cadence to 176 steps per minute and had me run at that beat. By focusing on this new cadence, I was able to decease the amount of noise my steps made. There was less circumduction, or swinging my legs over my body’s midline. My feet struck the ground midfoot more.

Then he had me run with less noise. My feet still stomped on the treadmill, and he encouraged me to keep the steps quieter. When I focused on that, there was still a decrease in circumduction and hip drop. My foot strike shifted slightly to mid foot.

When it was time to run barefoot, that showed the most differences. My cadence went from 171 to 190. The noise change was significant; little noise was present. It was just the soft pads of my feet with socks hitting the treadmill. My strides were shorter as the front part of my feet hit the ground. I had minimal circumduction, probably because the shorter strides didn’t give my feet as much space to cross over the middle.

It took a lot of concentration to run with these interventions. What I noticed is that I need to run with better focus. That’s why my form has become a little sloppy over the years. When I run, my mind drifts off like I’m on auto-pilot. Ideas float though my head. Sometimes my mind is blank, and I cruise without really noticing how I’m carrying myself.

MoveMend’s recommendations for stronger running

After these interventions, Tanner gave a few recommendations to improve my running form. First, I need to do some strengthening exercises for my hips, hamstrings, and calves for less circumduction. I also need to increase single leg stability, the strength and balance of each leg.

To retrain my form, I’ll aim to do shorter runs with higher cadence, about 175-180 beats per minute. I’ve downloaded a metronome app on my phone to help with this.

Finally, I will think about how to balance my training better, considering the training load (the amount of miles per week) and my capacity (how much I can actually do). Tanner suggested that my training load should be spread out more evenly through the week. That could increase my capacity. I’m reaching peak training, so balancing the training plan is important if I want to stay strong.

It’s going to take some effort to retrain myself, but I’m so excited to know what needs work! I’ll apply these interventions and see what Tanner has to say during the second running assessment at MoveMend.

*Thank you, MoveMend, for sponsoring this post.

Disclaimer: This blog is not intended as medical or professional advice.  I’m sharing my experiences, and they should not be a substitute for physical therapy advice for anyone. Any exercise has potential to cause injury or pain if it’s done incorrectly. You should consult with a physical therapist or doctor for any medical advice.

Rest for a working marathon runner

Ronnie stands with hands on her hips in front of an outer space background.

Back in June, I posted about running the virtual Boston Marathon. I picked the simplest training program after taking eight months off from running—hoping this would give me room to ease back into the sport while accommodating my very busy creative life.

I’ve been very deep in my day job as a content writer. Delving into the technical and creative components of this process while working with a team takes an extraordinary amount of brain power! My brain would still spin in high gear at bedtime, processing new knowledge. And then I skimp out on sleep, clocking in four hours a night.

Right now training is past the halfway point. The last long run was 16 miles, which is about two-thirds of the way through the training cycle before doing the actual marathon.

A day in the life of a working marathoner

For this training cycle, while these life changes have been rewarding, my days have been long. First, I’d wake up early in the morning to work out for strength training. Then I’d bus the hour-and-a-half commute. I’d read on the bus. I’d seize the day at work, always learning something new each day. When the work day is over, I’d take the hour-and-a-half commute back (and read more). I would get home, eat a light dinner, and do my running workout. I exercise every day, often twice a day. After running, I’d do my chores and prepare for the next day. If I have time, I might do creative exercises, like doodling or writing in my journal. Then I do it all over again the next day.

Hitting the wall with less sleep

It was manageable when marathon training first started. Around the halfway point of training, little things slipped. I started dropping and forgetting things. I became even more introverted and reclusive, saving energy for my day job. My anxiety spiked, which made it harder to retain information. Shorter runs took a monumental effort to get through. Summer meant embarking on weekend trips with my partner. I would fit in the long runs one way or another—and then I’d be half-present from exhaustion.

“You’re not sleeping enough,” my partner said.

Then somewhere on Instagram, one of my friends made a post that said, “You’re not overtraining. You’re under-recovering.”

Getting strong means getting enough rest

Relief washed over me. That’s exactly what it was. It wasn’t that I was working too hard, especially when I’ve picked a simple training program to accommodate my busy schedule. It wasn’t because I was being lazy either. It was because I wasn’t getting enough rest.

“You’re not overtraining. You’re under-recovering.”

Rest is important for recovery. When you train for a marathon, your muscles get micro-tears. That’s a good thing because during rest, those tears heal and you get stronger. But if you keep pushing without giving your body a chance to recover, then you’re running on a deficit that will eventually catch up to you. You may experience mental burnout—or even worse, you may get injured.

Sleeping four hours a night was not going to work. Don’t get me wrong—this is truly the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life! However, the training cycle and overall performance could be even better by getting more rest.

I took an inventory of my lifestyle to see what could help me get more rest. Some of them are well-known, and yet reminders are helpful. Others were new to me, and they work! Maybe they can help you too. Just try it and see how you like it!

Ways to get better rest in a busy life

1. Taking a break from caffeine

This one is the most obvious and it goes without saying. But caffeine is so woven into the fabric of our lives—especially in Seattle—that it’s a hard one to give up. At a different point in my life, I was a rabid caffeine addict, chugging nearly a pot of black coffee every day. When you’ve had a caffeine fix since age 11 like I did, it’s hard to part with. Ever since I’ve entered my mid-thirties, my body has slowed down. I’m more sensitive to it. So I mostly drink it when I need an extra boost. Tea is a much milder alternative. Many days, I can even go without caffeine. Because I’m not as dependent on it, I can sleep better.

2. Putting away screens at least an hour before bedtime

The blue light from screens can keep you up, even when it dims to an orange tinge in night mode. The mindless scrolling on the social media feeds doesn’t help either. When I get lost in the perpetual updates, it creates a kind of emptiness that only gets bigger the longer you scroll. I took Facebook off my phone, and it has greatly freed up my headspace. So, I replace it with something better.

3. Reading fiction

Now that I’ve put my phone away for the night, I’ve been reading an engaging fictional story. I used to read only non-fiction because I thought that things were only worthwhile if they’re constructive and you could get something from it. It turns out that reading non-fiction is best left in the daytime, when the brain is more receptive to new information. When I read fiction at night, my eyes focus on each line of words while freely imagining the story. This focus on the story grounds me, as my mind winds down to sleep. It acts as a relief from mental tension.

4. Minimizing carbs at dinner

(Disclaimer: Reducing carb intake at night for better rest is what works for me personally. Before changing your diet, ask your doctor if this is right for you.) As a runner, most of my diet comes from carbohydrates, which has been a long-standing source of energy. For the last meal of the day, I need less energy since the day is ending and I won’t be using it. In fact, too many carbs can also keep me up! And if I do sleep, chances are that I wake up in the middle of the night and stay up for a couple hours. That interruption in sleep makes me tired in the day, so I avoid late night carbs. I generally eat a smaller meal of veggies and vegan protein for dinner—so that my body can use its energy for recovering instead of digesting.

5. Free-writing/drawing

I’ve been free writing more than drawing these days. The stroke of my pen across paper grounds me. Writing reflections out on paper can be cathartic, but only when you relax enough about what you want to write. Just let it go and see what happens.

6. Meditation

Focusing on my breath centers my consciousness back into my body, so I feel grounded enough to fall into slumber. About 10 or 15 minutes will do. It slows my mind down and keeps it contained enough for sleep.

Closer to the finish with more rest

Doing all of these lifestyle habits has improved my sleep for the most part. I still avoid alcohol. I quit processed sugar earlier this year for the most part to better align my mentality.

Marathon training is peaking in a few weeks. Now that I’m more than halfway finished, I feel pretty good about finishing this virtual Boston marathon. These lifestyle habits for optimized rest will help me get through this amid a very busy life. Training for a marathon on full bandwidth isn’t easy, but with good habits for rest, it can be done.

Training for the 2021 virtual Boston Marathon

I’ve been running for over 20 years. It’s a sport that has kept me going during the best and worst times in my life. Running gave me an anchor to come back to. It has always tested my limits as I pushed through resistance, and it fostered a new strength and clarity as I worked through my Complex PTSD.

In addition to many half marathons and 10k’s, I ran my first full marathon in 2008, my second in 2016, and my third in 2018. Then in 2019 – 2020, I ran a total of six marathons and that one 50k ultra in a span of 14 months. It was a lot. Doing that many races had eventually forced me to honor my body’s requests for rest. And so, for the first time in 20 years, I took a break for many months.

I’ve considered trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. For my age group and gender, the minimum qualifying time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, which is about an 8-minute mile for 26.2 miles. I could run an 8-minute mile on a really good day, but sustaining that pace for that distance has always been a challenge.

Boston offers a virtual option for 2021

The Boston Marathon is one of the most prestigious races in the world. It’s so highly regarded that runners have to qualify in order to participate. This year, qualifying for the Boston in-person race has limited the number of participants to 20,000 because of the pandemic–which has raised the stakes. For 2021, runners who were 7 minutes and 47 seconds faster than the minimum qualifying times made it in.

For the first time ever in race history, the Boston Marathon also offers a virtual race for 2021. Participants can run that distance any time in October 8-10. A virtual marathon is where you run 26.2 miles on your own and use a GPS to record the distance. Then you upload your results where the race organization tells you to. This one doesn’t require a qualifying time, so anyone who is interested can register for the event.

The difference is that the virtual Boston race doesn’t count as an Abbott World Major, which is a group of the six most famous marathons in the world: Boston, New York, Chicago, London, Tokyo, and Berlin.

It also isn’t clear if this virtual race is offered because of the pandemic, or if it’s something that will happen again in the future. Because of this uncertainty, I jumped on the opportunity to run the virtual Boston Marathon–just in case it’s a one-time event. This would be my tenth full marathon. It would also be so cool to collect that coveted unicorn finisher’s medal.

The running tools I’m starting with this time

This is a new training cycle after taking a break for months. With this clean slate, I started off with a couple of things.

The perfect shoes for a cosmic health goth

The model of these shoes are Brooks Ravenna VI.

I got new shoes! This pair is the Brooks Ravenna VI model; I’ve been getting these shoes for 14 years now.

In high school, I kept getting shin splints. The arches of the feet naturally pronate, which means they roll in a little bit to absorb the shock of each step. My feet over-pronate, which means they roll in too much. This puts more stress on the shins, which can cause a common running injury called shin-splits. After analyzing my foot strike, my former running coach suggested the Brooks Ravenna shoe, combined with Spenco inserts for additional support for my arches. I haven’t had the shin splints since! (Blogger’s note: I’m not sponsored by either Brooks or Spenco. My coach suggested what would work for my injury, and I haven’t looked back since.)

The Brooks shoes aren’t cheap–they run anywhere from $100-$200. To save money, I always go onto E-bay and get a gently worn pair that still has a lot of life left. (Always check the photos and inspect the conditions, especially the treads.) The pair I got above was selling for $30, plus E-bay had a $10 promotional coupon–which meant that I got these shoes for $20!

An effective training program for a busy life

I’ve always turned to Hal Higdon’s marathon training programs. As long as you follow the weekly mileage and long runs, the plans are fool-proof. The last marathon training program I used was Advanced 1, when I had more time to train. Lately, I’ve been quite a busy bee: I commute three hours a day to and from work outside of Seattle, plus I’ve been taking a writing class. It doesn’t leave much time after work to do classwork, work out, or prep for the next day. So, I picked the easiest plan this time: the Novice Supreme. There’s no shame in doing the easiest program to fit a busy schedule.

Since I’ve been getting back into running, I needed to start from the beginning. (Ninety percent of my endurance was lost!) This time, I’m also supplementing the running with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) several times a week in order to strengthen my muscles. Stronger muscles might mean a faster finishing time than my previous virtual races.

I may also hike one of the numerous trails around Seattle as cross-training. Being in nature is good for the soul anyway.

The body remembers what you’ve put it through. Because I’ve been running for most of my life, my body quickly bounced back into the flow. Running up the steep hills took my breath away as I was starting over. But now these hills feel energizing as I charge up to the crest and coast down again.

A hydration pack for hot days

A teal hydration pack with 6 Gu energy gels on either side of the pack.

I don’t have a hard rule of when I strap my hydration pack on. My body is good at retaining water, so I generally bring it if I’m running more than an hour. Many people still bring water for any time or distance, whether it’s one mile or a full marathon.

I consume energy gels if my long runs exceed a half marathon distance (13.1 miles). Energy gels provide extra electrolytes and sugars (and sometimes caffeine) for added energy and functioning. Always consume the gel with water.

Spiraling up in life and in health

The rest of what I need to run a virtual marathon will follow as I get further into the training plan.

Honestly, at first, I didn’t feel 100 percent ready to do another virtual marathon. As in many parts of life, you never do feel fully ready for the next big thing. But this virtual Boston Marathon was really calling to me.

I also want to enjoy my new life chapter–with another marathon in the works. I’ve been eating very clean. (I’ll post more recipes in the future.) My content writing career has really taken off. My partner, our cat and I make a happy space goth family. Things really are falling into place.

Violet Dreams Forever

Käse and I.

Hello, dear readers and friends! It has been a hot minute. Life has been sailing at full speed ahead for the past few months. If you follow me on Instagram, I shared that I’m now in a serious relationship for the first time in many years! Finding someone who is as weird as I am is a powerful feeling, especially since we make an adorable space goth power couple with a cat.

In March, we packed for a move while I had back-to-back interviews for a content writing job–which I got! Between my new relationship, moving into a new place, and scoring a new job, I’ve been spiraling up (see what I did there?) in life. I’ll still share the usual vegan health, fashion, and creative space goth posts here. I’ve been making moves in life, and now I get to do it with someone nice.

Sweet dreams are made of violet magic.

My partner and I moved into our gorgeous new two-bedroom apartment back into the Central District. We each need our own bedrooms because we’re like that. We should normalize couples having their own space. There’s really nothing wrong with having good boundaries in a relationship, especially when it comes to having our own bedrooms! Besides, I really need a space of my own, a creative wonderland that’s mine alone.

For a long time, I have lived and breathed the black-purple-iridescent-rainbow combination. Somewhere I read that purple is the color of the creative eccentrics, the color of the individual weirdos that carve out a world of their own. (There are many different interpretations of this special color, however. It really depends on who in the world or in history you’re asking, as every culture and era has their own meaning.)

I knew that I needed to paint my new bedroom purple. Or violet, if you prefer to call it that.

Finding the perfect shade of violet

When it comes to painting supplies, I had the same drop cloth from my fine art background over the the years. Here are additional supplies that I needed:

  • Painter’s tape for clean, crisp edges around doors, ceilings, and windows. I used the green FrogTape, since it was more effective in keeping paint from seeping underneath like the typical blue painter’s tape does.
  • New roller brushes.
  • A new two-inch brush. This helps with applying paint around edges.
  • A few paint samples.
  • One gallon of paint in the color Quite Lilac by Sherwin Williams. The base of the paint is a flat Ovation Plus. I use flat for minimal shine. The clerk who mixed the color recommended this base because it gives off less stinky fumes for the bedroom—which is good since I’m sleeping in it.
My partner said that I should just leave it like this.

Then it was time to test the paint swatches! The last time I painted my room, I chose a deep teal color. I still have some of that paint left over, but it was too dark for my north-facing window. If I went with that color, the darkness would have made my room appear smaller and more cave-like—something I did not want to go for.

The other shades of purple had their merits, but what really stole the show was the shade Quite Lilac. This shade was cooler, but the warm glow of the lights would balance it out.

Even our cat Käse approves!

Pastel-goth vibes intensifying

I made the lampshade and quilt, too!

I’ve been so in love with my new bedroom! When I get to have full creative control, that’s when I’m the happiness. Making a space from my own imagination may take a lot of time, but it’s so worth it.

The art wall.

The ever-changing art wall is especially important to me. Most of these paintings are made by me; some are from friends. I love arranging a cluster of paintings because they can be switched around when the time feels right, as paintings get sold, gifted, or replaced.

Messages in the mirror.

And finally, a little message in the mirror: “You are enough.” I wrote it over a year ago. Those words have survived two moves in a year with barely a smudge. I like to think that even a resilience of a message speaks volumes.

I love this new violet-purple bedroom. The color is the first thing I see when waking up and the last thing before switching off the lamp for the night. It’s a beautiful shade to immerse myself in while enjoying this new life that my partner and I building together.

Favorite breakfast to start the day

An arm spooning oatmeal with hemp seeds out of a bowl, next to a bag of hemp hearts

Happy March! Slowly, more daylight lingers as winter melts into spring. Waking up and seeing the sun shining has relieved my winter blues as I take my time making an energizing breakfast: coffee, and oatmeal with dried fruit, cinnamon, and hemp hearts.

A bowl of oatmeal with dried fruit and hemp hearts arranged neatly in rows.

Oatmeal is truly a versatile breakfast–you can seriously get creative and add in anything your heart desires. I eat it during all four seasons; it’s one of the most ubiquitous staples a vegan could enjoy.

Oatmeal and hemp hearts in the spoon, with the bowl and hemp hearts package in the background.
Packed with energy in every bite.

When I recently teamed up with Cascadia Hemp Co., the hemp hearts they provided perfectly complimented the tangy dried fruit in the oatmeal. The soft hemp hearts are the shelled inner core of the hemp seed. What I really like is that pleasant, nutty flavor. And they’re packed with nutrients: Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and anti-oxidants to help the body fight inflammation. They’re as versatile as oatmeal–you can sprinkle them onto anything, such as smoothies and salads.

The oatmeal with dried fruit and hemp hearts fueled me for a 5-mile run. I haven’t been running nearly as much after last year’s ultra marathon. The healthy fat and protein from the hemp hearts, combined with the carbs from the oatmeal, kept me going. If I didn’t have so many errands to do in the day, I could have gone longer.

A green smoothie with arranged hemp and chia seeds, plus a strawberry and 4 blueberries as garnish.
Hemp hearts are also really good in smoothies.

Have you tried hemp hearts before? What’s your favorite food to put them in? If you’re new to hemp hearts, you can use the coupon code RONNIE15 to get a discount if you’d like to try them. Bon appétit!

*This post contains affiliate links to Cascadia Hemp Co. All thoughts, opinions, and experiences are my own.​

Vegan Chocolate Tart

A round 4-inch vegan chocolate tarte with a cashew-chia seed crust, plus a strawberry and 3 blueberries as a garnish.

I’ve always enjoyed Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s the the messages of love, or the colorful flowers and pink paper hearts, it’s been a lifelong favorite. Sometimes, days like these call for special treats. And it doesn’t get easier or more decadent than a vegan chocolate tart.

Satiate your sweet tooth with a vegan Valentine

A slice of the vegan chocolate tarte with a frozen strawberry and 2 blueberries on top.

I wanted to make something special, something that sends those brain neurons firing. An almost-raw chocolate tart would be just the thing the love doctor ordered. (Yes, the love doctor ordered chocolate to stimulate the release of endorphins.) This tart is vegan, always. With the exception of the chocolate chips, the rest of the ingredients are raw.

A decadent fudge bite with a strawberry and 3 blueberries inside a turquoise silicone cup.
Any extra chocolate filling can be made into fudge bites.

You can share this vegan chocolate tart with someone who means a lot to you, or just have it all to yourself. No judgments here. Plus, if you end up with extra chocolate filling, you can make fudge bites. It’s a decadent treat that melts in your mouth–as you float on Cloud 9 from those sweet endorphins.

Recipe for the vegan chocolate tart

A bag of Lily's chocolate chips and a can of Thai Kitchen coconut cream on top of a purple space background.
I used these brands in this recipe (not sponsored).

Blogger’s note: In order to minimize sugar, I used Lily’s no-sugar-added chocolate that’s sweetened with stevia. This post isn’t sponsored; this brand was the only one I could find at the store when it comes to reducing sugar intake in chocolate. Any vegan chocolate chip brand will do.

You will need:

Crust:

  • 1/4 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight
  • 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
  • 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
  • 1 tablespoon of cacao powder
  • Dash of salt

Filling:

  • 4 tablespoons of vegan chocolate chips (I used Lily’s)
  • 4 tablespoons of coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • Fresh berries or edible flowers for garnish (optional, but it makes the tart look extra nice)

Instructions:

  1. Blend the crust ingredients in a food processor until the cashew pieces are very finely chopped. You’ll have a sticky mixture.
  2. Spread the crust mixture into a 4-inch tart tin, spooning it upwards on the sides.
  3. Put the crust in the freezer while you make the filling.
  4. On medium-low stove setting, heat up the coconut milk, agave nectar, and vanilla extract until you see a little bit of steam.
  5. Pour in the chocolate chips. Melt them gently by stirring them into the coconut cream with a whisk. Keep stirring until all of the chocolate has melted.
  6. Take the crust out of the freezer, and pour the melted chocolate filling into the crust. Top it off.
  7. Any leftover chocolate filling you have can be poured into little candy cups for decadent fudge bites.
  8. Garnish the tart however you like: fresh berries, sea salt, edible flowers, etc.
  9. Put the tart into the fridge to firm up. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before enjoying your treat.
A hand holding a bitten piece of the chocolate tart in front of a patterned blue, green, and tan background.
One bite, and you’re in heaven.

The result is vegan chocolate-y goodness that melts in your mouth you as you enjoy the rich treat. Bon appétit!

2020 Reflections, 2021 plans

Making the most of the longest year.

In 2020 someone posted, “Everyone needs more than what anyone can give right now.”

This surreal era feels as if time has stopped, stretching the entire year, one which felt like the longest in our entire lives. At first, we introverts thrived during quarantine–and then burnt out, as promises of the pandemic ending faded. We settled into this new normal, as protests for racial equality rose, people lost their jobs, wildfires blazed down the West Coast, we weathered through a nail-biter of an election, and as the pandemic went on.

Everyone needs more than what anyone can give right now.

Playing Animal Crossing offered an escape into an adorable virtual life.

If you’re like me, you probably coped with this new normal by making art and beautifying our city, baking bread, or even participating in a virtual ultramarathon. Maybe a solo socially distanced road trip is what you needed. (Looking at you, Oregon Coast! 😉 ) Or, in true quarantine fashion, you visited your friends’ islands in Animal Crossing, a virtual life where you plant flowers and talk to your cute animal friends.

If you just focused on surviving, I’m so glad you’re here. Even if we tried to make the most of this year, many of us slowed down especially as the year ended.

New beginnings in this new normal

From Ev’Yan Whitney’s Review Reflect Release 2020 workbook

I bought Ev’Yan Whitney’s Review Reflect Release for 2020, an introspective workbook of writing prompts to reflect upon life in the challenging year. It took a couple weeks to finish. After thoroughly writing out the Release section, it was time to let all of it go by cutting it up into sections and burning it. I rarely burn things, so this was a cathartic process.

Writing your intentions can be this simple.

My housemate shared about how he journals and updates lists every day. It can feel challenging to stay positive during these uncertain times. It helps to write down intentions, in addition to the free-writing I usually do. I sometimes lose sight of many good things in life. Writing a short gratitude list of what’s right offers some hope, which can help nudge action. I find that it makes small goals a little more tangible, especially when things feel so uncertain.

Making a sacred space for reflections.

When I’m not writing, two things I ask myself are:

  1. What can I control? (My breath.)
  2. How can I live right now? (One day at a time.)

While life has slowed down a lot over here, maybe the ball is rolling more than I can see right now. For instance, I’ve been learning CSS, a front-end coding language I’ve always struggled with before. There are more big plans in the works, and it’s only January!

2020 was a doozy, and it’s understandable that folks really want to forget the whole year. But I think this one is worth remembering; it’s a hard lesson to learn from. We don’t want to go back to normal. So, we take what we learned and apply these lessons for the future.

Owl Ornament Tutorial

These owl ornaments are a hoot!

If you’re a last-minute person like I am and you have a little extra time on your hands, try making this owl ornament. This is a great heartfelt gift for the holidays or any time of the year. You can put it on your Christmas tree, a door knob, or even your rearview mirror. Adorable and versatile, this handmade owl would delight anyone with holiday cheer.

A hoot of a gift!

Click here for the one-sheet pattern to make your very own owl ornament.

Making this owl ornament is straightforward. All you have to do is cut the owl parts out from the pattern. Trace the parts onto fabric and cut those out too. Then follow the instructions here!

You’ll notice dashed lines on the body, wings, and belly on the pattern. Those are quarter-inch margins, and they’re also a guide to help line up the wings and belly to the body. You can take a fabric pencil to mark the margin so that you’ll know where to stitch around the body.

You will need:

The supplies you need.
  • 1 Owl Ornament Pattern
  • 2 or 3 different patterns or colors of fabric (One must be at least 4 x 10 inches)
  • Scissors
  • Needle and thread
  • Pins
  • Glue stick
  • 8-inch piece of yarn or ribbon
  • Cotton balls or stuffing (I used 15 cotton balls for this owl)
  • A pair of buttons
  • Pencil for marking fabric

Instructions

Trace the pattern on fabric and cut out the pieces.

Cut out fabric pieces of an owl ornament
The cut-out pieces.

Sew on the belly first, and glue into place. Stitch the top edge to the fabric.

Great work so far!

Glue on the wings, beak, and eyes. Stitch the edges of each part to secure them into place.

Sew on the button eyes.

Put the “right” sides of the fabric together (the brighter side with all of the owl parts stitched on), so that the “wrong” side is facing out. Pin together around the edges. Mark the quarter-inch margin with the fabric pencil.

The string is inside the body. The knot should stick out like this.

Fold the yarn and into a knot towards the ends to make into a loop. String the loop into the body and between the owl’s ears (you may have to unpin the top of the owl head). The knot should go past the edge of the body.

Keep the quarter-inch margin!

Stitch around the body’s edge, keeping the quarter-inch margin in mind. Leave the bottom unstitched.

You’re almost done!

Pull the owl inside out, so that the right sides are facing outward again. Stuff with the cotton balls. Finally, stitch the body shut at the bottom.

The finished product.

And you’re done! The owl will be about 3 1/2 inches. If you want, you can try using a glitter glue pen around edges of the owl features so that the exposed stitching is hidden. I personally like the stitching, since it gives the ornament a more handmade and rustic feel.

You can even ditch the string for this owl ornament, and instead have a stuffed owl figure. Or stuff the owl with catnip to make a cat toy.

Did you make this owl ornament? Let me know in the comments how it was!