Sponsored conversation by Almond Breeze
It’s hard to believe it’s been almost two months since I finished my 41st marathon, Boston Marathon. The month after a marathon is always a mix of of bliss and sadness for me. I’m happy that the experience happened but always really sad it’s over. That sounds crazy when I write it out because I know that when I’m running the miles, I don’t mind if they pass quickly, yet at the same time I wish everything wasn’t over so fast.
I’ve said in the past that Boston has a way of breaking your heart. I went in to the race knowing that and wanted to create new happy-to-me memories on course to replace some past not so fun memories. I ran with my phone and documented the race as it happened – which I understand is not for everyone – but I wanted to share the experience. I saved the posts that I posted over the weekend to a pinned story on instagram. If you want to go back and watch you can find that on my instagram page here – under Boston ‘19.
I took the week off after the marathon and logged zero miles and zero other workouts. I wanted to run but knew the smart thing to do would be to give my body rest after running three marathons in six weeks. I focused on getting extra sleep and indulging while also being conscious of the fact that if I ate and drank things that loved me back vs things that don’t, I’d recover faster and feel better when I started back running! {Love me back = foods/drinks that don’t make me feel terrible!}
Over the course of 15+ years of marathoning I’ve learned that nutrition and recovery are just as important as the training. If you train, train, train and don’t take care of your body in the in between moments – it’s a fast track to burnout, injury, or generally just feeling MEH. I’ve felt meh. I’ve also felt good. Right now I feel really good and I want to keep feeling that way.
One of my favorite hearty breakfasts I’ve been eating weekly and helps me feel fueled before a run is Old Fashioned Rolled Oats made with Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze Almondmilk. I replace half of the water with almondmilk and make it in either the microwave or on the stove. Almond Breeze Almondmilk is so versatile, so if you want it to be a little creamier you can add extra almondmilk, or completely replace the water and use all almondmilk instead! It tastes sweet and creamy even though it’s unsweetened!
I’m a creature of habit and don’t often tire of eating the same thing every week. I know what works for my body and doesn’t mess with my stomach, so it’s easier than constantly experimenting. There are endless possibilities for fun toppings that you can add to this Oatmeal to make it feel different each week! I like adding chopped almonds as well to give it a little crunch and some berries during the summer time for a bit of a sweeter flavor.
