Oh summer, where have you gone? It seems like just yesterday you arrived. Alas, I am saying goodbye with an end of summer runfessions edition. Buckle up for a sole-bearing read. (I runfess I love run puns). Linking up with Marcia for February runfessions and Fairy Tales and Fitness for the Friday Five.
Starting it off with a shocker. My first summer runfession… I runfess that I am glad to see the summer go. This summer has NOT been kind to me. Humidity and hormone battles left me depressed, frustrated and feeling like maybe I should hang up my running shoes. I cannot wait for a change of season and change of month. September brings my birthday month, *hopefully* cooler weather, and routine back into my life with school back in session. Plus, Fall is my favorite season. Have you BEEN trail running in autumn with the different leaves?! I can’t wait!
Another possible shocker. As I work on getting my period back, a friend recommended I try a 30-day nutrition protocol to naturally balance hormones. Part of that required removing gluten. I runfess that removing gluten from my diet has not been hard at all. So many people have asked, “But you run, what about pasta? What about carbs?” Carbs and gluten are not the same thing. In all honestly, the only gluten I would really eat before was bread and oatmeal (I runfess that I’ve never been a pasta girl, shocking for runners to hear). All that’s really happened is that I’ve replaced overnight oats or morning toast with some form of quinoa, millet, amaranth, brown rice or gluten-free oats instead.
On the other hand, eating out while following this nutrition plan has been a challenge. In addition to gluten, part of the protocol is removing soy and corn. Gluten, soy and corn seem to be in everything! Even unexpected places! The other day I went to Whole Foods, thinking that I could get a prepared salad or maybe falafel from the salad bar. As I walked down the aisle reading the labels, there was soybean oil in about 80% of the prepared vegan salads, and the remaining ones either had corn or wheat. Plus, as a vegan, I didn’t realize how much I ate soy! Tofu, tempeh, edamame, all are soy. Luckily, it’s made me eat-in more and experiment with different ingredients. The bowl below has millet, pumpkin-cilantro-mung bean pesto, pea shoots, radishes and curried chickpeas.
And now for a not-so-shocker. I runfess that I started teaching classes at EDGE and LOVE it! For now I am just subbing for instructors, but once I know my schedule for the school year, I’ll know when I can teach a class of my own. Until then, I am having a blast coming up with the workouts or playlists, and planning the cues I will give for correct form and motivation. I don’t even mind the 4 am alarms. I really am a teacher/coach through and through.
Finally, another predictable Becca runfession. I runfess that I’ve gotten the trail running itch again. Maybe it was the difficult summer of road running. Maybe it was finally realizing that I was chasing someone else’s goal and not staying true to myself. Or it could be that I’ve been doing more long trail runs lately. Or perhaps because the book The Nature Fix: left such an impact on me. Probably all of the above. Regardless, I have that hunger to go long. Ultramarathons and trails seem to be my wheelhouse. In the 5 trail race I’ve done thus far, I’ve walked away as overall 3rd (2x), 4th (2x) or 6th female in all of them. Maybe it’s time to lean into that?
So tell me…what are your end of summer runfessions? Have you ever followed a nutrition protocol? Are you also looking forward to fall? Let’s stay in touch! Follow me on Instagram or Facebook for more food/fitness related posts.
Happy running,
Becca
I have been gluten, soy and corn free for almost 1.5 years now. I tried to reintroduce corn on occasion but my body said “no thanks”. Since I have celiac eating glutenfree is normal for me. There are so many gf options on the market now which weren’t there 20 some years ago. My runfession – I am ready for the Marathon to be done and over with. I know I won’t preform the way I was planning to. Training seems like a chore and I have lost the joy of running many many times. I am ready to try… Read more »
I always HATED the end of Summer, but this year I runfess that I am ready for the change of season. Because of the loss of my Baylee, I had a “bummer summer”, so I am ready to just move on to a different season of my life.
Good luck with the new dietary restrictions. Seems like you have it under control but I could see how eating out could be challenging. Thanks for linking up.
Also not a pasta girl, although rice (sushi) is the main reason I could never go low carb.
Congrats on finding the things you’re truly enjoying as you navigate through these other stressors
I’ve always been team Fall/Winter so I have no problem waving bye-bye to summer, lol. I think this summer has been especially rough because of the humidity.
I enjoy Fall, but it means Winter is coming, and I do not enjoy that. I’m ok with Summer! It’s quickly slipping away, though. I mostly eat gluten free, but not completely. I love oats, but as I get older, I do find I’m just much more carb sensitve, so I general only have overnight oats once a week, on long run days. But I love oatmeal . . . (even gluten free doesn’t seem to help me much anymore). I don’t think there’s anything wrong with soy, but I do think it’s easy to go overboard on it especially… Read more »
As a Hashimoto Thyroid girl, I’m supposed to stay away from soy. But like you said, it is everywhere! I think leaning into the trail thing is a very smart idea. There’s nothing better than fall trails. Thanks for linking!
This summer has been rough for lots of us. Heat and hormones are not a good mix at all. I would have a hard time giving up soy too.
No formal nutrition protocol–I’m just trying to stick to anti-inflammatory foods. Plus I put on some weight over the winter and I had to really watch what I ate. Ugh.
I do like fall, but I don’t want summer to end just yet. UGH…I want another month of (moderate) heat and sunshine….