Chia Cookies and Eating Better

Man, am I coming off of bad food weekend. With me finally being done my physical therapy to fix my overused feet muscles, I'm easing slowly into more miles. This means my appetite is creeping on back up and I'm feeling it. With special events this weekend and being a cranky mood for most of it as well, I haven't eaten the best (think ribs, BBQ brisket, too much candy from work, frozen margaritas, chips, lack of vegetables and fruit...gross!). I woke up feeling gross and ready to recalibrate my eating.

I went to yoga today and the yogi started the practice by saying that we should focus on what we plan to take from the session. One thing I took from the practice today was that when I pushed myself and focused, I was capable of much more than I thought I could. As I walked back from yoga in my calm, relaxed stupor, I thought about how that could translate to my eating. Last week's not great eating came partially from not focusing on doing the best for my body, as well as not preparing healthy foods to have around me. I am going to focus on that this week and hope my yoga strength carries over.

To start off the week with a bang, I made an adaptation of PeaSoupEat's Chia Cookies, (which was adapted from Vegetarian Times).

Chia Cookies
Servings: approximately 11 cookies (1 Tablespoon each)

• 1 cup dates (pits removed or you'll break your food processor)
• 1/8 c chia seeds
• 2 Tb cocoa powder
• 1/4 c raw whole almonds
• 1/4 - 1/2 c slivered almonds (sliced almonds would actually be better, but I didn't have them)
• 1/4 t vanilla extract

1. Put dates into food processor and process until it turns into a paste. 
2. Next, add the chia seeds, cocoa powder, and whole almonds and process until all mixed and combined. 
3. Add in the slivered almonds (my processor only held the 1/4 c of these, but a larger one could hold 1/2 c) and vanilla and process until they are incorporated into the mix. 
4. Measure out dough into one tablespoon servings and place onto a plate.
5. Refrigerate until firmer and portion out into serving sizes of your liking. 
6. Enjoy!!!

Not only was this easy to make, it was delicious!

These turned out so amazingly delicious. They were, in my opinion, a tastier Lara Bar. They're great for you, yummy, and a perfect snack to tide me over at work. Not only are they delicious, they are really quite good for you.  I did a bit of a nutritional analyzation of them and I can't wait to snack on them all week. Even if I eat two servings, it is a nutritional and filling snack. 

I am happy to be kick-starting the week with a good attitude and a determination to take my healthy eating more seriously. I picked up a ton of veggies from Reading Terminal Market and am prepping meals that I can eat throughout the week (including Oh She Glows' Wheat Berry and Bean Salad, which is to die for). With my 24 hour race less than 3 weeks away, I'm steadily training physically, but not fueling myself like I should all the time. It'll be a test of my will, but I am determined. 

Super healthy! :D

I also plan on writing everything I eat down and planning out my workouts for each week. I normally plan my workouts, but I don't ever write down my eating. I'd plan out any other challenge in life, so why not my eating? This blog post is also part of the push for me. This is all very personal and honestly, kind of embarrassing, so making this public will definitely push me. On that note, a healthy and veggie-filled dinner needs to be cooked. :D

Beer Week Celebration -- Beer Ratings!

Okay, so beer week technically is over, but John and I ended up celebrating it accidentally. After my graduation ceremony this past Saturday, we went to The Foodery, a local beer store that has hundreds of beers from around the world. We created a 6-pack of random beers (I chose three and he chose three) and decided to split each one and do our own ratings. John actually created the rating system that was 10 points in total, 3 for drinkability, 3 for flavor and aroma, and 4 for general impression. I thought it would be fun to show you all our scores!

First, here is a picture of all the beers we drank with their names.

L to R: RJ Rocker's Son of a Peach Wheat Ale, Dopplesticke Uerige Ale,

Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Lager,  Lagunitas Czech Style Pilsner,

St. Peter's Old-Style Porter, Monk's Sour Flemish Red Ale

Okay, here go the ratings, broken up by John's ratings, then my ratings. First up is RJ Rocker's Son of a Peach Wheat Ale. 

Strong peach flavor and aroma. Couldn't imagine drinking a lot of it due to how sweet it was, but  enjoyed what I had. Rating: 7

This was obviously a beer I chose. When I travled to Belgium, I fell in love with Peche, or peach, beer. It is crazy expensive to get imported Peche beers here, so I was so happy to see a domestic one! Before you even drink it, the smell is purely peachy and sweet...mmm. It isn't nearly as sweet as the smell leads you to believe and has a bitter after taste like most ales. Rating: 8

Next is the Dopplesticke Uerige Ale. 

Surprisingly light for a dark beer with a higher ABV (8.5%) and a rich aroma. Liked this one a lot. Rating: 9

Like most beers that are not lagers of fruit flavored, I felt it was bitter. I actually liked it more than most darker beers as it did have a slightly rich and and fruity flavor. Definitely full in body. Rating: 6.5

Third up is Samuel Smith Pure Brewed Lager.

I did not like this beer. It did not seem to have much flavor and with every swallow, I felt myself dreading the next. Rating: 4

This beer was very light in flavor and carbonation. It started with an almost fruity flavor, but the more I drank it, the less flavorful it got and the less I liked it. It almost got watery. I could drink this at a bar and fool people into thinking I was drinking some awesome British lager, but it tasted a lot like PBR or any other cheap light beer. Rating: 6

Fourth up is the Lagunitas Czech Style Pilsner. 

Nothing remarkable about this beer; it was just a light Pilsner. Rating: 5

After having some of the fruitier beers, I was worried I would hate this beer. I didn't! Maybe my palate is maturing? It still has a bitter aftertaste that I don't love, but since it is a lighter beer, it is more enjoyable. Rating: 7.5

Fifth up is St. Peter's Old-Style Porter. 

Surprisingly light porter and I enjoyed every drop. No distinct aroma or flavor, but good nonetheless. Rating: 8

Alright, what is going on? The second I poured this beer and couldn't see through it, I immediately wrote it off. It was pretty darn delicious, though! Dare I say it, it was almost mild in taste. I kept waiting for the bitter aftertaste, but it didn't come. I am excited that I'm starting to enjoy beers I wouldn't have liked before. Rating: 7

The final beer was Monk's Sour Flemish Red Ale. 

Sour aftertaste; it is true to it's name. Conflicted about this beer. I thought all of the elements were there as it had a nice aroma and robust flavor. For some reason, I did not really enjoy drinking it, though. Rating: 6

Okay, so this is a cheat because I have had this beer once before. I love how it reminds me of a hard cider, but isn't as sweet, therefore I could have more than one and enjoy it. Rating: 8

So after all of the ratings, we have three winners! The Son of a Peach and Sour Flemish Ale tied for me with a rating of 8. John's winner was the Dopplesticke Uerige Ale with a rating of 9. 

Myself and John with our favorite beers!

Getting a little goofy with our beers.

We had a lot of fun doing this and hopefully we can do this again soon! Not going to lie, the 6-pack cost $30, so not sure we'll be doing this every week, but hopefully this can be something we do and I blog about frequently. Cheers!

Running--It's my life (at least it feels like it is)!

Most people within about 30 minutes of meeting me learn about my running. It's not something I do leisurely and not something I can usually hide from people as it is such a big part of my life. I have run for a good portion of my life, but only recently did I realize how much it truly means to me.

Let's start at the beginning, though, shall we? When in 5th grade, my teacher at the time handed out pamphlets for different rec sports to do. I had done karate, gymnastics, and swimming before. Soccer and basketball did not sound appealing, either. For some reason, the rec track club sounded like something I wanted to try. I comically did sprinting and shot put, two things that I was totally not built to do. I also race walked, which I found really fun. I stopped running when I was going through growth spurts and my legs hurt too much to do so, but the seed was planted: I was going to be a runner.

The summer before my freshman year of high school, I was prepared to tryout for the high school tennis team. It was only after one particularly frustrating day of practicing that I decided that tennis was too temper-inducing and that I ought to run instead. I look back and am so thankful I made that decision because running for Magruder High School made so many of my favorite memories from high school. I ran cross country and indoor and outdoor track all four years of high school. Cross country was my favorite as I naturally did better in endurance and loved the family my team became. I had amazing coaches and I was able to improve each year steadily. For track, I ran longer distances, but had the pleasure to do hurdles and pole vault as well. I met some of my great friends through Magruder running (some I'm still connected with!) and the love of running was further solidified in those years. 

My place after an XC meet in high school

I was not the best runner, therefore I was not seeking a college team to compete on. I got lucky in finding the Drexel University Track Club, though, as it was a perfect place to challenge myself, but not be committed to a varsity team. I met some awesome friends through there and ran a lot of fun races. My coach is actually the person who urged me to sign up for my first marathon (the 2007 Philadelphia Marathon) and since then, my love of endurance running has only grown. 

After my 2nd Philly Marathon finish in 2009, I needed assistance
walking from my brother

After two Philadelphia marathons were under my belt, I was seeking a spring 2010 marathon and came up with nothing exciting. I had always been interested in running ultras and thought that I ought to try my first ultra with the Back on My Feet 24 hour Lone Ranger ultramarathon. I didn't realize how steep of challenge I had put myself up for, but I love a good challenge! I competed in the inaugural Mind the Ducks 12 hour race in May as a test before my 24 hour race and knew I was hooked to ultras. I've completed two 12 hour races, one 24 hour race, and have my second 24 hour race in just 7 short weeks!

In the last few weeks, I've had times when running wasn't possible (too busy or my current injury of overused muscles in my feet from my recent 12 hour race). As much as I knew I enjoyed running, I didn't realize how important it is to me and for my sanity. It's my time to feel in control of something, to challenge myself, to think things through, to jam out to some tunes, to do my body good, and to be me. Running has so intrinsically become part of who I am that not being able to run now makes me feel in a funk. I am so lucky to be able to run as much as I do and I cannot wait to get back to it when my feet heal up so I get back to being me!

Finish of 2011 Mind the Ducks 12 Hour Race with Jesse, a runner friend
Photo: Shelly Robillard 

Last but not least, I've met some of the most amazing people running. Whether it was from high school teams, Drexel Track, the Runner's World forums, or from a race, I have been so inspired by other runners that I have befriended. I've been able to meet people from all other walks of life that I wouldn't have met otherwise. 

Can you tell that I love running?! Yeah, it may be obnoxious to others, but it truly has become a part of me and I cannot wait for my many running adventures for the rest of my life. :D

It's a brownie weekend!

This has truly been a brownie-filled weekend! In the last 36 hours, I've made two batches of brownies, one that was awesome and one that was a flop.

Yesterday, John and I headed to Greensgrow Farm to pick up some yummy local goodies. We got a dozen of local eggs (clearly we've dipped into them), some leeks (some used in recipe below), cremini mushrooms, an onion, and some asparagus (side dish to our dinner tonight). There was so much more we could have gotten, but we only got a few things and in total, they were less than $12. Tasty, local, and resonable?! I'll take it! Yes, I am paying a bit more for local produce, but I happily do so.

Yummmmmm!

Speaking of the leeks, I searched tastespotting.com (where I spend way too much of my free time) for a leek recipe for dinner and chose a pasta with caramelized leek and feta cream sauce dish (link). The recipe did not exactly turn out as it was supposed to; the feta never really melted enough to be a sauce. If anyone makes this or if I make this again, I'd definitely add 1 cup of chicken stock or pasta water to the pan instead of the little splash requested. It was a bit dry of a pasta dish, but golly, it tasted good (especially the caramelized leeks...to die for). 

Such a pretty picture (obviously taken by the original blogger
and not moi)

Back to the main point of this post: brownies. John and I headed to tailgate the Phillies v. Rangers game yesterday with his friends, so I had to bring some fudge-tastic brownies. When it comes to brownies, I will choose fudgey ones over cakey ones any day. I toasted some almonds and tossed them into the batter and they turned out so great. I also added my (not so) secret ingredient, which I add to nearly every brownie recipe: cinnamon. It adds depth to them and makes them have a warm flavor. 

Nutty, fudgey brownies galore

Not content with baking just once this weekend, I wanted to bake something after dinner tonight. I originally bought some double stuff Oreos to for another recipe, but decided that Oreo Brownies sounded like the perfect thing to make. They took nearly no time to make and in the blink of an eye, they were out of the oven. I did not have the called-for unsweetened chocolate, so I used oil and cocoa (done this about a thousand times without fail). I think this was part of the downfall of the recipe. The brownies came out pretty, but definitely cakey and there wasn't much depth in flavor. I did also omit cinnamon, but I'm really bummed they did not work out. They're not bad, but not worth bringing in to work (my original game plan). 

If only I knew they wouldn't be so yummy, I wouldn't be cheesing so much.
I also clearly need more sleep.

So my brownie recipe success this weekend has been 50%, but luckily, I know why they weren't great and can tweak it for the future. Overall, it's been a food-filled weekend and I wouldn't have it any other way. :D

Mind the Ducks 2011 12 Hour Race Report

Man, where to start? I ran this race a year ago as my first ultramarathon and it was such a good race, I had to do it this year, too. I made some great friends and knew that I had to come back and challenge the course and my previous distance once again.

The race report, though, really starts the Monday before the race. I had done an easy 12 miler the day before and I felt my achilles start to get tight throughout the work day. Tuesday, the pain was even worse. I iced it, took anti-inflammatory meds, and wore heeled shoes to give it a rest. Thursday, I went to a sports medicine doctor and he agreed with my self-diagnosis of achilles tendonitis. He said it was really minor and if I kept up my routine and added some stretches the physical therapist gave me, he'd clear me to run. You have no idea how big the smile on my face was when he said that. I could have kissed him...almost...hehe.

Friday morning, I took a flight in from Philadelphia and met my mom in the Rochester Airport (she took a flight from Baltimore). The toy of a plane I took made me feel so motion sick, even hours after the ride. We quickly went to pick up last minute things, then ordered some delivery pasta. Nothing like a good carbo-load the night before the race!

We woke up and headed to the race location. We were pushing it on time and got there with just 10 minutes before the start. Got to say hello to runners I met last year, including Jesse Scott (http://jscott87.blogspot.com/). Jesse and I have kept in touch through Facebook and it's been great to become friend with a fellow ultrarunner who is part of the younger demographic like myself. We've talked about running mostly, but also just our lives in general and I was very happy to see him again.

Before I knew it, the race was underway! The first hour went by quickly, but my achilles started to tighten up a bit. I was freaked out that I wouldn't be able to do the whole race, but popped a few ibuprofen (not ideal and I avoid taking them normally to spare my kidneys, but my achilles needed to not swell up). I was able to keep the pain at bay for the entire race, which was awesome.

Like last year, I found myself starting in about 8th place for the women. I also decided to stick with my plan last year of being the tortoise in the tortoise and hare story. Last year, I kept my same pace the entire time and was able to sneak into second place while others slowed down. I knew it worked last year, so I tried it again this year, just a bit faster.

Surprisingly, the hours zoomed by. I employed a 27/3 ratio of running to walking, which allowed me to break up each half hour easily. I would try to snack on something in each of those 3 minute breaks and took an S-cap every hour or so. I was able to chat with some runners I met last year as well as some newbies to the race. I love the ultra community because it is so supportive and people are generally extremely friendly.

As the hours flew by, I was able to slowly creep up the leader board. The forecast predicted rain and while it only misted or lightly drizzled for most of the race, there were a few hours of hard rain. Surprisingly, it didn't bother me, but I think it pushed away runners who were ready to quit anyway. This was good for people like me who weren't quitting for anything as our competition dwindled.

Right before the start of the race

One thing I would do differently next year is drink and eat more. If I wasn't doing my walk break near the aid tent, sometimes I'd forget to eat. Also, water kept sloshing in my stomach, so I found myself drinking less water because of that. It kept my stomach troubles away, but meant that I wasn't hydrated enough. I was lucky, though, that I was still able to push through and make it.

The interesting part of the race came in the last hour and a half. I had been averaging 10:20-10:30 min/mile pace not including my walk breaks. With an hour and a half left, I realized that if I wanted to hit my high goal of 67 miles, I'd really have to keep my pace on track. I thought, "If I'm going to really leave it all on the course, this is my time to push it." I then picked up the pace to around 8:50 min/mile pace. I was zooming by everyone (minus Jesse, of course, as he was just killing all day and ended up (unsurprisingly) the first placed male overall and ran 77 miles). It felt great to feel fast at the end of a 12 hour race and for once, I felt intimidating.

With one hour left, I was only 1 mile away from 2nd place and she was left walking the last hour. I was able to lap her enough to surpass her by a few miles and was able to cut the lead of the first placed female by 2 miles (she still dominated and ran 71 miles...crazy!). I found Jesse with about 2 miles left and we decided to stick together like we had last year. He was able to keep me going and it felt superb to finish with a friend. We pushed along the last laps and finished at the same time. Couldn't have been happier!!!

Myself with Shelley, the RD with my 1st place female open award
(sorry for low quality, it's from my mother's Blackberry)

Again, Shelly, the RD, put on such an amazing race and the volunteers were fabulous. I loved this race even more the second time and cannot wait to be out there next year! I also have to thank my amazing mother, who walked the entire time in the opposite direction so she could always see me (walking about 45 miles) and who kept me going by either grabbing food for me to eat or just being a goofy person and keeping my spirits up. Couldn't have done it without her!

Final stats:

Miles: 68.8 miles
Place: 2nd place female, 4th overall
Toenails that will be lost: 3-4
Feeling: Like I'm on cloud nine (minus my body, which hurts like hell)

My Food Philsophy

I've recently been lacking on blog topics, but something sparked what I hope will start lots of posts. I am very excited. Having used a Groupon for a delivery of organic produce made me think about my eating and food philosophy. Food has always so important to me, but as I have gotten older, I have learned a lot about food and how it reaches our tables. Through a class I took at Drexel and a few books I've read, I have learned to be more conscious about what I eat and purchase.

When I grew up, we had a lot of processed food in the house. Don't get me wrong, my mom also cooked with fresh meats, produce, and dairy (and a great cook she is!), but we had a lot of 100 calorie packs in the cabinet. I grew up to be concerned with calories and fat, but not so much ingredients. I still ate fairly healthy, but eating processed foods each day was not abnormal.

Staples in my house growing up

When I went to Drexel, I did a good job of still eating healthy and avoiding the freshman 15. I knew to eat veggies and fruit and never once got pizza, french fries, or a burger from the cafeteria. My sophomore year, I took a class that really changed me and my food philosophy. I love food and when I saw a class called, "Food Politics," I knew I had to take it. We discussed how food gets to our table, from traditional factory farm meat to smaller urban organic farms. I was in awe of what was going on in America's food system and felt that I needed to take a stand for what I felt was right (local and organic, when possible).

The Dirty Dozen

As a college student, it was a difficult place to be in. I wanted to start purchasing local, organic foods, but they are so expensive. When I can, I purchase produce that is organic (only in the Dirty Dozen...no need to purchase more than that!). I also have tried to limit my processed food purchases. After reading The End of Overeating, I learned even more about how even the simplest of foods are overly processed. If you look at the ingredients of a lot of foods, it's insane what goes into them! I've stopped buying baked chips (a lot have sugar in them, which baffles me) and candy, instead opting for kale chips and fruit to fulfill salty and sweet cravings.

Something I also feel strongly about is local organic farms. I feel that supporting local farms is a win-win on many levels. One, you are supporting a local business rather than a large corporation. Two, you know who is growing your food and how they are doing so. Third, you are eating seasonally and fresh, something we don't do anymore in this country. With the same produce all year round, we have no idea when is a normal produce's season. We get tomatoes year round, but they're only supposed so be around in the summer. We now eat mealy and gross tomatoes throughout a lot of the year that has been shipped from thousands of miles away. We're taxing the planet in order to get non-seasonal (and not as tasty) produce!

Greensgrow Farm

In order to continue my food philosophy, John and I signed up for the Greensgrow Farm Summer CSA program. Greensgrow Farm is an urban farm in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Starting at the end of May and going until November, every two weeks, we will pick up a box of local and fresh produce, as well as a local cheese and one dairy product. The cost is totally reasonable (comes to around $18 a week) and I get to enjoy all the fabulous perks of a local farm. I am counting down the weeks until we get to pick up our first box!

I guess to sum up my changed perspective on food, I could say I went from someone who cared about calories and fat to someone who cares about calories and fat, but is not willing to eat a bunch of chemicals to eat low fat or low cal. We're so caught up in fast, convenient food that we are not thinking about what we put in our bodies and/or what impact it has on the planet. I cannot wait to blog about what I get in my CSA share every two weeks and to continue my effort to eat as cleanly as possible.

(Super Late) Pace Report: Philly 100 Miler

I have had this post half written for weeks now. Pacing the Philly 100 was probably one of the hardest things I've had to do mentally and it was up there in the hardest to do physically. I think I've had to distance myself from it to even want to write about it (which I still don't, but I have been out of the habit of blogging for too long).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is nearly three weeks late...eeek. As a bit of background, I post daily on the Runner's World Forums. Through the Ultra Marathon thread, I met a guy named Jon, who gave me a lot of good advice my last training cycle. Last November, knowing I lived in Philly, he asked if I would pace him for the Philadelphia 100 mile race. I was super excited and said "yes." As the race has gotten closer, I helped him with logistics of the race and we discussed our training for our respective races.

Finally, race day came Saturday, April 2nd, and it was nothing like I could have expected. The race started at 6 am on Saturday, but Jon wanted me there at 7 pm. I got in 13 miles in the morning with Back on My Feet and just relaxed the rest of the day. When I got there, Jon wasn't feeling too great. He said his race was not going well from the get-go and he was really down about it. 13 hours in, he had covered around 58 miles, which is awesome, but still meant he had 42 miles left.

Mile markers on the course left from my 20in24 ultra 

Originally, I told him I could run three loops (~25 miles). When I got there and heard he had 42 miles left, as a pacer, it was daunting. Without knowing him well (only talked online), it was hard to know what would motivate him. When he told me that this was his third attempt at a 100 miler and that if he failed to complete this one, he was done doing them. I know runners say a lot of things when racing (like "I will never do this again," only to sign up for another race days later), but that seemed like a serious statement from Jon. I couldn't be the one to let him down, could I?! I knew then that it would be a very tough night, but that I wouldn't let him stop until he had finished 100 miles.

The first loop went fine as we were getting to better know each other. We talked about our jobs, significant others, running, and a lot of other things. I still was peppy as we finished this lap and moved onto the second. By the end of the second loop, we walked the last 1.5 miles with Keith Straw, a local ultrarunner who can be found running around in a pink fairy costume at races (not this time, sadly). He was a great person to hear talk about his experiences and I enjoyed the added company. When we finished our second loop, he had finished his 12 (we were at 9), so he left for home.

Fairy Keith!

With three laps left, it was pitch dark and the wind made it quite cold. I also had only brought some PB&Js, brownies, and granola bars (can you tell that I have a sweet tooth?). I didn't expect to be out there so long, so I didn't really prepare well (lesson #1 learned). I'd start out each loop either eating a few brownies or inhaling half of  PB&J, then have a sick stomach for about 30 mins. By the time we finished a lap, I was starving like I hadn't eaten in forever (each lap did take around 3 hours).

Each lap was mentally very difficult to get through. Although it was "only" 5 laps, that equated to 42 miles of walking. Running that distance would have been hard, but it would have been hours less time on my feet. I was really happy to help Jon, but having to push myself AND him to keep going when all I wanted to do was go home and sleep was mentally tough. I learned (lesson #2) that I when something seems too hard to seem fathomable, you can be underestimating your abilities. I surely was underestimating my physical and mental strength and so was Jon (his abilities, not mine).

By the time we got to the 4th loop at around 3-4 am, Jon and I were both exhausted. I started to fall asleep standing up and was walking all zig-zaggy. I did my best to hide it from Jon (later he told me I did a good job of hiding it...success!). Around this point, Jon said he needed to sleep for 7 minutes and he plopped down on the concrete path. He instantly fell asleep and did so with a smile on his face. I set my phone's alarm and got officially 3 minutes of sleep sitting against a pole. Lesson #3 learned was that I can take small naps and still feel refreshed. I always thought that since after ultras, my legs hurt too much to sleep, I wouldn't be able to take a nap, let alone take one and feel good. I was happily wrong.

Jon took another quick 5 minute nap later and then we were finally onto our last lap! The sun was starting to come out and as I had predicted, the sunshine woke us up and had us ready to finish. There was a regatta happening that day, so we had a lot of people watching that kept us entertained. You would think that after all of those laps, the last lap would go by quickly, but alas, it still felt like it went on forever.

Our goal, which we would reach no matter the circumstances!

The course was 8.4 miles long, so 12 laps equated 100.8 miles total. When we got the 3/4 mile left mark, I told Jon he had officially completed 100 miles. We stopped dead in our tracks and he gave me the biggest hug. Since he had worked so hard to finish the race, it was truly an emotional moment. We pushed through and finished the 100.8 mile race in around 28 hours (15.5 of them with me). I have never been so darn relieved to finish something in my life, especially since it felt like such an undertaking (and it wasn't even my race! Jon did so much more to get to the finish).

When we finished, Jon's dad was there to meet us. He asked me if I had ever met his son before and when he found I had only talked with him online, he was shocked that I would sign up to help him. One of the things I love most about running (especially the ultramarathon community) is the camaraderie that is infectious. You feel oddly close to other runners because they know what you have gone through and/or are about to go through. Even if you are competing with each other (maybe since I'm not an elite), people are friendly, generally want you to do well, and are willing to help you a lot.

Overall, it was a very tough experience for me and it wasn't even my race! It allowed me to know that more is possible than originally thought, mini-naps are good, and to be better prepared! So happy I was able to pace Jon to his first successful 100 miler and I cannot wait to one day complete my own!