Let's Be Gentler

I could talk all day about how running makes me a better human, but in every way possible it truly makes me a better person. A more patient person, you can't fast forward a run. You have to take every step. Kinder, it makes me kinder to myself and to others, you can't think bad thoughts when you are doing something you love.

Above all, it makes me more gentle. And at this time, especially now, I think the world needs this. Now this may be very controversial to talk about so soon but I think it is a perspective others need to consider. The attacks on Paris and Beirut this past week were horrifying and unforgivable. I cannot even fathom the sorrow from those who lost loved ones, the Parisians, and the people of France. Our world has darkness in it, and darkness has left its mark and shown its face openly this week.

However, the way to improve peace in this dark world is to always be gentle. Be gentle with your word and actions to others, always. Speak kindly about all. This includes ALL countries of the Earth, and all its inhabitants. We are one people living on this rock floating through time together. We do not need to be separated by borders, cultures, races, nor religions. This week we are not praying for Paris, we are hoping for peace for mankind.

To all whom we meet, those traveling who may not speak our language; be patient. We all share the same bond of humanity. Language does not separate us. To those believing other religions; be understanding. Do not raise your beliefs above theirs and do not criticize theirs for what they think. Islam is not bad, the radical sectors of the religion like ISIS and the Taliban are. Be educated and know the difference. Be open, allow your heart to be open to those that need your heart. The world needs our heart, Syria, the entire Middle East, Paris, they need our heart and understanding. Bombs are not quieted by bombs.

We are not praying for Paris, we are praying for the world. But even more, we are working to improve the world. Let's take our activism another step; instead of sharing the same logo of peace or changing your profile picture to a French flag do something that makes a difference. Get off your computer and go into the world. Be accepting with everyone you meet. Be more patient when you are driving and lay off your horn. Do not hurry others at the checkout line. Say hello to someone with their head down. Strike up a conversation with the lonely person in a coffee shop. Call your mom. Quiet your negative thoughts. Imagine a world where you didn't have someone angrily honking behind you at a stoplight. Peace starts here. Peace starts small. Share kindness to everyone you meet and everyone you see. 

The Dalai Lama summed it up perfectly, read the interview here: www.dw.com/en/dalai-lama-on-paris-attacks-work-for-peace-and-dont-expect-help-from-god-and-governments/a-18852858

When You Can't "Just Keep Swimming"

Some days, you just can't. No, I am not trying to sound like an 18 year old valley girl that "literally just can't", but today I knew I had to quit. I have been trying to obsessively follow a marathon training plan for my half marathon on November 15, and my first full marathon on January 31. I have a schedule for my runs and workouts following the plan basically to a T, and today called for 12 miles. I do all of my long runs typically on Tuesdays, sometimes Wednesdays pending on my work schedule. So yesterday, I turned down invitations from friends to hangout after my 11 hour shift, came home to eat my dinner of brown rice, veggies, and tempeh, and hit the sack by 9:30pm.

My alarm sounded at 6:30am; trying to beat the heat of the eternal summer that is Florida (it is November 3...) yet my body just said no. It told me I was too tired, I needed to rest, yet I forced myself up, ate a banana and got dressed and headed out. By mile 4 I was already exhausted. It was nearing 85 degrees and only 7:30am. I just couldn't get in "the zone," and decided to cut down to 11 miles. By mile 5 I decided I couldn't go any farther and turned around to just do 10. It was hot, I was running out of water from my Camelbak, my IT band began to flare up and I resorted to run walking.

Mentally, I was over it. I wasn't having any fun, I was tired, thirsty, hot, and began to worry and doubt myself about being able to run 26.2 miles come January. If I couldn't even make it 12, how would I ever be able to run that far? Would I even be able to push myself to train longer distances? I had given up. I called my dad at 7.5 crying. He has completed many marathons, and always has the best advice. He told me that sometimes, our bodies need a break, to go home, eat, rest and get back on track when I felt better. My typical work week is about 6 days a week and over 50 hours, where I stand, squat, and remain pretty active and it all takes a tole on me that I really don't factor in. I am leaner and in better shape than I maybe have ever been, so why did my body quit on me? Because it needs rest, it just needs a break from activity.

So here I was, crying because of my obsessive compulsion to accomplish every single goal I set for myself and here I was failing myself. I have NEVER not completed a long run that I planned out, yet here I was walking the 2.5 miles left to get home. I was defeated, done, even walking bothered my IT band. Out of water, thirsty, and sweating bullets. I stopped at my neighborhood McDonalds to get water, and got quite a few confusing looks from the regular carnivores. Charlie greeted me with a friendly meow when I got home, showered, and had my usual post run waffles and fruit as a reward for my labor.

Now it is time to re-evaluate. I am a super obsessive person, always have been. It has led me to eating disorders, exercise disorders, and generally to be anxious about anything in my future. After this not so great run, I learned that I need to just take every run as they come. If I am injured, rest (very hard for me, I usually will run anyways.) Stop obsessing about races, if come January I cannot do the full marathon, I will drop down to the half. Maybe my body just can't handle it, and I will need to learn to be okay with that. I can't keep isolating myself from my social life because it "doesn't fit into my running plan."

Now, I will commit to making living a priority, rather than working constantly to attain my goals. Instead of working 6 days a week to pay my bills and have extra spending money, I am going to take my extra days to go out into nature and do the things I want to do, say YES more often to invitations from friends, and maybe even in December to drive my happy self to the mountains and stay in a hostel to explore. It's time to live, be present in everything I do, and to learn to work running races into my life rather than into my schedule and letting them consume me. Time to live.

Peace and running friends!

A Monumental Weekend in Washington DC

Traveling is my absolute favorite thing, my heart bursts with happiness in exploring new places, cultures, food, nature and climates. Last weekend I had the opportunity to experience a milestone in my sisters life: Tara ran her first marathon.

My family flew into DC from three different locations, and after regrouping we headed out into the city. Our first lunch was at a popular restaurant I had found in my research: Busboys and Poets. The restaurant itself was really interesting, it was named for Langston Hughes who worked at the Wardman Park Hotel as a busboy before he became a poet. Overall the feeling is artistic, murals and inspirational quotes on the walls, the servers all with their own quirky personality, and actually a bookstore too! Their menu is very eclectic from brunch, to burgers, pizza, quinoa bowls, and even falafel and vegan friendly with vegan items marked. I ordered the beef sliders which were delicious alongside sweet potato chips (you know I can't get enough.) I did not take a picture of this, but the next day we went back for brunch and I got the vegan scramble along with fruit, toast, and sausage! So delicious, with multiple locations I recommend everyone vegan or not try it.

I won't bore you with minute by minute recollections of our travels, I will highlight my favorite parts. 

The Newseum, a museum I hadn't been to before that highlighted monumental moments in history as well as the history of the news, from newspapers to radio, and TV based news shows. My favorite exhibits were the Berlin Wall, 9/11 section with the antenna from the World Trade Center, and the Vietnam War exhibit.

^Well recommended to all!

The night before the Marine Corps Marathon, we met up with my moms brother's family for a pasta dinner so Tara could carb load, and we're off to bed early. My dad took my sister to the start while I ran, and then my mom and I met my dad along the mall to see her at two locations. Seeing the runners made me so excited for my upcoming half and full marathon, and the energy was amazing. Everyone was so supportive as well as all the marines handing out water and keeping the spectators along the curbs. We saw Tara around mile 17 & 18, and she looked strong (other than a butt cramp.)

 We literally raced to Arlington to get through security checks to see her finish, of course I cried as usual. I had previously cried just thinking about her finishing the race! I am beyond proud of her, she has always been such a fantastic runner and cross country racer and to be there to experience that with her made my heart swell with happiness.

Her post race request was Native Foods, a popular all vegan restaurant with locations around the US. We got the nachos to share with my family, and I had  a burger although I can't remember the exact name. 

We did go back again for lunch before heading to the airport, and we had the nachos again, I had tacos, and the best chocolate cupcake I've ever had on the house since we were regulars. 

Here are some random pictures from our other adventures:

A wonderful weekend and family trip indeed. So thankful for these times we can be together. Many more trips in our future, and I hope if I enjoy my marathon I can come back and run Marine Corps next year! Oorah! 

The Perception of Masculinity

Today, our world is over run with social media, advertisements, news ads, and most of them are depicting either a masculine or feminine role. From birth announcements being pink or blue as "female" and "male", children's color clothing, everything we see in everyday life has a male or female stigma attached to it.

I whole heartily believe that we have brainwashed our gender norms in society the entirely wrong way; men to be strong and women to be frail. Both genders should feel comfortable to be themselves, and to express their feelings openly. Men should not be taught to hide their emotions; our society teaches men to hide their sorrow and act out in rage. Men's boxing and AMA fighting has become uber popular, in my eyes I see this as a very caveman type sport where men fight each other for nothing other than sport even injuring each other and riling up rage out of the crowds. Video games are targeted at men and are full of murder, violence, theft; while women's are typically kinder like Barbie and baby dolls. A case can also be made for whom TV shows and movies are directed at; Superheros using their strength as power, while Princess movies for girls display kindness as power. In school boys are taught to be kind to women (mostly) and that they are frail, yet as themselves they must always be perfectly composed and unemotional. 

Men: be emotional! Be vulnerable. As humans we are highly emotional beings and as both men and women we feel many different emotions everyday. Women tend to succumb and express their feelings much more openly, as I believe men should too. Biologically we are wired in our DNA to feel many things, some more than others based on the amount of stress we felt as unborn babies from our mothers and then based on the stresses of our environment through adolescence and through adulthood.

It has even come across in the dietary and food world; an example being the "Hungry Man" meals that are directed to men, full of heavy meats and implying that men need to eat copious amounts of meats. Many advertisements for meat and beer products are directed to men, while women are seen eating small salads and the stars of diet food advertisements. This has caused society to think that men need to be "strong" and consume huge amounts of meat products, while women are portrayed as "weak" and eating very little. On the contrary, men are seen as weak for abstaining from animal products which is more than far from the truth.

Compassion is an important and attractive quality that men should express. Being vegan and caring about animals and our planet is not something to be ashamed about but something to be embraced. I personally find vegan men extremely attractive, I see them as people that can embrace and express their feelings very openly and to be more nurturing than those who consume animal products. Masculinity is about being strong, protective, and can be expressed even better as being protectors of all living things and the Earth we call home. It should not be expressed through mounted deer heads, killing black bears, literally "bringing home the bacon" but being caring and nurturing to these animals instead. Men believe they need to eat more protein than women in general and that this nutrient needs to be consumed in the form of animal products, which is incorrect and I will explain further in a later post on protein.

So hey men, it's okay to show your soft side, in fact flaunt it! If slaughter of animals upsets you embrace this. Go vegan, advocate for animal and environmental rights. Let us respect our fellow animals that Mother Earth has given us, and love us love them and live as one. So go forth and live a life of peace, emotion and compassion. 

Compassion is Key

Fishing: I had been begging my parents to take me fishing for weeks on our annual summer trip to North Carolina. Probably around the age of 7, my father finally gave into my request. "Kelsey, before we pay we are going to observe to make sure this is something you want to do." However, my mind was set that I needed to fish. My father was wise, knowing I had a compassionate little heart for all living things, and as soon as I saw a fish pulled out of the lake with blood gushing out of its punctured lip, I was sobbing to leave. This is my earliest memory of passion for animals.

Being vegan is not nearly as important for my health as it is for the well being of all living things and the planet. Yes, the planet. My journey to becoming a vegan and a vegan activist encompassed my entire life; from being raised with a knowledge of what happens to animals, as a vegetarian family, and my furthered education in my college years has all shaped how I see animals today. Daily life for me is shaped by my compassion for animals; running gives me tunnel vision for nature and living creates. I eat ethically; a plant based and simple diet free of any animal derivatives, and I share my feelings and knowledge on the topic of animal rights and the environmental impact with anyone who will listen. I find many are "interested" but it's just "too hard" for them to give up meat. I reply that is bullshit, eating plant based is the most natural and simple way to live! 

Running has helped me to delve feeler into my passion for the environment and animals. On my runs I think and appreciate the earth more than ever else in my life. While running I enjoy listening to like minded individuals on their podcasts that open my eyes to other people who care strongly about animals, the Earth, fitness, nutrition, and consciousness. I look up to people like Rich Roll, Scott Jurek, Jackson Foster of Plantriotic. These activists lend their lives to sharing their knowledge of the subject and spreading the wealth with anyone they can. 

I believe that through actions like this, and forms of exercise or meditation they can help us to clear our minds and think more deeply about subjects that are important and matter to us. These are uninterrupted hours of my day where I can direct all of my thoughts and feeling onto these things that matter most to me.

So now, I contemplate my next steps. I want and need to make a difference in this world for compassion for all living things, people and animals alike. I have decided to change the name and the purpose of my blog to better represent who I am and what I want to write about. Writing solely about running out me in a bit of a corner because running means so much more to me than just a form of exercise. I also don't want to be a "mainstream" blogger writing about products and running fads, but more about sharing my passions, my thoughts, and my writing beyond just running to include poetry and meditative thoughts. Join me on my mission and follow my thoughts about peace for all. 

Why I Am Taking on the Marathon

Everyone has a different reason for why they do things; run, bike, yoga, knit, fish, whatever the hell you do just for you. But, everyone has a vastly different inner reason for this as well. Sometimes it is not until well into your journey that you discover your purpose for what you do.

***Side note: Let's also set something straight, I don't like to use the concept of "journey", and am going to try to refrain myself from using that term. To me, journey means a path to a destination. Ultimately, we all only have one destination from life, and that is death. So rather than me constantly trying to find a destination in life, I will remain present and describe my process as just being.***

Struggles in life are something everyone of all races, cultures, and incomes faces, and I have faced my fare share of struggle. From early adolescence I struggled with body issues and eating disorders, wanting to shrink my strong and muscular thighs I thank figure skating for. I allowed the media to dictate how I thought I should look, and with my thighs as thick and strong as a tree I did not fit in their category of "beautiful and thin." Through over exercising and controlling what I put in my mouth I shrunk to a very dangerous weight, while still continuing to strive to improve my skating abilities which I finally learned could not happen after depleting my muscle. So through my desire to become a better skater, and to live my life in a healthier way for myself and my family I healed myself and gained weight and muscle to grow stronger than ever. Through conditioning and healthy eating I excelled more than ever at my sport. 

In my young adult years as stated in an earlier blog post, A Little About Me, I found running to both feel good physically and mentally. Now, as a college graduate and feeling lost as most 23 year olds do in what their "purpose" and career path is, I have decided to take on the marathon. To me, a marathon is a pretty huge feat to face physically. I have never run more than about 14 miles and want to prove to myself that I am both dedicated and strong enough to do it. 

Mentally, running a marathon makes you strong. I call it free therapy. Sometimes you can be on runs for 2-3 hours, with nothing but yourself and your thoughts, much more time than most people spend not distracted by technology, other people, work, etc. I thank running for making good decisions, when you can argue and debate with yourself about something for unobstructed hours at a time you tend to make the right decision. I find myself thinking more about my direction in life and making choices based on what my heart wants rather than what society wants. Relationship wise on runs I can recollect the good times and also the bad times which helps me to heal the wounds I carry in my heart from friendships not working out (I am an empathic person and tend to always remember the good times.)

The marathon is a goal I can work towards and singly rely on myself to accomplish. As a type A personality, I like to work alone and control what I am working towards. Whether or not I complete this feat is something only I can place reliance on myself for; and at this state of my life it is important for me to spend some time alone and with my thoughts. 

I hope you will follow me on my physical and mental journey through this process. Weekly, I will post my runs, distances, the woes and the triumphs I learn from my body and my mind. Be prepared for some deep and emotionally driven posts, as I tend to get deep into my core on my runs.

Some life updates:

Everyone go see this documentary! "He Named Me Malala." SO inspirational in every way of life. Shakes you up and makes you feel very thankful for our education in America and our rights as humans. Sometimes the things we fight for here seem miniscule in retrospect to what others want as basic rights.

Just got in my new Garmin Forerunner 220! Love it, a big step up from my old watch which will now allow me to clock intervals for speed training and tell me my pace while I am currently running.

Have a peaceful and meaningful day, friends!

Just Keep Running!

Hi friends! So as you have noticed I haven't blogged in awhile, due to some personal reasons, absent mindness, and also adjusting to my job that I recently went back to. However, I wanted to say that I am alive and well!

Some fun things I have been doing:

Trip to South Florida to see parents/ and some not so fun and sad events:

Amazing vegan restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale: Green Bar! I had the sweet potato burger

My best friend in the world, Allison came to visit me:

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom, I was the evil queen from Snow White:

Lots of running! I am in week 3 of my marathon program for my race January 31! More to come in my following post about my training schedule I am following. I have gotten bored of my go to running courses near my home, so I found some trails and Disney resorts to run around...

And best of all.... my new Garmin Forerunner 220!!! My old watch died so I upgraded. I love it, you can set interval timers, it actually shows current pace per mile (my old watch didn't), elapsed time, distance, and allows you to make a training plan that the watch can help you to follow. Two thumbs up!

Thank you friends for being patient with me, here is a little mantra I have been following in tough times:

Keep running friends :)