Live and Learn.

Remember that time I was training for a marathon? This is my throwback to two years ago. This was probably my last decent training run that round. I just got slower from here. Prior to training for the Chicago Marathon with Team RMHC (my favorite charity) in 2014. I had only run one half and was very new to running. I was naive and inexperienced and it lead me to getting a bad IT band injury just a few weeks out from the race. I ran (and walked) the marathon anyway. It took me a year to fully recover, but it was the best learning experience ever. I learned so much about proper running, eating, stretching and strength training. In the last 9 months, I have PR'd in a 5k, 10k and half marathon and it feels so good! We live and we learn. 

P.S. I couldn't train this summer in the terrible midwest heat and humidity that's happening this year! Maybe next year....

Freedom.

Today I am thankful to live in a country that I can write as I wish, eat as I want, drink clear water and my faith doesn't have to be a secret. And, we celebrate this with BBQs and fireworks. (I immediately googled how fireworks started. Here's what I found. If you are curious too.)

I always struggle with what to bring to BBQs. I want to bring something that people will enjoy, but that is still healthified. Today it will be brownies and fruit, but don't be fooled. These brownies don't have wheat or sugar in them. Recipe courtesy of Truffles and Trends.

This year, I also started my day off on the right foot with a 5k. It happens to be in the 60s this morning and that's unheard of these days, so I jumped on the last minute race bandwagon. It turned into a PR day! Finally broke through the 30 minute mark by almost 2 minutes. 

Quick recap of other things amazing about a long weekend

Pool Day

City Market Finds

Homemade Wine Slushies
(just wine and frozen fruit!)

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