The summer sun has finally ripened a few tomatoes for me.  With close to 30 plants, which are now towering over their cages, I have lots of green tomatoes just waiting to turn red.  Yesterday I made a great salad of homegrown purple cabbage, parsley, and Brandywine tomatoes.  A drizzle of olive oil, a splash of lemon, cumin, crystal salt and pepper did the trick.  

I guess the “High” that I have been feeling since last weekend got the best of me.  Wednesday I went out for my first run since Vermont, and felt a bit to sore for comfort.  Body mind is telling myself to keep going, but my body is letting me know that I just ran 100 miles.  So I need to make sure that I ease into frequent running before an injury sidelines me for an uncertain amount of time.  

However, today I went out on the bike for a few hours and my body felt great.  I guess the cross training uses some different muscles and doesn’t put a strain on the burnt up muscles from last weekend.  Tomorrow I will get out in the woods and run The Bash 10k course.  I could say that it is only 6 miles, but for all those who have run the course before, we know the truth.  I’ll be sure to take it nice and easy and just be thankful to be running so quickly after Vermont

Just a few days since running Vermont, I am feeling ready to run again.  The soles of my feet are still a bit tender so tonight I went out for a 15 mile ride on my road bike.  I pushed hard up the hills and worked on keeping my cadence high.  I am slightly amazed that my recovery is so fast.  

Today I stuck to high fruits, consuming mostly bananas all day.  Breakfast consisted of 6 bananas.  Lunch was a mango and a few plums.  After my ride I consumed 5 more bananas and then made a smoothie of coconut water, kale and banana.  Yummy!!

My speedy recovery just proves that proper nutrition and rest is a key factor in overall health.  Wednesday night I’ll meet up with the group and get my first run in.  I look forward to it!

After a long weekend in Vermont, I am happy to report that I successfully completed the Vermont 100.   With a finishing time under 24hrs, meant I was awarded with a belt buckle!

The weekend started with an early start on Friday morning.  Arriving early, meant I would have plenty of time to set up camp, register, and relax.  Nervous tension began to set in as the day went on, and come time for the race briefing, I was certainly in another world.  The RD warned us of the possibilities of high temps and humidity, so I was concerned with hydration and weight lose.  Luckily for me, dehydration would never become an issue during the race.  Once back at camp, I proceeded to make final preparations for the morning, then did my best to get as much sleep as possible before a 2:30am wake up.

The morning came earlier than expected, and soon I would be lined up at the starting line.  Rain would give us a wet start, but was a good sign that hopefully temperatures would be slightly cooler than predicted. I received lots of love from my mother and father before the start and went over last minute details with Iggy,my amazing crew member!

Before I knew it I was heading down a dirt road with over 250 crazy runners.  The race was under way and a long day was to follow.  My goal was to run smooth and efficiently throughout the entire race.  I certainly did not want to go out to fast and have to deal with pain and possible frustration towards the end of the run.  Within the first 5-7 miles, I joined up with Stephen, and Jamie from Maine, and would proceed to run with them until around the 50 mile mark.  We had a great group going and really helped each other out along the course. At certain points, one of us would have to pause for a pit stop, but we always managed to get the group back together.  

The first 50 miles, had me on pace to possibly break the 20 hour mark.  Despite the temperatures and high humidity, my body was feeling great and I chugged along at a comfortable pace.  Fueled solely on fruit, coconut water, and green powder, I kept my body well hydrated and free from any cramping.  Unfortunately, afternoon showers would cause some unwanted problems.  The course was hilly, but for every big climb, there seemed to be an equal decline.  With wet feet and steep descents, the balls of my feet would blister to the size of a half dollar.  After 70 miles, I would watch my pace get slower and slower, to the point where I would have to power walk in the last 15 miles.   The 70 mile mark was also the place where runners had the option to pick up a pacer.  Prior to the race, I decided I would take on this venture alone, so with that decision, I would have to keep myself motivated to make it to the finish line.  The night time, especially on the Vermont back roads, brings a sort of loneliness that can make for a long travel, if you allow it to. As much as I hoped to finish around the 20 hour mark, I was confident that even with walking, I would get to the finish line in under 24 hours.  So, I just chugged along and put one foot in front of the other until I got closer and closer to the finish.  Occasionally I would make an attempt to run a bit but the pain was just slightly unbearable.  Once I reached the 1 mile to go marker, I decided that pain was temporary, and running to the finish had to be done.  I made my best attempt to get into stride, whatever that looks like after 99 miles, and finished strong with a time of 22:52:47.  

For my first finish in the 100 mile distance, I am very happy.  It takes a lot of time and dedication to train for a race of this distance and I feel my body was ready for the challenge. My crew did such an amazing job to have all my food ready when I arrived at each handler station.  Cathi, also did a great job of putting together a cheer leading squad for me.  Each time I arrived at a checkpoint, I was greeted by a roaring crowd of females!  This was certainly a motivating factor to keep me moving! Much love to my mother and father who endured 24 hours without sleeping to see me make it to the finish line.  

One great aspect of this race that I have yet to mention, is not only do runners make the 100 mile trek, but the VT100 is also a horse race. So while running the course, I was often greeted by the riders, and given a bit of confidence as they passed with kind words of motivation.  

The event, as a whole was fantastic.  It was great to be with 3 other members of the running group as well as their crew members.  When speaking of my accomplishment over the last few days, some people asked if I am ready to tone it down a bit.  Maybe I am still riding the high of the finish but I already have my sites on a few more 100’s in the future!

Just a little while ago, as I was heading out to my compost pile, I was greeted by a beautiful young doe.  A bit spooked, the dear leaped over the rock wall and swiftly made its way through the thick forest.  The actions of this animal made me think of a poem that was sent to me last year before heading out to run the Javelina Jundred:

So I am down to a few day before the VT100. After a few hours of running this weekend, I am in full taper mode which is a bit difficult to tap into after training so hard over the last month or so.  Tapering allows the body to recover and heal from any possible injuries or overuse while training.  It was a bit strange for me to only run for 2 hours on Saturday since the last 7 weeks have consisted of long runs of 4 or more hours.

I am off from work this week and looking forward to a nice mellow week to catch up on some current projects that are in the works.  Final preparations  need to be made for this weekend, like preparing drop bags, purchasing and ripening fruit, lots of fruit, and getting all the gear together and making sure all is in working order.

This is very exciting for me and I am just really anxious to get the show on the road!!

So I live in a cottage without the access of running water, electricity, or a modern toilet.  So, many have been asking me where I go to the bathroom.  

Here’s my answer:

http://www.thebrowncorporation.com/

So I am finally living in the “Summer Cottage”.  This simplistic, yet ideal living quarter for me is located on Duck Hole Farm.  Sitting on close to or maybe more than 500 acres, I am in heaven.  A few steps away is my garden, which is perfect for having the opportunity to get my hands in the dirt on a daily basis.  The East River moves slowly through the property and many wild animals pay a visit to the land each and every day.  Yesterday I looked out my window to see a new born deer walking just 30 feet away from the cottage.  Today a few turkeys nibbled on grass while passing by my windows.  

Although I am without any modern appliances, water, electricity,  nor cable, I feel very much at ease.  At night with the guidance of candlelight, I flip through the pages of Black Elk Speaks.  After a perfect deep sleep I find myself awake with the morning sun around 5:30am.  The cool breeze sends a comfortable chill in through the windows and tells me it is time to start my day.  

Living on a diet based on fruits and veggies makes for an easy transition to living without a fridge.  With the exception of consuming lots of fruit, my meals have been freshly picked from my garden.  Generally I will pick a bowl of greens, lots of fresh herbs, snow peas, and a zucchini.  From there, I chop, slice, mince, or spirulize to create a fantastic bountiful salad.

This morning I created a beautiful Mango-Tomato Salsa to be enjoyed with fresh cucumber and zucchini slices.

To Prepare-

Dice 1 ripe mango

Dice 1 heirloom tomato

chop 1/2c fresh cilantro, basil, and parsley

squeeze juice of 1 lime

Mix all ingredients together.  Enjoy!

A fresh chili may be added to kick up the tastebuds!

Another bonus is that the property is surrounded by woodlands, so I have miles upon miles of trail systems that I have yet to run on.  For me, this means lots of exploring!  In the past, the land owners have found numerous Native American artifacts like arrowheads and hand tools.  I do enjoy searching around to see what I may find as well as bushwacking through the woods in search of dropped deer antlers.