Stop and Smell the Flowers

Happy Sunday! I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Friday night, Nick and I got to go to the Chappell Roan concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl and it was so much fun! Definitely the latest I’ve been out in a long time 😅 but I spent all day yesterday lounging so I felt recovered and ready to go for our big Sunday long run this morning.

Today is the 3 week countdown to the New York City Marathon, so we did our last big long run of the build. We did 20 miles in just over 2.5 hours, and again it was the longest/furthest I’ve ever run. We have a loop that we do in Griffith Park that mimics the elevation gain and loss of New York, and we did 3 loops today. We nailed our nutrition and hydration, and it was such a confidence boost getting in the distance and feeling strong. I’m getting so excited!

Speaking of the New York City Marathon, I’m running as a charity runner for Trackgirlz, an incredible non-profit organization that works to provide girls access to mentorship and sport through track and field empowerment programs. To help meet my fundraising goal of $4500, I’m partnering with Hettas, a shoe designed for women. For every $50 you donate, you get 1 entry to win a Race Day Package, which includes a free pair of Hettas shoes, a t-shirt, a race day fueling strategy session with me, and more fun items from brands who support women in sport. If you’re interested in donating to enter the giveaway, can do so HERE. Even if you’re not able to donate $50, I so appreciate donations of any amount!

Also, if you’re going to be in NYC for marathon weekend, come join me for a pre-race shakeout on Saturday November 1st! We’ll head out from a coffee shop near Central Park at 9:30am for an easy 5k shakeout run. You don’t have to be racing the marathon to join in! Chris Lee, a strength and conditioning coach with Kinesis Integrated who was on The Fueling Forward Podcast, has generously offered to buy coffees for anyone who attends. Register for free HERE (click “get tickets”. I’d love to see you there 🤗!

In Today’s newsletter:

• What’s for dinner? I’ve planned out your week in meals and snacks so you don’t have to! Check out my menu plan for the week, and some simple recipes to go with it.

• Weekly tip: For October, I decided to try something new and switch from a weekly challenge to a weekly tip. This week, I wanted to share some suggestions for those who struggle to eat in the mornings.

• Science corner: Many runners enjoy a cup of coffee before they head out the door for a run, but how does having coffee on an empty stomach influence our athletic performance? I dive into what you need to know before you have your first sip of joe in the mornings.

• Food for thought: This weekend I noticed myself getting frustrated with my dog who wanted to take her time on our evening walk. I realized that I was trying to hurry for no reason, and wanted to reflect on why I feel like I do that so often.

Do you have topics, recipes, or thoughts that you’d like to see in the next Sunday Brunch Club? Reply to this email and let me know!

Listen👇🏼: to the most recent episode of the Fueling Forward podcast where you can find interviews with athletes or listen to me answer questions submitted by listeners.