WISDOM, PATIENCE & GRACE

We must encourage each other to continue our pursuits for stellar life experiences. Our joy and betterment may continue year after year if we do not allow ourselves to be defined by the social norms and constructs that have the weight to stifle the most vocal and persistent of us.

We have grown with wisdom, patience and grace — an ideal state for progress. Why would we ever muffle our voices, hold back from our physical pursuits or acquiesce to limited standards of excellence?

On this journey, and at this time, it is imperative to rewrite the narrative of aging — to be heard, be seen and be sought after for the wisdom, perseverance and grace we embody.

Watermelon Peach and Pineapple Juice

1 1/2 Cups Watermelon

1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple

1/2 Cup Frozen Peach

1 1/2 Cups Coconut Water

1 1/2 Scoops of Amino Acids

Puree in blender

Replenish!

Watermelon Nectarine and Basil Juice

1 1/2 Cups Watermelon

1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple

1 Nectarine

1 1/2 Cups Coconut Water

4-5 Basil Leaves

Puree in blender

Enjoy!

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is regularly referenced in relation to immune support and function. While it’s certainly important in that regard – particularly in the winter months – vitamin C also plays a role in other important body function for athletes.

Vitamin C is an important micronutrient found naturally in fresh fruit and vegetables. The highest sources include red and green capsicum, broccoli, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, cabbage, citrus fruit (mainly oranges and lemons), kiwifruit, berries, guava, papaya and rock melon.

Micronutrients are required by the body in small amounts to assist with optimal growth, development and function.

In addition, vitamin C plays an essential role in maintaining an athlete’s health to support training and athletic performance.

Although vitamin C has been investigated thoroughly in the research in supplemental form, you can easily achieve your recommended daily intake (RDI) of 45mg through a varied dietary intake of fruit and vegetables. For example just two kiwifruits are enough to meet your daily requirement.

Here are four reasons to include adequate vitamin C in your diet:

1. It’s a potent antioxidant

Antioxidants like vitamin C play an important role in slowing down processes that cause cell damage in the body. One example is inflammation caused by training. For this reason, vitamin C can be beneficial in assisting with sports recovery and also supporting return from injury. 

2. It supports the formation of collagen

Collagen is an abundant protein in your body and a major building block for bones, skin, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. You need to eat daily to help initiate the constant turnover and replenishment of collagen, and vitamin C assists with this process. Training puts stress on your body to achieve adaptations such as improved strength, power, endurance, agility or skill. Collagen can help support consistent training by either sustaining or rebuilding these important structures.

3. It supports a healthy immune system

Vitamin C contributes to immune defence by supporting various cellular functions of the immune system. The adaptive immune system remembers foreign pathogens and can respond to ward off sickness or infection more quickly a second time around to stay well longer.

4. It assists with the absorption of iron

Iron is another micronutrient the body needs to carry oxygen around the body, assist with brain function, synthesise DNA and support immunity. Having vitamin C when you consume iron will help its absorption.

*Article from New South Wales Institute of Sport

COMPETITION & COMRADERY

The last mile I ran shoulder to shoulder with a woman. I never saw her.

We were both focused on the road and finish line ahead of us. I do remember her labored voice as we encouraged each other through that mile. Her presence helped me push through the exhaustion.

What is it about having someone physically by your side? Is there greater reassurance and therefore comfort during the challenging moments? I know through my practice that the strength lies within and although I dug deep, it was clear that her presence was impactful. And isn’t that what we are seeking when we suit up on race day? Isn’t that the ultimate definition of competition? To push each other to be our very best?

Returning home I spoke with a neighbor who saw my race bib and shared that she had run the first Mini in 1972. It was her first and last race, but what a race to be part of. I felt that historical significance as I stood next to Kathrine Switzer at the starting line. I thanked her for all she has done for women and sport.

When she said to the incredible field who gathered today, “women own the roads”, it was nothing less than a battle cry.

Carrot Grapefruit and Ginger Juice

1 Carrot (sliced)

3 Grapefruit Segments

1/2 Cup Frozen Pineapple

1 Inch Ginger (sliced)

1 1/2 Cups Coconut Water

4-5 Ice Cubes

Puree in blender

Enjoy!

Beetroot Latte

1 TBSP beetroot powder

1 1/2 cups oat milk (or preferred milk option)

1 TSP raw honey

Warm and whisk in sauce pan

Finish with foamed milk and cacoa powder

Enjoy!

Mint Cacao Green Smoothie

2 frozen bananas

1 handful of mixed frozen greens

10-15 mint leaves

1/4 C of cacao nibs

3/4 C oat milk

1 TBSP maple syrup

Whirl in blender. Enjoy!

Cashew Cacao Smoothie

1 C vanilla probiotic drinkable yogurt

2 TBS cashew butter

1 C frozen bananas

2 TBS cacao nibs

Whirl in the blender. Enjoy!

OUR BEACON

🍁

I followed my older brother onto the X-Country team and ran my first race at age 10, and so began my life journey in running. I remember the first crack of the gun during that crisp autumn afternoon and the expansive lunge off the starting line, across the windy field scattered with fallen leaves, and into the stillness of the woods. It was pure freedom as the wind swept across my face and the state of flow took over, allowing me to be fully present and one with with what was unfolding..

The joy, determination, and sense of purpose I experienced then and many times after have been a beacon throughout my life. Running nurtures confidence in body and mind to tackle the important goals and challenges throughout life with persistence and a knowing that there is a way forward.

I have left and returned to running throughout the years and as I look back at the footprint, running has offered me more than awards and cherished memories. There have been mentors, opportunities, friendships, and community. Ultimately, such a simple act when cultivated has the power to lead to unimaginable and abundant experiences within your life.

RUNNING TOWARD OR RUNNING AWAY

It’s poignant how we choose to engage in this question because we may not always sense that when we are running toward one thing, we are inextricably running away from another thing.

Being reunited yesterday with dear friends and running mates, I thought about when we were last together — the races we shared, meeting up to pull each other along on our training runs and our talks about what was important to us at that moment. It seems like another lifetime.

I know as we all emerge from this time in our own ways we are rethinking, recalibrating and redefining what we wish to see on the horizon and what that looks like for us. Who will be with us along this journey and how does that feel? What must happen for us to move toward our North Star? When we have direction and guidance we are equipped to venture from what is to what will become. Both have the power to determine the quality of experiences that await us.

🌟

FIND JOY

When we break old patterns and pursue something new, we are creating a shift, an opportunity for growth. It’s both exciting and daunting to be open to the unplanned and unexpected. Sometimes we are carried along by others or by a spark of inspiration. Other times we act out of a sense of discomfort or boredom without plans, goals or dreams to chase.

But if we can focus on joy, stay in the moment and let the journey unfold, many times we uncover incredible experiences.

Thanks to the crew for nudging me out of my planned run and comfort zone to explore paths together I had never ventured on before, and with a pick up at the end!
🛑
Warning, you may meet resistance along the way.
Keep going

TRANSITIONS

Growing up in New England you develop a finely honed sense of transitions through the seasons. There’s a feeling of contentment for what is and anticipation for what will be. Sometimes the transitions are challenging since some like it hot and some like it cold, or some prefer fast and others are comfortable going slow. I think that is why I have always loved the fall and spring, for the balance temperate weather offers so I may ease into the more extreme conditions.

Call it what you like: Constancy, steadiness, patience, stability, longevity, conservation.

Moving forward through transitions, step by step, knowing that we will face the challenges and opportunities as we have with past seasons brings a sense of strength and belief to continue along a steadfast path toward our goals and better selves.

👣

Godspeed!

CONNECTION

Being together, side by side. Community. Connection to people, the natural world, and the greater good.

It’s enjoying each other and the world around us during the best of times. Other times, it’s diffusing tension to work through resistance and confusion in order to find opportunities in the open space that exists.

Today, tensions built, old wounds surfaced and difficult conversations arose. Although necessary and healing for all involved, I needed space and a way to move the energy, absorb what was valuable and shake off the rest. As I suited up for a run, Caspian, sensing that kinship was more powerful than solitude at that time, asked to join me. Our runs are so much more than clocking the distance. When we say we are going out for a run - that simple phrase has so many meanings - I’m letting off steam, I’m meeting up to be with others, I’m thinking, I’m reconnecting to a higher power, I’m seeking solace.

Caspian and I had a beautiful, relaxed run through the woods today.

BALANCE

That state of knowing how much is too much or too little, and existing in the in-between.

Life in the city, although explosive with culture and conveniences, is a slow leak on your energy. When meditation, yoga, and running are no longer enough as the gatekeepers to equilibrium, I head to nature. I remember my solo runs through the woods as a teen giving me solace and time to reflect that replenished and motivated me in other parts of my life. It is meditation in motion and it is a nurturing practice. Finding a trail, a field, a beach or the woods in Maine is a source of calm and space for mind and body.

It was a terrific run!

🌲

DEPLETION

That feeling when more is going out than is coming in. Depletion brings with it negative feelings of not enough, disconnection from ourselves, and others as we instinctively move toward self preservation and a sense of loss of control.

Learning balance and discovering how to replenish and renew through simple acts daily helps us, especially women, to avoid emotional and physical burnout. I remember pushing to the point of crashing before my children were born. My children need me, but more deeply I need myself to be at a place where I am no longer disconnecting to protect and instead engaging at the level that is right for me at that time and place in my life. This way I can wholeheartedly bring myself to the people and situations that have significant meaning in my life, with the energy and intelligence they deserve.

🤍

We think that the simple acts of kindness and generosity we offer to others daily become selfish acts when we give to ourselves. The women in my life who wholeheartedly give those moments to themselves and fully and openly accept those gestures from others are the ones who truly know the power of self-care.

RITUAL

Rituals are a grounding and motivating force in my life. They are the thread that runs through our life that builds the foundation to take on goals that seem almost beyond our grasp. Rituals allow us the peace of mind that we are moving steadfast and with awareness through our lives, especially the times when we feel uncertain and without answers.

Meeting Mary for our weekly run is one of my rituals for well-being. Yoga, meditation, and cooking are others. Sometimes we meet to blow through a workout and other times we talk through issues. After every run, we always follow up with a text - Thanks for the run. Wouldn’t have made it through without you

❤️

Showing up each day and living your best at where you are in your life is key. Choosing to not be led by societal norms but to redefine what that space is for ourselves. Our 20s are different than our 50s and living authentically through our transitions and transformations is where we find beauty and wisdom.