Taking your baby or toddler on a stroller run can be a refreshing experience for both parties. 

Picture it: fresh air, wide open skies, sharing time outdoors together....

Ah, it can be wonderful...

Or it can be just plain miserable.

Picture it: Baby crying, kicking, throwing off gloves and hats, refusing snacks, lurching and refusing to get into the stroller...

Parents, you get it. We've all been there.

After a few failed attempts of setting up the stroller for a run, it's easy to just plain give up.

But keep it up! With a plan and some tricks up your sleeve, your stroller running can become a pleasant part of your day, something that you and baby anticipate with glee.

I compiled the following list based on the experience of running with my two sons.

My oldest son, Avie (now age five), spent four to eight miles (once even 12 miles!) five days a week in our Bob Revolution off-road running stroller from the age of eight months to three years. My husband worked long hours and often got home after dark, so I swapped my regular trail running routine with day runs with Avie. The running lulled him to sleep, he napped for hours, and I enjoyed peaceful, quiet miles of what felt like time alone, year-round, in all weather and temperatures, from zero to 90 degrees, snow and ice to sunshine. 

Now, our youngest son, Grey, 22 months, spends one or two days of three to six miles in the stroller (these days I save most of my miles for the trails, when my husband gets home from work - he now works closer to home, yay!). Unlike Avie, it takes Grey much longer to fall asleep, and sometimes he's wide awake the entire time. Whereas Avie spent his stroller rides in dreamland, Grey spends his thrusting forward to see all the sights, craning his neck back to smile at me or look at the birds in the sky, woofing back to all the dogs, calling "deer, deer, deer," his favorite animal, and reaching his hand out the side for snacks. 

They are two different personalities! But the list of things to do to set yourself up for a successful stroller running experience remain the same. Some of my most cherished memories with Avie and Grey as infants and toddlers are the moments spent running through snowstorms, in the rain (get yourself a stroller weather shield to protect baby from all elements) and in the summer sun.

I hope the list has provided you with the confidence, hope and tools that you need to get outside with your little one. 

Then, one day when they're older, they might love running as much as you do! 

Have you seen the two blogs I've written about running with my kids? 

Five Things I Learned By Running with My Four-Year-Old Son

Five Life Lessons Shared While Running with My Sons

I'd love to hear from you! Please post your stories :) 

Happy running and parenting,
​
​Brynn <3

On Friday, Feb. 15, I taught my regular, weekly 10 a.m. Slow Flow Yoga class at the Uniontown YMCA. 

It was a special day, as all days are.

But to me, 2/15 is always just a little more special.

For one, this year it was the seven-year anniversary of my husband, Eric Harder, and I moving from New Zealand to Ohiopyle, Pa., my hometown, and a place I never dreamed I'd actually settle. But we settled. Because within that year (it was 2012), we became pregnant. Since then, we have had two sons, bought a house and got married <3 :)

Secondly, it was special this year because Eric and I went on a date! We ran four trail miles through Quebec Run Wild Area. We danced over the rocks, said few words and just ran, exactly how we love to spend time (outside, together). 

Third, it was a special day because if my dad were still alive, he would have turned 67. But he passed on June 1, 2013, at age 61.

Yet he continues to visit me in amazing ways. Actually, in miraculous ways. I share the story to inspire you, give you hope and faith, and maybe make you cry a little ;)

I share it because to hold back something so beautiful, so awesome would be a travesty.

Here's part of our story, the peak, I call it:

Dad, I Won the Mount Summit Challenge For You

Here's the rest of our story, but not the end: 

Winning Second Overall Female in the Vermont Infinitus Trail Marathon, with a Little Help from Race Angel Dad

And here's the Slow Flow Yoga playlist I played in class on Friday, 2/15, for our heart-opening flow, for my dad, for my family, for your family, for all the dads, moms, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, whom you love, you've lost, you cherish....

May the hearts and spirits of our loved ones live on, and may we share our light for ourselves and one another, always and forever.

Namaste,
Brynn

​Here in the Cunningham/Harder house, we appreciate simplicity.

We also prioritize being outside. 

For instance, last summer we tent camped with our two young boys, then ages one and four, throughout Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts for 18 days.

Before our youngest son, Grey, turned one, he had slept outside under the stars 13 times. He's gone white water rafting a handful of times.

Two years ago for our oldest son Avie's birthday, we went camping for two nights beside a lake, all bundled together in our large tent. On another birthday, we had a river swimming party. 

With the two guiding principles of (1) keeping things simple and (2) spending time together in nature, the decision to go camping on Christmas Eve came easily.

It happened like this:

One morning mid-December, I said to my husband, Eric, "Let's go camping on Christmas Eve!" In his agreeable, always-up-for-an-adventure way, he nodded in agreement and smiled. Then we made it happen!

We've camped at least 20 times with our kids, and before that, an innumerable amount, which made packing and planning swift and easy. With our systems and methods already established, we were organized and ready to go in half a day.

Our first stop, though, was the 4 p.m. Christmas Eve children's mass at our Catholic parish. Oh, Grey and Avie were ready to go but held it together (mostly) well. 

After mass ended, we ran to the vehicle with Avie cheering, "time to go camping!!!" Eric drove the hour to our campsite while the boys and I sat in the back of our 2005 Toyota Sienna mini van and ate roasted Brussels sprouts, broccoli, grass-fed beef burgers and all-beef hotdogs. 

​With dinner out of the way upon our 7 p.m. arrival, we began decorating. 

Then we took a night hike, guided by headlamps and flashlights.

We always build a fire and pitch a tent when we camp, but for Christmas, we decided to test the sleep-ability of our new mini-van and forgo the fire. That kept set-up SUPER SIMPLE. 

​Grey, 20 months old, slept better than he had in months, and Avie, five, slept soundly, eager for gifts to appear in the morning!

We all slept in (it was glorious) until 8:30 a.m. Avie peered out the window to the sight of gifts underneath our Christmas alter. "Dad, go get them!" Soon, Grey was buried in tissue paper, and both were squealing with delight at their new art supplies, Avie's school supplies, organic, edible gingerbread house making ingredients (graham crackers, freeze dried fruit, icing ingredients and chocolate chips), one toy each and some clothes. 

After the excitement of gifts, we had a breakfast of hot tea, bananas, clementines (one of the gifts they unwrapped) and sunflower seed butter. Then we took a morning hike. 

Ah, the beauty of being outside on Christmas day...

Waking up to the sun bathing us all through the windows of the van...

the crispness of the 20-degree morning....

the purity of joy the holiday brings to little ones' hearts...

It was splendidly simple, refreshing, full of love. 

And an experience to remember.

​Camping for Christmas just might be a new family tradition. Here are three reasons why we loved it SO MUCH.

1. It limited the amount of gifts that arrived on Christmas morning to that which fit in half the cargo box on top of our mini van. All presents were loaded in a large black outdoor trash bag and then placed into the cargo box.

2. Togetherness was emphasized. I savor the sweetness of spending time away from distractions so that we can be totally in the moment with one another. With zero cell phone service at our primitive campsite on Big Run creek, part of Maryland's Savage River State Forest, we relied on each other and nature for entertainment. We took a night hike, threw sticks in the creek, climbed over rocks and snuggled tightly together on our mini van when temperatures dropped below 30 degrees. 

3. Traditions and holiday spirit rang forth and stayed true. Even at home, we wait to put up a Christmas tree and decorations until Christmas Eve. At the campsite, I pointed out a leaf-less, short shrub, saying, "Should we use that as our tree?" Avie shouted, "YES!!! I love it!" Easy to please, amen!

Additionally, throughout December, we limit conversations revolving around what Santa is bringing, who wants what, and I hardly mention the big guy's name, which leads to a few wonderful things... Avie does not talk about Santa excessively, materialism in minimized, the "expectant child" syndrome does not take hold, and the true spirit of the holiday rings forth in our home and at Christmas mass. 

The simplicity of camping supported our in-the-moment celebrations and uplifted the grace and awesome-ness of the holiday. We were at Big Run for a total of 15 hours, and drove home to enjoy a leisurely day of cooking and playing with new art kits and supplies. 

We can't wait to do it again!!! 

Merry Christmas to all of you and your families. 

<3 May your hearts be filled by nature and time spent together with loved ones <3

xo,
​Brynn and her family, Eric, Avie and Grey

On Sunday, Oct. 28, I embarked upon a a trail running adventure with Keli, Rachel J. and Haylie, three women from the Trail Run Tribe, my all-female trail running group. We began at Milepost 31 at Trailhead Route 31 as part of our efforts to complete the entire 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (LHHT) together, as a team.

Last year, I completed the trail system solo, and this year, I wanted to do it in the good company of my fellow badass running women! Read about my solo adventure here.

On this particular morning, it was 38 degrees, windy and rainy, a typical southwestern Pennsylvania autumn. The trail consisted of three inches of standing water at the parking lot, and we tramped through puddle after puddle after mud pit. As the hours flew by, the temperatures crept into the 40s, the sun was shining, the rain had ceased, and our soaking wet shoes were, well, still sopping! 

What should have been a 14.5-mile section of trail turned into 17 miles because I had forgotten my vehicle keys, which we needed for my van at the finish, after completing the point-to-point run. Luckily, I had remembered only 1.25 miles into the run. Still, we added on enough mileage to turn it into a 17-mile run, making it the longest run we had ever done together. High five to Team Trail Run Tribe!

So, there we were, having to do 17 miles, with nothing but positive attitudes and can-do spirits! We were there to do something, and to do it with SMILES. 

Before you read the fueling list, check out the fun we had exploring Mileposts 31 to 45 of the LHHT!

​After we finish the entire trail, I'll share more of the experience.

For now, let's focus on what I ate during a five-hour trail run, which looked like this: 17-miles, 2,500 foot of elevation gain, 17:18 per mile pace and actual duration of 4:54 (almost five hours!). Sometimes I like to run for DURATION, in the old school fashion, rather than mileage. The Hal Higdon 50K training plan that I used earlier this year had scheduled runs based on hours rather than miles. 

Roadies, you might ask, why was the run so slow and long? Trail runners, you already know :) 

Several reasons. Trails have obstacles. Such as downed trees (we climbed over and around five), narrow, slippery foot bridges (we crossed about 15), steep, muddy slopes, beautiful scenery to distract us (did you see the photos above?!) and a group of women whose mindset was not to run fast, even though each of us is capable of placing in races, setting PR's, winning races and running fast :) 

​With long and slow in mind, my fuel plan revolved around three things: one, I eat less food on colder runs; two, I eat more on trail than road because of the climbing and duration; and three, it has been proven that a typical person burns all their stored glycogen after about 15 miles of running, or two to three hours of endurance activity, so I did not bring some of my long-run favorites, such as nut butters or vegan bars. 

To get things off to a good start and give myself a solid base for the day, I ate a warm, hearty breakfast. I know from experience that beginning with a solid foundation sustains me well. When I start with abundant stores, I only need to eat my favorite simple-sugar snacks throughout the run and refuel with vegetables and protein. Despite adding on MORE TIME of running, my plan went accordingly. Note, this is not how I would eat during a trail race, when my pace ranges from eight to 12 minute miles.  

Below is the breakdown of how I ate to run over the rugged, beautiful, soul-healing single-track trail.

7 a.m. Half cup cooked oats with two bananas and 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter and 12 ounces hot Dandy Blend tea

8:45 a.m. Began running on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail at milepost 31, Route 31 trailhead, with Trail Run Tribers Rachel J., Haylie and Keli.

Two hours into the run: Around this time, I began sipping from the extendable tube flasks in my hydration pack, the Nathan Vapor Howe. One flask held Skratch Fuel Matcha Green Tea and Lemon drink mix and the other held water and Hyper-Lyte, a concentrated sea salt mix. In my 1.5-liter bladder on the back of the Vapor Howe was plain water. 

2.5 hours into the run: I ate a handful of Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans (purchased from T.J. Maxx) and one square of Organic Dark Chocolate (purchased from Kroger). My thinking here was that I replaced the normal caffeine pills that runners pop with real food, one that tasted really yummy :) 

3.5 hours into the run: I ate another handful of Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans and another square of Organic Dark Chocolate.

​4.5 hours into the run: By this time, the two 12-ounce flasks were empty. I had one more handful (around five) of the espresso beans.

A NOTE ABOUT CAFFEINE: Some runners do not do well with caffeine and save it for races only. It can distress the digestive system. My body reacts both ways. If I am well-rested, I forgo caffeine. Yet, on this day, I had woken up at 3 a.m., my 18-month-old son had nursed every hour throughout the night, and I was just SPENT. So, I did not hesitate to grab those espresso beans! Yet, after the first handful, I was indeed searching for a bathroom. Luckily, a Port-a-John before the Turnpike bridge happened to be my saving grace! Thank you, Rachel, for capturing the moment - HA! I recommend starting small - do not eat espresso beans in your first race or during a remote long run as your only fuel source, if you do not know how your body reacts to them. As with everything, experiment and do your research.  

Post-run snack: After peeling off the wet layers and piling on warm, cozy clothes, which was 20 minutes post-run, I ate a half cup of roasted broccoli sprinkled with Himalayan pink salt and a handful of raw carrot sticks. 

​Post run meal: I wish I had taken a photo of my meal! This is what we were all anticipating - our well-earned celebration meal at Donegal's Out of the Fire Cafe. We were eating within one hour of finishing the run. 

Here's what I ordered and ate: From the Smoked Salmon Platter, I ate four raw radishes, cucumber slices and four ounces of smoked salmon.  In my House Smoked Salmon Salad, I had cherry tomatoes, dried cranberries, spinach, sauteed Portabella mushrooms, eight ounces of smoked salmon, balsamic vinaigrette and a whole avocado, which I had packed and brought with me. 

There you have it, folks! Another running/food adventure in the books! 

Have you seen my previous Real Food blog posts? 

The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 12.25-Mile Trail Run

The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 16.3-Mile Trail Run

The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 20-Mile Run on Dirt Roads & Pavement

The Real Food I Ate Before & During the Kanawha Trace 50K Trail Race

Runners, I hope you find enjoyment in your fueling and lean more toward real food than gels. May your electrolyte replacers be natural and your belly be comfortable! 

Until next time, keep smiling, happy runners :) 

<3
Brynn 

Yoga makes me happy.

Running makes me happy.

And good food makes me happy, too! 

Yoga + running + good food = the majority of my health regime

The following quote sums up why health matters to me, and why I chose to begin the "Real Food" series. 

“Health and cheerfulness naturally beget each other.” Joseph Addison.

There you go. Let's be healthy to be more cheerful :)

​One way to do that is by carefully selecting natural, minimally processed foods to eat before, during and after endurance endeavors, such as long, strenuous, technical trail runs. 

But first!

Have you read the first three blog posts in my "Real Food" series? 

The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 16.3-Mile Trail Run

The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 20-Mile Run on Dirt Roads & Pavement

The Real Food I Ate Before & During the Kanawha Trace 50K Trail Race

​​In this fourth post, I share with you the list of foods and electrolytes that I consumed during a point-to-point 12.25-mile single track trail run beginning at Lick Hollow on Pine Knob Trail and connecting to Whitetail Trail in Quebec Run Wild Area, in southwestern Pennsylvania, with a total elevation gain of 2,600 feet.

Five members of my all-female trail running group, the Trail Run Tribe, and I did this run on Saturday, Oct. 6, in 68-degree balmy weather (though, when I felt SO HOT that morning, I reminded myself that I completed my first 50K in 25 DEGREES HOTTER TEMPS AND DOUBLE THE DEW POINT... #sweatinmyeyesfeelssogood).

Three of the women ran the first eight miles, where we had set shuttle, and three of us carried on to the end. It took three hours and 33 minutes to complete the run. Roadies, I know what you're thinking...

Why so long?

Because within one mile, we had to detour down a steep bank around the top branches of a six-story tree covering the trail and hillside; for the first 2.5 miles we cleared trail from recent storms, tossing aside large limbs, small trees and various debris; at miles five, 10 and 11 we crossed above-ankle high creeks; one hill had a 20 percent grade; and we love to stop and take photos of the beautiful scenery, flora and fauna! 

Now, let's get to the FOOD.

6:45 a.m. Pumpkin Spice Smoothie (pictured on right in above photo)

Recipe: 
1/4 cup organic canned pumpkin
2 bananas
1 TBSP organic plain sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup Oat Milk, plain, unsweetened 
Lots of dashes of cinnamon
Dash of cloves and ginger

12 ounces hot Yerba Mate tea

12 ounces Dandy Blend (pictured on left in above photo)

8:20 a.m. Began running at Lick Hollow, Pine Knob Trail, to Whitetail Trail in Quebec Run Wild Area

Mile 2.5: Skratch Labs hydration drink mix with strawberries (purchased at local outfitters Wilderness Voyageurs), dissolved in 12 ounces of water

Mile 5: About 20 black grapes (I would never eat these during a race due to the fiber and associated possible stomach distress, but they were refreshing on this, slow, easy-paced group trail run)

Mile 8: Coconut water, 12 ounces (said good-bye to half the group at this point)

Mile 9: About five pickled beet chunks (because I don't like traditional pickles or mustard, a favorite of runners, and I thought that the vinegar, the common, anti-cramping/inflammatory ingredient in pickles, mustard and beets, would do my body good)

Mile 10: Three more pickled beet chunks

Small sipping throughout: I finished about one liter of water. 

Post-run Meal (eaten within 20 minutes of finishing the run):
Three small baked sweet potatoes on two cups mixed greens with Himalayan pink salt and olive oil
Roasted cashews with sea salt, about 1/3 cup
Organic Dark Chocolate Apricots, five pieces

My fellow runners, I hope that eating on the run becomes less of a stressor, if it is one, and more of something that makes you HAPPY. I SO ENJOY packing my running pack the day before a running adventure and experimenting with my favorite comfort foods based on the the distance, season, terrain and my mood.

I hope that your physical practice of running long and far cheers your soul, and that your food choices do, too.

Namaste,

​:)Brynn 

​P.S. Follow my running adventures, yoga journey and mom life on Instagram: @brynn_cunningham

Eating well is a practice. Just like yoga (my daily go-to for recovery, strength, balance and stress reduction in life and running), eating well takes discipline... in fact, it is a discipline. 

Eating well on the run takes practice. 

Eating well in general is simply part of the equation for improving quality of life, so why stray from that belief on the run?

With that said...

Have you read my two blogs sharing what I ate during two 50K training runs?

Here they are: 

The Real Foods I Ate Before, During & After a 16.3-Mile Trail Run

The Real Foods I Ate Before, During & After a 20-Mile Run on Dirt Roads & Pavement

I hope that these food lists help you to choose real, quality fuel for your endurance endeavors, because eating well feels good and could make your runs feel good, too. 

Now, in today's blog, I tell you what I carefully selected for the BIG DAY: my first ever 50K trail race!

Three significant factors dictated what I chose to eat and drink during the Kanawha Trace 50K Trail Race held Saturday, August 3, 2018, in central West Virginia.

​Factor One: Extreme heat and humidity to which my body was not accustomed. I knew that running a 50K in central West Virginia in August would not match any of the training or races I had done anywhere else, including the training runs in my hometown of Ohioyple, Pa, three hours north of the event. Sure, it gets hot and above 85 degrees here at home, but the humidity never compares to the south. Plus, running, let alone racing, in the peak of summertime is my least favorite. I much prefer 20 degrees and races such as the Frozen Sasquatch :) Even 75 degrees is nice! The duel challenge of HOT HOT HOT (90s and max dew point) and LEAST FAV TIME, which I deliberately put upon myself as a test of my own ability, meant precise planning to keep electrolytes balanced and cramping/over-heating at bay. What I chose to do worked, and I only experienced cramping toward the final miles but nothing that halted me for too, too long.

Factor Two: Breastfeeding - I was still nursing my then 15-month-old son, Grey, on demand, 24/7, meaning that we nursed every one to two hours when together and during the night, but that he could go up to seven hours sans the boob if I were away (hence the inspiration behind my goal to finish as quickly as possible!). Nursing meant extra hydration and extra calories from galactogogues (foods that increase breast milk supply), just to ensure milk production did not drop significantly during the event. On top of nursing, as we slept in the tent the night before the 50K, I lay there sweating, from doing nothing, and so did Grey. Yes, it was hot, and yes, that meant Grey was extra thirsty. I accepted the fact that I might go into the race dehydrated, or depleted, or both, but confidence in my fuel plan kept panic (or fear?!) subdued. So, I nursed with little anxiety. When I woke up around 4:30 a.m., I was ready to eat within the hour because the heavy nursing and dripping sweat nighttime conditions made my body want food. 

​
Factor Three: A broken arm. HA! I don't know how this changed my approach to fueling, really, other than it made me really want my favorite foods, because I knew that after 11 miles the elbow and shoulder connected to the fractured radius would begin to ache, my left hip would feel tight because my left arm was swinging slightly askew, and my whole right side, from trapezius to outer shin, would constrict in reaction to all this asymmetry...  and I would want chocolate. OK, OK, I would want chocolate regardless! But a broken bone is always a good excuse for more of this heavenly sweet treat, right? There's nothing like comfort foods to ease a little pain!

Going into the event, I re-read the the chapter on racing in extreme conditions in Stacy Sims' and Selene Yeager's book ROAR: How To Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life again. And again. And again. Hands down, their calculated hydration/electrolyte replenishing plans, which I figured out for my weight and race conditions, WORKED. They actually saved me from bonking and the dreaded wall and ensured that I drank enough - if I did not do the calculations, I would have underestimated the amount of liquid to drink.

Further, I went with the "trickle" tactic. In other words, I ate a tiny amount of food every 30-45 minutes. For instance, I ate a bite of sweet potato and some chocolate covered blueberries 45 minutes into the race. A few miles later I had more sweet potato and a date. By miles 22, food actually made me gag, and I began eating Pro Bar Organic Energy Chews. This aren't exactly real food,  but they get as close to it as a chew can. 

No, my fueling was not perfect. I did cramp sometime after mile 17 when I strayed from the plan and downed fresh, plain water from am aid station - a big no no in extreme heat! My body needed constant salts and sugars. Once I reverted back to the plan, cramping mostly went away but was always manageable upon slowing down.

​Also, I regretted eating the Justin's almond butter, but I wanted it for it's milk-producing effect.  

Overall, though, I was happy, because I kept a steady 12/minute per mile pace over the rough terrain of the trail. Slow and steady, with no big surges or dips in energy, I maintained my post as second overall female and 12th overall runner with a time of 6:29:40. 

And I can't wait to do it again, somewhere, on another trail, in another part of the woods, with real food on my back and happiness in my heart!

​<3 Brynn 

We must slow down to get faster.

Even more, absence makes the heart grow fonder, with anything that we love so dearly.

As fun as it is, runners must take a break from training and racing to reset, reboot and reflect.

Only then can we return stronger and ready to continue our journey of running for a lifetime, not just racing for today.

After running 11 races from distances 5K to 50K in 12 months and winning first overall female in four, second overall female in four, third overall female in one and first in my age category in the remaining two, I am ready for a running break. 

I had my second son, Grey, on April 2, 2017 and began running 20 days later. Read how I made it to the start line injury free and happy: From Birth to 5K: Running My First Race at Four Months Postpartum and Five Tips to Get There. 

Since then, I have been so utterly ecstatic to be a healthy, running mom of two boys, that I just could not get enough of the racing love! Mingling with other racers, pushing my limits, experiencing life on the run, ah, it has been MAGNIFICENT! 

Yet, now, my body, soul and mind must restore itself.

Below I give you a list of five things to do to keep your little running heart content while taking a break from the trails (or roads if that's your jam).

On Sunday, August 19, my oldest son, Avie, five years old, joined the Ohiopyle Biking Club to break trail for the Upper Canyon Edge Trail, which will connect to McCune and Canyon Edge proper, eventually connecting a system of trails on Sugarloaf Mountain in Ohiopyle, Pa. The new trails will make for non-stop, long, flowing, single track fun on foot, bike or skis.... a dream come true! As a native Ohiopylian and leader of the all-female trail running group, the Trail Run Tribe, it touched my heart to build trails for the ladies with whom I run as well as our future generations of young ones.

Contact your local parks to learn about trail building opportunities. 

Running World magazine posted a list titled Best Running Documentaries. Trail Runner Magazine posted 11 Inspiring Short Films About Trail Running. A friend sent me a short, sweet award-winning film, For The Love of Mary, about a 98-year-old man who runs to remember his late wife. Watching others LOVE what you love just feels good and brings me back to the main reason why I and many others run and race... for the connection to others and the community. 

3. Cross Train - Running breaks truly fly by when you have other physical passion pursuits. Mine include biking (mountain, rail trail and road), white water kayaking, swimming in the river, hiking, rock climbing, strength training and, of course, yoga. Getting back to some of these activities and increasing the amount of time spent with others (yoga!) has has been quite nourishing. Variety is definitely the spice of my life!

4. Volunteer 

For several years I have been teaching yoga for runners to the cross country team during their end-of-summer mini camp at my alma mater, Uniontown Area High School. Sharing yoga with other runners is the reason I became a yoga instructor, and I love giving back to the school that fostered my joy of racing.

Make a collage of your race bibs, create a photo album of your recent races (I'm making one for my Ragnar team, who won first place female team at Ragnar Trail Appalachia on August 10!), write out how you feel about your races and dream races for the upcoming years, compose a poem about your first 50K (it's on my list!), create a running playlist for when you return to the trails... in other words, let your creativity be free!

All in all, a running break allows time to ponder and absorb the experiences from which you have just emerged as a stronger, happier, peaceful, more connected and confident runner. After all, that's why we do this crazy thing we runners do, right? To become a better human being by expressing our talents, passions and hard work in a positive way. 

So, runners, fill your running break with fun, fulfilling, productive activities, and before you know it, you'll be returning refreshed and ready for the next running adventure :) 

Here's to running for a lifetime! 

xo,
​Brynn 

On Sunday, July 1, I ran and biked with my all-female trail running group, the Trail Run Tribe and confessed that the 26-week 50K training program, which included running a marathon, was wearing me down. I was ready to throw in the towel. 

On Friday, July 6, I replaced a run with a 13-mile bike ride that included four miles of pavement, seven miles of dirt road and two miles of single track. Descending the technical, wet, muddy mountain biking section, I hopped a slippery log that sent me flying sideways and landing hard on my left wrist.

The result? A broken forearm bone, bone bruising, edema and contusions of the wrist. I was placed in a cast for two weeks followed by a brace.

It would have been a good excuse not to run the 50K. And for the first few days, the pain was so intense that it seemed impossible to proceed with the training. I had to miss two key long runs (five-hour and two-hour back-to-back runs), totaling six days of zero running.

Instead, I saw it as a sign from the universe telling me to stop whining, get over the burn-out and to find the strength and faith within the training - to trust all the hard work and dedication I had logged.

It did not matter how I felt. The fact of the matter was that I was ready, on a physical and mental level.

​Not racing the 50K would be down right regrettable.

Keeping in line with my most common race goal, "to run without regret," I decided that no matter what happened, I would show up to the start line, broken or not.

Then, on August 1, at a check-up with the doctor, I did not get good news.

Yes, sticks and stones and mountain bike crashes can break your bones. But words? They can break your spirit.

So, when an MRI revealed that the fractured radius (broken forearm) was still not healed, and the non-runner of a doctor advised not to run the race that had been stirring in my soul for six years, there was only one thing left to do (after crying in his office and making him feel quite awkward, I think, lol!)... 

​Come back to my WHY. Why run? Why race? Why 50k? Why ultra?

Do you see the man in the photo above? He’s my dad. And he’s my why.

In 2012, he lay dying in a hospital bed as I gushed about the 27 miles I had run in a trail race the day before. I told him I wanted to run marathons and ultras. He told me to run the Mount Summit Challenge.

He did not live to see me run again. But his spirit lived on and has met me in miraculous ways at 13 races now.

I did not tell the doctor about my why, but he felt it. And on Thursday, August 2, he believed, with me, that a woman with a passion could live her dream and overcome obstacles. 

"Wear the brace. Don’t fall. Good luck," were his final words. ​

With the blessing of the doctor and an eagerness burning inside me, I showed up at the Kanawha Trace 50K Trail Race on Saturday, August 4, so excited to run!

What would be the longest race I have ever run was predictably going to be the hottest. I knew the heat would be a force as my husband, Eric, and our two sons, Avie, five, and Grey, 16 months, slept in our tent the night before the race. I nursed Grey all night and, despite sweating while just lying there, we did sleep. But we sweated, too. At 7 a.m., the stickiness in the air was palpable. 

Blazing hot, brutal conditions at 88 degrees and 100 percent humidity provided for some Race Lows:

🔸Racers, even those in the 25k, were collapsing, quitting and cramping (I had the latter off and on for eight miles, oh those inner thighs made me SCREAM out loud!!!). One man quit with just four miles left (don’t blame him). A group of 10 quit at mile 17. Yes, the heat exasperated the already physically demanding challenge of running 31 miles. And though my knees ached at times, muscle cramps slowed me down, food made me gag, and I couldn’t urinate... 

Mentally, I was golden. 

Race Highs: 

🔸My broken arm stayed intact! 

🔸Meeting the experienced ultra runners there to train for 50 and 100 milers and seeing their excitement as I told them it was my first 50k. I’m sure there were others, but I did not meet another first timer.

🔸Feeling the love of my why, race angel dad and the company and encouragement of the men (because I saw zero women after mile two) with whom I climbed, descended, crossed creeks, ran through bull fields , crossed suspension bridges and foot bridges, belly crawled under electric fences, ladder climbed over barbed wire fences, opened and locked three gates behind us, ran through a cave, a tunnel and West Virginia hollers over single track, dirt, gravel, pavement, rock beds, creek beds and enjoyed ICE cold water at aid stations. The miles became easier with these ultra-loving men at my side: Emit from Ireland, the local West Virginian Shawn and Indiana-natives Kelly and Randy, who hung with me in the final miles and gave me positive words over and over. 

🔸Seeing hubby Eric, Avie and Grey, my biggest fans, at mile 22, and hearing them cheer and shout and run into my arms. My favorite cheer: ‘I love you, Mom!’

🔸Finishing in 6:29. Like all races, I had no idea what my time was or of time in general (one reason I love running!) until I crossed the finish line, at which point my heart leapt with glee and surprise at my time, so happy that I had remained strong and steady, simply moving forward despite pain, heat and the broken forearm supported by a sopping wet brace. "Second Overall Female!!!" announced the finish line volunteers as they handed me a hand-thrown vase. 

Ahhhh, sweet satisfaction. :) :) :)

I ran without regret. I captured a dream. I have so many to thank - dad, mom, sister, Eric, Avie, Grey, the Trail Run Tribe, fellow racers...

Here's to feeling the love, spreading the love and living a life you love <3

xo,
Brynn :) 

"Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people get together to eat."
​-Guy Fieri

My mother instilled in me the love of food and of gathering together to share a good, home-cooked meal. She, my twin sister Tara and I made brunch from scratch every Saturday morning while listening to Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. Home fries with peppers and onions, crepes with fresh strawberry compote, whole wheat blueberry pancakes and waffles with honey, pressed carrot juice and veggie omelets filled our kitchen with an air of deliciousness and our hearts with warm, yummy happiness.

In the spirit of sharing the love of real food, I bring you this blog series, "The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After an X-Mile Run on X-terrain."  The series commenced with The Real Food I Ate Before, During & After a 16.3-Mile Trail Run.

In addition to my upbringing, the Trail Run Tribe, my all-female trail running group, inspired me to begin the "Real Food I Ate" series. While running with the Tribe, it became more about the connection than the activity in the same way that food powerfully unites us all. Yet we cannot have one without the other.

​We run to connect. We connect because of the run. We eat to live. We live to eat and be with others.   

The Trail Run Tribe was the first running group, aside from my high school track and field team, to which I ever belonged. I spent my 20s proclaiming how I loved to run solo. And I still do. But I LOVE to run together, too! It is just like eating - I love to eat a tasty meal or treat by myself, but sharing food with friends and family is the bee's knees!

So, what do women runners talk about while running through the woods on single track trails? You guessed it - food! And everything else in life, of course, but we almost always talk about good ole food. Sometimes we spend entire runs discussing recipes, race fueling, Ayurveda, sports nutrition books, restaurants and the current snack in our running packs.

So, today, I want to share with you what I ate before, during and after the 20-miler I did on dirt and paved country roads.

Wait a minute! Why was I, a trail runner, running on pavement?!

See the picture above :( 

And notice the loving message inscribed on the cast from my number one foodie, my mom ;) :) <3

I fractured my forearm mountain biking, and when I attempted to run on my beloved bumpy, technical trails, it hurt too much, so I took to the smooth, even surface of the roads, which did not jar my arm and wrist into painful oblivion. 

On the day of the 20-miler, I was well-rested and super duper motivated in spite of, or perhaps BECAUSE OF, the cast. Keli and Rachel, two of my Trail Run Tribe ladies, joined me for the first 9.5 miles, and I finished the entire run in 3:27:08 at a pace of 10:21/mile on Sunday, July 15, nine days after the mountain biking crash. 

Additionally, I must tell you two things pertinent to the food I ate for the 20-miler:

1. What I eat on road runs has always been much less than what I eat on trail runs.

2. I am a mother of two boys, Avie, age five, and Grey, age 15 months, whom I am currently breastfeeding. According to How to Eat a Healthy Breastfeeding Diet, "Making all that milk means you’re burning about 500 calories a day if you’re exclusively breastfeeding. That’s the equivalent of running about five miles."

Thus, I fill my belly with delicious galactagogues (yep, that's a word, and it means food that increases breastmilk supply). Here you have it. Read on to see what fueled this proud mama's casted-arm 20-miler!

7:30 a.m. Banana Mocha Smoothie

Recipe:
3 bananas
2 TBSP chia seeds
2 TBSP sunflower seed butter
2 TBSP cacao powder
​1 TBSP cacao nibs
1/4 cup cold organic fair trade coffee
1 tsp Barley juice grass powder
Room temperature water for blending

​Click the following links to learn more about smoothie ingredients and tea:

9:12 a.m. Began running on a dirt road in the local game lands with Trail Run Tribers Rachel and Keli.

Mile 5.0 About half a cup of cooked potatoes with organic extra virgin olive oil and Himalayan pink salt, leftovers from my sons' breakfasts the day before. These dry day-old home fries made me GAG! Next time, I'll make fresh ones. 

Click on each link to learn more about snack number one:

Mile 9.5 Two dates with a pinch of shredded coconut and raw turbinado sugar

​Click on each link to learn more about snack number one:

Mile 12.5 One packet Justin's Maple Almond Butter packet and two pieces of crystalized ginger

​Click on each link to learn more about snack number one:

Post-run meal: Mixed greens with two raw carrots, two steamed pieces of corn on the cob, 2.5 organic chicken sausages (because Grey snatched on and ate half of it - he's my meat lover!) and a splash of avocado oil.

​I hope this inspires readers to really enjoy the management of fueling and experimenting with various combinations of favorite foods to achieve the most feel-good running and recovery experience. As fun as it is to run, it is equally as fun to learn and experience how different foods and drinks affect the mind and body.

As the weather, terrain, conditions and our lives change, so do our food choices. But we keep the same happy heart as we look at food as something to comfort us, keep us vibrant and healthy and connect us with others. 

Keep it real, my friends, and gather with people today over some good food! Your belly and soul will thank you >3

xo,
​Brynn 
​
P.S. I am not a sports nutrition expert, but I do have some book recommendations to hone in on your own personal food/running adventure.

Runners work hard physically by logging the miles and workouts needed to prepare the body for running 26.2 miles. Training cycles can last anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months, depending on one's base fitness. 

With that said, it is often quoted that running, particularly endurance racing, is 80 percent mental. It is a mind game. Thus, when the mind weakens, we runners need to find ways to keep it strong, nix self-doubt, trust the training and believe in the power and capacity of the body to complete any task we strive to achieve.

Leading up to the Vermont Infinitus Trail Marathon, I carefully selected two entertaining and inspiring trail running memoirs to read. Though I was super psyched and felt more than ready for the race, a little mental pick-me-up did the body and soul good! Plus, I do love a good running tale <3

The first book I read was North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek, whom I admire greatly. Reading about his attempt to break the AT speed record put things into perspective - if he could run 50 miles every day for six months, I could run 26.2 miles in less than six hours. Thank you, Scott, for pulling me toward my dreams and sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings in this remarkable, must-read story.

Click the photo to read more about the book:

The second was The Pants of Perspective: One Woman's 3,000 Kilometer Running Adventure Through the Wilds Of New Zealand by Anna McNuff, a recommendation by a fellow female running friend. In addition to elevated excitement levels about my upcoming marathon as I scrolled though the pages of my Kindle, reading this one provided nostalgic reminiscing - in 2011-12, my husband and I spent three months living in a camper van exploring the North and South Islands of this breathtaking country. Thank you, Anna, for being a badass woman, for conjuring sweet memories with my husband and for making me laugh and cry.

Click the photo to read more about the book:
​

I hope that these books provide faith and smiles to fellow runners training for long races, experiencing burn out or simply wanting to indulge in running adventure stories and elevate their already chart-topping levels of excitement for their upcoming race!

Happy reading and running,
​Brynn :)