For the time-pressed vegan (A tribute to Amy's)

I love Food That Makes Sense.  I love eating it.  I love chewing it.  I love smelling it.  I love feeling full-filled. (Heh, get it?)  I love feeling energized after a well-rounded meal.  There is nothing better than being able to eat all of the foods you love and feeling no guilt WHATSOEVER for it.

Unfortunately, marathon training required a HUGE amount of time.  Because of my busy training/work/worry schedule (refer to my blogging hiatus post) I wasn't always able to make my own FTMS, so I relied heavily on a few prepared items from Amy's organics that I LOVED to munch on (and still do, but in much smaller amounts).  I have an unhealthy obsession with this healthy company.   You can trust that many of their products are vegan (everything is CLEARLY labeled as "VEGAN" on the ingredients) and they're relatively easy to prepare.  Here are my top vegan favorites from Amy's... let the drooling commence.

1.  This is clearly not an every-day meal (this Mac N Cheeze has 520 calories) but after a long training session it's totally justifiable to eat in one sitting.  Now that I'm not training as much I have to convince my husband to share it with me... he's usually sweet enough to "help."  The best thing about this bowl of creamy, cheezy goodness:  it's cruelty free!  (If I'm not totally wiped after a long run, I'll cook my own version of vegan mac n cheese... recipe to come!)

2.  Let the obsession continue:  Amy's Burritos & Wraps.  There are several that are vegan but here are my two favorites:

Amy's Indian Samosa Wrap

Amy's Bean & Rice Burrito

Now that I'm done training, I'll occasionally make a quick lunch out of a burrito and a salad.  But in training this was a mid-morning SNACK.  Almost every day.  YUM!  

3.  PIZZA.

This rice crust pizza is especially delicious after a long run... and it's a great cheesy replacement for those missing their casein fix.  

If you're not craving a cheesy pizza, this roasted veggie is also a hit.  Yes, when I'm training I'll eat it in one sitting.  It's freaking awesome.  

4.  Quick and easy meals... Amy's has a bunch of easy meals that helped me save time while I was training.  Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to do everything!!  Here are a few of my favs... 

Mattar Tofu - add a salad for a yummy lunch!!

Medium Chili - I use my rice cooker & steaming basket to make some brown rice and broccoli to pour this over... DELICIOUS!  

Veggie Burgers - There are all kinds of varieties.. I like this one for training for the extra calories.  Whole grain bread, steamed veggies, and chips... yum!  

Tamale Verde - A lunchtime fav.

Pot Pie - When I want to feel REALLY full.

5.  And last but not least... when I want to really celebrate.  

Serious Awesomeness.

What are your favorite quick and easy frozen meals??

ASK WENDY: How do I start running?

Many friends, family, and acquaintances have reached out to me with all kinds of running & nutrition questions, so I figured I'd start answering them on my blog!  Here's a message I got today:


"I was planning on signing up for the Broad Street Run in May (10 miles). I'm going to start easing into the training early since I've never done more than a 5k and was wondering if you had any tips? I was also curious if you had nutritional tips also as far as carbs/protein/water."


First off, CONGRATS!  Setting a goal and deciding to accomplish it requires a huge amount of dedication and inner-strength, and that itself is something worth celebrating!  With that in mind, I've come up with a list of seven tips for your first race.... I hope you find these useful!  


1.  Commit.  Pick your target race, pay the money, and make all of the necessary arrangements.  It can be scary to do this if you're strapped for cash (especially if you have to travel far, or if you get injured and can't complete it) but it's the only way to really commit.  Also, make sure you have ample time to train before the race.    


2.  Gear up.  You need a solid pair of running shoes, maybe two before you actually get to your race.  Go to your local running shop and get fitted.  It's a little extra for this awesome service, but totally worth it.  You'll also need to figure out what type of clothes you prefer to run in... for instance I prefer sports bras from Target, moisture wicking shirts (that aren't too tight, from wherever), bike shorts (Target), boyshorts (Target), and compression socks (Nike).  The most important thing is that you're comfortable!  


3.  Make a plan.   There are training plans out there for every kind of race and every level of athlete.  You can Google search for a free plan, you can buy a book, or download plans from your favorite running websites (I love the Marathon Roadmap from No Meat Athlete).  In my opinion, the best plan will have you running about 4 days a week (weekend long run, weekday long run, weekday tempo run, weekday speed intervals) and involve lots of cross-training (swimming, biking, strength training, yoga/pilates).  Find a plan that works for you.  And remember to STRETCH. 


4.  Get a posse.  Running alone can be extremely therapeutic, but it can also get lonely when you're out for several hours.  When you go to your local running shop for shoes, ask if they have any group runs.  Or you can search for running clubs in your area.  I joined the Atlanta Triathlon Club while I was training for my marathon, and it's been amazing! 


5.  Ditch the headphones.  Unless you're doing a speed workout or a tempo run on the treadmill, you need to be alert on roads and trails.  While you're at it, get a Road ID.  


6.  Be flexible.  Life happens, even when you're training.  You're going to miss a work-out here and there.  You're going to have to wake up REALLY early some days.  You might get injured, you might get sick, you might have family emergencies...  You're committing to training in spite of these things.  Be flexible with your work-outs and adjust as you need to, because life will NOT STOP for you to squeeze in your long run.   


7.  Eat Food That Makes Sense.  You don't have to be vegan to be a successful athlete, but I will tell you from my research that the more vegan meals you eat, the better you'll feel and the more quickly you'll recover from training.  Most of what I've learned about training nutrition came from No Meat Athlete, but here are my top tips:

• Drink lots of water.  Cut out the crap drinks (soda, coffee, etc.) and make sure you're hydrating.  If you're running longer than an 1 1/2 hours, you should probably plan to stop home for a drink, or bring liquids with you.  
• Eat your fruits and veggies.  Most days I follow the No Meat Athlete fruit smoothie for breakfast/veggie salad for lunch to make sure I get a variety of nutrients.  
• Stick with whole grains, and mix them up.  It'd be super easy to eat white pasta with sauce every single day when you're training, but your body will be much more efficient if you eat a variety of grains (I love brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, corn, whole wheat, etc.)
• Make sure you get 10-15% protein at every meal.
• Eat a variety of beans, lentils, nuts, and legumes.  
• Think when you're eating:  Does this make sense?  After I eat this, will my body feel it's best? It's so simple, but so many of us forget this important step.  

...And you're off!  I'm so excited for everyone who's signed up for a race in 2012... you are all rock stars and I can't WAIT to see your finish line photos!


Do you have a question about eating vegan or running?  Feel free to ASK WENDY.  :-)  

Blogging Hiatus

I've been MIA on FTMS since July, but I swear I have an explanation...

Yanno, I was just getting ready to RUN A FRICKIN MARATHON.

I wish I had been posting all along, but I really was trying to balance my time.  Here's a very professional-looking pie chart that I've made to explain:

How I spent my time from July - November

So, as you can see, there was very little time for blogging in the midst of ALL THAT.  I even contemplated forgetting about this blog and moving on with a non-blogging existence, but three things have convinced me to stay active in the blogging world:

1.  No Meat Athlete - Matt Frazier from NMA featured my "success story" on his blog after I completed the Savannah Marathon!  You can check it out here.  I have received an incredible amount of support and praise because of this... but the most inspiring thing is all of the people who say I'VE inspired THEM!  What?!?  That's so cool!!  So here I am, keeping my life transparent in the *HOPES* that someone, somewhere will make a better choice today because of me. 

2.  Family and Friends - I am amazed with all of the people who have reached out to me in the past few months: close friends and family, people I haven't talked to since childhood, and even complete strangers!  I am so excited to answer their questions, and provide them with support and guidance to help them achieve their goals!  What better way to continue to be a resource for people than to keep up with blogging?  (If you have a question for me, please let me know and I'll post about it!  Anonymity is promised! :-)

3.  QLC - I hate to say I'm having a QLC because the thought of being 25% done with life is pretty horrible, but this current state of uncertainty I'm in is probably the definition of a QLC.  (For those of you who don't know, a QLC is quarter life crisis... I hate to write those words because they scare me!)  The last 6-7 months have totally changed my life and have me questioning my career choices.  So, I'll blog about my current passions in the hopes that I can fulfill the desire I have to share happy, healthy FTMS with everyone I know.  

So here I am, back in the blogging world.  I can't wait to continue this amazing journey through life with you.  

I'm officially a No Meat Athlete!

I'm proud to say I crossed the finish line at the inaugural Savannah Rock N' Roll Marathon after 6 months of hard work and training on a completely animal-free diet.  I couldn't have done it without the support of my husband, my friends, my family, No Meat Athlete, and Atlanta Triathlon Club.

You can read more about my journey from slob to vegan marathoner on No Meat Athlete!  

The race itself was not really much of what I expected.  I didn't really have much to compare it to... the only other distance races I've ran were 5ks and one half-marathon the month before.  I've thought long and hard about it and I'll say that for a first marathon I would not recommend this particular race.  I've made a list of pro's and con's for those considering Savannah Rock N' Roll next year...


Pro's
-It was only a 4 hour drive to get there
-Flat course
-Hospitable people
-Good music (especially at the start and at mile 19... LOVED that band!)
-Good food, and a few decent vegan options
-Savannah is a fun place to spend a weekend
-Cool historic views for some of the race
-Decent weather
-Cool music
-Runner tracking - my family really liked the text updates they got throughout the race
-The trees were really pretty


Con's
-New race = lots of little logistical problems, primarily with the Expo.  Of course it was my first Expo, and I went very early in the day to soak it all in... But most people arrived Friday afternoon and had to sit in a HUGE line of traffic or wait for a ferry to the island where the convention center was.  Major con.
-Over four miles of interstate running.  Banked, windy, no shade, no cheering.  And it was miles 20-24ish, which were definitely the most painful and mentally challenging anyway... Not a fan of that.
-Almost every stage seemed to be in the middle of a set change while I ran by them.
-Savannah country music - not necessarily the best music to run a marathon to.  I'd suggest more cover bands in the future... and more up-beat tunes.
-The first couple of miles smelled pretty bad, I think we were running by some kind of factory or plant... not the best.
-After the half-marathon was over, most spectators went home and stopped cheering.  I don't think they realized there were two different races going on!  That left us full-marathoners with a very quiet second-half of the course.  I had to REALLY dig deep for inspiration and motivation.

-EXPENSIVE!!  After hotel, meals, and travel costs we ended up spending way more than I had planned.  

All in all... I'm so glad I did this, and of course I wouldn't change a thing about it, but I definitely won't go back to run in Savannah.  However... I WOULD recommend visiting Savannah for a vacation!!  It's a super fun town!  My husband and I love it there!  

Here are some photos from our trip... Enjoy!

My hubs took this photo from the hotel room window as I ran by!  Pretty cool!

If you're a first time marathoner, I would not recommend running a city's inaugural race.  Choose a race that's been around a few years and get some opinions before you commit.

Is anyone thinking about their first race?  What are your considerations?