@Mundelein with LZ & Libertyville

We have been struggling to get healthy as a unit, and it felt weird to have such an empty bus. Those who raced today faced a few additional challenges. Mundelein's course is a mile loop that is repeated three times. While a lot of the course feels downhill, there is a climb that will catch your attention if you aren't locked in. It was also pretty toasty and dry today, so that was another obstacle to manage. Thankfully, we raced second, so the sun was not as crazy in the soccer field as it was for the guys.

Here's what stood out today:  First, I positioned myself midway up the big hill, and Lauren (after finishing her workout) was at the top. We provided encouragement in the section while Coach Hamilton was able to catch our bees twice:  once outside the soccer field, and once on that double-back. Coach Hamilton reported that we FLEW down the little hill outside the soccer field, using the course to our advantage. Awesome work, bees!  Lauren and I could see everyone being honest about the uphill, working to keep rhythm and focus. It was awesome to see! Having that hill work in our systems will pay off later in the season, so don't forget it!

I was happy to see us working in packs:  Rachel was out hard with Norah and Jana in tow. With Arwen sick, Alivia was running solo, but she did a great job of staying locked in. Alex and Janelle were in the same boat, but they both had strong days today. Janelle looked good after her ankle issue, focusing on her strength from the summer work. Sofie, Tyla, and Nathaly T. did a great job of helping each other push hard in the middle of the race.  Tyla had a gritty finish, inching out an LZ girl in the final meters, and nearly catching a Libertyville runner. Nice to see that speed, Tyla!

Eva had a nice comeback today, looking particularly strong and open. Like Tyla, she had a strong kick today. Candy had a heck of a race today, too, running a LIFETIME PR on this challenging course. She did it by really pushing on the hills and staying consistent throughout the loop. She embraced every cheer and used it for fuel. She also had a fantastic kick today! She dropped a whopping 20 seconds from her previous PR at Lakes last week. I am so proud of her progress--she is embracing her strength, and I know that she is going to break 30 very soon! Proud of you, Candy!

Mel pushed through stomach distress for a solid race today especially on the hills. Cici did a great job of pulling on Candy and Sheila and, in turn, provided a nice visual for Dani and Yaritza in the early stages of the race. Sheila posted a season PR by 1:09, which is tremendous progress!  Yaritza ran an LPR, dropping 29 seconds--way to go, freshie! Like Sheila, Dani posted a season PR, dropping 5 seconds from Lakes last week. Awesome job, Dani! These PRs on a trickier course are impressive. While Lakes does have a few hills, they are mild and with better footing. The wood chips were nice on the shins because they were so soft, but they made pushing up the hill more difficult. The twists and turns in this mile loop make gaining momentum more difficult compared to the long straights at Lakes. Great work, bees!

While I was excited to see us race, I really enjoyed the relaxed energy in our stretching circle. Listening to you count in different languages and laugh was perfect. These little moments matter just as much as shout outs and PRs and thrilling finishes. I am looking forward to more moments like these in the next week as we prepare to race at Libertyville (we are coming for you, Bertha!) and Warren. 

Let's have a HEALTHY week, bees! Pro-tip to make that happen:  As we get deeper into racing, your body needs extra help recovering. Of course water will help, but eating a variety of foods matters! Try to eat brightly colored foods--they provide antioxidants that help your body recover from hard efforts. Want some suggestions?  Here's what I ate on Thursday: 
Breakfast:  Glass of Ultimate Immune Juice. This has orange juice plus elderberries. That means a TON of antioxidants, your best friend for recovery. I love the mild flavor, too. Yogurt (awesome for bone health and protein), with frozen blueberries (I'm tired of throwing out fresh blueberries that go bad so quickly. I like eating them frozen, too--they freeze the yogurt a bit and make it feel like ice cream for breakfast!), with pepitas (pumpkin seeds are AWESOME for runners--they have 12 grams of protein plus a nice dose of potassium, one of the nutrients that help you keep from cramping), with granola (I like some crunch in my yogurt!  It provides carbs to fuel your run plus some good flavor). 

Lunch:  peanut butter (decent form of protein, plus B6--the energy vitamin, and magnesium--another anti-cramp mineral!) and fig jam (my brother got me hooked on it, and I keep buying it as a way to feel connected to him--he lives in France. The kind I get is a good source of carbs and has a few grams of fiber--helpful for digestion. Plus, it just tastes good with peanut butter) on a sourdough English muffin (lots of evidence that sourdough is easier to digest because they are lower in gluten. They also have a bit of protein, which is good for your muscles. They mostly provide carbs, which is a runner's fuel!). I also had a half cup of cottage cheese (a nice source of protein, plus calcium for bones and potassium for muscles) plus two cuties (lots of vitamin C, hydration, and fiber!).

Dinner:  Pork chop on the grill (tons of protein to help muscles rebuild), fresh carrots (beta carotene--converts to vitamin A in your body. This antioxidant is great for hair, nails, skin. It also fortifies your immune system. Carrots also provide hydration as well as fiber!), and some leftover pad thai noodles (carbohydrates plus some veggies (fiber and antioxidants from green onions, bean sprouts, and bok choi). 

Snack:  Protein granola bar after practice. It's yummy, plus it helps me recover while I'm on my way home from school

Dessert:  Chocolate brownie Yasso bar (it's like a fudgsicle, but it's made with yogurt to make it creamier, which makes it tastier.  I love these bars--I'm a chocolate lover!

See how I have a mix of foods during the day? And I'm fueling throughout the day? You guys are running MUCH more than me, so you need to be fueling to keep up with the demands of our sport. Most of you need at least 3,000 calories to keep up with being a student and runner. If you are sleeping well but feel like you are tired all the time, maybe fuel is a place where you can start working on being more intentional!

If you STILL feel tired and eat a balanced mix of foods during the day, you might want to check on your iron levels. It is VERY common for runners--especially female runners due to our monthly cycles as well as the demands of our sport--to have low iron levels. You can read more about it in this article from the Cleveland Clinic. The best way to get iron in your system is through balanced fueling. Here is a list of iron-rich foods;  meat, seafood, lentils, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens like spinach and kale (citrus helps you absorb iron from plants, so think about lemon or orange-juice dressings!), and enriched foods like cereals and breads. If you struggle to get enough iron, please consult your doctor about taking a supplement! Iron is a fat-soluble mineral (meaning you don't pee out the extra like water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C), so you can take in too much if you are not careful.