Favorite links 3/5

My spring break starts a week from today. As a graduate student it’s less an actual break and more just a few extra hours free from classes, but I’m still ready for it. For now, on to my favorite links from the past week!

Running

My second half marathon is next Saturday – my first was 6 (!!) years ago. As I approach this race feeling much better prepared than last time, I’ve been thinking about all the things I did sub-optimally last time. If you’re considering running a longer distance for the first time, here are some articles to help you avoid the mistakes I made as a newbie.

Mistake 1: not having a customized plan. I tried following some plan I found on the internet and ended up injured about a month before the race (probably due to multiple factors). While a free plan might be a good starting point, you need to be able to modify it for your specific needs. I was fairly new to running at the time and had no idea how to do this, or even that I needed to do it. In retrospect, I’d tell my past self to fit customized training into my budget. While 1-on-1 coaching is expensive, if you can afford running shoes, you can probably afford at least a customized training plan. And if you think running coaches are only for competitive runners, check out this article on what a running coach actually does.

Mistake 2: never running a truly easy pace. I made this mistake for several years, actually. When I finally made most of my runs easy, I ran more consistently, ran faster races, and ran longer distances. If it’s a struggle for you to slow down, check out these tips.

Mistake 3: no fueling during the race. I had no idea at the time that I needed this, but with a 2 1/2 hour finishing time, I definitely did! Here’s how to choose the best running fuel for you.

Mistake 4: not having a clue about injury prevention. I struggled with IT band syndrome off and on for probably 3 years after this race. If that’s your area of weakness as well, here’s a cure for IT band problems as well as exercises to improve function in that area.

Nutrition

I eat “pretty good”, by which I mean I eat a lot of vegetables…the other stuff matters too though. Do you really “eat pretty good” though?

The margin of error on food labels is 25%, and other things you probably didn’t know about calories.

How to vegetarian: protein.

Brain food

In my field of work/study, you frequently get comments along the lines of “oh, that’s so hard. I could never do that.” It might be true that some of the things I do come more naturally to me than to the person saying that, but….it’s still hard. It would be boring if I only did the easy stuff. It’s not easy (nor should it be).

Joy isn’t always easy, either: fighting for your joy.

It’s too late for some things, but not all the things.

Makerspace in a hospital.

Stomach food

Easy farro chili

Huevos rancheros skillet

Chickpea tortilla nachos

Hibiscus jalapeno quick-pickled veggies

Whole wheat yogurt quick bread

Cinnamon raisin bagels

Muffins: double chocolate Irish tea-infused and banana-blueberry made with buckwheat and teff flours

Cakes: carrot cake for two and one-bowl vegan orange cake

Raw cookie dough slice

Randomness

A compilation of real quotes from tourists at a national park. Best/saddest: “…It’s like a wilderness out there, not suitable for humans at all.”

Astronauts can now brew real coffee in space.

Silk scarves dyed using bacteria.

Check out some good links from the past week:

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What were your favorite reads of the week?