Home Course- Philadelphia

 The Philadelphia Half Marathon is my favorite half of all time. It goes through the different neighborhoods like South Street and University City. The smell of beer oozes from the Fraternity Houses as they cheer you on (to which you are grateful and a tad jealous). Turning onto Market Street in the 5th mile ramps up adrenaline and the streets are lined with people everyone. The crowd giving you high fives, kids making noise and cheering on their parents, and holding those funny signs to keep you going.  At the 9th mile, there is a hill in Fairmount Park that forces you to drive exert energy in lifting your knees and focus on the flat circle that lies ahead. The end leads you right up to the Art Museum (and that .1 around Eakins Oval feels like the 12th mile all over again).

While the full marathon offers the beautiful East Falls Bridge and the party-town of Manayunk, the half is just perfect. Especially three weeks after completing a full marathon.

It was a beautiful day for a run. High socks, running shorts, a t-shirt or long shirt would suffice. However, around mile 2, I questioned if I had it in me. I felt...tired. By mile 5, I was shocked that I was actually on pace for breaking 1:50. When I reached the water station at mile 7 where some of my student-athletes volunteer for the water station, I knew I was good to go. After mile ten, I pushed positive mantras in my head, like “This is what makes you a runner, you are used to sore legs. There is only a 5k left, you can do it in your 5k split time. This is nothing like 26.2 miles, you got it!”

Running around Eakins Oval, knowing the end is near, the best feeling in the world is seeing the clock and knowing you broke your previous best time.

Eating more plants in my diet has contributed to this recent success in shaving off time. I feel better and stronger. I added a Spaghetti Squash recipe that is very easy and very healthy. I also had the same meal as I did for the Indianapolis Marathon- Butternut Squash Soup, a small side salad, some spaghetti and marinara, 2 pieces of bread...and a glass of wine! It worked again!

Spaghetti Squash Pasta with Pesto

-1 Spaghetti Squash

-2 or 3 garlic cloves

-3 cups packed kale

-1/2 cup hemp seed

-1tsp kosher salt or sea salt

-1/4 tsp ground pepper

-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 2 tbs lemon juice (1 lemon)

With Bell Peppers added!

Cooking the Spaghetti Squash- Set oven to 375 degrees.  Cut squash in half, clear out the seeds, and bake on a pan for about 40 minutes. Sometimes I put a little water or olive oil on the squash.

(While I am doing this, I often separate the seeds and bake them for about 8 minutes and put some salt on them. A delicious snack!)

I then make the pesto while the squash is cooking.

When the squash is done, just fork out the insides and it looks like pasta.

Making the Pesto: In a food processor add the oil, kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Put the pesto in a bowl with the spaghetti squash and serve!