As of November 2nd, Get Natured is officially two years old!

Yay!

Since my first post in 2009, Get Natured has grown so much! To keep all of this content organized and to help you, dear readers, find recipes more easily, I have just added a new recipe index page.

Now there are three ways to find recipes and other content on Get Natured:

1. By using the category tags on the right side of the page

2. By using the search box on the right

3. By using the new recipe index page!

I hope that this will help you to locate your favorite recipes and find some new ones to try!

All you really need to start running is a pair of good shoes, of course. But, as I've gained more experience, I've found a few things that make running just a little bit better for me. These are all things that I regularly use and I thought I'd share them here*.

Garmin 305

For a long time I used an app on my phone to track my distance, pace, etc. This Garmin works so much better for me! It is really affordable (especially on Amazon) and very easy to use. It takes the guesswork out of knowing how far to run before I turn around on long training runs. Also, knowing my speed helps me to pace myself on long runs and tells me how my body is handling the training. I tend to run slower than usual when my body needs a few days off.

Lululemon Wunder Under tights

I had tried on countless pairs of running tights and had never found a pair that I would be willing to leave the house wearing...until I found these! They are comfortable and warm and not too revealing as some tights can. Love them!

SpiBelt

This little belt is great for holding my cell phone, keys, Clif Shots, tissues, whatever I need with me on a run. The best part is that it doesn't bounce when I run- perfect!

Audible.com

I run with an iPod and usually listen to music on shorter runs. I have playlists with different kinds of music and this gets me through most runs. Some days, though, I need something to sink my brain into. A distraction or maybe just the company of a story. I love audiobooks and Audible.com has a great selection. Since Audible is a subsidiary of Amazon.com, you can purchase audiobooks through Amazon.com or Audible.com. Love.

Layers

I have a Nike Dri Fit top and a few lower price versions from Target (Champion brand) like this one. They keep me just warm enough (but not too hot) when I wear them over a wicking tank top or t-shirt on cooler mornings. For really cold days, I add a layer of fleece on top and wear a hat and gloves.

Sweaty bands

When I'm not wearing a hat, I pull my hair back into a ponytail and use a Sweaty Band to hold back the sneaky shorter pieces that like to reach around and tickle my nose. These bands are the only ones that I've found (and I've tried quite a few!) that don't slip out of my hair while I'm running. I've seen them at running stores and online (including Amazon).

Bodyglide

Ok, this is not a sexy product. Or, rather, the reason that I use it is not sexy. But it is necessary and helpful nonetheless! I have issues with chafing in a few areas so I apply this to those spots before heading out on long runs. Problem solved. You can find this at running or sports stores.

Do you have any favorite running or other fitness or outdoor gear?

*Disclaimer: These are all things that I have discovered in my own journey with running. I am not being paid to recommend any of these items.

I have been having stomach and other issues related to the acid in some foods lately. One of the worst triggers for me has been cooked tomatoes, so I temporarily took a break from them and a few other things to get my stomach back on track. I was actually planning to add tomatoes to this chili but completely forgot and, you know what? We didn't miss them. It turned out great anyway!

My recipe calls for the chili to be simmered on the stove, but it could easily be cooked in a crockpot (slow cooker) instead.

If you're feeling especially festive and Octobery, you could use pumpkin in place of the butternut squash.

Butternut Squash Chili

*Tip: To peel the squash, cut the bottom off so that it will stand up without tipping then peel it with a vegetable peeler.

This chili makes a hearty meal when served over a grain like brown rice, quinoa, farro, bulgar, barley, etc.

I am relieved to say that I finished my second half marathon on Sunday! I was so nervous before the race!

All geared-up and trying not to freak out:

The finisher's tee is so...YELLOW!

Finisher's necklace by Tiffany:



NWM = Nike Women's Marathon. The back of the necklace says "I run to be." with room for engraving so that we can add our own reason for running...

With 20,000 runners, this race is the largest marathon and half marathon in the country. The proceeds help to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. This race has raised over $118 million over the past 8 years for the cause and I ran in memory of my father-in-law who passed away from complications related to lymphoma in 2008.

The weather was perfect but the course was even hillier than I remember and it was a hard run!

I completely earned my post-race cupcake and Blue Bottle latte by the bay:

Perfect, perfect weather (with the Bay Bridge in this shot)!

The physical exertion of this kind of event is challenging but, like many others before me, I definitely think that the mental race is the hardest part. I was struggling with stomach issues through the entire race (and a few hours afterwards) and my mind was all over the place.

The race was in San Francisco, which holds a special place marker in time for me. I worked in the city in the late 1990s and my life was quite different back then. My time visiting the city and running the race on Sunday gave me pause and brought about some much-needed reflection on "back in the day". A few of my favorite memories from working in SF:

Though the race is over, my brain is still crunching through some of the meditative part of the experience. That aside, I am ready to get back to other things, like doing more weight training and yoga or just making pancakes on Saturday morning instead of getting up early to run long distances! I have been resting since the race and eating to recharge and refuel.

These "scuffins" (kind of a cross between a scone and a muffin) are disguised as a fall treat, but really they make a hearty and healthy breakfast. Not to mention, no blog would be complete with out a pumpkin recipe (or ten) in the fall, right??

Pumpkin Cranberry "Scuffins"
Makes 6-7 "scuffins"

1 cup ground oats (process 1 cup of rolled oats in a food processor or blender until they resemble a course flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup lightly toasted pecans, chopped
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup non-dairy chocolate chips (optional)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup canned or fresh pumpkin puree
3 tbsp oil (canola, coconut, etc.- your choice)

(This recipe was inspired by and adapted from Dreena Burton's Squirrelly "Scones" in her Vive le Vegan! cookbook (a favorite of mine!)).