Luscious Nectar: Tasty Food, Boozy Slushies, Fresh juice

Trips to Fort Collins are always punctuated with a trip to Tasty Harmony, but it's nice to branch out. My VegOut app recently pointed me toward Luscious Nectar, a bar with a surprising array of options. Upon walking in, you can tell this place parties hard at night. It's clean but there is the lingering scent of alcohol and poor choices. However, the food here more than makes up for it, and they have a patio for outdoor dining. We skipped the smoothies and juice (although they looked fantastic) and went straight for the food, ordering a 'Tuna' Mocky Roll, Queso Tango Nachos and Cantina Tacos. For me, the stand out was the Queso Tango Nachos, made with housemade vegan cheese, which was slightly chunky, making it easy to apply to every chip.Combine this with pico de gallo and jalapenos, and it's a definite winner- would eat again. The tacos were made with jackfruit, but also offered the options of buffalo seitan or BBQ tempeh for a protein. The 'Tuna' Mocky Roll, a raw creation, was refreshing and a nice palate cleanser between bites of vegan cheese and jalapenos.

The best part? Our total came to $19. We ordered two entrees and an appetizer, making this meal a fantastic deal. There's even a happy hour with $1 off tapas from 3:00-7:00pm every day! You can also get a slushie made with alcohol, which would have made this my favorite bar in college. Cheap food and fun drinks? Luscious Nectar, you have a new fan.

Harbinger Coffee: A Sign of Coffee to Come

My boyfriend loves coffee. A lot. We have three brewing methods at home, any shopping trips will immediately be derailed upon the sight of a grinder and he never leaves a coffee shop without befriending the barista. Due to this, I have been introduced to the world of fancy coffee. Coffee described as having notes of flavors and finishing with a certain taste. I still have a long way to go, but am happy that I can now smell strawberries or milk chocolate in the scent of coffee beans. This also means that we go out of way for coffee, and one such place that's worth going out of the way for is Harbinger Coffee, located in Fort Collins, CO.

Harbinger is a humble stand located in the basement of what appears to be an office building. Harbinger does one thing: black coffee, and they do it well. The owner features different roasters and is able to describe the coffee with fantastic detail. The coffee pictured was a Sumatra, that tasted slightly fermented in the best way, with notes of blueberry. With coffee this good, there's no need to add anything to it. Harbinger Coffee is located at 151 S. College, right in downtown Fort Collins, making it a perfect stop while meandering downtown.

Race Recap: That Dam Run Half Marathon

The course is really pretty too!

When did I become the type of person who celebrates their birthday by running a half marathon? Apparently in 2013, as I ran That Dam Run for the second time, specifically as a birthday present to myself. It was my second time running the course, and knocked about 20 minutes off my overall time, so it wound up being a pretty great gift to myself. Here's the details:

Course: Out and back, my friends. I love out and back courses because you park in one spot and don't have to worry about a shuttle either way and you can cheer yourself on when you recognize things on your way back. This course is special in that it is mostly downhill on the way out, so coming back is pretty challenging. One part of the course is described as "Boston's Heartbreak Hill on steroids". Ouchie.

Crowd: This is a race for runners. There's a crowd at the start/finish line and that's about it, save for some folks who wander out from their homes to watch the runners. They have a few volunteers to cheer you on, but, mostly, you're on your own.

Chow: Aid stations featured water, Gaterade and Sport Beans, which are unfortunately not vegan. Also, they are jelly beans and seem awkward to eat while running. I brought my own Clif Shot though, which powered me through. Post race, there were bagels (which I skipped because of gluten) and Food Should Taste Good chips, which were delicious. The race is pretty close to a Chipotle, which is where I got my post-race nosh.

Bling: Medal upgrade from last year! This one's shiny and nice and heavy. Also, I loved the shirt, which was a lovely shade of green.

Expo: Pretty sparse. Five Hour Energy was there giving out bottles, but that stuff kind of scares me, so I skipped it. I did win a month of Camp Gladiator training, which I'm excited to do after I run the Lincoln Marathon.

Overall, I enjoy doing this race once on the way out and post finish line, but the part in the middle gets a bit rough. Translation: looking forward to doing it next year!

Eat & Run by Scott Jurek: Guaranteed to make you think that you too can run 100 milers

Did you hear the story about the guy who won a 100 mile race through the mountains? On a sprained and swollen ankle? It's not a joke, it's a crazy, amazing story and it's just a small part of Scott Jurek's life as a superhuman runner, and he does all of these incredible things as a vegan. His book, Eat and Run, is a testament to Jurek's athletic prowess, and his his strength in overcoming the obstacles life set before him, as well as proof that eating a vegan diet doesn't doom a person to a life as a weakling. Though I know I'll most likely never run, let alone win, a 100 mile race, Eat and Run left me feeling inspired to push my boundaries, both in running and in life, every time I read it. An added bonus are the recipes sprinkled throughout the book, which definitely lean toward the healthy side, but all look delicious. If you're looking for a book that will provide you with a healthy dose of motivation every time you pick it up, or trying to show someone that eating a vegan diet will not detract from your athletic ability, this is a great, quick read to pick up. Not sure if you'll be into it? Check out an excerpt, thanks to Runner's World, here.

Full disclosure: I received a review copy of the book, but am receiving no other compensation and am under no obligation to review it one way or another. I really liked it!

Zen and the Art of being a Treadmill Master

Photo by E.C. Campbell Photography

Treadmills are a necessary evil. They come in handy for when inclement weather prevents running outside, as well as for scaredy safety cats like me who don't like to run in the dark. Unfortunately, they are boring. Between a lack of scenery and hills, it's easy to feel like a hamster running on a wheel. However, treadmills can be great for maintaining a consistent pace, so I do appreciate them for pace and speed drills. Since you just need to move your feet fast enough not to shoot off the back of the treadmill, I have learned to love the miles I put in by listening to podcasts and audio books, as I never know what I'm going to hear next, creating something for me to focus on, other than that rotating track. Here are a few of my favorite resources for aural entertainment:

Overdrive: Overdrive is an application that connects you to your local library's digital collection and downloads your selections directly to your device. I've found this is the easiest way to get my audio book fix.

Librivox: This is a collection of works in the public domain read aloud by volunteers. Some of the volunteer's voices are a bit hard to understand but there's lots of great stuff on here to download for free. This is where I get all my H.P. Lovecraft, which is great for taking your mind off the treadmill.

Marathon Training Academy: I listen to a podcast about running while I run. Angie and Trevor give out valuable advice on training, running nutrition, along with race recaps that make me want to run (almost) every race they review.

Ben Greenfield Fitness: Don't be fooled by the strangely specific titles, each episode answers a wide variety of listener questions, making each episode a wealth of information.

For running outside, I'll stick to music but my heart belongs to audio books and podcasts for turning me from a treadmill hamster to a treadmill master.

PS- Don't forget to adjust the incline to 1.0% when you're on the treadmill to compensate for the lack of wind and hills!

Supplies I want for my 26.2, or What have I done?!

Photo by Martineric

Let's cut to the chase: I registered for a marathon. This marathon, to be exact. I'm hoping that training above sea level with all the altitude will make things a bit easier, but, no matter what, I'm still going to be slapping my feet against pavement for 26.2 miles. While I'm actually feeling fairly confident about this endeavor (and the half marathon I'm running two weeks later...), there are some supplies I'd like to have to along the way:

New running shoes: Y'all, I overpronate a lot. When I get my gait tested, they put me in borderline orthopedic shoes. I don't get those shoes, but I get a very similar, but slighty more stylish version. I would like a new pair of them.
Compression socks: I've heard these help speed up recovery if you wear them pre, post and sometimes during running. Also, I can pretend I'm Cher from Clueless with my knee highs.
Arm warmers: I thought these were so stupid at first but now I get it! You can start out running in a long sleeved shirt and end in a tank top. Brilliant. Also, the ones linked have SPF, which is awesome! These are nice too.
Registration for That Dam Run Half Marathon: I'm running this as part of my marathon training. It'll be nice to end a long run with a medal and someone handing me a banana.
A new armband for my phone: I've never had to get rid of an armband due to it breaking or wearing out, it's always been that I can't handle how bad it smells because I am a stinky runner. The Armpocket looks jazzy and it can hold my my gels! This one is nice too.
FlipBelt: It looks like it won't move! I have a belt and it's terrible to run with because it either bounces all over or is uncomfortably tight. Luckily, it's great at amusement parks and anywhere else I want to avoid carrying a purse. The FlipBelt looks like it'll be docile.
Lush bath goodies: Epsom salt soaks become vastly more glamorous when you throw a bath bomb or a bubble bar in the mix.
New running clothes: Eh, why not? I'll certainly be using them.

Thrive Forward!

Brendan Brazier

It's that time of year again: gyms are packed and extra moist, there are piles of health gimmicks at the front of every store and every other ad on television is someone talking about how they never thought they'd wear a bikini again. On the plus side, you have the support of approximately 98% of the population if you happen to want to go on a health kick on January 1st. 2013 brought an amazing new tool for those looking to increase their health and general well-being: Brendan Brazier's Thrive Forward. Brazier, super-athlete and founder of Vega, has put together a crash course in eating well. The focus is on progress versus perfection and on thinking about everything you're adding in, versus taking out. Also, it's personalized based on your goals! Want better sleep? More energy? A more resilient immune system? Thrive Forward has you covered. Each day, you watch a short video, read some supplemental materials and then receive a follow-up email. Oh, and it's free. Completely. You can watch every single video, read every article and not pay a cent. It's awesome.

While going through Thrive Forward, I've been off gluten, caffeine, sugar and booze, for a grand total of 15 days now. I haven't tried to break anyone's arm for coffee and my running is easier than ever, which is super fantastic. I love having the daily reminders of how eating well effects your body and then see that knowledge in action at the gym. Those who have read Brazier's Thrive won't find themselves covering much new ground, but since when is it a bad thing to be reminded to eat your fruits, veggies and whole grains? Never. Never is the answer. Check out Thrive Forward and be inspired to cram into the gym with everyone else!