Running My Butt Off....Literally?

I'm running another marathon! I'm super excited to have a goal and something to work towards. AND something to get my butt out of bed and out for a run in the morning. One of my friends from high school who now lives in Florida is running the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in December, so I decided to bite the bullet and run the full marathon. The one problem is it's on a Sunday and since it's the week before Christmas, I don't think I'll be able to get Monday off. So the flight home the afternoon after the race is gonna be a rough one. And my two mile walk into work the next morning ain't gonna be so pretty either. But who cares?! I'll feel so good after completing marathon #4, that it won't matter. I'll be walking on air. :) (I know, that's total b.s.)

Along with my running, I'm also altering my diet. Which is something I should have already done, but I'm focusing more on veggies and less on cookies. I wish I didn't love baking so much! But I need to do this to optimize my training. I've never trained for a marathon as a vegan.

I found this great recipe for a mock tuna salad - it's a chick pea salad, but is so tasty. It was on Compassionate Action for Animals' website -- that's the animal advocacy group in Minnesota that first got me interested in the cause. Tonight's dinner was a delicious chick pea salad sandwich with steamed fresh green beans with sauteed onions. YUMMERS. Recipe below. See ya on the roads!

Chick Pea Salad

• 2(15oz.) cans chick-peas, drained
  
• ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup minced celery
• 1/3 cup minced dill pickle
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ salt, or 1 tablespoon miso
• pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, mash the chick-peas coarsely with a fork. Mix in the remaining ingredients, using ½ cup mayonnaise at first, and then adding more as needed. cover and refrigerate. Use on sandwiches or on a bed of salad greens. (Note: makes a big helping, may want to half the recipe!)