Like Nina Simone's “Feel’n Good”! I can NOT believe it’s June! I feel like I start every post with “I can NOT believe it’s…,” but time is flying by so fast. May is a wrap with a competitive half marathon and a 10K run under my belt. Even though each of my events was small, my performance was a big deal. It’s been a long time since I’ve hit the mid 7-8 minute pace, and I felt completely comfortable, injury free, and happy! Knock on wood. KnOcK! KNocK! If you didn’t know, I moved from San Diego to northern Virginia, and I’ve been here for a solid three months, and I have to say, I love it. Of c ..read more

May is Mental Health Awareness Month First, mental health is not a bad thing. It’s important to discuss mental health from time to time to help erase the stigma it has around it. Many people feel like taking care of their mental health is something that comes naturally but, just like working out your body, you have to work out your mind, by controlling your thoughts, and making sure what’s in your head is beneficial. Good mental health can help you get through some of the most challenging times in your life. It’s important to make sure you’re not allowing negative thoughts to control your moo ..read more

    #time2rise Did you know that St. Charles, Missouri is the oldest city on the Missouri river? Yeah, that’s where I’m from! This past Easter weekend, I went home to visit my parents whom I haven’t seen in over five years due to the pandemic. I’m one of those people who didn’t want to take the risk of getting covid and passing it on to my parents. None of us are spring chickens anymore and the risk was too high at the time. But here we are, 2023 and I couldn’t wait to get home and see my parents. Even though I talk to them on the phone ALL THE TIME, I wasn’t sure how they were goin ..read more

STRESS AWARENESS MONTH April is Stress Awareness Month and here I thought it was in February! That’s when I made the big move from California to the DMV area and MAN, I was stressed! But April is a new month full of fun possibilities and even though everything else around us seems like it’s going crazy, we have the privilege of making sure our stress levels are AOK! For the past few days…ok…weeks, I was waking up daily with stiff joints and feeling like I had aged ten or twenty years. If there is anything I’ve learned over the years, when my body is in pain, it’s trying to tell me something ..read more

GETTING BACK INTO RUNNING Now that April has finally arrived and I have finally settled down, a bit, on the east coast, it’s time to challenge my running legs to keep going. With all the stress of moving and nearly changing my life completely, it’s time to get back in physical, running shape and find some events to be a part of. I took some time off back in November due to a back strain and then later decided to move my life from one coast to the next. I knew moving was going to be a challenge since I didn’t have much help so I ran when I could but kept it extremely light. Now that I FEEL lik ..read more

If you’re a runner and need a community to connect with in San Diego, check out the following run clubs! Each club is welcoming and full of positive energy. If you just moved to San Diego or you’re just visiting, check them out, set some goals, and get to know some amazing people. Black Girls Run SDBlack Men Run SDSanta Mujeres Run ClubMilestone Running StoreNovember ProjectRoots Run ClubPB Run Club ..read more

Big thanks to The Running Industry Diversity Coalition for the RIDC Champion spotlight! An RIDC Champion celebrates a person or a group who is actively doing the mission and vision of the RIDC organization. RIDC was gracious enough to highlight Nicol Hodges for her inclusion, high energy, and love for celebrating her community! As seen on Instagram. Today we are excited to highlight Nicol Hodges @seenicrun01 !! Nicol is known by many in the community through her work with Unity Runners but also for her inclusive and high energy love for celebrating her community! We can’t wait for you to re ..read more

The top picture is nothing but LOVE! The Black Women Rock Run was a success_again, and I can’t tell you how much it fills my heart to see excitement, smiles, and pure happiness from all the faces you see above. Yes, they are smiling for a great picture but they smiled throughout the entire event! The weather was perfect. The sun was shining. The skies were blue and even the dolphins were out having a good time, which made the event more magical. Black Women Rock Run is an important event because, for two hours, every black woman is seen and honored. Two hours is never en ..read more

One of the main reasons why I run, lift, move, and try to eat right, I am trying to slow down/prevent the chances of getting breast cancer. I watched my aunt lose her battle with breast cancer while in high school and college in her late 40s. It was hard to watch, and it made me think about how I wanted to take care of myself. There are so many reports on what to do and when to get your in-person breast exam but women of all ages can be at risk, so self-breast examinations are VERY important! *As always, talk to a physician, doctor, or health specialist.* Below I cut and pasted statistics a ..read more

What to eat when training for a marathon. So you’re training for a marathon and want to ensure you are fueling your body the right way. Here are a few basic steps you can start with, but I highly recommend that you talk to your doctor/coach about a more tailored eating program that will work for you and your needs. Everyone is different and has specific requirements to keep their bodies in the best shape. 1. Eat three full meals daily + 2 snacks between meals. Talk to your doctor or nutritionist for specifics if you have dietary issues. Do not skip a meal. 2. Get 18-20 grams of protein (i.e ..read more