Nutrition Energy

03/19/2026

This past weekend I ran a local 5k.
🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️
As someone who has run competitively since 7th grade, I have a LOT of years worth of times, PR’s and comparisons that can either get me down or leave me feeling great, depending on how I frame it.
On one hand, I was happy with my pacing. I started off strong, but comfortable, and was able to pick up my pace by ~10 seconds/mile and continue to feel great until the end. 🙂
It was a small race, and I was first woman to cross the finishline, and I won this delicious Irish Soda Bread!! So from those two perspectives I should be happy and feel good about my day, right?
However, if I allow myself to compare this 5k time to what I ran back when I was 20 (which I will admit is difficult not to do, even though I know better), I could be sad that I ran almost 2 minutes slower than my 5k PR. 🧐
As a final perspective shift, I checked the age adjusted pace calculators today. I’ve never really been into them, because a clock is a clock is a clock….BUT, when I put in my time of 20.52 and my age of 51, the calculator says that A 20:52 5K for a 51-year-old female = an age-graded time of approximately 17:55 - 18:10- which would be a PR (of sorts) 😉
All of this to say that perspective is everything and only WE control the narrative about how WE view and think about our performances, accomplishments etc.
Moral of my post here is that if we are looking to feel badly about ourselves we will easily find many ways. But when we look for a perspective that is true, but also beneficial for us, we win!!

02/22/2026

Finding joy in being outside and fueling my adventures are two of my favorite things!
#.

11/27/2025

Today is Thanksgiving Day, and instead of assuming that everyone must be happy and grateful today or must follow every old tradition whether it is serving them or not, I am here to say that you get to make your own choices too!!
Of course we want to respect family traditions and the needs of our loved ones… AND we also do not have to continue with old patters that are no longer serving us.
*If you don’t want to attend a dinner that only brings you anxiety-don’t go.
*If your significant other is not welcome at your family of origin table, find a new table.
*If you want to eat or make or bring a food that is not usually on the menu-do it! You should enjoy your meal.
*If you want to start a new tradition-go ahead and do it.
Wishing you all a day that is a bit more of what you want, and less of what you don’t -whatever that means. And if your Thanksgiving traditions were already exactly what you want, then continue to enjoy them.

11/09/2025

THANK YOU!!!!

Last Sunday I ran my 10th NYC Marathon, and thanks to the amazing support of friends and family I personally raised $5,249, all of which goes to the American Cancer Society to support research and treatments for those who need it most. As a team, our ACS NYC Marathon group raised $1,519,000 - over 1.5 MILLION dollars!!!!

Again, THANK YOU!

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day in NYC and as usual, NYC was out in full force cheering and supporting every runner all day long.

Personally, I felt great until ~ mile 13, then my hamstring, which had been feeling tight for the past month or so, started pulling on my right knee, reminding me to respect this distance. Shortly thereafter, my left hip joined in the reminder - just in case I was not receiving the message to slow down. The next 13 were a lot harder than the first, which probably sounds like it makes sense, but also is not always the case. Through my run up 1st ave, into the Bronx, back down through Harlem and back in NYC and finally Central Park -twice (if you don’t know the NYC course, you enter CP at 90th st, then have to exit the south end, run along central park south and re-enter the park at Columbus Circle for the final few minutes to the finish line!), I read every sign, thanked the spectators for being out there, chatted with other runners and took some pictures for the first time ever. This was my slowest marathon finish and felt like a much bigger struggle (despite taking me 26 minutes longer than 2 years ago), but a marathon is often a metaphor for life-you never know what you are going to get -and it’s how you respond and what you make of it that counts. Plus, I had already accomplished my goal of running for the American Cancer Society cause-so it was a great day!
Thank you all again for your support!
Thank you to coach Ramon and Team American Cancer Society for all you do to help make it possible for some many to run these meaningful miles to support the American cancer society.

In gratitude,
-Lauren 🙂

11/04/2025

10 th in the books.
It was my slowest marathon finish and felt like a much bigger struggle (despite taking me 26 minutes longer than 2 years ago), but a marathon is often a metaphor for life-you never know what you are going to get -and it’s how you respond and what you make of it that counts.
Thank you to for putting on an amazing event yet again. Thank you to and for your support and our meaningful miles to support the American cancer society.

11/02/2025

What are you doing tomorrow?

11/01/2025

I work with hundreds of endurance athletes every year and of course we talk about and plan their pre race carb-loading. And in case anyone needs to see what it looks like in real time, here is a quick snapshot of what my past 24 hours of pre carb-loading has looked like.
And to confirm, it is not a fun carb party. It takes planning and effort and intention to eat as many carbs as we need in order to fully stock our glycogen in our to feel our best running 26.2z
And it is worth it!
Best of luck to everyone running NYC tomorrow. I’ll be out there with you.

10/29/2025

We cannot let 20% of our kiddos go hungry as of November 1st. No matter what your political views are, THIS is unacceptable!

10/26/2025

Including some candy in your basket, grocery haul, day, week or life is NOT a problem and NOT a default in your judgement or character. It will NOT negatively impact your health. It is the false belief that eating candy is “Bad” or “Wrong” that leads to guilt, shame and overindulgence. Normalize eating and enjoying your fav. Candy/treats AND a wide range of whole foods every day for your best health outcomes and enjoyment along the way. A win win!!

Think about what this brings up for you.
As we approach Halloween (aka, the candy holiday that kids love and many parents & adult dread), do you look forward to Halloween?

10/07/2025

Hello Friends,

While the calendar clearly states it is October, the weather still feels like summer - which is lovely for picnics and fall outings, but continues to cause long runs to feel harder than most of us running a fall marathon would like.

The NYC Marathon is now less than 4 weeks away, meaning that our last and longest runs/running blocks will be this upcoming weekend, and then we begin our taper. For those of your who are also endurance athletes, you will already know what a taper means for marathon running and either you look forward to it…or dread it. For those that do not, it means we will run slightly less each of the last three weeks prior to the marathon and then increase our carb intake to “carbo-load” and ensure we have as much carbohydrate energy and fluid stored in our muscles as we can to help carry us thought the 26.2 mile course on marathon day.

Continued thanks to so many of you, my awesome, supportive and generous friends and family. With your help, I have already raised $4,648. of my $5000 goal over the past 4 months. My goal is to raise the final $352 this week, to ensure I have met my final fundraising goal and commitment by the time I run my last long run this Saturday. I just received my American Cancer Society Team DetermiNation race day shirt and have been planning where I will write the name of my father, Mickey Wallack, as well as my Aunt Pam, Rachel Cane, Natalia Pope, Jo Murphy and a few other friends/family members we have lost to cancer. I will also be running in support of several family members and friends who are currently undergoing treatment for cancer or are in remission from their cancer and will be writing their names on my race day shirt and running with them and for them as well. If you have anyone whose name you would like me to add please let me know and I will gladly run with and for them as well.

Thank you all again for your support-both in words, emails and spirit and in your donations to the American Cancer Society.

You can use the link below to reach my personal fundraising page if you’d like to see more or make a donation.

https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=110609&pg=personal&px=60577102

With love and gratitude,
-Lauren 🙂

I’m supporting the American Cancer Society to honor those touched by cancer by raising funds for groundbreaking research. Support me.

08/14/2025

I am generally a morning training girl, and have trouble getting out to do any real training after a long day, but I am so glad I got out and swam today.
I had my swimsuit, cap, goggles etc ready to go and had also placed a banana, water bottle and 1/2 Pb sandwich in my bag so I’d be fueled and out the door quickly.
The water was calm and the view was perfect.
I am L💜ving my new (since December) swimming headphone. They contain the same over ear technology I love while running, but they are 100% waterproof and play music under water.
I grew up as a pool swimmer - (Shout out to my old Hauppauge Sea Eagles Swim team!), 🙂 and had to really get used to swimming in open water when I decided to register for my first tri (back in 1999!)
Having great music to listen to helps me relax and enjoy my swim (rather than trying not to think about what sea life might be swimming near and around me 😳).
Another shout out to , for insisting that I purchase, and swim with, this beautiful orange flotation device. Boats and boarders will see me coming, and I can stash my keys & phone—so the music will play in my headphones- inside a waterproof pouch.

07/22/2025

Hello Friends,

I hope you are enjoying some summer fun and also staying cool and hydrating when out in the heat.

I am currently in week 5 of my NYC Marathon training with Team Determination and the American Cancer Society. I went from a long run of 8 miles - to 10, to 12 and this past weekend I ran 13.5 in the heat and humidity, and was sure to follow my own sports nutrition advice, drinking 1.5 liters of Skratch sports drink and consuming a pack of energy chews plus an energy gel during that effort. While running long distances (in the heat of summer) is never easy, my resolve to continue is stronger than ever this year as I train with extra purpose to support the mission of the American Cancer Society and support their mission to end cancer as we know it.

My dad supported me in every swim meet, track meet and road race from age 8 when I joined the Hauppauge Sea Eagles Swim team and through HS, college and beyond, and I want to use my drive to run and complete endurance challenges for a greater good.

First I want to say a big thank you to all who have already donated to this important cause!
Next, to any of you that still wish to do so, I would greatly appreciate your support and donation to the American Cancer Society. They support cancer patients and their families every step of the way - by investing in cancer research, providing patient support and advocating for policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection and access to affordable healthcare -and they need our help.
Please use my secure link below to check out my training and fundraising page and to donate:

https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?fr_id=110609&pg=personal&px=60577102

With love and thanks,
-Lauren 🙂

I’m supporting the American Cancer Society to honor those touched by cancer by raising funds for groundbreaking research. Support me.