On the morning of my wedding day, some of my best friends and I got up early and met our old cross country coach for the Market Run. It's a little three mile loop around downtown Roanoke that we always ran the last practice before a race, and it's the run that my friends and I do whenever we meet up at home to run during the holidays, so I couldn't imagine starting the day I got married any other way.

I'm so excited to be working with Mizuno again this year for their launch of the Wave Rider 18. Like I said last year, the Wave Rider was always a popular shoe among my high school cross country team. We were best friends (still are) and we did everything together--with matching shirts and hair ribbons and shoes for everything. I'm pretty good at turning everything into an overly-sentimental memory, but there's just nothing like a new pair of running shoes.

The Mizuno Wave Rider 18 is sleek and light with just enough support. It's a neutral shoe that's perfectly balanced, which makes it a great for daily running. And the black and turquoise color combination that I got is just super cool-looking.

November is going to be a big running month for me, so I'm really excited about starting it off on the right foot (and with the right shoes)!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC. As always, I thank you for your support as I continue to work with brands like Mizuno.

Sometimes I send myself emails before I fall asleep. Or I'll ask my night owl husband to text me. Things I want to remember or think about or write about the next day. "Rob," I'll mumble sleepily, "text me and say 'ear piercing, sleeping on opposite side for back scratches, and new bed.'" It's probably obvious that the next day I sometimes struggle to put the pieces together, but I figure it's worth a try.

This morning I woke up to a relatively vague, but perfectly clear thought that's been on my mind all week. You can't force anything.

Because it's true. Whatever it is, you can't force it. You can do your best and you can wish and dream and pray, but friendships and book deals and epiphanies don't always just fall out of the sky. And sometimes, as much as you might want or need something to be immediate, things can take time. Even letting go can be a process.

Simple as that. And, simultaneously, totally complicated.

This post is in response to the following prompt: "Tell me about a time something dawned on you, a realization, words came together or simply you saw a lightning bolt on a mountain." (From Old Friend from Far Away, page 66.) If you write a response of your own, please share a link below in the comments! For a list of some previous prompt, you can check out this post (or just search the Old Friend from Far Away category below).

I love sitting down to a big, hot breakfast of eggs and bacon, but on hectic mornings during the week, I much prefer a quick smoothie. I use a variety of frozen fruit and always include some spinach, a banana, and a spoonful of coconut oil.

The other day I read a brochure sent to me by Canada Maple Syrup that included a smoothie recipe similar to the one I use every day, but with a bit of pure maple syrup. Intriguing! As you may know, Canadian maple syrup is 100% natural and a great (Paleo-friendly!) alternative to sugar. I had never thought about it before, but since Canadian maple syrup is a pure and all natural source of carbohydrates, it would make a great addition to your next post-workout snack. I gave their recipe a try, subbing a few ingredients to make my recipe Paleo. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 large banana
• 1/4 cup Canadian maple syrup
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• several handfuls of fresh spinach

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender (I usually do the banana and spinach before anything frozen goes in).
2. Blend (I use the puree setting on my blender) until all ingredients are well-incorporated. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC.