Summer Travels 2018: Report Card

I recently traveled for several weeks around various cities in the U.S. for my summer vacation. How was my trip and what did I think about it? I'm happy you asked!

All in all, my trip was great. Here's a detailed rundown--teacher grading report card style-- of many of the main spots I stopped at along the way. If you're interested in seeing more (and better filtered) pics of my travels, check me out on IG.

Part I: The Midwest

Chicago Skyline from Grant Park

Place: Chicago, Illinois

Dates: June 5-8

Grade: A 

As the only really major U.S city I had yet to visit, I was excited for Chicago, and "Summertime Chi" did not disappoint. Leaving Atlanta just as the  80+ degree humid weather started to creep in, we were pleasantly greeted by 55 degree weather as we sat in the nosebleeds at a Cubs game the evening we arrived. Chilly yes, but pleasantly refreshing. And the rest of the city was as awesome as well. From the lakeside bike trail to the gorgeous aqua Lake Michigan itself, from the killer skyline (I think it's better than NYC's) to the Magnificent Mile, from the Bean to the Chicago Riverwalk, from Chicago Style Hot Dogs to Deep Dish Pizza, I was not once disappointed.* 

*Well except for the day I got food poisoning and couldn't leave my bed for 24 hours. That sucked. And I got shat on by a bird for the first time. But can't hold those against the city.

Frisbeer!

Place: Poultry Days* -- Versailles, Ohio

Dates: June 8-10

Grade: B+ (but with A potential)

*Poultry Days is a fun/party ultimate frisbee tournament in the small rural town of Versailles, OH. It is part of a larger annual Poultry Festival hosted by the town.

I've been to four party ultimate frisbee tournaments (Wildwood, Lei-out, Turkey Tourney, and Poultry Days) and Poultry Days is in the conversation of best tourney. 

Chickens on the Luice '18

The setting in rural Ohio was very unique, and its close proximity to the Poultry Festival gave our stay a very state fair type of feel. The convenience of the campground and the Saturday night party were splendid, even if it was difficult to get a shower. Breakfast that was served was cheap and delicious. The tournament itself was well organized, had good competition, and solid off-field entertainment.

The overall experience could have been better had we been more prepared. It would have been cool to have less flakier friends who bailed so we didn't have to play 80% of points. The camping experience would have been better had we brought our yard games and lawn chairs and the like. But at large, the tournament was fun, and despite our lack of preparation, we still had a fantastic time with the people that were with us. A larger team and more planning prep can make this tourney an A, and is definitely worth the trip if you play ultimate and have never been.

The Yosemite Valley View

Part II: NorCal

Place: Yosemite National Park

Dates: June 13-15

Grade: B (for me... but some might think it's an A+)

Don't let the grade mislead you. Yosemite is a spectacular place. The combination of gigantic rocks juxtaposed with the forest background and Merced River Canyon makes Yosemite Valley a must see. The views are spectacular, among the best in the National Park Service, with unique rock formations and waterfalls that can't be seen elsewhere in the world. There's a variety of a GREAT day hikes (Upper Yosemite, Four-Mile, Mist Trail), a nice little community in the valley, and the river itself is a great place to take a swim or go lazy river tubing. It seems like a perfect place to camp/enjoy the scenery for 3-7 days.

Who you're sharing the view with 

But the Yosemite experience itself leaves a lot to be desired. The commercialization and sheer number of tourists around is an immediate turn off.  There is a shuttle that runs around the valley, but it doesn't run even close enough to serve the hordes of tourists looking for a ride, resulting in long waits. And speaking of long waits, if you miss the three month advance period to reserve a campground in the valley, expect to wake up very early (5ish?) for a several hour wait to get to maybe get a spot at (shower-less) Camp 4. And good luck getting a permit for the cables atop Half Dome, the park's most iconic structure/hike... and be prepared to pay $10 for every time just to enter the lottery.

All in all, if you're ready for or really into the commercialization it can be perfect for you. But the people make it less enjoyable. (And the fact that I think Utah and the Canadian Rockies have better scenery.) But it was awesome and I was able to pull off hiding something in a scavenger hunt for a friend to find weeks later, so that was cool.

Place: Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak from Helen Lake

Dates: June 21

Grade: C+

While there were some very scenic lakes and views, Lassen offers little uniqueness that other national parks may offer (Granted, its most renowned trail, the Bumpass Trail, was closed). Still, a $25 fee to enter a meh national park West of the Rockies that isn't quite near anything was overpriced. Still worthy of a day trip if you're in the area though, and if it were on the east coast it'd be arguably the best national park out there.

And if you are in the area, check out Redding's Sundial Bridge. It's neat.

Place: Redwoods National Park

The Redwoods were indeed tall.

Dates: June 22 

Grade: A-

Although Redwoods does not offer the grand vista views or 100+ like instagram shots that many of its West Coast peers offers, Redwoods is truly one of a kind. There's something about looking up at the canopies of the world's tallest living creatures and being at awe, feeling how small and insignificant you really are. I particularly liked Stout Grove Trail -- a trail where you literally have to drive on a dirt road right next to and among the green (red?) giants.

Redwoods close proximity to the gorgeous Pacific Coast--a neat transition midpoint from NorCal into the PNW, helps as well. (Side note, I'm really surprised there isn't a huge city where Eureka currently is. Big river, Big bay, great climate... it's a shame there isn't a huge city here because Americans would love it!

Part III: The PNW

Crater Lake was clear, blue, and cold!

Place: Crater Lake National Park
Dates: June 23

Grade: A-

Like Redwoods National Park, Crater Lake was a unique national park. The remnants of a huge volcanic eruption several thousand years ago, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America and the clearest lake in the world. The water is very very blue, and the scenic drive around the lake provides both aerial views of the lake from the surrounding mountains, and close up views from the shore. It's a bit out of the way from everything, but well worth the side trip if in the area. And yes, I went swimming, and yes, it was cold and refreshing.

Portland Ultimate Camp -- Glenhaven

Place: Portland, OR

Dates: June 24-29

Grade: A

Portland was a spectacular host city for a week. The weather was fantastic (65-75 degree weather), the scenery was great (even after the Columbia River Gorge fires), and the company was awesome. Both my brother and DK were great hosts. 

Special shout out to the Portland Ultimate community for being so welcoming. I actually spent a week coaching kids at a PDX Ultimate sponsored youth camp in Portland and both the kids and my co-workers were awesome to be around. And it's totally awesome they can get 30+ kids out to camp. Additionally, I played some pickup goaltimate with the locals a couple of times--once with the elite Rhino ultimate crew--and everyone was so welcoming and friendly. Not once did I feel like I didn't belong. Could see myself living there one day maybe.

Both DK and the views were looking 🔥

Lastly, a special shout-out to DK and his commitment to weight loss and getting his shit together. You're really looking great buddy and the hard work is paying off. I mean, we literally drove into a drive-through and you decided not to order anything(!) and you also stole veggies off my quinoa plate at dinner one night. Proud of you bud.

P.S. Oh, if you see me, especially if you know DK, ask me about us waiting in line. Good story.

Place: Seattle, WA

Dates: June 29-30

Grade: A-

Un Bien--a dream come true

Ah, yes my return to the scene of the crime--the town I once tried living in and only lasted three months.

Although my stay was brief and I wasn't able to revisit my favorite spots in town (GasWorks, The Seattle Public Library, Golden Gardens), the fact that I was mentally capable and distant to have a great time in the setting of what was once a rough time for me was a big step.

My first stop in Seattle was undoubtedly the old Paseo (now rebranded as Un Bien), where I had no other than the Carribean Roast. Yes, it was still delicious--although no longer firmly in the "favorite meal in the world" driver's seat. Can't tell if it was slightly worse to the rebranding, or if it was slightly worse because I built it up so much over the years. Still a top 5 meal for sure, and so delicious.

What was more striking and memorable about my visit to Seattle was how quickly and seamlessly I was able to rekindle friendships with the few people I knew there. I had my first dinner in Seattle with my former roommates Austin and Maaz--people I genuinely liked from my prior life there who managed to stay roommates and close friends four years later--and we were joking and talking like I never left. Similarly, I also saw my sister Rachel, now a student at UW, who I hadn't seen in six years somehow. And likewise, it seemed that Rachel and I were as close as we had ever been.

Throwback to four years prior...
It was like I never left!

A sibling reunion six years in the making!

Overall a successful Seattle return. I'll be back.

Lake Diablo, North Cascades National Park

Place: North Cascades National Park

Dates: July 1-3 

Grade: B- (A- if you haven't seen the Rockies)

The North Cascades is objectively a beautiful national park. It would easily be the most scenic mountains east of the Rockies. Despite possessing some of the most scenic jagged peaks and vista views, it's surprisingly one of the least visited National Parks in the country.

But why only a B- ? Everything is relative, and the North Cascades simply didn't offer anything that Banff and Jasper already did. Quite simply put, the North Cascades are like the Canadian Rockies Lite-- slightly shorter mountains, slightly less aqua lakes, and slightly less scenic hikes. If we hadn't gone to Banff and Jasper, North Cascades would've been spectacular. But after being spoiled by the Canadian Rockies, it was meh.

Place: Vancouver, BC

Dates: July 3-4

Grade: A+

Vancouver BC, my favorite place on the trip!

I can honestly say that Vancouver, BC was my favorite stop on my journey. I've shown a clear affinity for Canada in the past, and Vancouver likewise did not disappoint. Here's in particular what I loved about Vancouver:

Diversity: Vancouver is so incredibly diverse. There are SO many Asians there (close to 40%) but also just seemed to have an international flair, with some Indians, some French folk, and other cultures too.

We ate a lot of dumplings.

Food: With great diversity comes great food. Even though Andrew took me to a mediocre Indian place, the Chinese food was top-notch, and we're talking better than SF and NYC. The dumpling game was on point, and the Asian food court in the Suburb of Richmond had some of the best dumplings I've ever had.

Weather: Like the rest of the PNW, Vancouver's weather could not have been better. 75 degrees (farenheit) and sunny made it literally the ideal weather to make us want to spend our entire day outdoor.

Scenery: Maybe one of the most scenic cities in the world. Whatever you want Vancouver's got it. Sandy Beaches. White-capped Mountains. Majestic Skylines. Calm sound. It's all here.

Hiking / Fitness: Like Calgary, Vancouver was simply a very active city. Vancouver had perhaps my favorite short hike: the Grouse Grind, a 1.9 mile one way hike rising nearly 3,000 feet up Grouse mountain. (It's basically walking straight up stairs the entire way). The views of downtown are spectacular, and there's a lodge, restaurant and bar at the top, and a tram ride back down.  Even though Andrew was bitching literally every step of the way, we both loved the hike, and the nice reward. Why can't every city have a hike like this?

The Grouse Grind

A sunset view from the top of Grouse Moutain.

Cycling Friendly: And last but certainly not least, I LOVED how bike friendly the city streets are. There are bike lanes on pretty much every single major road in the city; it's clear that cyclists are a respected and substantial population there. The relevance of the cyclists was best illustrated after we came back from a post-midnight fourth meal. In a suburban area of Vancouver, in a span of one minute after parking, we saw three cyclists bike by. Past midnight. On a Tuesday night. Wow. I'm in love.

I would totally live in Vancouver if ever given a realistic opportunity.

My only question is: What's up with the flashing green lights?

Place: Mount Rainier National Park

Dates: July 5

Grade: A-

Mount Rainier from the Paradise Visitor Center Parking Lot

Like Redwoods and Crater Lake before it, Mt. Rainier is a marvel and spectacle, providing a sort of experience unrivaled in other national parks. Even though you are looking up at only one mountain, as the most prominent mountain in the contiguous U.S. it's really a sight to see the sheer mass of. The campgrounds are incredibly scenic and spacious, and the Paradise section of the mountain provides exceptional hikes and views looking up, and the fun opportunity to play in some summer snow.

 Maybe I'll summit Mt. Rainier one day, Who's in with me? That'd be pretty neat.


Part IV: South Central

Cattleack BBQ

Place: Dallas, TX

Dates: July 6-7

Grade: B-

The highlight of the Dallas trip was Cattleack BBQ. Open only on Thursdays and Fridays (and one Saturday a month, the day we happened to be there) for lunch, customers stand in line for over an hour just to try the BBQ. Even though we waited close to 90 minutes and spent nearly $50 each, it was worth it. But not something I'd do too often.

It was neat see the spot JFK was shot, but if that's the shining point of your tourism industry, the city wasn't particularly fun as a quick visitor. But we did gamble at the largest casino in the world

Place: Bentonville, AR

The First Wal Mart.

Dates: July 7-10

Grade: B

I pictured Northwest Arkansas to be a dumpy, run-down area. It surprisingly was not that. Obviously being hosted by Andrew Lee was helpful. And the fact I was within a stone's throw of Kansas, one of the few states I had yet to step foot in. But at large, Bentonville wasn't terrible.

@ Crystal Bridges Art Museum

The tinder pool was indeed limited. I can't disagree with that. But the town was nice. Wal-Mart has put a lot of money into sprucing up Bentonville. The Crystal Bridges Art Museum was one of the best designed art museums I've ever been to. The Wal Mart Museum was cool, the town's food was good as well. Northwest Arkansas even had a good outdoor concert venue, the Wal Mart Amp. And everything was pretty cheap there.

I wouldn't get Bentonville confused with actual tourist destinations, and I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to see it, but overall, Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas was pleasantly surprising.


Part V: Mid-Atlantic

Place: Philadelphia, PA

Dates: July 13-15

Grade: A++

Okay, I actually don't think Philly is an A++. To be honest, it'd be lucky to get a B. Boo Eagles. Boo Nick Foles. Boo Sixers. Boo Embiid. In my eyes, Philly is pretty much a wannabe Boston.

The old 1019 15th gang (+James) w/ the newlywed!

I was in the Philly area to attend Nora and David's wedding. I can honestly say your wedding was the most fun wedding I've ever been to.* The venue was flawless, the food was delicious, the ceremony was quick and entertaining, and the reception and party was so fun. I mean, seriously, the suprise appearance and speech by the cop that busted the party that you two first met at several years ago? Priceless.

*It's also the first wedding I've ever been to. But shhhhhhh.

I can only imagine all the work you both put in to make it such a grand experience for everyone. It was truly an exceptional experience that I was grateful to be a part of.

While the wedding experience was truly fantastic, what's obviously more important is that Nora and David truly are an A++ perfect match for each other. David is one of the most selfless guys I know, and although I don't actually know Nora so well, from my limited interactions she is (at least) on par with David's selflessness. Everyone, myself included, can aspire to more be like y'all and find a fit as perfect as you are for one another.

Congrats to Nora and David. A fantastic celebration and a perfect exclamation point on my trip. 

Part VI: Home

Place: Atlanta, GA
Date: July 18
Grade: A-

I leave for 6+ weeks and I'm awaited at home by a new puppy and a newly opened Hattie B's (my favorite place to eat in Nashville) about a mile from my house. And I bought a car that I love so far. What more can a guy ask for? Well Felix barks and poops and pees all over the house. So I'd ask for less of that. But other than that, look how cute he is!!

Hattie B's in ATL is Open!

Felix.

Closing:

Two thoughts I had, to close this post out.

1) I've always been pretty good at this, but this summer I realized more than ever how important it is to select your timing wisely when you decide to travel. In fact, the time of year (and time of week, and time of day even) is crucial in determining your overall experience in different destinations.

Chicago, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver... what do they all have in common? They're fantastic summer cities! Would I have been as likely to enjoy them as much in January instead of June or July? Well, since I like 70 degree and sunny weather more than 40 and rainy or -5 and snowy, probably not.

That said, there is a value in visiting somewhere when it is NOT the prime season to visit, particularly if you're seeking some good nature. This is why I've most enjoyed evening hikes (when people are less likely to be out) or visiting during the offseason. To this day, I'd say my favorite National Park experience was at Arches National Park in a November because the crowds were so thin. I had close to an hour, all by myself, soaking in the view from a usually tourist filled spot.

This view, all by yourself for an hour? Yes please! *Arches National Park, Nov. 2014*

2) Here's another thing I realized this summer. These are the following things that I genuinely enjoy: Ultimate, hiking, camping, cycling.

Do you know what I also noticed about these hobbies of mine? They're predominately hobbies of white people.

Seriously, there's a disproportionate number of people of color in all of my above listed hobbies. There are barely any POC in ultimate. I'm surprised when I cycle and see a non-white cyclist on the roads. I rarely saw people of black or hispanic descent while hiking, and recall barely any non-asian minorities in the campgrounds I stayed at this summer.

This is of course most ironic as most of my waking time is spent educating primarily black students in Downtown Atlanta. Wouldn't it be cool to somehow get more people of color out to participate in these objectively awesome hobbies? Maybe a non-profit or educational program that enables people of color easier access to these awesome activities? Why aren't there more POC out there?

But hey, I'm starting an ultimate team at my school this year. (I'm actually looking for coaches... so hit me up if you're interested!) So I'm starting something.

Just spewing thoughts out now. I had a great summer. Cheers to the new school year.

Thanks for reading,

- JTF

My Whole 30 Diet Experience

From April 5th to May 4th, I completed my first Whole 30 experience. A month has passed since my experience, and now that I've been able to digest (great pun, Josh!) my thoughts, it's time to share them via a copmilation of questions I've been asked:


What is the Whole 30 Diet?

This pic sums it up pretty well!

The quick rules for Whole 30.

Why did you try the Whole 30 diet?

If you haven't noticed, I've been somewhat bored, even apathetic, about my life in recent years. I've gone on numerous road trips, traveled across the continent, cycled for 500+ miles in a week, and ran a marathon. Hell, I even packed my bags and am traveling the country for six weeks at this very moment! I'm pretty open to figuring out ways to get more energized and get the juices flowing.

Thus, I had been thinking about tinkering with my diet for several months. What if my diet was the secret ingredient (pun!) to feeling more focused and energized? I was looking forward to feeling better and trying/learning different recipes and alternatives. I was really just trying to figure out what foods my body does and does not appreciate, and learn some tricks along the way. (No, it wasn't to lose weight... I'm skinny).

A few of my friends had tried and mentioned Whole 30, so I figured why not give it a shot!


When is the best time to try Whole 30?

It's very important to take into consideration the timing of when you want to try the Whole 30 diet. In sum you want to try it when you are in a stable, consistent routine. I specifically break the ideal timing into three parts:

1) Choose a month when you aren't traveling. Eating out is impossible at worst and very inconvenient at best, and thus Whole 30 is really only feasible if you yourself are shopping for and making your own food. Turning down good food and drink, especially when seeing family and friends you haven't seen in a while, isn't the best mantra when traveling either, and can be seen as impolite. So if you're planning to travel, more than a few days in the month, it's probably not the right time for Whole 30.

2) Choose a month when you have enough time to prep food: Food prep takes a fair bit of time while on Whole 30. You don't have a lot of convenient options in going out to eat so you're going to spend a lot of time prepping food. Additionally, most of the food you prep on Whole 30 takes longer than normal food you prep, so you need to plan even extra time. It wouldn't be rare (these food puns don't get old!) for me to spend one, two, even three hours prepping food for the day or week on any given night.

3) Choose a month in which you have financial security: While it is debatable that Whole 30 may be in an investment in your health and even finances in the long run by cutting medical costs, there's no denying that the upfront costs, assuming you are a reasonably conservative spender of groceries, is significantly greater than a normal diet. If you're tight on cash or are trying to be frugal with your spending, I'd say save Whole 30 for another time because grains and carbs are the cheapest calories you can get -- you're not going to find a box of pasta for a dollar to keep you full for several meals.


How much did Whole 30 cost relative to your normal diet?

In the long run, Whole 30 costs about the same.

Purchasing groceries solely for Whole 30 was undoubtedly more expensive relative to my normal grocery shopping; my every other week grocery bill came in between double and triple the cost of my normal spending. That'll happen when instead of purchasing five boxes of pasta for $5, you only get two small spaghetti squashes for the same price.

However, if you take into consideration all of the money you save on Whole 30 by making your own food, not eating out nearly as much, and eliminating your alcohol consumption, it is reasonable to argue that spending is equal, if not less than what you'd normally spend on your food consumption. All those $20 meals and $7 drafts add up. So in sum, I'd say the net spending is comparable.

What was the worst part(s) of the Whole 30 diet?

1) Eating out is a pain in the ass. There are very few places that you can actually eat out that have Whole 30 approved meals, when taking into consideration ingredients and oils used. Even if you find one, you usually have to be "that guy" who is a pain in the ass with ordering. Salads aren't even a sure thing, as most of them have meats (prepared with or cooked in banned oils) cheeses, oils, beans, croutons, or the like, so you have to get special treatment on most occasions.

I once ordered a "Fried Chicken Salad with no dressing, no cheese, no croutons, and instead of the chicken an avocado." It was not fun or tasty for that matter.

Picture this. Without the chicken.... or croutons.... or cheese... or dressing.

(2) The preparation time is rather brutal and not exactly worth the taste. Normally, I spend 8-10 minutes of active, attentive cooking time making a box of pasta, which will fill me for several meals. On Whole 30, I spend closer to 40 minutes prepping a spaghetti squash that will only provide me half the meals AND doesn't taste nearly as good. Even the more successful foods I prepared--such as my homemade potato chips--took like 30 minutes of active time. A bag of kettle cooked chips from the store for about $1.50 and zero seconds of active time. Whole 30 requires a lot of food preparation... for simply not-as-good tasting food.


What were the most noticeable benefits of the Whole 30 diet?

1) Healthier Skin: My skin was noticably more vibrant, luscious, and clear. I didn't really notice any issues at the time, which says enough. I don't think it was a coincidence that a week after ending Whole 30, a experienced a small breakout and heat-rash like rash and redness on my neck and face.

2) Increased Athleticism: Whether I was running running, biking, or playing ultimate I felt quicker and springier,and in general had a better mindset and had more endurance. I felt more energized in competitions and workouts, and I simply was more motivated to workout and be active.

3) Increased focus and energy: In general, I had a good month while on Whole 30. I didn't have any days where I was particularly stressed or felt like shit. While I couldn't pinpoint the best days that I felt at the time in regards to focus, energy, and performance, I can say that I felt very consistently good. I surely did not have the usual lows of stress and lack of motivation and focus, which I occasionally had at times before trying Whole 30 and also occasionally had in the 30 days since ending my diet.

4) My shopping cart at the grocery looked baller:

This isn't actually my grocery cart. But mine did look like this, I swear!

What were your go-to foods while on Whole 30?

Avocado: In addition to being the key part of guacamole, which I've learned is by far the healthiest good tasting topping/condiment, avocados are great on burgers, sushi, salads, with chips, and much more. They are really high in healthy fats and very filling. I probably consumed 4-5 per week, if not more, and they're a staple of my normal diet still.

Avocado = Lifesaver

Eggs: Like avocado, a healthy, nutritious, tasty food that is flexible. Scrambled, hard-boiled, or fried eggs could go great with or part of several meals, including breakfast frittatas, in soup either hard-boiled or as egg drop soup, fried on top of burgers, hard-boiled with salads, or scrambled with breakfast or in a stir-fry. I'd get two dozen eggs per my weekly trip to the supermarket.

(Homemade) Beef Jerky: Okay I cheated here, I've made homemade beef jerky before, multiple times, actually. But it's healthy, delicious, and easy to make. Literally cut the meat (with the grain!), put some spices on them--I prefer a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes-- and pop them on 175 degree heat with a cracked oven door. It's fantastic. Way better and cheaper than any store created beef jerky you can buy.

Fruit: Fruit is very yummy and healthy. apples, oranges, asian pears, bananas, you name it. special shout out to freezable/smoothie friendly fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, mangoes, and pineapples.which saved me for breakfast.

Instant Pot and Sous Vide: I know, they aren't foods. But had to give them a shout out. Two very clutch cooking appliances for the Whole 30 diet. The sous vide was great in cooking meats--steaks, burgers, chicken, pork, and with a special shoutout to being able to create salmon sashimi. The instant pot was great in creating stocks, soups, and chilis.  The best part about both of these items is that after initial set up and preparation, they require no active monitoring--just set it and forget it.

Instant Pot

Sous Vide

Which foods disappointed you?

Potatoes: Ah yes, my archnemisis, potatoes. With bread, noodles, rice, and virtually all other grains/starches banned by the Whole 30 diet, I was banking on potatoes to carry the carb load train for me, especially given its low cost and general flexibility.

I soon found however, that potatoes weren't all as I hyped them to be. Potato flexibility isn't as easy or tasty as one would hope, as many of your favorite ways of cooking potatoes (baked, mashed, etc.) require toppings, cheese, cream, or butter to be tasty. It turned out that most of my potato options ended up being some sort of sauted/baked/home fries type of potato with the same generic go-to spices such as oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, etc. It all ended up tasting the same.

Spaghetti Squash: Like potatoes, I was hungry to try integrating spaghetti squash into my regular diet (stop this food pun madness, Josh!) . I had tasted spaghetti squash before and was pleased with its potential to disguise itself as a yummy grain.

Spaghetti squash left me disappointed.

But like potatoes, spaghetti squash was overhyped by me. Despite being about $1.00 per pound, a single squash is closer to $3-4 and is good for two meals for me at best, which with the math turns out to be several times more expensive than a generic on-sale brand of pasta. Spaghetti squash takes much more prep. It didn't taste anything close to actual spaghetti--as one middle schooler said after asking if I was eating spaghetti squash at lunch--"That's Gross." and had to be blended in with a lot of sauce to hide the flavor and texture, which is difficult when you have to make your own sauce from scratch. The squash wasn't even great in my soup or stock base--believe it or not it was actually a little sweet for my taste.

All that said, spaghetti squash isn't terrible--I even got one once since--but it's simply just not great, or even good, which was disappointing given my expectations.

The burger wrap became a staple of the diet.

Ghee Butter: Rumor was that Ghee butter was a must have for Whole 30, a worthy substitute of all things butter and cream... and then it costed over $10 a pound. Nnope. I instead stuck with olive oil.

What were your go-to meals?: 
- Turkey or Beef Burger Lettuce Wraps (with avocado, fried egg, tomato, onions, garlic),
- Salmon Sashimi, with sous vide prepared salmon, mushrooms, avocado, over a mix of arugula, spinach and lettuce
- This egg casserole frittata for breakfast
- Pork bone or Chicken bone stock, added vegetable noodles, egg, and veggies.
- Ribeye Steak,  served with grilled/steamed asparagus, cauliflower, or brocolli and potatoes.
- Fruit smoothies, a combination of berries, bananas, pineapple, and mango usually
- Homemade Potato Chips
- Homemade Beef Jerky


Did you slowly re-introduce foods back in like you're supposed to?
In sum, no. I took two shots of alochol as the clock struck midnight on my 30 days at our house's Cinco de Cuatro party (It was Pj's going away and Sean's birthday). I immediately reintegrated vegetable oils so I could eat grainless foods a restaurants, and eat bagged plain potato chips. I also immediately reintegrated seemingly arbitrary banishments such as corn, corn chips, legumes, peanuts, etc. and the like--stuff that seemed not-so-processed and reasonably healthy. But within a few days, I was pretty much back to my old habits--pastas and rice were back in--albeit with a more conscious awareness on what is not ideal for you.

Today I'm back to what I normally eat, but with an objective of thinking about the menus at restaurants, reading my labels a bit closely on packaged foods, buying more fruit than usual, and limiting sugars, processed foods, and alcohol consumption.


Any other main takeaways from the Whole 30 diet?

1) People were so helpful and supportive. Close friends, friends I haven't seen in years, co-workers, even random high school classmates I haven't spoken to in years shared with me their favorite recipes and tips. And while I was on the diet, most people were very supportive of my attempt to better my health. It was also helpful that one of my roommates tried to improve his health and do the diet with me--the support was very helpful during those first few days.

2) Whole 30 is a socially acceptable excuse to not drink. While I do enjoy drinking, I've been trying to cut back my alcohol consumption for a while, ever since I went dry in February for my marathon and felt great about it.

Since drinking is such a casual and social connector in society today, I've found it difficult to turn down getting a drink in many social settings with peers, despite my efforts to do so. I think that doing so can be impolite at times--difficult to be that guy who doesn't drink when everyone else is. I always feel a bit judged when I decline a drink simply because I don't want one.

But pulling the "I'm on Whole 30, so I can't drink, sorry" card was very seamless, and actually seemed like people gave me a aura of respect, like I was trying to better myself.

Whole 30 becomes routine after a couple of weeks.

3) The first couple weeks were a transition, but after two weeks it becomes part of the treadmill of life and you get over it. About day 4 was a particularly low energy - woozy type of day-- I think . And over the first two weeks I had some dreams about breaking the diet--doughnuts, garlic bread, and marinated steak from Hmart made their respective appearances in my dreams. But once you've done it for long enough that it's part of  your routine and you don't have to think about it, it's a piece of (Whole 30 approved) cake. After two weeks, I felt I could do it for 100 days with no issues if I really wanted to. 

4) Staying full while on Whole 30 wasn't a problem (for me). Many people who have tried Whole 30 mention that they were always hungry. I honestly didn't find that to be much of a problem. Even limiting grains, oils, sugars, etc. I like food (meats, eggs, veggies) enough that I was always happy to eat enough until I was full. Yes, I would have to actively a bit more than usual to get there, but say I had to eat an extra pear or banana or egg... it wasn't really a big deal. After all, I like eating!

Running a marathon is much more difficult than Whole 30.

5) Whole 30, in the grand scheme of things, is not particularly difficult. Whole 30 says this on its website: Whole 30 is not difficult. And it truly isn't. Cycling a century in a day, running a marathon, driving cross country, sprints/workouts for ultimate, even showing up for work everyday are all things I'd say are more difficult than trying the Whole 30. It's really just a bit of discipline and you're good. I gave myself a 95 percent chance of successfully completing the diet without any cheating... and I made it without any serious threats of breaking it. So if you really want to do it, you can, Be confident in yourself; it's not difficult!


Do you recommend trying the Whole 30 diet?

In short, I recommend it, yes.

I think anyone trying to experiment with food and recipes should give it a shot. Or someone trying to lose weight, promote healthier eating habits, or feel more energized. I certainly felt better and learned a lot in the process, and overall had a positive experience, despite the fact I'm currently back on my normal starchy diet.

But Whole 30 is not for everyone, you need to time it correctly (see above), and you definitely need to have the right mindset going into it. I was fortunate enough that my diet already depended on little banned substances -- sugars, alcohols, processed foods and drinks -- such that the transition was not bad. A roommate of mine had a bit of difficulty with such transitions -- he enjoys his soda -- and he did not have nearly as fruitful an experience trying Whole 30. (The pun game is getting ridiculous, Josh!).

A thought I've had though: I undoubtedly felt better while on Whole 30, but correlation doesn't equal causation. Was it really the Whole 30 diet really what caused me to feel better? Or was it simply not eating out at restaurants as much? Or not drinking alcohol at all? Or eating mostly fruits and vegetables instead of cookies and cream? Or was it the fact that I worked out 3-4 times a week during this month in prep for ultimate season? Was Whole 30 really the reason I felt better, or was it the better habits that I enacted on while on Whole 30?

Perhaps more important than which one of these positive habits caused me to feel better during my 30 days of Whole 30 is why it was so much easier to have these habits. Why was it easier for me to turn down alcohol? Or eat more fruits and vegetables? Or cook more? Or workout 3-4 times a week?

Was it the desire to accomplish a tangible set goal? The fear I'd face in telling someone I didn't do it? The thought that if I did NOT work out while on Whole 30 that it'd be a waste? The thought that failure wasn't an easy way out, that I was holding myself accountable, so I was more able to stick to a healthy plan?

All that said, it is unclear whether or not these benefits were caused by the Whole 30 diet. But the fact that it was in fact easier to do all of these positive things is a testament to Whole 30 in itself. Give it a shot if it's right for you!

Will you try the Whole 30 diet again?

Honestly, yes. I'll probably try it once a year, as a cleansing of sorts. I definitely did feel better, although it is unclear whether that was due to the actual Whole 30 diet or due to better/health habits.

While I enjoyed the Whole 30 diet and will likely give it another shot in the near future, I'm more likely to first give veganism a try in the autumn to see how that measures up with Whole 30.

--JTF

What It's Like to Run a Marathon

The Houston 2018 Gang

I ran a marathon earlier this month. Here are answers to some of the questions I've been frequently asked:

Why did you run a marathon?

A bit more than a year ago, when I was 25 years old, I had sort of a quarter-life crisis. I wasn't particularly happy with my life: my life was (is?) straight-up boring, and I was simply going through the motions.

So I gave myself an annual project: to do something awesome and memorable every year. I preferred my projects to be something physically and mentally challenging, preferably a long-term goal that I could work towards and look forward to for at least several weeks. Projects that would help challenge my perspectives, experience great internal growth, meet new people, and have better stories to tell.

Last year, my first year with this new annual project mindset, I solo-cycled the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway in about a week. It was a life-changing experience that worked out so well I had to continue this annual project mindset. And so this year I decided to run a marathon, which had been on the short-list of projects I wanted to take on anyways. And the timing couldn't have worked out better.

You were very particular in choosing your marathon: March 3, 2018, in The Woodlands, TX. How did you choose the date and location of your marathon?

I actually decided to run my marathon while I was cycling the Natchez Trace. My friend Daniel, who I fortunately met up with while on the Trace, told me how he had recently run his first marathon on his 26th birthday. I thought that was totally awesome; 26 miles at 26 years... it'll make turning 26 years old not feel so useless.

My birthday is in November, but the timing was no good. Ultimate season ended in late September, and a month wouldn't be enough time to train properly, given that most training programs recommend at least 16-18 weeks. But fortunately, my 26.2nd birthday fell right about 16-20 weeks following the end of the ultimate season, in February and early March, perfectly situated during the ultimate frisbee offseason. So running it within that time frame worked out wonderfully. I just had to find a race within those five weekends when I was 26.2.

The Woodlands Marathon, March 3, 2018 

So how I chose the The Woodlands, TX: one of my two closest friends from my childhood, PJ, and one of my two closest friends from high school, Tyler, were visiting me in Atlanta on my birthday in November to watch the Celtics play in Atlanta--we're big Celtics fans.

We were drinking at a brewery before the game, and I had previously told them of my marathon schedule and mentioned that Houston--the marathon and Celtics at the Rockets over the March 3 weekend--were an option. We're pretty drunk at this point and then, PJ, out of the blue just said: "Yep I just booked my (plane) tickets to Houston. Going whether you are or aren't." and he showed me his non-refundable flights.

And next thing you know I was committed, Tyler too. Then we invited Andrew, who was close friends with Tyler and I at Andover. Then we invited Kelley, who is close friends with PJ and I from North Reading. And Tyner--who i was close with in middle school but didn't see in over eight(!) years, lives in Austin so we reached out to him and he was in too. And they all said they were game without any hesitation really. They're all great friends. And that's how we ended up in Houston.

Tell me a bit about the training program you used.

One of my ultimate teammates who had recently run a marathon recently suggested the Nike Marathon Training Plan, so I based all of my workouts and runs after that. The program consisted of one long run and two speed/training workouts--hills, fartleks, intervals, etc.--during the week. Additionally, I'd be playing some ultimate or goaltimate during some off days.

What was training like?

My first month and a half of training was smooth and very enjoyable, perhaps in large part because I ran fast (sub 9:00 minute miles) and never ran more than ten miles per run. The runner's high is real, and after every run I felt energized and accomplished. I completed my first-half marathon with a GREAT time (1:40:00 // 7:38 clip) about five weeks into training.

A strong half marathon result had my hopes up early.

Shortly after the half marathon, however, things changed. Encouraged by my half-marathon performance, I decided to push myself a bit more during a 14 mile run, running at an 8:30 pace. At around mile 10 however, I injured by IT band through over-training, but decided to push through the pain for an additional four miles...

It was a poor decision. When I got home, the pain was so excruciating that it hurt to walk up the stairs or lift my legs to get into the shower. That night, I couldn't sleep, as slight movement of my leg resulted in pain. The pain stuck around for a few days, and I ended up taking off a few weeks during the holidays. But whenever I tried to run, 1.5-2 miles into the run my IT band began to flare up. I couldn't really do anything at that point. At this point, I realized it was time to adjust my goal: To simply finish the marathon.

So in January, I made small but significant lifestyle changes to put myself the best position to simply finish on race day. I transitioned into a mostly vegetarian based diet to promote recovery. I increased my daily intake of water. I gained an extra 30-60 minutes of sleep each night. I went dry (onalcohol) for the last several weeks. I persistently rolled out my legs and bought a therapy band to stretch and strengthen. Combine the improved lifestyle with a rehab plan provide by a physical therapist friend, Zach, I had a plan in place to cross the finish line.

Still, my post-injury training was simply not fun. In addition to 20-30 minutes of daily rehab/stretching, I severely slowed my pace, to a grandma-like 11-12 minute pace, a pace that sometimes didn't even push me enough to sweat while running. Gone were the peaks of the runner's high and the confidence that I was an athletic running marvel. I actively had to tell myself to slow down to avoid potential injury sometime down the road.

With rehab and rest, I saw signs of improvement, but my IT band was inconsistent. One week I could run six miles before the injury would reappear. The next week it was twelve miles. But the following week back down to only five miles. A few weeks later I peaked at twenty miles, but did the last ten miles with discomfort, the last two miles in severe pain. My last two long runs of fifteen and ten miles went injury-free, although I ran very conservatively to avoid further injury...

I went into race day hopeful and optimistic that'd I'd be able to finish with a slow time, but I knew it was far from a sure thing.

Did training for and running a marathon help you on the ultimate field?

The short answer is no.

Effective elite ultimate players almost never run at an endurance pace. While ultimate is often billed as an endurance sport, it's more of a series of sprints and changes of direction and acceleration than one-speed, one-dimensional jogging. Even a 7:30 pace is a slow jog down on the pull, where a 10:30 pace is literally a slow grandma run.

That said, the training regime I used, outside of the long-distance running, isn't that terrible for ultimate I suppose. Running a few miles, running hills, and running fartleks and intervals all seem like they could have some pretty good impact on ultimate skills.

And I'm sure that some of the mental training I did will indirectly help my ultimate game in the long-run. I also earned a lot about some muscles--hips, IT band, groins, hamstrings--and how to stretch and strengthen them, which could carry over to the field as well. I know some killer hip/IT band stretches these days.

So long answer: maybe indirectly, in the long run. Although I'm fairly certain I would have been better off actually training for ultimate.

Being an ultimate player helped my marathon prep...
But marathoning didn't directly help my ultimate training.

Did being an ultimate player prepare you for the marathon?

Being an ultimate player definitely helped me prepare for the marathon. I had already been primed with many preparation techniques -- how to eat the week before, adequate stretching and warming up and cooling down, lubing up my thighs and chest, eating a shitton of food and drinking lots of water, mentally preparing for the day -- that directly applied to marathons.

How do the challenges of running a marathon compare to that of high-level ultimate tournaments?

Both are very challenging, and both have different sets of challenges.

I'd argue that ultimate, a competitive tournament let's say, is MORE physically taxing than a marathon. A full slate of games on a tournament day is longer and more high intensity than slow-jogging for a long time. I was more tired after a full day of ultimate than my marathon. Additionally, ultimate is a sport where you have to think and react physically and mentally--whether it's a turnover, a throw, a cut, a defensive set, etc.--and adapt on the fly. It's a much higher paced, more stressful and a more intense experience than simply running. I always had the mindset that playing elite ultimate for four straight hours would be more taxing than slow jogging for four straight hours. And I was right.

But running a marathon is much more of a mental challenge: can you train yourself to do virtually the same exact thing for a long time? Can you keep good form--back up, forward-backward arm swings, head up, short strides, long breaths, etc.--the entire race? Do you have the patience to conserve your energy and maintain a reasonable pace so you still have stuff left in the tank the last five miles? Can you stick to a training plan? Can you prepare, stretch, and fuel yourself the right way every day? The discipline and focus required to complete a marathon isn't something that comes naturally to most and stretched me (great pun, Josh) in different ways that ultimate cannot.

Cycling the Natchez Trace or Running a Marathon--which did you prefer?

Distance cycling and distance running are similar. Consistency is a main factor in both -- can you do the same thing for several straight hours? They both test you similarly mentally, being by yourself for a long time, a battle between you and yourself to keep grinding. But cycling has a bit more variety -- speeds, hills, rest stops, scenery, etc.--than running does. And you can be cruising a downhill on a bike without exerting much energy, something you are never able to do while running.  But cycling also requires more prep and knowledge in regards to equipment, maintenance, etc.

In short, I'd still say I find cycling more enjoyable because of the variety.

Perhaps our favorite breed of rabbit,
the English Lop.

How did you like Houston? The Woodlands? The Marathon Set-up? The course? The weather on race day?

Houston was the perfect host. We flew in on Friday morning. Went to Rodeo Houston, which in itself is a worthy reason to go to Houston. The livestock was cool, I mean, where else could you learn that there are 48 unique breeds of rabbits? Or see a Texas Longhorn with 6 ft horns? Or a lamb being born live? (It was weird). There were shows and carnival games. Think of a large state fair... but way larger.

But better than all of the cows, hogs, carnival games, and piglet races, Our highlight of was undoubtedly Mutton Bustin'. Mutton Bustin', for those of us who are unaware, is basically the kiddie version of bull riding. But instead of grown men and women staying as long as they can on a bull, it's five and six year old children holding (bear-hugging) sheep for dear life as long as they can as the sheep sprints across the area.

The most memorable moment was the second rider--remember, they're five or six years old-- went the distance on the sheep! Which was awesome until the sheep slammed the kid's head directly into the rail... even though he had padding and a helmet, he was definitely concussed. Yet the Rodeo clowns immediately brushed it aside as if it were no big deal. How was all this legal?

Anyways, The Woodlands Marathon itself was spectacular as well. Bib pickup was painless the night before. Parking was plentiful and close to the starting line the day of. The weather was sunny and a cool (for Houston standards) 50 degrees at start and 65ish by my finish. The town of The Woodlands is such a pretty, almost glitzy suburb of Houston (think a larger, greener prettier Atlantic Station) with lots of shops, restaurants, walkways, grassy areas, and a man-made lake/waterway. The course was rather flat, and well stocked with enthusiastic fans cheering and holding signs, water and gatorade stops, and port-a-potties.

The barbecue and the Tex-Mex was delicious, and the Celtics @ Rockets was a fantastic game despite a close loss by the Celtics. The Toyota center was an incredible atmosphere to watch a game in as well. The night life seemed vibrant as well.

Overall, Houston is a swell town and The Woodlands Marathon was awesome and well-run. Definitely recommend for someone looking for a good race to run!

What were you thinking about right before / during the race?

I woke up at 4:45 on race day. I made sure to stretch thoroughly (for about a half hour), eat and drink a ton (I ate a few packs of Welch's fruit chews, 4 Clif bars, a peanut butter sandwich, and drank several cups of water and gatorade).

And next thing I knew I was in the race corral ready to go.

In the corral, ready to go!

Give me a play-by-play about your thoughts during the marathon. Did you enjoy running it?

The entire first half of the marathon, I was thinking to myself, "slow and steady wins the race." I simply wanted to finish and ensure my IT band would not flare up. Avoiding the dreaded "Did Not Finish" was goal number one.

Me taking the pic at mile ~20...

So I actively went a LOT slower than I felt I could have, even with my IT injury. I made great use of the "5-hour" marathon pace setter, who ensured that I was not pacing myself to quickly to start. I made sure to hydrate as much as possible (literally had 2+ cups of water AND 2+cups of gatorade at every hydration stop), and probably peed 7-8 times over the course of the race.

At about the 15 mile mark though, I still felt pretty good, with no signs of my IT band flaring up. So I decided to pick up the pace just a bit, running at about a 10 minute pace versus the 11-12 minute pace I started with. I felt like I could have pushed a bit faster still. But at about mile 20, still feeling relatively good and with no signs of IT band fatigue, I thought "Fuck it, let's go!"

...how the pic turned out lol

But it was also about at mile 20 when I unexpectedly heard my friends "Yeah Josh! Woooo!", waving and cheering at me like a bunch of idiots. Jeff--who I hadn't seen in eight years--was there with the three guys I spent Friday with. I had already passed them but it was so good to see them on the course.

Then about a quarter of a mile later, an asian guy yells at me "Hey, Josh!" and there's Andrew--who just moved to Arkansas and had been living in India for the past several months, and who I hadn't seen since our Canada Trip-- casually standing there! I stopped, gave him a quick hug, with a huge smile on my face.

I was cruising at this point, energized by the presence of my friends. About another half mile later, I saw the other four guys again -- they heckled me and drove alongside the route and parked ahead to see me again. This time I stopped, took a (terrible) picture of them, gave Jeff a hug, and scurried on.

This is when I was racing Andrew.

A couple of miles later, there was Andrew again on the course. I said "wanna race?" to Andrew. And he ran with me for maybe about 100 yards in flip-flops. He got a pretty good snapchat in. It was great.

I definitely had more adrenaline knowing people were cheering and heckling me on the route. It was certainly an energy boost--I was peaking at close to an 8:00 clip during miles 20-24, supposedly the most difficult miles of the race.

A feeling of true elation.

The last two miles--likely because I had pushed pretty hard from miles 20-24 and my friends were gone and prepping to get to the finish line--I was gassed, but was still able to muster about a 10 minute mile. The last half mile or so of the marathon was through the pedestrian friendly and retail filled town center. And the finish line was right next to the lake. It was a cool place to finish a long race. Actually finishing the race--and knowing that some of my closest friends were nearby cheering me on--was a pretty awesome experience, definitely one I'll remember for a long time.

How fast did you run? What was your time?

My time was 4:36:53... a 10:34 min/ mile pace. It was a fair bit slower than I had hoped after my half marathon (I ran a 1:40:00/ 7:38 pace for my half in November), but much faster than anything I expected following my injury.  Overall a great time given my (post-injury) expectations. Maybe one day I go for the sub 10 minute marathon, or even try to hit the sub 8:00 clip if completely healthy.

How did you celebrate your successful finish?

After picking up my medal and t-shirt, hugging my friends, eating the marathon food, taking pictures, downing the marathon beer, etc., we went to downtown Houston, got some barbecue, went to some bars with outdoor patios. I was convinced when we were eating it was already like 6:00pm when in reality it was only 2:30. Waking up at 4:45 and running 26.2 before noon will do that to you!

That evening we went to the Celtics @ Rockets game (it was a fantastic game to be at, even though the Celtics fell short in the final seconds), and after the game we went out again. By the end of the night I could barely walk/bend my knees, and the booze hits you a bit quick after staying dry for 2 months and running for 26.2 miles, but overall it was an incredible day. 

Celtics @ Rockets 3/3/18

Tips for anyone thinking about running a marathon?

1) Better to start out too slow than too fast. This applies to both training and the race itself. I've heard horror stories about how people struggle to the finish and how they hated running it. Meanwhile, I passed like 200-300 people on the course of the last half of my marathon.

In any race, make sure you run a negative split (your second half of the race should be faster than the first half). You'll feel better at the end finishing full throttle passing a bunch of people, and you'll hate yourself much less after the race if you can walk properly.

2) Don't skimp on warming up and stretching. A reason I likely injured myself was because during the first half of my training plan, I skimped on stretching. I thought "Oh, running slow is way easier than ultimate... I'm basically jogging at a warmup lap pace the entire time. So why stretch?" While this was true, repeating the same motion for hours adds up and will get to you.

Do yourself a favor and stretch properly BEFORE you get injured. Trust me.

3) "No Pain, No Gain" is not a useful mindset while running. There's a popular saying that no pain, no gain. This may be true in some aspects in life, but not while running.

While there will certainly be times that suck and when you'll have to push yourself, pain is NOT something you should ever have to endure while running. There's a difference between discomfort and pain. If something hurts, STOP, rest, and take care of it. Pushing through pain will only make things worse... I learned that the hard way. Trust me.

4) Running a marathon is more of a mental game than a physical one. I touched on this a bit earlier, but running a marathon is more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge. If you really think about it, the concept of slow jogging is much less taxing than sprinting, turning, or accelerating.

The preparation, focus, stretching, consistency, restraint, and patience are the true challenges that a marathon offers, at least in my opinion. And those are mental hurdles, not physical ones. There's a reason most successful marathon runners are in their 40s and not their 20s. It's at that age that people are more mentally mature and strong enough to carry out the mental challenge that the marathon brings.

Post-Marathon beers

5) Go somewhere awesome and grab some friends if you can. Use the marathon to go somewhere awesome, and grab some friends! It's better this way. More on this in a sec.

6) Have fun and enjoy it! There were definitely times when I thought "Why the hell am I doing this? This sucks!". But at large, if you aren't looking forward to the challenge, if you aren't feeling good about your decision to run the marathon or training, go do something else. I can't stress this anymore.

Will you run another marathon?

If someone asked me to run one with them I'd think about it. But I definitely plan to take a few years off at least. Another half-marathon is likely. But a full marathon isn't easy; you're sacrificing every other athletic pursuit and a lot of your free weekend and evening time. So I'd say a firm maybe.

What was your main takeaway from the whole experience?

I learned a hell of a lot from my marathon experience. Running a marathon is an impressive feat. I'll give myself that. It was neat, and rewarding.

But it wasn't crossing the finish line that made the whole experience unforgettable. It was crossing the finish line knowing that friends who actually gave a shit about me were there cheering me on, helping me complete my goal. 

I mean, I'll reiterate. Three guys took days off from work and flew halfway across the country to cheer me on. One guy drove ten (!) hours each way to cheer me and hang out. The last guy drove four hours to see me... even though we hadn't seen each other in eight years. I'm not used to having friends around that actually give two shits.

Their presence and cheering undoubtedly helped my performance during and long before the race--I had been looking forward to the weekend for months. And I definitely sped up my pace when they were physically on the course.

It was the combination of doing something internally significant AND the connections I was able to develop with people I cared about that made the experience unforgettable. While I'll definitely remember crossing the finish line, my favorite moments are memories that I can share and cherish for years: finally (somewhat surprisingly) seeing each other on the marathon course, watching 5-6 year olds hold onto sheep for dear life, obnoxiously cheering for the road team in the nosebleeds of the Toyota center, stumbling back to the hotel barely able to walk at 2:00am, and waking up to a bunch of drunk texts, snapchats, and stories the morning after the race.

I'm so fortunate to have my friends, thanks for putting this experience over the top, guys. If you are fortunate to have friends even nearly as good as mine in your life, cherish them. They'll help you make your greatest goals that much more worthwhile.

Let's hang again soon boys.

-JTF

The North Reading Guys

The Andover Guys