Update on my food allergies

When I started this blog in 2013 it was to share how I deal with food intolerances. They aren't fun. When you are a runner and can't have nuts or corn it sort of throws a wrench in the works, because most fuels have corn or nuts. I had to learn to eat real food all while running.

My food issues started when I turned 30. I did go to a doctor who 100% assured me my problems had nothing to do with food. After going to a second doctor he agreed with me that yes it could be food related and to start the food journal.

Fast foward to when I was 35. I was talking with my vet. Yes my vet. She had a child with food intolerances and had a wonderful doctor to help her. She told me that because I had gone 5 years without peanuts or tree nuts that my body may have corrected itself and I might be able to eat them again. Well when I eat peanuts or tree nuts I do not go into anaphylactic shock, however the side effects are not fun and the thought of eating nuts to just try it out did not sound like fun.

So here I am 37 years old haven't had a tree nut or peanut for seven years.

My dream has always been to go Paris. When I was 18 years old and a travel agent, Paris is where I wanted to go. After all these years, yes I have free travel benefits, I still had not gone to Paris. Once I realized I had food intolerances traveling seemed scary to me. Language barrier, having to ask a waiter does your food have any of these seven ingredients etc. I don't like having to ask a lot of questions while dinning out. Not sure if it's me getting older or what but I decided in 2017 I'm going to Paris. We bought tickets for a trip in October. After doing research I wanted to go NOW! The only bad thing is they use nuts in their desserts, and I love desserts. Then the anxiety started again and I thought it's time to see if I have out grown my issues.

I had my husband put the car in the driveway, incase we needed to get to the ER fast. I had liquid Benadryl sitting next to me and ready to take if needed. The only bad thing is when when testing these things you need to determine what is real and what's not. I sat there and wrote down exactly how I felt. I tried almonds first and I was fine. I tried cashews and hazelnuts and I was fine.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have no idea what a relief it was to know that I could eat nuts again!!

I have not tried peanuts or any other tree nuts. I will eventually.

I still can not have corn or corn byproducts. I recently had corn and it still bothers me. I still need to determine if sesame seeds and sunflower seeds bother me. But for now I'm just happy being able to eat almond and cashew butter.

Daytona Half Marathon Recap

Wow this recap is really taking me a long time to write up. It's almost been a month since the half and I am just writing this.

The Daytona Half Marathon is now my 2nd favorite half marathon! This was the second year I ran this race. Last year was cold, rainy and windy. This year was perfect weather!

I went up to Daytona the night before. I didn't realize that they had changed the time of the race. If I would have noticed that I probably wouldn't have stayed in a hotel. It takes just over an hour for me to get to the speedway. Anyway, I stayed across the street from the track. I literally pulled out of the parking lot and drove straight into the track.

I walked around a little bit. Took some pictures and waited to start the race.

The goal was to run. If I could finish around 2:30 great! This year my back has been giving me problems and I haven't been able to run as much.

I started with the 2:30 group and stayed with them for about a mile. I needed to take a walk break. I figured if I could stay in between the 2:30 group and the 2:45 group that would be a good goal.

Track Selfie!

Once we left the track I realized this was a new course. I really need to pay more attention to the emails and participant guide apparently.

Around mile 4, I think, we had a character stop!!

I was doing good, just running and taking walk breaks when needed. I knew that there was a bridge on this course and I was going to walk up it this year. I did not train for hills. 

Last year because the weather was bad we were unable to run on the beach. This year since the weather was great we got to run the beach!!

Everything was going well until about mile 10. I needed a porta potty and there were no porta potties anywhere. I did find two along the course, but they were by themselves not near a water stop and I am too paranoid someone will tip me over that I wimped out and kept going. I walked for the next two miles with a gentleman carrying the American Flag. He helped make the time go by. When I hit the 12 mile mark I decided to run all the way to the finish line!

This was not my best or worst half marathon time. I will be back again next year and hopefully be better trained!