Hello there!
Well, my first sleep-in on a Saturday since June was just as good as I hoped it would be! I got home last night around 11pm and my head promptly hit the pillow until 8:30am this morning. I was actually wide awake around 8ish, but I just stayed under the comfy sheets for a while and read some Eat Pray Love– something I haven’t had time for all week. It was wonderful. I am almost finished the book. Has anyone read the second book Committed and is it any good?
What else does a gal do on a lovely Saturday morning? She eats a cookie of course! ;)

I enjoyed a Pumpkin Pie Banana Chunk Oatmeal Cookie for a little pre-run fuel. Love, love, love these. They are very muffin like and so tasty.
I also downed a couple cuppas of Japanese Sencha Green Tea!

While I love this mug from Urban Outfitters, I really think it should say ‘My CUPPA tea’ ;) Or maybe that is just the Irish influence I have from Eric’s family!
Then I hit the road for my long run of the week. I decided to get my long run out of the way so I had the whole weekend free and open. The weather was also PERFECT for running- just 15C and sunny! I had shivers until mile 1.5, but I loved it. Even by the end of the run, I was barely sweating. A nice change from the humidity!
Long Run:
- Distance: 9.01 miles
- Time: 1 hour 20 minutes 10 secs.
- Avg pace: 8:53 min/mile
- Avg heart rate: 151 bpm
- Max heart rate: 171 bpm (sprinting at end)

At mile 6 and mile 7 I had a medjool date for fuel. I think medjool dates are my favourite thing to bring with me on long runs as they pack SO many carbs into a tiny portion. I noticed my energy pick up almost immediately and they taste so good. I still plan on trying coconut water soon too and I will do a comparison and tell you what I think.
I also ran the last 4 miles without music and it was really nice for a change! I just listened to my breathing and the sounds of nature around me. It was almost like meditation in a strange way.
Racing Updates:
I am eying the Oakville Half Marathon on Labour Day, which is exactly 1 month away and allows me to get up to a practice long run of 12 miles and then taper the last week. I really want to set a new half PR as I think my speed has improved since May. I also want to run my first 5k!
As for doing another try-a-tri with Eric, we have decided to post-pone another one this summer because we have had no time to train properly for it. The rest of our weekends are booked up for the rest of the summer, so we decided it won’t be in the cards for us. We will continue to train ‘for fun’ here and there though. Eric is really enjoying the biking, swimming, and occasional running and he said he wants to keep at it. :) I will do whatever makes him happy!
I came home a hungry monster and devoured this amazing new twist on Vegan Overnight Oats that I whipped up before I left for my run. You gotta try this one, I am in love with it!
Pumpkin Pie Vegan Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- 1/3-1/2 cup oats
- 1.5 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8th tsp nutmeg, 1/8th tsp ginger)
- 3/4 cup Almond Milk
- 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
- Walnuts (topping)
- 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (topping)
- Raisins (topping)
Directions: Mix the oats, chia seeds, and spices in a small bowl. Now add the Almond milk and maple syrup and whisk until mixed. Add in the pumpkin and whisk again until fully incorporated. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight. Top with raisins, walnuts, and maple syrup and enjoy your creamy pumpkin pie oats!
Look how creamy they are!

I topped the Pumpkin Pie with walnuts, raisins, coconut, and pure maple syrup!

I LOVED these! Tasted like a creamy pumpkin pie!

I can definitely see myself making these frequently during the fall season. :)
I also had a huge Yellow Delicious apple on the side as the hunger monsta was still growling from the run.

And now for the winner of the Operation Beautiful book…
Congrats to Whitney!
“My happy weight is no weight at all. It is me feeling confident, fit and alive. It is me taking control of my confidence, not needing to get it from anywhere else. I think this is very true: No one thinks about you or worries as much as YOU DO. I am happy to be going strongly towards my happy weight and happy place in general.
Thank you for your post. I would love the book.
Thank you to everyone who entered the contest and left such beautiful comments. Whitney please email me (angela [at] ohsheglows.com] with your mailing address.
We have no idea what we are up to today…and I LOVE that! Enjoy your day and I will see you tonight. :)
Mmmm I was just thinking about pumpkin flavors… I can’t wait until Fall!
Yay for sleeping in! That feels so wonderful now and then ;)
I have also read the second book and personally, though it’s ‘good’, it doesn’t hold a candle to the first….
*Craves pumpkin pie*
Seriously, pumpkin pie/muffins/bread is one of the reasons that fall is my favorite season. Bring on the cool temps :)
Hi! I have followed your blog for a while now. I love your recipies and postive attitude towards health. I have a beauty blog that I was hoping you could take a look at and hopefully would follow me as well. I am just starting to do contests and have one up today. http://lovelo.wordpress.com/wp-admin/
Hope you don’t mind me posting a link.
Love,
Lauren
I know it doesn’t have to be fall to enjoy pumpkin but that’s when i prefer to eat it. I can’t wait to dig into my HUGE stack of pumpkin recipes! Those cookies and oats look delicious though! =D
Oh those oats look delicious!
And I love that you used an orange spoon to eat your pumpkin pie oats ;)
Have a great day, just go with the flow and do what you want. Those are my perfect kind of days!
this made me REALLY excited about fall and all the canned pumpkin to be had!
mm, that oatmeal looks good!
All of this pumpkin is making me excited for fall! Well, we don’t get fall in San Diego :( so I will have to compensate with lots of fall food. I don’t mind at all! :) MMMm, persimmons!
Oh my goodness girl, you are amazing. I don’t know HOW you can do those runs… I would literally die. I’m definitely not a runner. Did it take you a while to work up to that, or did it just come naturally?
It did not come naturally AT ALL (long distance anyways) I used to do sprinting distance only in school for a bit on track team. It was hard work, but I love it. See my running story on my races page ‘from 1 min to 10 miles’
This post makes me realize even more how much I cannote wait for Fall. Last Thanksgiving we gave your Vegan Pumpkin Pie a try and LOVED it!! :)
Oh man I cannot wait to get my hands on some pumpkin. I have been eating VOO just about every morning and I love them (and so does my BF)! Pumpkin in VOO… now that sounds amazing. I’m glad you had a good run! I’m looking forward to one this evening :)
Angela,
I have a quick question. I noticed you use chia seeds in oats a lot, I just picked up some chia seeds the other day and was wondering if you have any other creative uses for them?
Thanks,
Erika
I gotta get my hands on that book! I’m all for female empowerment :D
So excited ! Thank you so much :)
I have read Committed, and while it was really good, it was not as meaningful or quoatable to me at Eat, Pray, Love. It just has a different tone and style to it. While I can pick up Eat, Pray, Love about once a year, read it, and get something new out of it each time, I just borrowed Committed from the Library, and am content to have read it once. It is a good book–just different.
You will love the coconut water! They can be pricey, but you can find good deals on amazon.com if you order in bulk. You may want to try a few different brands and flavors first, because everybody has their own preference. I find that all of the electrolytes in coconut water really helps when is it “that time of the month,” with bloating and cravings.
Yea for a Saturday off, eh! Enjoy! Bet there will be a lovely sunset tonight!
I just wanted to go back to Friday’s post on “happy weight,” and thank everyone who contributed such upifting comments – I’ve been reading through them, and I so appreciate the sharing that went on…it’s really powerful. So, thank you, each of you! :)
Oh my, just seeing those pumpkin oats made me giddy with excitement for fall! Yay for the fact that fall will be here soon!
Hi! I just found your blog and love it! Am so excited to find another great blog to read. Your oats look awesome and I can’t wait to try them!
I read “Committed” after loving “Eat, Pray Love” and I had a similar reaction to some of the other comments – much more research based about marriage/commitment, and I felt like I didn’t connect to it as much.
I also love your suggestion to eat dates on long runs – I am training for a marathon and am just starting to get into my longest runs yet and trying to figure out what to eat and drink on runs. Do you run with water?
I use a 1.5 litre camelbak! :) Its AWESOME!
All your “Eat, Pray, Love” posts have made me want to watch the movie! I read the book last year, during a tough time and it not only helped me through that but it has also given me the travel bug. Besides, I love Julia Roberts and she seems like the perfect person for the role!