There Were Nazis In These Hills! (A Los Angeles Hike Adventure)

My friend Jeff and I took Maude for her first hike the other day, and it wore her out. It wore Jeff and me out, too! It was the most challenging hike I’ve done, and to a very memorable destination: We hiked to an old Nazi compound, right here in Los Angeles!

Jeff and I have been talking for months about hiking to Murphy Ranch, in Rustic Canyon, above the Pacific Palisades. Murphy Ranch is where, in the ’30s, a couple of Nazi sympathizers built a compound, possibly under the influence of

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A Very, Very, Very Long Walk Around Redondo Beach

First things first: I totally have to brag about a friend. CNN ran a great story on Friday about stair racing, and it stars my friend Lisa. The video is simply stunning. Beautifully shot, a wonderful message, totally inspiring. Read the article and watch the video here.

That’s Lisa and I before the San Francisco Fight For Air Climb last month.

I’ve made so many incredible friends through stair climbing – supportive, motivating folks that I’ve learned from and grown with – and Lisa is one of them. It’s exciting to see her recognized in such a major way. Keep it up, Lisa!

Moving on… I met up with a couple friends over

Gussy Up Your Brown Rice With Three Simple Ingredients! PLUS: Another Use For Bacon Jam!

My last post featured my recipe for Stuffed Peppers, and when I made them, I paired them with an easy side dish that was perfect for spring: Lemon & Carrot Brown Rice. All you need is three extra ingredients to turn your brown rice from boring to spectacular!

I Stuffed a Whole Lotta Peppers, and You Should Too!

Here’s an easy, healthy meal idea: Stuffed Peppers. You can stuff a pepper with all sorts of stuff, but I stuffed them with this stuff: more veggies, some lentils, and a few other ingredients. This version happens to be vegan, gluten-free, low-carb, but most of all, delicious.

This recipe calls for 10 bell peppers, which was how many I could fit in my dutch oven. Feel free to halve the recipe, or, I don’t know, double it, if your dutch oven is ginormous.

The Most Painful Race of my Stair Climbing Career (Los Angeles Fight For Air Climb Race Recap)

This weekend’s Fight For Air Climb in Los Angeles, benefiting the American Lung Association, was the single toughest stair race I’ve ever done. For the first time in my 34-race career, I questioned whether or not I could finish. It was challenging, yes, but also excruciatingly painful and downright frightening.

The morning began wonderfully. I arrived at the event when plenty of time to prepare, warm-up, and stretch. Even though the 63-story Aon Center in downtown Los Angeles is a tall, monolithic structure, I feel quite comfortable racing there. And I should: this was my fifth consecutive year doing this race.

The building and race has a special place in my memory, because

My Current Favorite Workout Songs – April 2016 Edition

Gosh, I haven’t done one of these posts in a while! Music is an important part of my exercise program. I listen to it as often as I can. I tend to get in little ruts, too, where I find something new, listen to it again and again until I get sick of it, and then move on to something new. Am I the only one that does that?

Time to share some of the songs that I love right now (and will be sick of in a few months).

My PR Streak Continues! (San Diego Fight For Air Climb Race Recap)

No point in burying the lead: I set a personal record at the Fight For Air Climb in San Diego! Here I am, seconds after the race ended. On the outside, it looks like I’m exhausted and hurting…and I am. But believe me: my insides were bubbling with joy, excitement, and pride.

I’m especially happy with the results because I wasn’t sure if I could pull off a PR at this race, for a couple reasons. The first is that

I’m Racing This Weekend Whether I’m Ready Or Not…

…And I’m as ready as I’m going to get!

It’s been a tough couple of weeks, ever since I stopped exercising to let my knee get better. But last night I attended the final stairwell training session in the Aon Center, and I feel pretty good. And exhausted.

I was skeptical about what I’d be able to do in the stairwell without aggravating my knee, but

Bacon Jam is a Real Thing and It Is Delicious!

I was wandering an unfamiliar Trader Joe’s looking for the dog treats (for my main girl Maude) when I came across a positively bewitching product: BACON JAM! Is this a real thing?! It sure is!

It took me all of 10 seconds to decide to purchase it. That’s roughly the amount of time needed for me to

April Weigh-In Results and Workout Progress Report

Seems like punishment to weigh myself on a day known for pranks and practical jokes, but I established my own weigh-in calendar, and weighing myself on the first of every month, including April 1st, is part of the deal. And this is no joke: I’m up two pounds.

I’ve been pretty good lately about not getting bummed at weight gains. I have a lot to be proud of, and I’ve accomplished so much, but this one stung a little bit, if only because