Explore the adventure of foraging golden oyster mushrooms and dryad’s saddle while running along the Iowa River. Learn how to identify and harvest these fungi, discover their environmental benefits, and enjoy a mouthwatering vegetarian dryad’s saddle jerky recipe!
Category: Running
Pilot Mountain State Park’s Seasonal Faces: A Visual Run-Through (& Hike-Through)
Every single time in my life I have opted to go on a run or hike, the experience brightened my day, made me feel accomplished, enlightened me, or brought something good to my day in one way or another. While I am continuously forced to confront the tragic reality that I can’t spend every waking…
The Lifeline of a Personalized Shoe Fitting: The Value of Choosing a Shoe for its Function
Each of us has only one body. These bodies are capable of insane feats. There is no lack of extreme survival stories where people triumph despite severe cold, long periods of starvation, or illnesses or injuries that easily could’ve resulted in death. Aron Ralston, a climber from Colorado, amputated his own arm with a cheap…
A ‘Shoe Guru’ Perspective on Zero-Drop Running
In a sport like running, there is one tool that is by far the most important – a good pair of running shoes. Or a lack thereof, depending on who you are. While most people utilize the protective benefit of a good pair of running shoes, there are many factors to consider when thinking about…
Getting Out of Your Own Way: Racing Towards Actualization
Running can be a battle, and racing is even more of a battle. While immediate goals sometimes overshadow the purpose and utility of running as a sport in your life, it is important to take a step back from your day-to-day training plan and your immediate feelings in order to reassess what running is doing…
Trail Running > Video Games
When I was running on the dirt trails lining the cliffsides of Lake Michigan a few days ago, I realized that running could be fulfilling for another demographic – gamers! As I detoured from the concrete bike path to the winding, root-covered footpaths, I immediately felt a change in my mind and my body. My…
Cat-Calling Isn’t Cool: One Way Toxic Masculinity Negatively Affects Us All
Running is an oasis for the mind. It’s a welcome escape when we face overwhelming emotional stress from work or feelings of monotony in our day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, not everyone gets equal access to this oasis, or feeling of “letting all your worries go.” Virtually all runners will experience some kind of unwelcome remarks from…
Music: The Healthiest Performance-Enhancing Drug
This will very likely not be my only post about music, one of the most powerful and healthy tools we have to frame our world in a more positive light! Running and listening to music are two separate activities that we are all familiar with as tools in our emotional wellness toolbox, so naturally,…