{Baltimore Bred} Top Vendors to Check Out at the Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar

This weekend is exciting because it looks like snow is no longer in the forecast for Baltimore (YAY!) and it's the first Sunday of the season for the Baltimore Farmers' Market & Bazaar underneath I-83 (Jones Falls Expressway). It's also the perfect event to highlight in Charm City!

The market runs every Sunday from 7 AM -noon from April 8th through December 23,2018 (more information on the Facebook page). This is one of the biggest farmers' markets in the city with everything from local produce, fresh eats, and artisan goods. It's something I love going to after a run to grab a bite to eat or spend the morning shopping and eating with my boyfriend especially in the summer months. 

Lots of amazing local products and food vendors are sold there which makes it sometimes more fun for me to just grab breakfast and browse the market leisurely. I'm going to share with you my top vendors and goods to check out at the farmers' market this year. 

1. Farm to Face falafel wraps

This list is not in order, but if it was this would still take the top spot. These stand has the most delicious made-to-order falafel wraps with the option to have it with a lavash bread or collard greens wrap. 

Why Marathon Training is Difficult Post-Injury

Be sure to enter my giveaway for Smile Brilliant easy at-home teeth whitening, ends 4/6/2018! 

As of today the Boston Marathon is officially 2 weeks away. It is really exciting and still feels unreal to me. Unlike previous marathons including the 2016 Chicago Marathon, I have not been posting weekly recaps about my training or how things are going besides some post-run photos on Instagram (you can follow my hashtag #BreatheDeeplyandRunBoston for all of my Boston updates!). This is a huge race and something I have been dreaming about since I ran my first marathon in 2013. So why no weekly recaps and blog updates on my training? Honestly because I have been scared I'll be injured again. I won't be truly relieved until I am at the start line. 

To recap after my best marathon and big personal record and Boston qualifying time at the Chicago Marathon 2016, I was diagnosed with a a metatarsal stress fracture. You can read all my posts about my injury and being an injured runner here. I did the whole boot and physical therapy thing. I have dealt with real or psychosomatic soreness occasionally in my right foot ever since. My last injury update in July talked about how I was starting to feel like myself again as a runner. 

Phantom Pains 

From my research and knowledge of biology/anatomy, my brain could just be hypersensitive to any normal soreness in my foot. There could still be some nerve or tissue irritating surrounding the site, although the bone callus has formed, and the bone is fully re-modeled. I have also read anecdotes that some people still get soreness and tingling years after a stress fracture. 

I had to defer the 2016 Philadelphia Marathon to 2017 because of my injury. I followed a low-mileage Hal Higdon marathon training plan because the goal was just to run the race for fun as well as prove to myself that I can run the marathon distance again without getting injured. For 2 months before that marathon, while I still had good health insurance at the end of graduate school, I went to True Sports Physical Therapy to continue to work on mobility and posterior chain strength. I remember even race week I had my physical therapist push around on my foot because I swore I was having some pain again. Then I had fun at the marathon, finished in 3:43, took my recovery seriously, and continued running.