8 things I never expected would happen in the first week of my vegan experiment

I expected to read a lot of nutrition labels, but I didn’t anticipate the guilt, explanations and planning it would take to go vegan.

A little background: I have taken on a personal challenge to go vegan for 50 days. My goal is to train for a marathon, run a marathon, recover from the race and compare how I feel during it all to how I have felt for all the marathons I’ve run as a meat-eating, dairy-loving machine. I am not in this to preach about the right or wrong way, but rather to see how I feel and try to make choices moving forward that make me feel and perform at my best.

I’ve officially been vegan for a week now. While I expected to learn a lot about new kinds of beans, read nutrition labels and stock my fridge full of vegetables, there were a few things I never thought about:

1. Feeling guilty. Asking for a no-meat alternative is not such a big deal. But asking if the food was prepared with butter? Eggs? Milk? Try doing it at a friend’s house. Luckily, my friends are amazing and wonderful and totally in support of my diet experiment, but it didn’t stop me from feeling guilty. At a restaurant, you’re paying for food and for service. But when a friend invites you over for dinner? It doesn’t feel so great to say: “Yes, I’d love to come. But I am going to need to bring my own food or ask you to jump through about 80 hoops.” Or when my friend so kindly brought me coffee with milk in it. There was no way around refusing the gesture.

2. Everything has eggs or egg whites. EVERYTHING. I went to the frozen food section and to the what I’ll lovingly call the “fake meat section” to try to find some non-meat foods. There are tons! For vegetarians that is. So many of those foods have eggs or egg whites in them. Womp. When you’re looking specifically for vegan products, you’ll find one for every 20 vegetarian products. Non-dairy doesn’t mean vegan. Vegetarian doesn’t mean vegan. Lactose-free doesn’t mean vegan. These things actually mean contain eggs in some form: dried, powdered, partial egg or egg whites, lysozyme, mayonnaise, meringue, ovalbumin and surimi. I found two items to add to my basket.

3. Mindless snacking while vegan is not a thing — unless you stock up on treats meant especially for vegan mindless snacking. All of my office snacking problems have — POOF — disappeared. Everything in this office has some kind of animal product in it, be it butter or eggs. Donuts, chips, baked goods, anything anyone makes at home to bring in — NOPE. You have to actively search to make sure an item is vegan. “Is there meat in this?” is a much easier question to ask people than “Is there anything that was at any point touching an animal in this ever?” You’d be surprised at how many people think things are vegan that aren’t. No meat, no milk, but what about gelatin, whey, lactic acid, casein or albumin? Veto. Also, because I’ve spent so much time reading nutrition labels, I am not binge eating snacks once I see they are vegan. After reading and seeing how much crap is in those chips, I am finding myself more inclined to eat a handful of them versus the whole bag.

4. Dreaming about accidentally eating an entire non-vegan pizza. Every night since I’ve gone vegan I’ve had a dream where I’ve eaten something that sabotages my vegan plans. A whole pizza? A burger? I am always eating it, lots of it, then I suddenly remember I am trying to be vegan. I’ve woken up in many induced panics. I am very excited for this to stop.

5. Alcohol. Most wines and beers aren’t vegan. They are filtered through fish bladders or other kinds of animal products. So there is that. By the way, does anyone have a vegan wine they recommend? It’s an emergency.

6. Cooking. It’s not optional, I absolutely have had to learn to cook. Otherwise, I would starve to death. Vegan stuff just isn’t laying around like non-vegan stuff is. I have to be prepared. Also, to be vegan, I think you HAVE to have a working can opener. The whole cooking thing has been a major blessing. I’ve also learned that there are a TON of awesome foods out there that I never bothered to check out.

 7. Everyone wants to tell you why they are not vegan. I fell like I am masquerading as a vegan, in all honesty, because, as of now, there is an end date to my veganness. But still, even though I am not out preaching the benefits of veganism (which I haven’t even decided for myself yet) people want to debate about it. A lot of people feel the need to tell me why they aren’t vegan and why I shouldn’t be either.

8. Vegans and vegan companies are an awesome community. Even if you’re not vegan, there are a lot of vegans out there who are just waiting for the chance to share recipes and healthy-eating advice. When I post a question for vegans, it’s like an alarm goes off and they all come to my rescue.

So one week in, how am I feeling? Like I want to eat a massive bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. (Shooting for transparency here).

7 laws you might be (unknowingly) breaking on your run

My running partner and I were mid-chat during our long run when we were stopped by a police officer. Our offense? Crossing the street when the light was red. Thankfully, he let us off with a warning, but it got me thinking — what else am I doing that’s illegal? Everything varies by state and city, but here are some interesting laws you might be breaking (unknowingly) on your run:

Jaywalking: This is defined differently depending on the state, but in general, jaywalking laws require that pedestrians obey traffic control signals unless otherwise instructed by law enforcement. FindLaw explains that beginning to cross the street at an intersection with a “Don’t Walk” sign flashing would violate jaywalking laws. Many states require that pedestrians cross only at crosswalks, which can be designated by white lines or can be unmarked. An unmarked crosswalk is simply an area around 10 to 15 feet wide between two adjacent street corners. Some state and local laws allow pedestrians to cross certain streets outside of a crosswalk but require pedestrians to yield to any vehicles when doing so. Generally, pedestrian traffic rules require that pedestrians yield to motorists any time they are outside of a crosswalk. Many local jaywalking laws forbid crossing an intersection diagonally, unless traffic signals specifically allow diagonal crossing. Many jaywalking laws forbid walking in the street when a sidewalk is available. Disregarding signs or barricades put up to guide pedestrians also constitutes jaywalking.

Tossing your empty Gu packet or water bottle in someone’s trashcan (or on the ground): Again, this law varies by city, but in many cases you can’t throw out your trash in someone else’s bin. According to Seattle 911, a police and crime blog, “No person shall throw, discard, or deposit litter on any street, sidewalk, or other public property within the City, on any private property within the City and not owned by the person, or in or upon any body of water within the jurisdiction of the City, whether from a vehicle or otherwise.”

Public urination: Urinating in public is illegal in every state. According to CriminalDefenseLawyer.com, violations of local ordinances are generally punishable by fines, community service or both. Local governments set the amounts of the fines. A typical fine might be from $50 to $500, depending on the circumstances.

Spitting: Think twice before hocking that loogie. According to the Massachusessets Legislature website, “Whoever expectorates or spits upon any public sidewalk, or upon any place used exclusively or principally by pedestrians, or, except in receptacles provided for the purpose, in or upon any part of any city … shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty dollars.”

Running on the wrong side of the road: According to Alaska law, “where a sidewalk is not available, a pedestrian walking upon a highway shall walk on a shoulder as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway. Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, a pedestrian walking on a highway shall walk as near as practicable to the outside edge of the highway and, if walking along a two-way roadway, shall walk only on the left side of the roadway. No pedestrian may walk on a controlled-access highway except in an emergency.” In Washington state, “Where sidewalks are not provided … move only on the left side of the roadway or its shoulder facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction and upon meeting an oncoming vehicle shall move clear of the roadway.”

Running in the street when there are sidewalks: In Washington, D.C., “Where sidewalks are provided, it shall be unlawful for any pedestrian to walk along and upon an adjacent roadway,” BeStreetSmart.net reports.

Running at night (if you’re younger than 18): In many cities, there are curfew laws in place to “prohibit or limit your right to be out in public at certain times and are intended to maintain a certain level of order and safety in public spaces,”FindLaw reports. Most curfew laws apply only to those under the age of 18, while other curfew laws are enacted temporarily in response to a natural disaster or civil disturbance.

High school friends lean on each other to fight blindness

Amanda Dale and Holly Blackburn play off each other like dance partners — just a little less gracefully. The 22-year-olds have been close friends since they were on their high school track team and kept things going at the University of Central Florida as roommates. Now, as recent graduates, the two have made a point to remain running buddies.

“I have a harder time in some races, though,” Amanda says. “ She falls a lot,” Holly interrupts with a laugh.

Amanda has achromatopsia — a genetic disorder that causes complete colorblindness, as well as extreme nearsightedness and photophobia. “Well, I can see — or at least guess some reds.” She then laughed as we played a game of what color is this. “What about your shirt?” I asked. Amanda looked down. “It’s orange, but I only know because Holly told me.” The two walk along in their dance, laughing and taking on challenges as Holly acts as a backboard for Amanda’s easily over-excited efforts.

It’s not easy for Amanda to participate in races — she can’t follow paint markings or see cones well — but she competes anyway. Amanda wears dark red contact lenses that help her with the light and with vision overall. “Still, I can’t really see anything. But if there is a big crowd, I can just kind of follow along.” Back in high school, she recalls her coach yelling into a megaphone when she veered off course. When the duo take on less packed races, Holly’s job becomes more important. “I try to guide her by having her head for certain shapes — every once in a while I try to tell her to run toward a color, but then I catch myself.” The two fell into laughter. Amanda and Holly live an hour apart in Florida and sometimes have to train separately — a fact that Amanda is casually more comfortable with. “Yeah, it’s fine — I pretty much know my routes.” Holly’s eyes widened. “I still get nervous when I think of her running alone,” Holly says, interrupted by a look from Amanda. “What! You keep running into cars!”

As a child, Amanda always loved being active, but most sports like football, baseball and soccer caused a major problem. “I couldn’t play because of my lack of coordination,” she explained. Not only does Amanda deal with color issues, she is also extremely nearsighted, has trouble with sunlight and needs sharp contrast. Amanda’s twin sister also has the same problems. “When we were 2, our doctors told my parents that we were faking it.” It wasn’t until she was 8 years old that her optometrist put in the effort to get to the bottom of the issue. Over time, the kids in school made it obvious to Amanda that she was different, but she didn’t let that get in her way.

“Probably when I was 12 years old, I realized that I could not — and would not — let other people’s expectations, or lack thereof, define who I could be and what I could do,” Amanda says. “My uncle was as blind as me, and he created and sold his own company to become a millionaire.”

The two completed this weekend’s Berlin Marathon together as a part of the Endurance Leaders Foundation and are already daydreaming about their next race. As for triathlons? The two agree it’s never going to happen.

“I almost drowned once,” Amanda said. “We’re both pretty bad at swimming,” Holly smiled.

Stop tripping all over everything in the dark with these awesome shoe headlights

There is a path in Arlington, Va., and my running partner and I know every bump and groove. We have to! Otherwise, on those 5:30 a.m. runs, we’d fall flat on our faces. Runners know the importance of being seen. It’s promoted in winter clothing campaigns and by safety officials. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in making sure cyclists and cars can see us, we forget how important it is for us to see where we are going. I never loved running with a headlamp, and the clip-on lights didn’t illuminate the ground enough for me to avoid cracks or worse — roadkill.

But don’t worry fellow in-the-dark runners! I’ve found us a solution! Meet Night Runner 270°.

These lights clip directly onto your laces and give you 270 degrees of visibility in front of the runner and around you. Bonus! There are two red tail lights facing behind for traffic visibility.

“Night Runner 270 was developed by athletes for athletes to safely light the way for runners, walkers, hikers, and cyclists from dusk ’til dawn without the hassles of headbands, belts, or straps,” the company says.

Here’s the important information: The lights are rechargeable, waterproof, do a great job lighting up everything around them and don’t shine up in your face.

The idea caught on quickly. More than 500 backers from 28 countries raised $43,000 in a spring Kickstarter campaign.

At first, I had an issue with one of these lights falling off my shoe. The problem was that I was clipping them on too far down my shoe. “The units have to be up high, on the first or second row of laces next to the knot. Put the units on first and then tie the shoe. The bottom of the clip must be completely under the laces. If the end of the clip is too low, the movement of the toe box pushes the units up,” a spokesperson explained.

So I adjusted, and they are snug, bright and weigh almost nothing. I forgot they were on my feet — kind of. After all, I could actually see!

My body, my run, my safety — so stop telling me to shut up about it

You’d never believe the hate mail I received when I wrote a story about catcalling for USA TODAY last August. Facebook comments called my thoughts “Overly sensitive PC garbage,” “insecure” and “brainless.” One asked, “Can idiots in this country be any more sensitive? Generation of wusses, looking for something to be upset about!”

One woman even wrote: “I’m past the age where I receive cat calls or ‘wolf whistles’ anymore, but when I was younger I just used to chuckle, whenever I did. They were always harmless. Just wait until they stop, DiBlasio.”

I got these handy tips: “She is over reacting if she is so scared she should never run alone. & she should carry pepper spray. Change her running route so no one knows her routine. She will feel safe stop warring tight running suits. Baggy sweats are in order.” I didn’t feel the need to edit this person’s typos. Let’s just let the eloquence speak for itself. 

OK, I could go on and on — but just this one last one: “Hey toots, you should be thanking the Men for doing it, if you’re not worthy they wouldn’t waste their time. Quit crying!” Love the capitalization of the word men. LOVE IT.

Sometimes I feel like I am beating a dead horse in a room full of people who mostly agree, but at the risk of sounding, well — redundant, I am going to say it again: Women shouldn’t be afraid to run alone. And when I say run, I mean, walk, stand, sit — exist.

I’d love to have the world come together. We’d have a fabulous picnic, promise to be nice and respectful to each other going forward and then everyone would get to bring home a fluffy puppy who would live forever. But if the comments on my story, where I, at 24, decided to publish my personal account of being followed, are any indication — it’s not going to happen. I am finished with my pleas for everyone to come together to make the world a better place — maybe that Natalie will be back next week. Being called “sugartitts” in response to my request for basic respect tells me I need to take matters into my own hands.

Female runners take all kinds of precautions to protect themselves. Andrea Higgins told us about how she runs with a gun. Women run in groups, take self-defense classes, carry pepper spray. I am nervous to run with a gun, and I know I’d accidentally spray myself with pepper spray. I am perusing for self-defense classes. But the reality is, I rarely run alone now. I hope that changes. So this is me, the Natalie looking to take care of herself in a world of too many people who use words like sugar tits and can’t even spell them.

Recently I’ve come across two companies making innovative products for women who aren’t into running with a gun, taser or pepper spray. Meet: Tiger Lady and Go Guarded.

Both companies are creating hand-held devices with a claw-like mechanism.

The remarkable thing about Tiger Lady? It has been founded, developed and sold by four generations of men.

“Most attacks against women are made with no weapon. We want that entitlement stomped out. It’s not OK, and it never was,” said Josh Levine, the youngest of the Tiger Lady men. In sitting with Josh, I’d never met a man more dedicated to keeping female runners safe. I bet his butt cheeks haven’t ever been grabbed as he turned a corner on a run. Never been flashed by a random guy’s penis under a streetlight either? Lucky duck.

 Then there is Jodi Fisher, the amazing women behind Go Guarded.

“I’ve only been running for a year and I have a background in criminal justice,” Fisher said. “I’ve always been conscious of my personal safety. When you’re running you’ve got your tank tops and your little shorts and you’re vulnerable. I took a wrong turn and ended up in the middle of some park as the sun was going down. It was not good. You don’t have a lot of options. You need your hands to have a good form.”

With Go Guarded, the runner wears a heavy plastic, glass-infused ring with a point. The point has serrated edges on the sides and a sharp tip. The covering has no rigidity to it — it just folds out of the way when you go to use it. You put it on your finger, and you’re ready to go.

“God forbid you need it,” Fisher says. “Women are attacked from behind and they’re going to naturally fight someone off with your hands. With this, you have a claw on your finger that will shock an attacker and give you the three seconds you need to bolt away.”

To Fisher and the Levine family, thank you for spending your time and energy looking for alternative ways for women to run wherever they want and whenever they want. Until it looks like the sugartit-callers and the you-were-asking-for-it brainiacs are finished whatever it is they are doing, I am going to be on the lookout for anything I can find to help women feel and be safer.

Ooh.. and I guess we can close out with this one, perhaps the most constructive of the comments: “don’t reproduce please!”

Why the Marc Pro is my go-to marathon recovery tool

Everything hurts. A lot. All the time. And I know it has to do with my constant marathon running — I just can’t say no to a 26.2! — but I am sore all the time nonetheless. That’s why I am in love with the Marc Pro. I was cautious at first. Hooking up electrodes to my sore muscles? And have you seen them jump? Admittedly, it looks a little creepy. But it’s so worth it.

Let me explain the way the Marc Pro team explained to me:

We all know active recovery is great for us. An easy bike ride, a walk, a swim. It loosens you up, gets the blood flowing — all that good stuff. But a ton of active recovery just becomes, well, exercise. That’s where the Marc Pro comes in. This little machine gets your muscles activated to help push out waste without taxing them like exercise does.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What happens when you’ve completed your AR, but you’re not fully recovered?” Marc Pro explains. “You’d like to recover more, but any more AR will start stressing your body and cause further fatigue. You have to stop and be happy with the amount of AR you got.”

I’ve now used the Marc Pro after three marathons and two shorter races and the difference 48 hours later is very noticeable. My legs just feel better and I am able to resume regular exercise more quickly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While it looks a bit complicated, the Marc Pro is really easy to use. First, you take the self-adhesive electrodes and hook them up to the desired muscles — don’t worry too much about that part. Marc Pro lays out a ton of frequently used positions in it’s handbook and if you’re not on the exact right spot, the device still works just fine. Next, make sure you’re sitting or lying in a relaxed position so your legs can contract with nothing blocking them. Then you dial up the intensity on each electrode to whatever you feel is comfortable. It’s easy, looks and feels a little weird, and works wonders. The first time I used it, I couldn’t believe how much my leg was contracting without my brain telling it to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marc Pro says a short 10-20 minute session before activity can be a great warm-up. But I prefer it for recovery. I use it the same day as an intense workout for 30-60 minutes. There is a timer on the device so you can just pop it on while you watch your favorite show. Marc Pro says: “For improved conditioning and performance, and to proactively address issues, use Marc Pro on the target muscles at least three times per week for at least 30 minutes per session.” I use it whenever I can remember — basically any time I am noticeably sore.

I better get Marc Pro-ing! I’ve got to recover from this marathon in time for the next! What do you use for recovery?

Featured image credit: https://instagram.com/themarcpro/

Nike Women series cuts D.C. half marathon, adds Toronto 15K

The long-awaited announcement from Nike Women has finally come – and some U.S. runners aren’t thrilled. Toronto will be the race replacement for the D.C. race, leaving San Francisco as the only U.S. race in the 2015 Nike Women’s series.

Nike, which announced the highly popular Run Nike Women Series will not be “running the streets of DC” again in 2015 in the fall, has released it’s list of upcoming races. 20 races on 5 continents – two in North America, only one in the U.S.

The races distances range from 10K to 15K to Half Marathon, according to the Nike website.

“The Nike Women’s Race Series will have two stops in North America in 2015. The first event will be in Toronto, followed by San Francisco. Other Nike races can be found at: nike.com/women/events. Thanks!” Nike posted on it’s Run Nike Women’s Facebook page in response to questions of whether or not a U.S. replacement was yet to be announced.

Random draw for Toronto opens on March 9.

Runners have been waiting for the announcement about where the D.C. race would be moving since September. Daily, hopeful runners took to the Nike Women’s facebook page to ask for details. For months, Nike steadily responded to the inquiries with a “The Nike Women’s Half Marathon will not take place in Washington, DC in April 2015 … We will be moving to a new destination in order to bring the race experience to even more runners. Details to come, so stay tuned right here to our Facebook page. Thanks!”

Now the announcement has come. While U.S. runners may be disappointed about the nation’s sole race, runners across the world will have a chance to hit the streets with the Nike Women’s Series.

“The Nike Women’s Race Series will be the world’s largest race series designed for women. The races motivate runners of all levels to push their limits by offering a variety of distances,” Nike said in a release. “In addition to uniting a global community of female runners, every race offers something different, including exciting new courses; runner services; and access to elite athletes, music and local cultural connections. Amongst the details designed specifically for women, runners completing each race will earn a custom finisher necklace distinctive to their city.”

The race is well known for giving out signature Tiffany & Co. necklaces rather than typical race medals. Nike has not confirmed the brand of the finisher’s necklace.

Here is the complete list of the Nike race series – details (including date, distance and lottery opening) for many of which have yet to be released. Asterisks indicate that the city is holding a Nike Women’s race for the first time.

2015 NIKE WOMEN’S RACE SERIES CITIES:

Amsterdam
Berlin
Guangzhou*
Hong Kong*
Istanbul*
Lima*
London
Medellín*
Manila*
Mexico City*
Milan
Moscow*
Nagoya
Paris
Quito
San Francisco
Seoul
Stockholm*
Taipei
Toronto*

The race series has put on races since 2004. For the past 10 years Nike has offered a marathon in San Francisco and switched to a half marathon in the city in 2014. For the past two springs, Nike Women’s has hosted a half marathon in Washington, D.C.

Last year, more than 15,000 women – including Joan Benoit Samuelson and Shalane Flanagan – ran the second Nike Women’s Half Marathon.

Rita Jeptoo (Boston Marathon winner) reportedly tests positive for doping

RunBlogRun has reported in an exclusive story that at the end of September 2014, Rita Jeptoo tested positive for doping in an out of competition urine sample testing conducted in Kenya.

Since the news broke, the World Marathon Majors series has postponed it’s Sunday awards ceremony. The series has a rule that no athlete can win the World Marathon Majors Series title who has been in breach of IAAF anti-doping rules. WWM also says any athlete found guilty of a doping offense will not be invited back to its races.

“World Marathon Majors is disappointed to learn that Rita Jeptoo has apparently had an A test that proved positive for a banned substance under IAAF rules,” the organization posted on its website.

Boston Athletic Association executive director Thomas Grilk said Jeptoo passed her drug tests for year’s Boston Marathon where she won and set a course record with her time of 2:18:57.

“Top finishers at Boston are tested through the procedures established by and are conducted under the auspices of the IAAF. The athlete was tested at Boston, and the IAAF informed us that all tests from this year’s Boston Marathon were negative,” Grilk told the Boston Globe..

“We will await the issuance of an official statement from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) before further addressing the matter,” BAA said in a statement.

Nick Bitel General Counsel of WMM said on the organizations website” “WMM has always held a stern line on drugs cheats and has been proactively supporting the sports governing bodies to ensure the integrity of the athletes competing in their races. Cheats need to understand that they are not welcome in our sport and that they will be caught.”

Product review: Clif Shot Bloks (but with a salty catch)

After a pretty hard crash in my first marathon I became painfully aware that I was going to need more electrolytes while I was running. For my running partner and I that meant Gatorade, Gatorade and more Gatorade and also Clif Shot Bloks – margarita style. They’re just like regular Shot Bloks but with three times the sodium – a godsend for long runs in the summer.

Folks, these are a lifesaver. I only wish that Clif made Shot Bloks with extra salt in more than the margarita flavor. They’re delicious, but after four months of training with them, I’m ready to switch it up. Clif Shot Bloks of all flavors come in a sleeve of six 33-calorie chews. One serving is three of the blocks and the sleeves are simple enough to cut in half and keep in a back pocket or rip open while you’re running and just eat half at a time. They aren’t sticky, they are super easy to chew and except for when you’re at mile 22 of a marathon – they are delicious.

For those new to mid-run fueling, Shot Bloks are used like GU or any other on-the-run carbohydrate replenisher. They are meant to keep you going even after your body has used up all it’s fuel from before you hit the road on your run.

If you’re looking for regular bloks – which I also recommend, you can find a variety pack here.

So here is a look inside the margarita bloks:

Not looking for sodium but need a little jolt? Here is our other go-to flavor. Black Cherry (John’s favorite) comes with added Caffeine to give you a boost. You need to make sure your body handles caffeine well on the run – but if it does, these work wonders. Clif makes Shot Bloks in two caffeine levels, 25 and 50 mg per serving.

Check out the other flavors too: Citrus, Cran-Razz, Mountain Berry (deliciousssss), Orange, Strawberry and Tropical Punch

UPDATE: Nike says rumors about Instagram post untrue. No race confirmation for NYC!

UPDATE: Nike has announced that this Instagram post is NOT about their spring marathon. 

It seemed like a message on the Nike Women’s Instagram was a clue for runners about the upcoming marathon location – but it turns out, no go.

Nike posted a picture of a Tiffany box and running shoes on Instagram with the caption: “From the Golden Gate to the Empire State. SFO NYC #nikewomen but says this is not in relation to the highly anticipated announcement of the location of their spring race.

Instead, a spokeswoman says the trip is to NYC for the Nike Training Camp. Why the little blue box? “Tiffany boxes are always carry on ;)” I guess I wouldn’t have checked mine either!

Hopes and dreams are flying with where the location might be on Twitter and Facebook

“The nation’s capital was a great place to host the Nike Women’s Half Marathon but as we look to continue to provide a premium race experience and serve all runners, we will extend to a new city in 2015,” organizers wrote on the Run Nike Women Series Facebook page.

The race series has put on races since 2004. For the past 10 years Nike has offered a marathon in San Francisco and switched to a half marathon in the city this year. For the past two springs, Nike Women’s has hosted a half marathon in Washington, D.C. The race is well known for giving out signature Tiffany & Co. necklaces rather than typical race medals.

Last year, more than 15,000 women – including Joan Benoit Samuelson and Shalane Flanagan – ran the second Nike Women’s Half Marathon and last weekend 25,000 women ran in the 11th annual Nike Women’s Half Marathon in San Francisco.