A magic trick for your mindset - Pumpkin Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Streusel and Maple Glaze
It is easy to see success and think it happened overnight. What we rarely see are the countless moments when quitting would have been easier, when progress felt invisible, and when the only option was to keep going.
Leo Tolstoy understood that perseverance is not just a trait, it is the very currency that buys achievement. The reward is not simply reaching the goal, but knowing you had the grit to get there.
The Warm Up
Pressure has a way of revealing the truth. It shows you what you actually believe about yourself, your preparation, and your limits. You can’t fake confidence when the clock starts or the race gun goes off, it’s either there or it’s not.
But here’s the good news: pressure can also sharpen you. It forces focus. It strips away the unnecessary. And if you’ve been putting in the work, it can bring out your very best. Pressure isn’t the enemy, it’s the mirror. Learn to look into it and see possibility instead of fear.
Show up! Put in the work! Regroup! Put in the work! Don't quit! Believe in yourself! Develop your skills! Process > outcome! Be okay with uncomfortable! Compete!
The Journey
I don’t run sales often, but this one’s worth it. The ABB Collection might look like your basic black tights, but they’re Anything But Basic. Made with premium Italian 4-way stretch fabric, they manage moisture, move with you, and perform in just about any setting, long runs, gym sessions, even yoga. Through 9/28, you can grab them for 30% off with code ABB30.
Meal Time
Most weeks, I only pass along recipes I’ve already road-tested in my own kitchen. This week? Guilty confession—it’s still sitting on my counter, waiting its turn. I just haven’t been able to pull the trigger. Why? Because everywhere I look it’s “pumpkin spice this” and “pumpkin spice that,” and meanwhile here in the South we’re still sweating through September with mornings that refuse to dip below 55. Feels a little early to be baking with pumpkin, doesn’t it?
But maybe where you are the air is crisp, the leaves are turning, and a warm slice of pumpkin cake is exactly what you’re craving. Or maybe you’re one of those people who keeps pumpkin in the pantry year-round (no judgment). Either way, if you try it before I do, let me know how it turns out—because it sounds pretty irresistible:
Cake
½ cup unsalted butter
1¼ cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin purée
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Brown Sugar Streusel
1½ cups brown sugar
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Maple Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp milk or cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Brown the butter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until golden and nutty. Let cool.
Mix the batter: Stir together cooled butter, brown sugar, yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin. Add flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
Make the streusel: Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Work in butter until crumbly.
Assemble: Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. Spread in half the batter, sprinkle with half the streusel, then repeat with the rest.
Bake: 375°F for 45–60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Glaze: Whisk sugar, maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Finish: Cool slightly, drizzle with glaze, slice, and enjoy warm or at room temp.
Maybe I’ll give it a shot this weekend regardless of the temps. Can’t cling too tightly to principle—especially in a house that’s already surrendered to two bags of candy corn.
This is What I Heard
Don’t let the slightly creepy photo throw you off—this guy does some really fun sleight-of-hand magic. So why am I sharing magic tricks in a newsletter about endurance sports?
When I was just entering my teen years, I had the chance to travel from my hometown to Atlanta to run the Peachtree Road Race. It was the mid-80s, and we stayed at the Marriott Marquis downtown. Between the hotel and Peachtree Center sat a tiny magic shop/kiosk. Every time we walked by, there’d be a magician pulling off a card trick or making a quarter appear from behind a kid’s ear. For me, it was mesmerizing. Add to that an uncle who was always shuffling cards and pulling off tricks, and I’ve had a soft spot for sleight of hand ever since.
This Instagram account doesn’t have a huge library of tricks, but the few that are there are worth a watch. Check it out: @mygoodfriendjordan
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