Month: April 2011

More gluten free baking

Hey

Before I head off to Italy I was due to  meet up with some friends, including my friend with coeliacs. When I saw the quinoa flour the other day, I decided it would be perfect to try out in place of regular flour in some baking.

I found a brownie recipe in the Great British Book of Baking (a Christmas present which I have not yet used), and the recipe only needed 50g flour. So I thought it would be a good place to start.

I left out the nuts in the end, as my pack of pistachios said they were packed on a line that also handled gluten. The recipe was a standard brownie recipe- melt chocolate and butter, add eggs, vanilla, sugar, then stir in cocoa powder, flour and nuts. I baked them for a little longer than the recipe said, as although I like them squidgy, they were really really gooey. But they turned out really well.  🙂 I was a little apprehensive, as on the packet of quinoa flour, it said that it was typically used in savoury recipes (and it did smell like the packet of quinoa) but actually the brownies are very sweet. I needn’t have worried- we all enjoyed them anyway!

Before I headed round there I had time for one more run. I was supposed to do 5 miles, but in the end the weather was so lovely and I was feeling great, so I ended up doing 6.8 miles (in 69 mins- my fastest ever I think!). I kept my Nike+ on pace, and kept an eye- on the flat, down hill and gentle uphills I was under 10 min miles. I was feeling so strong (perhaps the slice of fruit cake- Andy’s birthday cake- last night was the key?)- the weather was fab as the breeze was cold, so in my vest and capris I was cold so I had to run fast to warm up. On the steep uphills I was slower, which is why my pace overall was a shade over 10 min miles. But for me, sustaining that pace on a longer run is great going.

Once home I had some yummy pudding- (sorry it looks like a mess- I mash it all up the sides and did not want to waste a bowl on making it look presentable!)- mashed banana, 15g ground flaxseeds, tsp carob powder (literally, 5g or something), a tsp (15gish) pb, and left to set in the fridge. Yummy! I topped it with a pear, and alongside some alpro milk with nesquick it was filling enough to be lunch! So good.

So, I am off for a few days. No guest posts lined up or anything like that (I am not that organised- also have no idea of the logistics of that)- enjoy the next few days 🙂

Another awesome run

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a lovely day.

I had a 10 mile run to fit in today (around appointments, packing, jobs at home), and in the end headed out at about half 10. The weather was beautiful (more suncream on first)- sunny with a light breeze. I put my Nike+ on pace, as I knew the route I was doing was about 10 miles as it was a section of the 13 miles I did the other day. I kept an eye on it the whole time, and I managed to keep a steady warm up pace of about 10.05-10.09, except for the hills which I slowed down to around 10.45ish. I was worried I would feel tired, as after all our walking around London yesterday I felt shattered in the evening. But I was fine. Later on I upped the pace for a couple of miles at faster pace- these averaged at 9.54 which I was pretty pleased with.

I was just so happy to be out there. The route goes around the lakes, and then after a bit through some country lanes, and there were flowers out, bees out, birds singing, blue sky…. and I spent some time reflecting on how far I have come. When I started training for this, a 10 mile run was hard work, and left for a weekend long run. Now I can manage them after work, and it does not tire me out for the rest of the day. So I can see I am improving. I was glad to enjoy it too, as although the majority of my runs have been good, for example the 18 miler last week was really tough, and although I know it will not all be plain sailing, I primarily run because I love it, so it was a pleasure to have that today.

Before I left I got an email from No Meat Athelete (does anyone else subscribe to these?)- with some special links to download. There were 3 interviews with various vegan/ vegetarians (including Scott Jurek)- I listened to the Brendan Brazier interview today and it was so interesting. So if you would be interested, sign up to the no meat athelete email (click on the link at the start of this paragraph) and you should get the link for them.

One thing he said that made so much sense to me was to mentally break the marathon into quarters. The first 2 quarters should feel easy, as people would have run half marathons before, and you would be running at a slower pace. The third quarter is apparently mentally the toughest,, but then by the final quarter, you don’t have long to go, and the end is in sight etc. That really made sense to me, and I think that is how I am going to “arrange” my race.

Once home (10.5 miles in 1 hour 48) I was so thirsty (I did take a bottle of water + nuun with me, and it lasted until close to the end), so I had some alpro milk with nesquick. Yummy. And a honey stick bar.

After my shower it was lunch;

Those are red pears (they were on offer in Waitrose)- very soft pears in fact that are not red on the inside. But they are tasty. Plus a delicious food doctor pitta with some brazil cacao spread (I could not wait to try it!). And a fridge apple- great in this weather.

And- big news! After umming and ahhing for a while, I have booked my first sports massage! Eek! I have one booked for the day after my next 18 miler (and apparently the person doing the massage is also running “THE marathon” so hopefully will know how sore my legs will be)- and I signed up for 3, so I think I will see how that one goes and then possibly have one after the 20 miler and one after the actual day itself. Maybe. Or I will be so scared after the first one that I won’t go back! Haha!

Anyway, my packing is coming along nicely- so much harder than a normal holiday, as I don’t normally even take a hairdryer with me, but as we are going to a wedding I feel like I need to look presentable. Might even take some mascara with me- steady on now!

Laters 🙂

Fab Sunday + weekly review

Hey!

Thanks for all the comments- you are all so complimentary (especially of my post run red face pic!). My hair is straight, but also very thick, so it gets done with straighteners at the hairdressers to properly flatten it down. It is the one thing I always like, as it has always been really healthy (you know, you have days when you feel puffy, or have bad skin or whatever)- even if I went to sleep with it wet and it is a total mess, and have to tie it up, I still like it.

Anyway, today I went on a wander around London. There were all signs everywhere warning of the closures next week (anyone running London this year?)- very exciting! The weather was so beautiful and we just wandered around for ages (I have no idea where, we did go to lots of parks, by the London Eye, up the Mall and some more parks), and it was perfect. We also went in a little Wholefoods store, (no choc pb though) where I got some mini cartons of almond milk, and some brazil cacao spread. Yum.

So onto the review.

This week went a little something like this:

Monday- 8 mile run. Which went well considering I did 18/19 miles on the previous Saturday. Did not take any water with me and so was so thirsty by the time I got home.

Tuesday- Aerobics- all good.

Wednesday- 4 mile run in the sunshine- attempted some intervals but due to pavement works and sore-ish shins I eased off.

Thursday- the most awesome body pump workout! Upped some weights and was feeling great!

Friday- Rest (eg wander around shops before haircut). Starving all day which I think showed how hard the body pump was.

Saturday- 13.1 miles, again in the heat. Finished that fine though.

Sunday- Rest. Several hours of walking around London.

Total miles- 25.

Lessons? I am getting the balance of snacks right. My fave running outfit is a vest and capris so I think I will be planning on taking those with me to the race. I need to be more careful at applying suncream (the shock absorber run bra – racer back- combined with a normal vest gives some interesting tan patches!).

I still have 7 weeks to go, but that is feeling very close now. I suppose it is proper spring marathon time now, what with Paris, London, Boston, Brighton etc.  Next week is going to be a bit funny, as on Tuesday night we are off to Italy for a wedding, and not back until late Saturday. So my idea is to run Monday and Tuesday this week, and then rest while away. We always do loads of walking so I am not too worried about having a break of a few days. When we get back we have a family day out that Sunday, so I am going to do my 18 miles on the Monday (as it is the Easter holidays for us lucky teachers). I am hoping this will be ok. Any thoughts on this?

I am off to watch the rest of the grand prix now

🙂

Accidental half!

Wow what another beautiful day!

I had my hair cut yesterday (I actually had not been since before Christmas and boy did my hair need it!). No before pic but I had a good couple of inches off and now my head feels so light!

Mini ponytail for running will make the miles fly by, surely?

Anyway, suncream on, porridge eaten, lots of water drunk, and I was off. I had a new route (supposed to be 12 miles) which I really enjoyed. The first couple of miles were on pretty boring pavements, but then I got up to the lakes and did a loop around those (saw some spectacular fake tan as everyone was getting their legs out), then headed into Welwyn town centre, then out onto some country roads (all on pavements) before getting back home. It was gorgeous out there, but by the end (I got home at 1.30) it was so hot. Anyway, it turned out my route was a little longer- 13.1 miles in fact- done in 2hrs 24, with a pretty good pace of 11 min miles (a couple were slow but that is mainly due to waiting to cross roads). Marathon talk was all about the week before the marathon, as so many are gearing up for London/ Boston, and it was making me nervous as I was running! It did make me think about the heat too. As Stockholm is further north, and by the water, it should be cooler than here, and I think it said the average temperature is 18C or something, which is pretty good. I am hoping it was warmer than that today. Although today I was fine, I think a few degrees hotter is when my energy gets sapped.

In my head I look cool and calm as I run. In reality, see above!!

Anyway, some coconut water and a sesame seed bar was consumed pretty quick when I got home (I had water with nuun, and 2 clif bloks while I was out) as it was a long time since my breakfast at 9.

After a shower (with a lovely long blast of cold water at the end) lunch was on the cards. I fancied some cinnamon raisin bread, but Andy is out so I made a replacement- food doctor pitta with some cinnamon raisin pb. This was a pretty good replacement 🙂

The rest of the day has been spent pottering about- I popped to the shops and ended up getting a few new bits from the health food shop.

Including carob flakes (I was so excited when I found them- now I can make carob cookies!), xylitol (might make my mum a birthday cake) and some quinoa flour. How exciting!

I also got a package of goodies delivered today;

Cannot wait to start baking/ eating this stuff! Although unfortunately there was a jar of molasses that was broken and had leaked all over everything (hence the torn labels- all the jars needed a wash!).

By the time I got back from the shops I was starving, so I had some cold rice pudding, with a couple of dried figs and some carob flakes. Yum 🙂

Hope everyone else had a lovely Saturday too 🙂

I love body pump hooray!

Yes!

Loving it!

I upped some weights today- went for 15kg for the squats (which meant I had to have that at the end of the lunges too- major hard work), managed to keep to 10kg for the whole of the back track (whereas you are meant to do the chest weight which for me is 7.5kg)- before I had to tip the extra off in the last rest. Woo!

I have decided that I seem to love the triceps track the most- this release it is this song and I have been singing it all evening. I find the triceps so hard, so it is great to have a catchy upbeat song which gets those endorphins going!

It was hot though, and by the end of the squats (second track) I  had sweat running down my arm! Gross! But a brilliant workout. More eyeball sweating in the abs track too!

I like it! Plus we can change the lyrics a tiny bit to fit “Baby I like it, the way we move on the floor, baby I like it, come on and lift it some more, baby I like it, gurning like never before” etc.

Yeah, I am having the high 🙂