Maria Runs - Maria Runs

Penultimate week

Although Jantastic has finished, I have enjoyed doing these weekly reviews for my marathon training. Last weekend I did my long run on the Saturday, to combine it with parkrun, so on Sunday I only did a short run (I was relieved as the weather was horrible- so windy and rainy). I then went out for breakfast with friends- the place even had a log fire burning- very cosy indeed.

Monday: I kept it as a rest day, although my long run had been earlier, I don’t do too well running more than 2 days in a row.

Tuesday: OH ladies run. Most of the runners cancelled for various reasons, so it ended up being just two of us. We did an out and back, fairly hilly course, and both of us were surprised with how fast we went (I think we were trying to outrun the wind and storms that kept blowing over). 3.5 miles in 34 minutes- not bad considering the hills.

Wednesday: Nothing. I was going to run, but work has been so manic and I felt exhausted, so was sensible and rested.

Thursday: Body Pump. Also the start of the Easter holidays at long last!

Some yummy chocolates and cards from people at work:

Friday: 4 mile run first thing- it had stopped raining so dashed out before it started again. Achy legs from pump meant it was a bit slower but not too bad (41 mins I think). Later on we walked around the town and did a bit of shopping.

Saturday: Parkrun! Hooray! Just me this week, but I met a running buddy at the start line- she is usually faster than me but had hurt her knee and had not run for a few weeks, so we ran together, chatting (well, at times- not on the hills!)- very enjoyable and I think my third fastest time at Panshanger. Later on, more walking as on Friday my click and collect order was lost, so I had to go back.

I won some Hot Cross Bun tea from the Bluebird Tea facebook page (the awesome tea shop in Brighton) and it came on Saturday, so we enjoyed a pot of that in the afternoon. Scrumptious!

Sunday: 8 mile run. I decided to do an out and back route, because my usual loop is closer to 9, with added optional extras, and I wanted to be sensible. I decided to aim for 10 minute miles, and apart from the first two (and at the start of the second I had to slow to take my jacket off) they all began with a 9. I felt good. Just two more and a bit to go next weekend…

While I was out my phone beeped, and when I got home I saw it was a reminder for the marathon next weekend (as if I could forget). I listened to the latest Marathon Talk (well, the first 80 minutes) and their training talk was just what I needed to hear. They were talking about long runs, and how to approach the final few long runs (a bit late for me to change anything, but it helped to set my mind at ease). They did have a rule of thumb for the longest 3 runs to total 60 miles, and mine don’t quite (I think they total 58), but they were also talking about going beyond 20 (I did- 0.6 beyond!) and not going on time but going on miles (which I also have done). Some more reflecting will come later in the week, but I am feeling alright about the training now it is basically done.

So, 4/4 runs. 18.7 miles.

Most of the people I know training for marathons are training for London, so they are still in full swing, and it does feel a bit strange having less miles to run, but I am trying to embrace it and trust in my plan.

How have you been spending the long weekend?

New baking supplies

Recently there has been a lot of running, and not so much baking, but that balance is about to switch. Last week I was kindly sent some new baking supplies from a German-based website, MeinCupcake.DE. (They do have a UK website too, cakemark.co.uk).

Once I had chosen the items (from the huge extensive range of goods available including baking equipment, decorating supplies, flavourings, cake boxes and stands) they arrived within days. I was sent emails so I could track the parcel too.

I chose a bundt tin (I have been tempted by them for a while now), a loaf pan (my current one was going rusty and was too long for the loaf liners), a rolling pin for icing, and some straws.

Andy recently bought himself a mini smoothie maker (this one – a total bargain, easy to clean, and blends ice and frozen fruit), so this weekend after my 12 mile run he made a berry smoothie for us to share- any excuse for me to use the pretty straws!

On Sunday evening I decided to make some banana bread for work, using the excellent CCC recipe. I was very pleased to see that the new loaf pan was a perfect fit for the loaf liners.

It’s also dishwasher safe which I like, especially as I added in some butterscotch chips and some of them had burnt to the tin!

I have not used the bundt tin yet, but this recipe popped up on the CCC facebook page last night, so I might well be tempted. Although I think I would use mini eggs as I am not a creme egg fan.

Any good bundt cake recipes for me to try?

*I was sent the baking items for my blog, but all opinions are my own.

Jantastic week 12- how did that happen?

Gosh, these last 3 months have whizzed by so fast! I find it hard to believe that I have logged my final workout of the challenge, and equally hard to believe that the marathon is in 2 weeks time.

From my Wednesday run- You can see how long my shadow is here- the sun was just about to go down.

So, how did the last week go?

Monday- I was pleased with how recovered I felt from the 20 miles the day before. I felt a little stiff moving about, but not as bad as last time. At one point I was going between buildings and broke into a jog, but my legs told me “no” so I slowed to a walk. I had a meeting at work so when I got home we just relaxed, no walk that evening.

Tuesday– Running club. Thankfully most other runners had run a half marathon on the Sunday, so no-one wanted to go far, which suited me just fine. We headed out together on an out and back route, but I kept slipping further behind the group. When we got to the turn around, the other girls stopped to stretch, but I wanted to keep going. I kept thinking that they would overtake me, but I got all the way back without anyone catching up with me, so instead of standing about in the cold I ran back along to the top of the hill to see if I could spot them coming up it. I couldn’t, but luckily I was too tired to run down and back up again, so I ran back to the meeting place. No-one was there, so I went back to my car with the intention of sending them a facebook message along the lines of I hoped they were OK but didn’t want to wait. But they were all in the car park- apparently there was a short cut which I didn’t know about, so they had taken that to avoid the hill on the way back, and were starting to worry about me! I am very glad I didn’t go back down the hill again. 4 miles anyway.

Wednesday– I was home earlier than usual, so went out on the fields on my own instead of waiting for the SRC to start. I felt a bit bad but I knew my brother wasn’t going as he was ill, and my other running buddy was going on some trails later on. The trouble is it doesn’t start until 6.30pm, but in reality we start running at around 6.45, and even if we only do a 5k I then run home and get back after half 7- then I have to shower, have dinner, and any work that needs doing it done very late after all that. Whereas I was home before 6.30 which makes a huge difference. Plus it was light enough to go on the fields, whereas at half 6 it probably wasn’t.

4.8 miles around the fields. Love it.

Thursday- Body pump. We had the new release, and to anyone who got the song in their head after my “all about the cake” post can be satisfied in knowing that it will be in my head after each pump of this series as that is one of the songs. Sensibly kept my squats weight a bit lower.

Friday– Lots of walking around London and then walking home from the station.

Saturday– Needed to do 12 miles (as had breakfast plans for Sunday) but wanted to do parkrun. Luckily my dad offered to pick me up and drive to the St Albans one (which is really in the wrong direction for him), so I could do that and then run home. We ran together, although he is faster so in the final half mile I told him to go ahead if he wanted to. It was so funny; initially he said he would stay with me as he had enjoyed it, and then about ten seconds later went “er, actually I am going to speed up” and overtook 12 people (we compared our finish token numbers). The temptation is always there with parkrun so I had to tell myself “it’s not my finish line today”. I was pleased with my parkrun time (just over 28 mins) and then kept a good pace for my run home. It went so much better than my last 12 mile run- I arrived home feeling strong, confident and optimistic. We walked around town for a bit in the afternoon too.

Sunday – 3 mile run- I was awake very early (6.30, so really 7.30 with the clocks moving forwards) so went on a quick 3 miles in the wind and rain, before going out for breakfast with friends.

So, 4/4 workouts done. 24.2 miles for the week.

Excitingly my monthly mileage is 129 (compared to 98 in January and 104 in February), and I am planning a run on Tuesday evening so it will get a bit higher still. It seems crazy, but I suppose 2×20 miles makes a big dent in that.

My final Jantastic score is 100, but the blue circle is not quite joined, because I was 10 minutes off my predicted time. I did play both my jokers, so I didn’t keep the 4 workouts every week, but I think apart from 2 weeks I managed it which I am really pleased with. I don’t think last year I was quite so successful with it.

If you did Jantastic, how did it go?

An Italian Easter cake

I am planning on making a Simnel cake for Easter this year, but if you fancy something different, I was sent the most delicious Easter cake to sample.

It is a pistachio panettone-style cake hand made in Sicily.

Information from the Artimondo:

Colomba pasquale or colomba di Pasqua (“Easter Dove” in English) is an Italian traditional Easter cake, the counterpart of the two well-known Italian Christmas desserts, panettone and pandoro.

The dough for the colomba is made in a similar manner to panettone, with flour, eggs, sugar, natural yeast and butter; unlike panettone, it usually contains candied peel and no raisins. The dough is then fashioned into a dove shape (colomba in Italian).

For this Pistachio Colomba Easter cake, we’ve selected the best pistachio to top the cake in order to deliver through a flawless preparation, the unique fragrance that defines this traditional dessert.

The cake is made by Bacco Tipicita’ al Pistacchio from Bronte, on the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily. This typical village is well known for its special kind of pistachio, so tasteful and flavoured to be renamed Etna’s ‘green gold’. As well as the pistachio topping of paste and chopped nuts the cake is injected with pistachio paste throughout.

This emerald green fruit is a source of health due to its origin. In fact, it grows on lava soils receiving typical organoleptic properties with unmistakable flavour. The harvest takes place in alternate years, celebrated by the town with a great feast.

Sounds good, right? (Love the idea of a pistachio feast) And you can order it from their website, you just have to allow about 3 days for delivery from Italy.

They kindly sent one to me to review, and I am sure as you can tell I think it is delicious.

Although it was so huge it would not quite fit on my plate!

It was generously filled with pistachio paste.

It was so tasty. The panettone cake was so light, the pistachio filling was rich and the topping was tasty. We enjoyed a piece each in the afternoon, alongside a lovely cup of Earl grey. Although I think I am going to have to take some to work as I can’t see the two of us eating it all. I think if you were having people over for Easter it would make a great centre piece as it is so unusual, and the green colour is really eye catching. Some people (I don’t understand them) don’t like dried fruit, which is around a lot in hot cross buns or simnel cake, so this would be a great alternative to the usual Easter desserts (or just to have with a cup of tea in the afternoon). Plus it would feed plenty.

If you fancy it, the link to the website is here. At the moment it is £11.95+p&p which I think is really reasonable for a handmade product, especially one of this size.

Alongside the cake, they also sent a little brochure detailing all the other pistachio products they make, including a sort of pistachio nutella-style spread, and pistachio pesto (look here if you fancy it).

Do you normally have any Easter traditions? When I was little we tended to have toasted hot cross buns, and of course an Easter egg hunt in the garden, but often now we are away for Easter (the bank holidays mean that Andy can get a longer holiday for less days off) so often we have not had anything traditional.

*I was sent this to review for the blog, all opinions are my own.

New cookery books!

I love getting a new cookery book- I don’t tend to cook a lot of things (apart from baking), but I love looking through and seeing beautiful recipes. Last week I treated myself to a copy of Grains as Mains.

Of course, I could not resist the buckwheat pancake recipe for a post-parkrun breakfast. I have some Rude Health buckwheat flour (it is sprouted, but looks like normal flour, whereas I imagined it would look like sprouted beans or something). I didn’t add yoghurt to the mix because I forgot, but the cherry almond sauce is just amazing, and I had some coconut yoghurt to top them with. Mmmmm.

And although it does not match up to the beautiful photography inside the book, it looks pretty similar (and tasted wonderful). That cherry sauce has overtaken blueberries as my favourite pancake topping.

After my long run on Sunday I fancied some cookies, so after a visit to town and a nap, I spent a bit of time in the kitchen making these peanut and chocolate cookies, also with buckwheat flour.

Again these turned out really well- I love the combination of salted peanuts and dark chocolate (I think I needed some salt after running for all that time), and I think the buckwheat flour adds to the nuttiness.

No doubt I shall be trying some of the lovely looking salads and breakfasts over the next few months. So congratulations and thanks to Laura for making such a fab book.

Do you buy new books often?