Running - Maria Runs

Back to baking!

Ah baking, how I have missed you. But yesterday I got back in to it, with a lime, coconut and ginger cake.

I used the same basic recipe for the Lemon and Blueberry traybake I made a while back, but I swapped in lime zest and juice for lemons, left out the blueberries, added 50g coconut, and a few chunks of chopped crystallised ginger.

I was sent some Bake Even cake strips to try out, from the Cake Decorating Store website, and I used them for the first time in this recipe.

You have to soak the strips before you use them (only for a bit), and then you wrap them around the cake tin. I had to secure them with pins- for some reason I had thought they would have velcro or something, but I suppose they are completely adjustable so that would not work. I used two to go around my brownie pan, as one did not quite reach, but overlapping them is fine (according to the instructions).

I was worried it would slide off, so I put the tin on a tray too. The idea is that they help to distribute the heat evenly, so you get an even rise, and the cake is cooked the same all the way through (no cracked tops, uneven rising etc).

I was very impressed when it came out of the oven- the cake was perfectly even in colour and in height. I think these would be great to use when baking fruit cakes as they need so much longer in the oven so can become more uneven. Although next time I will use safety pins to hold the strips on.

I made up the syrup (lime juice+zest+sugar) and poured it over the warm cake.

Mmmm delicious zingy lime cake. I left it to cool overnight before I sliced it today so that the icing would set and sink in.

On to some random food photos from the week. Yesterday Andy made a lovely sweet potato chilli (he has made it before for us and it is delicious)- I decided to make some guacamole. I have been reading a book by Scott Jurek- it is half autobiography and half recipes (I think it is called Eat and Run) and the other evening I read his guacamole recipe. On holiday we treated ourselves to a Cheesecake Factory guacamole (they make it up fresh when you order it) and so I attempted to re-create this as I have been dreaming about it ever since. It contained avocado, sea salt, freshly squeezed lime juice and chopped cherry tomatoes. I did consider adding a little bit of chilli but as we were having that in the sweet potato chilli I thought a cooler guacamole would be better. It was wonderful. Mmm. And Andy even said it tasted like the Cheesecake Factory one 🙂 I had it with some iced tea as I had just spent the last hour and a bit planting out onions in the allotment.

As the weather has been getting warmer I have been making salads for my lunch. I do love them, and they fill me up so much, but they take so long to eat! Which is OK I suppose if you have a normal lunch break, but I am usually in a meeting/ doing marking/ getting resources ready for the afternoon etc, so a long lunch is not so good! Anyway, these contained spinach, balsamic, grated carrot, courgette and beetroot (all stained by the beetroot though), roasted pepper, artichoke, chickpeas, hummus, extra carrot sticks for dipping, and pine nuts. I had then with a couple of pumpkin seed ryvitas, and some fruit (although mostly I ran out of time to eat the fruit)- very summery.

This afternoon I spent some time cooking in the kitchen, as in the week I ate the last of my freezer stash of these Mexican casseroles (they were loosely based on a recipe from Oh She Glows, but I am not sure they are really a casserole at all). It is one of my favourite meals- roasted celery, peppers, red onion, quinoa, tomato, sweetcorn, some kind of beans (?), spinach, a little chilli, and then served with salad and avocado. Mmmm. I know I have mentioned it before but I think I am getting a slight avocado addiction (quite a few times on holiday I would pay to have it added to a sandwich or meal). How did I think I didn’t like them for so long?

After pottering around this morning (or watching the elite races on the TV) I went out for a run in the sunshine. It was great, but I was so hot! I only wore a vest and capris, and I wasn’t expecting it to be that tough. I suppose when it gradually warms up you have time to get used to it. I did a 6.6ish mile loop, slower than recently but it was good to be outside getting some fresh air. I made pancakes for when I got home- I added some chia seeds to the batter, and used apple and blueberry puree in them which made a nice change, and the last of my lovely Meridian mincemeat.

Well done all you marathon runners too! I loved watching it on the TV, and each year I find it so inspiring.

Another lemon cake recipe, this time with blueberries

So, at the moment I am having a real obsession with lemon cake.

Last week I bought some blueberries with the plan of adding them to my weekend pancakes, but then I didn’t end up having any. After I made the lemon cake with the Seedburst, I still had some lemons left, so I decided to make a lemon and blueberry cake for Sunday tea.

I found this recipe for lemon traybake, and I was just going to add the blueberries to it, but the batter seemed very thick and almost dry, so I added the juice of one lemon, and a good splash of soya milk to it. I then added 150g blueberries to the mix, and once I had poured it into the brownie pan, I sprinkled some more over the top.

I love how the blueberries burst when they cook and go all jammy.

Once it was cool I poured over the icing (juice and zest of one lemon, plus icing sugar). Then I left that to set before I sliced it.

The cake seems to be super moist as I think a lot of the lemon juice from the icing has soaked in to it- when I opened the tin to take the photo I was hit by a burst of the tangy lemon smell- I am really looking forward to a piece later!

This morning I pottered about for ages while the snow was still coming down (I really thought when I first looked out the window that I had imagined the snow from yesterday), but after an hour or so I headed outside.

I think the snow was still drifting, as when I headed home my footprints were covered, plus some patches were clear, but then where there was a break in the trees the path would be snowy again. I found this patch of clear-ish pavement about half a mile from home and so ran up and down about 6 times I think. Once I got going it was OK- I took it slowly with small gentle steps, (really don’t want to injure myself) and in the end did just over 3 miles. When I turned to head into the wind it was horrible as the snow was coming down in those tiny balls that are more like hail- they really stung my face.

Pancakes for a warming breakfast! I used up the last of the blueberries, some in the pancakes and some with a chopped apple and fig cooked on the hob.

Yum cooked blueberries are just fabulous!

Pancakes plus tea while watching the Grand Prix= a good start to Sunday.

Rest day

Hey peeps- good news- today is where the days get longer than the nights!

I bought myself some more tulips last week, they are so bright and cheerful.

After work on Monday I went for a little run, in the rain- I didn’t look at my pace at all as I knew I would be slow. At first I found it fine, but after 2 miles I had to stop and walk for a bit as my legs were getting sore. Ah well.

I had a lovely dinner after- baked sweet potato with almond butter, and a salad with avocado, rocket, and cherry tomatoes that I roasted a little in some basil oil. Delicious.

Tuesday was a rest day as we were going in to London after work to see Bug with Adam Buxton (from The Adam and Joe show etc). it was a bit of a rush to get there- we had to get to the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, but at least we knew we had booked our seats. I had never been to that cinema before, but I can’t see how it was much different to a normal one- I am not sure I would pay to see a film there. The seats were a rather interesting leopard print too.

Anyway, it turned out we had loads of time, so got to watch the preview (the countdown on the screen), and then a video of Adam cycling (helmet cam) through Norwich. The show was great- very funny, and included a live interview with Edgar Wright (who directs films, Shaun of the Dead, Spaced, stuff like that). We even got a sneak preview of the new Marvel film called Ant-man, although I thought that was a joke?

Anyway, it was fab, but finished so late (half 11!)- I was tired this morning! I am not used to going out on a school night.

I was excited that my order of Trek bars arrived- they were selling them off at a discount and they put on their facebook page a sneak peak of the new packaging- including what looks like a coconut bar- exciting!

I have also been sent some grape juice drinks to try, although I feel like the weather needs to warm up before I have cold drinks!

Plus I have managed to persuade my brother to come to the Sweatshop run with me tonight- should be fine and hopefully we can keep each other company on the run as I think we run at a similar pace.

parkrun, pb’s and popcorn!

Hey everyone! So I braved the weather on Saturday morning and went for my first parkrun. My Dad and brother have been going to it quite regularly, so I picked them up and we all went together.

I loved it!

I had to register on-line first, and they emailed me a barcode, which I kept in a sandwich bag in my running top as it needed to be waterproof. It really was pouring down. The run started on the edge of the park, right by the car park, so we stayed in the car until about 5 to 9. There were loads of people (131 to be exact)! I saw a few people from the Sweatshop run, so we had a chat before it started (right on the bells of the church- I like a run that starts on time).

I thought my Dad would run ahead, as he is faster, but he stayed with me which was fab- we had a nice chat. We had to run along a path into the wind and rain, down to the lake, 3 laps of the lake, then back up to the path. At least the wind would be behind us on the final stretch, we thought. The wind was tough, and I felt like I was going slow, but each time I glanced at my watch I could see 8- something for the mile pace- very fast for me! At least with the laps of the lake we had the wind behind us for a bit, and could catch our breath before heading back into the wind again.

The whole system is so clever- at the end my Dad went a bit ahead, and you had to run through a little chute (well basically 2 mini temporary fences) and you were handed a little plastic chip. I stopped my Garmin on 27.10, although I was not sure if I had started it as exactly the right time. I was super pleased with that, but wanted to find my official time. Then we joined another queue (and cheered home my brother who was only minutes behind)- then someone scanned your barcode and chip- it is just so clever.

Later I got an email with all sorts of stats- my time, age grading, position, gender position, number of parkruns completed etc. I was 82nd, but only the 16th female. My official time was 27.12, which is a new pb for me. For Jantastic the March part was to choose a distance and predict your time- you get 100% if you predict it exactly, and lose if you are too slow or too fast- it is all about predicting your fitness. Anyway, I rashly put down a 27 min 5k (although I just checked and actually I put down 27 hours!), as that was what I was hoping for, without really working it out. Pretty close indeed!

After we had a quite chat to the Sweatshop people, clapped home a few more runners, and then wimped out and went back to the car- it was raining hard, very windy, and we were all getting very cold once we had stopped.

My mum had offered to make us pancakes for breakfast (she came home from hospital in the week but is meant to be taking it easy!)- pancakes and Earl Grey tea was a welcome breakfast indeed.

I am hoping to go next week too. They ask you to volunteer 3 times a year (the volunteers were great- cheering runners on and honestly standing about in that weather must be worse than running in it) so I will have to make sure I do that at some point too. There was a huge range of people- there were club runners with their vests on (I think the winner did it in about 16 mins something), but there were people run/ walking, kids running, people with buggies- it seemed very inclusive.

Onto the popcorn- a while ago Sainsbury’s sent me some popcorn to trial. I have to say that salt and vinegar is my favourite crisp flavour (really the only flavour I like) and this popcorn did not disappoint. I loved it- the vinegar flavour was nice and strong- good to nibble on (or to top up the salt levels after a run). I was not such a fan of the cheese and chive- it was not too cheesy, but I just don’t like that flavour so much. I did see that they do apple and cinnamon, which I think sounds amazing! Although I think it was maybe a festive flavour? Will have to have a look next time I am there.

This morning Andy and I had planned a run together- as the weather was awful, and I was a bit tired after yesterday, we chose a slightly shorter route. It was really enjoyable going out together again- nice to have time to chat (or gasp, as we were charging up hills)- it was strange as my legs were not that tired, but I was finding breathing harder than usual. Anyway, at the 10k point I looked at my watch, and it was on 58.58 (easy to remember)- woohoo a proper sub 60 min 10k! We did 7 miles, and just as we were coming to the roads by home it started raining lightly, and as we got in the front door it bucketed down- jammy with our timing!

I think Andy has decided that he wants to get me to do our next half in under 2 hours (I suppose that is the next time bracket to aim for) and he knows I run faster with him (or with anyone basically) so he is quite keen to plan the weekend runs in. After that I was starving, but we were going out for breakfast, so I had an apple and persimmon before we went to (where else?) The Waffle House (and again, it was not even my idea!). The trouble was, we ended up there over lunch time, so I think despite being awake since about 7am, running 7 miles, I didn’t eat a meal until about 1pm. I paid for that later with a headache while we were out shopping- I didn’t want to not be hungry for a waffle, but I think I could have eaten 2!

Ah well, overall it has been a fab weekend- 2 pb’s to boot 🙂

How was your weekend? Anyone tempted to sign up for a parkrun?

Guest post- Where to stay for the London Marathon

Hey folks,

I hope you are all keeping warm and dry! I have a guest post today, so enjoy:

Where to stay for the London Marathon

In less than two months over 30,000 people will embark on one of the greatest and challenging races on the planet, the London Marathon. Raising money for charitable causes and gaining the satisfaction that you’ve completed a 26.2 mile run is all part of the London Marathon. Even if you don’t complete it, the fact that you’ve been a part of such a noteworthy event is an accomplishment in itself.

Runners can spend an entire year or more training for the marathon, it’s a test of fitness, endurance and mentality. We’re sure there is no other feeling quite like it than passing the finishing line and raising awareness for your chosen charity.

After a long slog, trying to complete the marathon in the best time you possibly can (the record time was set by Emmanuel Mutai who completed the race in 2:04:40), you’re sure to be needing some rest, putting those tired feet up and enjoying one of the best sleeps of your life.

So after completing the race where would you rather stay; in a hotel room or a serviced apartment? We’ve taken a look at the pros and cons of both these accommodations to see what would be better for competitors and their family.

All I care about is a bed: Then we would recommend a hotel, especially if you’d prefer to be alone. However, it might be cheaper to rent a serviced apartment on a short-let stay as you will be able to split the cost between each person.

I want to pamper myself after a long sleep: Either type of accommodation can cater for this, but it can be quite costly – budget hotels and serviced accommodation won’t normally have these facilities, but paying that little bit extra will be worth it if you want to rejuvenate and treat yourself to a spa.

I need my own living space: This is a common request; some people just need their own space to breathe and think about their accomplishments. A serviced apartment is ideal for those who want a lounge with satellite TV and comfortable sofas, along with a kitchen and dining area. If you were to book with a hotel you would need to go into the public lounge or dining area, or alternatively order room service – another costly venture.

I don’t want to spend too much money: This is a tricky one to advise on, as there are many budgets to cater for. Both a hotel or serviced apartments can provide you with a money-saving alternative, so we would suggest that you do your research and look for places that cater to all of your requirements at a reasonable price. We have noticed that one provider, Refresh Accommodation have a special 15% off offer for an apartment in South Kensington– something that could be ideal for those who don’t want to venture too far from the finishing line.

I want to be with my family and/or friends: Your supporting family and friends can be accommodated in both a hotel or serviced apartment, it all depends how close you want them to be. When booking with a hotel you’ll have your own rooms and will have to establish meeting points and times. However, renting an apartment will allow you to have your own private quarters, but share living areas, cutting out the need to organise meets. It all depends on your preferences and how you act when tired. After all you’ve just completed a 26.2 mile run, it’s understandable if you don’t want to see anyone when you’re tired and run down.

Comparing these pros and cons, it’s not clear what type of accommodation would be best for marathon runners and their supportive family. Everyone is unique, which makes each requirement special. However, we do hope that this article has helped you decide what is best for you. Good luck with the marathon and here’s an early congratulations.

This post made me think about my own marathon experience. The Stockholm marathon was on Saturday, so we flew up there on Friday night, and had a hotel there for a few days (I think we came home on the Tuesday) as we wanted to see the city. On reflection an apartment would have been better as on the Sunday I was so stiff and could barely move- all I wanted to do was lay on the bed (hard to find a comfy position!) but we had to go out to get food etc. We did manage a hobble around the city on the Sunday, but not for very long. I remember going sideways down the underground stairs, one at a time, and wishing I had worn my marathon t-shirt so the people knew why I was having such trouble! When we did the 20 mile training run (on my 30th birthday!) we had a self catering cottage which was ideal.

If you do races, do you prefer local ones or ones further afield? And what sort of accommodation do you look for?