Thank you all for continuing to read CNG!
Hope you have a healthy and fab Valentine’s Day!
Recipe Roundup
I had something fun in the works for you today for What I Ate Wednesday, but it didn’t end up happening.
Since I don’t have a cool new recipe to post, I figured I’d go old school and roundup my past recipes for you!
I promise to eventually add these to a page at the top of the blog for easy access.
Maybe it will give you something new to make this week. 😉
Breakfast
Breakfast Burrito
Overnight Oats
Entrees
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Cheat Day Chili
Crabby Summer Salad
End of Summer Pasta Salad
Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Pesto Pasta Salad with Chicken
Quinoa Sliders
Sides
Quinoa Pizza Bites
Red Potatoes
Snacks/Dessert
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Scones
Chocolate Covered Apple Wedges
Dark Chocolate Turtles
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bites
Smoothies
Fitness Inspiration
Long Run Nerves
I don’t know what it is, but for some reason, I get nervous before my long runs.
The nervousness sets in around mid-week, usually after I finish my third (or….second….) training run of the week and the only run I have left is my long run.
It’s not that I mind long runs once I’m actually doing them (well, maybe the last 3 miles of them) but I just build them up in my head to be this huge big deal. Aka: I psych myself out.
When I laced my shoes up before my long run this weekend, I felt like I was gearing up for battle.
Take a pic of me before my scary long run, Tuna!
What am I scared of?
I’m scared of walking. I’m scared of failing and not being able to finish the run. If I really think about it, I have to ask myself – why am I so scared? What is the worst that will happen?
I’ll have to walk. Or I won’t be able to finish a run. Big deal. That doesn’t make me a terrible person or a failure. But that hasn’t even happened yet. The thought of stopping doesn’t even cross my mind during the run.
It must be all in my head, man.
I was glad I finished this weekend’s run strong (unlike 2 weeks ago) and felt really good!
Please ignore the random ass 0.00 distances. Still gettin’ used to my Garmin!
I tried using some gel fuel for the first time at mile 6, and it really helped.
I definitely felt stronger and less fatigued. It tasted pretty damn disgusting though. I’m going to try a few different flavors (I tried strawberry) before I completely rule out gel. I might be a shotbloks girl.
Only three more long runs to complete before the Shamrock Half! Eek!
Do you get pre-long run jitters?
Please tell me if you have any tricks or tips to prevent dreading your long runs!
Blueberry Bread
Lately (ok, ever since the Holidays) I have been eating a shit ton of store bought treats for snacks at work. Power bar after power bar and cookies galore.
It’s a lot easier to just buy already made and packaged snacks at the grocery store to take on the go.
This needs to stop asap.
Remember when I used to bring homemade pumpkin protein bars and vegan scones everywhere?
I need to get back into that habit.
- It’s healthier – you know exactly what is in your food – all natural, nothing processed.
- It’s cheaper – each baking episode yields way more food than buying individual bars at the store.
The problem is that I’m tired of the old recipes I used to make.
Cue new delicious and nutritious blueberry bread! I’m definitely taking this as my afternoon snack this week.
Recipe adapted from The Lemon Bowl.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup blueberries – fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup splenda or sugar substitute
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 2/3 cups low fat vanilla yogurt
- 3 eggs (use 2 eggs, 1 egg white)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F and grease a bread pan with cooking spray.
Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl: oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, sugar, and wheat germ.
Beat together eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract on medium speed with a mixer. Gently stir in the dry ingredients.
Fold blueberries into the batter and pour into the bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
Let the bread cool completely before serving.
Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!
Vampire 5K
Guess what I signed up for?
This is solely a fun run (no chip timing) which is exactly what I’ll need in April after I’m recovering from the Shamrock Half Marathon.
It basically looks like a silly and intense game of tag with some buddies! Kind of like The Color Run but with a point to it. Thanks to Ali for telling me about it!
I’m excited for our clan of vampires to kick ass.
Click here for the living social deal! It’s usually $60, but with this coupon the event is only $30.
Have you ever participated in something like the Vampire 5K? I know there are similar fun runs with zombies, etc.
The Solution to a Stomachache
Alright, I’m finally being honest with you.
For pretty much all of my half marathon training, I’ve been doing 3 out of my 4 scheduled runs per week.
I’m still doing the long runs – so doesn’t 3 out of 4 runs count?
But really, it’s hard to have time to squeeze in a run, and it’s currently really effing cold outside.
Since this past week was the long run break week (week 6) I figured it was a good chance to come clean and catch up.
That’s why I reallllly wanted to be able to cross that extra run off my list on Friday.
Unfortunately, my stomach started hurting at work in the afternoon and wouldn’t let up. I must have eaten something bad because I sure was strugglin’. I debated whether or not I should stick with my plan to go to the gym.
I did end up going – but I shouldn’t have.
It certainly wasn’t a very fun run. I was nauseous and my stomach kept cramping and I basically sprinted to the bathroom when the distance hit 3.00.
Once I got to Tuna’s, my stomach hurt so much I couldn’t even stretch or foam roll.
And you know something’s wrong if I couldn’t foam roll.
It was getting late, and Tunes and I totally needed to get something
for dinner.
He asked if I was still in the mood to order sushi – but that was the last thing I wanted with my stomachache.
I promptly fell asleep on the couch and didn’t wake up until Tuna came back with food.
Cheese fries and pizza from Ledo Pizza.
30 minutes later, with every bit of food devoured and starting to digest – my stomach felt better.
Not all the way better, but I wasn’t smushed into the fetal position anymore either.
I guess sometimes your stomach just needs some cheese fries.
What do you do when you have a stomachache? Any particular foods that help you?
My New Favorite Thing to Do On the Treadmill
is….
READ!
It seems kind of crazy, because it is a little difficult – but seriously, it makes the time pass sooo much faster.
If I’m not running outside, the sights and sounds on the treadmill can be exactly the opposite of exciting.
A lot of the time I do like to zone out and use running as relaxation/meditation/a de-stresser and just listen to my tunes. But other times (especially on the treadmill) it is lovely to have a run fly by and just be over with!
I just finished my book club book, What Alice Forgot, last night.
It’s a girly fluff book that is a fast and fun read. Definitely a good vacation [or treadmill] book.
Now I’m starting The Secret Race, which obviously has some serious dramz.
I do love me some athletic man drama.
Keep in mind I’m reading on my nook! I think it would be a lot harder to read an actual book while running – but I haven’t tried it, so who knows.
If only I could get rid of the reading-with-drunk-goggles-on feeling…
http://edithwithgooglyeyes.tumblr.com/ (Why is this site so funny to me?!)
Warning: reading on the treadmill may cause slight motion sickness.
But I think I’ll get the hang of it eventually!
Do you read on the treadmill? Or while working out?
Healthy Lobster Mac and Cheese
This “recipe” is quintessential CNG because it is ridiculous little kid/comfort food and is super easy to make.
Ok, so really – this is a work in progress. I definitely like the idea of this dish but I think it needs to be tweaked a teensy bit in the future to make it perfect. I’m thinking along the lines of baking it, casserole style. Prepare yourself for some future revamps of healthy lobster mac and cheese.
Ingredients:
- boxed mac and cheese
- fake lobster (i.e.
fishflavored lobster flakes → pretending this is not fish) - old bay seasoning
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
It’s healthy because of the wheat noodles. Yeah. Healthy.
Directions:
Cook boxed mac and cheese as directed.
Season “lobster” with old bay, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Mix together and serve.
I actually ate mine with wheat pita chips as noodle scoopers on the side.
Tuna says I’m weird, but just go with it.
Thanks as always to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons for hosting What I Ate Wednesday!
Do you know of any good ways to spruce up comfort food?
What weird food combos do you like?
The Perfect Cadence Playlist
Not only did my friend Vicki inform me about tofu, she also was kind enough to share the best running playlist ever with me.
What’s so special about this playlist?
It was made for runners.
Let me explain.
Actually, let this screen shot of some internet research explain.
My fav running book, Born to Run, backs this up.
“Fortunately, Ken had already begun doing physiological testing on triathletes as part of his kinesiology studies…Ken’s first test subject was Alan Melvin, a world-class Masters triathlete in his sixties. First, Ken set a baseline by having Melvin run four hundred meters full out. Then he clipped a small electric metronome to his T-shirt.
‘What’s this for?’
‘Set it for one hundred eighty beats a minute, then run to the beat...’
‘Kenyans have superquick foot turnover,” Ken said. “Quick, light leg contractions are more economical than big, forceful ones.’
Within a year of creating his new technique in 1997, Ken became unbeatable, winning the world disabled championship the next two years in a row. Once word got out that Ken had figured out a way to run that was not only fast but gentle on the legs, other triathletes began hiring him as their coach. Ken went on to train eleven national champions and built up a roster of more than one hundred athletes” (McDougall, Christopher: Born to Run, page 149).
Yes, I’ve tried to count my footstrikes during a run….and yes, I always lose count within approximately fifteen seconds.
With Vicki’s cadence playlist from Spotify, the music counts for me! I recommend downloading any of the below songs – they all consist of 180 beats per minute, perfect for running.
- Vampire weekend: A-Punk
- Postal Service: Such Great Heights
- Presidents of the United States of America: Kick Out the Jams
- MuteMath: Electrify
- Jimmy Eat World: Praise Chorus
- Don Henley: Boys of Summer
- Tinie Tempah: Written in the Stars
- Metric: Gold Guns Girls
- TV On the Radio: Wolf Like Me
- Iggy Pop: Some Weird Sin
- Billy Idol: Dancing with Myself
- Black Keys: Everlasting Light
They sure helped me with my long run on Sunday!
What are some of your favorite songs to run to? (I need to add some more to my iPod!)
Chicken Nugget Girl 