Today’s What’s Cookin’, iRunNation? post comes from Sam in Ottawa. She says that the original recipe came from closetcooking.com.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Filling:
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced and hulled
2 cups frozen cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Topping:
2/3 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted
Directions:
1. Mix the strawberries, cranberries, sugar & cinnamom in a bowl. Toss to coat.
2. Mix the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon & butter together in another bowl.
3. Place strawberry mixture in a 8×8 baking dish.
4. Pour the topping on top.
5. Bake for 45 minutes.
**Are you a closet gourmet cook? Or do you occasionally struggle with the mechanics of PB&J sandwiches? Doesn’t matter! If you ever prepare food, we’d love to hear from you. E-mail your favourite recipe to webeditor@irun.ca. No reasonable recipes refused!**
**Follow me on Twitter @Shufflersunite. All your slow food and slow running needs in one easy Twitter feed.**
I haven’t really been posting because I haven’t really been running and I’m not really training and well… I don’t know what to write about.
Last Friday I woke up craving some seriously exhausting exercise. I went for an 18k bike ride and then to a kind of intense (for me) yoga class. This week I’ve hiked and swam and ran and lifted weights and finally, a month after the marathon, am feeling like I’m back on track mentally.
Does this happen to other people after they run marathons (or any big goal race)? The burn-out? It wasn’t just that I was burned out from running, I was plain exhausted. I plan on doing another marathon one day and would like to get to the point where I don’t crash like that afterwards.
That said, last night I ran 6k with my run clinic and it was the first good run I’ve had since Ottawa. And the sun is *finally* shining here in Halifax so yay for summer running!
The following was inspired by marathon-running super-cook, Mark Bittman. You can find the original, unaltered version in How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1 medium onion, chopped
– 1 tablespoon minced garlic
– 450g cremini mushrooms, chopped
– 1 bay leaf
– 19oz can chickpeas
– 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
Directions
In a medium-size pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook until softened (5 minutes or so).
Add mushrooms and bay leaf. Cook until mushrooms release liquid (about 3-4 minutes).
Add chickpeas and sage leaves. Reduce heat to low and cook until warmed through.
Serve over rice, pasta, barley, polenta, spaghetti squash, quinoa or whatever.
(Please note that photos show a thicker sauce than the above recipe would produce. That is because Mr. Shuffler forgot he was using canned chickpeas and followed the original Bittman recipe, which called for dry beans and two cups of water. He then had to reduce and thicken the sauce with cornstarch).
Just for our Run Club members, here is a sneak peak of our AW11 running apparel line! This is video footage of a photo shoot in Switzerland where the colours are vibrant and the scenery is spectacular!
The AW11 line will be arriving in stores this September, but you can pick your favourite colours now! Women can choose from Red-Orange, Ceramic and Raspberry and for men it’s Red-Orange, Turkish Sea and Port.
And while we are still hoping for a long hot summer, the snowy mountain scenes in this video will hopefully make you think BREATH THERMO! If you are not familiar with Breath Thermo, it is a unique type of insulation fabric which generates heat from the absorption of moisture. Heat is generated via a chemical exchange between perspiration and the properties of the Breath Thermo fabric. This is especially useful for protecting the body from cold temperatures.
Me and Tania Jones at the finish line of the Ottawa Race Weekend 10k
I’ve been putting off writing this blog post because it’s likely my last one as an iRun Runner Makeover participant.
The program is drawing to an end and with the release of the July issue of the magazine, I will be set back out into the wild, on my own, like the proverbial displaced prairie runner that I am.
Maybe if I waited another 6 months to write this post I would maintain my access to coach Tania Jones, nutritionist Lauren Jawno, receive more Adidas gear and live off the encouragement of the iRun Magazine team… but I don’t think that is how it works. So, here I go.
We Makeover-ees were asked a few questions that the editors thought you blog reading folks would like answered:
What have you given up in order to get your runs in?
Like anyone with a hobby, a life and a day job, I mostly gave up sleep. In the dead of the Edmonton winter I was getting up at 5:15am to be at the Kinsmen Sport Centre and on the track by 6:00am. I often did my resistance training at lunch or in the evening at home so I didn’t have to sacrifice any fun “real life” activities… though I often was in bed (or asleep on the couch) by 10pm.
What was the payoff?
Well, obviously – the free stuff! Not to be crass, but who doesn’t love free stuff? And Adidas was very generous with their shoes, socks, shirts, shorts, pants, jackets and electronics.
The speed! When we started this process I remember saying to Tania “my comfy speed is around 5:30/km”. Yesterday, during my Long Slow Distance run, I had trouble keeping myself slower than 5:00/km. That’s 30 seconds per km faster at a comfortable rate of exertion – WHAT!?!
The food! I have always considered myself to be a healthy-ish eater (even when not following my own best advice) but I now feel like I have enough knowledge to maintain and sustain my own sustenance as my training increases towards my personal autumn marathon BQ goal.
What things made it easier?
Knowing that Tania and Lucy were scrutinizing my workouts gave me that extra kick-in-the-butt that everyone needs on a minus 30 degree morning at 5:15am (Adidas miCoach reports are displayed online for coaches to peruse). Also knowing that Goalspeed, Lauren, Adidas and iRun were devoting time, energy and gear toward making me a better runner added some internal pressure that made it easier for me to roll out of bed and hit the track with tutto gusto.
Oddly enough, this blog kept me going too. The idea that anyone might be following it (hi mom) made me want to kick some serious butt. The last thing I wanted was for some reader to think “Who is this joker? I deserve a makeover more than him.” And maybe you do… but I still gave it 110% every day!
What were the challenges?
I think my biggest challenge (and by no means do I think I am alone in this one) was/is faith in myself. Whether it is fear of injuring myself (or “busting a gut”) or just plain disbelief in my own speediness, I don’t know. Probably both. What I do know is that it is certainly the biggest hurdle that I have yet to clear.
Has your view of running changed from this point forward?
When I was looking for some advice before a race in April, I wrote to Tania and explained my usual approach to racing:
“Go out easy, take it easy, maybe slow down a bit, take a gel, pick it up a little… nope, take it easy, 20km to go?! What!?! = Take it easier… walk… cry… drink beer.”
She responded by giving me her approach:
“Go out strong, pick it up, drive hard, refocus in the middle, gut out some strong kms, take gel, only 5 km to = giv’r, kick it all the way to the finish!”
I am much more on her side now. Need I say more?
In closing
Well, I guess that is that. It’s been amazing, everybody. Thank you, thank you, thank you – to one and all.
If you enjoyed following my journey, keep in touch. I’m on Facebook and Twitter and I have a website of my own – come by and visit. We’ll go for a run… or a snack.
Oh yeah! I am planning to run the Disney World “Goofy” in January with Team in Training. Drop me a note if you are Goofy too and I will hook you up!
I’ll leave you with a line from one of my favourite Kris Demeanor songs that seems apropos:
“Yes, I’m happy. Yes, I’ve changed. Yes, I’m happily changed. It’s all eggs in the bank or a basket, some of them broken, others rearranged.”
It’s been almost three weeks since the Ottawa marathon and I am still thoroughly disenchanted with running. I realize that this isn’t exactly something one should profess to those reading a running magazine, but there you have it.
First of all, there is no desire to run. Secondly, when I do run, my knee hurts (IT stiffness I suspect). Thirdly, well, there’s no thirdly. Those two things have kept me and my running shoes apart.
The first week was fine, I had no desire to do anything but lay around. I was happily exhausted post-marathon and plus I ended up getting a head cold. All the more reason to do anything other than run!
The second week (last week), I made an attempt. I went out for a frustrating and unsatisfying jog Sunday morning. I swam 1000 metres on Monday, my run clinic started so I went for a quick 3k with the more beginner group, I even managed to get out on my bike. I just… wasn’t feeling any of it.
I thought about buying more sessions with my personal trainer, but his forte is training athletes for a specific event. I spent the whole winter “training” that I decided I needed a break. And that’s when things kind of changed. I downloaded a new yoga video by Jillian Michaels and got my butt soundly whopped. I went for an awesome 18k bike ride in the sunshine. And then! I did something completely out of the realm of normalcy and dropped in on an aerial yoga class. Once I realized that I didn’t want to be Goal Focused this summer, I was kind of able to let go of the pressure I was putting on myself.
So, if you’re like me, a runner whose cross-training days may include a couple biceps curls but little else, and you’re stuck in the monotony of running – Never fear!
How many times while first learning the Chi Running technique have you tried to sense a certain part of your body (for example) to “ensure your lower legs are relaxed” or “ensure your center is in front of your ankles” and you thought to yourself “I can’t sense that”? This can be quite frustrating at first but rest assured this is quite normal if you are new to Chi Running and it gets easier with practice.
Chi Running is not based on muscle usage, instead its based on mental focus and technique. You use your mind to setup your body in a certain way and forward movement happens. You run totally from within both monitoring and controlling what your body is doing based on technique and positioning. For example, one of the biggest mental focuses is on relaxing all the parts of the body except for the lower abdominals to align your pelvis and engage your core.
When you Chi Run you are an associative runner. Your thoughts are totally focused on your running rather than dissociative, where you use techniques to distract your thoughts from running like listening to music on a portable MP3 player. Think of your mind as the microcomputer in a car engine that constantly monitors and controls the operation of the engine to ensure maximum performance and efficiency.
Does this sound scary to you? Don’t worry, a focused mind is actually more relaxed than an unfocused mind. Also keeping your mind busy thinking about your technique is a way to control it from fixating on destructive negative thoughts like how much farther you still have to go, how tired you may be or how hard the run is. The mind is a tool – if controlled and used properly it is an asset – If uncontrolled and allowed to think what it wants it can be a liability.
Body sensing is an essential skill for Chi Running. Body sensing is the ability for you to sense what is happening in different parts of your body. You use your mind to listen to a specific part of your body, determine how it is behaving, you make a change (if required) and then you listen again to see if the change was properly incorporated. You repeat this process repeatably when you Chi Run for the essential parts of your body.
An example of the use of body sensing is trying to relax the muscles in your lower legs. First you use your mind to sense the muscles in your lower legs separate from the rest of your body. If you sense any tension, you use your mind to send a message to the muscles in your lower legs to relax more. After you send the message you use your mind to listen again to see if the tension was properly released.
Learning how to body sense is new for most of us and takes time. But the more you practice it, the quicker you learn it. The best time to practice it is while you are not running. When sitting at your desk or on the couch or standing in line somewhere try sensing a certain part of your body and what is happening. For instance, sense if your calves are relaxed. To know what it feels like to do it right – know what it feels like to do it wrong. For example, completely tense your calves and sense what that feels like. Then try to completely relax them and feel the difference.
When you do develop the ability to body sense you are now your own best coach. You can sense if something is working or not in your body and you can affect changes in that area until you sense they resulted in positive change.
Practice body sensing whenever you can. Its a fantastic tool for all sports and other aspects of your life, not just Chi Running!
Today’s recipe was submitted by my mother-in-law, a very fine runner herself who has unfortunately been sidelined by an injury this year. Hopefully, she will be back on her feet soon. In the meantime, she sent along this the following:
This dish is adapted and loosely based on the Fried Rice recipe found on page 357 of The Joy of Cooking (Rombauer, Becker and Becker, 2006). It’s a great way to use up leftover rice and the best part is any remaining portion keeps well, at least for a couple of days, in the fridge.
A rice field
Ingredients
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
2 to 4 cups cooked rice
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
4 eggs, slightly beaten
2 to 5 tbsp soya sauce (or to taste)
½ to 1 cup frozen green peas
½ to 1 cup diced red pepper
Directions
In a large, non-stick fry pan over medium heat, fry the onion pieces in the butter until just slightly browned. Remove from pan.
Fry the mushrooms in the butter until slightly browned.
To the fried mushrooms, stir in the fried onions, along with the cooked rice, canola oil, and chopped ginger. Continue cooking to slightly brown the rice (brown to your liking).
Add the beaten eggs to this mixture, stir and cook until eggs have just set.
Add the sesame oil and soya sauce followed by the peas and diced red pepper.
Continue cooking, turning mixture over every few minutes until all ingredients in the dish are hot.
We usually set out soya and hot sauce on the table just to accommodate the very different taste preferences in our household. This dish, along with barbecued chicken or sausages, and topped off with a big salad, makes a very satisfying and nourishing meal. Any leftover sausage can be thinly sliced and added to any remaining fried rice for a very easy (and nourishing) one-dish left over. Or you can add chicken or shrimp for something different.
**Do you enjoy the inspiration and deliciousness that is What’s Cookin’, iRunNation? Do you wish you could find some way to give back to the blog that has given you so much? There is a way! You could send in your favourite recipe to webeditor@irun.ca. It will bring you good karma, we swear.**
Please note: The Shuffler has not actually attempted this recipe herself. I remain deeply suspicious of any recipe involving cauliflower (also green peas). However, I have been told by Elbows that this recipe is delicious. And I’ve heard some people actually like cauliflower.
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of paprika (preferably smoked)
3 gloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
To prepare cauliflower, remove any leaves at the base and trim the stem. Cut it into pieces as evenly as possible. Rinse and drain.
Mix all ingredients in a baking pan big enough to hold cauliflower in a single layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees until browned, stirring after about 20 minutes.
**Do you love green peas, brussel sprouts or some other food that I don’t like? Don’t let me dictate the food blogging agenda: send in your recipes and I’ll feature them, even if they involve liver. E-mail us at webeditor@irun.ca.**
**Bored at work? Want instant dinner inspiration/keen observations on the slow running condition? Follow me on Twitter @Shufflersunite.**
Just for our Run Club members, here is a sneak peak of our AW11 running apparel line! This is video footage of a photo shoot in Switzerland where the colours are vibrant and the scenery is spectacular!
Our Magazine
