I came across this recipe on the Running Room forum – the instructions are a little disjointed in the thread, so here’s the complete version, compiled from all of the messages:
Athlete’s Cookies
1 c flour
1 c oats
1/4 c bran
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c raisins
1/4 c choc. Chips
2 egg whites
1/4 c margarine
1/2 c peanut butter
Mix all but the last three ingredients together, so they are uniformly mixed, then add the last three ingredients and squish everything together with both hands until you have a uniformly squished cookie mess. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350F makes about 26 cookies.
I will admit, my hand might have slipped while I was measuring the chocolate chips and I might have ended up with some extras in there…oops…
They don’t spread much so you’ll want to consider flattening slightly with a fork; otherwise you end up more with balls than cookies.
Anyway…full of all sorts of chocolately-raisiny-peanut buttery goodness, I love these cookies as a post-run food. Not too sweet, yet more of a treat than toast with peanut butter! I highly recommend them.
VICKY:
Like Susan Boyle, I dreamed a dream. I may not have her charm or talent but by golly, I know that if you work hard at something, believe in yourself and never give up…it just might happen. Ok that sounds totally cheesy but whatever a little cheese never hurt anyone. So back to the point: I am officially declaring that it is my runner’s dream to be a Pace Bunny (a.k.a Pace Rabbit).
GRANT:
A what?
VICKY:
A Pace Bunny Grant. I want to run with pink bunny ears and my finish time sign.
GRANT:
Seriously? Are you going to put a cotton ball on your…
VICKY:
Don’t go there. I didn’t say I wanted to be one of those .
GRANT:
You want to wear a full on bunny costume like him?
VICKY:
Perhaps. I have no issues with costumes. I worked at Disneyland Paris remember? Cheese and costumes were all the rage.
GRANT:
You’re nuts.
VICKY:
I know but I’m a Type A personality. There is no such thing as in between. It’s all or nothing.
GRANT:
But do you have what it takes to be a Pace Bunny?
VICKY:
Well, I’m not saying I will be pacing Lance Armstrong anytime soon (or ever actually). But yes, I think that in time, I will have developed the qualities necessary to be a successful Pace Bunny. Let me tell you about a little bit about your average Pace Bunny. First of all, they are normally volunteers. Their purpose is to assist other runners in accomplishing their goal of finishing the race within a specific amount of time. They do so by motivating, guiding, encouraging and comforting runners all the while setting the right pace.
GRANT:
So it’s all fun and games.
Pace Bunny - Toronto Waterfront Marathon Website
VICKY: Actually, it isn’t. There is a lot of pressure put on those bunny shoulders. Don’t forget, Pace Bunnies are human and are subject to the same challenges as we are during a race. For example, they can become ill and not finish the race. Rest assured, most organizers will have thought of this ahead of time and planned accordingly as you will see there are usually 2 to 3 Pace Bunnies per finish time. Plus, in the midst of all the craziness that is race day, they are also like tour guides in that they are subject to a lot of attention and questions from runners and spectators both at the beginning and end of the race.
GRANT:
It looks like a really fun yet challenging experience. If anyone wants more information on becoming a Pace Bunny, contact your local Running Room because they supply the Pace Bunnies for a lot of major running events across Canada. I am certain they will be able to provide you more details on how to become a Pace Bunny!
Football fans (soccer in North America) will have to forgive my laissez faire attitude when it comes to football. But I figured out why I like running so much.
I decided that since I was going to England, I should do what British people do. So I started watching Coronation Street. And love it. I was fortunate enough to find a magazine while I was there that had stuff coming up on Coronation Street. And since we are about a year behind here in Canada, boy will I ever be prepared.
Kids playing football in Kensington Palace Park
And with the very first hotel I stayed in being right beside the Chelsea Football pitch, I decided to give football a try too. I almost bought the Gazelle a Chelsea football shirt. But didn’t.
But it was while watching the game between Liverpool and Arsenal that I figured out why I LOVE running. No rules.
Ok, some rules. Like you have to start and stop at the line. Oh and you can’t take a cab when you are doing the Boston Marathon, unless you want to be disqualified.
But other than that. Those are the rules. I can run as many times a week as I want to and no one is going to point out the rule that says I have to run 3.957 times a week.
Runners in Hyde Park
And there is no rule that says I can’t enjoy the scenery when I’m running. I’ve said it before, but what an experience running in Hyde Park.
And my favourite non-rule. I can make friends where ever there are runners gathered.
Oh and for the record the Liverpool and Arsenal game ended in a draw. Who knew there were even special football words. I always thought it was a tie. Excuse me while I go work on a fartlek.
A typical marathon training program might last from 16-18 weeks. It usually has a mixture of long runs, hill repeats, tempo runs, speed work on the local high school track, and some other easier paced runs thrown in for good measure.
Of all the runs in a training program, for me one of the most special ones is the last long run prior to marathon day. It’s usually 3 weeks out from race day and typically is around 32-34 kilometres long. Many runners treat it as a “dress rehearsal” for race day. I’ll eat the same breakfast and wear the same clothing as on race day. I’ll fuel up along the run the same way as I will for the first 32km on race day. If possible I’ll run a good portion of the last long run on the race course.
If you do some of your runs in a group setting then you’ll know that at the end of a workout it’s common to exchange high fives, fist pumps, or handshakes of some sort to acknowledge the shared company. After the last long run before a marathon, however, the handshakes and fist pumps hold extra meaning. After we put the last long one in the bank, we know the toughest part of the marathon training is over and that the next couple of weeks will be about tapering and getting our bodies rested for race day.
Sunday will be the last long run before the 2009 Ottawa Marathon. After that, the countdown to race day is on.
Get your attention?No I am not running a race this weekend, at least not an official one.But I am heading to Parry Sound to see my family and if you remember a week or so ago I mentioned that my son had been running with my wife.Well it’s on this weekend!I am going to challenge him to run the whole trail again like he did the other day.Now don’t get me wrong I will make sure it is a fair race.I will be pushing a stroller with my daughter in it and I will give him a little head start. But trust me there is something to prove and a reason for me challenging him!
So we will see who is the fastest over the 1.4km trail, me someone who has run 5 ½ marathons and considers himself to be on his way to a full or my son, someone who’s energy level resembles that of a monkey hopped up on Mocha Gel packs and Red Bull!
Stay tuned for a full recap of the race, including photos! 🙂
On a side note: my training continues to progress.I have been out a total of 3 times this week and ran a total of 26km! Things are looking up!!
I heard on the news today that things might actually be starting to turn around. That we might start the long slow climb out of the recession we find ourselves in.
What does that have to do with running you’re asking yourself. And maybe even scratching your head. Well, the recession oddly enough has a lot to do with running.
The finish line at Around the Bay
I have heard stories about how during recessions, people tend to flock to running in droves. And races suddenly find themselves filled to capacity with runners who want to run.
The Around the Bay road race was completely full this year. I don’t recall it filling up while I’ve been doing it. I’m sure it probably has, maybe during the last recession. And I’ve heard of other local races that are filling pretty quickly.
Esther is hoping to get huge numbers for her Road2Hope in a few months. And given the fact that lots of races have been filling up, I’m sure she will get huge numbers too!
The really cool thing about running is that it is pretty cheap. But the results are well worth the small investment you have to make in a couple of things to get yourself going.
A good pair of shoes is a must, a good pair of shorts or pants depending on the weather is necessary and a good shirt are all you really need to get running. Plus a positive attitude.
A cheap investment for years of pleasure and a great way to make lifelong friendships.
I know there are tons of benefits to be had from cross-training.* Extra cardio will help me build my fitness without exhausting the same muscle groups; strength training will help my form. Yet I still can’t seem to find the motivation. I just like to run!
A friend told me about this fitness class she was taking, and thought I might like it too. I thought, what the heck, maybe if joining a clinic helped me commit to running, joining a class can help me commit to cross-training. I didn’t even know what it was when I signed up.
It turns out it is a strength training class involving this pair of long straps that is anchored to the wall above your head, and there are handles on the ends. You hold on to the handles and use your own body weight for resistance through various exercises like push ups, squats, triceps dips; enough to work your whole body, anyway. You can see what I’m talking about here.
So far I have learned a few things:
1. My upper body is composed entirely of overcooked pasta.
2. You use a slightly different set of muscles when you sneeze than when you blow your nose – I know it’s strange, but it’s true! I hurt in two very different ways doing those two activities the next day.
3. When I am sitting or walking a few days after a new activity, I may think my legs are entirely recovered from the activity; but when I ask them to run, I learn how very wrong I am.
4. Triceps are involved in removing the lid from my sandwich container.
That was week one; my second class is tonight. The class is 10 weeks long, so I am sure I will gain more valuable insight that I can share as I progress. I hope that I do end up with improved posture and running form. At the very least, if by the end of the 10 weeks I can actually do a real push up, it will have been worth the price of admission!
*My dad would insert some comment here like: “why cross-training? Why not happy training?” And I might say “dad, no one uses the term “cross” to mean angry anymore, so people won’t get that joke.” Yet somehow, this seems appropriate here.
I’d like to say that I am sad that tomorrow will be the last day that I get to work with Sarah and our Purple Shoed Friend.
Before you judge me an uncaring person, let me explain. I am not sad, just like I am often not sad at funerals. It is a chance to celebrate! To be happy that you had the opportunity to get to know someone.
So I am not sad that they are leaving. I am celebrating the fact that I got to know two really special women. And I am celebrating the fact that I got to watch them grow as runners. I got to see them move from runners who were a little hesitant about running their very first Around the Bay race. To coming back after having run the race confident in their abilities as runners.
My Purple Shoed Friend ran with Sarah for a bit and then realised she could run faster than she thought. And told Sarah that she was going to run a little faster and did it.
They were gracious enough to listen to me telling them the same running story over and over. And they pretended on more than one occasion that they were taking my advice.
I wish I could say I had a hand in them becoming such confident runners. Sadly I can’t. So all I can say is, I’ll see you at the next Subaru Running series race. Please go easy on me.
VICKY:
Yup. I am a bean-a-holic. I know, I know, I don’t look like your typical bean-a-holic. I sure didn’t think it would happen to me. I thought it was only those hardcore runners that went all crazy on the beans. But let this be a lesson to all of you out there…it can happen to any of us, even beginners. I mean look at them with their flashy red, blue, orange and green colours. They may look like plain old harmless jelly beans but let me tell ya, just when you think you’re having only one or two, WHAM! You’ve emptied all four tiny bags of sport beans you just bought from the running store.
GRANT:
It’s like she never saw it coming. None of us did. At first, I saw her stroll in to work with her little tupperware full of beans and I thought, ok so she has a sweet tooth. It was all very harmless at first. Then, she started to get all edgy. This one time, she spilled her beans and well, let’s just say that wasn’t a pretty sight.
VICKY:
Ya’ll have to be careful out there.
GRANT:
Seriously, look at her…she’s got crazy in her eyes…
VICKY:
They strike when you least expect it and next thing you know…you’re addicted. Sure, they are packed with electrolytes and vitamins but what they don’t tell you is how good they taste.
GRANT:
So I did an intervention and I think she’ll be just fine. She starts BA (Beans Anonymous) in a couple of days.
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