It was touch and go with the scheduled long run today.  After the cross training yesterday, my right hamstring kept “pinging” me.  I grabbed the hamstring support and took it with me  just incase I had to put it on during my run.

Pre run fuel at an embarrassingly early hour in the morning, 3 hours before exercise (believe it or not, I naturally wake up to eat this   – no alarm needed:

1/2 of a Sprouted wheat bagel with 1 TBS peanut butter.

Doesn’t taste good when your eyes are closed and you are munching in your sleep.  I went back to bed.  When the alarm went off and it was run time, I took some water, a handful of raisins and down I went.  After 1 hour, I had an energy gel (icky-GU-poooh!) washing it down with lots of water.  Then it was time to finish up 7 miles outside with Shane.  I took an E-Drenaline.

It was a good run.  My hamstring turned out ok.  It was a little painful for the first 2 1/2 miles but I ran through it.  The feet were fine, only getting a little achy at about 15 miles.  Over all body check: Good. Total miles 18 on the nose. My longest run yet.  Average pace 9.27.  I’m making progress

It feels like I’m starting fresh when I get off the treadmill and go outside into the cold morning air. The first 4 miles outside, we went through the parks and over the trails.  The last 3 miles were road miles and those were a bit boring and tiring. I won’t even discuss treadmill miles.  It’s best if you just close your eyes and try to sleep through them.

Post Run Breakfast:

1/4 cup Steel cut oatmeal cooked with 3/4 to 1 cup of water, 1/2 a banana, raisins, cinnamon, and I stirred in 1 TBS almond butter at the end.

Mixed berries turns my everyday oatmeal into a burst of delightful fruity freshness.

Look at the specks of cinnamon…yummmmmm

Lunch time CARBO-LOADING:
The other day we had our family riggie fest.  I saved some of the whole wheat penne, cooked with nothing on it to add to my week day lunch. Then I had a cooking brain fart:  Why not make a carbo-loaded, all natural side? Only 5 ingredients and one of them is the cooking olive oil.  The balance is very heavy carb loaded with a super balance between protein and fat.  Remember the 40-30-30 balance?  This is more like 70-15-15, so you really have to watch what you might pair with it, if anything.  This is a great side dish to have a day or two before a long run.

The Carbo Patty – a runners snack

The recipe will serve 6 and offers 308 calories per patty. 13 g protein. 54 g carbohydrates (with only 2 g of sugar). 6 g fat.  9 g fiber.

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 cup Whole wheat penne pasta (or other whole wheat pasta) cooked
• 8.5 oz can creamed style corn
• 15 oz black beans – drain and rinse
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the 1 TBS of oil in a pan on medium heat. 

Chop the pasta into small pieces so you can easily blend it with the other ingredients.

In a food processor add the corn and black beans. 

Stir together the pasta, corn/bean mix, and the cheese. 

Drop by large spoonfuls (making 6 – 8 servings) into the preheated pan with oil.  Cook in the heated oil on medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Top with salsa, or mustard or enjoy plain.  

Since this is so high in carbohydrates, I would eat these with my lunchtime salad since I prefer to get the majority of my daily carbohydrates earlier in the day rather than at dinner time.

Don’t forget the GIVEAWAY:  $35.00 towards great stuff.

Whole wheat or plain pasta, what’s your favorite?

Yesterday afternoon, one of my favorite guys in the whole world showed up at work and said … (I LOVE these words)…”One for you”.    It was the UPS man!  AHHHHH!   I got a package!

I knew immediately who it was from.  My friends at Bob’s Red Mill.  They sent me some Gluten Free Steel Cut Oats, my absolute weekday breakfast favorite.

That wasn’t all. In the box was a Spurtle.   I had never heard of such a thing!

A Spurtle is a traditional Scottish porridge stirring stick used to stir the oats as they softened in the pot.

Since I KNEW you’d want to know more, here it is:  THE SPURTLE.

Another plus in the box was the recipe for Oregon Orchard Oats Brulee.  That will be on my to-do list.  For now, here is my standard recipe for weekday oats.

Most people enjoy their oats a lot creamier than I do.  If you’re one of them, add some fat free milk to oats just before simmering.  You can also add a TBS of yogurt after the oats are cooked.

If you like sweeter oats:  A sprinkle of brown sugar on top.  Agave syrup, maple syrup, or honey (1 tsp).  Personally, if I’m feeling a need for sweeter oats, I add 1 TBS natural peanut butter.

The morning routine which made me SO deserving of that wonderful bowl of healthy oats was:
60 minute treadmill run. I couldn’t bring myself to run outside in the cold that early.

23 minutes shoulder workout with cable machine and weights. Abs in between sets.

3.55 mile jog with Shane. 

I hope to make the CEimB recipe tonight for posting tomorrow but we are still moving furniture and packing away dishes and ornaments for the carpet installation tomorrow.  It’s a lot more work than we bargained for.  The floor is installed and Shane doesn’t like it.  He wants his carpet back .  Poor Shane.  Out of spite, he has already left paw prints on the nice wood floor.  But the humans like it and we’re the ones paying so Shane will have to make do.
Steel Cut Oatmeal