Survival of the Fittest - Race Recap
Beautiful view at the top of the Gondola. Post-race hike. Racing mindset is something that I have been trying to work on recently. Just gathering information from awesome running friends I have met over the last few years, learning what they do and focusing on working on my mental strength. I have said in previous posts that I don’t race often and I signed up for this race last minute, 2 nights before race day actually. I had a few friends running and was having a serious case of “fear of missing out” so decided to join in on the fun. I chose the 18km option which had a challenging 1000m elevation gain thrown in. This race, Survival of the Fittest, is part of the Coast Mountain Trail Series and if you know anything about this race series, you will know that they put you to the test! Everything for me is training for the Squamish 50 mile that I will be racing in August. I view everything like part of a training run and try to train my body to run tired most of the time. My reasoning behind this is that I want to prepare for the worst out there. I know that the worst I will feel training is probably the best I may feel at a low point during race day, so I need to be able to push through those moments. The day before Survival of the Fittest, I got up at 5am, ran to the First Peak of the The Chief, and then did a set of small hill repeats on my lunch break at work.I was going to do the Sea to Summit trail that evening with Leigh, but he convinced me to taper that evening…hahaha tapering the night before a race! My fellow crazy running buddy, Adam, stayed over at our place, since he was also running the 18km race.. It was nice to have a partner in crime to bounce pre-race jitter energy off of. I woke up feeling tried, pretty much as usual and on schedule, but after a coffee and oatmeal was feeling more race ready. I didn’t do a huge amount of research into the course, as I live in Squamish and know most of the trails in the area. The only thing I did check was the elevation profile which was 1000m over the 18km course. This seemed like it would be a challenge but definitely doable. When they made the call to get to the starting line, Gary (the race director) said everyone wanting to run fast and finish first needed to get up to...
Kitchen Sink Cookies
As an avid snacker I am always on the lookout for delicious treats that taste amazing and are still somewhat healthy for you. One evening at my job I was offered a fresh-baked cookie from one of my customers and couldn’t believe what I was tasting. I asked her what it was and she said it was a grain free recipe called “Kitchen Sink Cookies” . I went home that night and found this recipe. Turns out that after making a few batches and sharing them with friends, they now happen to be a favorite of everyone that tries them. I have one friend in particular who is crazy for these cookies, so this recipe is for you Jo! There have been a few small adaptations and this is the recipe as I make it. Ingredients: 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2/3 cup blanched almond flour (if you don’t have almond flour on hand, just buzz some almonds in a food processor until it’s the consistency of flour) 1/2 tsp of cinnamon 1/4 tsp of salt 1/3 cup of flax seeds 1/4 cup maple syrup 3 tbsp almond butter (I have also made these with sunflower butter, it’s cheaper and they were just as tasty!) 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil (the amount of coconut oil can vary depending on how many extras you add to the recipe, so don’t be afraid to use more or less if needed) My additional ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped nuts (usually whatever I have on hand - walnut, cashew, almond or pecan) 1/2 -3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (quantity depends how much you love chocolate!) 2 tbsp hemp seeds 2 tbsp chia seeds handful of sunflower seeds handful of pumpkin seeds Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a cookie sheet (I use coconut oil) but you could also use parchment paper as noted in the original recipe. 2. In a bowl mix all of the dry ingredients together. 3. In a separate bowl whisk together the maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla and melted coconut oil. 4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together. 5. Using a large spoon scoop the cookies onto the baking pan and bake for 13 minutes. 6. Allow the cookies to cool before removing from the pan as they will break apart very easily. 7. Once cool I recommend keeping them in the fridge to allow them to harden up. They tend to be crumbly at room temperature. Now get eating &...
Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pudding
If you’re anything like me the first time you heard about Chia it brought you back to being a kid growing up in the 80’s watching this commercial. And let’s all be honest with ourselves, we all really wanted a Chia pet, I mean I still kind of want one…hmm I wonder if they still sell them? Buy one! Chia Pet Kitten I have since found that Chia is much more than a super cool indoor gardening toy. And more specifically, Chia seeds, are a powerhouse of nutrition. Everyone can add these into their daily eating routine and they are chock full of health benefits . I started adding them to my morning oatmeal concoction (which is: oatmeal, almond milk, sunflower seeds, Goji berries, Chia seeds, hemp seeds) but after reading the book “Born to Run” (a definite must read for any aspiring runner or any experienced runners who need a kick in the pants motivation wise ) I thought about other ways I could incorporate them into my diet. I had heard about Chia pudding before but never got around to trying it… until now. Oh my god I can’t believe I have been missing out on it all this time!! It is so delicious and just absolutely decadent that it won’t seem like you are eating something so good for you. So here is the recipe that I currently use: 1 400ml Can Organic Coconut Milk (Full Fat) 4 Tbsp Organic Chia Seeds (Use less if you want a thinner pudding) 1 splash of pure vanilla extract 1 dash of cinnamon (I love cinnamon so don’t give specific measurements. Use to taste) That’s it! Put all those ingredients in a resealable glass container, give it a quick stir and put it in the fridge for a few hours. The Chia seeds soak up so much of the coconut milk that you are left with a thick tapioca like pudding. You only need to eat a small amount at a time as it is so rich, unless you are like me and eat almost half of it in one sitting! Scoop 2-3 tbsp into a bowl, add your favorite frozen or fresh berry and sprinkle with raw cacao nibs. Amazing! Now I am not much of a sweet tooth and prefer to make it unsweetened, but if you wanted to sweeten it up you could add a touch of agave syrup, or even maple syrup would do the trick! Do you eat Chia Pudding? We would love to hear your favorite way of eating this delicious snack! If you haven’t tried it before make sure to let us know what you...
Greenergy Juice
Ok so it can be hard to find a tasty vegetable juice. I have made a few where you have to prepare yourself for each gulp you take; yes a gulp because it’s the kind of juice that you want to get down as quickly as possible and sipping would take too long. You know the kind right? I am sure you have had a few where you may have even pinched your nose to dull the flavour as you took your gulp. Well this juice is not like that! It’s definitely one of the top juice recipes I have found and we try to drink one at least 3-5 times a week each morning before breakfast. The cucumber adds a refreshing taste, while the celery gives hints of a savory flavour and combined with the slight sweetness of the apple, tang of the lime and creamy bitterness of kale/spinach you have a pretty delicious & very nutritious juice! Oh and you won’t believe how energetic you will feel throughout the day from drinking this juice. Recipe: 1/2 cucumber 2 large handfuls of kale or spinach (you can use both) 2 stalks of celery 1 apple squeeze of half of a lime Serves 2 (230 ml per serving) When juicing remember to always use organic! Enjoy! ...
BAMango Smoothie
Here is a quick, easy and super delicious smoothie to try! 1 cup fresh or frozen mango 1 celery rib ½ lime, peeled and juiced 4 basil leaves 1-inch piece ginger 1 cup water You can always add a couple of strawberries for some extra sweetness....
