Fuel and Long Runs...

Yesterday's long run was... interesting. In no way would I call it bad, but the first mile and the last mile were rough. I felt like they were awful, though I stayed on a very steady pace throughout my run.

It was very amusing to me that 38 degrees and sunny felt legitimately WARM. I wore my Nike tights and my new Marmot Variant jacket (more on this in a later post). The jacket is going to be fantastic when we return to the teens this week, but yesterday?  I was half unzipped, sleeves pushed up, and roasting!  I guess I really have acclimated to those cold, early morning runs!

It was the first run long in a long time long enough to bring fuel with me. This gave me a great chance to finally try out Island Boost on the go. The timing is very similar to PowerBar Gels (every 40ish minutes), but it seems to kick in a bit faster. When I would run with PB Gels, I would actually have a moment sometime after I took the Gel where I could feel the Gel hit me and kick in. With Island Boost, I felt just a continued, consistent fuel.  I did feel pretty smoked by about mile 7.25, but I'm guessing that was due more to the warmth than anything else.

If you haven't used Island Boost, I highly recommend you try it! (I DID apply to be an IB Ambassador for 2014, but right now, I'm just sharing experience with you). The flavors are decent... I hate the taste of coconut water, and Island Boost is coconut water-based. The drawback for me is that of course, every flavor is a bit tainted by this, but the benefit is that Island Boost is liquid. Yup, liquid.  You don't have to choke it down, no difficulty squeezing it out of the pouch on the run, just drink up! This also helps speed it to your muscles. I did think the Aspire flavor tasted a bit like sweaty feet, but the Renegade flavor (blueberry-pomegranate) is pretty good.

What really sold me was using it for a few runs, running out, and getting some more. I like to have some type of fuel right before I run... just to top off my energy stores. I previously used PowerBar Performance Blends, so I decided to try Island Boost the same way. The first few runs, I didn't feel like I noticed anything. I had a good energy reserve, but nothing told me it was completely from the Island Boost. The runs without though were rough. I definitely felt the lack of fuel!!  Once I got it back, I felt good again. SOLD!   They're also perfect for morning runs... a half cup of coffee, a banana and an Island Boost, and I'm good to go!

Have you tried Island Boost? What are you fueling with?  How was your weekend long run?


Workout of the Day: 8 mile run

Song of the Day:  "Burn" - Ellie Goulding

An Update...

It just dawned on me that I promised to blog more and then vanished. I promise I have a good reason. I promise.

I got a job!!!

Hooray for me!!!

I'm also well into marathon training, and I'm sure you have a million questions. I'm sure they go a bit like this:
Is your cold weather gear advice still working? (yes. I own the winter)
How long until you bite it the first time? (trick question, I already did. In a snowstorm. Just kidding about that owning the winter thing..)
Did you survive the Paleo holidays? (Yes, I did. Those I actually owned, and even my non-Paleo in-laws were happy).
What shoes are you wearing? (Inov-8s. TrailRocs and RoadX-Tremes. I'll tell you all about those soon)
So wait, if you have a job, how are you fitting in your training? (I get up early. Wicked early. I have turned into a morning runner. And I actually don't mind. It's disgusting)
How early? (Early. Give me coffee.)
But, isn't it dark out? (Yes. See and be seen. I've got some advice about that. Flashing lights. Sweet flashing lights)
What would you do if you saw someone in front of you making random hand gestures indicating that they may be crazy? (two choices... duck into the darker neighborhood, or stay on well-lit main road and go fast. I sprinted. No abducting me, please)
What else can you tell me? (Lots. Lots. More blogging coming, I swear).

So, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you!!  I had a wonderful Christmas. A very fit Christmas in fact. I have tons of new products to tell you about that I've either purchased or received like Inov-8 TrailRocs, Island Boost endurance fuel, SmartWool PhD Run Socks, Marmot Varient jacket, Amphipod gear, etc. You know I love to share what I've found, so look for reviews coming soon! I'll also be chatting about some gear I really want to get/try, like the CamelBak Marathoner vest.

I really have started running in the morning. I actually get up between 5:00 - 5:30 so I can have coffee and a little fuel and then either run or strength train. I've done amazingly well, and actually don't mind it (too much!).

I hope you've all enjoyed your holidays and are gearing up to start the new year strong. Much more coming soon!

Recipe: Paleo/Gluten-Free Buckwheat Bread...

Bread.

The holy grail of Paleo and Gluten-free people everywhere.

Most breads that are gluten-free, and especially those that are paleo have weird textures, can't hold up well enough for sandwiches, and well, taste like cardboard.

This bread is easy to make, tasty, and holds up! You actually need a bread knife to cut it! My husband compared it to the brown bread served at Outback Steakhouse.. though I think it would need a little tweaking to match that.  I had it with stew last night and breakfast this morning. I've topped it with butter and honey, toasted and plain. Yum!

Warning #1 with this bread. It looks brown, and it certainly falls into a grey area. It contains both buckwheat and yeast.  My understanding is that buckwheat is grossly misunderstood. It is NOT a grain. However, some still consider it a grass, and thus non-paleo. I believe, and several sources state, that it is actually a fruit.   It IS gluten-free.  As always, I urge you to make your own decisions. If you don't think buckwheat flour is OK in your definition of paleo, don't make this bread.

Warning #2 of course is the yeast.  I am going to try to replicate this bread in the future without yeast, using the baking soda/acid reaction to make it rise. However, I have not had much success with that in the past. Yeast is technically an organism. Again, debate this all you want... I think the occasional yeast is OK. If you don't, don't make this and I'll try to make it yeast-free soon.

So with all those warnings out of the way, let's get to the important stuff... the recipe!!

Buckwheat Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups lukewarm water
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 package active dry yeast (I used Red Star)
• 1/2 Cup tapioca flour
• 1/2 Cup coconut flour
• 1 Cup buckwheat flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

Mix yeast and water in a medium bowl and set aside for at least 5 minutes. 

In a large bowl, mix the remaining dry ingredients (coconut, tapioca, buckwheat, salt) together until completely blended.

In the medium bowl with your yeast water, add eggs, honey, vinegar and mix well. Once mixed, pour liquids into the dry ingredients.  Mix well. 

Pour batter into your greased pan. I used two 8x4 pans, but you should be able to do a full loaf pan without problems. 

Let rise at least one hour  (note in the above image, I thought yeast should rise in the fridge... which actually slows the process... oops).

Heat oven to 350.  Bake for 45-50 minutes (full loaf may take longer) or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. 

Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack. 

Add some grassfed butter and ENJOY!!!

Running Cold...

Winter dropped in with a bang here in Michigan. One day it was mid-50s and sunny, the next it was below freezing, windy and raw. Our first snow wasn't pretty and fluffy, it was rain that changed over to snow, driven sideways by the wind as the temperatures plunged 20 degrees.  Not to worry though, in true Michigan fashion, it will be int he 50s again this weekend. And then the 30s by Monday.

Weather FTW...

There is a great thing on Twitter every Sunday night called RunChat. It alternates between 8pm EST and 10pm EST. Let's be honest, I usually miss the 10pm one. Girl's gotta sleep!  A cool thing happened when I found RunChat... I tapped into a community of fellow runners, and I learned that the conversation keeps going 24/7 via the hashtag #runchat.

One of the most common topics of conversation on #runchat lately is running in the cold. Specifically what to wear.  I'm still maintaining... marathon training officially kicks off in just over a week (oh, holy panic attack!). So I am out in the cold, and I know it's getting colder. Thank goodness I started my running journey in January. I actually know what to do, what works, and I'm figured it would help to share with you the gear that works for me!   I've included links to same or similar products where I can...

Let's start from the ground up, shall we?

My biggest shortfall is socks... I just use normal running socks. I'm going to try SmartWool this year, since I love them for skiing, but I do not have any amazing go-to, which is sad since my feet are ALWAYS COLD.

In temps anywhere between 40 and 10 degrees I wear Nike running tights. They might not be warm when you step outside, but they are warm as soon as you get moving. Mine are at least two years old, but this is the most similar model: Nike Thermal. Once temps drop into or below single digits, I top my tights with a pair of Under Armour pants similar to these: UnderArmour Fleece Team Pant.  Mine are a bit different... picked up in a ski shop several years ago, but they are so warm and comfy, they are my go-to post-run pant, and well-worn at this point!

For gloves, I have one brand. Swany. I don't need a tech glove... I run with a iPod shuffle, so I just press buttons. No need for touch screens.  Until it gets very, very cold, I swear by the Suprasilk Liner. Being a liner, it is obvious thin, which I love. But the material wicks sweat away while trapping your own heat inside. My hands are always cold... they'll go numb in my own house, but these often get my hands so warm I have to pull them off for a bit!  (I also always wear these under my mittens while skiing).  For those of you looking for face masks, check out Swany!

When it's a bit colder, or when I'm driving or walking to the ski slope, I use these Stretch-Tec. They are a bit thicker, a bit fleece-ier, and have grippy palms.


As far as tops, this is where I have the most wiggle room.... it all depends on the temperature and wind. When it's mild... like 40s, I have a Nike Colts Therma-Fit similar to this (mine is thinner)... 1/4 zip, thumb holes, all the good stuff, plus I show team pride!

20s and 30s, I use Nike Dri-Fit. I have hoodies similar to this and a full zip fleece Dri-Fit jacket. I've been very impressed with how warm Dri-Fit keeps me.

And once the temps really really drop, I put on an UnderArmour ColdGear Compression top under one of the previously mentioned layers. These are perfect for skiing, and almost too warm for running! They've recently come out with Cold Gear Infrared, and I hope to try it soon!

As for my head, unless it's really, really, really cold, I don't wear anything. Running with anything on my head (visor, sunglasses, hat, headband, etc.) makes me crazy, and I'm ripping it off pretty quickly, no matter how helpful it is! If it's frigid, say a blizzard, I have a SmartWool hat I will wear until I can't stand it and yank it off!

How do you deal with running in the cold and snow? What gear do you recommend?

Recipe: Paleo Pie Crust plus Apple or Pumpkin Filling...

When marathon training kicks off the week of Thanksgiving, you are hosting, AND you're mostly Paleo, but strictly gluten-free, what's the one thing planted firmly at the top of your planning list? 

Pie.

Yes, pie.   What were you thinking about? Let's be honest, the majority of Thanksgiving dinner is easy to make Paleo and especially easy to make gluten-free. But the pie! Oh, the pie!

I've struggled with making quiche or pie, and trying to find an acceptable crust. The pre-made versions in store are wildly expensive, and the recipes out there just weren't cutting it. Most that were just gluten-free were.. well, weird. Rice flour, potato flour, a million eggs, etc.  And the Paleo recipes, my own included, were almond flour based. Almond flour is a lovely thing, and works for many, many recipes, but try as I might, I couldn't make a pie crust that wasn't insanely dense. And pie crusts are meant to be light!

I got to work, and made several complete failures. I forced upon my husband a quiche crust that was chewy... and only got worse when microwaved. But hey, it had like 8 eggs and 6 slices of bacon invested in it, so he was eating it! We both suffered through one that was quite salty. And then I made something that I doubted would work.. it was so wet, I didn't see how it would work. But it did! It did! I liked it! I really, really liked it!!

Sorry, having a Sally Field moment...

I tested this crust with both apple and pumpkin pie fillings (my Thanksgiving staples). I haven't tasted the Pumpkin, as I don't like Pumpkin, well, anything, but my husband swears to me that it's delicious.  The best part is that this crust is nut and egg free, which is something I know several friends are happy for. 

Without further ado, I present to you... Paleo Pie Crust!!!  (with more pictures than any previous post!)

Paleo Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup coconut flour
• 1 tbsp. arrowroot
• 1/8 Cup (or 2 tbsp.) Tapioca starch/flour
• 1/2 Cup Spectrum all-vegetable shortening
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 - 3/4 Cup water  (start with 1/2 cup, add until you reach the consistency pictured)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 325.

First, grease your pie round really well with either butter or coconut oil and lightly dust with coconut flour.

In a medium or large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients (coconut, arrowroot, tapioca, salt) until thoroughly blended.

Use a fork to cut in and blend in the shortening. 

You will end up with something the consistency of frosting. Once you have the right consistency, spread it out a bit to make the next step easier. 

Add water and stir together slowly with a spoon until completely blended. You now have something somewhere between cake batter and cookie dough consistency (pretty wet and sticky).

Here's the hardest, most time-consuming part...

Spoon some of the mix into the pie dish, then use the spoon to spread it until it evenly covers, and is a fairly even, thin thickness.  This takes a bit of time and patience, and you will most likely need to use your hands at the end. 

Once spread, use a fork to poke holes in the dough.

Dough plopped into the prepared pie round...

Spreading the dough. I'm not kidding when I say this is thin, but sticky...

Dough spread, ready to pre-bake...

If you want lattice or a double pie, you'll need to prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper. After you prep your pie round, put the leftover dough onto the parchment paper, and spread into a rectangle of even thickness. You should have more than enough dough.

Cook the pie crust in the oven at 325 for 15 minutes. The top layer can go for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool! Time for fillings!!

Pre-baked crusts ready!!   To make lattice, use a sharp knife to slice the rectangle into slices and weave. To make a top, cut out shapes as desired. 

Paleo Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted organic butter
• 1/2 Cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp arrowroot
• cinnamon to taste
• 6 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. 

Prep the apples first. Put them into the pre-baked pie crust.

In a small pot, melt the butter over low heat. 

Add the arrowroot and stir until completely smooth. Add desired amount of cinnamon (I use probably 1 TBSP...)

Add maple syrup, stir until blended. Bring just to boiling, but do not actually boil. 

While the sauce is cooking, make your lattice, or put your top on the apple pie. Sprinkle additional cinnamon on top as desired. 

Slowly pour the sauce over the lattice.

 Cover the entire pie with foil. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.

Decrease heat to 350.  At this point, I recommend that you remove the pie, remove the foil, and place either a pie shield, or create one out of foil to cover the outer ring of the crust. The tippy top will burn, but the liquid will keep the lattice from getting too burnt.

Bake an additional 35 minutes at 350.  Let cool, and enjoy!!!

Sorry the picture is sideways...  you can see here how the edges will crisp up if not protected.

Paleo Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 can of pumpkin (make your own if you want... I won't judge if you don't!)
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 Cup. maple syrup
• 2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. 

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in canned pumpkin. Mix in maple syrup.  Slightly beat the eggs, and then stir in until everything is well blended.

Pour into pre-baked pie crust. Smooth out with your spoon.

Pumpkin pie ready to go!

As you can see in the finished product, I recommend that you use a pie crust shield or make one.. The exposed part of the crust will burn a bit. 

Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425.   Reduce temp to 350 and bake an additional 40 minutes or until the center is set. 

My husband ate this by himself. In two days. 

Big and Scary...

This won't be a wordy post. It says it all on my fundraising page..  My Father-in-Law is an absolutely wonderful person. He was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. I am going to run a marathon. For him. And I am going to fundraise for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. For him. And I would appreciate any dollar you can donated. For him, and everyone else who has, or who loves someone who has, Parkinson's.

Please donate here if you are able.

I will blog a-plenty as training ramps up in late November. Together, we will fight Parkinson's!

Running in the Inov-8 Road-X-Treme 118...

I have no idea why it's taken so long to write this review. Maybe it's because, given my recent pickiness with shoes, I'm worried I'll share a review with you all and then immediately regret it. I'm not sure. 

After my nagging dissatisfaction with my New Balance Minimus Zeroes, I wanted to try another shoe. I'm desperate for that mythical 'perfect' shoe. And in the meantime, I barrel through 'absolutely not's, 'meh's, and 'just not quite it's. 

I told you about my most recent (and final) visit to the local running/tri store that resulted in the disastrously squishy Altras. So I decided to try out Optimal Run's personal footwear recommendation service. You fill out a fairly detailed form. They return a video recommendation for you based on your wants/needs/goals/problems/etc. Even my vague "I don't like them, but I don't exactly know why" form elicited a detailed recommendation. (Seriously, check them out here).  They suggested I try the Merrell Road Glove Dash 2 or the Inov-8 Road X Treme 118.  I found a store where I could try on the Merrell. There was just a bit too much underfoot for my tastes... though they may be ideal for a marathon. I'd love to try them sometime, but I ultimately pulled the trigger on the Inov-8s. 

Inov-8 Road-X-Treme 118 (product page)

The first, immediate drawback to Inov-8 is the lack of color choices. In the Road-X-Treme, there are no options. At all. Each model comes in one color. Luckily, these are fun, and not black. I can't do boring shoes. 

At 4.2 oz, with a mesh liner and breathable uppers, these shoes are light. They feature the fold-over style tongue, giving you a one-piece upper. The soles have good flexibility, especially toward the front of the foot. They also feature high-grip rubber in certain spots. The toe box is wide though not squared off. The heel box is snug but not narrow.

Immediate impressions were that these shoes are light, no-fuss no-muss putting them on, and great groundfeel. 

So, time to run! I have now taken my 118s through long runs, short runs, a bit of crosstraining, a half marathon, dry conditions, sand, gravel, and wet leaves. They are light and responsive. The connection to the ground is perhaps a teeny bit less than the Minimus Zero, but nothing that would cause complaint. You still have fantastic groundfeel. I can feel and am aware of both my footstrike and what my foot is striking. I haven't had any problem with the laces coming undone once double-knotted, which is fantastic! The Zero required that I tuck my laces into themselves or else they would slowly come undone. 

The toe box is plenty roomy. My middle toe is actually the longest toe on my foot.. makes peep-toe heels ugly and running shoes problematic. I've had no problems in the 118s. No epic blister emerged after my most recent Half. I do occasionally feel that my toes are starting to go numb. I chalk this up to the lacing and tongue system. I would love to try a shoe like the Skora where the laces are offset to the side. The tops of my feet are quite high, and I do feel that it can be tricky to lace the 118s without feeling and being aware of the laces pressing into the top of my foot. I'm hoping a new lacing pattern will fix this issue. The good news is the toe box is plenty wide enough to wiggle my toes and get the numb feeling to go away without having to stop.  The heel is not super snug, but I have never felt any slippage. 

When I first saw this shoe, I was extremely concerned about grip. I run in rain and snow, never the treadmill. I run on leaves, sand, gravel, whatever the sidewalk may throw at me. The Minimus Zero had done well in weather, but would have poor traction in sand or gravel on the sidewalk. I have not yet had the opportunity to try the 118s in weather, but have run on wet leaves, sand and gravel on a sidewalk, and even a brief portion of dirt trail in my last Half. Don't let the soles deceive you... these shoes did not slip! I feel much more secure in the 118s than I ever did in the Zero. I hope to try them in rain soon, though I suspect I may need to find a better shoe for snow/icy conditions.

Overall, I am highly impressed with the Road-X-Treme 118. Light, zero-drop, responsive, roomy toe box, secure laces. I've comfortably run everything from a fast mile to a half marathon in them. I wear a 7.5 in regular shoes/heels/etc. and wear an 8.5 in the 118.