Triple Race Recap

In the last month I’ve run in 3 5K races.  I don’t think I did 3 5Ks in the last 3 years! But with the promise of a half marathon in January (and an overwhelming urge to improve on my OCR times at least a little bit,) I’ve been signing up for road races left and right.

This year, my very first race of the season was the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network’s PurpleStride NYC 5K on April 20. I ran in honor of my Girl Scout Troop Leader of many years, Sandy, who lost a fierce battle with pancreatic cancer just days before Christmas 2012. I ran with other girls from my troop and friends and family of Sandy. It wasn’t the Girl Scout reunion that we wanted have, but we turned our loss into hope for others by raising over $1000 dollars for PanCAN. The course was great. It wasn’t too hilly but not so flat and straight as to bore me out of my brain like running on the street does. There were plenty of volunteers and water stations on the course and at the finish. We got t-shirts and drawstring bags and they had tons of bananas and bagels and such for the runners. My only problem with this race was that it ended really abruptly. I think the opening ceremony (which was after the runners finished and  before the walkers started) went over. I’m guessing the event only had a permit to be in the park until a certain time, because they cut the 5K Walk down to maybe 2 miles and by the time we all got back (we ran and then walked, as well) all the tents were down and it was a ghost town in Riverside park. Given that this event was just days after the Boston Marathon attacks, I’m going to chalk this flaw up to the City being extra paranoid.

All in all, though, it was a great day with great people for a great cause. As she had always done, Sandy inspired us on the day of the race to be our best. People who had never run a 5K before finished strong. More experience runners performed better than they had ever before. That day, I cut about 5 minutes off my personal best, finishing in 32:32. Thank you, Sandy.

The next 5K was St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester Marie and George Doty Memorial Spring Sprint 5K on May 11. It was a lovely day for a run with cloudy skies and occasional drizzle.

Boston Marathon Memorial at the Spring Sprint. The shoes were given to the hospital’s residents.

We started off at the hospital where sponsors provided bananas, bagels, yogurt, water, cake… anything you could really want. We got nice tech tees and reflective bags filled with coupons from local businesses and lip balm. The course took us on the roads around the hospital campus lined with some of the most gorgeous homes I’ve ever seen. I was pretty tempted just to run right up to a front door, say “I live here now” and get cozy on the couch with remote in hand. I especially felt like doing that once my lungs decided to punish me for discontinuing my Advair and Singulair use for the whole week prior. I had to start walking less than a mile in. I walked on and off the rest of the race making sure to run once I could see the finish line and not stop until I crossed or died- whichever came first. Il finished in 32:55 and am pretty stoked about that.

This past Saturday was the 1st Annual Cupcake Classic at the Gardiner Cupcake Festival. Being the first time it was ever done, there were definitely some problems. First, shirt sizes got messed up. For some reason everyone who asked for smalls were listed as larges. That was probably just a computer glitch so I won’t blame them for that. Next, start times for runners and walkers was unclear. Walkers were supposed to start at 10:15, runners at 10:45- though we heard some of the volunteers saying the opposite at the registration table. They called everyone to the start at 10:30, told the walkers to stay to the back and the runners to move forward, and started the runners at 10:50ish. I don’t know when the walkers got to go. The course had 2 water stations but there was no water at the end. We had to go pay for overpriced beverage at the vendors that were set up for the Festival at noon. The course itself was great for a trail run because it went through the orchards and I even got to get a little muddy. For non-mudders who typically stick to roads and sidewalks, it was more difficult thanks to the seriously hilly terrain. I won’t lie, I had to walk a lot, too. For the most part, it was well marked, but I know for sure that myself and at least 2 others took a wrong turn somewhere in one of the orchards and wound up off course just before the finish. I finished this one in under 35 minutes. I never saw my official time and my MayMyRun app crapped out on me – I’ll update if they post official times. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and try again next year, because no matter what happens at the race, I’m still at a Cupcake Festival!

The Right Shoes

I believe it was Marilyn Monroe who said, “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” I always kind of assumed that she was referring to that single pair of shoes that make you feel awesome. Now I’m pretty sure that the “shoes” she mentioned just had to be plural.  And I’m not talking about the 3 different pairs of strappy black sandals in my closet.

Once upon a time, all I needed was one pair of sneakers- classic black Chuck Taylors. Then, when I decided to not be a couch potato anymore, I got a pair of New Balances that the dude in the store said I should get. They never really saw much action besides the gym. So now I had normal day-to-day sneakers and gym sneakers.

Well, then I started going up to the Mohonk Preserve for hikes and rock scrambling. You can’t really do that all too well with regular kicks so here come the hiking shoes. I got a great pair Merrell Siren hiking shoes.

Then OCRs came into my life and I needed trail runners. Adidas Kanadias became my go-to shoes for the muck and mire.

I wanted to up my performance at the OCRs so I started running on roads in those poor, neglected New Balances. The ones that spiders had turned into a condominium complex in the recesses of the hall closet. They died the first time I took them out for a 5K. I’m not saying they were bad shoes, but I treated them poorly and paid the price. I bought some Nike Free Run 2s because the dude in the store said I should get them.

More experience and chatting in the OCR community led me to purchase a pair of Inov-8 X-Talons for running up and down slick mountains. I fell butt-crazy in love with those shoes. They were so perfect and made me feel like running on forever, but only in the dirt and mud.  I was still wearing the Nikes for runs on the gym track and on roads and getting pains on the inner sides of my calf/ankle region. I wished I could wear my Talons on the road because I didn’t get that pain when wearing those no matter how long the race was. So I looked on the Inov-8 site and found their Bare-X Lite 150s. As far as I could tell, they were the closest thing to the Talons while still being for the road. Who’da thunk I’d be a minimalist runner? Sure as hell not me, but I felt great in those shoes.

But…

Then I upped the road-running ante by training for a half-marathon that will be on perfectly paved and/or cobbled paths in Disney World. Random short runs on a zero drop, 3mm footbed felt great. Running 3+ miles a few times a week? Not so much. My calves were threatening all out war.

This time I was not going to just listen to the minimum wage schmo in Modell’s or Finish Line who probably knows nothing about foot strike or pronation or any of the skabillion other factors that go into whether a shoe will work with my foot or not. I did some research and found a real running store that employees real runners- Westchester Road Runners. The woman in the store matched me up with a pair of Brooks Ravenna 4s. I ran around the store and then around the block. Then I brought them home and put some real miles on them.  Now I only get a little pain for a very short time right after running (which may have more to do with the shoes I change back into afterwards.) I’m running longer and faster (just broke 10:00/M!) and with no more pain or calf cramps.  I suppose I’m minimalist on uneven terrain and need arch support on hard surfaces. My feet are bi-polar!

So now, on top of the too many (according to my husband) regular girlie shoes, sandals, and boots in the closet, I have to have:

1. Chucks for regular day-t0-day wear
2. Merrells for going to the Gunks
3. Kanadias for short, easy-peasy OCRs. (Though, these may be retired soon and I’m not entirely sure if I’ll replace them)
4. X-Talons for most OCRs
5. Bare-X Lites for short warm up runs or cross-training
6. Ravennas for running

There’s definitely something to be said about having the right tool for the right job.  Maybe Cinderella or Dorothy can conquer the world with 1 stellar pair of shoes, but this girl needs 6. And it’s the combination of all  of these shoes that I use for all of these crazy things that makes me feel awesome while conquering my little chunk of the world.

Wait- make that 7 pairs. I always need a good old pair of flip-flops to change into after a race.

A Grandma’s Guide to Getting Dirty

I get told by more people than I can count that “those mud runs you do look like so much fun, but I’ll never be able to do it.” I’ve spent almost 2 whole years telling them that ANYBODY can do a mud run. Most obstacles at most events are completely doable by anyone who is willing to try and/or accept a helping hand from a teammate or complete stranger. You can run or walk or hobble or crawl at your own pace and whether you finish in first place or 7,061st place, you still finished the darn thing and get to have all of the same bragging rights. All you have to do is tell that little pessimistic dipshit voice in the back of your head to shut up and just do it.

Most people still remain skeptical, so for those would-be mud runners, I submit this post.

I am ridiculously proud to say that my MOTHER, who also happens to be a GRANDMOTHER, ran her first mud run this past weekend. Here is her story:

note: I added in picture and links, but did not alter her story.

I’ve spent the last couple of years, standing on the sidelines and listening to my daughter Nicole, my son-in-law Jay and my son Stephen talk about the mud races that they enjoy doing.  I always thought they were crazy!

Back in October of 2012, after I had lost 50 pounds, my oldest daughter, Nicole, asked if I would be interested in participating in a mud run, specifically, the Dirty Girl.   I was feeling pretty good after losing the weight and maybe I was a little, shall we say, drunk, and I said sure, why not!

The secret to getting my mom to agree to just about anything. I wish I had known that when I was a kid…

I figured, if I chickened out, oh well, the registration money was going to a good cause, namely breast cancer research, so I registered.  Then time got away from me and before I knew it the race was less than a month away.  I had not trained or worked out or even walked!  I must be insane!

I got excited the week before the race, when Nicole and her husband Jay took me shopping for the right clothes for the race.  I went pink of course!  I bought sweats with a pink stripe and pink and purple sneakers!  I even went I had a mani/pedi the day before so I could have pink nails!

The day before the race, I actually considered pretending to be sick.  But because it wasn’t only Nicole and I on the team, there was my former Girl Scout Allison and my VFW Ladies Auxiliary Sister Tina to think about.  So I resigned myself to the fact that I was going to do this race and pray I didn’t break a leg or my head.

You must know that I am still a little over weight and I am 53 YEARS OLD.  I am sooo not athletic!   I didn’t even play softball as a kid.  Needless to say, I was very worried for myself.

The morning of the race I was nervous, but excited at the same time.  I got all dressed up in my new gear and I was ready.  Driving to Scranton, PA didn’t take long at all, but that’s because I really wasn’t sure I wanted to continue on this journey, so we got there in no time and I was on my way.  As we walked to the registration area I started getting excited.  You have to be in coma not to.  The energy at the place was contagious.

We registered, checked in our gear and headed for the starting line.  All those woman just as crazy as I am.  We started out and came to our first bit of mud.  I thought to myself “I’m nuts”!  But onward on went.  I walked through mud, I ran (I hadn’t run in years), I came to my first real obstacle.

My mommy’s very first obstacle.

I was so proud of myself for actually doing it.  Before I knew it, I was jumping through faux tires, climbing walls, trekking through mud, climbing up rope webs and sliding down a slide into a mud pit.  Who would have ever thought I COULD actually do these things?  NOT ME.  I had mud everywhere on my body and I LOVED every minute of.

That is a gigantic smile on her face!

Doing this mud race was one of the top five things I’ve ever done!  I am so doing the Dirty Girl again next year.  I am even going to do the Trauma Run at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.  (Just a side note:  The Trauma Unit at Westchester is amazing.  When my younger daughter Natalie was there last year, they took care of her as if they were her mothers and fathers. So I owe them a bit of gratitude, more than I can say).

A good friend of mine (Colleen), said once you do one, it’s like getting a tattoo, you want more and she’s right.

Doesn’t matter what age your birth certificate says you are, no one is too old to do a mud run.

So thank you Nicole for getting me to do this.  But do not expect me to do Spartan or any of those other crazy ones you do.  I draw the line at Dirty Girl and Trauma!  Maybe we can get Dad to do the Trauma Run!  And Miss Natalie!

See you all in the mud!!!

I want to add that my mom tried every single obstacle. No skipping obstacles for her! She ran when she felt like running and got ahead of the rest of our team on quite a few occasions. I am so unbelievably proud of her for losing those 50pounds and then getting up and trying something new and different with her fab new body. And I can’t wait for her to get another race under her belt (and then that magical day when that screw pops loose and she decides to try a Spartan – there are septuagenarians doing that thing!)

So next time you think “That looks like so much fun but I could never do that” get over yourself and ask “WHY THE HELL NOT?” And if that doesn’t work just picture my son saying “Dude, stop being a wienie. My grandmother can do it!”

2 Booms and a Bundt

This weekend, X got to have his first adventure up in the Mohonk Preserve. Jay wanted to go rock climbing with a friend of his and thought it would be a good time for me to learn how to climb, too. Jay’s friend was bringing his wife and another friend so there would always be eyes to watch the baby. We packed up early in the morning, grabbed a rugged diaper bag and the jogging stroller and headed up to New Paltz to meet up with everyone.

Now, our jogging stroller has  been trouble since day 1. I bought it cheap and didn’t expect much of it in the first place, but I did expect it to make it through at least a few jogs without getting a flat tire. Or 3. We had to buy a special pump for the front tire because it would work with any other bike pump. We couldn’t find our stroller tire pump the morning of the Mohonk adventure. Jay ended up just inflating the 2 big rear tires and we would just deal with the slightly flat front tire. We just needed the stroller to make it to the climbing spot and back. We weren’t running on it and we were going to be on carriage trails.

So we are walking along the trail from the West Trapps parking lot to whatever crazy rock face people with much less acrophobia than I were about to climb, when out of nowhere…

BOOM!!!

What in the Hell was that?!!  We all looked around expecting to see a car or truck on the nearby road with a blown out tire, or a rogue hunter/poacher with a shotgun in the Preserve. But, no, it was the stroller carrying my 2 year old! The left tire blew out! We didn’t know if it was the change in air pressure or if we hit something or what, but it was FREAKING LOUD. X was totally unfazed and wondering why we stopped.

We pushed on, Jay pushing what was turning more into a sled than a stroller. We left the stroller on the side of the carriage trail and I walked X up 10 feet or so of rocky trail to get to where we’d be.

People climbed. I chickened out when I saw the lack of obvious (to me, at least) hand and footholds. X thought it would be a laugh riot to smash his own hand with a softball-sized rock. It wasn’t.

We moved a little ways down the trail to another spot, leaving the stroller where it was. We could still see it and we were out in the middle of nowhere. And it was 2/3 busted so if someone wanted to steal it they could have it.

People climbed. I continued to keep my feet firmly planted on horizontal rock. Xavier thought it would be a laugh right to head-butt a Power Wheels-sized rock. It wasn’t.

Then, while Jay was climbing up the rock face like a giant gecko,

BOOM!!!

For real? This happened again? Why, yes. Yes it did. Tire number 3 burst apart and the sound echoed off the rock walls and giant boulders. We all reassured the hikers that were passing by that it was just our POS stroller.

We left the climbing party early. Pushing X in the stroller would have been a  pain in the ass so we needed to move before nap-time and while he could still walk himself out of the woods.

 

Having enough of an adventure on Saturday, Sunday I opted for a more culinary adventure. Namely, my Daring Baker challenge for April.

Natalia of Gatti Fili e Farina challenges us to make a traditional Savarin, complete with soaking syrup and cream filling! We were to follow the Savarin recipe but were allowed to be creative with the soaking syrup and filling, allowing us to come up with some very delicious cakes!

I really didn’t want to do this one, but seeing as I only just started back up, I kinda had to. So here it is. A Savarin soaked in double chocolate vodka and filled with peanut butter mousse (no recipes, kinda made it up as I went along.)   I drizzled the top with peanut butter and chocolate syrup. Tagalongs and cocoa nibs for garnish. Ta-Da! It wasn’t my favorite dessert ever, but my dad really liked it. So I guess it was a win.

Looks like hummus in a cake, huh?

X thought it would be a laugh riot to smash mousse into the cake and sing “Appy to you” (“Happy Birthday to You”.)

It was.

I AM a Runner

Last week, I did something crazy. I signed up for my first half marathon.

I know, I know, I’ve already done more than 13.2 miles so I shouldn’t be freaking out over it. I will anyway because, as I’ve said, I am not a runner. Running for more than a couple miles on open road with no breaks to carry a bucket of rocks or lug a weighted sled through an over-sized fire pit is long and tedious and tiring. I don’t catch that “runner’s high” that those “I run 6 miles before breakfast everyday” people get. I get bored and go home and eat a cookie. Cookie-eating, no matter how quickly it is done, is not good enough cardio to help me better my performance at OCRs.

I signed up for this half marathon, in particular, in hopes that it will give me the kick in the pants to actually start running on a more regular basis. I’ve been a lump lately and that needed to change. I thought that signing up for GORUCK would force me out of my slump, but no. Apparently, the lazy person in my brain won in the fight against the spendthrift who doesn’t want to waste registration fees and hotel stays on a failed event.  This half marathon is going to give my inner Scrooge McDuck a leg up in the next round, because this run is in Disney World.

I signed up for the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Half Marathon with 3 friends (including a Mama on the Run and some weird chick who thinks even her furniture needs footwear.) We are going to spend the weekend in Epcot in a nice resort, and run a half marathon between cocktails. I’m probably looking at about 1000 smackers that will go down the toilet if I screw up on this one. I will also be looking at 3 other Mamas with just as much in their busy lives, if not more, who ARE getting it done. No excuses.

Sunday, I officially kicked off my running regimen. I promised myself I will run at least 3 times a week. I ran on Sunday. Then I ran on Monday- 2 miles with one of the Mamas  and then another 1.17 alone (woo-hoo! a 5K!)

Then a bomb went off.  Then another, just as I was coming back from my run. The headlines and images I found on my computer screen set off another (metaphoric) bomb in my head. Just as suddenly as the callous actions of a madman changed the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people, I realized that I AM a runner. Those were my friends and my community that were hit by those blasts of shrapnel. The bombings at the Boston Marathon hit far too close to home leaving me to imagine if that had happened as a crossed the Beast finish line, or even worse, hitting the sidelines of the Tuxedo Sprint where my mother, father, and little X were laughing while watching me flop at the spear toss.

We may throw jokes back and forth but, OCR runners and road runners are not all that different (except maybe in the amount of rocks and twigs found in their washing machines after an event.) We both do things that most people wouldn’t dare do. We both give up time with our families to be out training in sunshine or rain or blizzard. We both have more fun shopping for moisture-wicking shorts and compression socks than for slinky dresses and strappy sandals.  We both push ourselves further and further each day until we finally reach our goal, and then promptly make a new goal further out.

I may not do 6 miles before breakfast. I definitely don’t look graceful on the road and I’m not even remotely fast. I take walk breaks during my runs, but I AM a runner. So Tuesday, virtually along with a whole hell of a lot of Run Junkees, I went for a run wearing this bib:

Printed from RunJunkees.com

to show support for my fellow runners and their friends and family who were out there supporting them. I ran 2.62 miles.

I ran again on Wednesday and have a 5K on Saturday. I’ve already surpassed my self-imposed quota for the week. Was it the half marathon or Boston or just something that has changed in me head about running, or maybe its just because it’s the first week and I’ll drop off again? I don’t know, I just hope I can keep it up for the Mamas, for my checking account, and for all the people who can’t run anymore.

From Mohonk to Minnewaska

I have had WordPress open on my desktop for 2 hours. I keep finding excuse not to start typing. Sigh.

Springletrack was an inaugural trail marathon thought up by the guys who created the Wagathon. It was a marathon-ish distance jaunt through the Shawangunk mountains, starting at the Spring Farm Trailhead of the Mohonk Preserve and ending in Ellenville, NY where we’d all meet up at Aroma Thyme Bistro. It wasn’t some big to-do. It was just a group of people all agreeing to follow an agreed upon trail map. No start or finish line. No medals. No medic or water stations. Just a bunch of crazy people in moisture-wicking pants.

Trail map from the organizer. Click for bigger image

I agreed to do it months ago- before I got sick. I had never done more than 14.5 miles for any event, but Springletrack was free so why not give it a go.

We started somewhere between 7 and 7:30 in the morning on Saturday. It was cold up in the mountains but bright and sunshiny and not raining so I’ll call it a beautiful day for a run.

It was so cold that I thought if I imagined it hard enough, a fire would spontaneously appear.

I was a little apprehensive because I have been sick and out of shape for so long. I didn’t feel like I was really ready but I stepped off anyway. The last time that I was sick and developed temporary asthma, I was fine while I was running and actually felt better on the obstacle courses than I did sitting in my living room. I hoped this would happen again.

I was doing fine for the first 5k. Things were going great. I made myself walk on the uphill portion and jog on flat ground and downhills. By around 5 miles, I started feeling not-so-great during ascents. I wasn’t having an asthma attack -I wasn’t coughing or wheezing- but I definitely wasn’t breathing efficiently and felt like I wasn’t getting enough oxygen to my brain and muscles. I slowed down a bit and took occasional short breathing breaks. I embraced the suck and continued because that’s what Spartans do.

We got to the first crossing of Peter’s Kill and it was probably the most fun thing I’ve done in along time. The bridge was non-existant. There were a couple of trees that had fallen over the water, but they looked kind of sketchy to me. If it wasn’t that the water was bone-chillingly cold, I probably would have used the logs a la Phyllis Nefler

Troop Beverly Hills. Only the best movie ever.

but I did not want to risk one of us falling in and having to continue in the chilly weather soaking wet and cold. Instead, we went off trail a little ways to a spot that was a little narrower and shallower so we could jump from rock to rock to get across.

This little mini-adventure rejuvenated me, but the energy didn’t last long. By mile 7, I felt like my brain had no clue where my feet were. I slipped on ice that I really should have seen. I kept stumbling over the tiniest tree roots. I tripped over nothing at a very bad spot. If I had tripped to the right instead of the left I would have fallen off a cliff. I pressed on though, not  because of some inner strength or anything at this point, but because I was on the side of mountain ridge and what else was I going to do? By mile 8 or 9, Jay had to carry my ruck for me. For the last 2 miles I just kept thinking I could stop next time we get close to a road. My dad can pick me up and the guys can keep going. I have my phone and my knife and food and water. I’ll be ok. I kept trying to push the thought out of my head. I can’t quit. I can’t DNF. I DNSed on my first event of the season. I can’t DNF on this one.

I got to the parking area just north of Lake Minnewaska at mile 9.4 (according to my gps which I forgot to start until 15 minutes into the run) practically in tears over my internal dialogue. I cried sitting on a rock waiting for one of the guys to hit the latrine. I told the guys I didn’t think I could make it and that they should go ahead  without me. But Jay wouldn’t leave me. Derek and Matt agreed we are a team and it wouldn’t feel right to continue.  Crap. Now I’m screwing them over. I could try to push on anyway, but after this point, there would be no turning back. The terrain was going to get harder before it got easier. If I continued to feel like I did, I couldn’t be sure I could handle the second water crossing or any more rock scrambles. I’d be safety hazard to myself and my teammates. Jay called my father because I was too busy feeling sorry for myself.

My dad picked us up and drove us  back to our car. Jay pointed out the ridges that we traversed to my father. My dad thinks we are nuts. His friend that was with him thought we were crazy. They are both Vietnam War vets. If they think it was insane, then it must be some kind of accomplishment to even get as far as we did, right? I did nearly 10 miles of rough terrain after months of being of commission. I can still be proud of that.

By the way, we kept the map and the trail directions. As soon as I get this bullshit asthma under control, I’ll be back out there with my guys and I will finish what I started.

Dog Biscuits

Nope, not making cookies for the 3 fur-factories that live in my house.

I’m making race-day snacks for the Dirty Water Dogs -  the rag-tag bunch that I run almost of all my crazy events with. I really owe it to those guys. I don’t know what I’d do without them. Actually, I do know: I’d do a lot more burpees. These boys are personal support system for getting over wall that are higher than 5 feet. I have Jay to act as my step ladder. Derek, AKA Chatterbox, is my railing to help me keep my balance while climbing on Jay. And Matt, AKA Stump, plays a very key role in getting me to jump down once I get on top of the wall. He stands there with his hand touching my foot so that the stupid, primitive bits of my brain know that the ground is within reach.

I’ve made these muffins, which I have named “Dog  Biscuits,” for many of our events. I got the recipe out of the Abs Diet cookbook and have used different add-ins and made them gluten-free. The guys love them. The girls that I’ve run with loved them. I’ve shared them in the parking lots outside of races. They are a hit and one of the first requests whenever we sign up for another race.

The Dog Biscuits are especially  handy-dandy when our races are a long drive away because we can nosh on one during the 2-4 hour drive to the venue or pop one of these protein and carb-packed muffins on the way to the registration tent and be completely good-to-go for the duration of the race. They are also the best food to use for recovery after the race. I don’t know about the rest of you mudders out there, but that banana that they hand me at the finish line only awakens the starving beast that is my belly. A Dog Biscuit makes it happy again. Leftovers, if there are any, make a fabulous grab-n-go breakfast or snack (depending on how big you make them,) too.

A Dog Biscuit with all its component yumminess

I’ll be using this batch to fuel the Dirty Water Dogs for our first event of the season, which is also our first ever marathon distance event. We will be running/hiking our way through the Shawangunk mountains from east of the Mohonk Mountain House, all the way to Ellenville. The event is being dubbed Springletrack by the guys organizing it and it is the first time it is being done as far as I know. It is completely unsupported (no water/food/medic stations) so we will be packing our GORUCKs with all of our essentials, including Dog Biscuits.

in theory, this makes 12 standard-sized muffins, but I usually only get 9 or 10.

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (take your pick, they are all good)
• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (for the gluten-free version go with 1/2 cup coconut flour)
• 3 tbsp brown sugar (I’ve also swapped this for agave nectar or molasses for a lower-glycemic option)
• 2 tsp baking powder (Add an extra tsp if using coconut flour)

Preheat oven to 350°F

Combine all ingredients. It may seem like all the flour won’t incorporate but I swear it will.

Divide into greased or paper-lined muffin tin.

Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 

For this particular batch, I swapped out my standard vanilla why protein for chocolate. I’d like to say that it’s because I wanted to experiment, but it’s just because the store was out of vanilla. I also replaced the raisins with chopped up strawberry SunRype FruitSource bars because I’ve been wanting to see if they play as well in baked goods.* For the record, they play really well. They kind of melt into globs of jammy goodness. Mmmmm….. Jammy and peanutty choco-muffin.

*Disclaimer: I am sponsored by SunRype through the Active Ambassador program. I do have my integrity, though, so if their products weren’t the bee’s knees I’d say so.