Aside from the relentless cloud cover and rain we’ve been hit with lately, the temperatures have been fairly warm for November! I’ve been getting outside for runs this week, trying to soak up every last degree of warmth.

Yesterday, I had a great run that I like to call the “5-mile pick-up run”. With each mile, I pick up the pace and haul major booty! It’s great for warming up when it’s a bit chilly outside too. I start off slower than I usually would and then gradually increase the pace.

5 Mile Pick-Up Run

Note: Can be done outside with a running watch or on the treadmill at any pace, distance, or incline.

Mile 1: 9:30 min/mile

Mile 2: 9:00 min/mile

Mile 3: 8:30 min/mile

Mile 4: 8:00 min/mile

Mile 5: 7:30 min/mile (sprint last 100-200 metres)

I love, love, love this run. You can use this pick-up method with any distance and pace to suit your own ability level. It’s a bit more challenging to control my pace while running outside (vs. a treadmill), but as long as I stay fairly close to my target it’s no biggie. On a treadmill, you can control your pace much more accurately and you can also change up the hills if you’re feeling…so inclined.

Here’s my current workout playlist that I’ve been rocking to lately.

Sweat It Out Playlist:

1. “Good Feelin’” Flo Rida

2. “Mr. Saxobeat” Alexandra Sran

3. “Dog Days are Over” Florence & The Machine

4. “We Found Love” Rihanna

5. “Firework” Katy Perry

6. “On The Floor” JLo feat Pitbull

7. “Memories” David Guetta

8. “You & I” Lady Gaga

9. “Love You Like A Love Song” Selena Gomez

10. “Headlines” Drake

11. “The Cave” Mumford & Sons

12. “Last Friday Night” Katy Perry

13. “Where Them Girls At” David Guetta

14. “Fly” Nicki Minaj feat. Rihanna

15. “Cheers (Drink to that)” Rihanna

16. “5′ O’clock” T Pain

I’m pretty sure I’ll be sick of this list by the end of the week, but knowing me I’ll probably listen to it until March slowly driving myself insane a bit more each day. That’s how playlists work, right?

ps- I hope you like delicious biscotti because biscotti season is coming soon…

This past Spring, I challenged myself to include more variety in my workouts. After a long Winter, I found myself in a workout rut and I knew I needed to mix things up.

In May, I fell in love with Hot Yoga and it renewed my enthusiasm for trying new forms of exercise. Since then, I’ve been mixing things up almost everyday and my body is the happiest its been in a while! I thought I would share the workouts that I’m excited about this summer and maybe you can share what you’re loving too!

1) Spinning

[source]

If running gives me the ultimate workout high, spinning is a very close second. In university, I signed up for a couple 3 month spinning classes and I fell in love with spinning almost instantly.

One of my June Goals was to incorporate spinning back into my life and I’m so happy that I got back on the bike! I’ve been going about once a week and I look forward to the spinning high every time.

My only complaint about spinning is that I tend to get groin/crotch pain from the seat. However, this time around, I’ve been wearing my padded Pearl Izumi bike shorts (that I wore during our triathlon training) and they help a lot.

2) Short Distance Speed Running

Instead of focusing on long distance training runs and races like I did the past two summers, I decided I would focus on shorter speed runs this summer. I’m running a couple 5k races in the near future to celebrate my training!

Not only does speed training challenge my lungs, muscles, and mental stamina, but it also gives my joints a break from long-mileage runs. So far this summer, I haven’t had any aches or pains, which is a first for me when training. I must be on the right track…

3) High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) via hill walking

[source]

Some days it’s just too hot to workout outdoors, so I like to hit the treadmill and sweat it out inside. When I first started blogging, I was in love with treadmill hill walking and it also got my body in shape for my wedding (along with resistance exercises). When I crank up the incline between 10-15%, it’s one of the most intense workouts that I do. When a walk is harder than a run, you know you are pushing yourself!

High Intensity Interval Training is exercise that involves intense bursts of exercise (e.g., sprinting) followed by moderate intensity exercise (e.g., jogging) repeated in an interval format. It’s great because you can squeeze a powerful workout into a short amount of time and it’s also said to increase your resting metabolic rate for 24 hours post-exercise. I like to do hill walking intervals alternating with slow jogs (with decreased incline) for about 30 minutes. For more info, see this post.

4) Body Pump & 30 Day Shred

[source]

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not in love with weight lifting, but I love how it makes me feel (confident! strong!) and of course how it tones my muscles. I first started doing Body Pump back in university and I’ve gone through spurts with it over the years. I like going once a week and I also enjoy the Booty Camp Fitness and 30-Day Shred workout DVDs for a quick home strength workout.

5) At-home Yoga

In May, I went to over 22 hot yoga classes in 1 month and I was completely hooked. I debated buying a class pass for a while, but as soon as the hot weather hit I found that I didn’t crave the hot yoga classes like I did during our chilly Spring. For me, Hot Yoga is more desirable during cooler months. Lately, I’ve been doing at-home yoga once a week or if I’m sore after a workout.

6) Whittle My MIddle

In June, one of my goals was to rock out 2 Whittle My Middle sessions per week and I achieved this goal for the most part (except 1 week that I bailed on it). My core feels and looks stronger than it has in a while. Now that I’ve built up my ‘base’, I’ve been doing weekly core exercises to maintain the work I did in June. I do about 5 minutes of core work per week (of these core exercises). It’s just enough to keep my core strong without having to devote too much time to it.

7) Hiking

Don’t mind those two weirdos…you never know who you are going to bump into on a hike!

And don’t forget to rest…

My workouts would not be possible without 1-2 rest days per week. Rest days should be part of the weekly plan, just like any other workout!

And blizzards, lots and lots of blizzards.

What workouts are you enjoying this Summer?

I received some exciting news that I’ve been nominated in Chatelaine’s Women of the Year Contest, in the Hot 20 under 30 category! I’m honoured to be nominated among so many amazing Canadian women.

I remember reading about this contest in Chatelaine each year and thinking to myself how much I would love to make a difference. And you know what? I told myself that I would never be able to. I guess it goes to show that our negative thoughts are not always right and we can prove them wrong.

Please check out the nominees and VOTE for your favs!

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.” ~D.W.

Back in the day, I used to be into all that crazy track and field stuff. High jump, shot put, long jump, relay, and sprints. Short distance sprints were always my favourite event. I loved the intense, breathless pace and the thrill of not knowing who would cross the finish line first. Sometimes I won, sometimes I got left in the dust. It was always anyone’s race! I still remember the nerves I felt before the gun went off. I had to be so careful not to go too soon and have a false start!

I know, it’s a bit strange to enjoy breathless agony. But the breathless agony leads to this high euphoric feeling when it’s over.

Another example of two extremes is hot yoga. I get hot and sweaty during class but then feel cool as a cucumber (mentally and physically) after class. This contrast of feeling, intensity, and mood is what really makes me fall in love with a certain activity over another.

Over the past month, I’ve been running 3-4 mile distances about 2-3 times per week. While I do enjoy long distance races like half-marathons, I have to admit that they take a toll on my body! I’m injury prone and when I get up to the 10, 11, 12, and 13 mile training runs, I often have to deal with pesky aches and pains. After my three half marathons, I had to take 1-3 weeks off running to recover. Not ideal. I go stir crazy when I can’t move my body. Of course, that isn’t to say that you can’t get injured training for or running a 5k- you certainly can- but, I think it’s cool to switch it up.

I’ve run 7 races (including one triathlon) since I started racing in June 2009 (read about my running journey here), but I still haven’t run a 5k race! I decided to do something about that.

5ks also require less time to train, which is good for me this summer as I’m working on a couple new writing projects and spending a lot of time working on our yard and gardens.

Yesterday, I ran 3 miles and pretended like I was running a race. I set a goal of running 3 miles in 24 minutes. I totally didn’t think I could do it. I had to really boot it hard, especially in the last couple minutes.

When I finished, I realized I hadn’t even lost my breath or broke a sweat.

Not.

Here are the strategies I use for running speedy short distances:

1. Set challenging, but realistic goals: Before starting your run, set a time and distance goal. I base my goals on previous runs for the most accurate prediction. I recently ran 3 miles in 25 minutes, so I thought 24 minutes would be a tough challenge!

2. Bring a stop watch. if you don’t have a Garmin or other distance tracking watch, you can figure out where your mile splits are along your route and then time each mile with a basic stop watch.

3. Set mile split goals if you wish. For each of the 3 miles, I set a time goal for each. If my overall average goal pace is an 8 min/mile and my first mile was 8:34, I know that I need to step up the pace in my second mile. I might set a goal for the second mile to be 7:45 pace to make up for lost time. I’m not very specific, but it keeps me on target.

4. Don’t underestimate hydration needs. I often catch myself thinking that I don’t need to hydrate properly for shorter runs, but this is a mistake! The body needs water every 10-15 minutes, especially in hot weather. I made this mistake today by not bringing my Camelbak and my throat was dry the entire run. Not cool!

5. Boot it: Expect to haul majah booty during the last few minutes! No matter how fast I try to run during the first 90% of the run, I always have to make up for lost time during the last few minutes. And anyways, it’s fun to sprint hard the last bit! I often have negative splits when running short distances with tough goals…it literally forces you to run faster at the end.

6. Blast some fast beats. Fast music = faster running. For me, anyways! Oh and I totally need a new music mix…I’m still rocking the same mix from last summer! It’s driving me INSANE.

7. Have Confidence! Believe that you can achieve your time goal. I can’t tell you how many times I catch myself saying that I cant do it. When you believe you can, you start to run with confidence and power. I strongly believe in the mind-body connection!

8. Stay Loose. I tend to tighten up and raise my shoulders and arms when I run fast. Be mindful of your body as much as you can and shake your arms out when necessary. I often do this several times during a race because I get SUPER tight during races!

9. Visualize you’re running a RACE before, during, and even crossing an imaginary finish line. This will help increase motivation and hopefully, energy. My imaginary finish line is my mailbox. Occasionally, I like to shoot my arms up in the air and cheer. It sounds a bit embarrassing when I type it out like that. Just forget that last part. I would never do such a thing.

10. Streeeeetch. I used to be horrible for stretching after runs, but now I try to stretch, even if it’s just for a minute! It really does help with recovery. When I don’t stretch after a tough run, I pay for it the next day.

11. Dump everything you can find into a blender and slam a Green Monster. Much better.

Keep in mind that everyone’s definition of a ‘speedy run’ will be different. The same is true for how you define a ‘short distance’. When I first started running, 3 miles was very, very long for me to run (still is some days!) and I could barely run a 12 minute mile. It’s important to do what is right for you at your current ability level and not get discouraged. Running isn’t easy and you should pat yourself on the back for any run that you accomplish whether it be 1/4 mile or 10 miles.

By the way, I’ve heard so many great things about the Couch to 5k program for new runners, so if you are thinking about trying out a 5k race, be sure to check it out!

I’m currently scoping out a 5k race in Oakville this weekend or a later race in June. I’m already shaking in my sneakers!

Have you ever run a 5k race before? Are you training for one now or have any tips to share?

Do you have any summer races planned?

I finally got around to ordering a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 10’s!

Stank-free and blinding white.

I discovered Brooks Adrenaline last Spring when I had a special fitting done at Fit 2 Run in Sarasota, Florida. I suffered from chronic blisters for a couple years and it caused me a lot of frustration not knowing why I kept getting bad blisters with every pair that I tried.

My fitting told me two important things:

1) Contrary to what I thought, I am not a severe over-pronator. My feet are actually fairly neutral (with slight over-pronation only), so the sneakers for over-pronation that I was buying were incorrect for my feet.

2) I have a very narrow foot. My heels swim in normal width sneakers. Hence: bad heel blisters!

The beauty of the Brooks Adrenaline? They come in a special narrow width and they hug my heels like a glove! I’ve had many fittings, but the one I had at Fit 2 Run was the only one that solved my problem. I highly recommend them if you are in Florida. This week is my Fall Back Week in my half marathon training, so it is the perfect time to gradually break them in.

And there really is no gracious way to go from talking about feet to food, so I will just get right to it before I put my foot in my mouth. Today’s recipe is courtesy of Elizabeth who is the first winner in the Valentine’s Day Recipe Contest! Eric said he picked this recipe because no one would expect him to pick a non-chocolate dish. I love the mental games he plays. He will be selecting two more (or possibly 17) recipe entries by tomorrow, so stay tuned.

This dish is packed with nutritious ingredients!

I started out by using red quinoa because I thought it would be festive for Valentine’s Day.

Unfortunately, my red quinoa never got fluffy…even after 30 minutes of cooking! I have no idea why it remained crunchy and would not cook. Has this ever happened to anyone else before?

Because of my wonky red quinoa, I had to start over from scratch. It was a bit soul-crushing!

Sauté the onion, carrot, and garlic:

After the onion is translucent, add in the broth, quinoa, salt, and cinnamon:

Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Be sure to check it often and stir so it doesn’t burn.

Meanwhile, toast your almonds in the oven and cook the apple on the stovetop:

After the quinoa is cooked, stir in the cranberries, almonds, and apple…

Bright & Beautiful!

Luckily, this quinoa got really fluffy like it should.

When I first tried it, I decided it needed a bit of sweetness to offset the vegetable broth flavour, so I stirred in 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup. It really brought together all of the flavours nicely.

This dish is very light and it would make a great lunch dish. It reminds me a lot of the Mandarin and Maple Quinoa Salad that I made a while back. You can enjoy it warm, at room temperature, or even cold. It is quite versatile.

Eric and I served it as a side dish and then we had a hunk of the Ultimate Lentil Loaf leftover from our party on the weekend. It was a great meal! Thanks Elizabeth, please email me to claim your Glo bakery loot!

Update: Just tried the leftovers and they were fantastic straight out of the fridge!

I’ll be back Friday with a flourless double chocolate cookie recipe that changed my life and rocked my world. I actually made it in December 2010, but I didn’t get a chance to post about it before Christmas and it fell off my radar. I figure Valentine’s Day is a great time to whip it out. muhuhaua.

If you want to prepare in advance you will need the following ingredients: ground flax, shredded coconut, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, almond butter, almond milk, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips.

One thing is for sure: It is always best to be prepared when chocolate cravings strike!

Bonjour =)

I’m loving the discussion going on in the Daily Glow Graduation Fears…it’s honest, real, and inspiring.

On Friday, I was feeling extra motivated (which doesn’t happen much in the Winter!), so I decided to get my long run completed a couple days early.

[I was also tickled pink when I found my workout tank that was missing for months!]

I’m up to 8 miles for my long run this week and it felt so nice to check it off the list. I ran the 8 miles at incline 1% in 78 minutes.

Unfortunately, some of the miles ticked by ever so slowly…and I concluded that a long run on the treadmill is a test of mental strength more than anything. I had to convince myself that I could do it over and over and over again. I know I have the physical stamina, I just need to work on my mental stamina while running indoors. And I remind myself that cursing is sometimes necessary.

To help beat the boredom, I watched The Devil Wears Prada and I also did mini-tempo intervals during the run. I started at 6.0 mph and with each 400 metres, I increased the speed by 0.1 mph until I reached 6.6 mph, and then I repeated the interval. It helped for the first few miles, but then I got tired and said to hell with it and ran at 6.0 mph for the rest of the way. lol.

After the run, I was craving a cold, satisfying smoothie.

Do you notice anything sad about this picture below?

What about now?

That would be the end of My Favourite Granola stash! Tragic….just tragic, my friends.

I really enjoyed this Carrot Cake smoothie! It has a yummy carrot cake flavour while packing in 2 servings of veggies. Just make sure you blend it until fully smooth- you don’t want a grainy texture from the carrots.

Slurp.

Shower.

My post-run fuel usually looks something like this….

I love open-faced, toasted sandwiches on sprouted grain bread. Did I mention I pretty much only eat my bread toasted? Weird eh? The only time I do not toast bread is when it is fresh baked bread, otherwise I find that sprouted grain bread is wonderful toasted.

I’m currently crazy about Silver Hills Bakery Sprouted grain bread. Anyone tried this brand before? I buy it at my wholesaler, Ontario Natural Food Coop.

I made some quick homemade guacamole (mashed 1 avocado, squirt of lime, red onion, olive oil, & kosher salt) with some protein-packed lentils and tomato sauce. It was a random, yet incredible combo!

I had it with a sliced apple and the dangerously delicious Chocolate Pecan Butter.

5 minutes to prepare or less. You really can’t beat that when you are about to chew your arm off.

One of our dinners last week was this Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Warm Salad, inspired by the amazing (and increasingly veggie-loving!) Mark Bittman.

These are the changes I made to the original recipe:

• I cut down the oil from 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil to just 3 tbsp (and it still tasted amazing!).
• I added ground cumin as this goes well with anything lime flavoured
• I used 2 garlic cloves instead of 1
• I used a yellow onion because I did not have a red onion
• I used 1/2 cup of Cilantro because that was all I had (instead of 1 cup)

It still turned out INCREDIBLE!

First, roast the sweet potato and onion…

Meanwhile, make the dressing.

Mix together the lime juice, garlic, minced Cilantro, kosher salt, pepper, and oil.

Stir in the drained and rinsed black beans.

When the veggies are done, mix it all together!

The result is an array of savoury and tangy flavours. It is warm and comforting from the soft bites of sweet potato while the dressing gives it such a fresh and unexpected kick. We just loved it.

Now if you’ll excuse me, it appears I have a little granola issue to address.

I found myself a Personal trainer!

I found him at a good rate too…only 2 bags of cat treats per day and ample Light Box usage…

Don’t ask.

He has a thing for sunbathing…and he gets it any way he can during our gloomy winter season.

Speaking of Winter, when the weather forces me indoors it is time to get creative with my own running.

I had my first Tempo training run on the treadmill today as per my Winter 2011 Training Plan, but first, I needed a refresher as to what exactly I would be doing. There are a lot of conflicting theories and definitions as to what a Tempo run actually is, but the one that resonated the most with me was Hal Hidgon’s approach:

1) A Tempo run is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace.

2) A Tempo Run of 30 to 45 minutes would begin with 10-15 minutes easy running, build to 15-20 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end.

3) The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout. Hold that peak only for a minute or two.

4) Hal considers Tempo Runs to be the "Thinking Runner’s Workout." A Tempo Run can be as hard or easy as you want to make it, and it has nothing to do with how long (in time) you run or how far. In fact, the times prescribed for Tempo Runs serve mainly as rough guidelines. Feel free to improvise.

5) Improvisation is the heart of doing a Tempo Run correctly.

Anyone who stresses that improvisation is a good thing instantly wins my heart! I am not a fan of rigid plans or theories about running…or with most things in life for that matter. Flexibility is key and there is never a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

The first thing I did was check what my 10k race pace was back in September 2010 when I ran the Oakville Labour Day 10k. My average pace was a 7:58 minute/mile (finishing time of 49:50 mins), so 7:58 min/mile would be my peak pace during my tempo run.

Here is what I did for my first Tempo run of half marathon training, following Hal’s general guide:

1. “Begin with 10-15 minutes of easy running” –> I ran for 15 minutes at 6.0 mph (10 min/mile), incline 1%.

[Water break]

2. “Build to 15-20 minutes near the middle” –> I ran for 5 minutes at 6.5 mph (9:13 min/mile), 5 minutes at 6.7 mph (8:57 min/mile), 5 minutes at 6.9 mph (8:41 min/mile), 3 minutes at 7.2 mph (8:20 min/mile), and 2 minutes at 7.5 mph (8 min/mile)…all at incline 1%. (Total time 20 minutes)

[Water break]

3. 15 minutes cool-down –> I ran for 5 mins at 6.5 mph, 5 minutes at 6.3 mph, and 5 minutes at 5.8 mph. (Total time 15 minutes)

[Walking + Stretching]

Total Tempo Distance: 5.30 miles

So how was it?

The tempo run was much more difficult than I anticipated! It was probably one of the toughest runs I have had in a long time. I had such a runner’s high after though!

It has been a while since I have continually built speed during a run and I found myself struggling a lot by the half way mark (around speed 6.7-6.9mph). I wanted to stop and take a break before the peak speed (7.5 mph), but I pushed through and told myself that I could do it. It wasn’t supposed to be easy, after all.

I have been doing a lot of interval runs lately and I am used to always having a decrease in pace on a regular basis, but during the Tempo run I didn’t have that luxury to decrease my speed when I wanted to. It was tough to get used to, but I think that just shows why Tempo runs can be such a great addition to a training plan!

Here is to a love-hate relationship with the mighty Tempo run for many workouts to come…

Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have a delicious reward for all your hard work!

I don’t care if it is Winter or not, the only thing I wanted after that workout was something COLD!

Frosty, berry goodness and packed with antioxidants.

Did it ever hit the spot!

And then I proceeded to get a huge chill down my spine and covered myself in oodles of layers, sitting beside the space heater until it melted my clothing. The smoothie was good in theory I guess.

Umm…Is it summer yet…?

Beautiful as it is to look at, the cold weather, snow, and lack of sunlight started to take a toll on my workout motivation this Winter.

By mid-January, the holiday fun is over and the long winter looms like the holiday credit card bill that you know is going to arrive any day now. I drool over travel websites and Eric and I start wondering if we are too young to become Snow Birds for 6 months of the year.

Amazingly, I have been able to stay consistent with exercise, but I haven’t felt the excitement and passion for exercise that I often feel during the warmer months. I realized I need a challenging goal to carry me through the rest of the Winter season in positive spirits. I am a goal driven person and I had a feeling that if I set a fitness goal for myself, it would make all the difference.

To put it simply: I need a GAME PLAN.

I created this Half Marathon Training Plan that would carry me through the winter with an end goal of running my 4th half marathon in April 2011. I haven’t decided on what half marathon race I will be running yet (so the last couple weeks of training may change slightly), but I will eventually figure it out over the next month or two.

My plan is adapted from Hal Hidgon’s Intermediate Half Marathon training plan. I have been running about 15-20 miles a week and I have run 3 half marathons to date, so I decided the Intermediate plan was a good fit for me. You can follow along my training on my races page as I will be updating it daily.

Note: Bold text = Completed.

My training plan key is as follows:

Mondays: STRENGTH = Booty Camp Fitness DVD, Body Pump, OR 30 Day Shred DVD. I aim for at least 40 minutes of strength on Mondays.

Tuesdays: REST

Wednesdays: SPEED WORK = I do speed intervals of 400 metres (0.25 miles) with walking breaks in between for 0.05 miles. For example, I may run 400 metres at 7.5 mph, and then walk for recovery at 3.5 mph for 0.05 miles, then I keep repeating the intervals. If my training plan says, 12 x 400m, it means I will be doing 12 speed repeats, which is equal to 3 miles of speed work (plus recovery walking distance too). 1600 m = 1 mile.

Thursdays: STRENGTH + RUN = At least 15 mins. of strength training mixed with running

Fridays: EASY RUN = Running at an easy pace for myself (usually around 6.0 mph, incline 1%)

Saturdays: REST or X-TRAIN: Depending on how I feel I may take another rest day or I may do easy cross training (e.g., elliptical).

Sundays: LONG RUN = Each week I will be building 1 mile onto my long runs to prepare for a half marathon in April. The only time I will not be building mileage are my 2 fall back weeks.

Fall Back Week = A week that I decrease my running mileage to give my body a break. I have two fall back weeks during my 14 weeks of training. My last week is also a taper week before the race.

Rest Days = I will take 1-2 rest days per week, or more, depending on my training and how my body is feeling. The plan may change a bit from week to week based on how I feel. I may take more rest days as needed or I may switch things up a bit if my schedule changes.

Stretching/Yoga = I will be using Polly’s Yoga for Runners video for stretching after hard workouts!

This half marathon training is going to be a BIG challenge for me because I will be doing most of my training indoors on the treadmill, except for the times I can run outdoors safely (likely, mid-March and beyond). I have a rule of thumb when running indoors- I never put the incline below 1% and I often run at a 2% incline. This helps counteract that it is supposedly easier to run on a treadmill than on the outdoor terrain. Hopefully once I do hit the road, I won’t be horribly undertrained.

It won’t be easy, but I am confident that it can be done! I’m also including a lot of strength work like Body Pump and Booty Camp Fitness and weekly speed training too, which will help break it up and keep it exciting.

Racing is FUN…and the training…is so worth it. Sometimes, I just need to remind myself of this more during the Winter.

To.

Succeed.

With.

Goals.

We Must.

Visualize.

Success!

Hopefully, before I know it…April will be here and I will be running my 4th half marathon!

Since I started the training plan a couple weeks ago, I feel more motivated and excited about the training. Normally, I am not a training plan type of girl and I prefer to fly by the seat of my pants, but I think this will actually help my motivation this Winter. I am really looking forward to kicking off the running season with a challenging half marathon in April!

I’m not going to lie though, I may have to break down and get cable TV again so I have something to entertain my long indoor runs…

Do you use training plans for your workouts or do you prefer to just make it up as you go along? Are you training for anything right now?

If frost on the ground and a temperature of –1C isn’t reason for Coffee, I don’t know what is!

It was freezing when I got up this morning. I put on a sweater and a robe and I was still chilled to the bone.

I guess this means hell has frozen over when I am craving coffee on a chilly morning!

All I could think about was my French Press…

I ended up buying a President’s Choice Burr Coffee Grinder.

It took me a few fumbles to get used to how it worked, but now it is easy as pie. I like that I can set the grinder to coarse and just hit the on button.

As for my coffee beans, I bought Mountain Gems Organic + Fair Trade French Riviera.

The description, ‘Cool summer evenings on the French Riviera inspired this bistro style coffee. Deep roasted coffee builds a solid foundation for a perfect steamy café au lait.’

Umm, yes please!!

I put two tablespoons of beans into the grinder for 1 mug’s worth.

I’m not sure if that is the ‘right’ amount, but it tastes amazing when I make it this way!

Set the grinder to the coarse dial (far right) and click on.

Within about 5 seconds, you have your coarse grounds! Pour the grounds into the French Press.

Now pour your boiled water into the Press, leaving 1 inch at the top.

Set your timer for 4 minutes and walk away!

And slowly press…

Pour.

Add your milk. I use Almond Breeze unsweetened.

And guzzle down a taste of Paris.

I was amazed at how much this coffee tastes like the stuff I had in Paris!!! It is almost identical. It has a deep flavour with hints of chocolate and caramel. It is crazy to me that coffee can have undertones of chocolate and caramel! Awesome. I don’t even find that it is missing sweetener either.

Welcome, me to the dark side. muahuhauha. I can’t wait to experiment with different coffee blends.

I like my 3 cup Bodum (really it makes 1 mug’s worth) because I enjoy my cup of coffee in the morning, and then I switch back to my Japanese Sencha Green Tea for the rest of the day.

A nice balance, I think!

After my coffee and Gingerbread VOO, I bundled up for a very chilly + brisk run outdooors:

The run:

• Distance: 4.10 miles
• Time: 33:53
• Avg pace: 8:15 min/mile (the cold makes me run fast!)
• Splits: 8:36, 8:14, 8:12, 8:06

Very glad to have that done with for the day. It was freezing!

I am off to bake up a few orders including a huge order for Ambrosia. If I get all of that complete, I will be working on my new Glo Bar Flavour. Very excited about this new flavour. Have a great day!

Good evening

Today was a whirlwind, but a productive whirlwind. I think this gorgeous weather is helping me get my groove back…!

It felt like Summer out there today!

My running jacket and gloves were left behind for a tank top and shorts. Sa-weet.

The run:

• Distance: 4 miles
• Time: 33:29
• Avg pace: 8:20 min/mile
• Splits: 8:38, 8:25, 8:13, 7:52

I’m currently shopping for my first 5km race! Hopefully I can find one in October.

My reward was a dinner that only dreams are made of…

Folks, start your engines.

Emily’s Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili in Pumpkin Bowls

Adapted from Emily @ The Front Burner.

Ingredients:

• 3 mini pumpkins
• 1 medium sweet onions, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red bell peppers, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small butternut squash, cubed
• 2 cups black beans (1 lg can), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• Sea salt, Spicy Herbamare, and pepper to taste

Directions: Take mini pumpkin and slice the top off about 3/4 of the way up. Scoop out insides of the pumpkin using a grapefruit spoon. This part takes a long time- about 10 minutes per pumpkin so budget your time wisely. Save and rinse the pumpkin seeds to roast them with some olive oil and salt if desired. When your pumpkin’s are empty and cleaned out, brush the insides with olive oil and sprinkle on sea salt and ground pepper to your heart’s content. You will be eating the pumpkin flesh so you want it to taste delicious! Now pop your pumpkins onto a baking pan and into the oven for 30 minutes. While they are roasting in the oven, make the chili. In a large pot, add the oil and turn heat to medium. Add chopped onion and minced garlic and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes or so. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning. Now add the chopped pepper and butternut squash. Cook for about 12-15 minutes. Now add in the drained and rinsed beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, paprika, vegetable broth, and S & P and stir well. Simmer on low-medium for another 5 minutes. Now remove your pumpkins from the oven and fill the bowls 3/4 of the way full. Place pumpkins carefully back into the oven (again without top) and bake for another 30 minutes. Once they are cooked, turn oven off and leave pumpkins in the oven with lid on to stay warm. They will stay hot in the oven for another hour if necessary. Serves 3.

Only during the Fall could you take your centrepiece and turn it into DINNER!

Did I tell you the other day I Googled: ‘Is it possible to eat too much pumpkin?’

I’m not proud of this.

I did not have a grapefruit spoon so scooping out the inside of the pumpkin proved to be rather difficult.

And by rather difficult, I mean that I wanted to poke my eyes out because it took so long.

Those pumpkin guts are ruthless I tell you! So many strings so little time.

But luckily this recipe is well worth the effort.

You simply cannot go wrong with the ingredients in this recipe. It’s like they were created to be together, working in harmony in this chili.

After adding the diced tomatoes, veggie broth, seasonings, etc…

My house smelled so delicious, I thought I was in Martha’s studio for a minute! Not that I know what Martha’s studio would smell like, but trust me, I have dreamed about it.

Ok, now I just sound creepy.

Fill it up about 3/4 of the way (not as much as I did!).

My overflowing pumpkin chili made for quite the juggling act when I carried it onto the deck for the photoshoot. I’m pretty sure I would have let my SLR drop before this bowl of chili too.

Every good bowl of pumpkin chili needs a hat.

The awesome thing about these chili bowls is that they trap in a ton of heat!!!

As a result, I think this was the first hot meal I have had in a while.

In case you are wondering, you most certainly eat the inside of the pumpkin! It was so delicious scooping a bit of the pumpkin flesh along with the chili into one delicious bite.

In conclusion:

1) One of my favourite Fall dinners yet.

2) Please make this weekend. You will oooooo, you will ahhh, you will shed a tear of delight. Or maybe that’s just me.

Hello friends

Another dreary and rainy day in Southern Ontario! I guess after our picture perfect summer, we were bound to have a rude awakening this Fall.

I have to admit, the weather has been negatively affecting my mood in a big way.

I am feeling so sluggish, down in the dumps (which is not like me at all), and I’m really struggling to find motivation to workout.

I knew a workout would make me feel a million times better today, but I just couldn’t get motivated. I went on Twitter to plea for encouragement because my Twitter friends always cheer me up and remind me how lucky I am to be able to move my body.

@Merrberruns said, ‘Don’t even think about it, just get out the door!’

And I thought to myself, That is brilliant.

Within 10 minutes I was out the door. I told myself just get out there and move, enjoy the Fall leaves, and be thankful you are not injured or sick.

I took off like the wind, with the cold wind at my back, and a kick to my step. This isn’t so bad, I reminded myself. I even might have smiled at one point!

And then in the blink of an instant, I slipped on some wet leaves and landed butt first on the sidewalk.

Ouch.

I sat there for a moment and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I realized that the fall wasn’t a bad one, but my ego sure was bruised!

And then the Heavens opened up and it started to pour on me as I sat there.

Can I get a rain check please?

I stood up, dusted myself off…and called it a day 2 minutes into my run.

And that is all she wrote!

Despite the less than desirable run, FOOD always cheers me up!

I know ‘they’ say you aren’t supposed to use food for comfort, but I say bah-humbug to that!

From the age of 11 until 25 I struggled with an eating disorder and food was the enemy. Now food is a huge source of pleasure in my life and I’m not afraid to admit it.

Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen (but originated from Casa Moro)

Ingredients:

For salad:

• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 pinches of Sea salt
• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley (I used dead parsley, lol)

For tahini dressing:

• 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup diced canned tomatoes
• Black pepper, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste (I used spicy Herbamare)

Directions: Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool. Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice. Add the tahini and canned tomatoes, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. Add in pepper and sea salt to taste. To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss gently. Serves 4.

At what point do you admit that your Italian Parsley is dying?

You don’t. Turn a blind eye my friends. We work with what we got!

Unfortunately, I hated this tahini dressing.

Ok, hate is a strong word… I despised it!

It was much too bitter and over powering for my taste. I guess I prefer my tahini in small doses.

I added canned diced tomatoes (1/4 cup or a bit more) since I had some in the fridge to use up. I also added lots of pepper and Spicy Herbamare.

Lo and behold I LOVED the dressing after these easy modifications. Whew.  The beauty about cooking is that you can keep tasting things and adjust them as you go along. With baking, it isn’t so easy to change things once you mix everything up.

These also cheered me up…

Thanks Karly!

I beg of you, do not skip the red onion in this salad. It made the entire dish!

I like to let my butternut brown a bit, so I cooked it for about 35 minutes.

Getting close…

Yes.

It turned out MAGNIFICENT. I’m in love, love, love with this dish.

I’m going to cuddle up with this dish all Fall and hide under a blanket until the warm sun returns. If you don’t see me for a while, you’ll know where I am.

As for that run, I will try again tomorrow.