You know you're a runner when...

Does this sound like you?  If so, you're in GOOD COMPANY!!

You know you're a runner when...

• your first thought when you look at the weekly weather forecast is, "When can I fit in my runs?"
• you have more running clothes than regular clothes in your laundry pile.
• you've lost a toenail. And you tell people, "It's not that bad."
• you smirk when non-runners ask you, "So how long is this marathon?"
• you have a drawer full of medals and other race souvenirs that you're not sure what to do with.
• you go into Starbucks more often to use the bathroom than to actually buy coffee.
• you no longer make fun of fanny packs because your running belt looks very similar (although cooler) to one.
• you've used an old race T-shirt to wash your car, dust furniture, or clean something else.
• your treadmill has more miles on it than your car.
• you get an invitation to a wedding and you automatically think about what race the date will conflict with.
• you have dreams about showing up to a race late or not wearing any clothes.
• you're not embarrassed to wear spandex.
• the salespeople at your local running store know you by name.
• you're always hungry.
• you know how to take a cup of water from a water stop without choking on it or spilling it all over yourself.
• at least one of your web site usernames or email addresses has the word "run" or "runner" in it.
• you know where your illiotibial band is located.
• you no longer hate port-a-johns. In fact, there have been times when you've been very happy to see one.

Foodie Friday

After getting Rachel's blessing last night that it is ok eat leftovers as breakfast (within reason), I feel better about gorging myself every morning with sweet potato casserole. Sick?  Well, the thought of eating eggs, cereal, oatmeal, or any other predictable breakfast food in the morning is enough to trigger my gag reflex.  Don't judge.

Don't Miss This:

If you're interested in nutrition, you need to visit nutiritiondata.com. On this website, you can look up any food  imaginable, and the website gives you its full nutrition profile. Best of all, it's free! I registered for an account and input my recipe (below) into the website, where it analyzed the ingredients and gave me a nutrition label for my custom recipe, which you'll see below.  Cool, huh?

At Thanksgiving, my mom made this amazing sweet potato casserole. It was low in sugar, had heart-healthy walnuts in it, and contained only a few tablespoons of butter -- compare that to the buttery, marshmallow-y kinds you normally see during the holidays. Confession: I've eaten through at least 4 of these in the past 2 weeks - all on my own. I hate sweet potatoes too! But this is so good, you just have to make it to experience it!!

Why are sweet potatoes healthy? They're high in fiber, rich in vitamins A & C, and good source of potassium. Sweet potatoes are good for you because they're low on the glycemic index, which means that by eating them, you won't suffer a blood sugar soar and crash. They're great for mashing or snacking - try sweet potato fries (with cinnamon greek yogurt dipping sauce!) or a casserole like the one below.

RECIPE:
Sweet Potato Casserole
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

• 4 cups sweet potato, cubed
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, 3 tbsp brown sugar, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Here's the nutritional breakdown for my current breakfast obsession.  Of course, if you're concerned about the sugar, you could tweak the recipes, but overall this isn't a bad way to start the day. One serving is about 90% of your daily recommended value for Vitamin A!

Rewrite Your Grocery List

We're in a total food slump. We eat the same things week after week, and it's gotten really old. I am to the point where I skip breakfast over eating because it's so boring!  I either need a new ceral obsession or have to get over my distaste for eggs.

This afternoon I was emailing back and forth with Rachel N. in our training group. I asked if she would write a quick 5-6 line advice bit for the Herald Times InStride running advice section, and I got much more than I expected! This stuff is like gold. It's too good to go read only by my eyes, so take this and use it!



Here's what Rachel (pictured at left) had to say...

Don’t let nutrition be your missing link! Food has the power to boost immunity, strengthen bones, repair muscle, and prevent disease. Plan ahead! Fuel before and after workouts. Focus on whole grains, fresh fruits/veggies, and lean proteins. Healthy fats offer important fuel that can increase endurance (enjoy natural peanut-butter on your bagel, olive oil on your salad, nuts for snacks, and salmon for dinner).

Then I asked her for the ultimate runner's grocery list and why these foods are so great.  Enjoy!

• berries - high in antioxidants
• oranges - packed with vitamin-C and beta-carotene
• plain Greek yogurt - use in place of sour cream...no fat and DOUBLE the protein
• oats - excellent source of fiber; add cinnamon for a hearty breakfast
• light popcorn - a whole-grain!
• walnuts - high in plant sterols which lower cholesterol
• canola oil - lowest in saturated fat of any common cooking oil
• canned black-beans/kidney beans - high in B-vitamins/iron...stir in soup or salad for a nutrient boost
• broccoli - chop fresh broccoli into store-bought soup
• carrots - for beta-carotene…sneak shredded carrots into spaghetti sauce or muffin batter
• ground flaxseed - hides easily in yogurt, cereal, or muffins
• canned tuna - high in heart-healthy omega fats…here’s lunch: salad greens, fruit, tuna, whole-wheat pita
• sweet potatoes - vitamins A, C, & E…microwave in a zip-lock bag for lunch; eat the skin for added fiber
• dark chocolate - high in resveratrol and cocoa flavonoids…choose 70% or higher cocoa content!

2011 Goals

Ok, 2011. You're mine!!

Here's what going to happen.

Running/Fitness Goals
1) Break 3:15 in the marathon. No plans for any particular marathon, but see how in #2 and #3.
My best times were run in races where I felt under-prepared or just didn't care too much about my time (go figure). So rather than training to focus on a single marathon, the aim is going to be for overall fitness, and I'm going to run a few big races along the way. On the same note, this will be my second Boston. I don't plan to race it, but just run and enjoy the New England scenery and amazing crowds.

Steph's 2011 Big Race Docket:

• Boston Marathon - April
• ? Indy Mini Half Marathon - May
• Go Girl Indy Spring Triathlon - July
• Cedar Point Half Ironman Triathlon - September
• NYC Marathon - Octoberish
• ? Tecumseh Trail Marathon - December

2) Run a PR marathon time by cross training more. This includes more time lifting weights, swimming, and logging miles on the bike. Hopefully more cross training will help prevent the different overuse injuries I've had in the past few years.

3) The motivation I have for doing #2 is my other goal, to complete the Rev3 Half Ironman. It'll be my third triathlon and longest tri by far (I have only ever completed sprints), but why not? I'm going to shoot for 50th percentile or better among the female athletes.

4) Run sub 19:45 in the 5k. Emphasis on a legit, measured-course 5k. Eh, we'll see. Definitely want to do this by racing more Mag7 races.

5) 7 Pull-ups, continuous, by the end of June. I started by putting the "Door Gym" in a guest bedroom door; we do one pull-up (or more) every single time we pass.  We've gotten pretty efficient in making trips upstairs!

6) BARA, BARA, and BARA.  Let's get this club going!!! I can't wait to be involved in everything Operations.  CHECK OUT THE LOGO!  Carman put this baby together for fun... Let me just post the Boston Athletic Association logo, so you can appreciate the humor:

    

Voila -- there are my 2011 goals!