The more I run, the more I eat

I had an aquaintance that told me when she trained for her first marathon she actually gained 5 lbs. Impossible, I had thought. How could you possibly gain weight when you are running ALL the time. Well, I'm not sure about the gaining weight part, but I certainly see eating a WHOLE lot more. And justifying it too. For example, Sunday morning went for a nice 6 mile run with the Divas. Came home to Zach making eggs and sausage for everyone. I need protein, I figure, so I grab a small plateful of eggs and 2 sausages. Then I go back for another sausage. Then another. Why not, I figure? I just ran! Or how about after Monday's run? I did what Hal Hidgon calls a "race pace" 4 miler. You are supposed to do it at 1/2 marathon race pace but I am feeling pretty good so I decide to bump it up to a 5K race pace. Sidebar: For those not too into running, runners are really obssessed with numbers. How far, how fast, splits, PRs, etc. I denied it for a while but I am just as guilty. Anyway, I busted that 4 miles out in 32:13 (another thing, gotta be exact) which is a little over an 8 minute mile pace. I have done 3 miles in that pace, but never 4 miles...so I was pretty impressed with myself.
Do you know what I was thinking about the whole time? A delicious treat in a brown paper bag that waited for me at home. Peg made a batch of peanut butter cup brownies and gave us all one to try. That's what kept my rounding the 4 corners of Dewitt like a little gazelle. Maybe a little Lady Gaga and Pink kept my pace up too. Anyway, I scarfed that sucker down when I came home...good recovery snack...protein from the peanut butter, carbs from the chocolate ;o) Peg got the recipe from my favorite baking site/blog: www.bakerella.com. Search for "Brownie Candy Cups".

Week 7 training is over. We bumped our long run up to 10 miles and I think we'll stay there for a bit. Spring is coming (i hope) and the layers are shedding. Whoo hoo!

So after 3 cocktails last night and no coffee yet this morning, I'm afraid I don't have anything too clever to say so I'll end it here. I do want to leave you with some recipes to help me with my running hunger. A muffin for your pre exercise energy, a smoothie to recover with, and peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies because you need something to look forward to!

Strawberry Orange Smoothie (serves 1)

3/4 cup skim milk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 small banana, chunked
splash orange juice (1/4 a cup?)
handful ground flaxseed

Mix it all up. Very refreshing...I think it is the splash of OJ. Kids loved it.

Zucchini Muffins (from Cooking Light-I added some ground flax and chopped toasted pecans. You could also do mini choc. chips too)

4.75 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine whole-wheat flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine zucchini, milk, oil, honey, and egg in a small bowl; stir until blended. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
3. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over tops of muffins. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chunks (hands down my fav. cookie recipe)
from Bon Appetit

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup old-fashioned chunky peanut butter (about 9 ounces)
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Mix flour, oats, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter, brown sugar, butter, honey, egg and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Stir dry ingredients into peanut butter mixture in 2 additions. Stir in chopped chocolate. Cover and refrigerate until dough is firm and no longer sticky, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 heavy large baking sheets. With hands, roll 1 heaping tablespoonful of dough for each cookie into 1 3/4-inch-diameter ball. Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake cookies until puffed, beginning to brown on top and still very soft to touch, about 12 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack and cool completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.)