Destination Marathon Food Prep

October 7th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Life - (2 Comments)

T minus 36 hours until Steamtown, tonight has been all about getting ready for a three hour road trip to Scranton, PA tomorrow and then a 26.2 mile race on Sunday.

I’m definitely excited to run this marathon, but I ain’t gonna lie – I’m plenty nervous too, mostly about my knee. I’ve been stretching my IT Band like Gumby on an organic taffy pulling machine and am pleased to report I’m currently pain free – but still.

I mean, that’s sounds like good news, right? I thought so too, but then I started listening to the horror stories my friend Google tells me when I search for “running a marathon with ITBS”.

Long Run Saturday

September 17th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (5 Comments)

OK baby girl, enough with the bike riding birthday breakfast bonanzas – you’ve got a marathon you’re supposed to be training for.

Steamtown Marathon Letter

Oh shoot, you’re right!  Well, it’s Saturday, so I guess that means we’re running long today, eh?

A few weeks ago I made my own version of Brendan Brazier’s Direct Fuel Bites for long runs. This batch was made much like the one I made last year – with dates, coconut oil and cocoa powder. This time I threw in a little dulse (for electrolytes), hemp seeds (for protein), chia seeds (for kicks) and shredded coconut (for fun).

About a month ago, my crazy running friend Shawn got the crazy idea that we should put our names on the waiting list to run the Steamtown Marathon in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  This is the same dude we watched participate in the Lake Placid Ironman this year – thus confirming his insanity.

Steamtown is known for being one of the fastest marathon courses in the country, which makes it a really popular race.  Many people want to run this race to increase their chance at qualifying for the Boston Marathon – and I totally get that.

Let’s Play Matchmaker

August 27th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (1 Comments)

When it comes to what to eat after workout or run, I don’t think much beyond “eat real food” unless that workout has been particularly long and hard.  (I am purposefully ignoring the obvious joke here.  This post just started!)

The neighborhood running group I occasionally run with sent an email yesterday saying they were going 10 miles Saturday morning. I haven’t run much more then 4 or 5 miles at a shot all summer – but I decided to join them for 10 today, and my reasons for doing so were three fold:

Getting Ready for a Race

August 12th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (1 Comments)

I’ve got a 5K road race tomorrow morning, so all of my usual pre-race rules are on my mind. If you’ve got an upcoming race on your calendar – here are a couple of things to think about before you toe the line.

Nothing New on Race Day

Let’s say that again.

NOTHING NEW ON RACE DAY.

Race day is not the day for brand new clothes, brand new shoes, brand new food or brand new crazy ideas. Stick with tried and true gear and grub.  No new theory or hypothesis testing today either.

no new gear

I Hate To Burst Your Bubble

August 2nd, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Parenting - (5 Comments)

This is the only time you are ever going to see a recipe here with corn syrup – so this is serious business. It’s time to sit up straight and pay attention.

Karo Corn Syrup for Making Big Bubbles

(aren’t I bossy?)

Actually, if you don’t have kids – never mind. Skip this post.

On second thought – wait. Don’t go just yet.

I suppose if you don’t have kids but are yourself sort of playful and/or laugh a little too loudly/hysterically/obnoxiously with your spouse/partner/friends/dead goldfish when you’ve had just a little too much to drink/smoke/eat – keep reading. This recipe/activity has the potential to be pretty entertaining.

It felt like I was on a mission trying to collect all the ingredients to make The Brendan Brazier Salad.

Good thing a salad mission is exactly my kind of mission.

I already had a bunch of the usual salad suspects on hand:

Not Salad Newcomers

Spinach, kale, a variety of greens (including arugula!) cucumber, avocado, beets, hemp seeds.

Whoops, I almost forgot the carrots!

Eat Me

Boy Carrots, you sure are bossy. And kind of rude.

These were the guys I had to hunt down.

Vega EFA oil

Dulse, Vega Antioxidant EPA oil blend and lentil sprouts.

In the Flesh

July 19th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Good Reads - (7 Comments)

Want to know where I was last night?

Cool Sky

Well, photographically speaking – I’m at the bottom of that picture of a really cool sky.

Technically speaking, I was at a seminar given by a really cool guy.

The best selling author of Thrive and Thrive Fitness,

Thrive by Brendan Brazier Thrive Fitness by Brendan Brazier

vegan pro Ironman triathlete – none other than Brendan Brazier himself.

Brendan Brazier Seminar at Lori's Natural Foods

I know, right?

Brendan.

Brazier.

Brendan Brazier

(once upon a time I read Brendan’s first book Thrive and I loved his thoughts and ideas so much that I couldn’t shut up about it. 21 posts and counting. sheesh. no wonder I called him my boyfriend.)

Make Your Own MamaBars

November 2nd, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (19 Comments)

When I made Averie’s RAWking chocolate donut holes last week, I got to thinking that these were basically homemade Larabars. They were really good – and they were chocolate! I don’t know about you, but the chocolate Larabars leave much to be desired. I think I can do a little better. Wait, I DID do a little better! (Thank you Averie.)

Are you smelling what I’m smelling?

I’m gonna make me some MamaBars.

The only thing is, I’m kind of curious to know how many calories might be in a MamaBar versus a Larabar. I was in the mood for a little project tonight so I got to work.

Recalibration

November 1st, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Motivation - (18 Comments)

I’ve had one thing on the agenda for today: Recalibration.

After a week of brownie sundae’s, Halloween party goodies and Kit Kats, I channeled Brendan and Natalia today to help me fend off the sugar cravings that have started to try and sneak up to hit me on the head with a lead pipe, in the kitchen, by Colonel Mustard.

Oh no you don’t sugar. Nice try. I’ve got the dream team on my side!