Fit Fest at Rhode Runner, October 18th

Our friends at Rhode Runner - 657 N. Main Street, Providence - are having a "Fit Fest"

Join Rhode Runner and their expert Sports Bra Fitters for our Fall Fit Fest on October 18th from 4pm to 8pm!  Get expert advice, some great apparel and 20% off all moving comfort sports bras and apparel.  Moving Comfort is the number one sports bra company in the country and it is easy to see why.  Moving Comfort makes and Rhode Runner carries sports bras that fit each body type, they are sized with cup and band sizing so its much easier to find that perfect fit!  If you have any questions our experts Beth and Christine will be there to assist along with the Moving Comfort sales reps!

RSVP - http://www.rhoderunner.com/pages.asp?pageid=112465

Another Reason to Run

As we near the Women's Classic, we remember a member of the Ronald McDonald House of Providence Running Club, Jason Pisano. Jason was a charter member of the club for five years, but passed away suddenly this past year. Though challenged by cerebral palsy, Jason was an athlete. He completed 52 marathons, each by pushing himself backward with one foot in a wheelchair. Jason's strength inspired not only those who knew him personally, but also those who have heard his story. His memory reminds us what is possible when we push ourselves to the limits of our personal best. 

The Club will include a tribute to him in our Classic program. Disable women athletes are encouraged to walk or run in his honor. Disabled athletes in the 3-14 year age group are also welcome to participate in the kids' races on the track. Entry fees will be waived for participants taking part in our tribute to Jason. 

Let's walk or run, and do our personal best, in Jason's honor!

Photo: Suzy Allman/New York Times/File 2007

Special thanks to Steph Milkovits

On the sidelines of Providence's Downtown 5k...

Local HS runners meet Joan Benoit Samuelson in a day they'll never forget!

Providence's Own Molly Huddle Wins Her Home Town 5k

Molly Huddle won the USATF National 5k Road Race yesterday right here in Providence.  Check out the race video from RunnerSpace.



If you ignore the guys, it's a pretty good race.

Link to the original RunnerSpace site:  http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=2519&do=videos&video_id=75367

Joan Benoit
1984 U.S. Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist

by Rina Ferrarelli

During the third mile
not the eighteenth as expected 
she surged ahead
leaving behind the press
of bodies, the breath
hot on her back
and set a pace
the experts claimed
she couldn’t possibly keep
to the end.
Sure, determined,
moving to an inner rhythm
measuring herself against herself
alone in a field of fifty
she gained the twenty-six miles
of concrete, asphalt and humid weather 
and burst into the roar of the crowd
to run the lap around the stadium
at the same pace
once to finish the race
and then again in victory

and she was still fresh
and not even out of breath

and standing. 

Reaching your BEST... and choosing the right race to do it in.


Looking for a personal best time: If your training has been going well and you are hoping for a personal best time, pick your races carefully. Big races have added excitement and lots of people to run with, but have the disadvantage of the congestion that comes with thousands of runners packing the streets. Even with chip timing, you are likely to lose valuable seconds as you fight your way through people going slower than your goal pace, baby joggers, quasi-runners dressed in tutus and other costumes, and even “gate crashers”—the unregistered runners who jump in from the side of the road a few hundred yards into the race. In contrast, in a well-organized, mid-size race (300-500 for 5k distance), you will have lots more room to run and still have other runners close by to push you. You will also spend a lot less time before the race finding parking, waiting in restroom lines, waiting around for the start—instead of being used up just getting to the starting line, all your energy can go into the race itself.

Thanks for the insight, Anne Hird. 

PS - This is probably a great race for a PR.

Inspire

The Olympics have come and gone, but there are still quite a few more athletes giving it their all in London.

The 2012 Paralympic Games are still going strong through the weekend behind the force of so many unwavering female competitors. 

Meet them here in this CNN article, and maybe even challenge yourself with the proposed question...

                 What woman inspires you, and why?

PS - Did you register for the Women's Classic yet?

Sorry for the absence all!  This is what happens when the Grub Guru, with her Payroll Fairy hat on, gets completely swamped with work!  This recipe came to me one afternoon when co-worker was wandering around after our farm box deliveries saying, "what the heck is this thing with all the hair on it??"  I poked my head into the hall and saw she had a beautiful bulb of fennel complete with all the fronds!  I gave her some cooking suggestions and she then offered me half the bulb.  Hooray!  I knew I had a couple heirloom tomatoes at home that needed to be used and by the end of the day I had my recipe.  I did mine overnight in the crock-pot but I think it would also work in a good sized heavy bottom soup or stock pot.  You'd just have to keep a good eye on the temperature and the rice!

1 (or more if you have several mouths to feed!) whole bone-in skin on chicken breast (I put the whole thing, still wrapped, in the freezer for about 20 min.  Makes ripping the skin off before cooking much easier!  Do this...bone in skin on is much less expensive!)

1/2 - 1 bulb fennel (depending on the size) chopped, including the fronds

1-2 ( or more depending on the size) heirloom tomatoes chopped

Chicken broth or stock (I use my homemade stock but low sodium boxed or canned is good too) to cover almost to the top of the chicken breast when it is sitting bone down in the crock pot)  (If you don't have enough stock make up the difference with water or your white wine of choice!)

5 or more black peppercorns or ground black pepper (adjust according to your taste)

1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)

thyme (fresh or dried)

ground fennel to taste (can be left out if you prefer - I love the taste of fennel so I added)

a few cloves of garlic (adjust according to your preference) sliced

Rice of choice - I used a blend of brown & wild - see below for quantities

Optional: frozen peas

Load everything into the crock pot.  Add the rice last, sprinkling over the top.  I don't have a reason for that except that that is how I did it.  Some still sank to the bottom, and didn't stick, but I want to be accurate!  As far as rice quantity, I have a 5 or 6.5 qt crock-pot.  With all of the ingredients and liquids I added 1.5 cups of rice and, when cooked, there was still a nice thick broth.  In fact, it had a bit of a creamy risotto quality to it!  To serve, I put the rice in a bowl, added some warmed frozen peas, plopped about 4.5 oz of the chicken breast on top, and had some mixed vegetables on the side.   If you're okay with leftovers or have several mouths to feed these quantities will work.  Fortunately I really like the rice because I still have a couple containers in the freezer...and it does freeze/thaw beautifully!  I just bought a couple more chicken breasts and poached them on their own overnight in the crock pot with water, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and, ground fennel.

 

Again, as I always say, have fun with this.  If you come up with some other flavor combos, let me know!  I'm always looking for new ideas! 

Meet Sarah Attar - Saudo Arabia's First Female Track & Field Athlete

Read more about the Pepperdine Student here.

From The New York Times:

With just 12 days to go...Women Outnumber Men on US Olympic Team

During this, the summer of the 40th anniversary of Title IX, American women have reached another milestone in sports: For the first time, they outnumber men on the U.S. Olympic team.


Check out the full article. 

Kemp's Turkey Burger Helper!!!

Yes all, I said it!  Tonight was going to be plain ole' turkey burger night.  I've never been very good at them, but was in the mood, so decided to go for it.  As I started to get out the usual ho hum ingredients, knowing I couldn't do my usual pan deglaze with white wine, the light bulb went on.  I pulled together the list below, and miracles happened!  I don't have all the measurements, but you can wing it...no pun intended ;).

.75 lb ground white meat turkey

1 shallot

1 medium carrot

1/2 small roasted sweet potato

short grain brown rice (leftover from what was used to make rice milk)

whole rolled oats (not quick cooking oats!)

fresh sage

fresh ground black pepper

dried thyme

Put the oats, sage, black pepper, and thyme in a bowl that will fit all of the other ingredients and set aside.  Put the shallot, carrot, sweet potato, and rice into a food processor and pulse until the carrot is in small pieces and all is well chopped and combined.  Add to the oat mixture, add the turkey, get your hands in there and mush!!  Combine well but don't over mix which can make the burgers tough.  I cooked mine in a regular pan on the stove with some olive oil but these will also work in a grill pan, on an outdoor grill, or baked in the oven.   As you can see in my pic, I topped mine with avocado.  I can't have cheese, but that could be a topper or mixed in, depending on your taste.  You can use almost any vegetable. Next time I think I'm going to add some kale to the food processor portion.  Any color pepper would be wonderful, garlic, onion, and the herb/spice combinations are infinite!  As I always say, have fun with these!  Make them your own!  A moment of inspiration tonight resulted in me finally making absolutely delicious and yes, ridiculously healthy, turkey burgers!

Thank you to Kristen Kemp for this original recipe! 

Women's 5k: It Doesn't Get Better Than This!

"This race is what the Olympic Trials are all about.

It had the American record holder, it had seven women with the Olympic 'A' qualifying standard, and it had a bunch without the 'A' who dreamed of the 'A' and were willing to do the work to try to get it.

And in the end, it will be remembered for one thing - the most thrilling of victories and the most agonizing of defeats - and by victory and defeat we mean the victory of finishing third and defeat of finishing fourth.

A truly, truly epic race."

READ the full article here.

Original article courtesy of letsrun.com. 

London 2012: Women's 10k

Rain did not stop women from vying for a spot on the Olympic team Friday evening in Eugene. It was a tight finish, but Amy Hastings came out on top at 31:58.36. Finishing a heart-wrenching 4th in January's marathon trial, Amy went into the race hungry. It's looking like Lisa Uhl and Janet Cherobon-Bawcom will be rounding out our 10k team.

In other details...Marblehead, MA native Shalane Flanagan finished third in the event, just days after completing a 30 mile training run. And despite her outstanding efforts, Flanagan has chosen to focus her sights on the marathon instead of the 10k. She did, after all win this winter's trial marathon that left Hastings wanting more. 

Looking Ahead... Boston 2013


Even though it the last marathon happened just two moths ago, Boston sponsor John Hancock has already announced the top American team for next April. 


Check out the full article here, on the official John Hancock website. 

Quietly racing her way to the top: Meet Desiree Davila

After a second place Boston finish in 2011 and another at the Olympic Team Trials in January of this year, Desi is making quite the name for herself. 

Get to know the Olympic hopeful in this USA Today article by contributor, David Leon Moore.




AND... A candid interview from FloTrack complete with Desi's breakdown of the Olympic Team Trials marathon. 
















Photo by Bob Straus

The Women's Metric Mile race at the Olympic Trials is looking like the big race to watch.  With 6 medal contenders vying for 3 slots, it should be a great race.  This past weekend at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, five out of the top six USA women competed and took the first five places.  Unheralded 800 meter runner Alice Schmidt beat out World Champion Jenny Simpson,  Gabrielle Anderson, Bronze Medalist at Worlds Shannon Rowbury and former Brown star Anna Pierce (nee Willard).  Schmidt's 4:05.64 shows she is really peaking at the right time and during the post race interview talked about attempting an 800/1500 double at the Trials.  

Missing from the action in Eugene was #1 ranked Morgan Uceny who ran 4:01 in the Diamond League Rome meet.  US Olympic Trials are June 21-July 1 with the 1500m finals on the final day.

Try this fun breakfast treat!

I had been desperately, and unsuccessfully, trying to find some kind of baked good I could have that had no gluten and no added sweetener that would still taste good.  This recipe from http://www.straightupfood.com/ is the first I've found that works the way it's supposed to!  So far I've only made the original recipe as muffins, not donuts, and with a couple deletions (no nuts and no nutmeg). I used plain unsweetened rice milk, put some roasted pumpkin seeds on a couple as a test just before popping them in the oven, and my sister, bro-in-law and I came up with a few variations while we were taste testing them!  We thought they would be good with plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) or unsweetened applesauce instead of banana.  With the pumpkin, or even with the banana, chocolate chips (or vitamins as they were once called in certain parts of my family as they were cooked into pancakes) would be just fabulous!   Fresh or dried cranberries with the pumpkin would be yummy too!  With the banana some blueberries could come into play.  I would put them in place of the raisins in the third grouping of ingredients in the donut recipe.   I have not tried the frosting, we like carrot cake better plain, and I wasn't sure how to sub the cashews.  We also talked about adding some whole oats and decided it would work but because the muffins are so moist you wouldn't want to add too many or you would be risking drying out the batter.  There are also some variations at the end of the recipe.

Once again, have fun with these!  I find them incredibly delicious and yes, ridiculously healthy!!

Courtesy of Kristen Kemp

2012 NCAA East Preliminary Women’s 10,000m Report

by Nich Haber

As the mob of 48 women gathered to prepare to line up for their race, the NCAA East Preliminary 10,000 meters, they had a front row seat of what they were about to experience.

The men’s race was finishing up and it was absolute carnage.  Though it was getting close to 10pm, the Jacksonville, Florida air was still 80 degrees and sticky.  Too hot, even for sprinting.  It took a toll on the men’s field.  Bodies were laying on the track.  Iona’s star from Sweden, Andrew Soderberg stumbled in on rubber legs having fallen from the front of the pack to 36^th in the last laps.  The loudspeaker called for a trainer to come to the finish line.  OK ladies line up.

To paraphrase Penn Relays starter Tom McTaggert, a good track meet is run like a well-oiled chainsaw.  The NCAA prelim races were going right on time.  At 9:40 the gun went off.  A double waterfall of women came off of the first turn and gathered into a mob that went three lanes wide.  10,000 meters is twenty-five laps of the track.  It’s longer if you are in lane 3.   The top 12 get the privilege of doing it all over again two weeks later in Drake, Iowa for the finals. 

The 10,000 is normally a race of attrition, and this one seemed that it should go that way.  The pack clicked off 84 second laps one after another.  The mob demonstrated that there is not one body type that is required to be successful.  There were tall women and short women.  Women with textbook form and women who threw their elbows around like a Filene’s Basement shopping spree. 

Amazingly the pack stayed together pretty well.  Towards the front Cornell’s Katie Kellner took control of the pack and pushed the pace.  A couple of runners started falling off the back.  From 2000 meters out the race looked like a comet, with a small group pushing the pace at the front and then a long single file tail.  With two laps to go, the head started passing the tail, lapping slower runners.  At the bell, they took off with Catherine White of Virginia getting the best of Vermont’s Morgan Powers by half a second at the line.  The final time was 34:18.  The women had run a good tactical race taking into account the conditions.  Not surprisingly, the women had run a bit smarter than the men.

Congratulations to all the ladies heading to the finals.  This includes local Brown student Olivia Mickle who finished 9^th with a time of 34:30.  Finals are Thursday, June 7^th .  Watch a live video feed on www.flotrack.org.  Complete results are available from the following link:  http://www.flashresults.com/2012_Meets/outdoor/05-24-NCAAEast/Results28-1.htm

A Juggling Act

Courtesy of Sarah Macedo. 

I’ve been asked to share my experiences on running with a baby or what it’s been like running as a new parent (he’s almost 11 months old so not sure if we count as “new” parents anymore). Regardless, I’m happy to share what my life has been like since having a baby and the impact he’s made on my training. 

My last entry on this blog was last September when the kid was just a few months old, much as changed since then. Most notably, I lost my mind completely and decided to train for the Amica Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island. I told you, I’ve lost it, for real this time. Just 2 months shy of race day, I haven’t completely committed yet (still holding onto my cash, not an official registrant yet). So what that means is all I have done for weeks now is train, read about training, talk about training and worry about training…it’s been a nice distraction from that whole new parent thing. Training for a half Ironman is easier to manage than the never ending battle about nap times. It also means that I disappear basically all day on Sunday for a long bike ride and a run leaving the husband on kid duty (also a VERY nice perk). Great in theory but after only a few weeks the husband started to talk about wanting to go for his own long rides. Fast forward over several debates and failed attempts at alternative solutions and I’m taking the kid on my long runs on Saturday mornings so the husband can get some of his own solo time. I’m lucky in that the kid is a good sport about these runs and quietly takes in the scenery. It does mean that as I’m racing to get out of the house to get to a run on time not only do I have to remember my GU’s and water but I better remember some cheerios and a few toys. We’ll see how long this lasts or at least how long the kid will last in the jogger….

Keep up with Sarah on her blog, A Runner's Ramblings. 

For those of us on the go: DIY Protein Bars 

Another great idea from Kristen Kemp

Here is a well tried and true recipe that you can have fun playing with and make your own!  My sister introduced me to these years ago when she wasn't able to find commercially made nut free protein bars for my nephew.  They are Mollie Katzen's Protein Bars.   A link to the original recipe is included and most of my modifications are included in the Variations section at the end but I'll list mine for you anyway!  The only time mine haven't turned out well is the time I forgot to add any kind of sweetener.  That batch was tipped into the bin after one taste! 

 

So, when I make these I use whole wheat flour, usually stone ground, no salt, a quarter cup of maple syrup instead of sugar, a quarter to half a cup of my homemade unsweetened applesauce instead of oil (I haven't tried with coconut oil yet, which I recently discovered, but imagine it would be delicious in this recipe), I add two bananas, and I use 1 cup of Whole Foods 365 brand dark chocolate chunks and half to one cup of raisins.  I've also been known to add some roasted pumpkin seeds into the mix!  When I use yogurt it's a good, plain Greek, whatever brand you like.  When I use tofu I get whatever brand of Lite Silken is least expensive on the day I'm shopping.  As in Mollie's Variations, I have tried adding canned pumpkin (plain pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling) instead of the bananas but did not adjust anything else.  The batch was good but I would recommend a bit more sweetener and cinnamon if you give that a try.  Also, I have not tried making these gluten free (and really need to so I can have them again!) but, with all of the GF baking products available imagine it wouldn't be difficult at all to make the switch.  If you do happen to give them a try that way please let me know how they turn out!

 

My final piece of advice, if you have a good sized stand mixer, use it!  I used to mix them by hand, now I use my mixer, so much easier!  However, if you do have to do the "by hand" method, I highly recommend actually getting your hands into the mix to get things well blended!

 

Have fun, play with these, make them your own...enjoy!!

http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=protein_bars

Catch the Olympic Fever with Zola Budd 


1984: "The barefoot 5,000m runner was given the chance to compete in Los Angeles, but a dream opportunity turned to disaster." 
















Follow this link to read the full article from the Guardian. 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/may/15/olympic-moments-zola-budd-1984

Another healthy recipe ... A seasonal take on traditional comfort food. Yum!

So this week's recipe is another old favorite, Mary Ann Esposito's Polpettone di Carne or Italian meatloaf.  Now, you may not think of meatloaf as being a typical Spring/Summer meal but in my slightly altered version it makes for wonderful eating this time of year!  A link to the original is included!

 

When I make this recipe I use two pounds of ground white meat turkey breast.  Also, instead of the white potatoes the original recipe calls for I roast and add two garnet yams.  I don't have a ricer so I just peel them, put them in my mixing bowl and mush them with a pastry cutter.  I add one cup of parmesan, leave out the asiago, and, as this is a very wet mixture, add a cup of regular whole oats. (not quick cooking!)  You can also add some onion or leek if you're in the mood.

 

For the filling, instead of prosciutto di Parma or boiled ham I saute kale (you'll need a lot as it wilts down quite a bit as it cooks), leek, garlic, and whatever else looks good in the way of herbs/spices that day, with a little bit of white wine added towards the end of the cook time. 

 

When you're ready to roll out the meat mixture, cut a piece of wax paper to just over the size called for in the recipe.  Trust me, you'll be happy you took this step.  Using your hands (come on, just dive in) flatten the meat into a rectangle, short end facing you, spread kale mixture leaving a small gap around the edge, sprinkle with a bit more parmesan, and then get ready to roll!  Using the wax paper at the short end, pick up and roll, peel back the wax paper, roll again, peel, roll, peel, roll, until it's all rolled up.  Give the edge a good seal, mush the ends a little bit to seal, and pop into a baking dish with a bit of olive oil in the bottom.  The included pic shows mine ready to go in the oven.  When you're ready for the step of adding the wine and chicken broth (I use all wine and usually add a bit more than the recipe calls for so I have a bit of sauce) part way through the baking time, also add a couple packages of grape or cherry tomatoes around the edges.  Slice and serve when done, top with the sauce.  This makes a ton of meatloaf and it freezes beautifully!  Enjoy

Courtesy of Kristen Kemp

http://www.ciaoitalia.com/seasons/20/2014/italian-meatloaf

Introducing...Our Resident "Grub Guru", Kristen Kemp

Words and Photo by Kristen Kemp

I've been asked to start submitting some of the recipes I cook for our blog.  I've got some old favorites lined up for the start and hope to find some new loves I can photograph and post along the way.  I may even post some of my epic failures if they're particularly hysterical.  I'm not qualified to dispense nutrition information so I'll be including links to the recipes, as I find most of the ones I use online, and will include any modifications I made and why.  I make a lot of modifications, mostly due to food allergies, others just personal preference.  So you'll have the original and my changes! 

My first will be Fragrant Red Lentils with Rice from MyRecipes.com.  I've made this three times now.  The first time I added cubed, extra-firm tofu, added along with the water and lentils.  The second and third I did the same with no salt added canned garbanzo beans.  I kept this a veggie meal but you could also add previously cooked chicken, or anything else that strikes your fancy.  I also omitted the salt called for in the recipe.  The leftover fresh ginger is now living happily in my freezer until I need it again.  One of the ingredients listed is garam masala.  I'm always nervous about using new spice blends that may not list all of the ingredients so I decided to hunt one down that looked good and make that as well.  I'll also include that link, and note that it's from AllRecipes.com.  I omitted the nutmeg, but the other ingredients were kept as is. If you decide to include the yogurt topping, I'd suggest a really good, thick Greek brand.  I love this served with the suggested brown basmati rice and either green beans or broccoli.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fragrant-red-lentils-with-rice-10000000222715/

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-garam-masala/

Let the countdown begin!

Sunday, October 7^th, 2012 marks the Ronald McDonald House of Providence’s annual Women’s Classic.

Okay, so it might be 22 whole weeks away, but it’s never too early to start preparing yourself for this fun-filled event.

Stay tuned for the latest race and wellness fair updates, running tips, athlete stories, healthy recipes and so much more.

Happy Running.