Let me break it down for you. Cashew. Butter. Bread. Whaaaat? YES, you can make bread out of cashew butter, eggs and a few other things, and it’s awesome and pretty much tastes like bread. If you’re grain-free, or even grain-free curious, make this:
Yummy
The recipe can be found here: http://www.elanaspantry.com/rochels-cashew-bread/
And while you’re there, just go ahead and check out her entire site. Recipes galore!
Also, I love answering questions, so anytime you have one, hit me up on Facebook, email, or this blog and I will be happy to assist.
From Ginny:
Hi Amy! I’m running my first half marathon on May 18th. Any Blitz Tips for the final month of training?
Good for you, Ginny! The half is my favorite distance race. It’s long enough that you get a feeling of accomplishment, but not so long that you need tons of recovery time. Not everyone can or wants to run 13.1 miles, so you should already feel pretty great about yourself just for signing up.
My “Blitz Tips” as you said, (LOVE the moniker, by the way), are based on my own experiences and quite frankly, my mistakes. I’m going to assume you have been following a training plan so none of this will be about an actual running schedule.
1. Take it easy on the drinkin’, sister. Unless we’re talking about water.
You don’t have to be a nun during the final month, but keep in mind that you will be asking a lot of your body for the next few weeks. If you want the very best out of your final long runs, which are typically on the weekends, it does no good to be totally hung over and dehydrated. Your body must be hydrated to fuel proper contraction and relaxation of the muscles, so take it easy and get a lot of sleep. Try to totally abstain from drinking alcohol the last week of your race. But if you’re feeling nervous the night before your race, one glass won’t hurt.
2. The long slow distance run really means SLOW.
Your long run is not the time to test out how fast you can be on race day. Just get the “time on your legs” completed. Your pace should be approximately 50-60 seconds slower than your planned race pace. Check out the book, The New Rules of Running, by Vijay Vad, M.D. which talks in detail about training for long races.
3. Don’t over-hydrate the day of your race.
…Unless you want to hit up every port-a-potty on the route. I made this mistake at my first few races and it’s no fun standing in line while the race passes you by. Have 8-16 ounces of water an hour before the race, and then another half a glass before you run. During the race, drink if you’re thirsty. Personally, I like to just take sips of the Gatorade they hand out during the race. If it’s hot outside, drink more.
Good luck and let me know how your races are going!