Marathon Training Plan

I have been mentioning that I have started training for a marathon, so I figured I would explain more about what I am doing and all that jazz. I have already run two half marathons and a 20k, so I am really excited to start training for something farther. I decided last fall that I was going to run the Madison Marathon this upcoming November. I signed up for it right away and since then I have been looking forward to starting training!

The Game Plan

     Two weeks ago I started the Hal Higdon training program. I run four days a week, with one long run occurring on Fridays. The way my class schedule works out for school makes it so that I will run after all of my classes are done on Fridays, and before class on the other days. I like the late night Friday runs because it allows me to eat enough before I run, and get a little warm up in before I leave (ie walking back to my sorority house from class). I also get to sleep in on the weekends, so I'm not complaining.

The Challenges 

     One thing that I will have to figure out is getting the proper nutrition and hydration during my workouts. I am already planning on trying the GU gels and honey stinger gels as a fuel during training. I also want to experiment with some natural foods, but being gluten free does limit some of my options. I think I have hydration figured out, but I have yet to actually put my plan into action. I bought a belt that holds two water bottles. My plan is to have one holding water, with the other holding an electrolyte drink. I've done a combination of these drinks during my half marathons and it has worked well. The final element to my nutrition challenges is the fact that I will be living in a sorority house, so I don't have a lot of choices in my dinners and lunches. This will really only be a problem after long runs, but all I need to do is guarantee I get enough protein and carbs to allow my body to recover.

     The second main challenge that I see coming is injury prevention. I tend to get a lot of shin splits and some random knee pain. During my freshman year of high school, the knee pain was so had I went to physical therapy for it. My game plan includes using the same therapy exercises to strengthen my hips. I also will include some strengthening workout I learned from running cross county over the years. Finally the last thing I am going to do is to make sure to listen to my body. I just want to make sure something like a injury doesn't derail me.

The Goals

      So originally I was hoping for just racing in under 4 hours, which is still the main goal, but now I feel like I am getting a little crazy and am hoping to finish in under 3:40 min. This goal is a massive long shot, especially considering that I have already hurt myself, but if I ran this, then I could qualify for the Chicago Marathon. Running it in under four hours is something that I think I could definitely do as long as I don't get hurt and can figure out the proper racing nutrition to fuel myself correctly. Even with these time goals in mind, I really want to finish the race and enjoy myself throughout the process.

Wish me luck!

xoxo,

Maddie

Thursday Three

It was a good summer week. I was able to make a bunch of food in the kitchen, spend time outside and hangout with friends some more. Nothing really changing too much in my weeks, but I have been able to find the little things to make each day special. I was able to go out to dinner with my grandparents one night, and another day I had smoothie bowls with my best friend. Here is what else happened this week:

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The colors at the Farmer's Market never cease to amaze me. I love this time of year for all of the fresh  fruits and veggies. It seems like every meal I have contains more produce than anything else; something I am loving as compared to the winter months. I wouldn't say no to being able to eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round. 

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This week I walked my dog a lot more than I normally do. It has been a nice way to clear my head while still enjoying the fresh air. All I want to do is be outside when the weather is nice, and walking the dog is an easy way to do this. Sadly, I don't know how long I can keep this up between marathon training and standing all day when I work, but at least I will enjoy it as much as I can.

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK: I made my own gluten free bread and it was amazing! My mom has always made the best homemade bread, so eating store bought bread has not been enjoyable. It was so nice to make this on my own, and then be able to enjoy a hearty flax bread for my toasts. I am considering making a bunch of bread this summer and freezing it so that my mom can mail it to me in the winter at school... its really that good. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie 

The (Gluten Free) Pancake Project: Pt. 3

     Oh you don't understand how nice it is to be able to write a good post about finding a decent recipe, a waffle one, but hopefully a pancake one is coming soon too! 

     I have been loving my America's Test Kitchen cookbook, How Can it be Gluten Free. All but one recipe has turned out perfectly, sadly that happened to be the pancakes. I was hesitant to try out the waffles due to having flat, tasteless pancakes, but since I had great success with everything else, I decided to give it a try. It turned out that the waffles were super easy to make, just as long as there was buttermilk in the house. I was able to easily make these without having to do any unnecessary steps. The only tinkering that I did, was mess around with the duration of time in the waffle maker to see how the crispy level changed. 

     I knew that it was a good sign when my brother came into the kitchen having finished his waffle before I had even been able to finish making the second batch. He told me right away that these were by far and away the best waffle or pancake that I have made so far. After my mom and I also tried these, we agreed with him. The waffles are still lighter in density than our classic waffles, and crispier as well, but I have the feeling that that is the norm for gluten free waffles. 

     What was also really nice about the waffles was that they toasted well. I placed the leftovers in the fridge, and a couple days later heated then up in toaster. They tasted just like they were freshly made. The toasted gluten free waffles might actually be better than the toasted gluten-full waffles! 

      It is really nice to be able to have a easy, tasty recipe that I know everyone in my family will be willing to eat when I am home for the holidays and the rest of the summer. I figure that even if I cannot find the "perfect" gluten free pancake, that at least I have waffles. I might actually be able to have my favorite food again! 

xoxo, 

Maddie 

Thursday Three

This was a particularly exciting week, but I was able to hang out with a bunch of friends, work a lot and bake. All of which I enjoy doing during the summer. I have also officially started to train for a marathon in the fall. I am so excited and it seems like I have spent so much of my time reading about running nutrition and tips for the long distance. Wish me luck! 

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 Food trucks are nothing new, but where I live, there are more and more all the time. I was finally able to get to a gelato food truck that I had been wanting to find since last summer. There was no disappointment. I had a raspberry pistachio gelato, and it was amazing. Pistachios are something that I only recently started to like, so I find myself always picking the pistachio flavor these days. 

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What's also not new to anyone... avocado toast. But what did I try out this week? Avocado toast with corn. It was never something I thought to put together until I read this blogpost by How Sweet Eats. Originally I was going to make it just like recipe, but the garden finally had ripe tomatoes so I knew I had to take advantage of that. I took fresh grilled corn from the farmers market, added paprika, then put the corn on top of the avocado. I also added tomato, sea salt, pepper and cilantro. 

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I have been making a point of going on mini adventures this summer around where I live seeing as I have no idea about how long I am going to stay here (as opposed to living in Madison during the summer). This week I went to De Pere for a little trip to check out a grocery store (Fresh Thyme Market), try a cool looking coffee shop and walking around looking at pretty houses. It's days like these where sometimes I wonder if I secretly of 50 year old, not 19. 

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie 

Reading Recently

I have always enjoyed reading in the summer. Well, I like it all year, but the school year is typically way too busy for me to have time to finish a book before I forget the beginning. It is always my trip to Florida that gives me the most time to read. This year I read about 9 books, which is a little crazy, but that gives you an idea of how much time I spent reading at the beach. I have read several other books this summer as well, but I have narrowed it down to have favorite five. 

The Secret to Southern Charm  - Kristy Woodson Harvey

This is the second book in the Peach Tree Bluff Novels, and it focuses on a mother and her three grownup daughters. This book was anticipated to be one of the best summer reads of 2018, and it defiantly lived up to that. This book focuses on Sloane as she finds out her husband is missing in action, and how her family attempts to support her. There is no good way to describe this book that can give is justice, but pick up this book and the first (Slightly South of Simple) and enjoy summer classic summer reading. 

The Summer I Met Jack - Michelle Gable

This was a great beach read. The Summer I Met Jack is a historical fiction novel based around the Kennedy's. It is from the point of view of Alicia, a Polish Refugee and it is about her relationship with Jack Kennedy. This is based off of a true live of Alicia Corning Clark. I loved this book because the alternate view of the Kennedys makes you look at them a little differently. 

A Man Called Ove - Fredrick Backman

I wasn't sure about what I was going to think about this novel, but after reading it, I have to say it is one of my favorites. Fredrick Backman is a fantastic writer. He has created a witty yet sweet novel about an old man who is determined to end his life, but then finds a new life through his neighbors that move in. It sounds weird, but by the end I couldn't put it down. 

The Simplicity of Cider - Amy Reichert 

Picking up this book was a no-brainer for me. It is based in Door County and is all about a relationship that grows between a couple through their goal to save the orchard. For me, this book was special because I could recognize all of the locations discussed which made the book really come to life. If you are looking for a sweet summer, semi-romance novel, then this is for you. 

Mudbound - Hillary Jordan 

Let's just say this book does not make me want to move to a Mississippi Delta farm. The book shows the struggles of Laura McAllan as she marries, only to find out her husband has always wanted to farm. He eventually buys the farm and they must move there. His brother and father come to live with, and each add another level to the hardships of her life. This was an interesting read, and I feel the movie would probably be really good as well. 

What have you been reading? 

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

Every week of summer seems to be flying by. There really isn't an excuse for saying that this time, but the combination of work, seeing friends and a mini vacation to Chicago gave me enough to look forward to that it was a breeze. The other bigger part of my week is that I decided I am going to change my major when I get back to school. I have been mulling this over for a while and I finally have decided to take the leap. (wish me luck) Here is what else happened this week: 

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Yes, I know that zoodles are something everyone knows about but oh well. I have found that they are the perfect convince food for me since all I need to do is pull out the KitchenAid, attach the spiralizer and just make a quick sauce. I have been loving this as a different substitute to gluten free pasta for eating my favorite pasta sauces.  

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 The best part of going to Chicago for an overnight this week was the food. I had a great lunch at Summer House Santa Monica. The gluten free menu was huge! My mom and I started with chips and quac, and then I had a salmon burger with a pineapple mocktail.... so good! The next morning I went to my favorite breakfast place near my grandparents because... wait for it.. they make gluten free pancakes! If you have read any of my pancake project posts, you know how much I love pancakes and waffles.

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Normally my mom and I spent time around Michigan Ave. when we are in Chicago but this time we decided to go to Lincoln Park. I absolutely love looking at houses, so I had so much fun checking out the beautiful townhouses. If I were to live in a city, it would definitely be in someplace like this. A girl can dream, right?

How was your week?

xoxo,

Maddie 

The (Gluten Free) Pancake Project: Pt. 2

     Is this a pancake project? Yes. Then why are waffles included? Because gosh darn it, waffles have always been my favorite food and they are even harder to find at a restaurant than gluten free pancakes are. That's why. 

     This weeks recipe is Easy Gluten Free Waffles from What the Fork blog. I chose this recipe because it was one of the few out there that did not use buttermilk. We were out of buttermilk, and for the first time I make a recipe, I try not to make any changes. I was interested to see how these would turn out as they are similar to the recipe my mom makes (ie no buttermilk) but they also included maple syrup in the batter, which I have never seen before. 

      Sadly, these were not the waffles for me. I have always like waffles that are on the softer side, with a little firmness. These were a whole new level of crispy. Sharon does say that these would be crispy waffles, but in my mind, if you can hear the person next to you chewing, they are a little too crispy. The flavor was also a little off. It probably wasn't the maple syrup, mainly because I pour tons on my waffles anyways. No one in my family liked these enough to even finish half of their waffle so this is definitely a do not make again. 

      For my next recipe, I want to try something that does include buttermilk. Almost every GF waffle and pancake recipe has buttermilk, so I am guessing that it is pretty important in making the perfect waffle and pancake. I am planning on trying America's Test Kitchen Gluten Free Waffles, and maybe this recipe from Amy in the Kitchen. I also still want to find more pancake recipes to try, so if you have any that have worked out for you, please send me the recipe! 

Hopefully the next recipe will be a success!

xoxo,

Maddie 

Thursday Three

Hi again! I can report on another fun week! I had the ending of my family reunion, which was tons of fun, even if the little cousins could get crazy. I was able to spend the Fourth of July with my family and friends, and we all went boating together. The weather has been really hot, so being outside isn't always nice, but at least I have been able to still spend some time outdoors. Here was my week!

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I have been baking up a storm this week. My bakes include morning glory muffins (shown), hummingbird muffins, brownies, lemon pound cake, peach coffee cake and waffles. All are gluten free, and most of them turned out really well. I love the process of baking, but when things don't turn out well over and over again, it can get disheartening. Thankfully this week was mainly good, which made for a nice week. 

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I was able to go with my best friend to Door County for a day trip. As we all know, I love Door County.  We went to a couple little towns, sampled a bunch of food and had the cutest little picnic. We ended our trip by spending a couple hours at the beach. It was a great way to see my friend and start my week. 

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Its peach season in my house now! We get peaches from a truck that drives up from Georgia and they are always amazing. We buy a big box, and make peach everything. For lunch one day we had a peach caprese salad. In it was peaches, fresh mozzarella cheese and prosciutto with a balsamic vinaigrette. This is what summer lunches should be. 

Until next week,

xoxo,

Maddie 

The (Gluten Free) Pancake Project: Intro and Pt. 1

       Welcome to my gluten free pancake project. I am on a mission to find the perfect gluten free pancake and/or waffle recipe. For as long as I can remember, I have loved having pancakes and waffles every weekend morning with my family. This is the biggest thing I miss. I want to find a gluten free pancake and waffle recipe that everyone in my family will like.
      I have already tried an almond flour waffle, and America's Test Kitchen Pancakes. The Almond flour waffle was good once maple syrup was added, but being only almond flour, it definitely wasn't like a normal waffle. No one other than my mom and I liked this one. I have kept the recipe, but with the knowledge that this isn't the same as a gluten-full waffle. The America's Test Kitchen Pancakes were a big disappointment. This recipe was from the cookbook How Can It Be Gluten Free and I used the flour blend in the book. These pancakes were flat and tasteless.... not exactly what I was looking for. 

      The first pancakes for the chronicling of the pancake project is a modified recipe of oatmeal packet pancakes. The recipe is from Love From the Oven. I wanted to make a breakfast for myself last weekend when I was home alone. After some time googling and scanning Pinterest for single person pancakes, I found this recipe that used a single oatmeal packet. The only modification I made was using King Arther's Measure for Measure flour. 

        Having never had oatmeal pancakes before, I can't compare them to normal oatmeal pancakes but that being said, I really liked them. These were thick and fluffy. I liked the oatmeal flavor and texture that was added. My favorite part about this recipe is that it is for one person, so I can make it when my family is eating normal pancakes. The other thing about these pancakes is that they were super filling. I ate two around 10am, and I wasn't hungry again until 5pm.    

I would defielty recommend making these oatmeal pancakes. Of course, they aren't exactly like the regular buttermilk pancakes that I have always had, but they are a good start on the quest to find a gluten free pancake recipe that doesn't taste gluten free. If you have any gluten free pancake or waffle recipes that you love, please let me know what they are and I would love to try them! 

Happy Eating!

xoxo,

Maddie