Four.Twenty.Eight

One Foot in Front of the Other, So They Say.

I've really been trying lately to put words to something that has taken over my attention and time. I've been trying to define it. I've been feeling like I wanted to write about it. But I just didn't know how to put words to it. It spawned out of some times in my life that I didn't really anticipate and haven't really brought to my blog, but I'm in the middle of it now. What is "it?"

"It" is something I never thought I would like. It is something I now love. It still stuns me that I'm doing this religiously. I've been places I've never been before. It can be a battle. It can be a triumph. It's something that is solely dependent on me. It gives me goals. It is an emotional, spiritual and physical release. It's very personal. It's pushing my limits. It's showing me that my limits aren't as close as I thought they were. It's showing me that it really is all mental.

It's pretty simple. It's running. One foot in front of the other, right? Not exactly. It's complicated. But I've got the urge to blog about it more since it's become such a big part of my life.

Currently, I'm about 4 weeks away from doing my first half marathon. It's nuts. It's right up there with impossible. But I like to defy the odds. It's something the non-athletic me never imagined doing and I'm hoping and praying that I make race day free from injury, because having injury issues isn't something I anticipated. I don't need to be reminded that I'm not 20 anymore. At this point, as Jillian Michaels says, "Unless you puke, faint or die, keep going." That's my plan, and I am far from doing any of the three.

13.1 miles is only halfway to the next closest town where I grew up. Not that far, right? Right...

Posted by Suzanne on January 30, 2012 at 09:26 PM in About Me, Daily Life, Goals, Health & Wellness | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Recipe of the Week - Banana Bran Muffins

I've been on a healthy muffin kick lately for breakfast. It's easy, portable and healthy. I like to take a muffin and one hard-boiled egg for my very well-rounded breakfast. This banana bran muffin recipe from Eating Well Magazine is a great one I've found.

Banana Bran Muffins

2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas, (2 medium)
1 cup buttermilk (see ingredient notes)
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran (see ingredient notes)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips, (optional) {did not use, but I think some dark chocolate would be great}
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, (optional) {I did use walnuts, just mixed them right in the batter}

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray (I use paper liners).

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, wheat bran, oil and vanilla.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Ingredient Notes:

You can use buttermilk powder in place of fresh buttermilk. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Unprocessed wheat bran is the outer layer of the wheat kernel, removed during milling. Also known as miller's bran, it can be found in the baking section. Do not substitute bran cereal in this recipe.

Posted by Suzanne on January 11, 2012 at 09:09 AM in Recipes | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)