Product: Freedom Foods Maple Crunch Cereal – $2.99+
Eating clean…is not always easy. Especially on those busy, busy, busy mornings when you have a limited amount of time and breakfast has to happen. I am a firm believer in breakfast. Skipping breakfast is, honestly, one of the worst things you can do to your body. It kick starts your metabolism and it gives your body your first real boost in energy.
The difficult part is making sure you make smart decisions when it comes to what you eat for breakfast.
On gym mornings, I start off with just a bowl of cereal. After hitting the gym, I have my main breakfast (usually a breakfast banana split these days) at the office. The key to my cereal these days, however, is less sugar, more natural ingredients. When it comes to cereal…this can be tricky. Even more so when you have to eat a gluten-free cereal. So often the gluten-free products are laden with sugars and fats to compensate for being gluten-free and lacking some natural grains.
Thankfully, Freedom Foods has made its way to the shelves of my local Whole Foods store.
Why does this make me happy? Because, as I stated when I reviewed their TropicO’s cereal, Freedom Foods sets a high standard for themselves. They aim to create delicious food that is free from the “stuff” that your body doesn’t need. Why? Because they believe your body can work better without it. Basically, their goal is to make it easier to eat better food by making their customers more aware of what is actually in the food they are eating. They focus a lot on nutrition, using nothing artificial in their products. Yes…you read that right. Nothing artificial. The company took on the task of crating food that eliminates the bad stuff found in most pre-packaged and processed products. They keep their products free from gluten, free from artificial stuff, free from artificial colors and flavors, using less sugar and salt…which in turns, makes for a healthier, better feeling body. It’s science…and they do it deliciously well.
With my sports nutritionist putting a strong emphasis on moving me more toward Clean Eating…I wanted to find a cereal that would fit the bill. Immediately I thought of Freedom Foods. Their TropicO’s cereal impressed me and I knew my Whole Foods carried other varieties of their cereal. This time…I went with the Maple Crunch.
Let’s start with nutrition. This cereal, living up to their promise, is made with all-natural ingredients. These ingredients include a gluten-free flour mix (containing rice, whole grain sorghum, and non-GMO corn flour), cane sugar, apple juice concentrate, psyllium, salt, palm oil, tricalcium phosphate, natural flavors (maple and butterscotch), as well as natural vitamins from their ingredients. That’s…not too bad on the ingredients although the tricalcium phosphate is a bit…eh…chemical sounding. But it is actually a natural mineral. Believe it or not.
Aside from that, a serving of Freedom Foods is a cup of this cereal. This serving will provide you with 170 calories and only 1 gram of fat. Loving this already. This cereal only contains 120 mg of sodium, which is very low. In addition, there is only 7 grams of sugar per serving of this cereal as well. This cup of Maple Crunch also provides a filling 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
So…how does it taste? Really amazing. No, honestly. It sort of reminds me of a maple-y Alphabets Cereal. Remember Alphabets Cereal? I ate the hell out of that as a child. I love that the maple crunch isn’t overly infested with salt. Freedom Foods attests that they only ever put a pinch of salt in their Maple Crunch cereal. The quality of the ingredients they choose really shows because the texture and flavor are spot on. This cereal has a great crunch and that perfect level of sweetness, so that you feel like you are eating a cereal…without it feeling like a sugar-fest. I love the focus they put on their products, because the fact that this cereal tastes amazing, sweet, and crunchy says a lot about the level of focus they put on their products.
It’s like their box says…these days it’s not enough to be health conscious, people also need to be allergen-conscious. And for twenty years, Freedom Foods, based out of Australia, has been amking great-tasting, nutritious, and allergen-free foods. If you say something is gluten-free…immediately people assume that it is going to taste bad. I can say, from experience, this isn’t true. And it is far from true when it comes to Freedom Foods Maple Crunch cereal. In fact, this cereal isn’t just gluten-free, it is also free from soy, lactose, dairy and egg. The psyllium adds a great source of fiber. It’s sweet. It’s tasty. It’s just a really healthy and non-guilt inducing cereal to start off your day.
I’m hooked.
And, for the very near future, it looks like Freedom Foods may be my go-to company for cereal that suits my new eating style. It’s honestly good food that makes quality a top priority. And when you cater to the food allergic…this sort of attention really should be applauded.
I’m offering my round of applause now. Go to Whole Foods. Try Freedom Foods for yourself. The Maple Crunch gives that sweet, healthy start to your day…naturally. After all…who wants to fill their body with chemicals and processed junk when you can get proper nutrition from amazing natural ingredients. Thank you Freedom Foods!
So…here is the vicious cycle. I dislike cold weather runs. So, during the winter all I do is talk about how I can’t wait for it to get warm again. Then, in my area, we usually have about three days of spring and then the dog days of summer set in. Living in the Ohio River Valley makes for some rather intense humidity. And, wow, has Mother Nature ever been throwing the wet towel on me for every run this past week.
But…there are so many things I have learned in the past two years about running in the heat. First of all, I do understand that when there are heat advisories…it is best not to push it. Either take it inside or slow it down. That’s the next thing…when running in hell-like conditions…slow your pace. Just do it. There comes a point where your body will tell you it has had enough…and it won’t be pretty. Slow it down, make it through the run.
HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE!!
I can’t emphasize that enough. I’ve been doing a lot of practice with hydrating while out on the run. Both with water and, yes, with Gatorade. The Gatorade came as a suggestion from my sports nutritionist, whom I am meeting up with again today. Why? Carbs, sugar, and electrolytes. I tend to sweat salt. When I get done with a run on a hot, hot day…I’m caked with white. This means dehydration is a huge risk. So, I hydrate often and rotate between water and Gatorade.
This coming week, I am praying for a break in this stifling humidity. There is nothing worse than feeling like you’re breathing through a wet towel on each and every run. That being said…let’s take a look at this week’s training and see what I have learned…
Sunday is normally my easy run or rest day. BUT…not this Sunday. This Sunday was The Boilermaker 15K in Utica, New York. Race day! My rest day last week fell on Saturday, as I rearranged the training schedule to fit this race in. And trust me…this one was brutal. For one thing, it wasn’t supposed to be as hot as it was that morning. I woke up and it was already in the high 70s with a very high humidity. This meant I went running in my company running skirt and a bra top. The less fabric on me…the better. Along with the heat and humidity…was hills. This course was hilly, especially in the first half of the race. This turned out to be a tough race. I brought Gatorade and water for the route and there were over 20 aid stations on the 9.3 mile course. I finished with a new 15K PR…surprisingly, as by Mile 7, I realized I should have been fueling better when the heat started to get me…so I took a GU and kept on trekking. This was hard. And afterwards, as my schedule had me set for 10 miles for my long run, I did a slow, easy shake-out run in an alley for the remaining mileage that day. Then, I had to shower, get in a car, and not move for a very long time…which my legs and body didn’t appreciate. I was so sore by the time I got back into Columbus, Ohio early Monday morning. And with fatigue settling in, I didn’t bother to foam roll either. Live and learn. More stretch breaks…even if it means more time on the road.
Monday morning I was up just a little past 6:30 a.m., despite my late night/early morning return to Columbus, Ohio. My training plan still had me on schedule for a 6 mile easy run, and despite very sore legs, I was determined to get it done. This meant looping Jenn’s neighborhood, which is the route I usually do when I’m in town visiting her. That particular morning…I felt defeated on the run. My legs were screaming at me from sitting so long in the car after racing. The humidity was draining. I found myself stopping every half mile to catch my breath, hydrate, and at mile 3, fuel. It was just hard that morning to even get going and I just felt like crying every time my legs told me to stop. But, I got through it. And then, after grabbing breakfast…had to climb back in the car for the drive back to Louisville. Upon arriving back at home, I had to change and get ready to get back into the car and head out to my Monday fun run. I thought about skipping it, but Cathy told me it would be good to go, especially after being forced to sit in a car that long again. That was part of the problem…my legs were hurting. But I went. And, due to the high humidity and heat, it was decided that we were going to run trails. Now, I have never run trails before…and the very thought of doing so while I’m in training for a marathon scared the daylights out of me. But, Cathy encouraged me to just do it and I was told we would go easy. Natalie, who I run with often, said that if I felt uncomfortable on the trails, we could hop off in Cherokee Park and simply run the loop. Here’s to good friends looking out for me. I actually did okay and rocked out just under 3 miles of trail running. Trails keep the pace slower, which was good in that heat. And the tree cover meant no hot sun beating down…and there was actually a breeze on the trails. I’m glad I was convinced to go along.
Tuesday is the usual cross training day. This week I was scheduled for 40-50 minutes of cross training. That’s rather normal on Tuesdays now. So, I got on the Arc Trainer for 45 minutes, using the cardio setting on Level 5, and managed 2.38 with various intervals, resistance, and inclines. It felt good and I was quite happy with how I felt on there. I was trying to be very cautious with my legs, which were still not happy with me from the previous two days of sitting in the car. I then got on the stationary bike for 10 minutes and managed a whopping 3.91 miles. I guess I was trying to prove to my legs that I was boss and they would just need to shake it off and feel better. I hit up a few strength machines before calling it a day. That night…yoga to stretch everything out.
Wednesday is my speed work or pacing day and this week called for a 7 mile Tempo run. I used the first mile to warm up and then began to turn up the speed to just under my 10K pace. It was another intensely humid day…the worst one we had all summer. And it was 4 a.m. So, I figured I would do the best tempo run I could manage. It was a little slower than my last 7 mile tempo run from the week before, but you adjust to the conditions. No sense doing damage to myself by pushing too hard in weather that I shouldn’t be pushing through. I kept the speed build gradual and really pushed for a strong finish. This tempo run took a lot to get through, but I did manage, and that was the important part. The key was hydration and fueling. It gave me a strong finish and I felt good at the end of it. Then, that evening while dinner baked in the oven…circuit training. Working on building up some muscle.
Thursday called for 5 easy miles. It was another hot, humid, sticky, and gross morning. I really kept the pace easy because it just felt like I had a wet towel draped over me. It was hard to breathe and really hard to convince my legs to keep going. They were starting to feel better from the days of sitting in the car and more sitting at the office (I wasn’t taking lunches because I was making up time for being off on Monday). Despite all of that working against me, I managed beautiful negative splits that morning. And when I saw that…I felt so much better about that run. I stretched out again that evening with about 20 minutes of yoga.
Friday brought about the dreaded day of rest. I have such a hard time with the rest day. But I did vow to respect it and keep it holy each week. Normally I go for a walk on lunch, but with the time I was making up at the office, I decided to get up at my normal run time and get my walk in early. Good thing too, as things went crazy at the office with one of my accounts. Anyway, I managed 2.4 miles in 30 minutes, which got me out and moving without tiring out my legs. Good thing too…because Saturday was shaping up…
Saturday is long run training day. Run long at an easy pace. I was scheduled for 14 miles, but my training partner in crime was scheduled for 18. I decided I could boost my run up for 4 miles. After all, only a couple of weeks ago, I managed 15.5…and this was only 2.5 miles more. I woke up early, got dressed for the stifling humidity and 80 degree morning that awaited. I drank water. I ate some cereal. Then after applying a liberal amount of sunscreen, I got in the car and headed into Louisville to meet up with Matthew at 6:30 a.m. I downed a banana on the way, which would give it time to settle. I felt good as I stretched. And when he arrived, we headed out for 18 miles. Originally we had hoped to do this at an 8:30 pace…but the weather conditions made this virtually impossible. We took a few walk breaks to cool down, we stopped for water. It was hot. And the heat and humidity was definitely taking its toll. We made good friends with the manager of Denny’s, who let us cool off in their lobby and gave us free ice water. YAY! Then…we had the scary spill. Matthew’s leg cramped up while we were in our last 3 miles. His foot hit the sidewalk and he took a tumble. He fell into me, but I stayed upright. He hit the ground hard though…and I was so worried about him. It just looked bad. He said he was fine…and a lot of drivers and a biker all checked in on him. He dusted himself up, all scraped and battered…and we pressed on…slow and steady. But we managed to get our 18 miles in. It was slower than we would have liked, but given the weather conditions, we ran it smart. And that was the important thing. Matthew’s okay, by the way. And we’ve already got next week’s training run in the works.
This past week brought about some of the hottest conditions in this area this year. The humidity has been killer, bringing about air quality warnings. I get out early to run, and even that was hard on most days this past week. I’m hoping the humidity breaks soon because this sort of weather is so hard to work through. And it does affect you, as a runner, mentally. Runners are very number-focused…and on these dog days of summer, you have to worry more about your well-being, your body, making sure you are hydrated and fueled…and focus less on pace and speed. You still get in your training…it just may not be done as soon as you hoped or wanted.
But…even these hot and humid runs serve as good training and good lessons as far as how weather can affect you. These fall marathons could have these conditions…or they could be cooler…rained on…or just perfect. You just don’t know. Adjusting training to keep yourself safe and healthy is best. Safety first…always!
I can only survive so long on protein bars, bananas, Greek yogurt, and ice cream. Although if I could live forever on ice cream, I’d probably do that. But, alas…it is not possible.
And when hitting the road, it’s not easy for me to just grab fast food. I mean…I’m a gluten-free vegetarian. That more than limits the field of places I truly can eat. And eat safely for that matter. After visiting my home town, as brief as it was, and driving back toward Columbus, Ohio…my partners in crime and I figured we best find somewhere to grab some actual food for dinner. We were all basically living off the snacks and ice cream we consumed earlier in the day. I consulted my Find Me Gluten Free app for the cities we would be passing through, and the one with the most options was also the furthest one away.
Erie, Pennsylvania.
After listing off what the app directed us toward, the three of us decided that sandwiches sounded really, really good. And the app was having us head toward Picasso’s. Picasso’s is Erie, Pennsylvania’s first and only truly gourmet sandwich shop. Their sandwiches range from one that has Twinkies on it with cheese and ham, to vegetarian offerings. The kicker, however, was that they offered gluten-free bread. YES!! We attempted to find the place on our own, but soon enlisted the help of the GPS on my phone. And Jenn and I spotted it just outside the ring road that circled the mall there in Erie. We directed Cathy up that way and eagerly got out of the car. Because, yes…we were hungry and ready to eat!
Upon stepping inside the place, I already liked the vibe. The lady behind the counter was very friendly and very nice. She greeted us immediately and we said we were traveling from out of town…and that I was a Celiac. She assured me that they change gloves and take special precautions to prevent cross-contamination. THEY KNEW WHAT CROSS CONTAMINATION WAS!! I felt better about this already. The difficult part now was deciding on what sandwiches to order. After all, these would see us from Erie all the way back to Columbus, Ohio.
After some menu perusal, we all came to our decisions.
Cathy went with Raphael, which consisted of cheese ravioli, baby spinach and mozzarella cheese on sourdough bread ($6.99). Jenn went with The Thinker, which basically has the customer choose three cheeses. I can’t remember exactly what she went with, but I believe it was provolone, mozzarella, and the cheese ravioli ($5.49). Yes…cheese ravioli is considered cheese there at Picasso’s. You gotta love that. And, honestly, where else have you ever seen ravioli on a sandwich? It was an interesting concept and one that intrigued both of them.
My table art at Picasso’s
As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Venus De Milo ($8.49 – $6.49 sandwich with a $2.00 up-charge for gluten-free). My sandwich consisted of hummus, onion, shredded carrots, baby spinach, muffalata, tomato, avocado and roasted red pepper mayo on Schär gluten-free bread. Instead of going into a panini press like Cathy and Jenn’s sandwiches, mine was toasted and cooked to perfection in an oven…definitely eliminating the possibility of cross-contamination. They changed gloves and made my sandwich first, before working on my friends. I appreciated everything they were doing to ensure I would not get sick from eating there.
We took a seat with our drinks to wait for our food. What is really awesome is that the tables are painted black and on each one is a little metal bucket that contained sidewalk chalk. See where this is headed? While waiting on food, customers can make some art on these tables, draw, write, play games…whatever. It’s a fun little concept and the three of us put our artistic (or lack thereof) skills to work. Cathy drew what we call a “anorexic Thor” which got us laughing for a good long while.
But soon, food was arriving. Jenn’s sandwich first. Then Cathy’s. As mine was being toasted in an oven, it was taking a little longer. I told Cathy and Jenn to go ahead and eat their sandwiches while they were still warm. Both of them unwrapped their food and began to nosh. And just after their initial bites, my sandwich arrived, wrapped and ready for me to eat.
I can’t speak for them, but both Cathy and Jenn were quite impressed with how well ravioli on a sandwich worked. Why we never thought of this before…is way beyond me! These sandwiches must have been good because all three of us have been lamenting not having a Picasso’s near us. Sadness.
My Gluten-Free Venus De Milo Sandwich (wrapped)
As for my sandwich…well, to start…this was my first time having Schär’s sandwich bread. And it was awesome. Seriously. With gluten-free bread, you either get the ones that hold up or the ones that fall apart. This sandwich was loaded down with veggies as well as hummus and red pepper mayo. So…this had the potential to be very, very messy. But…it was a light golden color and held together, even with all the fillings and toppings and general awesomesauce stuffed in between. The muffalata was a bit scary…because I dislike olives. But…I went with it. I braved it. I figured it all had to come together somehow. And just like any work of art…it all did. The onions, the tomato, the carrots, the baby spinach, the avocado, the hummus, the olives, the red pepper mayo…it made for the perfect bite…every time. In fact, when I’d drip mayo out with some of the filling, I’d scoop it up and devour that too. That is how much I was enjoying this sandwich. It was savory, and sweet, and just A-MAZ-ING!! Seriously, I keep wanting to attempt to recreate it…along with what Jenn and Cathy had. I just know it wouldn’t live up to what we were served there at Picasso’s. Sandwich perfection. Truly. A masterpiece between two pieces of (gluten-free) bread.
I only wish there were more of these throughout the country…like in Louisville or Columbus. You know…where we live and all. We still crave another sandwich from there, which means they are doing something completely right. I loved the off-beat combinations that made up their sandwiches. And every sandwich was named after either an artist or a work of art. Like I said…the concept of this gourmet sandwich shop was fantastic. The fact that the food lived up to the concept was even better.
I encourage you, if you happen to be traveling through Erie, Pennsylvania, to stop in for a bite to eat at Picasso’s. The art of food, specifically sandwich crafting, is alive and well…and done to perfection. Trust me, you won’t regret it. Choose something you’d never dream of finding anywhere else. I promise, you’ll want to go back for more.
I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. And while this town was small, there are still parts of it that I still talk about today.
Not just school. Not just softball. Not just my friends.
But places I used to go. Even small towns have malls…and as a teenager, I spent a lot of time at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, New York. However…my most favorite place to go was what we locals referred to as “The Old Barn.” However, when this old barn was transformed into an ice cream shop, it became known as The Dairy Barn.
I spent so many spring and summer days eating ice cream off a cone. Usually I got a small chocolate/vanilla twist. Or the Dole Whip in a cone. Sometimes I’d get it dipped in chocolate or cherry topping. Sometimes I was allowed to have sprinkles. And on some rare occasions, I was able to pick from the hard ice cream flavors and have a really special treat.
When I went up to Utica, New York to run in a road race, Cathy and Jenn, my travel compatriots and two of my biggest race support crew, indulged me by allowing a rather big detour down through the Big Flats area. I had let those in the area know that I was going to be in town, briefly, on Sunday afternoon…and that should they want to get together…I would be hitting up The Dairy Barn.
Yes…this lactose intolerant girl was going to indulge in some ice cream. And why not? Ice cream is usually how I round off a race day anyway. This was no different…just somewhere else.
I can’t really write up a review of The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY. They are not like my local ice cream shop or Jeni’s up in Columbus, Ohio…meaning they don’t make their own ice cream. They do serve up Perry’s Ice Cream, however. Perry’s Ice Cream is native to Upstate New York…so at least it is somewhat local! So, I do give them that. The Dairy Barn can make up different sundaes (including banana splits…and I was tempted!) in addition to their regular ice cream in a cone or cup.
With my friends all assembled, we placed our orders. And there were definitely some fun flavors to choose from. I appreciated that The Dairy Barn had out their allergen list of all the flavors they were serving. This took a lot of guess work out and also meant that I could go with some of the hard ice cream instead of the Dole Whip, should I so choose. And so…that’s what I did.
The Dairy Barn serves up a “small” scoop of Perry’s White Lightning Ice Cream.
Now, these flavors are definitely fun and delicious. Jenn went for the flavor called Piece of Cake, which is light yellow cake ice cream with chocolate flavored frosting swirls and pound cake pieces inside. Cathy went with a unique flavor she had never seen before. It was definitely one of the more interesting sounding ones…being that it was popcorn flavored ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls and caramel truffles. My friend Karen got the same kind. As for me…I originally was going to get a flavor called Fools Gold (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter candy swirls and chocolate coated toffee pieces), but changed my mind after spotting one called White Lightning. White Lightning is dark chocolate ice cream with streaks of thick mint flavored white fudge lightning. And it was AMAZING! Rich dark chocolate with yummy fudge throughout it. It was two of my favorite things all packed into a giant “small” scoop. Mint. Dark Chocolate. Heaven. I let it just melt away on my tongue and took my time to eat it…loving and indulging in every sinful spoonful.
If the ice cream shop isn’t making their own ice cream, I give them props for choosing a company that is based out of Upstate New York and quite regional. Loved every bite of my ice cream. And at The Dairy Barn, they don’t skimp on portions either. All of us got a cup of our ice cream of choice, and it was a big scoop of ice cream…probably 2 servings packed in. I didn’t care. I was going to devour every bit of it. And each cup of ice cream was very affordable too. That large serving of delicious Perry’s ice cream ran us $2.50 each. Can’t beat that. And that was for the “small” size. I can’t imagine what the large size would be.
But the best part of this journey was getting reacquainted with people I hadn’t seen in years. It was way too short of a time, but I enjoyed every moment with Jenn, Karen, and Shannon…who I hadn’t seen in 15 years…since graduating high school. No one really has changed. We all are still goofy, still having fun, and still enjoying life. And we all got to do it together…for about 45 minutes…over ice cream.
If you find yourself passing through the Horseheads/Big Flats area…swing by The Dairy Barn and grab a scoop of ice cream. Try out a flavor you may not see anywhere else. Go with family. Go with friends. Indulge. Do it with a smile. And know that The Dairy Barn keeps a list of all allergen information for all of their flavors at the counter. So do so with a sound mind.
And if you happen to be returning to the area…get together with friends. Friendship, smiles, laughter and ice cream. That’s what these days are all about.
Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me…some of my high school friends who made it out to The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY, for ice cream and some catching up. WOW…I missed them!
Me sprinting toward the finish line of the Boilermaker 15K – Utica, NY
Race: Boilermaker 15K
Place: Utica, New York
Date: July 14, 2013
Time: 1:12:14
When I started running over three years ago, I never dreamed of where my feet would end up taking me. Honestly. That’s the brilliant thing about this sport. You can participate in any event…anywhere you may be traveling through. Or…in this case…there may be a particular event that you are just dying to run because you have heard so much about it. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn’t.
Last year, I had wanted to register for the Boilermaker 15K after hearing my friend, Jean, talk about it with me. She was doing the 5K race that year and I was really wanting to get in that 15K race. However, it conflicted with another event I was attending, so I didn’t get to run it last year. However, I was determined to make it into the running in 2013. So, Jean texted me one day to alert me that registration would be opening. So the moment it did…you better believe I was online and paying my $40 registration fee. Of course, now logistics of how to get from Louisville, Kentucky to Utica, New York needed to be considered…but I had time for that. The important thing was…I was in! Good thing too, because it sold out fast.
This past weekend was the big event. The Boilermaker is run every second Sunday in July…and it has been that way since the race first began in 1976. This particular race was established by Earle C. Reed, who was looking for a way to give back to the community that had supported his family business. The race was his answer. It began with a humble 800 runners and a budget of $750. But now, over thirty years later, The Boilermaker 15K Road Race is now the largest 15K in the nation with more than 10,000 runners. Each year, this particular race attracts elite runners from all over the world, Olympians, and world record holders. It’s kind of a BIG deal. In addition to the star power this 15K race draws, the Boilermaker 15K is also ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world. What other accolades does this race have? Plenty! The Road Runners Club of America has ranked it as one of the Top 20 Favorite Road Races in the country. Runner’s World Magazine rated the Boilermaker as one of the Top 100 Road Races in the country. USA Track and Field has named it one of the 30 Largest Road Races in the country.
And…after getting off work on Friday and driving up to Columbus, Ohio for the night…Cathy, Jenn and I piled into my car and we made the over 8 hour drive from Columbus, Ohio to Utica, New York on Saturday. We headed out early, with hopes of hitting Jean’s apartment by 1 p.m. Unfortunately…that didn’t happen, and we hit there about an hour later than planned. But we were there. And I was reunited with friends I hadn’t seen since high school…Jean and Jen!! Jen drove all the way up to Utica just to see me and hang out and I was thrilled!! It was like these 15 years had never passed. At all. And Cathy and Jenn fit right in with the group. So it was awesome. As we were all piling into Jean’s car to hit up the race expo so I could pick up my packet and goodie bag, it all dawned on me…
I finally made it to Utica, New York for the annual running of The Boilermaker 15K.
The race expo was actually more substantial than I expected. In fact, it was one of the better organized and better run expos I have attended. The expo itself was held at Mohawk Valley Community College. Inside the gymnasium was where we needed to be for me to get my race bib. I accidentally took the long way around the tables in the center and ended up near where I started in order to get in line for my number. It was all done by alphabet…and it turned out my name was the last name in a stack. My bib, however, was missing. After some hunting, they found it in the next pile over and handed it over to me. With number and some safety pins in hand, we were now heading out toward the expo part, where I would receive my goodie bag and could hit up any vendor shops if I wanted.
The line for the goodie bags went quickly, and soon I was being handed my clear bag with a pint glass in it and some race information. My bib number and pins were tucked into the bag and I was out and moving now to do some browsing of the vendors. I hadn’t actually intended to purchase anything…but when I spotted the compression sleeves in the colors I couldn’t find at my local running store…all bets were off. And I was now a little poorer. And when Cathy spotted BondiBand…well…we all know what happens when BondiBand is in the picture. Needless to say, I picked up three new BondiBands, but none of them would be worn during the race the following day.
After that…we needed to get some food and then head back to Jean’s. We ate, we socialized, and we finally decided it was time to get some sleep. The race kicked off at 8:00 a.m. and I needed to be at the start line prior to that, which also involved me hopping onto a shuttle bus from the finish line area to take to the start line. So, one busy morning…and four ladies to cycle through two bathrooms. We saw Jen off, as she was heading home and would catch up with me on Sunday afternoon when I detoured through the town where I grew up. The futon was assembled, the air mattress was inflated. And after a little foam rolling and some seal jacks (compliments of Jean!), we were ready to get some rest.
As is typical with any night before the race, I didn’t sleep well. Despite having an alarm set, I would wake up every couple of hours. I think subconsciously I worry that my alarm won’t go off and that I’ll be late or miss a race. This happens for every race, no matter how big or small. But…my alarm on my cell phone did go off…at 4:30 a.m. I turned it off and quietly switched to my Weather Channel app to check the temperature. This would determine what I ended up wearing to this particular race.
Originally, the weather had been calling for high 60s. But it was already 77 degrees out and the humidity was up to 80%. Don’t even get me started on the dew point. So, with that in mind…I grabbed my bag that had my running gear in it and headed to the bathroom to change. With the high humidity, I opted to run in my running skirt (company sponsored), compression sleeves, and a simple bra top. Any more fabric would have been unbearable to me. Honestly. I put my hair up in my signature pigtails, adorning it with purple and orange hair extensions. And, as I saw the elevation map for this race, I chose an appropriate BondiBand from my collection at home…the one that said: “BEAT THE HILL!”
To top off everything else, I had new running shoes. You aren’t supposed to wear anything new to a race. I had tested them out in a 7 mile run on Friday morning, and wore them around all day Friday and Saturday in hopes of breaking them in. I had never run an actual race in these…so this would be a testament of their quality. My new shoes are the Pearl Izumi Women’s EM Road M3…and I loved them when I tried them on Saturday night. I’d now find out how much I loved them after actually racing in them. And not just any race. Nope. A humid, hot, and hilly 15K race. Talk about taking risks!
After I cycled out of the bathroom, Jenn was in next, then Cathy. Jean came downstairs and we all put something in our stomachs. Jean washed up some delicious strawberries for me, which I downed. Jenn and Cathy had some Cheerios. And Jean…I believe she ate a banana at home. I was taking a banana with me as about 40 minutes prior to any race, I eat a banana. It has never let me down yet. And with that time frame, it gives things time to settle and everything. The goal was to leave Jean’s apartment by 6 a.m. at the latest. We hit the road at 6:03 a.m. Close enough.
It was a short drive and it wasn’t too hard to find parking. We actually ended up parking near the building where Jean works. From there, we started to head toward the school buses that were being used to shuttle runners up to the start line. As the shuttles only ran to the start line until 7 a.m., this meant I needed to get on one immediately. So, even though it was still very early, I gave hugs to my girls and then departed…leaving them near the finish area. I was now on my way toward the start.
It was weird, actually, to be at the start of a race without my crew (Cathy & Co…usually Jenn or Heather, depending on the race!). There was a lot of action though. People were stretching. Some were picking up their packets. Some were doing some strides to get warmed up. Some were using the port-a-potties. Me…I walked away from the shuttle bus where we were dropped off and started toward where the race would be starting. I wanted to scope it out. Volunteers and runners…that’s all you saw here. No families or friends. It was just a totally different scenario than I am used to.
With the sun already relentlessly beating down at 7 a.m., I was hoping to find a bit of shade. But there was really none to be had. Thankfully, there were cups of water being handed out at a table not far from the start. After I did some stretching, I went to grab some water to keep hydrated. As I was finishing that up, I noticed a bright yellow shirt with the words BLUEMILE across the front of it. BlueMile is my favorite running store in the area. They have two stores in Indianapolis and two stores in Louisville. I tracked down the older gentleman wearing the shirt and asked him what store he was from. He said the Broad Ripple store. Ah…Broad Ripple. I went running with the Broad Ripple team the week before on Saturday morning. I know that store well. Anyway…I told him I was from the Highlands store in Louisville and we stood and talked. He asked where the official start was and I pointed toward the corner, where the start was just up a little hill from there.
I went back to stretching as the announcer came over the speaker system to give the run down of the history of the race. Not only how long it has been (literally) running, but also that this race boasts the most water stops. They weren’t kidding either. The Boilermaker 15K (9.3 miles) has over 20 water stations along the course. That’s awesome because today was definitely a day where hydration was going to be the key to having a good race. In addition to letting us know that we had over 20 aid stations along the way, the announcer told us that it was currently 80 degrees and the humidity was high and only going to get higher as the morning progressed. Fair warning. Adjust your race accordingly.
At this point I decided it was time to eat my banana, so I slowly ate that down as the announcements were repeated. I did a little more stretching and grabbed another small sip of water. Then the announcement came that the wheelchair racers and the elites should report to the starting line. After that, they began to announce the various color bibs. We were directed to make our way to the start area. And so…I stepped into the corrals. My bib was yellow and I was let into the corral at the bottom of the hill.
At 7:45 a.m., the wheelchair racers were sent off. And fifteen minutes later…my corral began to slowly slog forward toward the start line. It started as a walk. Then a job. Soon, we were all slowly finding a pace and crossing over the start line, taking on the beginning of The Boilermaker 15K.
The first half of this race is pretty much going uphill. Honestly. I am not kidding. This also does mean that the second half of the race, in theory, should seem easier. While you still have inclines in the second half, the majority of them hit early on in this race. For that, I am thankful, despite legs that feel heavy at first. Once I got moving, I found my stride. It didn’t take too long to do. I’m used to early morning runs when my muscles are still a little tight from resting…so this warm up actually felt natural to me.
Mile 1 starts you off with music. And crowd support. Hontestly, there were droves of people lining the roads, cheering for runners. At about .3 miles in, a guy standing on the front porch of his house shouts down, “You’re almost there! Just 9 miles to go!” It made me laugh. Gotta love crowds. Especially crowds that come to lift the spirits of the participants in the races. This just makes the race even more amazing.
Mile 2 is what the Boilermaker calls the International Mile. All along this mile, runners get to experience the sounds of different countries and cultures. I noticed different bands and dance groups, all representing different cultures from around the world. And, all along the way, all 192 flags of the United Nations’ member states were represented. It was an amazing second mile.
The heat was going up now, and I was making sure to utilize my fuel belt properly. I had 6 ounces of water and 6 ounces of Gatorade on me. And I was doing as my sports nutritionist had taught me when it came to hydration. Of course, the sips were smaller, because I wanted the fluids to last.
Miles 3 and 4 brought the steepest incline of the entire race. We were running through the golf courses of the area, and that meant hills. And these weren’t those quick hills you power up and say a word of congratulations to yourself when you reach the top and start down. No…these were the hills that are long and slow and they just never seem to stop going up. I rounded turns with these hills. I just kept telling myself to keep going. Keep on pushing. Get to the top!
And I did. And soon, the downhill portion was in front of me. I didn’t want to blitz the hill. That can cause injury and it can really wear out the legs. I was about halfway through the race and I wanted to make sure I had a strong finish at the end. Of course, with the humidity on the rise and the relentless heat…my pace was definitely being affected.
Thank goodness for the lovely people of Utica, New York. The streets were literally lined with spectators. This was their event and it seemed everyone from the region was out there and cheering. Some people with houses along the course came out with their hoses to spray water on the overheated runners. I took full advantage of these showers of cold water. And I thanked every single one of them that helped make the course a little less miserable on that hot day. Some residents came out with orange slices, or popsicles to cool off runners. It was just really great to see a town get so into a race.
Me in the Family Reunion Area of the Boilermaker 15K, with refreshing Chobani Greek yogurt, wearing the finisher’s medal Cathy bought for me!
That being said, by Mile 7 I was starting to fall victim to the rising mercury. The July heat and humidity in Upstate New York was brutal. My legs were beginning to feel heavy. The course was on another incline, so, I decided I would pop a GU pack and continue to press on. If I had to slow it down due to heat…so be it. Running smart and finishing was most important. I went in wanting to beat my last 15K time (The Hot Chocolate 15K in Columbus, Ohio), but that became less important. Crossing that finish line…no matter the time…was the goal.
The next two miles ticked off quickly, I felt. Perhaps finally getting around to fueling (I apologize to my sports nutritionist for not doing it after 30 minutes as I should have been) and reviving my body. But, soon, I was hitting the marker for Mile 9 and it was a downhill sprint toward the finish line.
I could see Cathy holding up the sign, and right next to her was Jenn and Jean. All three of them were just screaming at me to run, run, go, go…and I did. I just ran my heart out toward that finish line, crossing it, dripping in sweat and feeling like I had just been put through the wringer. But it felt good. And I was smiling. Yes…I was smiling.
I had no idea where to proceed from here. Normally Cathy would hurry over to find me and join me…but there was no way for my friends to head over to where I was standing. So, I began to make my way down the chute. First we were handed our Finisher’s pins (no medals here). They were also handing out fresh orange slices, cold water, and popcicles as we proceeded toward the After Party staging area. I finally noticed a sign for the Family Reunion Area. I figured that would be the best place for me to stand. Of course, then I got distracted by the Chobani truck and went to snag some free Greek yogurt (Blueberry, of course!). As I meandered over toward the Family Reunion Area, I turned around and there, in the sea of humanity behind me, I spotted MY SIGN! And there was Cathy…just searching for me.
I got air hugs (I was dripping with sweat still, despite downing two bottles of cold water), and then she told me to stand there and close my eyes. And with that, she pulled out the official Finisher’s Medal, which she purchased at the race expo the day before. I was so surprised. But she said I had totally earned the finisher’s medal…because I had a new 15K PR…not just according to my Garmin, but also according to Cathy. We went over to the merchandise area to see about getting me a t-shirt, but they didn’t have any in my size. I picked up a new magnet for my car and then we decided to go and find our way back to where Cathy left Jean and Jenn.
We found them without a problem, but Jean had held onto a set of keys for a friend who was also running. That friend was in the Family Reunion Area, so she needed to go and locate her. After that, we could move on back to Jean’s car, get back to her apartment, and I could finally shower. While Jean was gone, I went and did a very slow shake-out run, taking my mileage up to 10 miles that Sunday. And it felt good to keep moving. I finished up just a few minutes before Jean rejoined us.
Me with Jean…before having to leave Utica, NY behind and head back home. Next year, Jean…we run it together!
And with that, we were leaving The Boilermaker 15K behind…making our way to Jean’s car. We made the drive back to her apartment and I went and got cleaned up and changed. And then, sadly, it was time to hop into the car and begin the long drive back toward Columbus, Ohio. It was hard to say goodbye to Jean. It had been ages since I had seen Jean and the time went by way too fast.
Of course, she said that she’ll be ready to run in the Boilermaker next year…so I think I need to come back, revisit it, and run it with her. It would certainly be a good time.
So…the official results of the Boilermaker 15K are that I finished with a new 15K PR of 1:12:14. That meant I shaved an entire minute off my last 15K time (which was done in cold weather, mind you). I was thrilled! I was 1127/11,371 finishers overall. Not too shabby!! In addition to that, I was 193/5379 female runners to cross the finish line. And finally, I was 19/828 in my age division. Super proud of these numbers.
And yes…I do want to come back and give this one another go. I now know what to expect and can train accordingly. I can see why this race is so popular. It’s fun, it’s challenging, and it has the most amazing crowd the entire way. Utica welcomes these racers with open arms and really rolls out the red carpet for each participant. And I had one of the best times of my life. Yes…even in that heat.
It’s the second weekend in July…and that means one thing when you live in Utica, New York.
Yep…
The Boilermaker!
Confused? Don’t be. The Boilermaker 15K Road Race was established in 1976 and has grown to become the largest 15K road race in the United States. Not only that, the Boilermaker is ranked as the most competitive 15K in the world, drawing people from all across the United States as well as from other countries. It’s a big freakin’ deal. And that was why I found myself in Utica, New York this past weekend. I was running in The Boilermaker 15K.
And…as we have established from blogs past…before any major road race, my fuel of choice is a gluten-free pizza.
Lucky for me, a lot of the guesswork on this trip when it came to food was taken out of the equation. My high school friend, Jean, lives in Utica and she was the one who really directed me toward this race. I was going to run it the year before, but…I had a conflict in the schedule. Not this year. So, when I told her that I would require a gluten-free pizza the night before, she was sending me two different local Italian places that both offered gluten-free pizza. They both sounded good, so my roommate and I flipped a coin.
And the winner…Charlie’s Pizza.
Jean said it was her favorite place to grab food, so this was already sounding promising.
After a long day on the road, getting reacquainted with old friends I hadn’t seen in 15 years, hitting up the race expo, and taking my friend Jenn to Florentine’s to place an order for delicious baked goods she used to get when she lived in Utica…we all were rather hungry. So, our next stop was dinner. And that meant we all piled back into Jean’s car and headed toward Charlie’s Pizza.
Looks can be deceiving, and when you first catch a glimpse of Charlie’s Pizza in Utica…well…you might be tempted to go elsewhere. Located next to the Big Lots, it’s a little strip mall sort of joint. It looks like a dive at first glance, but I’ve learned, sometimes these “dives” are the gems of the area when it comes to food. I wasn’t casting judgment. I was going to get my pizza! We walked in to Charlie’s Pizza and it reminded me a lot of those establishments that are run down but for all the right reasons. They’ve got longevity. They’ve been there awhile. One of the ladies behind the counter asked if we were dining in. We said we were so she told us to take a seat anywhere. As we were a party of five, we took the big table at the back, underneath the television. Soon, menus were passed our way and we began to peruse the selections while our drink orders were taken. This allowed the rest of us to decide what we were going to order. Cathy and I were definitely splitting a gluten-free pizza. Jen W. and Jean were going to split a large pepperoni pizza ($14.99). And Jenn went for an order of their Stuffed Shells ($9.99).
All Cathy and I needed to do now was choose our toppings. In the end, we went for what is becoming one of our favorite pizzas to order when all ingredients are available. We settled on a Gluten-Free Pizza with Onion, Mushroom, and Pineapple ($15.50 – small cheese pizza: $9.00, made gluten-free: add $3.00, with two extra toppings: add $2.00; with one premium topping: add $1.50).
With orders in, we settled back into talking. Jean and Jenn W. were high school friends of mine, and when I moved away in 1998, I hadn’t been back to see them. We had lots to talk about and to catch up on, so you can imagine the conversations we had while waiting on food. With their pizza and pasta, there were side salads and soup for “The 3 J’s” at the table. Both Jen and Jean got the tossed salad (minus the olives) and Jenn went with the Italian Wedding Soup. It was a nice way for them to calm their rumbling stomachs. And not too long after they polished those off…food began to arrive.
Everyone’s food looked great. Jenn had expected more than just three stuffed shells with her order, but she said it turned out to be just enough. Jean and Jen’s pizza looked amazing.
But this gluten-free vegetarian was ready to dive into her own pizza creation.
Charlie’s Pizza offers up the usual gluten-free crust…cracker crust. I am not a huge fan of cracker crust when it comes to pizza as it can go wrong so easily. However…Charlie’s Pizza got it totally right. For one thing, the waitress informed us that they pre-bake the crust before they top it and put it in the oven again. This helps get the right amount of crispness to the dough so that it doesn’t remain soggy toward the middle. There is nothing worse than a soggy gluten-free pizza crust. And trust me…I have had my share of those! The cheese was melt-in-your-mouth good. And it really paired well with the fresh vegetables and the pineapple that topped the pizza. The onions and mushrooms were baked in to perfection, so that the flavors melted into the cheese and crust instead of being too bold and standing out. And the sweet pineapple was ripe and added the right hit of sweetness. The sauce was fantastic. And I loved that, while it took a bit of time to eat, the crust never once grew soggy as it sat on the tray. Not once. It remained crisp and a beautiful golden color. No burned edges. No struggling to get the pizza out of the pan. This was easy…simple…and totally delicious. I was impressed.
Highly impressed!!
Much thanks to Charlie’s Pizza for the amazing gluten-free eats the night before what turned out to be a fun, but grueling 15K the following morning. I felt well fueled for the run and have them to thank for not making me break my pre-race-night food tradition. I felt completely safe eating there as it came highly recommended by Jean. The pizza wasn’t greasy…which means everything sat well in my stomach. And it was honestly just really good food made by a great family-run business.
Thanks for the suggestion, Jean. Outstanding pizza to compliment an outstanding trip!
Charlie’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Mushroom, Onion and Pineapple Pizza
Yep…you read that right. And my roommate and I were just fortunate enough to stumble across this at a little fair in Louisville that highlighted local businesses. One of the businesses participating was Morels The Vegan Butcher. And on their table they had these little pouches that caught my eye. Yep…I spotted them. I also noticed that not only were they labeled vegan, but they were also gluten-free.
Now you really had my attention.
Morels the Vegan Butcher began as a food truck in 2011 and quickly expanded across the country when they developed their line of vegan jerky in 2012. Only using premium ingredients, this Louisville, Kentucky company handcrafts their jerky in small batches. What this does is ensure that the texture and taste remain up to standard. Morels focuses on providing nutritious on-the-go products for people looking to keep meat and dairy out of their diets. This is definitely a product that spoke to me. Trust me…I was ready to try one of the samples.
So…I did…and that was all it took. A pouch of Morels The Vegan Butcher’s Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky came home with me that day. I purchased it at the buy local fair and never looked back. After buying it, I commented to my roomie that it would be the perfect snack to take in the car as we travel up to Utica, New York. I was running up there and we were driving a long way to get to that race. Healthy snacks in the car are always a welcome thing. Always!
So, when the stomach rumblies hit us too late for lunch but too early for dinner (we were eating out for dinner), I reached into the little red duffel of snacks and good stuff and removed the silver pouch that held Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky.
I already knew I was going to like it. No, it wasn’t based off of the fact that it was spicy. This was the version I sampled at the fair. So, I knew what I was doing when I bought it.
Morels vegan jerky is crated using a base that begins with marinated soy curls. By marinating these soy curls, they achieve tender, chewy, and flavorful snacks. All they do is season them up for the flavor of jerky they are creating. In the case of Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky, in addition to soy curls, you have water, Braggs liquid aminos, brown sugar, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup), vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, chipotle powder, ancho powder, onion powder, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Nothing fake. And…these snacks are gluten-free and loaded with protein…making them a fantastic choice for a gluten-free, vegetarian athlete like me.
But…how can something that is created by marinating soy curls taste? How about really damn good! Oh yes…this jerky is spicy and addictive. The blend of chipotle and ancho chile powders really get a nice heat going with each bite that you take. Nothing that overpowers, mind you, but just adds a little flavor and a little heat to each bite. I loved the chewy, soft texture of this jerky. And the flavor was smokey and spicy and just amazing. Honestly. I was diving in for more. My roommate and I were splitting the pouch…and we were only going to have a little…but soon we were polishing it off regardless.
Morels hit a high note with this one. The spiciness keeps each bite interesting and the taste and texture is dead-on…super good.
So, let’s talk nutrition. A pouch of Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky from Morels The Vegan Butcher serves 2.5. In one serving (28 grams/1 ounce), you are served 50 calories and 2 grams of fat. This vegan jerky contains no saturated fat, no trans fat, no cholesterol. It has 370 mg of sodium per serving and only 2 grams of sugar. Each serving provides 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. Loving it.
The Ned’s Spicy Chipotle Jerky variety from Morels The Vegan Butcher brings the right amount of heat to each bite without overpowering and killing off the flavor in the vegan jerky itself. I went wild for this. I wish I had purchased more. But, they are a local company, so it shouldn’t be too hard to dig up another pouch of this amazing snack food.
Easy to travel with…and super delicious. Loved every handful.
Morels The Vegan Butcher Ned’s Chipotle Vegan Jerky
There is always that fear when I hit the road. As a gluten-free (and vegetarian) athlete, grabbing food from a fast food joint just isn’t an option. And, let’s face it, some of the “safe” snacks at those convenience stores along the way are still a bit daunting when you’re on the road. All it takes is for one thing to not be right and you’re down for the count with some stomach issues.
I wasn’t taking any chances this past weekend when I hit the road with my roomie, Cathy, and my good friend Jenn. While those two can eat pretty much anywhere and anything that sounds good…I had to watch it. I needed to be sure nothing I consumed would make me sick…or hit me wrong.
So…now was as good a time as any to test out new protein bars, yes?
Sometimes my logic is astounding, I know.
Anyway…I had packed from home two NuGo bars to eat on the road if needed. And thank goodness I did.
NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar
Product: NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar – $3.29+
We left Jenn’s house before the sun was even thinking about rising, having just eaten a few pieces of watermelon to at least get something in our stomachs until we stopped somewhere for food. That occurred shortly after putting gas in the gar, and getting some coffee from Starbucks. Cathy and Jenn were making noises about a quick drive thru at McDonalds. While milling about the convenience store that had the Starbucks attached, I spotted a few things of interest…Chobani yogurt, some fruit cups…but I said I would find something in the food I brought along. After all, that’s why I bring it along. So, we got our coffee (caffeine…finally!) and headed over for them to grab their breakfast orders.
And so…we were off.
And as they noshed on their breakfast…I dug around in the little red duffel of snacks and good stuff and grabbed a small box of raisins and the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar.
Now, I had previously had NuGo Dark Chocolate Trail Mix Bar while at an airport and starving. I loved it. I remember that much. So, I was having high hopes for this variety as well. And…come on…it’s dark chocolate and mint. That’s the most epic combination…anywhere. Who doesn’t like mint and chocolate? I unwrapped the bar and could immediately smell the hints of mint and that bittersweet aroma of (my favorite) dark chocolate!
I broke off a piece and had to test it out…immediately.
Remember Thin Mint Cookies? You know…those addictive little cookies that the Girl Scouts tempt you with every year? Well, they were my favorite back when I could eat them. And I’ve been without them for two years now. Two long years. Well, I can honestly say that the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar reminds me of what a Thin Mint Cookie tasted like. Honestly. I think that’s why I somewhat hoovered and somewhat savored this bar. I went between wanting to devour it for sheer nostalgia and the fact that it tasted so damn good…to wanting to make each and every bite last. It was the only one I currently had, after all.
This bar is sheer dark chocolate minty love in an easy to unwrap package. What’s even better…is that it is actually good for you. Let’s take a look at the nutrition.
A serving size is one bar. This one bar will give you a hit of dark chocolate and mint at the cost of only 200 calories and 5 grams of fat. This one bar is cholesterol free and low in sodium (only 160 mg). You will receive 1 gram of fiber and 10 grams of protein. While the fiber count is low…the protein helps bulk it up and make it a filling choice for a bar. The sugar count is a bit high for my liking (14 grams), but it tastes like a Thin Mint Cookie…so…I’ll indulge a little this time.
As far as ingredients go, it starts out with dark chocolate, soy crisps (which sort of gives it some texture and that crispness that gives it that Thin Mint Cookie crackle), tapioca syrup, agave syrup, chocolate rice crisp (more crispiness), soy protein, alkalized cocoa, brown rice flour, natural flavor, peppermint extract, and gum acacia. I’m familiar with the ingredients that these are made out of, putting my mind to ease about what I might actually be consuming. That’s always a nice relief.
For a bar that tastes like you’re indulging in a sweet, dark chocolate treat…I highly recommend NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip. Honestly…one of the best out on the market.
NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip Bar (unwrapped)NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt
Product: NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt
Salty or sweet? Some people like one or the other. Me? I’m a fan of the combination. I love having that sweetness of chocolate (especially bittersweet dark chocolate) with something salty underneath. Before going gluten-free, chocolate covered pretzels were my kryptonite. Put them anywhere near me, and the entire bag would be gone in a blink of an eye. I can’t help myself when given something both salty and sweet. For me…it’s the perfect combination.
So, on the way home on this road trip out to Utica, New York for an epic 15K road race (The Boilermaker), my lunch on-the-go (or on the way to ice cream) was the other NuGo bar that I packed from home. This time, it was the NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt variety. Once again, I tore into the wrapper and unveiled a dark chocolate hugged bar. I could see the texture of the crisps that make up the body of the bar. And if the Mint Chocolate Chip variety was any indication of how epic this bar could be…I was already salivating.
Once again, I broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. I immediately got hit with the sweetness of the dark chocolate that completely coated this bar. The crispy texture from the crisps inside was perfect. And the combination worked. The crispiness of the crunchy pretzels sprinkled with sea salt and the bittersweet flavor of the chocolate just ignited my taste buds. Totally delicious.
So, let’s talk nutrition on this one. One serving is an entire bar. YUM! This serving will serve you 200 calories and 5 grams of fat. Due to the inclusion of sea salt, the sodium count is only slightly higher (360 mg). This bar is still cholesterol free, however. Additionally, you get 2 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein. Once again, the sugar count was a bit high for my liking (15 grams), but every now and again, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge a little in one of these bars.
Trust me…this is definitely worth trying. While I didn’t like this one as much as the Dark Mint Chocolate Chip variety, this one was good for its own reasons and a bar I would certainly eat again.
NuGo Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt (unwrapped)
Both of these bars are not only low in fat and high in protein, but they are both also certified gluten-free, vegan, pareve, certified kosher, rich with antioxidants, healthy, and made with real dark chocolate.
And both are super, super delicious!! If you are looking for a good protein bar that doesn’t taste like chemicals…these two flavors from NuGo are good options for anyone. I know they’ll find their way back into my pantry very soon.
Try them…you’ll thank me later.
(Pssst…especially the NuGo Dark Mint Chocolate Chip!)
Another week done. I know…I know…it’s only Friday, but I’m heading out of town this week for a race on Sunday in Upstate, New York. And that means that today ended my week of training as tomorrow, the day of the heaviest travel, I am using as my rest day. In the end, it all balances out. Really. I promise.
With that in mind, I had to approach this week keeping in mind that I would have very tired legs by the end of it. What I didn’t count on was also having new shoes. Yep. Just bought a new pair of kicks. Still not sure how I feel about them…they feel lighter than the Nike’s I was previously in…but…it’s too soon to tell. Of course, this meant my Friday run was not only being done on tired legs…but fresh shoes. So, I did my best to keep it easy. No sense injuring myself before a race…let alone during the middle of my training, right? Right!
So…this week I learned the valuable lesson of sleep. And how necessary it is. Last week with the concert during the week and then the convention over the weekend, I got less sleep than I normally do. And I already get the very minimal. Not because I choose to be that way…but I’ve never required eight full hours of sleep. I function best on 5 hours. But…I wasn’t getting that the week before. And this current week has been just as full with activities and getting things ready for the trip to New York. So…sleep has been rather scarce. I’ve been up later than usual…then getting up at normal time to hit the roads and get my training runs in. I’m really feeling the effects. There are times I’m finding it hard to stay focused on things or maybe even nodding off on the couch. So…after this trip, there is a break in the schedule and things come back on an even keel…so sleep will be a priority. I bet my running will improve too.
I’m still feeling the sting of hurtful things said by people to me about how I look. But…whatever. I’m going to brush it off and know that I am happy and healthy and I don’t need them to drag me down and make me feel ugly. Rise above it, right? Right.
So…with that in mind…here’s how this weeks marathon training went…
Sunday is my easy run or rest day. I was still at the convention, so I went and hit the treadmill at the fitness center of the hotel I where I was staying. I rocked out some intervals, doing one mile at an easy warm-up pace, then rocking out 7 x 800 meters with 6 x 400 meters recovery in between each one. Then, I polished it off with a 1 mile cool down at an easy pace. It was just the start I needed to the day. The gluten-free veggie burger with fries at Cheeseburger in Paradise for lunch was a nice bonus for the day.
Monday morning came way too quickly…and had me back to running in the dark. The 4-H Fairgrounds are close to my apartment and Monday was marking the start of the fair. With that in mind, I decided to stick close to home this week, just to be safe. Safety is always first. I was scheduled for an easy 6 mile run, and that’s what I did. It felt good, despite the 92% humidity that morning. I survived. I think I just needed to get out there and run it all out. I did just that. And, of cousre, Monday marks my Fun Run night, so the Monday Daily Double continued in full swing. I once again went running with Natalie and Harry, up near Cave Hill Cemetery. We didn’t turn this time, we ran around a statue and continued on. And Natalie, as we neared the end, pushed me to have a good finishing kick. She promised to work with me on that finishing kick if I could help her down the road with marathon training. That seems like a fair deal. And she made me work for it. I kicked it and we finished a great 3 mile run. It was hot and humid out and we walked a little. Keep in mind, this lady is running in a cast. She’s hardcore! It was another run that I needed today,with two of my favorite people! I was so tired though…and it was starting to show. Went home, showered, and had to finish getting things ready for work the following day. Later than usual night. Ugh.
Tuesday is the usual cross training day. This week I was scheduled for 40-50 minutes of cross training. No problem. I hit up the gym and did 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer on the Pike’s Peak setting once again, keeping it with the Level 5 setting as well. It’s comfortable, yet challenging, and that was what I wanted. I didn’t want to push too hard due to The Boilermaker this weekend, but I needed some hill work somehow. And this was how I was going to accomplish it. After 45 minutes, I managed 2.38 miles of hills. It was tough…but I pushed on through. Then I moved onto the Cardio Wave machine, which is similar to an elliptical, but your feet move from side-to-side instead of front and back, changing it up a little on the legs. I got in 3.9 miles on there. Felt happy with both of those performances. I capped off my gym day with some strength training. Then headed to work.
Wednesday is my speed work or pacing day and this week called for a 7 mile Tempo run. I used the first mile to warm up and then began to turn up the speed to just under my 10K pace. It was a gradual thing because it was so humid that day. The rain was supposed to be coming down, but it was pushed back to later in the afternoon. That level of humidity at 4 a.m. is intense. The sun isn’t even up yet, and I felt so drained with each mile I pushed through. I did get the Tempo run accomplished with success, I just turned down the speed to train smart. And I hydrated, hydrated, hydrated!
Thursday called for 6 easy miles. So, out I went to get that done. With the rain that had come through, I had hoped that the humidity broke, but sadly…it hadn’t. The teperature was 77 degrees that morning with 93% humidity and a high dew point as well. So, I struggled through these six miles, taking them easy because I didn’t want to do damage to myself. Humidity sucks and it can really just drain every bit of energy out of you. I felt like I was breathing through a wet towel for much of this run. But I got through it, and went inside to have breakfast and head to the gym. I rocked out 9.2 miles on the elliptical in 49 minutes, which made me feel good about life. So did the cool gym environment and the fan that was blowing toward me. Ahhh…relief. Then I hit the rowing machine to get every muscle in my body working. I managed 1.19 miles in 10 minutes. Some strength training followed. Then, on this particular Thursday, I was registered to run in the third BlueMile Brew Mile. This was so much fun, but my legs were just…tired. So tired. I went ahead and tried on the Nike Free shoes that they had for runners to test out at the run. I hated them. I want to move toward minimalist shoes…but those were definitely not for me. The mile went well. It had slight hills and we rounded a sapling at the halfway point, which took some of the momentum away, but I finished in 7:12. My slowest Brew Mile to date. Much water followed. And hanging out with Harry and Laura from my running group. It was a good time. After that, I went to BlueMile and shopped for new shoes. I walked out with a new pair of kicks – Pearl Izumi EM ROAD M 3’s. They are 2 ounces lighter than my Nike’s. I was going to test drive them Friday morning…
Friday…is usually my rest day. But not today. Nope. Not today. With the race being on Sunday and with Saturday being a major travel day, I moved my rest day to Saturday and my normal run I would do on Sunday got bumped to Friday. Sunday I am racing, so I still get a run in. I’m just a bit late on my long run. Anyway, the humidity finally broke and this morning’s run felt amazing. So did the shoes. Although, I can tell they need more breaking in. This will make the Boilermaker 15K interesting…new shoes not quite broken in. Oh boy, oh boy! At least they aren’t giving me blisters. That’s the important part. The lift in humidity made such a difference. I felt so much better during the run. No stopping to cool down. Nope. I think I might have smiled again on this run. It felt great. The shoes are going to take some getting used to…but I think they’ll do good. Next time, I’m getting my Adidas Boosts.
Saturday I should be running 14 miles. But I changed it up with my following week due to the race on Sunday. Next week was supposed to be 10 miles. My 15K is 9.3 miles, so I figure on Sunday I’ll cool off with a short 0.7 mile run after I finish up the race. But Saturday is a lot of time in the car, a race expo, and my rest day this week. We’ll leave it at that.
Another week in the books. Meeting with my sports nutritionist again as the mileage increases and making some adjustments to my regimen. Looking forward to learning more, doing more, and putting the time in to make my first marathon a success. I guess that means getting my sleep pattern back under control as well. But that will have to wait until I get back from Utica.
My local grocery store was having a closeout on a lot…a lot of items in their gluten-free section not too long ago. This, of course, sparked a huge panic by me, thinking they were getting rid of a lot of these products and, perhaps, even shrinking the section down. Thankfully, I was not right on either account, but what this sparked was a splurge purchase of everything I had been meaning to try and was now worried I would never find again.
It’s amazing what I tossed into my cart.
Gluten-free pita chips? You better believe those went into my cart! I mean, I hadn’t had pita chips in two years…and I used to eat the hell out of pita chips. So, I grabbed the only variety they had on the shelf…Wellaby’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips.
And then…they sat in my pantry for a month because I was working through the myriad of other snacks I purchased that expired before these. But today…today that was changing. Because I used up the last of the older stuff…so now…now as the moment I had been waiting for.
PITA CHIP DAY!!
I was so thrilled and excited about it…and I eagerly opened up the little pouch that held these little crisps and doled out a serving into a glass container. I, as always, took one over to my roomie to sample. She didn’t look too impressed when she bit into it. I asked her what she thought. And, after considerable thought she finally said that she felt they were bland. I asked if she thought I would like them…but she never actually got back to me on that. So, I decided I would find out at the office.
Snack time hits at 3 p.m. and I was ready to enjoy my Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. Really, really ready! I opened up my container and grabbed a crisp off the top. I loved the thickness of the chips themselves. Just like real pita chips. Honestly. The feel of them was spot on. This felt like it would bode well. So, I took a bite…
And Cathy was completely right in her assessment of these chips. They were totally bland. Every now and again, a hint of sugar of cinnamon will touch the tongue and you get…a little bit of flavor, but it’s really underwhelming and not at all what I expected. I feel these had the right texture for a pita chip. They were crunchy and thick. But the flavor…ugh…the flavor was lacking. I expected a little sweetness and I just got…pita chip flavor. And not every very good pita chip flavor.
While I love that these snack chips are baked and not fried, giving them a little bit more of a health factor, they just didn’t work for me. Without bold flavor, the sweet and savory flavors of cinnamon and sugar were not working. I actually missed the seasoning…it just fell flat in the end. Great on texture and crunch…but a very poor showing when it came to how it tasted. I was completely bummed. But, I finished them off. They were, after all, my snack.
So, should you still feel the need to try the Wellaby’s Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips yourself…let me give you the nutrition and ingredient run-down. These chips are made from a mixture of different gluten-free flours and starches. In addition to that…some items I really can’t pronounce, which means, these wouldn’t be making it back into my pantry regardless. As far as nutrition facts go, however, as serving of 28 grams will provide you with 100 calories and 3 grams of fat. Not too bad for a chip, right? Exactly. These are low in sodium (200 mg) and cholesterol free. In addition, these pita chips provide only 1 gram of fiber and 5 grams of protein. And, for being a cinnamon sugar flavored chip, these only have 2 grams of sugar. I’m okay with that part. But…give it some good flavor. Something bold. Something that makes me want to eat more.
Needless to say, I was highly disappointed with Wellaby’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips. I had been so high on trying them and, in the end, they only served to let me down. The hard crash of a snack that you really expected to blow you away…but then it didn’t. Yeah…that’s happened to me countless times. But it feels even worse when it is something you’ve been dying to have back in your life…like pita chips. Maybe I’ll find a different brand that understands that gluten-free doesn’t have to be bland. It can taste good, be healthy, and all that. Until then…I might just have to attempt to make my own.
Not recommended. I wish I could say differently…but these just didn’t sing or excite the taste buds. They were just a bland crispy snack that fell flat on flavor in the end.
The Celiathlete 