John M's Helpful Advice

The following is a repost via Michael Smith ( runningforpizza ) of some helpful advice from John M. in the trail forums at Runners World Online. A man I barely know, but someone whose words count.

Some odds and ends to get you through the day, the distance, whatever...

Believe in yourself--nothing else will get you to the finish line.

Decide before you start what will stop you--if that doesn't happen, you continue.

Are you racing or running? Time goal (sub-24, big buckle, age group) or running to finish. Don't let the initial goal be etched in stone. Something may go wrong out there--adjustments will need to be made. Make them and keep going.

Run your plan. Stay within your realm. Don't feel bad if someone passes you. Don't chortle with glee if you pass someone. Keep a sense of what your are about. Keep pressing on, maybe it is one of those good days when you pick it up and keep on picking it up.

Have faith in walking. Walk when you need to or when you want to, but walk with purpose...no trudging...no survival shuffle...keep a good mindset and walk with a purpose.

Be sure your crew (if you have one, a crew is not a necessity) understands that you might go through a transition from nice person to "not so nice" person. Have a talk with them about the need to kick your butt back out on the course. Sympathy may exist, but not to the extent of shortchanging the runner.

Problems. Is it a problem or just an inconvenience? Decide which. Find a solution for the problem. Block out the inconvenience.

Food. Stick with the safest food there is at the aid stations. Use as much of your own stuff as you can, but don't be inflexible about things not being just perfect. Be flexible as you go.

Equipment. If some equipment change comes into your head--is it a need or a want. If it is a need, solve it at the next crew or drop bag point. If it is a want and can't be fixed fairly easily, drop the thought--keep moving.

Throwing up, vomiting, coughing the cookies...it may happen even if it has never happened before. It is not fatal. It is an inconvenience. You might need more water between the point it happens and the next aid station (it can dehydrate). Drink more. Stay at the next aid station long enough to drink and eat more. Your body is now low on fuel and water. You must pay attention to eating more. You can restore the liquids fairly quickly, but you must eat every chance you get. Try not to throw up on anyone .

Don't stop. Keep moving. Low points will come, continued movement will bring you back around. Don't sit in those chairs unless you really need to--you will not really need to until somewhere past 80 miles.

Be encouraging to others. Smiles and laughter will be helpful to others. Helping others will be helpful to yourself.

Smile and joke with the aid station folks and say thank you to the volunteers. They will help you all through the day and night and...be good to them. They are a great source of energy and inspiration donating all that time to get us through our little escapade.

No externalizing of negatives. No, "Hot out here, ain't it?" No, "This is a long hill, eh?" Just believe in yourself, all that training, all those folks you ran with throughout the winter, spring, and summer that got you so strong.

It's all there...yours for the taking.

Run gently out there.

a couple recipes for Anna

Gosh, it's March and I last blogged in December. Bad. I am a bear, I hibernate in winter. On the occasions I do venture out it's rarely for a photo friendly activity. Anyhow, down to business. A few weeks back a friend and her family came to visit. I promised a few recipes, and being unable to find them in English on the web I'll do it myself. These are two classics from the South Tyrol.

Schwarzplentenetorte - Buckwheat Cake
Extremely delicious, and gluten free to boot. We had a three tiered version of this as our wedding cake.

200g butter, at room temperature
200g sugar
6 eggs
200g buckwheat flour
200g ground hazelnuts
2 roughly grated apples
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp lemon zest finely grated
icing sugar 
lingonberry jam (though redcurrant or raspberry would work too)

one 20 or 24 inch cake tin - greased

Set the oven to 180c
Beat the soft butter with 100g of the sugar until foamy. Separate the eggs, whisk the whites together with the other 100g sugar until stiff and set aside. Slowly add the yolks to the butter and sugar. Once combined add the buckwheat, nuts, apples, baking powder and lemon zest and mix thoroughly. Finally fold in the egg whites.

Pour the batter into the greased tin and bake for 40 minutes.

Once cooled, slice the cake horizontally through the middle and fill with the jam. Sprinkle icing sugar over the top. 

Spinatspatzlen - Spinach Spaezle
I don't know a child who doesn't like these. Or adult for that matter. Spinach? What spinach?

The recipe says it's for 4, but for 4 adults I would make the double.

80g cooked spinach (I use frozen that I've left to thaw. If you start with fresh you need about 160g to get 80g cooked)
1 egg
50ml water
salt
a pinch of nutmeg
125g flour

Sauce:
50g ham
1 tsp butter
150 ml cream
1 tbs parmesan, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Put a large saucepan of salted water on to boil, about the same amount and size as you would for pasta. 

purée the spinach together with the egg, water, salt and nutmeg. Add the flour and mix it with a wooden spoon to form a smooth batter.

Once the water has come to a boil, take the batter and push it with the back of a wooden spoon through a colander into the water, and stir once.

Let the water come back to the boil, and drain the Spaetzle.

Finely chop the ham, and fry in the butter for a minute or so. Add the cream, parmesan and salt and pepper. Heat it through then mix together with the Spaetzle.

Photo credits: Spatzeln - Spaetzlewunder.de. Buckwheat cake: Saisonküche.de