Windy, Rainy but Strong and Powerful 21.1km

May 5, 2010

Windy, rainy but strong and powerful that sums up our 21.1km run in preparation for the National Capital half-marathon race May 30th.

The weather as we set out was terrible – 6 degrees and pouring rain – “oh well”, we all thought “if we can run in this we can run in anything come race day.” So off we went. We chose a route that took us through various local neighbourhoods so we could avoid the 30+ km/hour winds and a route that was familiar so we could visualize feeling strong at various kilometre markers then using this to keep us focused and energized on race day.

Everyone finished totally pooped and very happy the run was over, no chatting, no post-run coffee, we all got home as quick as we could, heading for a hot shower.

I usually have a smoothie after I run but the idea of something cold just didn’t appeal this morning – Super coach Tonja was with me this morning and we decided on OATS – yum, hot satisfying comfort food. Tonja whipped up our fortifying pot of oats made with soy milk and filled with berries, banana, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, hemp and topped with maple syrup – it was delicious

Oats are an amazing power house of nutrients and anti-oxidants, making them the perfect post-run food

According to whfoods.org, oats and whole grains in general are an important dietary sources of water-soluble, fat-soluble, and insoluble and antioxidants. The long list of cereal antioxidants includes vitamin E, tocotrieonols, selenium, phenolic acids, and phytic acid. These multifunctional antioxidants come in immediate-release to slow-release forms and thus are available throughout the gastrointestinal tract over a long period after being consumed.

Whole grains are also an abundant source of plant lignans, which are converted by friendly flora in our intestines into mammalian lignans, which is thought to protect against breast and other hormone-dependent cancers as well as heart disease. In addition to whole grains, nuts, seeds and berries are rich sources of plant lignans, and vegetables, fruits, and beverages such as coffee, tea and wine also contain some. When blood levels of enterolactone were measured in over 800 postmenopausal women in a Danish study published in the Journal of Nutrition, women eating the most whole grains were found to have significantly higher blood levels of this protective lignan. Women who ate more cabbage and leafy vegetables also had higher enterolactone levels.

Oats gain part of their distinctive flavor from the roasting process that they undergo after being harvested and cleaned. Although oats are then hulled, this process does not strip away their bran and their germ allowing them to retain a concentrated source of their fibre and nutrients. For minimal processing and best retention of enzymes choose your oats from the top half of the list.

  • Oat groats: unflattened kernels that are good for using as a breakfast cereal or for stuffing
  • Steel-cut oats: featuring a dense and chewy texture, they are produced by running the grain through steel blades that thinly slices them.
  • Old-fashioned oats: have a flatter shape that is the result of their being steamed and then rolled.
  • Quick-cooking oats: processed like old-fashioned oats, except they are cut finely before rolling
  • Instant oatmeal: produced by partially cooking the grains and then rolling them very thin. Oftentimes, sugar, salt and other ingredients are added to make the finished product.
  • Oat bran: the outer layer of the grain that resides under the hull. While oat bran is found in rolled oats and steel-cut oats, it may also be purchased as a separate product that can be added to recipes or cooked to make a hot cereal.

Tonja’s Powered-Up Oatmeal
Serves 2

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup soymilk
  • 2/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats (we would have used steel cut oats if we had enough on hand)
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 2-4 tbsp hemp hearts
  • 2-4 tbsp organic raisins
  • ½ banana, sliced
  • ½ cup or more of blackberries and sliced strawberries
  • Maple syrup to taste

Directions

  1. bring water and soymilk to a boil, immediately reduce heat to simmer and add oats, stir so they don’t clump, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently
  2. add pumpkin seed, sunflower seeds, raisins and hemp, cook for 5 minutes
  3. add banana and berries and heat through
  4. top with maple syrup
  5. Enjoy with a cup of steaming green tea

Posted by admin | Filed Under Recipes, Run, Sports Nutrition 

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