Sloth in sneakers

Okay, so maybe climbing the Grouse Grind, and drinking beer and eating decadent cheesecake the day before a long run wasn’t the smartest running decision made. The first 5 km felt like my body was twisted up into a million knots and it was not going to untwist kindly, oh no. I was struggling to maintain a constant pace, or even just a good pace, I was slow, oh man, was I ever slow. And my ankles and calves were so super tight, I was begging the running gods to take pity on me. And yet, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. That cheesecake, ohhhhh that decadent Princess-famed cheesecake, was worth every tight step endured.


Loving the post-run stretch.

After two and a quarter years of living in the loft, Mario and I finally had my brother, sister in law and three nephews over for dinner on Saturday. And because it had been so long (my sister in law, who is one of my most favourite persons on the planet, had never even seen our place) I had to roll out the red carpet, had to. And in my world, that red carpet involves cheesecake, a cheesecake that takes 5 hours – FIVE HOURS! – to prepare. It is that good!


This is one of my cheesecakes of yore, I was so enchanted by the most recent cake I forgot to take a picture.

But as with most delectable treats, it came at a cost. Picture a sloth in sneakers, that was me on the Seawall Sunday morning for those first 5 km. And then all of a sudden, I don’t know, it’s like I jetted into a phone booth, spun around a couple times, and came out SuperPrincess! My pace sped up, my muscles loosened up and those aches and pains, gone. The running gods listened! Now, if only the Seawall cyclists (who, I’m pretty sure are the worst cyclists in the world) could learn to follow the rules of the road and NOT nearly take me out TWICE, it would have been a near perfect middle and end run.


Some cyclists need to go back to kindergarten and learn how to share. Just saying…

SUNDAY’S RUN:

  • 11 a.m. BG before: 7.4 (1 Swedish berry)
  • Temp. basal: -50 per cent
  • Distance: 13 km
  • Average pace: 6:34 min/km
  • Time: 1:25:24
  • 1 p.m. BG after: 7.8

Did you see that? Blood sugar perfection. Normally when I see my BG anything under 9.0 before the start of a run, I get paranoid that I’ll have a mid-run low and end up slurping back some sugar, but yesterday, I pretty much just let it ride aside from one Swedish Berry. And along the run, I didn’t take any gels, or pancakes or any solid nutrition for that matter, but rather I took my dietitian’s suggestion and diluted juice in with my water, which seemed to work well … although, not really sure how swell it will be once I start hitting the higher mileage. But luckily for me, I’ve got some pretty amazing running chicks, who (I had completely forgotten) had purchased me some Hammer Perpetuem Extreme Endurance Fuel for my birthday last month (along with some super delicious chocolates! Like I said, amazing!) that’s supposed to deliver stable, long-term energy with no stomach distress or glycemic spikes. Sounds pretty perfect, now I just got to give it a go.

Have you used the Hammer line of endurance fuels? What did you think?


And look who I found! Another reason to love the Seawall, great lunch dates!

9 thoughts on “Sloth in sneakers”

  1. The next night I was enjoying my second piece of that most delicious cheesecake, and Roan got out of bed to get some water. He was eyeing it up so I offered him a bite. He spat it out (he is too young to appreciate it maybe???? can’t think of any other good reason to waste a bite of that cheesecake). Anyway, as he walking away he says “thank you mommy for the try”. He is so cute! Thanks again for having us!

  2. Robert Freeman

    Princess Cheesecake … of which your newsroom colleagues are NOT familiar … but just so ya know … Cheesecake (which Webster defines as “photography displaying especially female comeliness and shapeliness”) is said to have gotten its name when, in September 1915, a newspaper photographer, George Miller, noticed a visiting Russian diva, Elvira Amazar, just as she was debarking her ship in New York. Miller asked the opera singer to hike up her skirt a little for the sake of the picture. Later, the photographer’s editor, something of a gourmet, is supposed to have exclaimed, “Why, this is better than cheesecake!” Of course he wasn’t familiar with the perfection of Princess Cheesecake … and neither are your newsroom colleagues … or did I complain – er – mention that already? 🙁

  3. YAY.. So there’s another wicked BG run!!! makes you feel so powerful doesn’t it? i love that feeling.
    -thanks for making me really REALLY want cheesecake!!
    -I like the diluted juice idea, let me know how that works. I’m really wondering if I should break down and test drive a fuel belt. Ug.
    -i’m also very curious about this hammer stuff.

  4. I used the Hammer stuff on Sunday. A bit “chalky” but not terrible or horrible to drink. I had a “I have no legs run” mind you so I can’t tell you about the endurance part – Helen and I tried to run 19 and I wanted to die at 9!

  5. mmmmm that cheesecake looks amazing! I LOVE cheesecake, now I have drool all over my computer! What is a Swedish berry?
    I use hammer products! I LOVE them! I used to have very upset stomachs (diarrhea which running and nausea, hopefully that is not an over-share) but no problems ever with hammer!

  6. Question about the cheesecake: Is that cheesecake with no crust? And if it is, does that mean your celiac friends would enjoy it? And if it’s so wonderful AND gluten free then why hasn’t THIS colleague tasted it?
    Okay, that’s four questions, and a second motion to Freeman’s rant. Are we not worth five hours of your highness’ time???
    🙂

  7. I forgot to tell you that if you go to the Hammer Nutrition website, you can download their “Fueling for Endurance Athletes Guide” for free. Its quite long, and lots of it relates to cycling more but it is really useful information and well researched.

  8. I also use and love the Hammer Products – Perpetuem is my go to fuel. I recommend the sample package to try the different flavors and then you can see what you like.

Leave a Reply