Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (Muffins?)

When I was younger my mom made these AMAZING banana cookies. She would sometimes frost them with butter cream and sometimes not. You really didn't need the frosting, the cookies were great on their own. I've since made them my self and realized that even though there was banana in them and they sound healthy, they really weren't. There was a whole stick or two of Crisco! But I still crave those cookies! I've developed a better and healthier recipe......
Mix the following,
-3/4 cup flour
-3/4 cup whole wheat flour (you can make this with all whole wheat, it's just a bit dense)
-3/4 cup sugar
-1t baking powder
-1/2t baking soda
-1/4t salt
-3tbs ground flax

In a separate bowl mix
-1/2 cup melted butter
-3-4 smashed ripe bananas
-2 large eggs
-splash of vanilla extract

Combine the two bowls till sufficiently mixed and add 1/4-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips. The amount of chocolate depends on you. I made mini-muffins and baked them at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes in a greased pan. You can get away from the cooking spray if you use mini-muffin liners. I just didn't have any.

This recipe made about 40 mini-muffins. Calories per muffin was about 70.

A Bitch?

Maybe. Sophie says I am sometimes. But this is ridiculous! I have a life.

He seems easily upset and offended. I'm not the type for constant reassurance. You ARE wasting my time.

Routine

Edvard Munch, The Scream

I am a master at habit. I have a routine down for days, weeks, and months. Not so much for years, unless you count staying with my parents for a week at Christmas and July 4th. I wake up at roughly the same time every day, arrive at work at 8-8:30, leave around 4:30 and then do various things around my house. Every Saturday I do a long run, shower, go to the market and do all my shopping. Every Sunday I do all my cooking for the week. I eat the same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week. Everything has a place at my house and everything is in their place. I live by my planner. If I lost it my life would go to hell in a hand basket.

And I am currently in HELL!! My life has descended into anarchy and chaos. For the past couple of weeks I never know what I'm going to be eating. If I'm going to get my run in. I have not been swimming for at least 3 weeks. My house is a disaster area. Nothing is where it's supposed to be! I've only ridden my bike twice since I've been sick.

This slow downward spiral began with the cold. Two weekends out of town did not help. My mother wonders why I can't come home for Easter. The answer, because I will die a little more inside if I do not get this train back on the tracks. A trip home will only derail it more.

I did not run Monday. Why? Because I was still recovering from the weekend.
I did nothing yesterday. Why? Because I am lazy.
I have not done my run today. Why? Because it would have been on the treadmill, for which I need my computer and and auxiliary jack hooked up to my speakers, to watch Dexter. The jack was in my car, from the drive to Cinci (which I never used) and I was to lazy to go get it. Mind you, I was fully clothed and ready for the run. But I just crawled back into bed for an hour. I'm still hopeful I'll run after work. 

I can be flexible. But that's for an evening or just moving the long run from Saturday to Sunday. I can not be flexible for months at a time. This ends now. I need to regain control!

My aviator glasses. The Blue Angles are the epitome of control and precision.

Review Week 8, Upcoming Week 9

Last week I got all my runs in except the time trial. Saturdays long run, that I was hoping to be 13-15, ended up being 12. Which is fine. It was what the schedule called for. I blame the hills. And the bridges! In case you didn't know, I was in Cincinnati helping a friend celebrate her wedding. I had a fabulous time and enjoyed seeing all my friends. While there, I stayed in the Mount Adams area and was able to do some great runs.

Fridays 4 miler was in Eden Park, almost directly across from my hotel. It was a beautiful run.

Eden Park

Southgate on left, Purple People on right, Newport  in the center

Saturdays loooooong run took place in downtown Cincinnati, OH and Newport KY. I started off in Mount Adams and ran to downtown, across the Southgate bridge and then through Newport. I came back across the Purple People bridge and then along the river front. I then headed back to Newport on the PP bridge and back again with the Southgate bridge. After 4 bridges I was beat, so I headed back to my hotel. But not before I got lost in downtown. Don't worry, I wasn't lost for long. I recognised the area and knew where I needed to get but could not figure out how to get there. After about 5 minutes, I had it worked out.

A map of my run

I got to cool it for a bit in the pool before I had to head out for photos and the wedding. At the reception hall I realized my quads were not as loose as I'd hoped as I attempted to walk down some stairs in these amazing shoes.

Marc Fisher

This is what's up for next week and Saturday I have a group run planned with a local running club. I'm testing a couple of them out this spring and am hoping to join one of them. I'm a little worried about pacing. I'm not that fast but would love a good challenge, as long as I don't die along the way.

The Time I had Coffee With a Toothless "Man"

I want to give you guys another good dating story but I just don't have the time today to remember and tell it with pizzazz! So, you will have to glean it from my texts with friends. (All names and pics have been blacked out to protect the innocent.)
Picture it, Cleveland 2011. A rainy spring day.

He contacted me and wanted to meet up right away (I now know why.) He also wanted to meet at the local park. A lot of guys seem to think this is ok. It's kind of creepy. Anyways, I said no and we agreed on the local Starbucks. I should have turned away!!Oh, he wanted to continue the date but I told him I had stuff to do. We did not speak again.
ps, He was on disability for multiple reasons. One being he tried to "lift" weights and dropped them on himself, tearing some muscles in his shoulder. The dude was seriously 90lbs and could barely lift himself out of his chair.

Review week 7, Upcoming Week 8

Week 8, the time trial is out and did Tuesdays 4 today.

Not me but you get the idea of whats going on on my back/butt!

 I did all my runs except one last week but had to shorten my long run from 15 to 11miles. It was still difficult and I think my endurance took a hit from the cold. The weather has been really nice lately and I've been able to run outside in the mornings with a skirt and either a tank or long sleeved running shirt. Saturday was my first long run in a skirt this season and I expeinced instant chafing! I'm not sure if it was from a lack of adequate Glide sticking or the fact that my water bottle leaked profusely down my butt and legs. Needless to say, I also have chafing along my lower back upper butt area from the rubbing of the hydration pack. It's never happened before, so I'm leaning to it being caused by the leaked water. The leak also hindered my long run in that I only had 3 inches of water instead of the presumed full bottle. I drank a large glass of water and a Sprite zero when I got home (which is NEVER allowed).

My waist hydration pack, except mine is gray and bright green/yellow. Ok, and slightly different but you get the idea.

This weeks long run is supposed to be a fall back to 12 miles with next Saturday at 16. I'm going to try get 13-14 miles in. It might be difficult since I'll be in CINCINNATI for a BFF wedding. I don't have roll call till 2pm so I'm extremely hopeful. Just have to keep Fridays drinking to a minimum!

My Inner Animal

Is this not how everyone "attracts" men?!

THE GREAT WHITE SHARK

"You are often misunderstood. You have somewhat of a standoffish exterior, but underneath it you have a really big heart. You are very powerful and have a keen sense of awareness. You prefer life on the water and would like to spend all your time engaged in water activities."

Inner Animal Quiz-WWF

This is oddly true in almost all contexts!