Sucky speed work and vegan muffins

I knew I was in trouble when I hopped on the treadmill at Planet Fitness (temps were a balmy 2 degrees outside) and I could barely handle my warm-up, a generous three minutes slower than my interval pace.

It was not good.

After a looonnggg mile, I skipped my iPod to a fast song and cranked the treadmill up to a hearty 7:35 pace.

It was one of the longest half miles of my life.

My eyes frantically glued to the treadmill program, I watched each number inch by (ever so slowly!). I struggled. My legs flailed. My arms pumped in useless time with my body.

I'd like to say that the next five intervals became easier, but they didn't. The only thing that got me through was Alicia Bridge's "I Love the Nightlife," and a few hearty tunes by Prince, back when he was still Prince and hadn't changed his name to something unpronounceable and then back again.

Ah Prince, you wanna come up to Alaska and run with me?

The coolest thing, though. After I finished my workout, as I was sweating over the weight machines with my puny arms, a twenty-something man who had been on the treadmill next to mine complimented me on my running.

"You make it look so easy," he said. "You ran without effort."

Well! Imagine that. I told him that it had indeed struggled but he didn't believe me. He said that I was an inspiration. I kind of made me teary-eyed. I had to escape to the bathroom to blow my nose.

Who would have thunk that as I was struggling and fighting someone else would view me as running confidently and easily?

After that, I braved the 2 degree weather (brrr!) and came home to this:



Vegan blueberry muffins to die for (I ate three in one night, hee, hee)

I adapted the recipe from The Vegan Mom blog (thanks, VM!), added nuts, an extra half banana, and substituted the maple syrup for honey, and they are SO good! You must try these muffins. They are moist and filling and awesome.

Blueberry Walnut Muffins (Vegan)

1 ½ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup plus small handful pastry flour

Tsp baking soda

Tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Tblsp cinnamon

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup canola/light olive oil

1 cup soy/almond/hemp milk

1 ½ bananas, mashed

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all dry ingredients, fold in wet ingredients, pour into baking cups (I used a large six-count muffin tin) and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick or knife pulls clean. Makes 12 standard or six large sized muffins.

So freaking good!

Happy eating, everyone.