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Marathons+Moderation: Guest Post #12

Hi Healthy Happier Readers! I’m Jess from JessRuns.com.

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I’m super excited Ashley asked me to write a post in her Marathons and Moderation series. Fall is always the hardest part of the year for me to train because I have to balance my weekend long runs with my Saturday tailgating habit.

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Spending six hours every weekend at a tailgate hanging out with friends, eating bad-for-you food and not getting nearly enough sleep doesn’t tend to mesh so well with long-distance training. Some of my tailgates start at 6 a.m., which means I can’t exactly fit long runs in before the tailgate.

But after almost five seasons of somehow managing to balance both training and tailgating, I have some fine-tuned tips to share so you can make it work too!

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I hope you’re ready for some planning.

Step 1. Before the season starts, pull out the football schedule and figure out which weekend your team has a bye and when your team is on the road. Take advantage of those weekends to fit in your longest and most demanding workouts because you won’t have to stress out about getting to a game or a tailgate in time.

 DSC04287Step 2.  Identify the most important games. For me, this is always homecoming and a few other big conference games. Plan your short runs or recovery runs on those days.

Step 3. Build your training plan with flexibility in mind. There may be a weekend where one of the biggest games of the season conflicts with your 20 mile long run. Since you can’t move the game, I recommend moving the run. Shift it to the other weekend day, wake up extra early before work and get it done on Friday. Don’t stress so much about the day you get it done, just focus on getting the mileage in. 634283786414717012

Step 4. Embrace the weekdays as part of your training. In the beginning of your training plan you can probably fit your longest runs in on Fridays. That way you can save your shorter runs for the weekends when you’ll be busy tailgating.

Step 5. Back off the booze at the tailgates. Yes, it is possible to tailgate without going overboard. If you have a big run planned for the next day, keep yourself in check.

It’s totally possible to balance tailgating with your friends and training for a race. The key to making it all work is to plan around the biggest games and build enough flexibility into your training plan that you can move your long runs around.

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An Easy Roasted Chicken Recipe

Last night was quite an adjustment. When I walked through the door at 7pm, there was no delicious aroma or a friendly face greeting me. Instead, the house was dark and the only light was the bathroom light we forgot to turn of that morning.

Yesterday, Bo started his new job. Evenings of home cooked meals which took hours to prepare were quickly forgotten. While the house was still neat, my week’s errand list still remained untouched on the counter.

Instead of missing the dinners and aroma, I decided to role my sleeves up and make my husband proud. Dining alone is not an excuse to be lazy and resort to deliver, cereal, and soup. Sometimes cooking alone can be relaxing, therapeutic, and enjoyable.

However, failing at your first attempt is no way to find inspiration. Therefore, I chose to make my favorite easy dinner last night. This main course is a perfect way to entertain a new love interest, impress your next door neighbor, or bring a smile to your roommate or significant other’s face when they smell the aroma. It takes only a few minutes of preparation but can result in at least two days worth of food! IMG_4010 (640x478)

A Healthy, Happier Bear’s twist on  Perfect Roasted Chicken

 Ingredients:

– one all natural small fryer chicken

– one cast iron skillet or roasting pan

-1 small onion, peeled and quartered

– 2 lemons, halved

– unlimited garlic cloves, peeled and quartered

– salt & pepper

– Safflower oil, or another cooking oil

IMG_3996 (640x478) Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

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2.  Unwrap chicken and remove giblets from chicken cavity. The giblets should be in a bag and easy to remove. After discarding the giblet bag, thoroughly rinse the chicken with cold water, inside and out. Dry the chicken using an old towel or paper towel, careful to dry both the inside cavity and under the skin folds. IMG_4001 (640x478) 

3. Place the onion, lemon, garlic in the cavity of the chicken. Salt and pepper the inside cavity with more seasoning than you believe necessary. It is almost impossible to over season! IMG_4005 (640x478)4. Truss (tie) the legs together with kitchen string, mostly closing the cavity opening. Tuck the wings under so the tips overlap the breast and tie in place, securing the wings to the body. I highly reference using this video to help with trussing the bird.

5. Once the chicken is tightly trussed, give it a good massage with the oil. Cover the entire bird, remembering to flip it over during the process. Follow with a healthy dose of salt and pepper all over, being careful not to over season on this step.

6. Place the chicken in your roasting pan or cast iron skillet, breast side down. IMG_4007 (640x478)

7. Roast the chicken for 25 minutes. Flip the chicken breast-side up and continue roasting, approximately 1 1/4 hours. I use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, removing the chicken when it registers between 170-175 degrees.

8. Let rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before carving.

9. Enjoy!

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Question: What is your favorite side to enjoy with a simple dish like roast chicken?

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