Week 9!

 

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  2 Timothy 4:7

Hooray!  It’s Friday and it’s an absolutely beautiful day!  Today also marks the end of Week 9 in my Couch-to-5K training.  It feels so good to have accomplished this goal and to be one step closer to achieving a new personal victory in a few short weeks!  Here’s a look at what Week 9 had in store for me.

Day 1: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Day 2: Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Day 3: The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes)

And here’s a time I’m certainly proud of! Now that I’ve completed the training, I plan to continue running 3 days a week while keeping up with my strength training 2 days a week.  The hubs and I have not yet run together, so I’m looking forward to taking advantage of some of our free time in Arizona next week to do just that!

The snacks are all made, wrapped and ready to go!  Just need to make one last trip to the grocery store this weekend to finish up the cooler packing.  I got a little carried away with the “snacks” and tried my hand at some “Chewy Chocolate Chip” granola bars today.

 Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (gluten free)

Yields 12 bars

Ingredients:

3/4 cup honey

1/2 cup organic refined coconut oil

2 1/4 cups gluten free oats

3/4 cup gluten free oat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup organic raisins

1/2 cup organic dried cranberries

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pepitas

1/2 dark chocolate chips

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by lightly spraying with cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the honey and coconut oil.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Press mixture in the prepared baking dish, making sure to distribute evenly and smooth out the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Let cool completely before cutting into bars with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.

These taste like the granola bars I used to eat as a kid, just a whole lot better for you!

I’m off to wash uniforms for tomorrow’s games and get some soup on the stove for dinner!  Stay tuned because it’s going to be a good one!  Have a fabulous and blessed weekend everyone!

Blessings,

J’lene