Running and NO Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

... there has been running 


Friday 
on treadmill 
5minute warm up 
10minute running & 1 minute (repeat 4 times/44 minutes) 
5 minute cool down 
5.5km in 55 minutes. 
fairly good slow run... who am I kidding more like a jog, but it's better then nothing!! 
At the 30 minutes mark my leg started to hurt again, the pain runs straight down my leg and is constant. I try to focus on running and chant my mantra "pain is temporary, quitting is forever"... it seems to do the trick.
After my run I have been really focusing on getting a good stretch making sure I get every single muscle. It tends to be a mix of Yoga posses and stretches, which has kept my pain free. 


Sunday 
on treadmill 
5minute warm up 
20minute run & 1minute walk, 10minute & 1minute walk (repeat 2 times/44minutes) 
5minute cool down 
6k in 55minutes 
I had a great first 20minutes run... GREAT!! I was flying (well to me I felt like I was flying), then I decided to take a 1 minute walking break and after that it all just felt apart. AGAIN at the 30minute mark leg pain. The last 20minutes I really struggled and had to push myself. 
I ended up running 5k in 45minutes... BLAH! I'm not happy with it that's like slower then turtle speed and with my 1st 5k race being next Saturday I don't think there will be much improvement on that time,I'll be happy if I can keep it at that. Heck 4 months ago I would have never thought I would be running a 5k, so really the time doesn't matter what matters is that I'm not sitting on the couch. 


Now on to the baking part of my Sunday. 
I saw these Bars on Nicole's blog Making Good Choices and I knew I had to make them, she adapted the recipe from Averie at Love Veggies and Yoga


No Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars 
adapted from Averie at Love and Veggies Yoga
1 Ripe Banana 
1 1/2 cups oats 
1/2 cup of Shredded Coconut (I used sweetened) 
1/2 cup Slivered Almonds 
1/2 cup of Mixed Dried Berries (Blueberries, Goji Berries, Raisins, Cranberries, Raspberries)

1/2 cup of Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips 
1/3 cup Maple Syrup 
1/4 cup Honey 
1/2 cup Peanut Butter & Co Dark Chocolate Dreams (Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate) 

2 Tbsp Flax Seeds 
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds 
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil 
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon 
1 tsp Vanilla Extract 

1. Mash the Banana 
2. Add the oats, Coconut, Berries, Chocolate Chips, Almonds, Maple Syrup, Honey, Peanut Butter, Flax & Chia Seeds, Coconut Oil, Cinnamon & Vanilla Extract and Mix it all Together. 
3. Press into a 8X8 Pan, previously lined with Parchment Paper or Plastic Wrap. 
4. Freeze for a couple of hours.
5. Turn over on cutting board and cut into 12 Bars. Wrap them individually and keep them in the freezer so they stay fresh.

Bite size pieces I cut up for the kids

These are super easy and quick to make and very YUMMY. The Best part about home made Granola Bars is you can basically add anything you want to them, customize depending on you and your family's liking. 

My son really loved these, my very picky Vegetarian 10 year old didn't try them due to the dried Berries... So next time we will have to make these Nut Free (for School lunches) and NO dried Berries for miss Picky.  

This is the week before my 1st 5k race... trying to read everyones Blog on what to expect on this big day. 

I've never even been to a race to watch... I have no idea what it will be like. 

I have to pick up my Race Packet on Wednesday ... NOT even sure what exactly that means but I'm looking forward to it. 

The plan is to run 2 more times before Saturday's Race, I'm planing on a 3k run Monday and a 2k run on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will be rest days... Does that sound ok? 

Hope you all had a great weekend.