Short and Sweet

Not a big news day, but I always have a few things to share.

Sorry for the poor quality photos! I forgot my camera and had to use my phone.

Today was the first track pick up day for 2009 for the RTC's adopted "park" -- the bike trail around Soldier's Field Golf Course. Obviously the sun was shining in everyone's faces. There was mucho trash out there. Probably 12+ bags full. It looks so much better! Thank you to: George Huston, Shane O'Leary, Tom O'Leary, Jean Murray, Sam Rowekamp, John Shonyo, Abby Rowekamp and Laura Lenz for your efforts to keep our city clean! Or at least our little corner of it. :-)


Local runner, and soon-to-be first time marathoner Julie Maxwell received this plaque for being the third place runner for most miles in one year ... 1,634. Julie also holds the record for female running streaks at 30+ years. See Streak Runners website for more info.

That's Julie on the right, along with Pam King (left) and Peggy Morgan.

Self-defense class: We've got an Olmsted county employee (jailer?) who's a 3rd degree black belt in karate and a 1st degree black belt in hapkido who's willing to teach us runners a thing or two about self defense. Many of us run alone, at early and/or late hours, and it worries me. The class would be about 2 hours and would cost $10. We're looking at the afternoon of Sunday, April 19. If you'd be interested in such a class, please email me.

Fetzer 20K price goes up $5 on 3/27. Get those registrations in and save a few bucks. :-)

Judy Weller, Shaun Palmer and I are going up to Gear West Tuesday afternoon. I've got one more spot open in the car if you'd like to go along! We're also stopping at Trader Joe's in St. Louis Park. Way fun store ...

Know some kids that like to, or might want to, run? Here's a great resource.

Guess I'll post a recipe. I don't have a photo as I haven't made it in a while. Enjoy!

Maple-Walnut Oat Bread (Note: I didn't use the maple flavor or the glaze.)

Dough
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (9 ounces) lukewarm water
2 tablespoons (1 3/8 ounces) maple syrup
4 tablespoons( 1/2 stick, 2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/2 cups (5 1/4 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor
3/4 cup (3 ounces) traditional whole wheat flour
2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons (1 ounce) maple sugar or brown sugar (1 3/8 ounces)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon maple flavor, to taste (optional)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup (4 ounces) chopped walnuts

Glaze
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted

Combine all the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them--by hand, mixer or bread machine--until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

Lightly grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough, and shape it into a 9-inch log. Place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise till it's crowned about 1 1/2 inches over the rim of the pan, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rising time, preheat the oven to 350.

Uncover and bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 minutes. The bread is dome when it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190. To make the glaze, stir together the maple syrup and melted butter. Remove the bread from the oven, and after a minute or so turn it out onto a rack. Brush it with the maple glaze. Cool the bread for 30 minutes before cutting it.

Quote for the day: "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up." Mark Twain

:-)