RRKC Runners Help Coach Amy raise awareness of Veteran Suicide

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Coach Amy raising awareness of veteran suicide. Front row: Allison S., Coach Amy, David R. Back row: Greg S, Amy S., Mo, Melody, Mike B, Pat and Brett.

Coach Amy raising awareness of veteran suicide. Front row: Allison S., Coach Amy, David R. Back row: Greg S, Amy S., Mo, Melody, Mike B, Pat and Brett.

Thanks you RRKC runners for helping me raise awareness of veteran suicide with 22 push-ups on Saturday. In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs released a study that covered suicides from 1999 to 2010, which showed that roughly 22 veterans were committing suicide per day, or one every 65 minutes. Some sources suggest that this rate may be undercounting suicides.

The long road of winter training is coming to an end and RRKC is Rocking IT

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Podium

We are coming into the last few weeks of our spring training session. All that hard work over the winter is coming to fruition with many PR's and successful races this spring for RRKC runners. Most recently, Allison P. finished second place in her age division and fifth overall at the Oklahoma Memorial Marathon this weekend with a 3:23 and BQ!

Amy S. finished fourth in her age group at the Trolley run and Pat placed 7th in his age group running in 26:15. Congrats to all those who finished the Garmin half marathon: Dave R., Michelle A., Allison S. broke 1:50 and Greg shaved a minute per mile off between the first two halves of the Heartland Series.

Coming Up

But the training is it's not quite over yet...we have one more speed session and three more formal long runs as well as a few more local half marathon races; we need more runners for the Race Across America!

Speed work this week is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Franklin Park. The weather center is predicting a severe storm outbreak for that evening so please stay tuned to the website and follow us on Twitter @roadrunnerskc for last minute changes. 

Amy S. is in charge of our 10-mile long run this weekend. It will start at 7:00 a.m. at the Olathe Hyvee. Trust the training!

Good luck to JJ at the Illinois Marathon this weekend. And to Mo, Melody, Pat, Jen K. and Coach Amy - may you have wings at the Flying Pig on Sunday! 

This Saturday: new route, the best coffee ever, push ups and a band!

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Tyler, Allison, Kevin and Pat

Tyler, Allison, Kevin and Pat

This weekend we are introducing our new run route in Lenexa! We are meeting at Black Dog Coffee House at 7:00 a.m. and will be set up for 10 miles. 

Join Coach Amy before the run for 22 push-ups in her 6th of 22 days raising awareness about veteran suicide. In 2013, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs released a study that covered suicides from 1999 to 2010, which showed that roughly 22 veterans were committing suicide per day, or one every 65 minutes. 

Good luck to Allison Phillips in her goal to qualify for Boston this weekend at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon. Go Allison! 

Benito's band Blue Chime will be at Barley's at Midland/435 in Shawnee Saturday night at 9pm. Blue Chime played at the RRKC fundraiser last summer. Come by to support the band if you're free! 

Hill Repeats Tuesday

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Greg's got your back for hill work this week as Coach Amy is OOT. Those doing Pig and those recovering from Garmin should plan on 6 repeats. Those doing later spring races should do 8 unless you have not done a 6 repeater yet. If you have not been to hill repeat sessions this spring and plan to go this week, please e-mail Coach Amy by Monday night at info@roadrunnerskc.com.

Runner's Smoothie

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Superfood Smoothie for Runners in an angry Jayhawk glass for a little bit of class!

Superfood Smoothie for Runners in an angry Jayhawk glass for a little bit of class!

So this smoothie breakfast isn't especially for runners per se but it's chalk full of healthy ingredients good for runners. Endurance athletes I treat at Sport and Spine and runners I coach at Roadrunners of Kansas City ask me for this recipe all the time. Personally, this superfood shake is a staple in my diet. It is gluten free, all natural with no added sugar. 

Superfood ingredients in this healthy shake for runners.

Superfood ingredients in this healthy shake for runners.

Ingredient List

  • 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk (or skim milk or Almond milk - no added sugar)
  • 1 TBS of Chia seed (yep, the same stuff used for the Chia Pet) 
  • 1 TBS of ground peanut butter or almond butter (no oils or sugar added) 
  • 1 TBS of cocoa nibs (optional) 
  • 1 TBS golden flaxseed meal (ground flax seeds) 
  • 1/4 cup of frozen fruit (no sugar added - vary which ones you use) 
  • 1 scoop of Vega One plant-based nutritional shake mix natural flavor (you could use other flavors.)

Put all in blender and blend! Grab a spoon or wide straw as it will gel up and thicken. Enjoy!

Caution: your sleeping family members will not like the sound of your blender acting as their alarm clock and if you find little chips of sawdust/wood in your shake, that means you scooped up the little packet that keeps your Vega powder dry and it ended up in your smoothie. It is not unsafe (yes, I called poison control the first time I did it), it just gives it an awful chewy texture and ruins your morning.