Even Ultra runners started somewhere. Once we were sitting on a worn in couch, dreaming of a more active life. Maybe we are run down athletes, itching for the chance to get back in the game. Or maybe we are the ones who just need a push, need to strive for something more in our running regime.

Altra wants to know where you started, where you are and where you plan to go! Share your story as a comment here on our blog or on Facebook  to be featured and receive tips from our amazing running experts!

Our very own Altra Maniac, Dan Varga, has concocted his own run fuel, he calls them “Delicious”. We have included the recipe and instructions below! If you want to share your homemade fuel on our blog remember to share it to our Facebook page!

Hey, Drop here. -Zero- and I were asked by Commissioner Golden if we’d go down to Hurricane, UT and run in the Sand Hollow Marathon. This race is run from Hurricane to Sand Hollow Golf Resort and back. It passes through farm fields, desert, around Sand Hollow reservoir, and then deposits you at the golf resort. And then you have to turn around and come back. This race appealed to us in two ways; 1. We love a good out and back, and 2. It is a flat, challenging course, with a bunch of rolling hills and one monster climb. W aren’t fans of downhill courses, so this would be a real treat. I was running in the Atra Provision, a pair of shoes I had literally just pulled out of the box and -Zero- would run in the Instinct. They were amazing for the whole race.

-Zero- and I made our typical appearance about a half hour before start time and were welcomed immediately with a “hey, aren’t you guys kind of a big deal?”. “Yes, sir, we are”. Then, as all 150 competitors lined up near the starting line I yelled to the crowd to have all the attractive people line up front. -Zero- and I were the only ones standing there, weird. Eventually though everyone joined us at the start of the race. The RD, Jason Smith (definitely one of the best RDs in the biz) blasted some music, gave us the countdown, and we were off.

Our plan from the start was to go out fast, then spend the rest of the race slowing down and having fun with the other competitors, eventually running somewhere around a 4 hour marathon. While we are both capable of going 2:03:00 (world record pace for those who aren’t knowledgeable of the sport) for that distance, we knew it was more important to support the other runners and have a good time. We had fun in the first few miles just talking with people and wandering around the roads high-fiving the spectators.

At the first aid station we grabbed a quick drink of water then turned around and started handing water to the other runners. I think a few people were confused as to whether we were runners or volunteers. But only a minute later we were back on the course with gummy bears in hand. While running an 8:30 min/mile pace I was throwing gummy bears over my shoulder to the waiting -Zero- 30 feet behind who was catching them in his mouth, to the great delight of other runners.

The first 7 miles of the course steadily wind through the countryside of Hurricane, along horse pastures and through tumbleweed covered desert. The aid stations were placed every two miles after mile 3 and were manned by local students. They had great energy and we took every opportunity to spend just an extra minute at each one to chat and have fun. Again, we were there to spread the Altra love, not race for the world record. At the top of the winding climb we were now hovering above Sand Hollow Reservoir and now had a massive mile long steep downhilll to work our way around the lake. We knew we’d have to climb back up this thing in about 9 miles when we came back, something I truly looked forward to.

Just before entering the golf resort we saw our first glimpses of the race leaders coming back toward us. We rewarded them with cheers and the slapping of hands. I really believe that they felt a high-five from a running superhero was just what they needed to get them to the finish. We were also running with an amazing group of ladies who were running the race for their second year. Most of them have run 20+ and 30+ marathons and they were all moving well. It was an absolute treat to share the course with them. As we got closer to the turn-around we saw more and more racers coming back toward us and we very much enjoyed giving encouragement. Near the turn I offered a competition of ‘closest to the hole’ with a few guys on the golf course, but they wouldn’t take me up on it. Shame.

We lingered at the turn-around chatting with the UltrAspire folks who were manning the aid station (and offering steak bites, yum), then turned around and headed back for the last half of the course. At mile 14 we passed some three story condos and were throwing out some love when I asked if the folks on the bottom floor had a cheeseburger. Unfortunately, they did not. However, they did say they had a big plate of bacon (they were obviously having a large family breakfast) and offered that to us. So -Zero- and I jumped the small wall, crossed the zero-scaped yard, through the sliding glass doors and into the living room and kitchen to the awes of family and friends to eat some bacon. They were the nicest people. A couple of high-fives later and we were back out onto the course enjoying our salty snack and moving well.

Over the next several miles we just cruised along with the same group of runners. I started to pull away a bit as my competitive instincts kicked in. Come on, we are running superheros for a reason, ultimately we are out there to compete and do our best. At mile 18 the big one mile climb loomed ahead. Two Navy nurses were running in their pink shirts, tights, and tutus in front of me. As I passed them I asked if they were going to run every step of the big hill. One shook her head no while the other gave a confident YES, if I would. Of course I would, let’s not be silly. While everyone else in front of me walked that long mile I cruised under a 10 min/mile pace. I took one glance back half way up and there were my two nurses, plugging along. I didn’t spare another glance though to see if they continued running to the top, but instead chatted with more volunteers at the aid station at mile 19 and then kicked it into gear.

I was19 miles into a marathon and finally feeling like I wanted to run fast. I dropped down to a 7:15 min/mile and cruised the flat and downhill miles back to the finish. I passed about 10 people in the process, ate a popsicle at mile 25 and flew to the finish like an airplane, crossing the line in 3:40:13. Not too shabby for spending most of the race playing around and having fun, exactly how it should be.

10 minutes later my nurses, Cassidy and Alison crossed the line holding hands above their heads. They immediately came up to me and shared their excitement of running that entire hill and thanking me for the inspiration. “That’s what I’m here for ladies, glad I could help”. We cheered more runners across the line and then I felt it was time to run back up the course to find -Zero-. I only had to go .4 miles back up to find him running strong and having a great time. We ran back to the finish together. What a champ.

Whether you run in the morning and need quick energy or you need a refreshing after run snack, a smoothie packed with delicious fruits and vegetables can really hit the spot. Add some protein powder to any of these and make a great recovery shake! Smoothies are a versatile and tasty way to get all the nutrients one could need to keep your body “running”

We’ve collected a few of our favorite smoothie recipes! Let us know your favorite!

PINAPPLE PUNCH
Ingredients:
1/3 20-oz bag frozen strawberries
1 banana
1/2 15-oz can pineapple (including juice), or several slices of fresh pineapple
3 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
2 tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds
6 ozs orange juice

Directions: Blend for about 30 seconds, then serve.

Per serving: 519 calories; 106.0 g carb; 10.1 g protein; 10.8 g fat (17% of total calories); 36.8 mg sodium; 9.2 g dietary fiber.

MOCHA MADNESS
A cool, bracing, low-fat treat for you chocolate and coffee lovers.

Ingredients:
4 small ice cubes
1/2 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt
1 shot espresso (decaf or regular)
2 tsp cocoa powder

Directions: Add ingredients to blender in the order listed, then mix on high speed for 30 seconds. Serve in a frosted glass.

Per serving: 180 calories; 8 g protein; 2 g fat; 38% of RDA for calcium.

STRAWBANA TOFU TREAT
Ingredients:
1 cup ice
3/4 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
1 medium banana
1/2 cup crumbled, soft tofu (1 percent fat)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp honey

Directions: Put all ingredients into a blender (ice first), then blend until smooth. Serves 2.

BETA BLAST
A muscle-rejuvenating, beta-carotene–filled, orange-colored wonder.

Ingredients:
3 small ice cubes
2 apricots (sliced and pitted)
1/2 papaya (frozen in chunks)
1/2 mango (frozen in chunks)
1/2 cup carrot juice
1 tbsp honey

Directions: Add ingredients (except for honey) to blender in the order listed, then blend on high speed for 30 seconds. Add honey and blend a few seconds more. Serve in a frosted glass.

Option: Add orange juice for a thinner consistency.

Per serving: 200 calories; less than 1 g fat; 480% of RDA for vitamin A (as beta-carotene); 150% of RDA for vitamin C.

KIWI MAGIC
Ingredients:
1/3 20-oz bag frozen strawberries
1 banana
1 peeled, sliced kiwi
3 tbsp low-fat plain yogurt
2 tbsp unsalted sunflower seeds
6 ozs orange or pineapple juice

Directions: Blend everything for 30 seconds and serve.

Per serving: 497 calories; 99.7 g carb; 10.4 g protein; 11.1 g fat (18% of total calories); 38.8 mg sodium; 10.9 g dietary fiber.

SOY SMOOTHIE
Here’s our standard smoothie recipe using soy protein powder. It’s the signature drink in our homes. Experiment with your favorite fruits (frozen fruits work great). In a blender, add:

Ingredients:
1 oz (one scoop) isolated soy protein powder
1 cup fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
1 orange
4 ice cubes
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt
1 tsp honey
2 to 3 drops of vanilla flavoring

Directions: Blend on high until smooth. Drink immediately. Serves 1.

MIX-AND-MATCH SMOOTHIE GUIDE
To make your own signature smoothie for one, follow this simple smoothie-making guide. Choose the suggested amounts of ingredients listed and toss them in your blender. Start with a half-cup of crushed ice or ice cubes. You can add more if needed.

FRUIT(select two or three)

• 1 medium, peeled orange
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup cubed cantaloupe
• 1 medium kiwifruit
• 3/4 cup pineapple
• 1 cup blackberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup sliced mango
• 1 cup cubed papaya
• 1 medium peach
• 1 medium nectarine

JUICE (use a half-cup)

• orange
• grapefruit
• pineapple
• cranberry
• guava
• prune
• tomato
• carrot
• kiwi-strawberry

FROZEN TREATS (use a half-cup or more to taste)

• fruit sorbet (strawberry, peach, lime or others)
• sherbet (orange, pineapple, berry or others)
• fat-free frozen yogurt
• reduced-fat ice cream

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS (optional; select one)

• 3/4 cup nonfat, plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup soy milk
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 scoop soy protein powder

FLAVLORINGS, FIBER, AND OTHER EXTRAS (optional; select up to two)

• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (grind whole flaxseeds in your coffee grinder)
• 2 tbsp ground nuts, such as almonds or walnuts
• 1 to 2 tbsp powdered carbohydrate supplement
• 1 to 2 tbsp wheat or oat bran (add more liquid, as these will thicken your drink)
• 1 to 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp grated rind from an orange, lemon or lime
• dash of vanilla, cinnamon or nutmeg
• Spinach! (make it green!)

Recipes Courtesy: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/, http://www.runnersworld.com/