See Fox surrender her soapbox for a moment....

INTRODUCING SARA GIMMY!!! (aka TC Gimmy, TC Gim Gam, and work out buddy)

I asked my friend and teammate Sara (pictured above teaching us to change a tire) to write a guest blog for me and here is what she has to contribute!

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I like peanut butter. I mean, I really like peanut butter. I'm a little partial to Skippy, but I do enjoy Jif or even store brand. Sometimes I'll opt for Smucker's for the natural variety.

 

You know, I always enjoyed my Skippy smooth PB: its texture, its artificially sweet flavor, its nutty scent, and its ability to make anything taste like heaven. But for years, I consumed those protein packed calories aware of said protein, a touch of sodium, and a fistful of fat. And for the longest time, I never really thought about it. 

 

And then came triathlon. 

In case you didn't know this, triathlon is essentially code for: We put peanut butter on everything. We encourage you to eat peanut butter at all meals. In any form, at any time of day. It has to do with the protein and caloric content. We like both of these things in endurance events. But that's the last that I mention anything about the nutrition facts. They don't matter beyond this point. Instead, I will share with you wonderful thoughts about peanut butter.

This one time, I was running with my friend, Kait. And naturally the conversation turns to peanut butter and she says, "You know, the average lifespan of a jar of peanut butter in my house is about two weeks."

I said, "Is that a long time or a short time?"

She says, "It's so fast!"

I said, "Oh." A jar of peanut butter lasts about one week in my fridge. And I don't share it with my roommates.

So where does it all go? Let me tell you...

I used to be a fan of the smooth variety, as I mentioned. But last summer, I stayed at Suzanne's house before the New Jersey State Triathlon and she told me not to bring any peanut butter (pre-race food of choice, normally on a rice cake) because she had some in stock. About 4am on a Sunday morning, I met Skippy Super Chunk. It was a life changing experience. I never liked chunky peanut butter, to be honest. But something about the super chunk made my tummy happy (maybe it's relentless chunk? I just don't know). I use Super Chunk a lot like I would with the Smooth PB: on a rice cake, on a spoon, in a recipe for peanut butter balls, on an apple, celery, or a banana. Sometimes with jelly, it can be a little much. But if sugar is your thing, then don't let me stop you.

Sometimes, I try to be health conscious and eat the natural peanut butter. You know, the kind that has the oil on the top, and you get shoulder cramps trying to stir it without pouring the oil over the sides the first time you open it. Now, I find the natural peanut butter is great on bananas, particularly bananas that have ripened further than most. On a rice cake, it can be a little dry but adding jelly makes all the difference. I think once I put it in a smoothie with a banana, soy milk and a tablespoon (or two) of chocolate syrup. Yep. I really like peanut butter.

For the record:  I adore Sara Gimmy and want to be like her when I grow up and I'm insanely jealous that I wasn't on this particular run with the girls!  

To follow Sara's blog check her out at: http://runsararun.tumblr.com/