Dion Red Barn 2016

It wouldn't feel right to let a winter pass without doing at least one snowshoe race, so I was happy to be able to run the Dion Red Barn race this past weekend. I had a blast, and am really glad to have kicked off my year by getting in a race. Having not raced in a while, I started nice and conservatively for once, and found the snow conditions good for me, with deep and sloppy snow that slows down the road runners, ha. The last km was a lot more packed from being repeated from the start, and it revealed the true state of my running speed as Bryan and Matt, the guys I was running with, took off and put a lot of time on me in a short distance. It was kind of funny actually, and inspires me as I'm notching up my training. Overall I'm pretty happy with how it went!

Full race details here

Some people asked for the soup recipe...see below.

Just after the start. Photo by ScallyEventPhotos.ca

The last hill, nearing the end. Photo by ScallyEventPhotos.ca

Brennan, Tasha and Hazel working the kit pickup. Photo by Grace Vanderzande

Start video by ScallyEventPhotos

 Red Barn Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, diced (optional)
2 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 sweet potatoes, chopped

2 red peppers, chopped

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

2 cups spinach, chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions and garlic. Add all remaining ingredients except spinach and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft. (Or add everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for several hours.) Stir in spinach just before serving.

Jack Judge enjoying some warm soup after his race. Photo by Grace Vanderzande