Peanut Butter Brownies & Run Fast Until You Die

I’m gearing up for my final long tune-up run tomorrow morning. I’ll do about 8 miles, then on Monday I begin the real training program for the Martian Half Marathon.

I’ve run a few full and half marathons but I’m trying something a little different this time. Instead of just going out and plodding along for however many miles I’m supposed to do interval training. For those of you that aren’t nerds like me that read every issue of Runner’s World magazine from cover to cover, interval training is basically running short segments at various speeds, usually faster than you’d normally go, connected by recovery jogs, over and over and over again. The idea is that you build up the fast twitch muscles necessary to carry you to eternal glory or you turn into jello.

I have to admit I’m kind of excited to try something new. PR here I come!

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Speaking of fast, here’s a super fast and easy recipe that also looks impressive.

Peanut Butter Brownies

1 package brownie mix, mixed according to directions
½ cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup powdered sugar

Pour brownie batter in your pan of choice. Mix peanut butter and powdered sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds. The peanut butter should be fairly runny and pourable. If not, stir and microwave in short intervals. Pour the peanut butter mix in a back and forth pattern, taking care to space it so that there is just enough to go the length of the pan as shown in the diagram. Stick a toothpick or bamboo skewer straight down into the batter and move in a back and forth pattern perpendicular to the peanut butter, as shown in the red line in the diagram.

Then you just bake it according to the directions on the package. A tip for cutting them (and any other brownie): cut it with a plastic knife. It won't stick to the knife as much.