Bricks 'n' Rain 'n' Flapjacks

Today has been a rainy, windy, bloody awful day. However little oddments of joyfulness have interspersed themselves throughout the day to make it much less grey than it could have been. The first was coffee and laughs with Bike Boss, Molly and Bike Boss Wife who arrived early this morning on their way to get some stuff from the caravan shop for their impending and annual trip to follow Le Tour.

The second was making flapjacks (recipe at bottom of page) and cupcakes with Jnr as N taught Bike Boss son to weld so got to ogle N in boilersuit too... and the third was managing my first official Brick (Bike before run) session without dying. I did go into suspected cardiac arrest at least five times but I survived and am now feeling pleased with self - less for the effort and more for the fact that despite feeling like I just want to sleep 24 hours a day (new meds), I got out.

So a 40 min cycle at av 79% (aerobic capacity and endurance zone) followed by a 20 minute run at av 88% (I'm going to effing DIE/simulate race pace) The cycling was ok (av speed up hurrah and most definitely getting the hang of high cadence stuff!) as was um...55% of the running as I chose to abandon the track for offroad through the woods which is much nicer on my poor old ankles. So post session analysis? I've a shed load of work to do...

But enough of this exercise malarkey and back to the flapjacks.....

Apricot and Raisin Flapjacks

• 115g (4oz) sunflower spread
• 115g (4oz) golden syrup
• 55g (2oz) soft brown sugar
• 175g (6oz) rolled oats
• 55g (2oz) dessicated coconut
• 55g (2oz) dried apricots, chopped
• 55g (2oz) raisins

1. Grease an 18cm (7") square shallow tin.
2. Melt the sunflower spread, syrup and sugar together in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Stir in the rolled oats, desiccated coconut, apricots and raisins.
4. Spread the mixture in the prepared tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180ºC(160C if its a fan oven)/350ºF/gas mark 4 for 30-35 mins.
5. Cut into 16 pieces and leave in tin until cold.

I'm on my third :) Which is ok as starting tomorrow, Saturdays are the only days that cake or biscuit or mouth wateringly magical bacon rolls from the Cairn Gourmet or roast chickens with crusty bread - you get the idea - will pass my lips.....