Team Beef Montana

So it's been a while (as in over 3 months...) but I'm going to try to give this another go. Thanks to the comments from family and friend saying they have been missing my blog. It means a lot. I just got busy and haven't felt compelled to write in some time. Luckily I had a few of these drafts saved up that I wrote back in April, so all I have to do is tweak a bit, add some photos and links, and post. To be fair, there was also a chunk of time in there where Jeff and I had no computer and I don't like my phone well enough to type out blog posts on it instead.

Anyway, we're back. :)

Here goes!

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Take a look at this gem of a running top that arrived in the mail for me recently:



It might look tacky to some, but I am super, super excited to announce that I am one of the newest members of Team Beef Montana!  We are beef advocates, many of us ranchers ourselves, who compete in road races, triathlons, etc., and promote beef as a healthy protein source while doing it! Best of all, we get to wear the snazzy jerseys when we run! Who wouldn't want to wear an image of a grill while running? I know if I were following someone who was wearing a steak, I'd be pretty motivated to finish and start planning my evening BBQ.

As a beef rancher, I am already passionate about eating beef and I believe that beef is one of many components to a healthy diet. Did you know there are 29 lean cuts of beef? And when eaten in combination with fruits, vegetables, and grains, beef is part of a heart-healthy diet? See, I'm not saying we should all go out eat eat huge portions of the fattiest cuts of steak and roast every night. What I am saying is that there are plenty of options to eat beef as part of a healthy diet, to fuel your activities.  What are some good choices? Lean ground beef, sirloin steak, chuck roast, are just a few choices that are healthy and also economical at the grocery store. In one serving of beef (one serving is 5-6 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards), you get loads of essential minerals, especially zinc and iron, as well as amino acids, all of which help build muscle and satisfy hunger cravings.

Team Beef Montana is funded entirely through the Beef Checkoff program, through the Montana Beef Council:  MONTANA BEEF COUNCIL. What this means is that every rancher who has sold any bovine critters has helped pay for Team Beef activities. What this also means for you, Ranchers, is that Team Beef is working for YOU, promoting your product, beef, as a great choice for healthy eating. Team Beef Montana members must apply to be on the team and achieve a passing score on a beef nutrition quiz. The group is actually run by a Registered Dietitian, so you know our information is great, and that our leader is just as passionate about healthy lifestyles as the rest of us are!

So, you'll spot me wearing this jersey at upcoming road races, promoting beef in an optimal lean diet, as part of a pre- or post- workout meal. Possibly even handing out samples of beef jerkey as race fuel. I'll also be posting periodically some healthy beef recipes and meals Jeff and I make with our own home-raised beef that you can incorporate into your own pre- or post- workout meals. If anyone has any questions about Team Beef, our activities, or anything else, please ask!

This was a recent running route I did a few days ago.  Harvey and I did some speed-work up on the Correction Line (about 2.5 miles north of our house), then jogged home. 

As I stated earlier, this post was actually a draft I had written back in April. Since then, I have run in three road races. I actually wore my Team Beef jersey for all three, but the first two were really cold so I had to wear other layers over it. Speaking of awesome apparel, check out some of these race t-shirts:

Let's face it. Part of the reason anyone runs is for the sweet t-shirts, right?
This shirt from the run in Choteau is a particular gem. 

Me and Harvey just before Let Freedom Run in Choteau. This was the most recent race of the season for us, but also the first race I got to run in my Team Beef jersey without any layers over the top. Felt great to represent ranchers!