today vs. age 7

Today was a rest day. I went on a walk around my neighborhood to stretch out after work. I wanted to check out a nearby park (Brentwood) to see what kind of playground equipment they have that might be fun to play around on. It turns out they had lots, including a section for grown up kids to do workouts on: pullup bars, balance beams, parallel bars, upright ladder, monkey bars.

There were lots of parents and little kids there playing. The kids started copying me. When I got on the swings, a 2 year old boy came over looking at me with a big smile and wanted to get on. His mom put him on her lap on the swing next to me. When I was hanging on the bars, a different toddler came over to watch and then grabbed onto a bar and started swinging, and laughing. He had his eye on me the whole time and told his mom that I am big like her.

It's been so long since I've played like that. I wanted to test my body now compared to when I was a kid. Well, it turns out I weigh a lot more, am not as comfortable with body weight exercises, have a weaker grip, am not as flexible, and have a lot more fear. Fear... mostly fear of injury but also fear of what I think I can't do. Crossfit is helping me break that down. Parcours inspires me to get creative. Thinking about being a kid reminds me to play.

Where am I today versus when I was 7?

• Cartwheels - scared to try, lack of hamstring flexibility might make them kinda ugly
• Handstands - scared, not strong enough yet
• Backbends - omg that would hurt.
• Swing across monkey bars - Yay! I did this today. The grip was hard but I've been working on that. I went down and back with about 8 steps each way.
• Hang upside down from monkey bars- Yay! I did this too. It was scary because I thought I might fall on my head, but it felt great.
• Hang upside down from bar and back flip off - I used to do this all the time, but today, um no.
• Stand on parallel bars and walk across - I got up and stood on top, but was scared to move my feet
• Pushups on top of parallel bars - did it today. kids don't care about pushups.

oh fran, why you gotta be so difficult?

Swim 2300yd - endurance focus
[42 min, Main set: 200/300/200, 6x150 all steady mod-hard pace]

Crossfit Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters (45lb bar)
Pullups (green band)
[9:53]


I went to Big Stacy pool after work for my swim today since Deep Eddy is closed right now and Barton Springs is too cold. I forgot how nice that pool is - it was warm and there was hardly anyone there. My swim felt really strong today. My form is good and I can tell that all this work on upper body strength is already helping me pull harder on the water. After that I was famished so I stopped at 7-Eleven for a Clif Builder bar, which I inhaled while driving to the Austin Track to meet Bonita for today's Crossfit WOD.

Fran is always a killer. I think I may have done a partial Fran in the past with dumbbells but gave up before completing it. Today not only did I not give up, I went heavy with the 45 lb bar. I started crying in the middle set because it was so hard and I was failing on the thrusters, but I got it back together and finished. I put aside all concerns about speed and aimed for steady solid effort. My shoulders and quads were screaming the whole way through, and my breathing was just barely on the edge of control.

Best Workout Song Ever: Clubbed To Death

The song Clubbed to Death by Rob Dougan (aka Matrix Theme) is the best workout song ever. At 7 minutes long, it is the perfect length to run a fast mile or to do a long hill climb (bike or run). It alternates back and forth between work/recovery beats, which is perfect for intervals. I am an unstoppable aerobic machine when listening to this song. According to my iTunes, I have listened to it 162 times.



What I Did Today...


Crossfit Baby Bear Complex
3 rounds of 7 x (power clean, squat, push press, squat, push press)
[35lb, 40lb, 42.5lb]

Ugh. This was hard. The real Bear Complex is 7 rounds and I was whipped after just 3. You are not allowed to set the bar down until the round is complete.

Strength warmup
Pushups: 9-11-8-8-9
20 box jumps on 20" box
20 box steps on 24" box
20 burpees

Bike 60 minutes with 2 x (10 minutes hard/5 min rec)
[HR for intervals: 156, 152]
It worked perfectly to do the box jumps and burpees right before I got on the bike. I was already warmed up and I had no trouble getting my heart rate into the work zone. I did this within Danielle's spin class, just doing my own thing and using the music to push me. That's much more fun than trying to hammer the intervals by myself.

Run 30 minutes as brick with 15 min long run pace/15 min marathon pace
[1.7 miles (HR 142), 1.8 miles (HR 150) => 3.5 miles]
I got on the treadmill after spin class and my legs felt fine right away. No brick transition dead legs. I ran at 6.7mph for the first half and 7.2mph for the second half. It was all conversational pace. I wonder if the planned pace is supposed to be Ironman marathon pace or stand-alone marathon pace. There's quite a difference between those two. Today I chose Ironman marathon pace.

I am hardly sore at all after yesterday's half marathon. It's just a pleasant soreness in my glutes and calves but didn't interfere with my workouts today at all. I am not walking funny or anything like that. I think I am still enjoying the benefits of the extra rest and massage I got last week. I'm also wondering whether red meat could be making a difference here.

Whatever it is, I am super-motivated, happy and loving it when I am able to nail the workouts.

Austin Half Marathon Race Report

Austin Half Marathon - 13.1 miles
[1:40:54]
Finished 92nd of 5086 women overall
19th in age group F30-34
Splits and HR data:
7:41(147), 7:46(162), 7:46 (164), 7:13 (162), 7:07 (159), 7:08 (159), 7:45 (159), 7:45 (159), 8:14 (158), 8:03 (159), 7:49 (159), 7:52 (159), 8:02 (161)

The weather was perfect for running this morning: 40 and clear. I feel so lucky to be in Austin when I know that most people around the country are dealing with harsh winters. My pre-race routine went smoothly, starting at 5am with a bowl of oatmeal with protein powder. Parking at the race was no problem and I got there with the perfect amount of time to stretch and relax my mind. I could tell my quads were a little sore from all those squats yesterday but I wasn't going to dwell on that. I run sore all the time.

The first three miles were mostly up hill. I didn't push too hard yet but my quads were already burning. I knew it was just a matter of sticking with it because there would be a lot of downhill coming up. Miles 3-6 were mostly down. The spectators were lively along South Lamar and there were bands along the course. As we got back into the downtown area, the crowds were dense and several people deep for at least a half mile. Around this 10k mark is when doubts started entering my mind, thoughts about walking, thoughts about how I hadn't done my usual mileage leading up to this race and therefore wasn't ready for it, etc, etc. I wasn't going to walk in front of all the crowds so they kept me motivated to just work through it a little longer.

I gave my mind short goals like "just get to the next aid station", "just get to the next mile marker". My legs were starting to hurt a lot and I walked through the aid station at mile 7 while eating my gel. I knew this was going to take a warrior mental effort to stay strong to the end. I felt overwhelmed because I knew we hadn't gotten to the challenging hills yet. I stayed in the moment. I thought about how I enjoy running... I mostly believed that, but it wasn't all that comforting. I thought about how lucky I am to be out running a race with no injuries. I noticed how there were very few women around me, and the ones that were looked very fit and so did the guys around me. I remembered that I worked hard to be in that position in the field and I need to respect that.

The hills started around mile 9.5 and lasted through mile 12.5. Up and down, big rollers, one after another. I cranked up my music and focused. My boss and his family, and Bonita came out to cheer. Seeing them made me smile, which gave me some extra energy and helped break up those hills. The biggest hill was at mile 12, climbing 15th street just as it crosses over Lamar. I walked about 20 steps at the steepest part because I figured a fast walk would be the same pace as a slow run and it would conserve a little energy. That was a good strategy because once I got over the top I was able to turn it back on for the last half mile. I was able to pass a lot of people who were still trying to recover from running the massive hill. The finish took us around the Capitol and down Congress Ave through the finish line. I sprinted that last 0.1 miles and finished strong with a big smile on my face. Mo came to meet me at the finish line, and we had fun watching runners, enjoying the beautiful day, and eating tacos.

I didn't set a PR (it still stands at 1:37), but it was a hard course and my mental strategies were perfectly executed. I stayed with the discomfort and didn't let negative thoughts pull me down. I learned where my fitness is at today, and I couldn't have ran a stronger race.

Pre-race day

Crossfit WOD (with Saturday Tribe)

3 rounds of:
10 burpees
20 lunges
30 squats
[7:07]
Added a little running to warm up my legs

Swim 1700yd with 10x100
[100s- 1:21,1:23, 1:25,1:25,1:25, 1:27,1:27, 1:26,1:25,1:26]


Thursday I got a massage and yesterday was a complete rest day. I felt super fresh today and am really ready to go have a fun race tomorrow. It feels great to be in good form and injury free going into a race. Coach Bonita told me that I should skip my run today and replace it with a crossfit workout to wake up my legs, and then stretch it out with a swim. Initially I was nervous to not run, but the workouts I did today worked my body in similar ways while keeping my run muscles as fresh as possible. The times on those swim repeats show that I am fresh.

I took a 3 1/2 hour nap this afternoon, had a good dinner (turkey, broccoli, sweet potato, avocado, raspberries), and have all my stuff laid out for the morning. I am going to dream about running a perfect race.

sweet spot

My off-season culminates with the Austin Half Marathon tomorrow, then I begin to transition into the triathlon season. I am looking forward to a fun year ahead and go into it with a renewed positive attitude. Here's what's new this year:

1. Nutrition: Primarily vegetables, fruit, meat, and nuts, but laid back about also eating grains and beans if I want to. I take a balanced approach so I enjoy my food and never feel restricted. All meats are on the menu.

2. Fish oil. This has made a huge and unbelievable difference in reducing post-workout inflammation and helping recovery.

3.  Reduce sports foods. As much as possible, I am replacing gels and bars with real foods like raisins, dried fruits, dates, nuts, bananas, pb+j.

4. No more workout volume just for the sake of it. Weekly volume will be kept down and all workouts will have some component of intensity. Slogging out miles puts needless wear and tear on the body.

5. Keep up regular Crossfit workouts throughout Ironman training. Lower endurance volume should allow me more space for this.

6. No time goals and huge expectations placed on myself. I am going to train as hard as I can and see where I can get. It doesn't matter to me what other people are doing because I know that all this trial and error has led me to a sweet spot in my training (and in life). I will focus on making each workout the best it can possibly be and I will always make sure I keep it fun.


Endurance Nation coaches say that the best part of all this training is that it allows you to do cool stuff with your high level of fitness. Right on! I am looking forward to going on new rides, seeing new places, lifting more than I ever thought possible, and pushing myself beyond my limits in the weeks and months to come.

embrace it

Bike 2:30 with 3 x 8 min hard (4 min rec), 2 x 12 min hard (6 min rec)
[HR averages for the intervals: 144, 145, 144, 142, 144]

Massage 60 minutes of lower body

---

It was cold and rainy today and since I am running on Sunday, I needed to get my long ride of the week in today. No choice but to take this inside to Pure Austin. I joined a spin class as a warmup, then hit the intervals on my own. It took at least 30 minutes for my legs to get moving. There was a lot of junk built up in them. The intervals were all supposed to be zone 4, which I usually consider to be in the mid 150's. Obviously I was quite a bit below that... even though my legs were burning. I had trouble pushing big gears today since my legs are tired and ended up spinning easier gears at a high enough cadence so that I was still working hard. Based on perceived exertion I'd say I worked hard enough. Nevermind the mental challenge of being on a trainer the whole time!

These workouts are a mental challenge every day. It is constant practice of learning to break down and work through hard moments. I am embracing it because it takes discomfort to have growth.

@lululemon said today:  Remember, race results stay in Google forever. Can you push yourself a little hard?

extra lean ground beef

 Run 45 minutes with 2x1 mile hard
[miles@7:14,7:11]
I ran in shorts and it was in the 30s. I could hardly feel my legs. I was fatigued (but not sore) in my lower back from yesterday's crossfit and that was a factor today.

Swim 1800m
[about 37 minutes]
I forgot to write down the planned workout before getting to the pool. I guess I'm still working on the life organization aspect of the Ironman training. It was freeeezing to swim outside today. There was so much steam coming off the water I couldn't even see halfway to the other side. Not the most pleasant swim but I made it. My upper body was tight to start but once I got going I felt like I had a little extra muscle to put behind each stroke. It's been almost a month since I have been in the pool.

Pushups
[challenge week 1/day2= 6-8-6-6-7]

Today I bought red meat for the first time EVER. I haven't eaten red meat since high school and at that time my mom was making the dinner choices and doing the shopping.  I wanted to get bison but they were out so I settled for extra lean ground beef. It feels like I have crossed over a big bad line with this. I have mixed feelings but I'm just giving it a try. Here's the evidence. This stuff better go straight to my muscles and iron stores.

randy and red meat

Bike 2 hours (always pushing, zones 3-4)
[1:41, avg HR 123]
I did this ride outside at 7am. It was cold and windy and I could not get my heart rate up. My max heart rate for the whole ride was 140, even with pushing up hills into wind. I'm not sure what was going on. Part of it may have been that I had trouble getting my mind around grinding hard for that long, and part of it might have been tired quads or dehydration. Even though I was happy with myself for getting it done early before work, I need to do better if I want to ride faster.

Crossfit Randy
75 snatches
[15:45, 30lb bar]
I had fun with this workout. It sounds dirty, huh? I thought I would hate this workout but I actually liked it. The infamous snatches. They are hard for me because I am just not flexible to get low into an overhead squat position...yet.  Bonita and I worked on form first using PVC. The goal is to keep the bar close to the body the whole time, shrug and transition at the perfect moment, and not let the bar go forward from your body. It's supposed to scrape your quads, hit you in the pelvic bone, and then scrape your stomach on the way up. I took this workout at a steady pace and did 3 sets of 25. My form started to degenerate around #65 and my shoulder started to hurt. I freaked out. Then I calmed down and ripped off the last 10 with my best form of the day. I like snatches now. Just gotta practice more so I don't forget that.

And...
I ate bison meat for the first time today and liked it. Bison in spaghetti sauce with spinach pasta. Could red meat help my performance? Stay tuned.

Day 1

Brick Workout
-Bike 1 hour with 3 x (8 minutes hard/2 min recovery)
[I did this inside on the trainer. Interval heart rates: 157, 154, 154]

-Run 30 minutes as 15 min easy/15 min mod
[1.6 miles/1.8 miles]

Strength, etc.
Day 1 of Hundred Pushups Challenge (hundredpushups.com): 6-6-4-4-5
1-rep max power clean: 45, 55, 65, 70, 75 (fail)
Farmer's walk: 3 x 20 steps with 40 lb kettlebell in each hand - grip workout
20 burpees

This was the first day on the Endurance Nation Ironman training plan. Nice brick there. Taking the pace down in the last 15 minutes of the run was challenging and UNcomfortable.

This was also the first day of the Hundred Pushups Challenge. The 5 sets were pretty easy to crank out. I could have done more sets but not more reps within each set. That was fun.

half marathon preview run

Run 8 miles, hilly on Austin Half Marathon course, with last 2 miles at half marathon effort
[1:03 w/ last 2 around 7 min pace]

I had springs in my legs today, which was a complete surprise after yesterday's 250 air squats. The hills flew by and I had no trouble cranking out those last two miles at a hard pace. Amazing!

Next Sunday is the Austin Half Marathon and it will be my key race of the "off season".  I would like to set a new PR or at least tie my old one (1:37). All systems are ready, now a week of taper, a pre-race massage and I should be set.

Run+Barbara+

Run 5 miles easy
[about 42 min]
A nice warmup jog around Town Lake to start off the morning, joined by Crossfit rockstar Bonita.

Crossfit "Barbara"+
5 rounds with 2 minutes rest between each round:
400m run
10 pullups (assisted)
20 burpees
30 kettlebell swings (25lbs)
40 sit ups
50 squats
[10:47, 10:52, 11:16, 10:44, 10:21]

Today was my third time joining the Saturday Crossfit Tribe Workout at Austin High. We never know the workout until we get there so it could be anything. They are all hard. This was the longest duration Crossfit workout I have done, and lasting about an hour, it was a complete mental game. The goal was to have a consistent time for all 5 rounds.

In rounds 1 and 2, I had my doubts that I could even do the whole thing. Round 3 was the hardest for me to break through, mentally and physically. I was getting grumpy and irritable, but then I turned on my super focus and cranked out the last rounds with determination. By round 4, I was starting to feel good and after the last round I realized I had more in the tank. I probably could have done a few more rounds at the same pace.... not that I wanted to. I am definitely going to be feeling those 250 squats in my legs tomorrow.

perfect morning

Run 10 miles as 7 miles easy, 3 miles mod/hard
[Town Lake trail, 1:25]
I got up and out early again this morning and was treated to an idyllic sunrise run at Town Lake. The sky was cloudy but pink and purple light peeked out as the sun was coming up around 7am. It was cool and calm. My legs were tired but not that tired. My upper body was very sore but not sore enough to break down my form. I felt like I was gliding along.

I am so grateful to be back from injury and able to run again. As I was rocking out to my ipod, enjoying the morning, and feeling strong, a few tears of joy filled my eyes. This was a perfect way to start the day. The only thing that could make it more perfect would be...

Breakfast at Casa de Luz!

Yummy! Homemade corn tortillas with greens, veggies, and tahini sauce, amaranth porridge sprinkled with homemade granola, vegetable miso soup, kukicha tea.

Misty morning on the trail

Run 7 miles with 4 x 1 mile fast
[Town Lake loop, 1:01 total, 4 x 1 mile@7:07, 6:59, 7:25, 7:35]
It was cold and misty this morning, and the trail was conspicuously empty. The lake was beautiful and peaceful and relaxing to look at. I warmed up for 3 miles and then did the mile repeats with 2 minutes rest between each. I really died in the second half. My sore quads were the limiting factor there (thanks DT) - I was working under my lactate threshold but my legs just wouldn't move any faster. The small rollers on the trail took everything I had. I was trying for even splits on those, but I did average about a 7:15 pace which isn't too bad.  Song that helped me push myself today: Beyonce, Ring the Alarm (Freemasons Club Mix)

Bike 55 minutes - recovery ride (spin class)
After the run this morning I really needed to spin out the soreness in my legs. I went fairly easy.
Pure Austin Ryon is always entertaining.

Strength and Stretching
3 x 10 overhead arm rotations with PVC (working on shoulder mobility)
20 hanging knee to elbows (not quite able to lift my legs that high yet but trying)
3 x 10 floor wipers with 45lb bar - My first attempt at this exercise. I like it.

Crossfit DT

Crossfit "DT"
6 rounds of:
12 deadlift
9 hang clean
6 push jerk
[17:40 with 50 lb bar.  The deadlifts were easy. The hang cleans got to be a challenge at the end and ripped up my thumbs. The push jerks were a challenge on all sets. I was not fast but I completed it.]

Then... 
Hundred Pushup Challenge Initial Test:  8 pushups from toes.
3x10 knee pushups
3x10 box step ups on 24 inch box
3x10 body rows

I was also planning to run today but it didn't happen. I have been having trouble sleeping lately and I didn't get to bed until 2am last night and then overslept until 8 this morning. I was planning to go out in the morning early but this was too late, plus it was cold and rainy. I put the run off until after work to do on the treadmill. The workout was supposed to be 7 miles with 4 x 1 mile repeats, a workout I love doing outside on the trail. After work I just wasn't feeling in the mood at all and couldn't wrap my head around the treadmill. Getting the run done early is always best because anything can happen during the day. I'm going to attempt to get this done tomorrow ...  early this time.

Glorious Rest Day

I usually have one rest day per week, and this week I really needed it. I have had some HARD workouts in the last three days. This rest day was like eating a delicious meal when starving, all the flavors were richer and more alive. A perfect rest day to me is not just not doing a workout - it's also about doing all the extras that help recovery. These are things like getting extra sleep, stretching and using the foam roller, drinking a lot of water, and eating extra nutrient dense foods. I also spent some time today getting ready for the upcoming week of workouts, doing things like downloading new songs for my ipod, researching Crossfit technique, and reviewing recent progress. It's been a good day.

Here's what led me to this rest day:

Saturday
CrossFit 1/2 "Running Eva" -
5 rounds for time:
400m run sprint
15 kettlebell swing
400m run sprint
15 pullups
[32 min w/ 400s@1:40-1:48]

Bike 45 miles of hills (some super steep and with wicked wind!) [3:15]

Sunday
Run 12 miles easy [1:46] - legs were heavy after saturday

Monday
Bike - 70 minutes with 35 minute time trial on trainer [15.5 miles] - omg this was MAX effort.

Ironman Round 3

Ironman Coeur d'Alene, June 2010. I've been signed up for 6 months but it's been just in the last two weeks have I made the final decision that I am going to commit myself to the training and do it. I have gotten a bit burnt out and have been struggling with nagging hip pain from training exclusively as a higher-mileage runner and am switching back to Ironman as my path to endurance bliss.

It will be my third Ironman and I think I have come to a point where I will be able to approach the whole thing in a more balanced and joyful way than before. My first IM was about finishing, my second one was an attempt to make dramatic improvements in speed (which I didn't do because I tried too hard). It has taken me over a year since that last Ironman to recover mentally and physically and be ready to do it again. My poor execution of race week and the race itself was a huge disappointment after all the work I put into it.

This one is going to be about enjoying the process and finishing happy. I am going to train hard but I am not going to make any time goals. I am giving myself the freedom to simply run with my heart.

For training, I will be using a 20 week program from Endurance Nation. EN focuses on intesity over volume, and the biggest weeks are only around 16 hours, with just 12 hours most weeks. I also plan to add on 2-3 Crossfit workouts per week to maintain and build core strength.

Thanks to all the work I've done this winter, my nutrition is dialed in and I've got a strong running base. I have a good supportive community around me to keep motivation high and make things more fun. The training officially starts in a week on Feb 8, 2010 and I am ready to rock!

Coconut Cashew Bites

I ate a particularly delicious energy bar the other day that I picked up at the mini-grocery store across from my office. It was so good that I saved the wrapper so I could look at the ingredients and recreate it myself. I think my version is almost better than the original. Here is the recipe. I didn't measure anything, just put in amounts that seemed right.

Put in blender and blend until powdery:
Flax seeds
Shredded coconut
Raw cashews
Raw almonds

Whole dates - chop these into small pieces

Add the dry powder to the dates and work it together with your hands. I needed to add a few drops of water to make it all stick together. Once you have a big ball, make it into bite-size pieces or bars, or whatever shape works for you.

Done. Paleo and vegan! Raw! Super delicious!  but.... not low calorie, discipline required.

state of my three month goals

I am just over halfway through the time period set to accomplish my last set of 3 month goals. It's time to assess where I am at with each of these.

1. Run faster:  I thought this one would be the easiest, but it I am actually having the least success with this goal of the three. My hip joint has a nagging dysfunction and now it is painful to run at all. I don't know if this was caused by running the gnarly trail half marathon or by overdoing the crossfit. I'm working on it with chiropractic and PT but right now I can't run at all. This is depressing and hard. The races I had planned are probably not going to happen.

In the meantime I am doing a lot of biking and swimming, and crossfit as my body will allow. I have decided to do Ironman Coeur d'Alene in June after all because it seems that a hard running season is not to be for me this year.  I am still working on the leaning out/eating paleo thing, which is an indirect part of the run faster goal, and am seeing some progress there.

not there yet but someday....

2. Save money for a house. This is going extremely well. I am on track as planned and have had a business opportunity come my way that will most likely make buying a house possible this year.

3. Laugh and smile more. This is going well too. Doing frivolous things is good. I have noticed that when I make the effort to smile more it becomes a way of being. Hard personal issues roll off me easier when I have a steady state of happiness within. Allowing myself to have fun has also led the way for me to start getting reacquainted with playing bass and guitar, and to take a literature class. I am not running as much but I am spending a lot more time reading books. Life feels rich and full when I make space for art and creative pursuits.

Setting these three goals has opened me up for working on a lot of things all at once. There is a lot of movement happening right now.

current goal = stop making goals

It's been one month since I set my three three-month goals: run faster, save money, and smile and laugh more.

I am smiling and laughing more. I am letting myself be more free and less chained to my workout and food regimes. Actually the food is not seeming like a regime now that I am used to it. I'm cooking new recipes all the time. My latest discovery is that you can pretty much cook any vegetable until it's soft and then puree it into a soup. This is good happy comfort food. I starting swimming again and am falling back in love with it. I'm not even looking at my watch, just moving through the water. I'm not using a workout plan, just going with how I feel each day. I got an iPhone and am having a blast playing with it. It's the ultimate swiss-army knife of all time. I'm reading fiction books and watching movies and playing music. I'm socializing. It's been a long time since life has been this stress-free.



Saving money. Yes, my bank account is growing. Saving money feels kind of like being on a diet. When I want to buy something that is at all a luxury, I think to myself - do I really need that? Then I envision my future house to make that decision.

Running faster. Hmmm. Not sure. My hip is injured right now and I haven't run in a week. I know all this rest is a good thing. I can't remember the last time I did not have muscle soreness or some ache and pain so it is really a novelty to feel this fresh. It may end up being one step back to take two steps forward with running this winter.

Captain Vegetable

This is my theme song.

i didn't want the bread

Last night was the season finale of The Biggest Loser tv show. Liz, one of the contestants and finalists, said that during the first week she told the producers that she wanted to go home because she didn't think she could do it. She didn't think she could handle the grueling 6-8 hours of working out per day that the contestants do in order to drop around 100 pounds or more in 12 weeks. The producers wouldn't let her leave the show. She said that she struggled a lot for the first few weeks but by week 4 she got into her groove and realized that she could do it. She made it to the end of the show. What an amazing and empowering feeling to have that realization that your goal is attainable.

It struck a chord with me, because that is exactly how I feel about this whole Paleo diet and leaning out thing I am doing. I wanted to quit on the second day but I didn't. I had many doubts in the first two weeks. Now I am in week 5 and I feel confident that I can keep up my modified Paleo eating plan indefinitely. I like how I am eating and see no need to go back. I don't even want the cheat meal that Crystal, my nutritionist, told me I should have. I ordered a sandwich without bread yesterday and didn't even miss the bread. Yes seriously, I DIDN'T EVEN WANT THE BREAD.

In just one month I have come a long way. I eat less and am starting to let go of childhood baggage about needing to hoard food when I can get it in case I don't get enough. I will get enough. There is plenty of food and I trust myself to get what I need. I no longer have the low blood sugar light-headed hunger episodes that make me panic in my state of dizziness. True hunger is the stomach rumbling kind and I honor that. Stomach rumbling hunger is not an instant mood emergency that requires me to stop what I am doing to get food. I am no longer a slave to carbs.

I have lost three pounds (putting me at 140 and 5'8") and I feel good. I have energy for my workouts and am running as fast as ever.  In fact, I ran my track repeats at a 6:25/mile pace today which I think is pretty much the fastest my legs have ever gone. I am on the path.

30 days of Paleo

Tomorrow is day 30 of eating Paleo. It's been a long journey in those 30 days. I started this as Paleo with Zone portions, had a lot of experimentation in the middle, and am ending it as Paleo plus gluten-free grains and no Zone. I have tried some things that don't work for me, tried some things that work very well, and had some surprising realizations about my digestive system along the way.

1. Gluten-free is the way to go even if I can tolerate gluten. 
I had a hard time giving up grains in the beginning, but now when I eat them I notice that I feel a little bloated and gassy. I was so used to that feeling before that I never noticed it because that was how I felt after every meal. The more grains I eat at a meal now, the worse I feel. This really surprises me. Gluten-free grains like quinoa, cornmeal, and brown rice seem to be better than stuff with wheat. Even oatmeal feels kind of yucky if I eat more than a very small amount at once.

I don't want to give up grains completely because I feel like my workouts and recoveries are better when I am incorporating small amounts of them. This is one area where I'm not going to be 100% Paleo.

2. Fat!
Doing the Zone portions forced me to incorporate more fat. This made me realize that I was hardly eating any fat at all before. Now I eat nuts, seeds, and avocados on a regular basis, usually a small amount with every meal. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, nut butters, Sunbutter(!), and homemade tahini dressing, and mashed avocado mixed with hot sauce are some of my new favorites.

3. Focus less on food and more on living
I have become very much in tune with the fact that a lot of my extra eating was happening when I was bored, lonely, or stressed. The Zone forced me to eat so much less food than I was used to that I learned how to spread it out through the day so I would last until bedtime. I learned that I can survive on a lot less than I thought I needed.

Although I will always love food, I am learning to stop having my life revolve around it and doing other things instead. I eat and then get out of the kitchen. When I think I want food, I do a quick body check-in - am I hungry or is it really something else? There are a lot of times when it is something else. As an alternative I drink some water, make tea, or have a piece of gum.

What am I doing to fill my time that I used to spend eating? Reading, sleeping, playing cello, learning the didgeridoo, working extra, exploring new trails in Austin, or just relaxing and enjoying quiet peaceful time.

My diet is always a work in progress but these 30 days were a great experience. I am happy with all I have learned about types of foods to eat and portions. I feel like I am back on track with my diet and am in a much better place with food in my head. I'll continue to eat this way but you know, it's just food :)  Now that this is in the bag, onto my running goals.

it's just food

It's just food. It's what keeps us going through the day. It's just that and yet so much more. As I have been paying so much attention to my food and trying to optimize it, I have come to realize that it may be time to stop thinking so much. Stop overthinking, eat what I know works, and let go of all the rigid rules.

I have tried out many different types of food plans in the last 2 years: vegetarian, vegetarian plus fish, omnivore, vegan, vegan gluten-free, vegan plus fish, paleo, zone. There are good and bad things about all of them. One could take nearly any food group and come up with equal amounts of research both praising and condemning: meat, grains, cooked food, fish, etc. Pretty soon, the only thing that is safe and environmentally friendly to eat is raw spinach that you grew in your own backyard. The bottom line is that we have to eat, and we just have to weigh all the conflicting the information and go with what sounds like the most logical argument.

I cycle between all these different types of diets and have trouble landing on one that I want to stick with. What is up with that? I think the issue is that all of them are rigid and restricting in some way, whether it's type of food or quantity. I was eating vegan and then I switched to paleo to add meat and now I am thinking that I would rather switch back to vegan. Couldn't that also be my body telling me that it wants both meat and grains, and that neither vegan or paleo are right for me?

I have come to the conclusion that the key to a successful healthy diet is mindful balanced moderation. Ah yes, like so many things in life it's not a simple black and white solution. I have learned a lot from trying out the Paleo diet and I will likely incorporate much of this in my ultimate food plan.  In fact, I plan to take the best of all of the diets and combine them. Here's my best of list:

1. Eat as many vegetables as I want
2. Eat a variety of fruit, preferably around workouts
3. Fuel workouts with whole foods, no processed bars or gels
4. Choose gluten-free grains, eat more of these on long workout days
5. Eat lean turkey or fish most days
6. Eat eggs once in a while, mostly whites
7. For dairy, stick to Greek yogurt and only as a treat
8. Eat nuts on a regular basis
9. Every meal should be balanced with protein, carbs, fat
10. Eat when I'm hungry and stop before I'm full
11. Have a cheat meal every once in a while and enjoy it

thankful for my CSA veggies

I just recently joined a CSA in Austin for the first time.  Johnson's Backyard Garden CSA (community supported agriculture) membership means that you pay ahead to get a box of seasonal, fresh, local, organically grown vegetables on a regular basis. How it works is every two weeks I stop by the pickup location in my neighborhood and get an amazing and huge assortment of random stuff. Today my box came with spinach, eggplant, salad greens, hot and mild peppers, kohlrabi, rainbow chard, celeriac, mustard greens, tomatoes, and other things that I don't know the names of. I supplement with a few things from the store, but this lasts me almost the whole two weeks.

Here's my veggies from last week.

One thing I really like about it is that I never know what I am going to get. Each week I get to try things that I wouldn't normally buy and I have to figure out ways to use them, so I come up with new recipes. I am completely overwhelmed with the greens this week, and I'm going to seriously have to work hard to eat them all. This year I am extra thankful for vegetables and programs like this CSA that make it easy for me to get them.

dirty du off-road half marathon: mud mud mud

My Dirty Du Souvenirs:

3rd place prizes - Clif bars and race mug

Muddy wet shoes

Today I did the Dirty Du Off-Road Half Marathon. This was the longest trail race I have ever done and my second one. It rained all day yesterday and was still drizzling this morning so the course was nice and muddy. Really muddy with the kind of mud that sticks to your shoes and makes them feel like weights attached to your feet. Peanut butter mud. The course, at the Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville Texas, was non-stop undulating hills for a very challenging run.

Besides the mud, the trail was a river of water for much of the way, not to mention there had to be at least 30 water crossings within the 13 miles. At first I tried to jump all the crossings to keep my feet dry, but it didn't take long to realize that my feet weren't going to stay dry. I couldn't jump all of them and landed right in the middle a few times. From then on I came to the conclusion that I may as well just run straight through them with no attempt to stay dry. The cold water rushing into my shoes (and up to my ankles sometimes) felt refreshing. I was lucky that I didn't get any blisters from this. For a lot of the race I was running alone in the woods, with no reminders that it was actually a race event. I enjoyed the peaceful surroundings and had fun.

Finishing in a time of 2:12, I was moving slow by road race standards but it was super-technical and my mind had to constantly stay alert to stay on course and to navigate the terrain. I came in as the 3rd overall female finisher.

I ate Paleo before and after the race (dried fruit, apple, paleo turkey burrito), but had a Clif mojo bar and some Skittles while running. I didn't want to test dried fruit during a race in case of any GI issues and I know the processed sugar stuff works for me. I did my best to stay Paleo and in the ballpark of reasonable Zone quantities today, even though after a tough race I have a tendency to be really hungry and eat a lot. My Zone stats for the day came out to 17.5 protein, 23 carb, 19 fat. That's quite a bit more food than I ate in Week 1 and 2 of this diet, however it's less than I would have eaten on a day like today before I was paying closer attention to quantity. The key food lesson I learned today is that a tough workout is reason to eat a little extra, but not an excuse to binge.

3 month goals

I went to a goal-setting workshop last night at Crossfit Central. Since I'm in the off-season this the best time to sit down and figure out what I want to accomplish in the coming year. I am on a continuous path to athletic improvement, but what about the rest of my life? Where is that going? This workshop made me aware that I really should be setting some goals for myself outside my athletic life - financial, personal, etc. We did a lot of free-writing, brainstorming, thinking about what our lives would look like in our dream scenarios... our dream scenarios with no voices inside telling us that those things aren't possible.

If you want to achieve something you have to have absolute and complete belief that it can and will happen.

We each narrowed down our long uncensored lists to three things that we would like to see happen in the next three months. Then for each one, we wrote down why this goal had to be accomplished in that time. The deadline for these goals and next goal setting workshop: February 18, 2010.

My three goals are:

1. Run Faster.  I love running and I want to see how fast and how far I can go with it. In the next three months: Run a 1:35 at the 3M half marathon in January and a 1:33 at the Austin half in mid-February. All my diet-tweaking and workout plans need to focus on accomplishing this.

2. Start Saving Money to Buy a House. I have a specific goal for an amount that must be in my savings account on Feb 18. I have been thinking about the house-buying thing for a while, but now it's time to get down to business and actually save up the down payment.

3. Laugh and Smile More.  I tend to get very serious and intense and inwardly focused. I forget to lighten up and smile and enjoy life with a light heart. I feel healthier and happier when I take the time to appreciate the nice parts of life.
Some things I plan to do are:
- every day make at least one stranger smile
- when I make my food log each day, write down one thing I am grateful for
- watch more funny movies and/or funny YouTube videos. get a good belly laugh on a regular basis.
Once I get the ball rolling with this I think it will get to be more natural and less of a to-do list item.

Week 3 Reboot... and the Paleo burrito

Week 2 did not go well, and so here we are at week 3. It's time to reboot this nutrition plan to be something that doesn't torture me. The main thing that wasn't working was eating foods in Zone quantities was leaving me with a sense of deprivation and lots of guilt and anger around food. This week I can eat as much as I need to in order to feel good, while sticking with Paleo foods. Here are the guidelines:

1. Paleo foods: vegetables, fruits, meat, nuts, seeds, eggs

2. I can make compromises on non-Paleo and high-glycemic carbs immediately before, during, and after my workouts. If I am going to eat fruit or grains, that's when I should do it

3. Log my food and make sure I am getting enough protein

That's it. I feel a lot of stress gone already and have had a much smoother day without obsessing over when/how much I get to eat next. Tomorrow I am running a trail half-marathon and now I can eat my extra carbs tonight with no stress.


Paleo Invention of the Day: Paleo Burrito
Take one large collard green leaf and put it flat on a plate. Put deli sliced turkey breast on it (4 oz is good). Add shredded cabbage, spinach, and whatever other raw veggies you have. Top with 1/2 an avocado and Sriracha hot sauce. Wrap the collard green around it like a tortilla and voila! A Paleo burrito!  Deeee-licious!

Doubts

Ok, I'm deep in week 2 of Paleo/Zone and here is my food log from yesterday:

7am: 2/3 c. oatmeal, 4 egg whites + 1 egg, 9 walnut pieces
8a-4p: 4 oz turkey, 3 oz tempeh, 24 pieces walnut/pecan, 1 sweet potato, 1 small apple (grazed on this all day at work)
4:20p: 3 oz tuna
4:45p: 5 cups spinach and greens, 1 1/2 cups okra, 2 cups cabbage, 6 oz tofu, 5 tbsp avocado (yummy delicious big! vegan! meal)
7:45p: Mixture of nuts and shredded coconut flakes, 1 oz turkey, 2/3 cup oatmeal
ZONE BLOCK TOTALS: 15 protein, 12 carbs, 24 fat

This was a rest day, so I did no exercise and was ok on this amount of food. I got pretty hungry by the end of the work day but made it home and had the tuna snack immediately while I prepared my real meal.

Today was a normal workout day with a one hour intense run and crossfit workout and didn't go so well for eating. I am having some serious doubts about this diet, particularly the Zone part.

Doubt #1:  When I do endurance workouts and need carbs before, during, and after the workout I use up almost all of my 12 carbs for the day, which means that I am unable to have any additional veggies for the rest of the day. Also, I don't like to use my glutamine recovery supplement (Hammer Recoverite) anymore because I would have to waste too many carbs on it for zero eating pleasure. Silly. My old diet had at least 500 calories more veggies per day, great for anti-oxidants and reducing inflammation. Since my family has young-age cancer genes, I need all the veggies I can get right now.

Doubt #2:  I have basically replaced beans, quinoa, brown rice, and sprouted grains with meat and eggs. Not only is that an environmentally unsustainable way to eat, I am no longer getting all the nutrients and fiber. As far as I'm concerned, meat and eggs are merely nutrient-free blobs of protein that are high in cholesterol. I am now getting less nutrients and less fiber than before. Regularity has become a problem. How is this good?

Doubt #3:  I am seriously struggling with the fact that this is taking all the pleasure out of food, previously one of my main sources of pleasure in life. The portions are so small and sometimes I would almost rather not eat at all than have a tiny portion and have to fight myself to not eat more. Physiological distress reduces weight loss anyway so I wonder if it is even worth putting myself through this?  Anyone ever heard of orthorexia? Obsessive-compulsiveness about eating healthy foods, tending towards not eating enough. This diet seems to be setting me up for that and I can definitely see how that type of mindset forms.

Bottom Line:
I am committed to doing this for 30 days. I would like to lose about 5 more pounds of fat. After that, I am leaving myself open to the option of switching back to vegan and eating high fiber unlimited veggies again.

Week 2 - Figuring out natural foods during long workouts

I've definitely leveled-out this week. I'm not hungry all the time and feel better overall. Saturday I went on a 3 hour trail run/walk and I ran about half of it. I went to Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville, TX and explored the mountain bike trails. It's beautiful single track, both hilly and flat. Next weekend there is a trail half marathon there, and I was also actually checking out the course for that.  Thumbs up - definitely going to do it :) Sunday I rode my bike for 2:30 and did some intense hill repeats on Mesa Dr. here in Austin. I was amazed how strong my legs were on that hill since I've really only been practicing hills in spin class for the past 6 months.

As part of Paleo, I'm trying to transition to more natural energy sources while working out... i.e. gels and sugary processed bars are out.  So far Larabars and apples are working well. I'm excited to try some other things to see if they are just as good as the processed stuff. I went to the store and got dates, raisins, and dried apples to test out next weekend. I'd much rather use whole foods for re-fueling anyway and have only used the gels out of convenience.

One difficulty I'm having is that when I work out in the neighborhood of 2-3 hours, I need a significant amount of carbs during and immediately around the workout in order to make it through. However, with the Zone prescription I am on of only12 carb blocks per day, almost all my carbs are used during the workout and then there are none left to use on veggies in post-workout meals and meals later in the day. I consider the veggies key to recovery and getting anti-oxidants to reduce stress. On long workout days, it really doesn't seem possible to limit myself to 12 carb blocks. 16 is the minimum I was able to do and even then I felt like I was skimping on what I needed.

Starting week 2. More fat = better attitude.

I made it through the first week and feel good about that. It was hard. The only cheat I had was a granola bar, and I didn't even really want it so I'm not sure what I was thinking. I am less hungry than when I first started and have evened out around a 15 block Zone. I feel a little low on energy but good overall. Not once this week have I felt weighted down or sluggish after a meal.

I met with Crystal yesterday and for the next two weeks she has switched me to a 15/12/24 protein/carb/fat block ratio. Basically, I am decreasing my carbs a little and increasing my fat. Today is the first day of that, and wow, all that fat really makes a difference. I am aiming for 4/3/6 block meals. I was able to make it from 8:30am-noon without being hungry at all. That is unheard of for me. I am eating lunch as I write this and am actually happy about my lunch:  2 1/2 cups steamed veggies (cabbage and greens), 2 oz turkey, 4 oz tofu, 6 tbsp avocado. That's almost a whole avocado.

With more fat allowed, I can eat more nuts and more almond butter too. This is such a relief because I don't need to be constantly fighting hunger this way.  I am motivated for week 2 and am excited to get a little more creative with trying out new recipes. I joined Johnson's Backyard Garden CSA and just got my first box of veggies this week so I have lots of new things to try.

Day 5. The worst is over.

I am getting into a routine where I eat a lot of the same foods over and over. Hmmm. And a lot of meat. A lot. Overall I am feeling better than I have been in the last 4 days. My energy is coming back and I am not completely starving all the time, though I am never truly full. I am able to function in life and do workouts on this. My run today was good. It amazes me how quickly I have gotten used to eating literally HALF as many calories as I was eating before.  My only vice in life now is oatmeal, which really isn't too bad :)

Changing my diet like this is bringing up childhood issues about food and sticking points that I have held onto for a long time. Coming out of a past where food deprivation was an issue, I am able to reverse that psychologically by eating a lot as an adult and then justifying it by working out a lot. With this diet, the portion sizes are small but I am becoming very aware of the basics of what my body truly needs outside of any mental hooks I have. I am forced to comfort myself in ways other than with food, ultimately with things that are more therapeutic anyway. There has been a wall holding me back from getting to the next level of performance and I think these issues are it. 

Today's food log:
7:30am: 1 egg+4 whites, 1 cup oatmeal, 9 almonds
10:00am: 12 almonds, 1 sweet potato
11:30am: 6oz tilapia, 1 small apple
1:15pm: 4 cups spinach, 4 oz turkey
4:00pm: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 tsp almond butter
*5:30-7:30pm: 5.5 mile run (44min), Crossfit class
6:30pm: 6 almonds
8:00pm: 4 cups spinach, 2 cups broccoli, 1/2 cup salsa, 4 oz turkey
9:00pm: 3 tbsp avocado, 1 small apple
ZONE TOTALS:  15 protein, 14 carb, 14 fat

Day 4. Solid.

Every day is a little easier. Today I managed my food well and ended up with a solid 14 block day and only mild hunger, no bonking. I talked with a friend at the gym that told me that my adaptation to Paleo/Zone may be like an adaptation to the "Master Cleanse"... first couple of days are rough with detox but then you feel great. Today one way I managed my hunger was by drinking water with lemon juice during work. That stuff really fills me up and tastes more interesting than regular water. Since that's the only thing you can eat during the master cleanse, there really may be some parallel going on.

Another note to self, I should not write blog posts during a bonk as I did last night. No doubt they are going to come up really negative and cranky. Ha.

Today's Food Log:
7am: 1egg+4 whites, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 9 almonds.
10am: 6 oz turkey, 12 almonds
1:00pm: 1 1/2 sweet potato, 2 tbsp avocado, 1 small apple
3:30pm: 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 6 walnut pieces.
5:15-6:30pm: Spin class with lots of hill work, tough workout but felt well-fueled.
6:45pm: 1 small apple
7:15pm: 4 cups kale, 2/3 cup onion, 2 cups cabbage, 4 oz. tilapia, 1 tsp almond butter.
ZONE TOTALS: 14.5 protein, 14.5 carb, 14 fat

I am still fine-tuning this thing but I tend to eat all the same foods all the time.  Fruits are only supposed to be eaten around workouts, veggies are always good but I'm not always in the mood for them, so that leaves basically sweet potatoes and the "unfavorable" oatmeal as my only carb possibilities.  It's not easy to go overboard on carbs with this plan. It's very easy to go overboard on fat though... who can get out the almond butter and just eat 1 teaspoon? Seriously.

Third day. Better but still starving.

This is day 3. The day started out ok but it's evening now and I am struggling. I am starving. I am sick of meat and greens. I am dying for a normal meal with normal size portions where I feel a satisfying full. I want to learn how to get by on less food. I want to be healthy. This transition hurts as much as the peak of Ironman training or the last 6 miles of the Ironman run. This is an endurance event in accepting hunger pain and fighting through. Emotionally it is hard. Here's today's log.

7:45am: 2/3 cup oatmeal, 4 egg whites+1 egg, 2 cups spinach, 2/3 cup onion, 9 almonds. I felt empty but not starving when I woke up.

9:30am: 1/2 sweet potato. Fuel extra for the workouts.

10-11am:  Run 7 miles at Town Lake. 58:30. Solid effort and felt pretty good other than sore legs from all the recent crossfit workouts I have done.

11:15am: 1 small apple. In the car on the way to the gym.

12-1pm: Spin class. Intense intervals but I couldn't give it my 100% because I was starting to get very hungry and light-headed.

1pm: 1 small apple

2:00pm: 2 cups spinach, 3 oz turkey, 2 cups mixed veggies, 3/4 cup cottage cheese.

2:45pm: I am completely starving and my stomach hurts in a painful kind of way. I am really craving a full meal with some real carbs other than greens.

3-4pm: Nap. Making time go by....

4:30pm: 2 oz turkey, 2 tbsp avocado, 2/3 cup oatmeal. My stomach still hurt but this helped me feel better. The oatmeal gives me some comfort.

7:00pm: 3 tbsp avocado, 4 cups kale, 1/3 cup onion, 4 oz tilapia. I am pleasantly hungry but not in pain anymore.

7:30pm: Dinner is over and I'm already close to a 15 block day. My stomach is having those shooting pains again. I am at 1122 total calories. I have done 2 hours of intense cardio today. On this diet we are not supposed to be counting net calories but I can't help it... I'm at about 200 for the day.... is that even enough for normal organ functions? Is this what the carb detox is supposed to feel like? Is my body going to adapt or is it just going to shut down? I'm going to either lose a pound every two days or crash and burn on this diet. In order to get through this I am visualizing the lean body I want to have.  Dara Torres, Lisa Bentley, I see you in my mind. 10 minutes off my marathon time with no extra training, I see you in my mind.

9:00pm: 1 tsp almond butter, 1 grapefruit, 1 cup cottage cheese. I couldn't make it without a bedtime snack.

ZONE TOTALS TODAY: 19 protein, 14.5 carbs, 17 fat.

I have made it through the weekend but I am worried about the week. On the weekend I had free access to my kitchen at all times. I am scared to get caught in a situation where I am away from home and am completely bonked out feeling sick and I can't eat anything from any restaurant or cafe. Paleo meals are delicious but they take time to prepare. Other than 3 almonds, I have no idea what to grab in case of a "food emergency". I need to figure that out.

Day 2 - I can do this.

Today was much better than yesterday. I spread the food out more evenly and ate more overall. Every day is a work in progress. I have more confidence that I can do this.

8:30am: 2/3 cup oatmeal, 1 egg+ 4 whites, 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 tsp almond butter. I felt hungry but ok waking up this morning.

9:30-10:30am: One hour trail run. Decent workout but I didn't feel fresh and my stomach was getting rumbly.

10:30am: 1 small apple. In the car on the way to the gym.

11-11:30am: Crossfit workout - DB snatch and pushups, then 100 situps. I was starting to get light-headed but made it through the workout.

11:45am: 1 cup mixed berries, 1 scoop protein, 9 almonds. Smoothie!

12:30pm: 2 cups spinach, 1 cup cabbage, 2/3 cup onion, 4 oz turkey, 3 tbsp avocado, 1 small apple.

4:00pm: 1/4 cup greek yogurt, 1 cup strawberries. Mid-afternoon bonk. I got caught away from home and not prepared with snacks. Mo put together this Paleo snack for me :)

6:00pm: 5 oz turkey, 2 cups spinach, 1 cup cabbage, 1 cup snowpeas, 1 sweet potato, 2 tbsp avocado, 6 almonds. Extra large dinner since I didn't eat much since lunch.

9:30pm: 2 tsp almond butter, 1 small apple, 2/3 cup oatmeal.

**Zone Total for the day: 15 protein, 17 carb, 16 fat **

I am happy I could get in a decent run today. I was hungry but not painfully so. I think I was still hungry from yesterday. My dinner and lunch was turkey cooked with a bunch of veggies and spices was totally delicious. Now that I've got almond butter in the house, it's hard too not eat too much. That stuff is amazing. I am going to have fun finding more new Paleo recipes to try.

day 1 paleo/zone sucked

I just finished my first day of eating Paleo/Zone and here's the report.

---
7am: 1 egg+ 4 egg whites, 2/3 cup oatmeal, 9 almonds.

7:30am: bike to work - 30 minute easy ride.

10am: 3oz turkey, 2tbsp avocado, 3 almonds.

11am: I am starting to get hungry but need to wait until 12:30.

12:10: 4 cups spinach, 2 cups mixed veggies, 9 walnut halves, 4.5 oz cod. I was so hungry I couldn't concentrate on work anymore. Had to eat early. This meal was big but not totally satisfying.

2:30pm: My stomach is rumbling and I am getting a mild headache from hunger.

2:52pm: Shooting pains in stomach and headache from hunger. Leaving work.

3pm: Bike home from work - 30 minute easy ride but I am working to hold it together to concentrate. So hungry. Lots of negative thoughts.

3:30pm: 1 cup blueberries, 1 scoop whey protein, 2/3 cup oatmeal.  This helped the hunger a little but it felt like just drinking a big glass of water to fill my stomach but not give any sustenance.

4pm: I don't know if I can make it to dinner. Taking a nap will make time pass. Nap 4-5:30.

5:30pm: Complete emotional meltdown. I am so hungry it hurts. I need food. Questioning goals. Questioning this extreme caloric restriction. Time to get online... internet research suggests that this 12 block Zone prescription is way too low for my body size and activity level. I feel better knowing that.

6pm: Small apple, 3 almonds. Snack while making more food.

7pm: 5 cups cooked cauliflower, 4 oz turkey. Ok, my stomach is full now.

9:12pm: I am starving again. The stomach pains are starting.

9:30pm: 1 sweet potato, 2 tsp almond butter. I am full and ready to have this food day be over.
----

Today's total:  14 blocks protein, 15 blocks carbs, 16 blocks fat.
I probably would have died on the calories in 12 blocks (960). I barely made it as is.

What I learned today is that jumping in to Zone and Paleo at the same time is too much change. It would be better to get a handle on Paleo first and then build Zone into it. I am not sure about eating this much meat and so many eggs (cholesterol and inflammation?) but I think I will learn to be ok without the grains as long as I can still have small amounts of oatmeal.

With Zone it is strange to have to measure and count how many veggies I eat. Usually I just call veggies free and don't worry about eating unlimited amounts. Also, the concept of 3 almonds as a serving seems silly... 3??  I couldn't do any real workouts on this little amount of food so I need to figure out a Zone block prescription that will work better.

Tomorrow I am going to try an 18 block day to see if it will support a normal weekend training routine. Today was day 1 and it did suck as predicted but I am ready to make day 2 better.

Going Paleo and facing fears

Amsterdam Marathon post-race meal....

the only food around: chicken sandwich and fries.

It was hard to eat well while traveling.

I finished up my 2009 training season with the Amsterdam marathon two weeks ago and am now in a "rest and recovery" phase. I put that in quotes because although I have cut back on running, I am now getting a chance to ride my bike again, and most excitingly for me, I am back at CrossFit hammering away on the strength workouts. It's also a great time for me to work on my diet since I am not as concerned with workout quality now. If I have any changes in energy levels, I can just roll with how I am feeling.

So, tomorrow I am starting the Paleo/Zone diet. For the past 18 months I have been experimenting with the amount of meat and dairy I eat to see how to optimize my body composition and performance. So far I have not been able to get below 19% body fat. A typical healthy clean omnivore diet with grains was good at first and then I started to gain weight. I saw huge performance gains when I switched to a vegan diet but then plateaued and began to go downhill after about 4 months. Neither of those diets were completely sustainable over the long-term for me.

CrossFit people swear by this Paleo/Zone combo thing, so that's my next plan of attack. It's a 40/30/30 carb/protein/fat ratio, with emphasis on fruits, veggies, nuts, and meat. It's actually going to be a lot like the Engine 2 vegan diet, except with meat and fish added. I'm choosing not to eat any dairy other than eggs.

The hardest thing about this for me is going to be cutting out the grains. Giving up my morning oatmeal is going to be a bit traumatic. This challenge feels almost more daunting to me than Ironman training. There is probably a reason I have done two Ironmans, but have never been able to optimize my diet. This is about facing my deepest fears and learning to be ok without the comfort that I am used to getting from certain foods. I am ready to do it. 100% or nothing.

Nutrition coach Crystal Nelson of CrossFit Central is going to keep me on track. She says the first three days will be very hard, the first week will be challenging, but after two weeks my body will be used to the change and I will start to see the benefits.

2008 Race Schedule

Feb 3 - 3M Half Marathon - Austin
March 7-8 - Fayetteville Cycling Stage Race - 2x 40+ mile road race, 6 mile TT - Fayetteville TX
April 13 - Texas State Triathlon - Sprint distance - San Marcos TX
April 21 - Boston Marathon - Boston MA
May 13 - Tuesday Night Bike TT - 8 miles - Austin
May 17 - Austin Triathletes Open Water Swim - 2.4 miles - Austin
May 25 - CapTex Triathlon - Olympic distance - Austin
June 8 - Danskin Triathlon - Sprint distance - Austin
June 28 - Keep Austin Weird 5K Run - Austin
July 20 - Door County Triathlon - Half Ironman - Door County WI
Sept 7 - Ironman Wisconsin - Madison WI

balance and focus

Sometimes I feel like I am a hamster running on a never-ending wheel. I get up early to get to my first workout then work, eat, nap, do errands, eat, do another workout, get myself organized for the next day, then crash into bed. Some days are completely scheduled in order to make sure I get everything done. I stress and worry. It is a major challenge to balance all this stuff and still having time to reflect on life and enjoy that I am living it exactly how I want to. I mean, I get to get up on a beautiful sunny morning and go on a long bike ride when everyone else is commuting to the office.

Things can get to feeling out of control. Today I tried some new ways to go about the day and was successful. First I did my long bike ride and focused on going hard during the hard parts and easy during the easy parts. I went into it determined to do my best. I came home and set aside a large chunk of the day to be uninterrupted work time. This meant no web surfing or checking email. Nothing but work during work time. After work time I rewarded myself with a nap, a nice dinner, and some relaxation. I knew I had this coming so it made it easier to work. For my eating, I made sure to get in all my calories before 7pm. I don't like to go to bed feeling too full.

The key to today was to focus during focus time and then relax the rest of the time. I found that I had less stress and worry when I stayed on task. Finding balance in juggling everything works a lot like those bike intervals.

my own real bed

I have a new bed. A real bed with a mattress, box spring, frame, and nice sheets. Queen size. And it's really comfortable. I have not had my own real bed for a long time. I have been sleeping on couches, futons, guest beds, hotel beds, and the floor for over a year now. It is really nice to have my own bed. This is one of those things that I didn't know I missed so much until now.


Here I am 15 minutes after running Boston. 5 minutes after it I was not doing so well. It's amazing what a bottle of water and some potato chips can do.
More Boston photos on my Flickr account.

thoughts during a marathon

What do I think about during a marathon? Several people have asked me this in the past couple of days....

• I break it down into mile repeats and think of it as 26 x 1 mile. 1 mile is easy.
• I get into a rhythm of counting my steps up to 10 over and over
• I look at something ahead and tell myself to run to that. Then I pick a new spot.
• I make a game of seeing how many people I can pass
• I imagine myself as an Olympic runner, running effortlessly with perfect form
  
• I imagine myself as a gazelle running through the forest
• At Boston I thought about my virtual cheerleaders one mile at a time
• I think about the perfect delicious meal that I will have when I am done
• I think how grateful I am to have two good strong legs that let me run races
• I think about how in this moment I don't have to worry about anything but running

And sometimes I think:

• I am really tired. I don't know if I can make it. Yes you can make it. You do not give up.
  
• Wow, my legs hurt. I am not going to be able to walk for a week after this.
  
• Why do I do this again?
• That slick looking Boston marathon jacket will make this pain all worth it.
• It's no wonder the first runner of the marathon in Greece died after running... this is no joke

But I try to push those thoughts away pretty quickly and get back to the more positive ones.

boston-mania

I ran the Boston marathon! I heard it was a tough course and it was. My plan was to start out at a 9 minute pace and then monitor my body throughout in order to decide if I would pick up the pace or not. I wasn't sure if my recovering hip injury would be an issue or not. My goal was to get to the finish line, enjoy the experience, and pace myself well enough to run the last three miles. My injury has had me running in the water for the last 6 weeks so I was not sure how things would go. I knew my aerobic engine was up to the task but I was not so sure about my legs.

The first half was easy and felt good. It was a joy to be out running a long run again for the first time in a while. Then fatigue and soreness started and it got to be less of a joy. The downhills had my quads exhausted by mile 17. I actually enjoyed the uphills and loved Heartbreak Hill because it was so long. It gave me a good chance to use all my strength from muscles other than my quads and I passed a lot of people on the uphills.

There were more spectators out there than at any race I have ever done. It was pretty much completely insane. People were cheering for nearly the entire 26 miles, and in the last 4 miles people were about 3 deep on both sides. At some points I kind of just wished for a quiet moment to find peace and get in my groove. I had to find my groove amidst people screaming in my ears. The last 5 miles were quite torturous as I worked hard to just get one foot in front of the other. My legs were not happy. I managed to keep a fairly steady pace by working extremely hard at the end. I fought to get in under four hours and I came in dead on 4:00:34. The last half mile up to the finish line was pure happiness. I felt no pain. I smiled and felt proud to have run the whole race. Just a few weeks ago I was doing 3 min run/1 min walk intervals to try to heal. I am healed and I ran smart. I feel really proud of how I am learning to deal with challenges and make things positive.

Now, let's rest up and bring on the core of Ironman training.

perfect race at aquarena

My first triathlon of the year could not have gone any better. I was organized, calm, my nutrition worked, and I focused to go hard. Everything went according to plan. I ended up first in my age group (30-34) and second female overall. This is the best I have ever placed in a triathlon. To top it off, I had the fastest female bike time of the day and I set a PR for my 5K run. This was a huge confidence builder and a great way to kick off the season. Clearly I have been doing something right. It's only April.

Photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/austinmo/sets/72157604539743482/
[Thanks Mo!]

sprint triathlons are fun

I'm doing my first triathlon of the season tomorrow: the Texas State Sprint Tri at Aquarena - 500m swim, 14mi bike, 3mi run. Sprint triathlons are fun because they are like mini versions of the longer ones. Getting done in around 1:15, they are shorter than most of my typical weekday workouts. You go through all the motions so they are good to use as dress rehearsals for longer races. I want to get all the glitches worked out before CapTexTri in May so that that more important race is not my first. I got all my stuff organized yesterday so I can relax a little today and not have to worry about that. Above is a photo of everything. I am so excited to be racing on a Felt B2 that I am borrowing from the bike shop. It is lightening fast and a joy to ride. I wrote up my race plan so I know what I'm doing for the race and I think I'm ready to nail it.

gearing up for boston

I'm gearing up to run the Boston Marathon in two weeks. I qualified last year and delayed one year but I am really going to do it this time. Since I am recovering from a hip/IT band/knee issue, it may be more of a run/walk than a run, but I am going to go the distance no matter how long it takes. Mostly I am going for the experience of it, plus I will get to watch the women's Olympic marathon trials while I am there. I figure that I put in the hard work to qualify, so it's ok if I just go out and enjoy myself at Boston.

It's weird how I set huge goals for myself and then when I reach them it is hard to believe that I actually did. Life keeps going and it's so easy to immediately start thinking about the next goal without really enjoying my successes. Delaying Boston a whole year has given me time to let that one sink in... like, oh maybe I am a pretty decent runner. If I did Boston fast, there would be less time to enjoy being part of it. So I'd say that's the biggest positive thing about being injured: more time out on the course getting loved by spectators :)

my first road race

I did my first cycling road race last weekend... and I made it through! It was a two-day stage race with a 46 mile road race and 6.6 mile time trial on Saturday, and a 49 mile road race on Sunday. The Fayetteville Texas Stage Race. It was a huge victory for me to even get there, much less stick out the tough times through the three events. Last summer I was totally averse to riding with people, and never imagined that I would do a bike race. I was happy riding by myself to train for triathlon biking. I realized that I need to ride with faster riders to be a faster rider. I train my swimming like a swimmer, and my running like a runner. No doubt that explains why those are my strengths (and maybe my naturally long limbs). This year I am doing what it takes to make biking a strength too.

Ok, so the race itself. I went in with the strategy in the mind to just stay towards the front of the pack and stay on someone's wheel. Well, this is good unless you can't do it. We started off slow, so slow that I wondered if I had it in the bag. I had no idea how fast Cat 4 riders ride. When we got to the first massive hill, a few riders put it down and started to sprint. I was in the front and quickly fell to the back, and then dropped off the back. I was not expecting that sprint and sprinting up a steep hill is tough. They kept going and I had to give it everything I had to get back with them. It took a mile or two, so that was a huge effort expended. While I was sprinting, they were resting. When they took off again, I was spent and couldn't catch up again. I rode the rest with a few others who were dropped and then by myself. It was a good learning experience. I didn't let it get to me. The time trial was no big deal, since I am used to that. The road race the next day was more of the same, but I was able to stay with the pack for a few more surges because I was anticipating them. I knew I had to be ready to go 100% at any moment. Again though, I rode most of the day by myself.

Did I have fun? Hmmm. I guess so, but some parts weren't very much fun. I know these will make me a better rider and a stronger rider mentally. So in that sense, it was a satisfying experience to learn a new way to get better. I will do more races. In fact, I am planning to do another one in two weeks. Maybe I will have more fun when I get strong enough to do more than just fight to stay alive. Cycling is a grueling sport. Weak people need not apply.

5 tips for optimal athlete diet

Every day is a work in progress. That's good because if I mess up one day I can try again the next. There are a lot of days. Right now I am trying to optimize my diet for training. My diet is already very healthy but I need to make a few tweaks. The most important thing is that I need to make sure I get 30% of my calories from protein.

My biggest challenges in having an optimal diet as I see it are: 1) getting the right caloric ratio while being a vegetarian other than eating fish (sorry little salmon swimming in the sea!) 2) not overeating when I am stressed out or bored. Things working in my favor are: 1) my body has a keen sense of telling me when it needs food 2) I already have gotten out of the habit of eating large meals 3) I love fruits and vegetables 4) I know my workouts suffer when I eat junk.

I am a fan of Gordon Byrn, triathlete and coach, and consulted his website to see if I could get any advice on this stuff. I found a good article where he broke down optimal eating into five "simple" tips. They sound simple at least.

1) Eat real food only.
In other words, if it does not occur in nature, don't eat it. Sounds good. I usually only buy real foods, but do veggie burgers occur in nature? I'd like to think that they would be considered "lightly processed" and thereby acceptable.

2) No refined sugar after 2pm.
Interesting. Challenging but managable. I'll just have to eat all the late night chocolate bars for lunch instead :) jk.

3) No bread, cereal, or pasta.
Whoa. We are bringing out the big guns now. These foods bring me happiness. If I give them up, what will I look forward to in life? It will have to be a gradual cut back with some cheating allowed every once in a while.

4) Only use sports nutrition products for workouts over 2 hours. For shorter workouts, use water and bananas.
I can handle that. I get sick of that stuff when I eat it too much anyway. Gels, bars, and powdered drinks definitely do not occur in nature. Bananas are cheaper too.

5) Eat lean protein at every meal.
That's a good strategy. It just requires some planning to make sure I have the right foods on hand.

What now? I am going to work on these one at a time. It is never a good idea to introduce too many new things at once. #1 is done. #2 and #4 won't be too hard. #3 and #5 will be the hardest. I am going to focus this week on #5 and see how I do.

appreciating the basics

I have been struggling to find a sense of peace in myself lately. I blame myself and then don't know what to do to make things better. I know what is wrong but it seems overwhelming and scary to make some necessary changes. I have been living a dream life with the flexibility that a lot of people wish for. I can be anywhere with my job, I can work the hours that I want, it pays me a comfortable salary, and I have the freedom to play in the middle of the day on weekdays doing whatever I want. What is the downside to this? Sometimes there is so much freedom that I feel like I am flailing all over the place and am not grounded in anything or even in myself.

Now that I have a steady place of my own to live, I am beginning to feel much more calm. I have my own part of a nice house with my own bathroom, and I live with a cool roommate who I just met. I'm in a nice part of Austin that I like. I found this on Craigslist. I love Craiglist because I am discovering that it can be used to solve nearly any problem in life. I have been living out of my car and a backpack for a while so I can't believe how grateful I am to just be able to leave all my stuff in one place. And I am grateful to have lots of kitchen space to put my food, all my food and workout food.

Shelter, food, clothing... check. Now that those are in order in my life I can begin to get back to other things, like finding inner peace and getting out to see new things in Austin. I am feeling optimistic.

----
Happiness log for today: making all my speed intervals in my swim workout, biking hwy 360 on a perfect sunny day, fresh legs after a rest day, Kashi TLC Honey Almond Flax bars

start a happiness log

I was surfing the web and came across Oprah's interview with Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love. I enjoyed that book, especially since I am on my own trip of self-discovery like hers right now. Liz had a few great suggestions on how to come to balance within yourself without requiring any travel. My favorite was to keep a "Happiness Log" where everyday you write down one or a couple of things that made you happy that day. She said that you see that there are recurring themes in the list and then it becomes very clear what makes you happy. Then you go from there in bringing more of those things into your life.

For me today, two things stand out: the breathtaking views of Austin seen while heading north on 620 on my bike, and my breakfast - oatmeal with bananas.

bike shops with attitude

I'm not sure what is up with this, but I am coming to the conclusion that in towns that have biker-friendly culture and multiple bike shops, there is always at least one bike shop with attitude. These are usually shops that sell high end bikes and cater to serious cyclists. They bring the snootiness of road racing to the shop.

The shop in Madison WI with attitude, which I will call CM, can be intimidating to even go into. I once went there for a fitting and left feeling bad because my bike was not a $5000 custom frame. The fitter and owner of CM asked me how many miles I rode each week and was skeptical of my answer... were my quads not big enough or what?

The shop in Austin with attitude that I just discovered (ATC) was similarly annoying. I certainly know my stuff about bikes and bike parts these days, but had my needs and knowledge questioned. I asked him about aero-helmets and he was reluctant to even get them off the shelf for me to see, and then he discouraged me from buying one. Then I told him I was thinking of getting a Felt DA frame this year and he proceeded to tell me that it is not a fast bike and I should get a Cervelo P3C instead. I told him I have various reasons for being dead set against a Cervelo, and he proceeded to try to convince me and even brought out the binder with wind test results to try to prove to me that the Felt DA is not fast. He doesn't consider that it doesn't matter how fast that P3C is if it doesn't fit me well. I left ATC with a bad taste in my mouth and will not return.

Why do these shops make a whole bunch of assumptions about where you fit in the cycling heirarchy? I like to shop at places that want to help me meet my goals, not those who make me justify my existence or are just plain discouraging. Yay for friendly bike shops!

Friendly bike shops:
Jack and Adams - Austin
Willy Bikes - Madison
Revolution Cycles - Madison
Bike Barn - Santa Barbara

Sometimes friendly bike shops:
Nytro - Encinitas
Bike Works - Kona

why

why:
- does it take one sunburn each year to remind me to use sunscreen?
- do i keep having things come up that disrupt my training?
- is my life in complete chaos?
- do i sleep with a stuffed animal?
- does positive self-talk only go so far?
- do people cover up their insecurities with big talk?
- do i let it bother me if someone tells me i'm a psychopath?
- are people sometimes in the wrong place at the wrong time?
- do people betray their best friends?
- do i forgive so easily?

looking to fayetteville

I'm back to the grind in Austin and planning to keep it as my home base for the next two months. It's rough getting back to regular life after a week like last week. My life is pretty easy, but it's nice not to have to think about anything but training. I got my bike all put back together and am ready to take it for a spin again tomorrow. I put on my Zipp wheels so I can give them a try for the first time. I've had them sitting in the closet for two months. My next event is the Fayetteville Texas Stage Race on March 15-16, and includes two road races and a time trial. After the camp I feel more prepared because now I have a clue about how the events work and how to strategize as a solo racer.

And now for a few of my new favorite things -
protein sources: dried tvp eaten raw, nutritional yeast
facebook app: pandora radio
place to swim: barton springs pool in austin
energy bar: luna black cherry
website: www.couchsurfing.com

Day 6 - long ride

Today was the last day of camp and we had the choice of riding 85 or 65 miles with either the "fast" or "faster" group. It was cloudy and cool with a 40 mph wind; not the ideal riding conditions. My coach Terra told me to ride quality over quantity today. My legs were tired to start and I knew it was going to be a day of slogging through the miles, none of which would be particularly high quality no matter what the distance.

Guest coach and Olympic cyclist Rory O'Reilly rode with my group and he gave me a few tips. He said don't rely too much on my power meter instead learn to know how my body feels at certain effort levels so I can dial those in without any technology. He showed me how to descend efficiently on a rough surface. He showed the group how to effectively ride together into a 40mph headwind to help each other as much as possible.

About 50 miles in, we stopped for a lunch of Clif bars and Clif shot blocks. Attack of the sugar bombs. I wasn't feeling great and all I could think about was eating some real food like a nice omelette... or steak (I'm a vegetarian). I was in need of something besides sugar and did my best but then about mile 55 I melted down emotionally and started crying, which is a sign of nutritional bonking I have learned. I couldn't keep up no matter how hard I worked. Rory helped me get up the steep climb we were on and then I stopped at Jill's van and she gave me some cheese, soy milk, and nuts from her own personal stash. It didn't take long and I felt better. This gave me just enough energy to get to the 65 mile point, at which I bailed out, put my bike on the van, and rode the rest of the way back in the nice comfy van with Jill. This was the happiest moment of the day and I know it was the right decision for me. My legs were done. One other rider bailed with me.

Hunter had to leave camp a few days early because his mother had a stroke and it is good that he did because she passed away today. She was the cook at last year's camp in Bedford.

Day 5 - Watch Tour of California

Today was the Stage 5 Tour of California Time Trial in Solvang. We had a day off with no organized rides planned, which gave us lots of time to take in the race. I don't really follow professional cycling itself so I went into today not knowing much about any of the athletes or teams. I am ending the day knowing A LOT about who is who in the sport, how races work, how to spectate, and how things work behind the scenes. Since this was the time trial, it's really not too much different than watching the bike in a triathlon.

I woke up leisurely, ate my breakfast, and went to the hot tub to stretch myself as well as I could. Then I went out for an easy 75 minute spin on the time trial course. It was raining on and off so my bike got all dirty and I got covered in mud. Sometimes I wonder if it is worth all the cleanup time for such a short ride.

Our hotel is about a block from the finish line of the time trial and the festival. I spent a lot of time at the festival going to all the vendor booths and talking to people. Some of the highlights were seeing all the Zipp wheels at the Zipp booth, looking at the Slipstrem Felt DA team edition bike at the Felt booth, seeing Chris McCormack's Specialized TT bike that he rode at IM Hawaii this year, and just being saturated with all the bike excitement and energy. The Herbalife booth was having a contest on their computrainers to see who could have the fastest 1/4 mile sprint time. I gave it a shot and posted a time of 29.81 sec - my average power was 360 watts which was higher than anything I have done all week at camp! Funny how I did that on a badly fitting bike with platform pedals and in jeans with no warmup. Well it turned out that at the end of the day I missed women's 5th place for a prize from Rudy Project by only 0.1 seconds!!! Maybe my new specialty should be sprinting in street clothes.

The race itself was totally inspiring. I got right up to the front at the starting platform and saw all the pros preparing themselves from less than 10 feet away. It was awesome to see their routines and their bikes. All the top guys wear radios packed in the tip of their aero helmet so they can get feedback from their following car. Who knows what else you could store in that helmet. Taken out of context, time trialists look pretty goofy with their lycra suits, pointy hats, and tricked out bikes. Almost all of them used a disc wheel on the back and deep wheel on the front. Today was the first ever real life racing test of the Powertap on a Zipp disc wheel and will determine the upcoming release schedule for it. The most common bars I saw were the Easton Attack TT and the Zipp Aero Vuka. As the athletes were in line to start I saw them massaging their muscles, doing deep breathing, stretching hamstrings, flipping through their gears and getting it to the right one to start, and sitting down to focus. The focused calm is exactly how it needs to be done.

The finish line was very close to the start so it was easy to jump from one to the other. As they came in one by one, they were moving so fast you could blink and miss them. The crowds were at least 4 deep down the shoot so it was a little hard to see. They had some large screen monitors with live course footage going and finish line closeups so it was almost easier to watch that. I hung out with Patrick from the camp and he's an expert on this stuff. I got filled in on details of all his favorite athletes. He pointed out small details of form that distinguish the top time trial specialists and was able to answer all my questions about what was going on.

All in all, it was an awesome day. We finished it off with dinner at a nice restaurant and as we were eating the entire team Rabobank came in. This may as well be the Tour de France. They got me, I think I am on my way to becoming a cycling nut.