Tag Archive for food

The Triathlon Rx | August 18, 2010
21 comments

Pre-Race Breakfasts // What to eat?!

Alright guys… I am SO excited to share this post with yall! (Woooah dog.. I’m not from Texas. Where did that come from?!) Not only because it answers my most frequent reader question and now I can just refer them to this post… ;) but also because I got to collaborate with some of my favorite athletes! [Haha I just realized my own answers are in this list. I wasn't trying to say that I'm my own favorite athlete!]

The questions is usually phrased something like: “I’m just getting into [running, triathlons, etc.] and I signed up for my first race!! But I don’t know what to EAT before or during the race!! Any advice?” The answer to that question is SUPER individualized, and just because something works for me, or these other lovely athletes down below, does not necessarily mean it will work for you. But you never know until you try, and I think our “go-to”s will give you some good starting ground!

For more PRE-RAE PREP, aside from delicious // butt-kicker breakfasts, check out my post Train on Top Volume 4.1 – PRE RACES!!

Mom

@ No blog. She should though because she has some awesome artwork featuring Minneapolis photography for sale. If you’re interested, let me know!

1 // What races do you participate in?

I am no longer racing, but raced a lot in the ‘80s and ‘90s:  many Grandma’s and Twin Cities marathons; the Boston Marathon, Las Vegas Marathon, Houston Marathon, three marathons in Utah, Easy Street to Lake Street Half-Marathon, New Prague Half-Marathon, Hennepin Lake Classics, Edmund Fitzgerald relays, Melpomene 5K, Victory Memorial 10K, among many other races.

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

My pre-race fuel was a peanut butter bagel and banana along with several energy gel packs during marathons.

Me!

@ Right here my friend… :D

1 // What races do you participate in?

I’ve been through it all… from the mile and two mile on the track, to XC, to triathlons, all the way up to the marathon.

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

My “stand-by” has changed quite a bit over the years. There are definitely phases and kicks I’ve gone through…. though I wouldn’t follow my example of that season of high school XC where I thought candy corn was responsible for my kick (until I crashed and burned).

However, I will give the following recommendations:

1 // Coffee is not a question of if but of Mexican dark roast or Twin Cities Blend? 2 // [IMO] Slightly upping the carbs the week before a big race is a better idea than shoving your face with spaghetti the night before. Have a nice, balanced dinner, but nix the pasta party. 3 // Kona Kola Nuun is not only deliciously amazing (amazingly delicious??), but also a life saver. 4 // Twizzlers & Raisin Bran on the beach while waiting forever and a half for your wave to start is actually a pretty good idea… 5 // Agua, H2O, dihydrogen monoxide, oxygen (di-)hydride, mizu, WATER!! All week leading up to the race.

Jamie


@ SwimBikeRunLive

1 // What races do you participate in?

I participate primarily in triathlons, mostly half ironmans.

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

My favorite pre-race breakfast is nothing special. I try to keep it pretty similar to what I normally eat in the morning. My pre race breakfast is usually a bowl of Frosted Flakes, a banana and some sports drink. My fav is First Endurance EFS. I will sip on a bottle when I get up and then another while setting up the transition area and waiting for the race to start. My stomach doesn’t like too much in it as soon as I get up, especially with pre-race butterflies flapping around, so I focus primarily on staying hydrated instead of chewing up solids.

Laura

@ Frayed Laces

1 // What races do you participate in?

I’ve raced just about everything, from 5ks to 50 mile ultras.  In years past I’ve been primarily a runner, but recently got into triathlon and just qualified for the Ironman world champs in Kona this year.

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

I always have the same pre-race breakfast, no matter what the distance.  A few hours before the race I have a bowl of oatmeal with raisins, soy protein powder, and cinnamon.  I also have about 3 cups of coffee.  About 45 mins before the race start I’ll have a banana. I think the most important thing is to race using the same conditions you’ve trained with. I am not a fan of having a huge breakfast before a meal, as I don’t race well with a lot of food in my stomach.  I don’t even have a big dinner the night before.  Instead, if I have a major event (marathon, ultramarathon, half ironman, etc) I have a slightly larger than normal lunch, and then an early dinner.  During longer distance events I rely on keeping myself adequately fueled by taking in a steady supply of GU.

Lindsey & James Cotter

@ CotterCrunch & The Cotter Chronicles

James’ Race eats:

1 // What races do you participate in?

I compete in triahthlons professionally. Main races are half ironmans and a couple full ironmans per season

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

Pre race fuel are usually oats or gluten free corn flakes. The wife makes me a small bowl of rolled oats and sticks them in the fridge overnight. In the morning she’ll had banana, cinnamon, honey, and maybe just a tad scoop of vanilla whey protein to mix in.

1 bottle of EFS by first endurance (an electrolyte drink) to take with breakfast and another bottle 45 minutes before race (sip on it in transition area while setting up). Then 15 minutes before race start I’ll take First Endurance Pre-Race powder (caffience stimulation powder) mixed with 4 oz of water.

Lindsays Eats:

1 // What races do you participate in?

No triathlons for me right now. Sold my bike and will get a new one later in the year. That being said, lots of Half marathons this summer/fall! WHOO HOO!

2 // Your stand-by pre-race fuel

I have a gluten intolerance and can’t handle much before a race so here’s what works for me before a half mary.

2 brown rice cakes (gluten free brand) with sun nut butter or almond butter, 1/2 banana, and honey on top. I sometimes add some sea salt crystals just to get some extra sodium in if its going to be a HOT HUMID race. Oh and COFFEE COFFEE is a must. I usually drink an electrolyte drink on the way to race sight (like EFS by first endurance). Then I during the race I make sure to have honey stingers with me. They are easy to chew and stick in my pocket. I alternate between gatorade and water for the majority of the race.

Post race (usually about 30 minutes after), I love CHOCOLATE MUSCLE MILK! The light kind is easy on my stomach because its lactose free and gluten free. I usually grab some fruit with it.  Its the perfect recovery fuel you can tag along with you to races.

READER Qs: What is YOUR “go-to” pre-race breakfast? Have you had any big breakfast blow-ups?

El fin.

Almost! If you haven’t noticed… I haven’t been posting much about my own training and pre-racing and racing hoo-ha lately. [I mean hoo-ha in the sense of "all that nonsense" or "all that business". Urban Dictionary might lead you astray....] And, that would be because I haven’t been racing. BUT, going by my last post, and my facebook photo, hopefully you all can see I’m still WORKING. There is a method to this madness, but a method where I’ve had to put my faith in God to follow. Not fe ciega mind you – although I’ll admit, I do have a bit of that – but guided faith. This is another one of my I’m so much smarter of an athlete now than I was then moments, and it feels RIGHT. Haha I didn’t say good, but it’s definitely right.

And speaking of good and right, there’s a company I want to make sure you guys know about. I say “make sure” because I had never heard of them until my girl Mrs. Frayed Laces enlightened me. And I’m SO glad she did! You can expect to hear more about them in the near future, but in the mean time, click on over to America’s Nutrition. Fair warning that you WILL want to fill you shopping cart, because they have something for EVERYONE. My “heavy lifters” … my marathon junkies … everyone. So fill your cart as you wish, but don’t hit check out just yet!!

[Muah ha ha!! What a tease.]

PEACE.

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | April 29, 2010
25 comments

Dr. TriRunner Eats Beef.

Only you will know where your mind just jumped to, but I’m hoping it wasn’t the gutter!

Alrighty kids – it’s been eight days since my last post, and really that’s more like eleven because the last post was essentially no better than a “will return soon” sign, with no promise as to when. Truthfully though… I have written a post. Two of them actually – two versions of the same thing. Only they haven’t been published due to the fact that they’re about something I just don’t really want to talk about! You know the feeling you get when you’ve had too much candy? Like Starbursts or Swedish Fish or something. You have that sort of dull stomachache, and it’s almost like your mouth hurts? Yeah… that’s how writing those two drafts made me feel. Like I’m not only raining on everyone’s parade, but I whipped out my personal fireman-strength hose and turned that on full strength too. No me gusta… to say the least.

This is the first photo that shows up for “good attitude” on Flickr…

But then I realized that was only the angle on this story if I chose for it to be. Remember that whole attitude is a choice thing? And my favorite passage – “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7) Mmm yep, still a true as ever. So here we go, jumping right into the meat of the post (couldn’t help it):

How I became a carnivore my health.

… Rabbit Food …

Nope… put your iCal away. You didn’t miss April 1st. If you’ve been hangin’ out at Dr. TriRunner for a while, you know that I am was a vegetarian. For eight years to be exact. I became a vegetarian at the age of 12 because something in my very-large-12-year-old brain clicked, and I suddenly couldn’t separate the thought of eating meat (chicken, pork chops, turkey lunch meat, etc.) from eating people meat. I mean, a rib is a rib, no matter how you look at it. I actually look back and think – huh, I was a pretty smart sixth grader! Makes me kind of proud…. :)

Aah! I digress. So that was the initial reason I became a vegetarian. Over the years, I became more passionate about animal rights, the meat industry in the U.S. (actually did a big thesis project on that one…), and definitely did my research to make sure I was being a healthy and educated vegetarian. Anyone, but especially an endurance athlete, cannot sustain on lettuce alone.

Photos of good veggie food: throw-back posts from April 2008!!

… Endo …

Also at a young age, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. “Diagnose” is sort of a misuse of the word, because that can’t actually happen without a laparoscopy (which I haven’t had done), but all signs, symptoms, examinations, and ultrasounds would suggest so. Trust me… yo’ girl has had more than her fair share of “lady exams.”

What is endometriosis? Aside from something I’ve mentioned all of like twice, but never in detail… it’s essentially a condition where endometrial tissue (the tissue that lines the uterus) grows in other places too, such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and pelvis. It acts as normal endometrial tissue, in that it builds up, thickens, and then tries to shed. Only there is nowhere for the blood to go because it’s not inside of your uterus. And basically, it hurts. A shitton. For more details on the disorder, the Mayo Clinic’s website (as with everything) does a good job breaking it down.

Long story short, in the past year, and more specifically the past four or five months, I feel that my symptoms have been getting markedly worse. The episodes of pain and cramping have become more frequent, and my period has gone NUTS. Most female distance runners fear losing their period, and I’m worried I’m going to lose all the blood in my body! (Haha – don’t you love my use of the color wheel here?) The last four months (and apparently five, starting Monday…) I have bled heavily for two weeks straight. Losing this much blood + endurance athletics = no good = potentially anemia. Once again… no me gusta.

Due to the non-existent awesome insurance that I am paying $300 a month for, anything beyond a flu shot and a sliver removal are considered “over and above” your necessary care. Endometriosis is considered “specialty” care, and specialty care is considered lots of $$$, and lots of $$$ is considered something I. Don’t. Have. So I do what I do best, and get my study on and try to figure out what is going on. No worries, I don’t count Wikipedia as a “source.” I am lucky enough to know several very knowledgeable (and qualified!) people to help me out here.

Flickr has many other photos for endometriosis, but I’m keepin it PG. They’re strictly medical though, so if you’re not squeemish then feel free to check them out.

… My findings …

(Although I tend to think I’m as smart as a rocket scientist, much of this is common sense.)

  1. B/C pills are the most commonly prescribed “treatment” for endometriosis. The pill I’m on is one that’s most likely doing jackshit for me. But hey, it is “covered” in that excellent insurance.
  2. SOY… is known to augment endometriosis. As a vegetarian for eight years, soy is obviously a large component of my diet for providing protein.
  3. SOY… is in freaking everything. Or at least it would seem to be in everything that I have come to know and love. Cereal? Really?
  4. If I cut out soy, that doesn’t leave me with many protein options. Especially when I factor in the amount of blood I’m losing, and needing to get EXTRA protein and iron to make sure I’m not headed towards anemia.
  5. Meat has protein. And iron. And helps prevent anemia. Amen.

I know… rocket science right? So, now that you have my whole endometriosis rundown (the part that I feel is like listening to nails on a chalkboard) that concludes the flashback, and we return to the title of the post…

Hello iron-deficiency anemia.

… BEEF …

As of Tuesday April 27th, I am no longer a vegetarian. And I figured if I’m going to eat meat with the purpose of getting this iron in me, I need to do it right. Beef. And not just any beef, but Chipotle’s Barbacoa shredded beef.

How was it? Crazy. Not crazy like bad, but crazy weird. Add this to the list of “findings” … meat takes a helluva lot longer to chew than non-animal foods. And I’m sure my stomach found those shredded cow muscles entering my digestive system and said, “What the ⠃ ⠥ ⠉ ⠅ are you putting in here??” (haha yessss!!) Eating meat just seams so raw and so primal to me… it’s not like it “tastes” bad. If it tasted bad, then companies wouldn’t make faux meat products like Light Life Buffalo Wings or Morningstar Farms “Ribs”.

Eating meat is definitely going to take some getting used to, and also a lot of learning! I had a 20-minute conversation with my new hommie in Trader Joe’s today about eating meat, endo, triathlons, and backpacking. ?? Yes. I’m not going down this road kicking and screaming, and I’m not being forced. This was no one’s decision but my own, and although I would like to still be a vegetarian, I do not think that for my health it is the right choice. I was talking to a friend today, and told her “As much as I’ve wanted to fight sometimes and say “I know my own body!” … it’s not always the case that a physical reality and a mental ideal match up.” And in this case, what I ideally would like and what physically is goin’ on ain’t tellin’ the same story. Capish?

I would also like to say that I would only buy local, organic, free-range, grass fed, smiling happy [dead] cows from California. But honestly? How many times have you heard me say budget is an issue? Muchas veces, my friends. Realistically I can’t afford such things. I will be eating animals (the word “meat” seams so misleading to me at this point…?) on a limited basis, so as best as I can, I will follow my conscious and at least try to support companies and sellers that follow more humane practices. All in all though, humans are still killing the animal for consumption. I might get some hateration for this, but it doesn’t really make a difference to me.

@ Chipotle… scared.

Examination of the cow now marinated and in my Burrito Bowl.

IRON.

… El Fin …

Time for me to end here amigos. I hope you will understand my decision, and if you don’t… well, your choice! I’m all for honesty as we all know, and this is what’s currently going on. I appreciate your honesty, whether it is in accordance to what I am thinking/feeling, or not. As always, any questions and comments are welcomed whether you leave them here in the comments section or send me an email.

Shoot. Now I gotta go change my “ABOUT Me” page. So much for finishing this VO2 report!

⠇⠕⠧⠑ ,

Erika (yes – that’s what the “E” stands for!) aka Dr.TriRunner

p.s. maybe I could win this $60 shopping spree and buy something from CNS’s kitchenware site… I could definitely use some help in the grilling department!

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | February 18, 2010
11 comments

Back to Basics Blender Review

Wow… talk about “far too long” – it’s been a week since we last chatted about some Winter Running necessities. Well, please believe I haven’t just been dinking around these last seven days – they’ve been jam packed with lots of good things:

  • a two-day valentines celebration
  • awesome deals @ the Twin Cities Bike Swap
  • swimming! (makin the goals!)
  • 2.5 hour endurance ride (see above!!)
  • my first “long run” since refracturing my femoral neck (to complete the trifecta)
  • (I understand that that is a complete misuse of the word trifecta. ¿Me importa? No!)
  • meeting new teammates at above bike swap!
  • registering for races
  • rocking medical terminology tests
  • preparing to give speech, only to have class canceled. twice. shoot.
  • trying to put together our new UMN Tri Team website. faiiil.
  • started a new strength program with my new coaches!
  • prepping for Lent 2010

And clearly, given the title of this post…

  • BLENDING!!

Everything above in blue is a post that’s halfway finished and wanting to be posted, but I think first I need to wrap up some unfinished blender business! In my ode/eulogy to my Magic Bullet, I mentioned that CSN Stores was sending me a new Back to Basics Blender (aka the B3… because apparently every D.TR kitchen appliance needs a name) to review! Well you can bet your butt my heart skipped a beat when I walked home to see this sitting atop the stairs:

My heart does a little flutter when I get regular plain ol’ mail, but a package is like a mini Christmas on my doorstep! I promptly brought my box-baby inside and out of the cold. You know I wanted to try it out the second I got the box open, but I realized I better let the motor warm up to at least above freezing before I got to blending. ;)

Given the photo series to come, you will see that I had some slight reservations about the blade size. When I laid him up next to Mr. MB for a size comparison, I wont lie – there were some dubious thoughts that started to set in. But you can’t knock something until you try it, so that night with the help of el chico guapo (that would be the boyfriend btw, not another kitchen appliance) I set to work on a mix I had been excited about for quite some time. The details of the “recipe” still need to be tweaked a bit, but I will tell you that it involves dessert, fruit, and heaven. I promise… I’ll share. :D

Noting the facial expressions below, you might infer that my first experience with B3 was not exactly smooth (pun fully intended) sailing. My ice cubes and pieces of frozen fruit did not want to break down! Then I stepped back for a little eval, and realized where I went wrong: a) I had put my “solids” in last, and b) there was not nearly enough liquids for my solid:liquid ratio. So I unscrewed the top, added more fluids, gave it a stir, and tried again. WINNER! In traditional Dr.TR fashion, I will let the photos do the talking:


(L: that box was tightly packed. Legit took 5 minutes to get out // R: baby blade?)


(L: blade skepticism // R: the B3 vs Mr. MB)


(L: photo has been edited for recipe protection // R: attempt numero uno)


(L: enter uncertainty // R: ice stuck on top)


(L: post-additional-hydration-adjustments // R: a delicious success!)

As you can see, I was definitely pleased by the end result. My initial lack of conviction based on simple blade size was erased once I figured out what I was doing. I realized that the order you build your blenderfull-of-goodness is important – ice and other hard solids should be added last, because when you screw the top back on and flip it upside down, they will have first contact with the mini (but might!) blade. I also realized that @#(*&@#!)R%#&Y*> alone is not going to make this shake of dreams delicious. Trust that I’m working on a recipe, and will have it out asap.

Here are the major PROs I am finding with the B3:

  • Large cup size (TWSS. Sorry… you knew it was coming)
  • Works quickly – shakes are shaken and smoothies are made smooth in less time than with the MB
  • Small footprint on my small counter
  • Not as loud (IMO) as Mr. MB, though you should note that MB was sick and dying. And that is only according to me. (My roommates might beg to differ ;) )

And of course, there can always be faults found:

  • There is no secret skin to peal off that would reveal a VitaMix underneath
  • OK… so it still makes noise. Not acceptable to wake up said roomies with blender concoctions
  • Although the blending cup is larger than that of Mr. MB, I want more space! I know.. want want want! Jeesh.

And that is what I have to tell you kids! Overall I am very pleased with the B3 (Back to Basics Blender), and for the cost (especially after CSN’s sick discount!), I would say it probably exceeds the expectations of a typical blender in the same price range. Trust me, we’ve gone through a few over the years. I definitely think that this will hold me over until I become a professional athlete marry a professional athlete strike gold decide to bite the VM bullet. (And if you too find yourself in that position where you’re really gonna do it… please note that there are some decent discounts with CSN! Check it out!) (Haha extra *astrisk* for you here – I promise that the entirety of this review is coming from yours truly, Dr. TriRunner, and not in any way influenced by CSN Stores or any other outside source. Gotta put the disclaimers out there these days.)

So to tide you over until all of the blue posts above are actually published… I leave you with two more photos of recent tasty triumphs made in the B3.


(L: crazy delicious vanilla spiced protein yum // R: felt like I drank a margarita with breakfast. in the snow.)

Remember that this and all of my previous product reviews can be found on the PRODUCT Reviews tab at the top of the page! If you have any questions or have a product that you would like reviewed, please shoot me an email at drtrirunner@gmail.com

Happy hydrating!
-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | February 4, 2010
9 comments

An Ode to Mr. MB

If you read my last post, you know that I think the topic of hydration is pretty important for an athlete. If you stuck with my post all the way to the end, you also know that one of my favorite ways to rehydrate is with homemade smoothies and shakes. Because I am a broke college kid not particularly financially endowed at the moment, nor do I have the luck of the gods to win one in a giveaway, I have not yet discovered the wonders of the infamous Vitamix (or it’s closely related cousin, le Blendtec). Well, let me retract that one – I have used a Vitamix on many occasions. We have not one, not  two, but FOUR Vitamix machines at work, and yes, taking on ice for those bad boys are like slicing through butter.

But I have digressed, the VMmaster and TecofBlendGods are not the point of this post. I am coming to you today to tell you the story of my dear Magic Bullet.

You see, there was once a time when I was quite the frequenter of infomercials. They’re basically like a full 30 minute program that gets you EXCITED about this amazing product that you absolutely can’t live without, and with practice, you can even say the words along with the host.

“What can you do in 10 seconds? You can start chopping onions for an omelet, or you can chop onions, whip eggs, chop ham and peppers… for the fastest easiest omelet ever!”

Mmmm, yep. The Magic Bullet, the Ultimate Party Machine, was one of those items. I have probably seen that infomercial at least twenty times! That was how long it took to convince my dear mother that the MB was definitely a necessary part of our lives. And finally, we made the call. Shortly thereafter, a rather large UPS box arrived on our front doorstep (TWO for ONE baby!!) and the rest is history.

If you read my last post, you would also know that my dear MB is in ill condition. It is difficult to watch those you love suffer, and at times, you wish you could just put them out of their misery. Just last night, we were working together to make a Key-Lime-Coconut shake, and I could tell that he was struggling. A task that was once so simple has now become labored, taking nearly twice the time to do the same work. He sounds sad, tired, and ready to rest. And as much as I want to let MB do just that, what about my needs? What about my Nilla Coffee Mint shakes and Key Lime Lovin smoothies?

Fear not my friends – a solution is in sight. It is crazily coincidental, and I am thoroughly thankful, that a representative from CSN Stores contacted me to review a product for them. CSN Stores is a Boston based web store that offers all sorts of products, from bar stools to kitchen ware, they honestly have something to please everyone! I’m happy to report that I’ll be revewing a new blending beverage making beast of sorts, and I am hopeful that it can fulfill all of MB’s duties. You can definitely expect a thorough review from me in the near future!

In the mean time, I will share with you another hydration+homemade recipe to tide you over. One of my faves for sure:

KeyNillaNut Protein Shake Smoothie DeliciousDrank

  • 1 container key lime yogurt
  • 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
  • 1/4 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4 – 1/2 tsp xantham gum
  • ICE. as much as you can handle prefer ;)
  • 1/2 cup almond breeze, soy milk, moo milk, water. *ETA* omg.. ZICO would be amazing in this!
  • (this tastes like it should be alcoholic and sipped on a beach with a little umbrella in your glass. if you are legally of age, feel free to indulge. please drink responsibly.)

Place all ingredients in blender of choice. Go to town. Pull out the polka dot bikini, your lawn chair, a beach towel, and put Blue Crush on the teletube. And oh btw link back with a picture. (Haha kidding.. but you would DEFINITELY get a prize for doing so. I don’t know what, but I’d think of something!)

Ciao lovelies,
-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , ,
The Triathlon Rx | February 2, 2010
6 comments

Train on Top – Volume 4: Hydration

Alright… the “sign up for TWO races by tonight” plan was an epic fail – I didn’t even sign up for one!! I even added a few more races to my “options” list! My time wasn’t a complete waste though – I did decide on a couple of races that I am for sure not going to run, and at least that helps me narrow down my options! Here’s what I’ve “decided on” so far:

  • No marathon this summer. Which means no Grandma’s marathon. :(
  • My reasoning? The triathlon season (at least here in good ol’ Minnesota) only lasts so long. I want to get in my tris while I can, because lord knows if $$ is my issue, I won’t be traveling all the way to Texas to race. (OK.. maybe just once a year ;) ) That is.. unless a sponsor comes through.
  • I have a complimentary entrance to one race… so I can’t “register” for that one. But to be fair, I do at least have this race picked out!
  • I’m working on a list of the races the rest of the team is doing. We don’t all race together over the summer…  but it’s always fun to have familiar faces out on the course.

So that’s where I’m at. Now on to the title of the post: HYDRATION. This is an important component to nutrition and training for endurance athletes, and I thought it deserved its [almost] own post. So without wasting any time, let’s dive in:

Throwback to 2007! My baby Dakota knows what’s up: Hydration is key!

NUTR 3721: Hydration for the Endurance Athlete

Instructor Info: Prof. SperlyTriRunner
Office Hours: too busy training. Contact by email: drtrirunner@gmail.com

Roughly 70% of an adults body weight is made up of water. You could guess then that water is pretty essential to human life. Imagine what your body would look like of all the water were sucked up and dried out? No, I’m not trying to convert any of you to vegetarians, but you could end up looking like a bag of this stuff:

So we all get it, hydration is important. But how do we know how much is enough, and what is too much? Does it matter when you hydrate? What about while training or racing? Do I need a “sports drink” or can I just have water? What about electrolytes? I already gave you a disclaimer – I’m not a certified hydration expert here, but I’m going to do my best to cover this topic and at least get a good conversation going!

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

I’m sure most of you have heard the guideline at some point that you should all be drinking eight 8oz. glasses of water a day. Many studies have shown that that’s not necessarily the case. The “rules” become even more blurry for athletes. It has also been “claimed” that many caffeinated beverages do not “count” towards your hydration intake for the day, such as coffee, tea, and sodas. Again, studies have shown that this is not necessarily true. There is water in almost everything we consume (with the exception of maybe the jerky’s above ;) ) and foods with high water content (such as fruits, vegetables, soups, juices, etc.) all can “count” towards our daily hydration needs. While the “8×8″ myth – 8 x 8oz. /day – has been discredited, there are still about 25,000 other “recommendations” out there. How do you know what to follow? The best general advice: follow your senses. If you feel thirsty, drink. If you don’t feel thirsty, don’t drink unless you want to. The average person is not going to “over-hydrate” on accident.

DOES AN ATHLETE HAVE ADDITIONAL NEEDS?

We aren’t the “average person” though… are we? No sir. For the most part, we can still rely on our “common sense,” but for the sake of optimal performance and recovery, hydration deserves a bit more focused attention for the endurance athlete. USATF recently announced some new guidelines which, personally, I think are great. These are specifically targeted towards long distance runners, but I believe serve well for the entire endurance athlete population.

What I feel is the biggest change in these “fluid-replacement recommendations” is that athletes should be fully replace 100% of the fluids lost during racing, and they should be “sensitive to the onset of thirst as the signal to drink, rather than staying ahead of thirst.” This lowers the risk of hyponatremia – a condition that is very serious, and caused by diluting your body’s sodium levels to an extremely low point. Trust me.. you don’t want that one.

According to my buddies at Hammer and the research that they have done, they give the following recommendations:

  • 20-25 fluid oz. of water per hour is a sufficient amount for most athletes.
  • For lighter athletes, or cooler temperatures, 16-18 oz. per hour may be what you need.
  • Heavier athletes or hotter conditions may require around 28 oz. per hour.

Note that none of these guidelines say what is “absolutely right.” They are guidelines. For a reference point (and quite convenient might I add), 20-25 oz. is the size of a regular to large water bottle.

WHAT ABOUT SODIUM AND ELECTROLYTES?

Your sweat is not only made up of water. You may know this of you develop that rather attractive “salt crust” after a workout. (Really… who doesn’t love feeling like a big baked salt crusted fish?) In addition to the water your pour out, you are also losing sodium and other minerals. And no one needs to tell you this one, but you’re also burning a massive amount of calories! For these reasons, it is important for endurance athletes to consider products that contain these essential items.

MY FAVORITE PRODUCTS

I have done a great deal of experimenting with different hydration, electrolyte, and carbohydrate recovery drink options.. and I haven’t even come close to trying all that there is out there on the market! These are a few of my favorite products, and I will tell you a little bit about why. What works best for you can only be determined by… YOU… and it will probably take some trial and error to figure out. All of my testimonials are based on my own experiences with these products. I have not been asked by any of these companies to review their products, nor have I (sadly) been sent any free goodies.

Nuun Active Hydration tabs: It would be much easier for me to write a review on what I don’t like about Nuun… because that would be short and sweet: they don’t grow on trees. These electrolyte tabs have honestly been my savior on several occasions, one of them being during my running of the Med City Marathon. They’re fast acting. They’re portable. They’re convenient. They do not contain carbs, and I appreciate having this as an option because everyone has their own preferences when it comes to carb replenishing during or after a race or workout. Some people like bananas, some like bars, some like gels, some like drinks. It’s not a one size fits all.

Hammer Endurolytes POWDER: One thing I like about the powder is that that enables me to have personalized dosing. Not every athlete will have the same needs, and I’m glad Hammer pays attention to that! Obviously you wouldn’t be stopping on the side of the road during a race to measure out and mix up your Endurolytes in a water bottle, but premixed before an endurance ride or long run and you have yourself a personalized hydralectrolyte beast. Maybe this goes without saying, but I use this stuff when I’m doing an endurance workout or race.. not just like a regular ol’ 7 mile run. Endurolytes have also been great for me in helping with cramping (or helping to not cramp to be more accurate). Long story short: I like the stuff.

PowerDew: PowerDew is in a category all it’s own. There is nothing better. In addition to being a fantasticly delicious source of hydration during exercise, it is also proven to help during intense study sessions with your anatomy textbook, medical terminology flash cards, and school work of the sort. Caution: may cause dependency when used frequently. You should notify your doctor if you start to experience hallucinations of powerdew during your day, or start having visions of powerdew while attempting to fall asleep. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya ;)

Homemade shakes/smoothies/drinks: Why do I like them? Oh, let me count the ways.

  1. They cost a fraction of what a pre-made store-bought drink would cost
  2. I am in control of the ingredients – how much protein do I want? How many carbs?
  3. I can have a flavor that I actually LIKE, sans chocolate! Muahaha. (Oh… ‘Nilla Mint Coffee shake you say? I can hook you up!)

While  I KNOW for a fact that a VitaMix would do a helluva lot better job, my Magic Bullet is doing ok for now. However, my roomie did say to me the other day, “Is the motor on that thing dying? Or are you just blending more ice?” No, no more ice. The MB has seen better days for sure. I just hope it gives me a two weeks notice before it craps out on me!

Alright kids.. a post wouldn’t be a post without a question, and I said I wanted to get a conversation going here, right? So here are my questions for you:

  • What is your favorite way to hydrate during a race? Do you have an “old standby” product that you use every time?
  • What is a “rule” that you always here about hydration (like the 8×8 rule for example)? Do you follow that?

That’s all I got for ya’ tonight – I have mucho school work that needs to be worked. I just got back from a very nice run (although slightly slick out there) with my guys, and I’m going to take my own advice, rehydrate, refuel, and get crackin! I have TWO product reviews coming up, and ahhh so much more – the “to post” list is seriously longer than I can handle right now! One thing at a time ;) Wishing everyone strong legs, no injuries, and happy days.

-E

Sources:
Dartmouth Medical School Journal
USATF Hydration Guidelines
Hammer Hydration

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | January 29, 2010
8 comments

Love me some soup, and I bet you do too!

Raise your hand if you like warm delicious soup? Good. Now raise your hand if you like free things? GOOOOD. Here’s what I got for ya:

Progresso teamed up with BlogSpark and they were awesome enough to send me a TON of delicious soups to try! They also (unaware that they were feeding my oversized mug addiction) sent a cool Progresso Mug, just big enough to hold the whole can. ;) My upper body strength work came into play when I carried these bad boys up my three flights of stairs from the delivery truck to my kitchen!

I know it’s been a little while since my last GU:2010 (I promised you though, there’s one coming!) , but what about YOUR goal update? Was healthy eating a part of your goals for 2010? Well, Progresso wants to help you out!

The Souper You Debut Contest!

[From Progresso:] Celebrate the New Year and a new you with Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups because from January 4 through March 15th, you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to enter the Progresso “Souper You Debut” contest for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City.

Three grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store.

To enter the Souper You Debut contest, you’ll need to do the following:

  • Go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to learn more and enter the contest
  • Submit a short essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 Calorie Soups and why you would like a makeover
  • In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay

Once you enter, you’ll have the chance for your photo and/or an excerpt from your essay to appear on www.Progresso.com/SouperYou, so be sure to check back frequently! Once the 10 finalists are announced (and I hope YOU’RE ONE OF THEM!), you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou from March 29 through April 12 to vote for your favorite.

In addition, throughout the duration of the contest you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup!

[Sperly takin' back over] OK, a free trip to NYC? Who wouldn’t want that? Awesome! But just in case you don’t end up winning that prize, Progresso and BlogSpark still wanna hook you up. You have the chance to win some awesome Progresso soups of your own. FREE! Though I can’t promise I’ll be there to help carry the box up your stairs, I can promise you that soup is GOOD, and Progresso is no exception.

To enter this GIVEAWAY (different than the souper you contest), all you need to do is:

  • Leave a comment telling me your Progresso soup! If you’re new to this tasty brand of convenient goodness, you  can check out their WEBSITE and tell me the flavor you’d most like to try!

Easy peasy, right? Because we want to waste no time getting started on a healthy 2010, I’m keeping this giveaway open only through this weekend, aka midnight on Sunday (CENTRAL time). But why wait? All it takes is a click of a button, and you’re ticket’s in the hat!

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | January 24, 2010
12 comments

A Long “Run” and a Live Post…

As promised – I’m back on Sunday, my favorite day of the week! And I have a lot to give you, so I’ll get right to it!

Sunday Long “Run”

Poppin (Remix) – Christ Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Juelz Santana

Today, being a Sunday, would mean it’s a long run day. We haven’t discussed my running status much as of late, because well, there really isn’t a status. It’s been constantly changing! For the month of December, running was super minimal. (read: like 30 miles for the entire MONTH maybe?) No – its most def. not because I can’t handle the Minnesota winters – we all know I’ve got that covered. ;) Unfortunately.. it would be the hip. Again. My next “big” Dr. appointment is February 8th. Maybe I’ll know more after that, but at this point, this is what I do know: (words of my lovely sports med doc:) “It’s not going to just break through while you’re out there – if you want to be running, and it isn’t excruciatingly painful, you might as well.”

High Definition – Lupe Fiasco ft. Snoop Dog & Pooh Bear

So since January, I’ve taken that and run with it, literally. My milage is still NOTHING like “normal”, but at least I’m running a few days a week. However, no weekend long run for me. So today’s “long run” is brought to you by my Octane Q47 (or what I refer to typically as my “xRunner”) machine… lookin a little like this:

Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay Z

And since I have two hours scheduled with this bad boy, I figured what a better time to give you my ellipti/run/music rundown. What you see in BOLD and PURPLE are the songs that are playing currently while I am typing. Yes. Blogging while working out is pretty much the only way I have time for this right now. And since right now I have, oh… an hour and 44 minutes left, you get lots of songs. ;)  My iTunes is on Shuffle btw, but I’m skipping around a bit if I hit a song I don’t like.

Beggin – Madcon

As you can also see, I’m not writing a ton in between what are anywhere between 4-5 minute songs. That’s because blogging, as I’m sure all of you who have your own site know, takes mucho tiempo.

Track 7 – Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack

(Don’t know the actual name… really not a fan of this song… but it gives you an idea of the eclectness of my iTunes.) Which brings me to the next item on my agenda…

Future Updating Schedule:

Guarantees – Atmosphere

It’s no joke that I am super busy this semester. But this blog is really important to me, and I actually really LIKE doing it! My iCal last week looked a little like this, and this is even just a four day week, with school just having started, so not a ton of homework yet. This also doesn’t show the 6 credits of online classes I have currently going on! Ayyy. Contemplating dropping Physics this semester, but that doesn’t seem like a good plan because I still need to take it at some point. All the classes I’m taking right now are ones I need to eventually take! Thank you God for inventing iCal…

This Is What It’s Made For – Usher

Because of this insanity, my posting schedule will most likely be once or twice a week. It will also probably be a bit more to the point and content driven than all this extra curricular stuff. Actually.. no, it probably wont. That’s just how I roll. :D If you’ve seen some of my tweets lately though, you know I got a lot going on:

  • 20 credits
  • 2 labs
  • 2 jobs
  • boyfriend
  • family/friends
  • the Tri team
  • Dr. TriRunner
  • the Tri team’s website – I just took this one on, but I’m excited about it!

There’s no blame or fingers to be pointed (other than at myself ;) )… this is what I get myself into. Welcome to the life of a Type A (+) overscheduler. Moving on…

Real As It Gets – Jay Z ft. Young Jeezy

On Friday I promised you a gear review, and that’s what I have for you now!

Cycling & Winter Running Socks: Review

You – Atmosphere

First up, my loves of all time: SMARTWOOL. More specifically, their Ultra Light Cushion Women’s Cycling socks:

These were a gift from the boy, and damn, does he know how to pick em’! I love the way these hug my arches in just the right spot, and I don’t have to fold them over because they’re so effing big or have the “heel” be sitting at my ankle! I wear these in spin right now and they are PERFECT! They come up just high enough so my shimano shoes don’t cut into my leg, but they’re still “ankle socks.” Final Grade: A

Dirt Off Your Shoulders Vs. Bittersweet Symphony Remix – Jay Z & The Verve

Next: CRAFT Pro Warm Quarter Running Sock

Alright.. when I told you everything  you’d ever want to know about WINTER RUNNING… I told you how much my feet/hands circulation sucks. Well that post needs a revision: my feet/hand circulation SUCKS when I’m not properly prepared!!

Jesus Walks – Kanye West

This was also included in a x-mas gift from the boy (he’s winning in all corners here!) and DAYYYNG. I. Love. Keep in mind that these were not sent to me by the company – this review is solely based on my usage of said socks and happy warm toes. These. Are. FANTASTIC. On a run where my fingers were frozen solid through… think permafrost frozen… my feet were SO toasty, but not sweaty! Just happy, happy toes. Thankkk you to novio and thank you to Craft! Final Grade: A+

Real World – Match Box Twenty

(Haha! I told you it was on shuffle!)  While were on the subject of SOCKS, I will say that I am yet to wear my supafly Kayano Left and Right specific running socks that my mom gave me for Christmas. I feel like these need to be reserved for races or special occasion / monumental runs only. Q: Do you have any clothes like that? I definitely have a racing only sports bra!

Push It Remix – Camron ft. Jim Jones, Juelz, and Lil Wayne

Annnd that’s one hour down! Love it! What I don’t love is this weekend is “Open House” weekend at my gym. Read: Way super overcrowded!! Un momentitio chicos… bathroom break. :)

OK! Hour two.. start it off with an all time favorite:

I’ll Be Missing You – P. Diddy ft. Faith Evans

This is also where I switch to going backwards and up the resistance a bit! Annnd make sure I’m continuing to hydrate:

Baby It’s Cold Outside – James Taylor ft. Natalie Cole

(Hahaha!! Don’t judge!) Ok so I’m starting to really enjoy this live blogging thing. Pictured above (excuse the blurriness.. I took it one handed and moving) is the new LEMON LIME Powerade Zero! But not only Powerade kids.. that would be Lemon Lime PowerDew. If you haven’t done the PowerDew yet.. hop on it. And make sure to tell me what you think!!! And because we’re talking about beverages and hydrating….

Nilla’ Mint Coffee Recovery Shake:

Hotel California – The Eagles

I also told you last Friday that I had a recipe coming! I fell in love the second this cool, creamy shake of shining glory touched my lips. Not exaggerating.

Always Coming Back Home to You – Atmosphere

Thankfully that was not a 4:26 am photo! Here’s what we got goin’ on:

  • Chocolate Mint Coffee, (.5 – 1 cup, depending on preference of taste and texture) cooled (a la Ghiradelli – sent to my by my absolute fave SwimBuddy Lizzy)
  • 2 scoops Vanilla protein powder
  • Xanthan gum
  • Ice ( I use about 6 regular sized cubes)

If you tragically are not able to find this miraculous mint coffee, as I no longer am because I ran out and apparently this is a seasonal delicacy, I have moved on to using regular coffee (or espresso to be more accurate), dark coco powder, and mint extract. Place all ingredients in blender of choice, and get to town.

Say Shhh – Atmosphere

(If you’re from MN.. GET that song. Has been a favorite of mine for a lonnnng time!) Depending on the type of protein powder you choose to use, you can get upwards of 20g of protein here! Other variations: you could use chocolate flavored protein powder and nix the cocoa powder. You could do half coffee/half milk (or milk alternative). If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover Girlscout Thinmint cookies stashed in your  freezer… send them all to me one or two blended up in the drink would lead to nilla/choco/mint ecstacy. Caution.

When’s the Last Time – Clipse ft. Pharell

As you can see, I did this in my Magic Bullet and it barely fit. I’m still praying that the folks from VitaMix HQ over in Cleveland, Ohio will find this lil runner/triathlete/future doctor and realize:

Dang – this girl really needs a Vita Mix in her life. Her future depends on it. How can we help?

I have an extra kidney if any of your employees need it. We could work out a deal. KIDDING!!! Kinda… ;)

Bout It – Yung Joc ft. 3LW (Step Up Soundtrack)

Alright – decision time: I have half an hour of this “run” left… and there are still about a billion things I have on my “to post” list. I wanna give you a GU2:10 (or Goal Update for those who haven’t mastered the Dr.TriRunner terminology…) but I think I will wait till January is over and  give you a complete one month perspective.

Maria Maria – Carlos Santana ft. Wyclef Jean

(Yes, I really did only type that much in the time it took to play all of Bout It. Not a short song.. but I’m sweating more liquid than my shower gives on a good water pressure day. Haha what an attractive mental picture..) What I think needs to happen right now, since I neglected it on Friday, is a little guilt relief. That’s right kids – sounds like a…

Sunday Friday Confessional:

What We Talkin’ Bout – Jay Z ft. Luke Steele

You know the rules of the game: there are none. Nothing is off limits. You fess up, I fess up. We all feel better. This is a practice I have very much loved ever since my very first ever Friday Confessional back in November of 2008. One year ago I was fessing up to this:

  1. I’ve become rather spiteful without running. I’ve seen other people running outside or hearing them talk about running and wished they couldn’t run too. It’s like if I can’t run, no one else should. :(
  2. I stole my roommates pack of Cinnamon Spice gum off her desk. Sorry Laur – I owe you.
  3. I ODed on Cinnamon Toast Crunch one night in the beginning of the week. I literally had FIVE bowls. Just dry. Back to back.  And I felt sick as hell afterwards/the next morning. It was completely emotional and very delicious. But I don’t need to do that again.
  4. I paid $55 for unlimited group fitness at the Marino. And I’m yet to take ONE class. I signed up for abs tonight and spinning tomorrow morning.
  5. I accidentally brought home a pool belt from the Y. And it is sitting under my bed. And it’s mine.

Ever The Same – Rob Thomas

Have I changed? Let’s see…
#1 – I am currently running, but nothing like “I used to.” But my thoughts on that one are much more stemming from frustration.. not “spite.” Or at least I’d like to think so.
#2 – No stealing gum. I have a plentiful stock of my Stride favorites.
#3 – No more CTC sadly – I no longer have “the caf,” and therefore no longer have open access to crack this goodness. Probably a good thing.

Nothing Ever Hurt Like You – James Morrison

#4 – $55 seems like a steal when you’re paying $68/month for a gym membership. Nuff said.
#5 – That pool belt fits me perfectly :)

This week I’m going to confess only one thing to you in the blog word, because a) I only have 7 minutes left and I want time to make a song wrap-up, and b) I’ve been pretty darn good this week if I do say so myself. Here we go:

Move If You Wanna – Mims

  1. I have become increasingly reliant on sleep aids. Tylenol PM, Simply Sleep.. the melatonin ain’t doin jack isht. It’s at the point where if I don’t take anything, I just don’t get tired. No matter what. Friday night – took nothing. Fell “asleep” around 4 am. Was already awake when my alarm went off at 8am. I’m fessing up to this one because it’s actually a problem. I plan on talking to my doc about it at my next appointment. Which I am yet to schedule. :/

That’s all I have time for kids! This was a GOOD POST if you ask me! Sorry if I overwhelmed you with all of  this at once though. Here is the…

Long “Run” Song Wrap-up:

Encore – Jay Z (good song to end on!)
Poppin (Remix) – Christ Brown ft. Lil Wayne & Juelz Santana
High Definition – Lupe Fiasco ft. Snoop Dog & Pooh Bear
Dirt Off Your Shoulder – Jay Z
Beggin – Madcon
Track 7 – Grey’s Anatomy Soundtrack
Guarantees – Atmosphere
This Is What It’s Made For – Usher
Real As It Gets – Jay Z ft. Young Jeezy
You – Atmosphere
Dirt Off Your Shoulders Vs. Bittersweet Symphony Remix – Jay Z & The Verve
Jesus Walks – Kanye West
Real World – Match Box Twenty
Push It Remix – Camron ft. Jim Jones, Juelz, and Lil Wayne
I’ll Be Missing You – P. Diddy ft. Faith Evans
Baby It’s Cold Outside – James Taylor ft. Natalie Cole
Hotel California – The Eagles
Always Coming Back Home to You – Atmosphere
Say Shhh – Atmosphere
When’s the Last Time – Clipse ft. Pharell
Bout It – Yung Joc ft. 3LW (Step Up Soundtrack)
Maria Maria – Carlos Santana ft. Wyclef Jean
What We Talkin’ Bout – Jay Z ft. Luke Steele
Ever The Same – Rob Thomas
Nothing Ever Hurt Like You – James Morrison
Move If You Wanna – Mims

[Change of location - the workout went wonderfully! No pain, sweated my a$$ off, and feel good. At home now.] Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did! I have two pages that should be up and running soon: music, and the return of my blogroll (finally)! There are more layout/style changes to come too. For now, if you’re looking for music (like the Reader’s Choice Ultimate Mix) just click on the “music” tag in the right column! Gotta go for now peeps – my VIKES are playing tonight!

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | January 22, 2010
7 comments

Gratuitous amounts of energy!!!

Why yes, I have fallen off the face of the planet. I expect to return this weekend with a whole host of things to share, but in the mean time, I want to share this:

But just in case you can’t get your hands on a can of PowerThirst, you can try out my mix, PowerDew!

And I actually can’t say “my”, because my cousin told me about this one at Thanksgiving. 50% blue powerade, 50% mountain dew, 100% caffeinatedly delicious.

Stuffed in the bag of goodies I have to share with you upon my return:

  • A gear review (running AND cycling!)
  • A recovery drink recipe
  • A food review
  • A giveaway!

Work them turbo puns ladies and gents! I am most definitely giving birth to a Kenyan! ;)

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
The Triathlon Rx | January 12, 2010
5 comments

The Pay It Forward remix ft. IceBreakerz

We’ll get to the title in a minute.. trust. :)

Back when I asked you guys for your #1 pump-up song for my “reader’s choice spin mix”, (keep those entries coming btw – CLICK HERE to go to that post!) my east coast homie and fellow BAMF Karyn told me I should check out this other chica’s blog, Mindful Living. So I clicked my way on over to Christina’s blog, and am SO glad I did – this girl is awesome! Not to mention we have a crazy amount in common: we’re both the same age and the youngest of sister-only families, both marathoners (and both decently fast one’s at that ;) ), both entering the health/medical field, both teach (or taught/may be teaching again soon!) spin, both are super close with our families, and we’re both lifelong athletes. And oh yeah, there’s the healthy lifestyle blogger thing underlying somewhere in there too.

Christina recently tagged me on the Beautiful Blogger award – thanks lady! I LOVE fun facts! Cmon.. think back to your college orientation weekend.. job training.. summer camp. It gives you a chance to learn something you probably wouldn’t know otherwise. Or… if you’ve been around the blog long enough, stuff you DO already know, but a nice catch-up for new readers! Following the rules of the game, you get seven of my favorite “fun facts” and in turn, I get to pick seven of YOU guys to do the same! Kind of like a Pay It Forward (gotta love H.J.O. at age twelve), and an Ice Breakers remix. :D Here we go!

  1. I have a personal mini-hardware store residing in my left hip.
    After a few months of “groin pain weird-feelings” back in the fall of 2008, and a final push from my spots med doc out east, I finally went in to have my hip x-rayed. After touring all that Boston’s medical scene had to offer, I finally wound up with a bone/hip specialist at Children’s Boston, and two diagnoses: fibrous dysplasia, and a fractured left femoral neck (a la tension side). I had surgery in December over Christmas break back in Minneapolis, and many a pool running sesh ensued. Unfortunately, surgery was not an “end-all” solution, as fibrous dysplasia isn’t something you really “cure”. I will post more on this on a later day, but I may be lookin’ at surgery #2 here soon. Biiiig bummer! :(
  2. My dad and I have matching identical tattoos.
    Haha – I cringed at the word “matching” for whatever reason. It’s not a pinky promise, but that pinky squeeze is something special my dad and I have done for as long as I can remember. It means something along the lines of  ”I’m glad I’m with you.”  We had thought long and hard about what to get, and when I thought of our special pinky squeeze, I knew it was right. We got it done before I moved to Boston and before my dad moved to Philly at Steady Tatoo. Tatted by Rodger – they took the picture of our hands together when we went in for our consult.. I think he did an awesome job! I have loved my tattoo every second since of every day since he was inkin’ it in me!
  3. I would not be a runner without my mother.
    My mom is my best friend – this we know. I’ve mentioned our occasional mother daughter runs that I love. (Especially ones sprinkled with a little Christmas!) You might not know that she is also a very accomplished runner!  My mom didn’t start running until she was out of college, but she definitely had the natural talent! She has run 22 marathons over the course of her running career, broken 3 hours twice, WON a marathon outright for the ladies, and definitely put in wayyy more miles than I have! Some of my very first runs were just a few miles long with my madre. She gave me the genes :D
  4. I am on the Triathlon Team at the U of MN.
    Check out our team page! Next up are the Collegiate National Championships down in Lubbock, Texas in April. The plan as of now is that my fractured/fibrousdysplasiaed/lisfranc’ed self will be injury free at that time, and I’ll be ready to compete!
  5. I have endometriosis.
    I have mentioned it before briefly… I have a whole long post written on it that for whatever reason I just don’t want to publish, but it’s a fact! Hahah I wouldn’t call it “fun”… but it’s part of life. Be very thankful that I didn’t pull my “endometriosis” image off of google images. Search at your own risk. Photo credit goes to a fellow blogger dealin’ with the same thing. Maybe my fun fact #5 should have been “My hot water bottle is one of my best friends.”
  6. I treat my training gear with about as much excitement and love as I would my own kids. Meet Rilo, and Gomer.



    (Sorry for the camera angle….) The day when GOMER was delivered into my hands, I knew I had a gift from God. True story – I have a permanent tan line around my bicep from this lil guy. It’s my second birth mark. :D Then, several years later when RILO came into my life, it was like a stolen child was finally returned. Hahhaha.. issues. I know.
  7. I grew up as a “minority” student. And I am sooo thankful!I went to a K-8 elementary school where over 50% of the students were native spanish speakers, 20% were african american, caucasians made up about 15%, and the remaining 15% were from different ethnicities. The school is still extremely diverse – check the stats!  Then I moved onto a high school that was also super diverse! White kids made up about 20% of the student body. I say I’m so thankful because being around so many students coming from different backgrounds, having different beliefs, different lifestyles, and different opinions taught me right off the bat that everyone in the world is DIFFERENT and that is an amazing good thing. NTM I was understanding my 2nd grade buddies from Mexico City before I ever took my first “spanish class.” :)

Alright, time to share the love chicos y chicas! TAG – you’re it!

But you can’t really put a limit on Paying it Forward.. can you? I think not. So I definitely encourage ANYONE who wants to go and give your seven fun facts to let er’ rip! Sadly, this is all I have time for, and it took me 1.5 hours on the ellip plus over an hour at home. Someone asked me how I blog while I’m working out, and I gave you a picture last time, but keep your eyes out for a live post from my steady spot on my Life Fitness elliptical, complete with play list and intervals, to come! As for now, I have a double date with my BFF and my madre. And hopefully I can see the boyfriend somewhere in there too. ;) Adios!

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
The Triathlon Rx | January 9, 2010
7 comments

Tea envy..?

(Get ready for some serious link love here my friends…! And possibly some alliteration. I’m on one of those moods. :D )

First things first, HAPPY SATURDAY! I have had a wonderful day thus far – not really sure how Sunday could top it, but giving how much I Love Sundays (throwback link!), it just might have to! Today has been filled with a seriously sweaty spin sesh, muscle sculpting on the moving mountain of stairs, a splash of core, and some very necessary stretching. I also just started the book My Sister’s Keeper – for whatever reason once something gets to that “trendy” stage, if I wasn’t hooked before it got popular I tend to avoid it completely. Which is dumb because if everyone like’s something, they all must like it for a reason, right? Biggest two examples coming to mind: Lord of the Rings and Twilight. Noo thanks. Returning to the point – My Sister’s Keeper is GOOD and I just want to read it all the time! Haha feels good to read something other than endocrine functions and muscle insertions.

Anywho, other than wishing you a happy Saturday and a lovely weekend, I wanted to wave something in your face. I know how much all of you love your Celestial Seasonings tea. Well somehow I stumbled upon this little diamond in the rough:

Yes my friends. That would be Canadian Vanilla Maple (Decaf) tea. And according to the Celestial Seasoning’s HQ, this amazing delicious fantastic tea has been DISCONTINUED!! (Insert face of horror and shock.) So how was I so lucky to score myself some? That. Is a secret. What I will tell you is it makes a pretty freaking awesome shake. Something inspired by my favorite pimped out protein chick and her many tea infused shakes…

Vanilla Maple Pumpkin Protein Shake:

Call it dessert, call it a post-workout recovery shake, call it MINE because I’m not sharing! (Haha, ok, you can have the recipe at least!)

  • 1 Vanilla Maple Celestial Seasonings tea bag (steeped in .5 cup hot water)
  • 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
  • 1/4 tsp thickening gum of your choice
  • sprinkle of love stevia
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • splash of vanilla flavoring syrup, something along the lines of Toranni’s goodness
  • iccce at your discretion (I use 4-5 regular sized cubes)

Place all ingredients (not the tea BAG.. just the tea. obvio!) in blender/bullet/VitaMonster of choice. Blend away. Pour in bowl/cup/wineglass. Covet like it’s made with holy water. Cry silent tears because you know if you actually do get your hands on this miracle tea, supplies are limited.

Um… I think that is all I wanted to share. Just a reminder to keep your ULTIMATE PUMP UP PLAY LIST submissions coming – there is a really good mix so far!! Goooood night, good night.

-E

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: ,
« Older Entries