Book Review

I recently got Joe Friel's newest book, "Your Best Triathlon," sent to me to read/review. I think Friel is great on a lot of levels, and I've learned a lot from his books/blog already, so I was excited to dig into the new book. I was impressed. He lays down a solid plan and there's a lot new, updated material too.

Overall, I think it's a must-have book for triathletes and coaches. It doesn't matter if you're self-coached or you have a coach or you're a coach who thinks you know it all (yea right), I believe you can never have enough resources when it comes to training/racing. It's important to get various perspectives, especially when it comes from a veteran coach like Friel.

Click here for my full review on EverymanTri.


Oh yea, so I'm pretty sure I said next blog would have food/recipes, but I guess I lied, sorry ;)

Life update

The word "build" has a lot of significance in my life right now. It's all starting to pile on. Training, job(s), curve balls, adult responsibilities, etc. I'm having to make choices and play tug-of-war with certain things. I'm also having to be more self-disciplined with my own training (I'm recovering from the "I go-too-hard-too-much" syndrome). Add it all up, and it's scary at times, but I say, "Bring it!" At least my eating/sleep habits are better than ever :)

On the training front, last week was my first real week in the build phase and overall it went great. I stuck to all my planned workouts except one (an optional swim, of course a swim). To sum up the week: I felt strong and happy to be knocking out the miles and reaching intensities I haven't felt in a while. Every session presented a challenge and gave a sense of extreme satisfaction.

I definitely felt terrible at certain points--in a good way of course--because I was pushing the limits/getting into Zone 5 when I needed to do so. But overall I didn't overdo it, I promise! I stayed true to recovery/EZ/moderate workouts and didn't let my HR skyrocket 24/7 just so I'd get a "really good" time/pace.

Here's the thing: As a coach, I can easily dish out "smart training," and now I'm finally starting to practice what I preach. It paid off well on Sunday, when I still felt surprisingly good during all of my 63-mile Bike + T-Run. It even paid off well this morning when I still had the energy and desire to do an hour swim instead of take the day off.

It got me to thinking, "What I was doing last year at this time?" So I busted out the 2010 log. Low and behold: I was already laying down the hammer big time in early Jan '10... arguably going too hard, too often. I think I was training out of the fear of wanting to be good--but that's totally not the case anymore! Now: I want to train because it's fun... and challenging... it's freeing... and I love it... and I want to continue loving it all the way through IMC in August and beyond.

Moving on to the "shit show" part of my life....

Whenever I'm not training/sleeping/eating, it's work work work, but I'm not rich lol. There's some R&R of course, but work can go 'round the clock. I have more jobs going on right now than I ever have had before. Part of that means I'm putting a great deal of time into managing it all. It's not a typical job life where I go to the office 8 hrs a day M-F, get a paycheck every two weeks and that's it. Nope. My jobs = 24/7. That's the life of an entrepreneur/independent contractor!! I love it, but it's tough. There's the scheduling, time management, finances, budgeting, invoices, tracking multiple incomes/expenses, IRS/tax-related stuff, bank accounts, insurance/liability, etc. Then figuring out how to do it all efficiently and not waste time or be lazy. Craziness! I wish I could hire an assistant. Did I mention school starts next week? Saaaaweet.

There's no doubt my work has increased big time since the beginning of last year, and, thus, there's no doubt it will affect my ability to train/recover in the ideal sense. Believe it or not, I love my jobs just as much as I love training so I'm not ready to give anything up yet--i.e. I won't give up "Job X" to spend more time in the pool to potentially shave 30-60 seconds off my race time. It's just not worth it to me right now. Eventually, certain jobs will be axed so I can focus on the few certain things that really matter, but I'm still trying to figure out what those things are. I have a lot of opportunities on the table and 2011 will be spent sifting through them all. Why not try it all? No regrets that way!

In the meantime, it's good to know that no matter what training and racing can be always be FUN, even an escape from reality at times, and I intend to keep it that way.

And with that, back to work so I can get make a good dinner tonight then get up and train in the morning bright & early with my client (not too early, like 8 a.m. lol).




PS - Next post: good food! Yes... recipes for those who saw my Twitter on healthy Spaghetti Stroganoff and Vitamix FroYo!!

A little motivation for tempo

Today I was transitioning from my swim to run in the pool locker room. It was going to be my first "real" tempo run of the season thus far, and my swim hadn't gone so well so I was hoping the run would be better. But to be honest, I was a little discouraged because I didn't feel that great for the effort I was going to have to give. I knew I'd have to dig deep. Thankfully, I ended up getting extra motivation just in the nick of time.

Let me back up a little first. I swim at a pool complex that includes several indoor pools used for swim lessons and swim therapy for people in rehab, people with disabilities, etc. I use the outdoor pool, which isn't used for the things I just mentioned, and it's great because I usually have the whole thing to myself (no one seems to know about this place, which why I'm not posting the name lol).

Anyways, back to today. While I was putting on my run clothes a woman started chatting with me, asking if I had swim and was going running next. I recognized her because she often says to me in passing, "Have a nice swim;" I reply with the same. She is frail and thin, but with a spark in her eyes and a warm, comforting smile on her face. Today was our first real convo. I told her my workout plans and she responded with "That's so great, I used to run marathons until..."

Long story short, this woman, now in her mid-60s, ate bad chicken in 2005, which led her to get autoimmune disease. The disease began in her lungs and spread, simply wreaking havoc on her body. Some of the symptoms she described to me sounded scary as hell -- when she first fell ill, the doctors didn't even know what was wrong! As time went on, the list of issues grew and she was forced to go on tons of medications, forever. The disease took over her body and her life. No longer was she that fit, healthy marathoner.

But as she was today, this woman is clearly not an upset and/or depressed person. She seems at peace, very optimistic and clearly is making the best of a terrible situation. She swims a mile a day at the pool and walks another hour. Her children, all grown, do marathons and even triathlons I think, and she is able to watch and support them. She could have thrown in the towel, but no. She refused to let her situation get the best of her; she's living her life.

Listening to her story as I dressed got to me. I almost started crying. Finally, as she and I parted ways, she wished me luck again. I left the locker room with a new level of motivation. I know I would've worked hard at my run regardless, but after that chat in the locker room, I had a new level of motivation.

I guess the point is: Don't take the little things for granted because you never know. I ran better today thinking about that... yea, tempo run was muy bueno!!! :)

Lastly, I'm not trying to make light of the situation, but another point to make is: Beware of chicken, where it comes from and how it's prepared! Seriously. Even she light-heartedly told me, "Watch out for that chicken!" (Um, is it just me, or does the movie Food Inc. come to mind immediately?!)

Ask me, and more!

So after taking the time to sit down and put thought into the last post, I got to thinking... I should make something of this. Next thing you know, I now have a column on EverymanTri.com in which I'll be answering all your endurance sports-related questions and beyond. Everything from training to nutrition to sports psychology to exercise physiology to racing to exercise testing.... whatever you can think of! So keep the questions coming, thanks :)

In the meantime, I wanted to share some info I was reading up on recently before bed (see what good comes when there's no TV in your room?!).....

Spices & Their Health Benefits

Disclaimer: Much of the info below comes from Nutrition News magazine, as well as a little extra research I did to find out more and check for further evidence of the purported benefits. Overall, I'm not an expert on the topic and am not saying this info is 100% guaranteed, but it's better than recommending drugs :)

Mustard Seed
-Eating just 1 teaspoon of hot mustard can boost metabolism 20-25% several hours after eating, which will burn an additional 50+ calories of a 700-cal meal.
-Rich in calcium, dietary fiber, iron, manganese, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.

Cinnamon
-About 1-1 1/2 tsp per day can increase metabolism and aid in weight loss/maintenance. A couple reasons for this: it helps reduce blood sugar and utilize glucose instead of storing it, and it can increase thermogenesis, aka heat production, causing metabolism to go up to counteract that extra heat.
-Reportedly, it can even enhance brain function! Hmmm.
-Apparently you're not supposed to consume more than 2 tsp per day; eating too much can be bad for the liver over time.

Turmeric
-The curcumin found in this spice is a strong anti-inflammatory. It can also prevent blood clots, fight infection, help with digestive and liver problems, relieve arthritis and cystic fibrosis, fight cancer, etc. And just fyi, turmeric is a safe anti-inflammatory compared to others.
-Rich in iron (2 tsp = 10% daily value)

Capsicum (Chilli/Cayenne Pepper)
-Increase endorphins, high in vitamin C
-Weight-loss aid by increasing fat oxidation and acting as appetite suppressant

Black Pepper
-Can increase metabolism by stimulating breakdown of fat cells, etc. The part of pepper that's potent for this is piperine (puh-puh-pppeeeee... enough p's? lol)
-Helps with nutrient absroption.
-Fresh ground pepper is best

Ginger
-Major antioxidant that fights free radicals and boosts immune system
-Can boost metabolism up to 20% after ingestion
-Alleviates nausea/upset stomach

Oregano
-Major antioxidant (over 40x more powerful than an apple) with anti-inflammatory properties and rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc.

Sage
-Can boost memory and brain function
-Powerful antioxidant


The list of benefits from spices and herbs goes on... but I'll leave you with this:

Spices said to help reduce flatulence (because I know all you out there in training are eating a lot and might suffer from gas every now and then lol):
Allspice
Black Pepper
Turmeric
Cloves

Strength Training Questions Answered

First off, thanks for all the nice comments/messages regarding my last post. My dad is a rockstar -- by Friday night he already had several job offers/opportunities! They love him!

Anyways, onto a long-overdo blog post that goes back to an old post and the questions associated.... Time to give some answers to Patrick, Ryan, Chloe, Aimee and anyone else who gives a sh*t ;) It's a mega post, so maybe you should read just one Q&A per day lol.

#1) Do you strength train year round? ~Patrick Mahoney

A: Yes, I strength train year-round. However, what I do varies greatly; I do different volumes and intensities of ST depending on the phase I'm in for triathlon.

Here's how it breaks down: Offseason (aka transition), prep and early base phases are the best times to hit the weights hard. It's during those times when training is more general and about increasing fitness, not triathlon-specific training. Doing ST in such phases will prepare you to dominate once your in-season ;)

Even now, in January, it's not too late to get going if you haven't already. If you're not that experienced with ST or it's been a while, start with lighter loads and generally do 3 sets of 10-15 reps. Add weight as you improve. Eventually do certain exercises with heavy loads in which you're only able to do 2-5 reps / 3-6 sets. You WANT to lift heavy weights whether you're male or female – it's that type of lifting that will increase your strength and power that will translate to the bike especially, but also run/swim – and it won't make you overly buff (watch out, I'm going to repeat this a lot).

Additionally, body-weight exercises such as pushups are great, and working on muscular endurance is good too, specifically do 2-3 sets of 12+ reps – just please don't choose such light weights that you could lift them all day without fatigue. That's a waste of time.

Then as season progresses and gets into the build and competition phases, that's when it's time to decrease ST and increase sport-specific workouts for triathlon or whatever endurance sport it is. For example, you can still do your pullups and ring rows to help your swimming but replace those ST session with more session in the water – only swimming itself will make you a better swimmer. The strength training is just an "accessory" of the sport. Not to mention, S/B/R workouts themselves can be used as ST workouts to build/maintain muscle, i.e. hill repeats, intervals, paddles during the swim.

Bottom line: a) When you're in season, do ST as maintenance, for injury-prevention and to keep from losing muscle; if you're not already ST'ing don't start a crazy new ST plan in the midst of the season in hopes of increasing muscle mass, etc. – that's a recipe for overtraining or some sort of disaster. b) In offseason/prep phases and/or after your main A race is over and you're on a break... that's when you should hit the weight room big time.

I could ramble on for hours on this topic... but I think my next to answers (esp the fourth) do a decent job at elaborating and giving more specifics as to "what to actually do in the weight room."

#2) Q: Would you agree that strength training, ideally, has a lot of compound movements/involves more than one muscle group? If we agree on that (say generally, agree, as I know there may be benefits of isolation), what are your thoughts on these? ~Ryan Denner (pt 1)

Yes, certain ST exercises are multi-joint and utilize multiple muscle groups (aka compound, total body, etc), but many are not – know the difference! Triathletes will benefit most from compound exercises, such as those that load the spine (back or front squats), Olympic lifts (cleans, jerks, push press), etc. However, learning the technique of many compound exercises is a difficult process and takes time. Make sure you're doing such exercises correctly before adding heavy weight to prevent a crazy injury – aka seek professional help.

As for single-joint isolated exercises, I generally do not recommend these unless you're in rehab, addressing a weakness and/or correcting a deficiency/imbalance. hands-down I recommend doing mostly compound/multi-joint stuff because you want to get the most bang from your buck – you don’t want to spend 5 million hours in the gym doing silly little things like wrist curls and leg extensions – yuck.

For example: doing a leg curl (single-joint isolated exercise that works hamstrings) may seem worthwhile but it’s pretty lame (and boring) in my opinion. Instead do a deadlift and work hammys, other parts of the leg, shoulders, traps and core – even arm muscles get an isometric workout.

Bottom line: When considering isolated vs. compound movements in relation to triathlon – are you every just working your bicep in triathlon? Just your quad? Just your deltoid? No!!! So why waste your time in the gym doing exercises that target just one muscle? Triathletes should do exercises that use the motions/movements you use in triathlon, and should work in multiple planes even though our sport essentially just goes in one direction (forward). That said, isolation exercises are great if you’re injured or addressing a specific issue.

#3) Q: [Should I do] Do primarily lower body training (ie. legs) before/after a swim workout (which primarily works the upper body)... Do primarily upper body strength training after a bike and/or run and/or bike/run (say that 3 times fast!) workout ~Denner (Pt 2)

Ideally, you should do strength training as a completely separate workout from endurance, but if you have to combine, try to do the bulk of ST first. Next, yes, I think targeting different areas for the ST vs. endurance is a great idea to some extent. But going back to what I just said about compound exercises, that might not always be doable....

Most my ST sessions and what I recommend to others are full body to some extent. I rarely do just upper body (UB) or just lower body (LB) or just isolation exercises. I may specifically target LB or UB in a session, but even in that case when doing multi-joint LB-specific exercises some “minor” muscle groups of the UB activate to help the “major” muscle groups (like I mentioned about deadlifts above) and vice versa. That said, your arms will probably feel better swimming if you do squats, box jumps and deadlifts rather than a crapload of pushups, pullups and slam balls beforehand.

(I combined the final two question with one answer)

#4) I'm finally getting back into the gym. It's probably been over two years since I've ventured into the world of weight lifting/classes. Anyway, do you have any good book or web site suggestions for 'triathlon friendly' workouts? I'm not trying to bulk up, but just focus on the core and to define. ~Chloe

#5) I'd like to start a strength training routine now over the winter and was wondering what type of exercises you suggest? I'm a triathlete...if that helps ~Aimee

A: Hopefully I'm not too late answering these. The most basic way to answer these questions is by saying: Do exercises that mimic the movements of the sport.

As a triathlete you’re better off choosing a handful of exercises and doing them in circuits that have 4-6 rounds and last 20-30 min, as an added bonus add in a short run (200-400m), jump rope, rowing or some cardio component lasting 1-2 min per round. Circuit training is great because it keeps your HR elevated, that aerobic training component is great for triathletes. But please, I'll say it again, just don't choose a weight that's so light you could lift it all day long – make it somewhat challenging (i.e. you're dying after anywhere from 8 to 15 reps)!

With heavy lifting, however, things change. Doing a circuit isn't the best idea because you need time to recover after each set. Heavy lifting meaning so heavy that 2-6 reps are all you can take, and it's usually a compound exercise (Oly lifts, DLs, squats, push press, etc). You NEED to “fully recover” between sets to get the most benefit and to maintain good technique – rest 30 sec to a couple minutes between sets depending on the load. For example, when I’m deadlifting 150 lbs, I probably rest a minute or so after each set.

of course, the major concern I haven't mentioned yet: "I don't want to bulk up!" Trust me, when it comes to ST, I promise that as long as your endurance training is high, you won't "bulk up," especially girls... we just don't have what it takes hormonally speaking (unless you start taking freaky supplements). Look at me, I lift pretty heavy weight very consistently and ST in general 2-3x a week. Do I look like a bodybuilder?

What will happen when an endurance athlete strength trains: The combo of ST and endurance will cause you to gain some lean muscle mass and shed fat, which will make you look more ripped and defined but not “bodybuilder buff.” Endurance training of 8+ hours a week surely prevents that. Plus, due to the wonders of physiology, endurance athletes tend to build “smaller condensed” muscles and don’t really get extreme hypertrophy like a bodybuilder (various reasons for this, and I could babble on but will stop while I’m ahead lol). As a side note: to ensure such results don’t take steroids or any weird drug/supplement and you’ll be just fine.... super sexy/ripped/powerful fine ;)

Getting into specifics:

1. I told you I'd repeat this concept a lot: If you're new to ST start off with lighter weights but don't be afraid to add on more weight and lift heavy loads as you improve – lifting heavy will directly translate to an increase in power and strength; thus, you’ll race faster, be injury resilient and be more fatigue resistant. Using weights that you can lift 100x in a row nonstop really isn’t going to do anything, and it won’t “increase endurance.” However, 100 pushups, situps or [fill-in-the-blank body-weight exercise] – that’s a different story.

2. I'm a big proponent of free weights vs. machines. Free weights add an element of balance and coordination that isn't required with machines. That said, if you're completely mew to ST, might want to start on machines and work your way to free weights.

3. Whatever your program includes, be sure to warm up with non-weighted functional movements plus light weights of the exercises you’ll be doing. Once you’re warm a routine should go in order: the hardest and/or multi-joint/total-body exercises first, then medium-level stuff and finish with the easiest exercises like situps or planks. For example: Deadlifts, knee 2 elbows, band squats, renegade rows, pushups, abmats. Harder/multi-joint/total-body exercises generally require more technique and force production, so you're best off doing those when you fresh (another reason why to ST before endurance exercise).

4. mix up your routines. Doing the same thing over and over will lead to stagnation. Don't get me wrong, I do heavy deadlifts and squats at least once a week, but my circuits, the loads, when/how much I do varies greatly (and also with the training phase).

Last but not least…

Some of my favorite ST exercises:

Lower body-specific

Deadlift (DL)*

Romanian deadlifts (RDL)*

Back squat*

Front squat*

Goodmornings*

Sumo squats (extra wide stance)

KB swings (common mistake to avoid: Arms should not rise above shoulders when thrusting the KB up. Arms should finish at a position that’s parallel with floor, NOT overhead)

*key heavy lifting exercises to increase LB power/strength

LB with or without weight:

Box jumps/step-ups

Single-leg squats and/or DLs

Glut bridge

Side leg lifts

Lunges – reverse, front, side, multi-directional, walking, etc

Split-leg lunge jumps

Lateral squat walks with resistance band just above knees

Upper body-specific

Inverted ring rows (Olympic rings or TRX)

Ring pushups

Pullups (variation: band or jump pullups – even I can’t do many “real” pullups)

Overhead slam ball

Pushups

Bent-over row with Olympic bar

Bench press

Regular and reverse fly

Med ball chest throw

Total body

Push press

Hang clean (I’m still learning these)

Split Jerk

Burpees

Inverted hamstring with reverse DB fly

Overhead squats with resistance band around whole body (essentially you stand inside “the perimeter" of the band keeping arms straight/behind the head; this one is a lot harder than it sounds)

Pushups with elevated feet (in Olympic rings or TRX)*

Pikes*

Knee-to-Elbows*

Renegade rows*

Rowing machine

Sledgehammer swings (yes, I’m serious… not practical to do at most gyms, but my gym rocks)

*extra emphasis on core

Core-specific

Planks / side planks

Abmats

KB Can Openers (lay supine, hold KB overhead and lift lifts up/lower down)

Core twist with med ball or weight

Plank march (rotate lifting each leg and/or taking steps in circle)

Overhead med ball toss + situp with partner

Bicycle situps

NOTE: the exercises I list all use free weights, body weight or bands; they ARE NOT the typical machine exercises (i.e. lat pulldowns, leg curl, etc). As a personal trainer and frequent gymgoer, I find that machines cause people to be lazy and just sit there between sets. I like a ST routine that keeps you moving and doing unique things.

For further reference, here's a great website that has detailed info on exercises of all types and the muscles they work, plus info on anatomy, exercise testing, etc... ExRx.net

Go big!

New Beginnings in my Household

Today my dad and all employees in the Annuities division at Genworth Financial were laid off -- a couple hundred, maybe more. Nothing personal, Genworth is just closing up shop on the annuities business.

Happy f'in New Year, right?

My dad has been working in the financial world since I was born, about 26 years. He's always been successful, well-respected, well-liked and at the top of whatever he does. He's never lost a job, been fired or laid off. In fact, as he's grown older he's become known in his world as the nice guy who's everyone's friend, hard-working and as loyal as they get. And he knows quite a few people after nearly three decades in the industry.

So, as you can imagine, when we got the news today it was a huge shock. You'd think someone like my dad who's a true veteran of this business would have more job security, even a tenure of sorts. Clearly not the case.

Although it's never fun to get laid off when you're the "bread-maker," he's taking it well. The rest of us are in shock but are taking it well also; staying upbeat. The good thing about my family is we're smart when it comes to savings, so we will get by and won't get kicked out on the curb.

Right away I personally got to thinking:

My first reaction was: This will be a great opportunity. I know my dad liked his job, but he didn't love what he was doing. I could just tell, whether he admitted that or not. So, instead of thinking how shitty it is to be laid off, I immediately thought how this could be the one big chance for him to do what he wants finally! I envision him pursuing one of his many passions and turning it into a career, being an entrepreneur... he'd probably do something involved in sports, something that doesn't require a suit & tie, something creative, who knows. The options are endless. My dream would be to see he and my mom go into business together and do something kick-ass and modern "ma & pop-shop" style. I know they'd make a good team.

My second reaction was: Shit, I really need to get my act together so I can fully support myself and help my family as much as I can. If I had to, right now I could be completely independent off my savings and income. I could even live on my own. It'd be a rather crappy lifestyle to some extent, but I could do it. However, OC rent prices might leave me broke by December. Anyways, point is, even though I still have one more semester in grad school, I have no problem taking on more work (if I can get it) to help my family through this time. Anyone need a coach or personal trainer? Lol.

Third reaction: Wow, the economy of today finally gave my family a blow. I should be sad, but I'm not. I'm a little pissed, but not outraged. Overall, I'm not even that upset. I guess it's just because I have tons of faith in my dad, mom, sister and myself. We're not the type who will resort to the bottle to cushion the pain ;)

Dirty hands? (Product Review)

Remember how the marshmallow test can give us insight into a child's likelihood of being successful in life? Well, today's blog topic is on a product that isn't monumental in terms of overall life well-being, but it can say something about the type of person you are. Dirty or clean? Anal or nonchalant? Sorry, there's no life-changing psychology to accompany the conclusion, but I think it's interesting stuff. (My thoughts at the end.)

Grease Monkey Wipes.

If you're not familiar here's the product in a nutshell according to their website, "Grease Monkey Wipes, a division of Kong Concepts LLC, was created by frustrated cyclists who wanted an easy, portable way to clean up after getting greasy from changing a flat tire."

The wipes are gaining popularity in the cycling world and beyond. Even NBC's Shark Tank crew found it worthy of their precious dollars.

The low down:
I had a few of these bad boys sent to me to test out and review. It was perfect timing as nasty winter weather has been leaving my bike full of dirt, grit and grime, plus I'm riding a lot more these days training for half-Ironmans and a full Ironman this year -- add all that up and I'm cleaning my ride 10 times more than usual. Not to mention, I've inevitably had a few flats recently. All that equals black, greasy hands on a regular basis and, thus, a great reason to put Monkey Wipes to use.

The wipes, which are roughly $1 each unless you buy in bulk, do an excellent job at cleaning the grease, grime and oil from your hands and even under your fingernails after you've been working on your bike -- especially great for when you're on the road and don't have soap and water to wash off. They come in a tiny flat little packet (2.5" x 4"), so they're easy to take along on rides.

Monkey Wipes are also great to use at home so you don't smudge the walls, doors or anything with black greasy grime. This is very important to me, as I live with my parents and if I were to get grease anywhere besides the garage my mom would probably chop off my head! (Not really, but she wouldn't be pleased).

Other bonuses: Monkey Wipes are all natural and made with a citrus base so you're not cleaning with harsh chemicals. Plus, they aren't solely meant to be used for cycling. You can use them if you're painting, working on the car, doing yard work, construction or any sort of dirty work.


Conclusion:
I think Grease Monkey Wipes are a great, innovative product that many cyclists will deem necessary in order to avoid greasy hands that mess up their pretty bar tape, gloves, frame or whatever they touch.

However, I personally can live without them and don't plan on purchasing more. I don't mind the occasional greasy-hands look that comes with good ol' fashion bike work. In fact, I kind of like it. Don't ask me why. But then again, I'm the girl who can't even follow through with a new year's resolution to paint her toenails.

Plus, at about $1 per wipe, Monkey Wipes are not a product I "need." I'll save those dollars for a quality post-ride meal or for my "moving-out-of-my-parents'-house" fund ;)

But that's me. You might thing these things are the greatest invention since sliced bread. In that case... There's a great deal if you buy Monkey Wipes in bulk: Get 24 wipes for $21.40 or the 30-count canister of wipes for only $4.99!



Bottom Line:
Great idea, but not something on which I'd spend my money. I can deal with the gunk and clean it later or even deal with a stain. Heck, a little grease here and there adds character. I like when I can save a buck (remember - struggling grad student here.)

However, I think a good number of people will buy the wipes in order to keep themselves and their gear clean because they invest a lot of money and time in it all, and they want everything to look nice, which is totally OK and acceptable! In that case, buy the wipes; there's nothing like them and they do the job well!

and one more for 2011...

This isn't so much a resolution rather than a realization of "why didn't I do this sooner?" I have a TV in my room that basically takes up space -- and it's not even flat screen; it's the old-school "fat" kind, so even worse! lol.

Last night out of nowhere I decided that the TV needs to go, for good. It rarely ever gets turned on; sometimes during a trainer session, but I can just use Hulu for that. Generally, I think most of what's on TV is crap anyways.

Bottom line: I have time to be watching TV in my room, then I should either be a) sleeping or b) reading c) doing something productive.


Soo, that said... anyone need a ~14" TV? It's yours for free!

New Year's Resolutions

I had two resolutions for 2010.

1) Use reusable grocery bags every time I shopped.
2) Paint my toenails.

I stuck to #1 pretty darn well, but never once did I do #2. Failed miserably. Plain toenails the whole year. Oh well, guess I'm just not good at tapping into that part of my femininity. Not going to try in 2011. I have better things to work on...

1) More travel and worldly culinary experiences.

I love going to new places and I love trying new foods, but I definitely don't do either enough. I easily get stuck in my everyday routine and won't venture out. No longer! I've had a few awesome experiences and am hungry for more. It could be a different state in the U.S. or a country on the other side of the world, bottom line: I want to see the what's out there and try different cuisines along the way.

2) Don't make excuses with my racing / take an existentialist approach to triathlon.

Battling an injury in '10 and taking sport philosophy class gave me a lot of time to think about my state of mind with triathlon. It wasn't that healthy. I often made excuses for why things went they way they did (just look at my old RRs) and, worse, I was too concerned with the outcome of a race and thus lost sight of the journey that took me to the finishline. Basically, I was unable to live in the moment and enjoy triathlon to the fullest because I feared the number on the clock at each transition and ultimately the number at the end. Yes, a certain amount of concern with time is good and drives one's competitiveness, but there's a fine line. I don't want to be that person who races in fear then tells an excuse-laden story when things don't go perfectly.

So I'm taking a new approach now: 1) Live in each moment (and enjoy it as much as I can) rather focusing on the future and/or past; 2) No excuses and no trying to justify a sub-par race result because "x-y-z" happened.

If you catch me whining and making excuses please remind me of this post lol.

Last but not least...

3) Date smarter... actually, maybe even just stay away from dating until I have my own shit figured out.

I've had trouble in the dating department for about 2.5 years now. There are many reasons for this that I'd rather not go into; although, I bet if I told some of my stories my blog would become more popular lol. I appreciate what I learn from dating and even what I learn from not dating and being single, despite the hurt that sometimes accompanies both. I believe one must date the wrong guys to truly appreciate what's right in the end. But for now, I'd rather just stay away from the whole scene because I have a lot on my personal to-do list and I'm sick of the BS. Love will happen one day, I believe that, but I'm content being on my own for now!

~~~

And with that, I'm off to go on a long bike ride to start this New Year off right!

Boulder

View of downtown Boulder from above.....
I had to fit in one last trip in 2010 and Boulder was calling my name. Multiple reasons for that...

1) I've heard such great things about Boulder from the triathlete community that inhabits the area and other friends, so it's been on my destination list for a while with the ultimate idea being: I might leave SoCal eventually and need to explore potential places to live.

2) I wanted to get in outdoor activities in real mountains away from crowds and stoplights, i.e. somewhere other than the typical SoCal scene.

4) Experience the culinary scene, of course!

5) Be part of a research experiment testing a new device that may enhance athletic performance. Cutting edge. More on that later.

6) My good friend offered me a cozy guest room to stay in and I could afford to take a few days off, so that sealed the deal!


Sunday
After four hours of bike/run that morning I grabbed my bags and was off, on too much of an adrenaline high to give into tiredness from the past week's craziness. I arrived at DIA in the dark and headed into Denver for dinner. My first culinary adventure occurred at a noodle house called Bones, where I tried bone marrow for the first time, as well as an amazing Soba noodle dish with lamb carpaccio.

For those unfamiliar, bone marrow is a nutrient-dense fatty protein served in the bone (right from the source). It's a gourmet delicacy, nutritional powerhouse and very primal, triple whammy!

Monday
The action began bright and early with a hike up Mt. Sanitas, which is a fairly steep climb that was about a 2,000-foot elevation gain from my starting point in town. Sanitas reminded me of the mountain version of Thousand Steps Beach in Laguna Beach... times 10. After making the summit, it was a quick trip down and over to Boulder Creek to explore more. All the while, I definitely felt the effects of being in altitude, but it wasn't as bad as I expected.

From the top of SanitasNotice how open space surrounds the city. That's not just by luck.
Near the bottom looking back up.

Boulder Creek (which is like night and day compared to Trabuco Creek by my house, the latter being dirty bacteria-ridden chocolate-milk-like grossness lol)

That afternoon I explored downtown Boulder with my tourguide, Allen Lim. I fell in love with the town, probably because it's the polar opposite of a place like Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, an area I truly dislike. Boulder is full of funky, cool, one-of-a-kind shops that are anything but mainstream, and the crowds are friendly too! As for the dining scene, pretty much every restaurant is also unique and offers fresh, locally harvested food that's prepared fresh and flavorful. Fresh fresh fresh. I wish I could always know the source of my food here in SoCal -- it seems so easy in a place like Boulder!

Monday night I had the privilege of eating at Frascas with Allen. This place is a must if you're in town! The place offers gourmet Northern Italian cuisine (so not the typical pizza/pasta Italian joint) and the most hospitable service ever. The most unique spin on the night was our table location -- Frascas has a new concept where they seat guests right in the kitchen where the action happens.

Our meal was six courses all paired with wine. Everything with light and in smaller portions so even though it was six plates of food, I never felt overly stuffed. Plus, it took about three hours to get through the meal -- nice and slow pacing, the way to eat.

Some highlights:

Tuesday
Cross-country skiing / dental appliance day! More on the latter later :) Anyways, thanks to plans made by AL, a group of us headed to Frisco for cross-country skiing, something that's been on my bucket list for a while! Boy, was I in for an adventure.

Before we headed out I got to witness the legendary creation of "Dr. Lim's Rice Cakes." I've been wanting to try these little morsels of amazingness forever, made by the doctor himself -- finally! Conclusion: I'm hooked. Click the link to see how these things are made. Perfect fuel for exercise.

To sum up my first experience XC skiing: I started off as a total klutz -- just going forward was a challenge haha. It was pretty funny to watch, I'm sure. Despite having years of experience snowboarding (even some downhill skiing and ice skating) I was a dud on the XC skis. I thought I'd be doomed to the mini "beginner's loop" for the day while the rest of the group went off on the trails. But I don't easily give up nor was I going to get frustrated; I just kept trying and smiling and laughing and sweating.

Allen, me and Ian MacGregor (former pro cyclist from Garmin-Slipstream)

Eventually I started getting the hang of it; well enough that I could go off onto the real trails with the group. Man, that was so fun!! Everyone said I won for "most improved" that day. Overall: total BLAST and one hell of a workout! No wonder Nordic skiers are known to have the highest VO2max around.

I skied with people who knew what they were doing... it's OK because they turned around often to make sure I was still there. I didn't mind bringing up the rear at all :)

Random chair lift... good place for a quick breather since I wasn't a very efficient and probably was working harder than the others, but in a psychotic way I didn't mind that at all :)

Tuesday afternoon was a rush to get to a dentist appointment (yes, I'm serious). But not just any appt.; this one involved observing and being part of a research experiment. The ordeal involves custom mouthpieces that might improve endurance performance. It's quite a concept, but I'll save details for a later post. It's getting some attention though, and even renowned physical therapist Kelly Starrett was around to check things out (it was quite a treat meeting Kelly, btw), as were other pro cyclists who were getting fitted for a piece, including Taylor Phinney.

My mouthpiece fitting took 2+hours. A long process; and that's just part one. As you can imagine, I was hungry after that -- I was probably still burning calories from my inefficient attempt at XC skiing -- so off to another culinary adventure: dinner at The Kitchen. Like Frascas, go to The Kitchen if you're in Boulder. Here was my main dish (talk about color, flavor and freshness):

Wednesday
My last day, so I had to get in more outdoor activity (aka sight-seeing while exercising, the only way to go!) before leaving. I bundled up and headed out for a picturesque run along Boulder Creek. Cycling, running and even walking, in my opinion, are the best ways to get to know a new area. There's so much more you see and take in vs. driving. During my whole run I was devising plans on how I could move to Boulder sooner than later ... it only took a few days to realize this place would be good for me at some point :)

Morning fuel before the run... elixir of freshly juiced veggies/fruit with protein powder and other healthy stuff + nut butter mm mmmm. Too bad I was burping broccoli on the run haha!
Chily run... but I just missed the real snow storm!
Before leaving, I had a few more stops to make including 1) Amante's for another of their excellent espresso drinks, 2) Whole Foods to pick up some of a Boulder special: Justin's Honey Almond Butter... (there's also maple, chocolate and some others... bottom line: Justin's Nut Butter might be the BEST in the world), and 3) the base of Flatirons to get what's apparently "the iconic Boulder photo."

Then back at DIA waiting for a my flight. Of course it was delayed... but I'm just thankful I made it out given the weather conditions and crazy flight situations all over the U.S.