6-gap event recap

Where do I begin?


This was, by far, the hardest, most challenging, most fun, most rewarding, most scary, most intimidating, most demanding, most mentally exhausting, most exciting thing I have ever done on the bike. Actually, keep all those thoughts and add...the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! I am still talking about the challenging climbs and still having dreams about the fast descends.
I took a day to relax my mind and body after 6-gap, before writing this blog, however, I have a feeling my mind might wander as I recap the event.
After checking out of the hotel in Norcross, GA on Sat morning, Karel and I hoped that the pouring rain would stop when we arrived in Dahlonega an hour later. I checked the radar and the rain was supposed to stop for a few hours but with the epic rain falls in GA lately, there was no stopping of rain when we arrived to the expo. Our plan was to ride the first gap of the event in order to get our legs ready for the climbs and to get me ready for the descends. I am not sure how we did it, but we managed to get in 20 miles and Neel's Gap, before it started raining again. The roads were super wet but the air was cool. Karel was way ahead of me on our test ride up Neel's gap and he joined me for the last mile or so after he climbed it.
Despite the positive sunny, 65-degree, forecast for Sunday, I had a million of excuses for not doing 6-gap (104 miles) and a few excuses for wimping out of the 3-gap (58 miles). If you want to know those excuses, you can just ask Karel since he heard me freaking out up and down Neel's gap of how NOT ready I was for this event.
When we got back to the car, I was glad that Karel convinced me to ride in order to get out those fears of the bike on mountains and to loosen up the legs for our long journey on Sunday.
After our 5:15 am breakfast on Sunday morning, and a few quick checks of the weather, Karel and I headed to the event start at Lumpkin High School. Karel recognized a lot of people from Jacksonville, from his cycling races and from our old area in Clearwater which was nice for both of us to see familiar faces in this large group ride of 2500 people.
The 6gap started at 7:30am and Karel and I, and a few other people, had the honor to be called to the line in front of the 1000-1300 other cyclists doing the 6 gap. A HUGE, gigantic THANKS to Hammer Nutrition for giving Karel and I comp entries to this event. We were so proud to represent Hammer. More than just representing Hammer, Hammer provided over $10,000 worth of products (Heed and gels at every aid station) for the event. Hammer is top of the line when it comes to sports nutrition products and Karel and I absolutely love their line of products.
The announcer made it clear that the 6-gap ride is NOT A RACE. Ok, for over 1000 of us, we would be happy to get to the finish line in one piece. However, it was clear that for about 100 guys (Karel included), they would be racing.
It was a little scary at the beginning of the ride because you have 1000+ bikes, all going in the same direction, up and down hills, heading 18 miles to Neel's gap. I knew the pack wouldn't separate until then so I just stayed calm and focused.
Around mile 10, I was near the front of the pack. I could see Karel's group (of around 30 people) in the distance. We were descending fast down a hill and all of a sudden a hear "CRASH, SLOWING, WATCH OUT". I have never been in a situation where I had to stop on an impulse so I quickly squeezed on my brakes going down hill (that's a no no) and I felt my back wheel sliding back and forth behind me. In addition to the super wet roads, I was going really fast and didn't know what to do. There was a pile of people on the ground, I was heading towards them and was scared. After finally slowing down, I biked into the bushes and the grass (better to fall there than on the concrete) and prepared myself to fall there. To my big surprise, I didn't fall. I slid right through the grass and rubbed the bushes, dodged a few bikes and kept on rolling. How in the heck did I miss that??? Maybe I do have good bike handling skills after all. The 3 guys who crashed were ok, I think, so I kept on moving. I decided to stop a bit ahead of the crash to pull out all of the twigs and leaves from my pedals, cassette and chain and I did a detailed inspection of my tires. I was covered in dirt from the wet grass but I was ready to get going. I hadn't even gotten to the first gap and already, this was an eventful ride.

When I approached Neel's gap, I was feeling good. The confidence of riding the gap with Karel on Sat was a great ego booster. I was riding with a group of guys and with my love of climbing (more like, love for rollers) I was feeling good about this climb. About half way up Neel's gap, I was still hanging on the wheels of the group of guys who I started the climb with, and it was nice to keep a steady pace up the climb. I had a few nice comments from guys around me when we were climbing but the best comment was when I had to tell a group of guys that there was a woman right behind them. Let's just say that these guys had no idea I was able to hang on their wheel and they were enjoying comparing TrainingPeaks to Sex. Yeah, not sure about that conversation but they all had a great laugh that I was listening to the whole convo. I probably pushed a bit too hard on this climb but I couldn't help it when I was really enjoying myself and feeling great with the guys. The descend was a bit scary for me because the roads were wet but overall, it was totally doable. My biggest problem with descends is not knowing what is coming next. With u-turn, switchbacks and winding roads, you really have to be on top of your game to ride fast on the downhills. I am still working on my descends but I have a long way to go before I can keep my hands off the brakes for more than 15 sec. Let's just say there was lots of feathering my brakes on every descend.
Stats of Neel's gap:
1350 feet of climbing
6.5 miles
Sections 8% grade


Jack's gap and Unicoi went by fast. Still at the early part of the ride, with sights on Hogpen to come. I had only planned on stopping once or twice to re-fill my bottles so I made my way over the two gaps and my mileage was clicking away. I found a few sections of this part of the course more challenging than Neel's gap but overall, it was manageable. I remembered a lot of the gaps from our 2007 trip to GA, but at that time, we only did a few gaps per day. Never all 6 at once.
Here's the stats of Jack's gap and Unicoi:
Jacks Gap:
989 feet
5.5 miles
1/2 mile section: 9% to 12%
Unicoi Gap:
2.5 miles
700 feet
sections: 6-8%


Oh yes, here comes the talked about Hogpen. When we were in GA, we did Hogpen from the other side. The other side is a bit steeper with sections of 18% grade but then again, we had fairly fresh legs and we weren't doing 6 gaps in one day.
There were two King of the Mountain (KOM) gaps which included Hogpen and Wolf pen. There were sensors on the ground to record our transponders (chips) when we started the climb and finished the climb, on each gap. I was very surprised when I saw the sensors in the middle of the climb because it felt like we had been climbing for a while before the climb on Hogpen actually started. Great, here I am thinking that I am already making my way up the climb and I hadn't even started the real 10K climb.
This gap was brutal. I had my chain in the smallest gear and still, I was going 5-6 miles per hour. I was swerving back and forth on the road to try to get some momentum up the 15% grade parts of the climb and welcomed any dip in the road to try to rest my legs. The climb just kept going and going and I was having a tough time moving. I just kept telling myself to keep pedaling and to not stop. I remember in 2007 when we climbed Brasstown which has a 20 and 24% section. I actually fell going up hill when I did that ride because my legs just stopped moving and I just fell to the ground into the grass. This time, there was no Brasstown but with only 60 miles completed and 44 miles to go, I convinced myself to stop at the half way aid station. I did the worst thing possible at the aid station, without even realizing it until I told Karel. I filled up my bottles!! Silly me. As I was giving myself a few minutes to try to convince myself that I can climb 3 more miles, averaging around 5-7 mph, I was putting 2 x 24 ounce bottles of fluid on my bike. Well, I think even without the extra weight I would suffer up that climb. It was like everyone was moving in slow motion up the climb.
When I saw 1000K to go I was pedaling a bit faster than before. Probably 6 mph at that point. It sure did feel fast though as I could hear people cheering and finally, I made it to the top of the climb. Really, I don't know how tour riders and Karel do cycling races on these tough climbs. Karel once did a race in Dahlonega where they had to do Wolfpen 3 times, in addition to Neel's gap and Woody's gap two times. I was thinking about Karel the whole time during my climb and I tried to think about him giving me good advice as I made my way down the Hogpen descend. The first few minutes of the Hogpen were a bit scary for me and I found myself going a bit too fast and I was not comfortable at that speed. In all honesty, I really don't think I went faster than 30 mph on the descends but with switchbacks and a few blind turns (oh-and cars and motorcycles on the raod) I was really nervous and scared and was tapping my brakes before each turn. I wanted to make it down safe but I think with a few times of practicing on descends in Dahlonega, I can really improve my 6-gap time (and confidence) on this course.
Stats on Hogpen:
1959 feet
9.6 miles (KOM was 10K)
7% avg grade
Sections: 12% to 15%
My time: 49 minutes 10K (averaging around 8 mph, including my stop at half way)



After Hogpen, I was getting close to Wolfpen, which was the second KOM part of the course. Overall, the three BIG climbs included Neel's gap, Hogpen and Wolfpen. I was so happy that I was able to get over the two big climbs but I still had 1 to go. I was so tired, my rt. quad was killing me and my body and mind were exhausted. I stopped at the aid station right before the turn onto Wolfpen and took out my phone. I was going to call Karel to pick me up. No more, I am done. When I went to call him...no cell service. Ughhh.
Well, it was good that I had no service because Wolfpen ended up being my FAVORITE climb. I loved it all. It was a small road, shaded and I loved the switchbacks. It was a short climb, but nonetheless, steep. When I made it to the top, I nearly had tears in my eyes. I made it over the big climbs and had 1 last gap to go. I was passing a lot of people on Wolfpen but then again, I was being passed as well.
Stats on Wolfpen:
1360 feet
5.9 miles
Sections: 7-11%
My time: 25 minutes 5K (averaging around 8mph)

Woody's gap was the last gap of the ride. It was smooth going up and smooth going down. The descend was enjoyable and I found that my confidence was the highest on this down hill. I hit around 40mph but I am sure I wasn't averaging that speed.
Stats on Woody's gap:
1.8 miles
355 feet
4-6% grade sections


I was looking forward to the end of the ride but that last 19 miles were long. Up and down, still with rollers and climbs to the finish. The last part of the course was beautiful and overall, the course was marked well and was really well organized and safe. In years past I heard that the last part of the course was all downhill but this year, not so much. I was alone for most of the course and near the end, I was enjoying the horse farms as I made my way up the last few climbs. I called Karel with 9 miles to go and he told me to just enjoy myself and that the hard part was overwith. Of course, he was showered and enjoying his pasta when I called and our convo was short as I was ready to get to the finish line.

Finally, I made it!!


I had tears in my eyes just thinking about all my excuses which turned into fears on the day before the race. There I was, crossing the finish line and Karel greeting me with a huge hug. He was so proud of me and I was proud of myself. This was absolutely the hardest thing of my life.
Total time on the course: 6 hours and 56 minutes
Distance: 104 miles
Average speed: 15 mph
Fastest speed: 40 mph
Time up Hogpen (10K): 49 minutes
Time up Wolfpen (5K): 25 minutes
Finish: 213 overall out of 999 finishers, 6th out of 68 women.

Karel's stats:
Total time on the course: 5 hours and 29 minutes
Average speed: 19 mph
Fastest speed: 51 mph
Time up Hogpen: 33 minutes
Time up Wolfpen: 20 minutes
Finish: 9th overall
(Karel...you are amazing!)
All of my stats were from Mountainmapper.com (In case the stats are 100% correct).
Congrats to everyone who finished and/or attempted the gaps. Hope to see everyone (and new faces) next year!!




I found this great video on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6xpBs_J7Uk

It starts getting good around 3 minutes and 50 seconds. About then, the real suffering starts.

Trek Breast Cancer Awareness Ride

Interested in participating in the Trek Breast Cancer Awareness ride on Sat October 10th? Check out the Trek website to make a donation or to join us for a 10 or 25 mile ride to support all who have been affected by breast cancer. All money goes to Breast Cancer Awareness. After the ride, join us at the beach Trek store for food and fun!


Regisration or donation

Heading to Georgia!

Bags are packed, bikes are in the car and we are off to GA. Campy has a sleepover at Beethoven's house until Mon morning and the cats will have to settle out their differences all alone this weekend. Hope our cat/fish feeder Matt doesn't mind the zoo here.
I'm wishing all the 70.3 Augusta athletes the best of luck this weekend. It looks like the weather will be beautiful for late September.
Karel and I are doing the 6 gap century (104 miles) ride in Dahlonega, GA on Sunday. We are leaving this afternoon to make our long drive up to the mountains. Tomorrow morning we will ride 2 hours and on Sunday, well, it looks like I have a long ride in (and out) of the saddle.
I've never done this event before, but Karel did it last year. I am really looking forward to a challenge and to do some climbing. The descends scare me a bit but I am a completely different rider compared to a few years ago. Karel and I, and a group of our Gearlink friends, stayed in cabins in Dahlonega and did most of the gaps that are on the 6-gap race course. However, we didn't do them all in one day. The great thing about this event is that it isn't a race. Well, for the majority of the 3000 participants, we won't be racing. As for a few of the fast guys (Karel included), they will put their cycling skills to the test and I'm sure there will be some competition of who can descend the fastest (I think Karel's max speed last year was somewhere in the 50-55mph range) and finish the course the fastest. Nope, not me. Just doing my thing, hoping that I can stay strong and finish strong...oh, and have lots of fun for the 5,6,7 hours I am out there.

If you are ever interested in the event, here's a brief description...
The Six Gap Century’s ultra challenging route takes you up and down six of the steepest climbs in the North Georgia Mountains. Test your stamina with more than 11,200 feet of vertical climbing over the 104 mile course. Elevations for the six gaps in this ride range from 1,400 feet to 3,460 feet. The toughest climb, Hogpen Gap, will test even the strongest riders, averaging a 7% grade for seven miles, with sections as steep as 15%.

The Three Gap Fifty’s alternative route offers half the gaps and half the distance, but is nevertheless a demanding and challenging course at 58 miles. Elevations range from 1,400 feet to 3,364 feet.

We are proud to present the 2nd Annual Valley Ride. This 35-mile valley option is a great introduction to the infamous Six Gap Century. Taking place in Georgia's Premier Cycling Venue, the Six Gap Valley Ride boasts some of the most scenic mountainside in the Southeast. This route will cast a special spotlight onto Yahoola Valley, Turner's Corner, and R-Ranch in the Mountains.



There is a distance for everyone and most of all, you will be challenged, and find your inner strength, no matter what course you decide to do.

Here are some pics of our trip to Dahlonega back in 2007 when we rode the gaps and watched the Tour de Georgia.









Phil Liggit is great! I was so excited to meet him.

Pre-race nutrition tips

Half of Jacksonville is racing at Augusta 70.3. OK, maybe that is an exaggeration but most of my friends are racing this Sunday. I have received several emails this week regarding nutrition prior to a 70.3 (Half Ironman distance) race. In my opinion, the information I tell athletes prior to a 70.3 race is not much different than what I would tell an athlete racing/participating in a half marathon, marathon, Olympic triathlon or 15K. Olympic and sprint distance triathlon nutrition, as well as 5K and 10K nutrition requires a bit less than the distances I mention above, but nonetheless, the concepts are similar.
Whether you are about to race in a long distance race (anything longer than 90 minutes) or training for your first long distance race, I hope you find these tips helpful and useful.

1) Don't overeat on the days leading up to the race - taper forces you to reduce your training. However, unless you consciously think about, you are likely to eat the same quantities as you did during high volume training. Keep your daily diet around 55-65% carbs, 20-30% protein (lean and low fat) and 15-20% fat during race week. Unless you were significantly losing weight on the weeks leading up to race week, you are likely consume an adequate amount of calories on a daily basis. With a reduction in training, your lack of caloric expenditure will allow you to carbo-load (store digested carbs-glycogen-in your muscles) without having to overeat.

2) Don't give into sugar cravings - with all that extra time, you may find yourself snacking on those sweets you bought after your last long weekend of training. No need to throw them away, just enjoy them after the hard work is done (after the race). Considering that all athletes should de-emphasize simple sugars (ex. sweets, ice cream, candy, deserts, bakery items, cakes, sodas), fatty foods and high calorie meals in the daily diet, focus on slow digesting carbs (complex carbs) and low fat/lean protein and healthy fats with every meal. Always add protein to your snacks and don't forget about your fruits and veggies (electrolytes!).

3) Don't forget to eat - traveling, packet pick-up, expo, photos with friends, meet and greet with tri groups, hotel check-in, bike check-in, re-pack transition bag...you got to the race venue at 10am and before you know it is 6pm and you have no idea where to go for dinner. Be sure to include 3 complete meals (around 400-550 calories) and 3-4 snacks (150-250 calories) on the day before the race and two days prior to the race. These same calorie guidelines should be followed on a daily basis to keep your blood sugar stable. Depending on your schedule on the day before the race, you may want to split up your snack calories so that you find yourself snacking (with clean hands of course) every hour or so. Apple, string cheese, granola bar, carrots, nuts/trail mix, PB&J, grapes, low fat yogurt, ripe banana, pretzels, etc. are acceptable snacking choices to keep on hand as you prepare yourself for race day.

4) - Don't go into a meal starving - Although I recommend eating around 5-6pm on the two days prior to the race, be sure not to go into any meal starving, which may cause you to overeat or not store food properly. Having a small veggie, fruit and/or protein mini-snack (around 50-100 calories) such as nuts, cheese, deli meat, apple, pear, trail mix, yogurt, milk, whey protein, hard boiled egg, carrots, celery, grapes or cottage cheese before your meal will keep your blood sugar stable when you eat your carbo-meal.

5) Don't forget to drink - keep that water bottle on hand during the race. Avoid drinking sugary drinks or energy drinks during the days leading up to the race. Don't over drink in order to make up for lost time...Do you find yourself saying "oops, only drank 20 ounces of water yesterday!!! I guess I was too busy to drink." I recommend sipping on 2 x 24-28 ounce sport bottles of water throughout mid morning and mid afternoon and including around 12 ounces water with each meal. You can start your day with coffee but finish off your caffeine fix by 1-2pm in order to ensure a good night rest (coffee or tea are fine on race day morning with breakfast). Avoid diet drinks, especially those with carbonation, which may mask the sensation of hunger, thus causing you to go long hours without eating and may throw off stable blood sugar levels.


6) Don't carbo-load on the night before the race - you will not enjoy eating a pre-race breakfast at 4am if you had a huge dinner on the night before the race. To give yourself plenty of time to digest your "carbo-meal", "carbo-load" on two nights prior to the race. Carbo-load doesn't mean calorie load so keep your meal around 500-550 calories, emphasizing complex carbs (whole grain bread, salad, steamed veggies, pasta, pizza, potato/sweet potato, rice) with lean/low fat protein (fish, chicken, tofu, cottage cheese, nuts, eggs) and healthy fat (olive oil, avocado, nuts). Everyone knows my favorite pre-race meal which is a sweet potato, bread and salad at Outback, whereas on two nights before a race I have thin crust veggie pizza. Avoid fatty and greasy food (always ask for condiments/sauces on the side and for light on the cheese) and be sure to eat foods which you have practiced before a long training session. You can eat similar foods on the night before the race, but keep your meal around 400-450 calories on the night before the race. Remind yourself that eating a lot on the day before the race will not ensure that you will have plenty of energy during the race. So long as you are eating complete and balanced meals, with a respectable amount of daily calories on the days leading up to the race, and you reduced your training volume, you will have plenty of fuel on race day. The best situation you can put your body in is if you eat the right types of foods (in the right quantities) on the two days prior to the race so that those nutrients can be properly digested and absorbed to be used on race day. The last thing you want on race day is to wake up feeling stuffed, heavy and bloated because you ate too much food.

7) Don't over or under eat on the morning of the race - depending on your race distance, pre-race nutrition will vary. However, the majority of races require around 150-400 calories before the race. For a 70.3 distance race, I recommend around 300-400 calories, 3 hours prior to the race. Do not eat at the race site, eat in your hotel/room. Nerves and excitement can disrupt digestion and may lead you with an upset stomach. Do not fear fiber, as it will be your friend when you go to the bathroom for the first (of many) times on race day morning. Oatmeal is a great way to start your morning prior to a race. However, once again, if you haven't practiced with it, eat something which you know will digest well. Plan ahead if your accommodations for the night don't accomodate your typical pre-race breakfast. You may find yourself eating oatmeal out of the coffee pot without a spoon because you brought your oatmeal but forget the spoon and bowl.
Most people don't consume enough fiber on a daily basis (recommended 25-35 grams) so unless you are trying new high fiber foods on the days leading up to the race, you don't need to worry about the runs or having GI upset during the race. You may be surprised that a large banana has more fiber (3.5g) than Apple and Cinnamon Quaker Oatmeal (2.8g) or 1 plan bagel (2.5g). Be sure to add a little protein and fat to your pre-race meal. The purpose of the pre-race meal is to top off glycogen stores, keep your blood sugar stable prior to the start and to prevent hunger during the race. Overeating before the race will NOT give you lots of energy during the race and under-eating before the race does not ensure that you will prevent GI problems during the race...or, for those aesthetically concerned, will not make you look "lean" at the race start. By balancing a little protein (PB, yogurt, egg) and fat (nuts) with your complex carbs (bagel, english muffin, oatmeal, bread, cream of wheat, granola, ripe banana) you will have a perfect balance in your body to keep you energized during the race. After breakfast, NO more solid food. You may sip on a maltodextrin sport drink (around 80-130 calories mixed in 20 ounces water), in addition to drinking 12 ounces of water with breakfast, if you do not feel like drinking only water (20 ounces) during transition set-up. For the majority of long distance races, I recommend taking in a maltodextrin gel (hammer) 15 minutes prior to race start with 4-6 ounces water. If you can't take in the whole gel, have half.

8) Don't overdo it on supplements - everyone loves the placebo affect but to save you money before the race, don't buy every supplement targeted to triathletes in order to race like the professional athlete you aspire to be. Supplements I recommend: 2 electrolyte endurolytes on the 3 days prior to the race and 2 race day morning. 2 hammer endurance aminos on the 3 days prior to the race and 2 on race day morning. 1 tsp glutamin, 1-2 hammer tissue rejuvinator OR 1 fish oil on a daily basis, but highly recommended on the 4 days prior to a race. Maltodextrin sport drink (ex. Hammer) during the race to ensure stable blood sugar during the race.

MY BIGGEST TIP FOR ATHLETES DURING LONG DISTANCE RACES!!!
9) Food does not equal immediate energy!!!!
You will have good moments, bad moments, happy moments and sad moments. You might not remember the bad moments when you set a PR but when you walk or ride through an aid station during a low moment, eating and drinking everything in site is not recommended. Whenever you have a low moment just slow down. So what if you are riding at a fast pace, chasing down an age group athlete. Who cares if people see you walking for a few minutes during the run. DO NOT add more calories if : you are lightheaded, you are bonking, you are hungry, you have a cramp, you are bloated or you feel tired. Pouring down the sport drinks and eating a gel, 15 minutes after you just had one, will not do the trick. Your body is asking you to slow down because your body is working harder than you trained it to do and/or because you are pushing harder than your nutrition intake will allow. Your body can only take in so much nutrition, at a specific heart rate, to give a steady stream of energy to the working muscles. More so, eating too much may make matters worse by causing bloating or GI upset. By slowing down, your body will quickly turn to fat for fuel. If you are running, just start walking. If you are riding, just spin the legs. Do this for a few minutes and see if the feel passes (it probably will). Next, listen to your bod and rethink your nutrition intake. Taking in 4 electrolytes per hour will not prevent cramps (I recommend 1-2 per hour) and if anything, will likely cause GI pain. If you are cramping, maybe it isn't nutrition related. Maybe your muscles are just tired and overworked. If you are lightheaded or feeling bonked, slow down, take in a sip of sport drink or a gel and give your body time to get back to its pace. Jog for a few minutes and before you know it, you will be able to get back to that sustainable HR that you forget to stay at during the race.
In long distance races, it is likely that some nutrition-related problem will occur. However, the worst situation is if your nutrition-related problem prevents you from reaching the finish line. There are many scenarios that may occur during a race that are also training related, and not nutrition related. But by planning out your nutrition prior to the race, sticking to a plan during the race and then listening to your body when situations arise, you will find yourself reaching the finish line without any major nutrition problems.


Last tip:
10)Have fun - Trust your nutrition and trust your training. The more stressed, overwhelmed and worried you feel about having "perfect" nutrition before and during the race, the more likely you will forget the little things that make a great race. Stay positive and be in the moment when it comes to your nutrition during the race. As for before the race, put your Type-A personality to good use and just race your plan and stick to your own schedule.
Good luck!!

Happy Birthday Karel!!!!

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband. The one who calms me down when my stress level is 10x100. The one who makes me laugh when my day seems blah and the one who shares my excitement when I have so much to say and just need someone to listen. And most importantly, the one who will love me unconditionally for the rest of my life.
I love you babe!!!

K - Kind
You are so kind to everyone. I never thought I would marry someone who cares about animals the way that I care about them. Although you keep me realistic that I don't have to rescue every animal that I see, you let me welcome home the special ones. Thank you for giving our fish a burial outside rather than flushing them down the toilet. Thank you for being so kind to my family, my friends and strangers. You go out of your way to help people at the Trek store and I know they love your over-the-top service.


A - Authentic
You are like no one else I have ever met. Ok, maybe the accent kind of gives it away that you aren't from the US but you are unique is your own special way. Your work ethic is amazing and I think that is due to your European upbringing. You are soft spoken when you are have things on your mind and outgoing when you are comfortable in a situation. You are incredibly funny and our close friends see that on a daily basis. You have learned many things the hard way but because you never gave up, you are excelling in so many things. You have taught me so much about myself and showed me how special you are in this world.



R - Really, really fast
The week before we met, our match maker told me that you were "really, really fast". At the time (May 2006), you were only a category 3 rider who just loved riding his bike. Now you race as a category 1 rider and you are placing top 10 in so many of your races. Cyclists in the area like when they see you on the group rides because they know the ride will be much faster than normal. Then when the ride is over, I hear whispers about how exhausted people are from trying to stay on your wheel or chase you down for an attack. Despite your 40+ hour/week work schedule (often 6-7 days per week) as the general manager of the Trek store, you still find time to put in the hours on the bike to make improvements with your training. And lastly, because you are super super fast, and I enjoy your company when I need to train, I have no choice but to work hard and to get faster, in order to be able to ride with you.





E - Eat!
You are a great eater...where does it all go?
Although you have a fit and athletic body, I think it goes unannounced how healthy you are and how much you enjoy taking good care of your body. I know you love your chocolate, wings, wine, beer and sweets but I love how you also enjoy eating your fruits and veggies. With your great appetite you are able to eat all of my creations at night and 100% of the time, clean your plate. Although we don't eat out at all when we are in Jax, I love going to new places when we travel. Thank you babe for keeping yourself so healthy so that I can enjoy many many many quality years with you.


L - LOVE
Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving my family and my friends. I couldn't imagine my life without you and I look forward to forever with you!

Introducing.....

MADISON!!!

Around late March/early February I noticed a black and white cat in the bushes in our apartment complex. I was driving to swimming at 5:15am and barely noticed her because it was dark. I didn't think much of it because there are lots of stray cats in our complex and several outside cats which stay outside their owners apartment. It's easy to notice the stray cats from the cats with owners because the stray cats usually wander around different complexes whereas the cats with owners stay in the same spots everyday. Campy knows the hiding spots for all the outdoor cats and he's gotten a few smacks from getting to close to their personal space. Campy is used to the smacks from Smudla here in our own place. Poor Campy, he never fights back, barks or attacks. In our place Campy is just in the wrong place at the wrong time and when Smudla wants to eat, Campy just turns his head for fear that Smudla will raise her paw to him. My little one just wants to be friends with everyone and Smudla LOVES to eat.

I saw this cat every now and then over the past few months but over the past 2-3 weeks, Karel and I have noticed that this black and white cat has been wandering around our complex more than normal. We didn't know if it belonged to someone near us or if it was a stray. It was just weird that this cat would just sit in our bushes by our stairs at least 3-4 times per week. This cat was really scared of us so it was hard to get close to see if it was male or female and if we thought it was clean enough to have a home. The cat was scared of me when I called for him/her but for Karel, he has a special way with cats. After a few tries of getting the cat to come to us, Karel was able to see that it was a girl.
After a few more days of seeing the cat once or twice, Karel decided to give it some food. It was meowing so loud at us when we saw her and it was hard to watch her just sit in the bushes, scared and hungry. She wasn't incredibly skinny as if she was starving but her nails were super long, as if she didn't have a home or the owners left her at the complex. We heard from our apartment manager that people often do that with their animals. Absolutely horribly and so sad. she even said she has kept 2-3 dogs and cats that were left behind.
Over the past week and a half, we fed her whenever we saw her. We probably saw her 3-4 times over the past week and a half and we mostly saw her in the early morning and late evening. We thought that it this cat had a home, shouldn't she be out during the day and at home at night? I don't believe in letting cats out so for me, I was just assuming that the owner (if there was one) didn't care about this cat.
Last Wednesday I put up fliers at out complex with a picture of her and the words
"Is this your cat? If so, please email me (with my email). If not, I'd like to find her a good home".
I didn't receive any emails so we decided this cat had no home.
Karel and I didn't know what to do on Thurs and Friday because this cat would follow us up 3 flights of stairs (a little scared with each step) and try to get in our apartment. I had never seen such a thing before. We let her inside one time but I didn't want any fleas in our place. Also, with two animals already in our place, I wasn't sure if this was a good idea to have another animal just stopping by. It was hard on both Karel and myself to say good night to her when we had her in our place because it was about to rain and she was just insisting that she needed to stay with us.
If I had a house, I would probably have a lot of stray animals. I don't think of pets as major responsibilities taking up my time. The love I get from animals makes it effortless to take care of them.
Friday and Saturday were hard for us. We thought about her all the time. We gave her the name Madison on Wed when we put up the fliers. We both thought that her spots reminded us of a cow. Karel got me this cute Cow mug (with spots on it) from Wisconsin when he went to Trek World in 2008 so we decided on Madison (although she isn't from Wisconsin). Anytime Karel or myself were away from our place, we would call each other and ask "did you see Madison today?"
All last week (wed, thurs, fri and sat) Madison sat outside our place, in the bushes waiting for us to get home. She waited for us to wake up and waited for us to take Campy outside. She was very friendly to Campy and always listened for his rabies tag on his leash to make noise. She always knew when we were coming outside. On Friday night, we looked outside out bedroom window and saw Madison in the bushes. It was so hard to see her out there because we had gotten attached to her. It wasn't an option if we were going to keep her or find her a home. If we took her in our place, we would keep her.
On Sat evening, when Karel got home from work, we were eating dinner and he asked me if I saw Madison this afternoon. I didn't see her when I walked Campy but I saw her early in the morning. After dinner, as I was putting on Campy's leash, Karel looked at me before I walked out the door and said "Hey babe, if you see Madison, tell her she can come home now." I looked at him and said "Sounds good".
Campy and I walked all around the complex looking for Madison. I was yelling her name and Campy was a little confused, but still doing a great job looking for her. I didn't see her anywhere until we were about to walk up the stairs and Campy starts pulling hard on his leash. In the bushes, here comes Madison. I told Madison to come with me, and she did. Up 3 flights of stairs, Madison followed Campy and me and as I opened the door, Madison came inside and I told Karel that Madison was home.
Madison made herself at home very quickly and although Smudla wanted nothing of it (Smudla doesn't like any other cat or dog in her space. This is her apartment, we just pay the rent). She hissed at Madison but Madison wanted to be her friend. Campy loved her instantly and Madison rubbed herself all over Campy. I was trying to be compassionate but in my head I was just thinking about all the germs that were getting in our place.
We took Madison into the bathroom and it was time to clean her up. She got a bath with flea shampoo, she got her nails cut and she got a pretty pink color. Sadly for Smudla, she got a bath as well. Campy was due for his monthly flea stuff so within an hour of getting Madison, everyone was clean.
As for the rest of Saturday, it just felt right. Madison cuddled up to Karel and I (she went back and forth between us, curling in a ball) and cleaned herself and napped. She would sleep for a few minutes, then clean herself. We could tell she was happy to be under a roof, well feed and with clean drinking water. On Sunday, it was clear that campy and Madison will be great friends. They already love each other and Madison loves rubbing her head on Campy's body. Smudla is doing better than we thought and still has a great appetite and still hangs out with us when she isn't sleeping (which is only a few hours during the day).
Karel and I don't feel like we didn't anything special. It just feels right. Here we are with 3 fish tanks (55 gallon, 38 gallon, 20 gallon), 2 cats and a dog in our apartment... and well, it just feels right. Another cat off the street and in a loving home.
*It's so cute watching her discover everything in our place. First it was the fish tank and now it is the printer. She doesn't meow, she isn't annoying and she isn't mean. She is just thankful to get some rest.


Our two rescue animals (Smudla is a rescue cat as well, but she wants nothing to do with pictures right now)

Potato Latka's

L'Shana Tova!!! You don't have to be Jewish to "have a good year". So to all my Jewish friends out there, enjoy the holiday!
My mom would make my brother and me potato Latka's around the Hanukkah holiday but you can't go wrong with a potato pancake any time of the year..and you don't have to be Jewish to enjoy one! Plus, with my sour cream dip that I made the other day (previous post), I had the perfect topping for our pancakes.
To balance the carbs from the potato, I cooked up my favorite mixture of veggies (if you haven't noticed through previous blogs that I could eat this mixture every day for the rest of my life) which included green peppers, corn, mushrooms and onions, as well as tofu.
Since I love chopping, shredding and dicing I used a large potato for my recipe. However, you can absolutely use frozen unseasoned hashbrowns (shredded) if you want to decrease the prep time for this meal.
I think potato pancakes are a great way for the meat and potato eater to enjoy something different, without an excess of fat and calories (respectively). Along side the potato pancakes you could do grilled chicken, deli ham, a veggie burger or scrambled (or sunny side up) eggs. Pick a lean protein to go with your potato pancakes and you don't have to fear those scary carbs that you may be avoiding because you fear they may cause you to get fat.
Did you know that a medium baked potato has 5 grams of fiber and 140 calories?
Now, I know that the health-conscious athlete that you are, looking to lose or maintain weight, would never give up your morning oatmeal which is proved to have positive effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Did you know that 1/2 cup oatmeal has 150 calories and 4 grams fiber?
You could do this meal in the morning for breakfast or for dinner...I hope you enjoy every bite!!!

Potato Latka's (pancakes)
(makes 5 large pancakes)
1 large potato (shredded)
2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
1/4 cup onion (diced)
1 egg
1/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika (about 1-2 tsp each)

1) After shredding potato, add garlic, onion and seasonings. Mix together (I mixed together on the plate I was using to shred but you can use a bowl).
2) Add egg and mix well.
3) Slowly add flour as you are mixing with a fork. Your mixture should be easy to mix together so stop adding flour if mixture gets clumpy. However, if mixture is too runny to stick together when you finish adding 1/4 cup flour, add a little more by spoonful.
4) On a medium heat skillet, spray pan with 1-2 quick squirts of non-stick spray.
5) Take 1 big spoonful of potato mixture and form into a pancake with clean hands. Let cook on skillet until the pancake is golden brown and able to flip without braking in half. Before flipping, spray each pancake with 1 squirt of non stick spray.

Did you know:
Healthy fats (nuts, olive oil, avocado) should be included with every meal, especially when eating veggies. Many nutrients in veggies aren't efficiently absorbed in the body after digestion unless fat is added to the meal. Veggies which contain fat soluble nutrients require fat for absorption. Veggies which are rich in beta carotene, vitamin E and vitamin D will be better absorbed with olive oil than when eaten alone.
You don't need a lot of fat with the meal. A few nuts (10-15), 1/2 tbsp olive oil or 1/2 avocado will do the trick. Choose flax seeds or olive oil, rather than full-fat dressing if you want to add fat to salads. Remember, healthy fats are the key to a healthy heart!
*You will notice that I generally use olive oil when I cook veggies.

Sour cream dip

Are you a dip eater? Chips, pita chips, veggies, fruit....bring on the dip! How about spreads? Can you eat a wrap or a sandwich without your favorite condiment? Do you enjoy a little topping on your baked potato, enchilada, wrap or salad?

Here's a super easy (and cheap!) dip that I put together the other night. Karel makes sandwiches every day for lunch (usually with our panini maker) and I knew he would love a spread for his panini's. Here are some other ways you can use this dip:
1) Top baked potato
2) Top potato pancakes
3) Top omelets
4) Dip for veggies
5) Dip for pita chips (portion control with chips)
6) Stir in with veggie stir-fry
7) Top tofu
8) Spread for sandwiches
9) Dollop in soup
10) Topping for stuffed peppers or grilled veggies
11) Topping on fish or grilled meat
Any other ideas?


Sour cream dip

1 container fat-free sour cream
1/4-1/3 cup chopped jalapenos (you can also use green or red peppers or onions)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup Parmesean cheese (fresh either in container or shredded in bag)
Extra's: pepper, cayenne pepper

1) Mix together sour cream, jalapenos, garlic and Parmesan cheese in Tupperware container.
2) Add extra spices. Mix well and refrigerate.






And for your enjoyment a cute pic of Campy all warm and dry and then one of him after watching Karel's cycling race in the rain.

Off-season training

I love the off-season. I count down the days to my last race of the season but I also count down the days until I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want. Although the first few weeks are tough when I'm so conditioned to following a schedule (Mon = easy swim, Tues = interval bike + run, Wed = swim, run, etc.) I really enjoy just exercising and not training. Since my last triathlon race usually falls between Aug and Oct, I typically use Oct, Nov and Dec. as my active recovery phase. During this time I am usually training for running races (since running season falls from Nov-March in Florida). Come January, I start building my base for the upcoming tri season and I always enjoy this build phase because without it, I would be lost when I start my second phase of training in March which includes intervals and threshold training.
I always go back this article I wrote in Hammer Enduranec News 57 when I talk about the off-season. I really put a lot of time and effort into this article and I hope you enjoy reading it for the first time as much as I enjoy reading it for the millionth time.

http://www.emdesports.com/endurancenews_57.pdf
*pg 16

I'm very jealous for those who get to cross country ski, snowboard/ski or partake in snow sports in the winter time. However, for those who can workout outdoors (or indoors) during the winter time, I'll share my choice of exercises in the off-season:
1) Elliptical - I first thought I was too uncoordinated to do this but I love the butt workout it gives me. I don't get my HR up as high as running but I can defiantly feel the burn on my legs. It is also great for me right now as I re-build my strength in my legs, hip and butt from my pre-IMKY injury.
2) Weight training - I Love weight training. I don't go all-out when I'm in the weight room but 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps gives me a great feeling when I am finished. I enjoy making up exercises and I rarely use machines. You will see me stepping up on benches, using the Bosu for squats and bicep curls, doing single leg squats with free weights and using ankle straps to work my adductors and abductors. I also use the bosu and stability ball for most of my abdominal exercises. I recommend the New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift like a man, look like a goddess.
My good friend Cassandra wrote this book (along with Women's Health: the perfect body diet) and I recommend it for everyone who is a little intimated (or clueless) in the weight room.
I am also a big proponent of plyometrics so I will start doing these in Oct.
3) Small chain ring - Karel is super big on this and I can tell you, it works. I am a big gear pusher. I love my big chain ring. It just wears me out to ride in my small chain ring cause I can't spin my legs that fast. However, I enjoy spending the off-season in my small chain ring (except when I ride in groups) and really working on those fast-twitch fibers that aren't as efficient as my slow twitch fibers and less in quantity. Because I don't recommend anaerobic training in the first few weeks (or first month) of your off-season, I find that I can still keep my heart rate under control while spinning in the small chain ring.
4) Putting up my tri bike - the other day, my coach told me "road biking is fun, triathlon biking is work". I totally agree. Although I love riding my tri bike, I have so much fun riding a different bike than I am use to training on during the summer. My tri bike stays on the wall in our "bike room" from my last key race until Jan. I won't get on it for at least 3 months and I ride my road bike all the time. I also try to commute a lot more on my road bike such as riding to the Trek store to bring Karel lunch. As for Karel, cycling season is usually March - Sept. Since Karel has no other sport to train for he alternates his road bike for mountain bike and enjoys racing MTB in the fall. This is another option for those who enjoy getting a full body workout and getting a bit dirty.

So many choices

A big problem I find with couples is that one person prefers x-food and the other person prefers y-food for dinner. Rather than preparing x or y, one person compromises and generally, it is the person who is trying to lose weight. I think a common problem for men and women (generally women) in relationships is that the person trying to lose weight is so focused on clearing the house of the "bad" foods and tries very hard to prepare and eat the "right" foods but the other person is not supportive or does not need to change his/her diet and the house becomes uncomfortable when it comes to meal time. The same thing often occurs in the work environment where co-workers do not support your "healthy" lifestyle nor your choice for healthy eating.
My first question for the x-eater (unhealthy eater) is whether or not it is important to reduce risk for disease, improve quality of life, see your kids'd kids grow up and improve body composition? If you answered yes to one of those questions, then it is time to start cleaning up the diet. As for the person who tries to eat healthy, I do not want you to eliminate foods in the diet. For every high sugar, high fat or high calorie food that you tend to "binge" on (overeat), eat uncontrollably or go-to when you have a craving, replace that food rather than eliminate it. No matter how healthy we eat, we all (including me) have a food which we generally go-to when we should be eating something a bit more healthy such as fruits or veggies.
Now, just because you eliminate a food, you are not guaranteeing yourself that all cravings will be removed without that food in the house. You may find yourself overeating another food (one that you once were able to control when eating it) or you may find yourself eating more calories than necessary at your meals because you just want to feel full to avoid feeling hungry without your go-to unhealthy food in the house. Secondly, as you are preparing healthy meals, it is important that you do not feel like you are alone when trying to prepare these healthy meals or that you have to eat alone when choosing to eat those healthy meals.
There are many times when Karel and I eat completely separate meals but most times I prepare foods for both of us but in different portions. No matter what I have in our house, our food choices are healthy for both of us and can be eaten at anytime. If you are providing your family foods which you are avoiding (ex. kid snacks, donuts, frozen dinners) then re-evaluate those food choices. Remember, you and your family should eat similar foods but different portions depending on your training/exercise volume and dietary requirements.
I prepared a meal that can be eaten in many different ways for any person looking to lose weight, maintain weight or just eat healthier.
Here are my suggestions for the following meal (and examples):
*of course, it is important to eat 2 additional balanced meals of 400-500 calories during the day and 3-5 healthy snacks at 125-225 calories before and after meals.
1) Stuffed pepper and sweet potato - person who had a 60-90 minute workout that day.
2) Lettuce wrap w/ veggie stuffings + piece of bread- person who wants a light, late night dinner and/or worked out less than 60 minutes
3) Stuffed pepper + piece of bread or sweet potato + lettuce wrap - person who had a 90+ min. workout or gearing up for a high volume workout tomorrow
4) Stuffed green pepper + Lettuce wrap w/ veggie stuffings - Non workout day, ending the day with a quality meal.
5) Lettuce wrap w/ veggie stuffing + sweet potato - Non workout day, ending the day with a quality meal




*Stuffings for stuffed pepper and lettuce wrap: cook 1 veggie burger, 1/3 container firm tofu (cubes), black beans, 1 large (or 2 small) vine tomatoes (cut in chunks), 1/3 cup corn and 1/4 cup sliced onions on skillet in 1/2 tbsp olive oil on medium heat until golden brown
*To assemble pepper, scoop out inside after cutting off top of pepper. If the pepper breaks, no worries just make 2 open face stuffed peppers. Place 1 spoonful salsa or marinara sauce in bottom of pepper and scoop in a few spoonfuls of stuffing in pepper. Use extra veggies on your choice of a very leafy dark green.
*You can substitute your choice of lean meat or fish for the insides of the stuffed pepper in exchange for the veggie burger if you want a non-vegetarian meal.
*On my sweet potato, I like cinnamon, raisins and a drizzle of honey.

Vegetarian Macaroni Pie

This has to be one of my favorite "creations" that I have put together. It came out super yummy and Karel didn't even mind that it was vegetarian. Lucky for me, he eats whatever I prepare for him, which is something creative every night.
When you are in the mood for pizza, pasta or both, use this recipe to satisfy all your carbohydrate cravings. The healthy serving of pasta in this pie is matched with lots of veggies and you will find plenty of protein in this recipe. Most of all, I think this meal is total comfort food and without tons of calories and fat, you can feel absolutely healthy with every bite.
Enjoy!

Vegetarian Macaroni Pie
*To make this non-vegetarian, keep the tofu but add 1 cup ground turkey or your choice of lean meat. To keep with the vegetarian recipe, you can also add 1 cup vegetarian Boca crumbles with the tofu mixture.

1 cup macaroni noodles
1 egg
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup each sliced veggies: green peppers, mushrooms, onions, roma tomatoes
1/2 can chili beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 container firm tofu (crumble)
1 1/2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp hot sauce
Pepper
Marinara sauce
Shredded cheese

1. Cook Macaroni to package directions until al dente (slightly firm). Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. As noodles are cooking, cook sliced veggies in 1/2 tbsp olive oil, seasoned with pepper. Cook on medium heat until veggies are soft. Turn off heat and cover until macaroni noodles are cooked.
3. As veggies and noodles are cooking, combine crumbled tofu, garlic, hot sauce, Parmesan and beans in a bowl. Mix with fork.
4. When noodles are cooked, empty water and pour noodles back in pot.
5. After noodles cool for 2-3 minutes, add 1 egg and stir until egg is mixed thoroughly in noodles.
6. In a round deep baking dish, sprayed with non stick spray (especially on sides), place noodles in pan and press with spoon or spatula. Push noodles to the sides of the pan so that the sides of the pan are half-way covered in macaroni.
7. Place bean and tofu mixture on noodles and carefully spread with spoon.
8. On top of beans and tofu, place veggie mixture.
9. Top with 2-3 spoonfuls marinara sauce.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until noodles on side of pan are slightly golden brown. When pie is finished cooking, turn off heat, top with a small handful of shredded cheese and let the pie sit in oven for 3-5 additional minutes.

*Serve with green side salad w/ carrots, mandarin oranges, grapes and peanuts.