Long run, lucky Chihuahua

What a LONG Friday...but hey, I can't complain. I choose my life and I wouldn't want it any other way.
I was crunched for time on Fri so that I could be at the beach by 9:45am (25 min. drive with no traffic) for our first of 4 clients at my preceptor's private practice office.
My alarm went off at 4:20am and I prepared my coffee and headed to the gym. I made a graham cracker w/ PB for after my swim so that I could fuel for my bike. I ran 1.5 miles on the treadmill as I waited for the pool to open at 5:15 and during my 2500 yrd swim I sipped on 1 scoop hammer heed w/ water.
My swim main set: 20 x 100's w/ 1 min break after every 5. 1-5 on 1:25, 5-10 on 1:20, 11-15 on 1:25, 16-20 on 1:20. My swimming is quite where I'd like it to be right now so I think I need to continue swimming 3 times a week and dedicating 1 day a week to intervals like this workout.
After my swim I quickly changed, said hi to my swimming buddies who were getting ready for master swim and headed home.
I had on schedule for a 3 mile run after my bike but I needed to change things around because of time constraints. As soon as I got home I took Campy on an early morning 1 mile run which gave me 2.5 miles of running. I'm cool with that. Sometimes we just need to do what we need to do to feel like a workout is quality and not just about quantity.
After my run I was on the trainer for the last part of my swim-bike-run workout (obviously not in that order). 1 hr and 55 min on the trainer with tempo work.
Main set2x's (10 min @ 130 watts, 5 min @ 145-150 watts, 10 min @ 130 watts, 5 min @ 145-150 watts). 10 min recovery.
After the workout, I did my exercises, showered and got ready (super fast) and had a big glass of milk w/ glutamine (1 tsp). Made a big beautiful bowl of fruit w/ oats, warmed it up and hit the road.

After interning all day I headed home around 5pm and packed up the car. By 7pm Karel, Campy and I were out the Trek store door, on our way to New Port Richey to visit my parents.

This morning Karel did a training crit race in Tampa and I stayed local at my parents and did my long run.
I have to say that I was a bit worried about this run because this week has been a busy interning and training week but happily, the run exceeded my expectations and mentally and physically, I feel stronger than ever before.
Stats for my long, HOT, run which started at 7:30am.
2 hours and 12 minutes
16.02 miles
Pace 8:17 min/mile
Mile splits:
1: 8:17
2: 8:02
3: 8:14
4: 7:56
5: 8:17
6: 8:01
7: 8:15
8: 8:06
9: 8:23
10: 8:25 (break to refill my flasks)
11: 8:15
12: 8:23
13: 8:33 (wow-got really really hot outside!!)
14: 8:31
15: 8:25
16: 8:25

My plan was to do the first 10 miles as 1 mile comfy and 1 mile a little harder than comfy. It worked out well. I took an endurance amino and anti fatigue cap (hammer products) every 4 miles and sipped on my fluids every 1-2 miles (1 1/2 scoops hammer heed mixed in 24 ounces water and then poured into my flasks). I took in 2 gels (1/2 gel at mile 7, 1/2 at mile 9. 1/2 gel at mile 12, 1/2 gel at 14) and my leg didn't really bother me which is a great feeling with 6 weeks to go until race day.

After the run....my furry little one greeted my sweaty self with a few kisses and then we hit the pool to cool-off.

What a life Campy...what a life.

Almost Half way

I'm nearing the end of my third week of Community Nutrition and I can't believe I only have 5 more weeks (and 2 days) to go!! Who would have thought that 272 hours of "education" could be so much fun.
I have to say, this internship is keeping me on my toes. I am always brainstorming, learning new information and checking off tasks on my to-do/checklist. I have several dozen assignments for my community nutrition course and although several overlap with each other, I am constantly thinking about my next assignment. I'll be honest, giving a type-A athlete/student the entire list of requirements on the first day of a rotation is a horrible idea. I am not a procrastinator and I hate being late for anything. Therefore, I often feel tension inside my body that I need to get everything done in one day. Well, I'm doing really well with my stress and I have to say, I am really enjoying taking this internship one day at a time. I have quizzes, readings and to-do's on a weekly basis so there is always something to keep me busy and creatively thinking. I am in LOVE with the Professional Version of Windows Office 2010 so I am not finding it difficult to create educational materials for the community.
This week was very educational. Mon I was at Hospice, learning more about food service and the kitchen. After a few hours of learning about meal planning for Hospice patients (I almost wrote Pt's...I feel like an RD!!) we spent much of the afternoon doing a chart for a new patient with a G-tube (feeding tube). I really learned a lot in one day and it was just a preview of rotations to come!
Tues and Wed were busy as I worked on a huge project that I put together for the Unison Facility employees here in Jacksonville. My project is called "Healthy and Balanced Living", similar to my power point presentation last week. I just sent out the pre-assessment, questionnaire and 1 day food log and finished up my lesson plans for the next 3 weeks. Not only am I a dietitian in training but a teacher! I also finished my educational material for week 1 of my project where I will be teaching the participants of my project about macronutrients, food groups and portions. I also created a grocery list for everyone. I hope that this isn't a short-term project because I would love to see other companies using my materials to improve the wellness of corporate employees.
Today was a full morning of chart notes at the Center for Living in St. Augustine. I feel much more confident with my chart notes and I am really getting the hang of things. We had planned lunch-out today so after our morning snack of fruit (which followed my breakfast of warm oats, nuts and berries) we headed to The Present Moment Cafe for an organic, raw food lunch.
http://www.thepresentmomentcafe.com/about/our-philosophy/

My preceptor and I both ordered the same thing....The Sunshine burger!
Open-faced walnut, sunflower, almond, and carrot zucchini burger served over a slice of tomato and dripping with cashew “provolone”. Topped with caramelized onions and served with salad, pickle and chips.



It isn't that often that I can say "I'd like to have the burger".
The food was super yummy but all I could think about was "how can I make this a Marni Creation at home?"

I am not planning on going raw with this recipe but I think I can create a great burger with similar ingredients. I always love a cooking challenge.


How are my workouts going, you ask?
FANTASTIC!!! Last week was just what I needed to recover, refocus and refuel. 6 1/2 more weeks until IMWI!!!
Mon - 45 min endurance swim (30 min continuous swim + 15 min continuous swim) follower by a 1:15 trainer bike (endurance and tempo intervals- great way to start my week!)
Tues - 2 hr trainer bike (over/under intervals and catching up on reality shows on my DVR) followed by a 1.75 mile Campy run (8:40 min/mile pace) and then a 4 mile solo run (7:43 min/mile pace). Light hip/core work afterwards, then icing.
Wed - 8.7 mile, 1 hr and 8 min treadmill run:
Main set: 3x (3x3 min @ 7.8mph, 1 min @ 8.3mph)...3 min recovery after the 12 min. set). 4000 yrd swim to follow (6 x 400's).
Stretching and light strength, quickly after run...late to swim :(
Thurs - OFF!!! WAHOO. Stretched in the morning and early evening.

5, 10, 25 min. meals - Creations

The most common complaint about a healthy and balanced diet is "not enough time". I realize that we are all busy. For the last 3 weeks I have worked on balancing my Ironman+dietetic internship life with the rest of the responsibilities of life. However, despite being up at 4:30am (most mornings) and staying busy until bedtime (around 9-9:30pm) I really enjoy planning and preparing my meals. I love lunchtime with my preceptor because I love sitting down to food that I prepared at home. I love snacking on healthy food during the day and I love starting and finishing my day with wholesome foods.
Understanding that we are all busy, I don't quite understand why people don't prioritize home-cooked meals. I'm not talking 3-course meals....a PB&J sandwich is still "home-cooked" in my eyes. I could imagine that the thought of being "lazy" doesn't cross your mind when it comes to planning and preparing healthy and balanced meals. It's likely that you are out running, swimming, biking or at the gym and well, just don't have the energy or time to prepare a meal.
I think we need a shift in priorities. If you are spending the time working out or training but don't prioritize a recovery or balanced meal, what's the point of training or exercising? Obviously there are many benefits of exercising but there comes a point in an exercise routine when the workouts become easier, the body becomes more efficient and you are required to boost the intensity and volume in your exercise routine. At this point, the lightbulb should turn on and you should instantly realize that it is necessary to fuel and refuel for your workouts with wholesome foods in an effort to get stronger and/or faster.
The media does a really good job of pressuring us to be perfect and to do everything. We are overwhelmed with information on "eat this/not that" and when it comes to healthy eating, we almost feel is if the basics of eating healthy is meaningless in a world of "health-claimed" products/foods.
Healthy and balanced eating does not need to be expensive, does not need to be time-consuming and does not need to be boring. Believe me, I don't have money to waste on pricey food. I am about to pay my first tuition (out of three) for my community nutrition rotation....$4600!!! OUCH. However, there is no price on putting healthy food in my body so I just have to be a little creative when it comes to planning my meals and snacks.

Veggie-packed Casserole - Creations

Last Wed, as I was driving home from interning, I was thinking about what to make for dinner. Hummmm, everything in my place sounded good but I had so much to do that evening, I needed something simple. Likely, I would need to use my oven.
So, I decided to throw it all together and make a jammed-packed veggie casserole. Casseroles are great when you don't know what to make, you have a lot of several foods and you want to have leftovers. I used a bulk of my fresh veggies, a few cans of veggies and a few other ingredients and I had meals for the next 3 days!
The great thing about this casserole is that it can go with anything! You can serve it with eggs for breakfast, you can stuff a wrap with it for lunch, or you could have it with your choice of protein and salad, for dinner.

Lovely weekend

On Sat evening, Karel and I were invited to the Ponte Vedra Club and Lodge, 2nd annual Tour de France wine and food event.
On behalf of the Trek store, Karel brought in several beautiful bikes (including a project one, madone 6.5, speed concept and a few others) as well as clothing, shoes and helmets. The room looked amazing and Karel did a great job (although I'm not surprised) making the bikes become the spotlights of the room. We met a lot of people and Karel impressed many people with his knowledge of all-things bike, tour and gear-related. Although 90% of the food was not vegetarian friendly, I enjoyed several plates of cheese, figs, fruit and bread as well as a super delicious truffle and asparagus creamy soup. YUM! Although I don't drink, I sipped from each of Karel's wine glasses to taste each wine. Karel had a great time tasting all of the food (except the oyster's, he said he's not a fan) and we enjoyed spending a little time together...something we haven't done in a LONG time.
Our friend David M. is the manager of the Lodge and he put on a great event. I can't wait until next year! We stayed at the Lodge last Oct for our 1 year anniversary and it was an amazing experience!

My run on Sun was so relaxing. 7.5 miles (1 hour) alone and then 2 miles with Campy. He was speedy from the start so I made sure to keep him hydrated with my fuel belt. He did pretty well until about 1/2 mile to go so we slowed it down and our run became walk/jog. What a trooper.
After a quick grocery shop for the week, I couldn't resist taking a few pics of Campy. He was looking so adorable all day long.

Work hard, Play hard

REST A LOT!

I suppose that is my new motto...WORK, PLAY, REST.
I needed this planned recovery week with my IM training because I really wanted to knock out a handful of assignments for my dietetic program.
Each rotation (community, food service, clinical) I am required to complete several dozen assignments and projects. Some are more time-consuming than others. Throughout the course of my community rotation, I will be completing a project that involves the community.
After participating at the Unison Health fair on Tues, I was planning on speaking at the Lunch n' Learn on Fri at Unison. After finding out that I could do a power point and handout educational material at my talk, I spent Tues and Wed evening (after interning all day) as well as all of Thurs (my off day since I am required by my school to take 1 day a week to work on projects and not "intern") creating my powerpoint and designing a pamphlet.
I have always been a creative person but I have to say that I have fallen in LOVE with Microsoft Office 2010, the professional version. My creative juices were flowing and the new Office makes my life SO much easier.
I had a BLAST spending a good 10+ hrs on my power point presentation as well as my pamphlet and based on the comments after my talk (and the evaluation that I handed out to the employees) I think it all worked out. I also had everyone fill out the questionnaire that was posted on my blog and I received some great comments (although I have to say, only a few of the Unison forms were as detailed as the comments from my fabulous blog readers :)
I will be spending all of Aug working with a large handful of the Unison employees on their diets and hopefully encouraging my participants to support a more plant-based diet. This will be a lot of work but I'm excited to see the results.
I really enjoyed speaking to this group. Everyone was really nice and seemed really interested in making some healthy and balanced changes.










The workouts have been easy-cheesy this week. Just enough to keep me entertained since I truely love to exercise. Mon was off but that worked out well since I had to drive 44 miles to St. Augustine at 7:30am. After my BIG weekend last weekend, I needed some SLEEP!
Tues was an easy 1:15 spin on the trainer and I enjoyed catching up with some reality shows on my DVR. After the spin was a walk with Campy and then all day at the health fair.
My normal wed tempo run was replaced by strength training/core and I followed that 20 min. session with a good 4000 yrd swim. After breakfast I spent the day at the University of North Florida.
Thurs is typically an off/active recovery day but I choose to run. I decided to remove a few runs on Tues and Wed in an effort to ensure 100% recovery from my 18-mile run on Sun. 18 miles is a long way to run and after all that stress on my body, I just didn't want to risk an injury by squeezing in a 2-6 mile run. All I had to tell myself was that there would be plenty of more times to run in the next few weeks and that was enough to keep me balanced and enjoying my recovery week.
After an interval-ish 6 mile run at the Y (while watching the tour) I did a little machine-work and a little core and butt/hip work. I was feeling great on Thurs morning and it was nice to work on my computer the rest of the day.
I planned to swim on Fri morning but I was TIRED. Sleep comes first and I have to say, that rarely I miss a workout due to being too tired. However, staying up an hour later than normal really did me in on Tues, Wed and Thurs (I'm an 8-hr sleep kinda person when I'm training for an Ironman). I took Campy on a long walk on Fri morning and then rode the trainer (while practicing my talk) for 1hr 30 min.
The rest of Fri was BUSY! I arrived at Unison at 10:20 and my talk was scheduled for 11 until 12. I stayed to answer questions until 12:30 and headed straight to the beach to meet my preceptor (who came to my talk, I was SO happy she was there) for a busy afternoon of clients. We met with 3 clients and at 5:30pm my day was done!

Whewwww, what a week!
My friend Stephanie and her hubby came from Macon on Fri evening so that Karel could give their fabulous Trek bikes a little TLC. Since I didn't get home until 6pm on Fri, my poor little Campster was dying to see his mommy. I couldn't leave him at home so we power walked to the Trek store (1.2 miles) rather than driving to meet Steph, her hubby and Karel. We all went to The Loop Pizza and Grill for dinner and Campy was happy that they had outdoor seating :)
This morning was a ride at the beach so I gave Steph and her hubby a tour around Nocatee (bike-style) and then I joined the Lodge ride. It was windy and hard but I felt great. Just me and the guys but they were all super supportive and nice to me. I really love doing this ride because I feel stronger every time I finish (or don't get dropped) from this ride. I rotated almost the entire ride and my confidence was up. Thank goodness for REST!
After the ride I did a short 3 mile run (7:48 mim/mile average) and it was Super Duper HOT! Nothing like a cool-off in the ocean.





What a week! Well, I can't complain. I am really loving every minute and I wouldn't want my life any other way. Well, if I could bring Campy everywhere that I go, that would make me the happiest :)

Avocado, Chickpea and Walnut salad - Creations

I've made a lot of salads in my life but this one "takes the healthy vegetarian cake".
My preceptor gave me an avocado from her organic delivery and it was delicious. I have trouble picking the best avocados. They always seem too hard when I cut into them so I don't buy them as often as I should. They are a great healthy fat and for a fruit, I highly recommend having a serving of avocado a few days a week.
Also, I decided to "toast" up some chickpeas as I was chopping my ingredients. I added some hickory hot sauce (35mg sodium per 1tsp) to the chickpeas while they were cooking and they were super delicious.
I can't wait to make this salad again!

Day break: Egg wrap - Creations

I have a new found love for lunch. It is a great way to break up the day, especially when interning for x-hours every day, after waking up at 4:30am to train.
My preceptor and I share a similar philosophy for food. We are so passionate about cooking and we love sharing recipes over lunch. My preceptor is very understanding of my training and she understands that I'm eating a bit more than normal in an effort to accommodate my increasing training and volume. Sometimes we are in meeting or are super busy doing paperwork and she reminds me "Marni, we need to take care of our bodies...time to break for lunch".
Although I snack every 1-2 hours throughout the day (nuts, veggies, fruit, yogurt, string cheese) I really look forward to my home-made lunch on a daily basis. Not only does it get me through the day but it keeps my blood sugar stable so that I don't feel starved by the time I get to dinner or my after-noon snack. With that happy feeling in my tummy, I am able to spend a little time preparing my dinner meal as well as spend a little Q-time with Campy.

Charting notes at the St. Augustine Center for Living (fantastic facility!



Health Fair at Unison facility





Early evening in the park w/ Campy



Campy plyometrics


Mr. Squirrel, you better watch out!


(can you see these video's? For some reason I can't when I publish post :(

A cravable "salty" salad - Creations

I have to be honest, veggies are the last thing on my mind after 6 hrs of continuous Florida training or after 11 hrs of training Fri-Sun. I think every athlete gets into a routine of craving similar foods after long/hard workouts and having no trouble indulging in a special post-workout treat or two. I totally do not disagree with you in feeding your cravings post workout but it's important to recognize your cravings and not just rely on habits and rituals.
For example, when I was training for Kona, I always "rewarded" myself with a Frappachino at starbucks and then pancakes. And then there was ice cream on Sun after my long run, as my afternoon snack. It was my routine after my long sat bike+run and long run and well, I figured I deserved it. But when I got injured 32 days before Kona (2007) I found myself continuing to crave the Frap and pancakes, even though I wasn't training. Even worse, my emotions really affected me on the month preceding Kona and I found myself craving ice cream, sugar and all of my "reward" foods on a daily basis. It was a super rough time for me and I really hope to never return to that place again.
My diet was boring, routine and not balanced. I gave myself an entire year, and no Ironman, to try to understand what my body truely needs on a daily basis and to learn to have a healthy relationship with food. I do not need to feel guilt and restriction with my eating habits so I choose to love what I put in my body and to take a little time each day to understand my daily lifestyle and activity requirements.....and then plan my meals and snacks.
Over the past 2 years, I don't find myself craving sugary foods anymore. I wish I could say I enjoy ice cream every now and then but it just isn't appetizing to me anymore. It is more of an occasional treat and when I have it, I like the real-stuff and I don't worry about calories (nor do I ever "count" my calories). I use to reward myself with ice cream for dinner after my hard Wed night ride in 2007, but that was just a waste of a dinner because it never filled me up and didn't gave me a good feeling in my body when I went to bed. I should have just had a hearty salad and then a small portion of ice cream afterward. As I mentioned before, I do not obsess about food, I just love the feeling of heart-healthy food in my body.
Although I promote a plant-based diet, I feel strongly that you need a balance of carbs, protein and fat in the diet. With this comes a balanced diet. It's important that you first focus on nutrient-rich foods which give you the most nutrients with the fewest calories from unhealthy fats and sugars. If you build your daily diet on a variety of nutrient-rich foods (ex. colored fruits and veggies, whole fiber-rich grains, fat-free/low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt and lean meats, fish, eggs, beans and nuts) you are going to find it much easier to understand your body and what your body really craves, needs and requires.
Having said that, 150-200 calories from "favorite" foods, a few times a week is not going to prevent you from meeting performance and weight goals. Perhaps it is the thought of "feeling fat" or "bad" or "ashamed" when you enjoy a few chips, a cookie or a scoop of ice cream but honestly, 200 calories out of a 2000-calorie balanced diet (key word= balanced) is nothing to beat yourself up about.

I can tell you that I now have cravings for salt (who doesn't in this crazy heat?), fat and fruit during my workouts. I try to listen to my body, after my recovery smoothie, to understand what it is I really want and what my body really needs. Certainly carbs and quality protein but there is nothing wrong with balancing out my meal/snacks with fat and salty foods. I don't own a salt shaker so I try to seek out the best options of salty foods that will keep my body happy after my workout as well as satisfying my cravings.

I made the most delicious salad on Sun (around 3pm) after my 11am "post-workout breakfast" of a whey smoothie and then my "real" breakfast of french toast (I used a cinnamon bagel), an orange/blueberry/banana medley and an extra egg w/ tomatoes.
Sorry I didn't take a pic...my legs were sore and my camera was in my car :(

Campy and I went to a Farmer's market on Sun to pick up some fresh produce and I couldn't wait to make my salad.

I also picked up some wheat thins at Big Lots (where I buy my "processed" food like cereal, oatmeal, sauces, spices, cans, nuts, etc.) and I couldn't wait to assemble my salad of leftovers. I find that if I make the effort to buy an occasional treat, I don't crave it on a daily basis and don't feel any sense of guilt when I have it.
This salad was perfect to solve my salty craving and I felt really good while eating it.

My tip to you. If you find it hard to stop cravings or give up on old habits, look forward to something at your meals. Start with a heart-healthy plant-based meal, balanced with healthy fat, low fat protein and complex carbs and then add a side or top your meal with around 50-100 calories (or a small portion) of your fav. food. This way, your "intimidating" healthy meal, which you may not crave, may become more desirable. Hopefully, overtime you will start to crave the produce and find yourself easing away from old habits which prevent you from reaching your weight or/and performance goals.

What's your favorite post-workout snack?

Questions for you - Blog readers!

Over the weekend I did a lot of brainstorming and I posted a few questions on my blog that will help guide me in the right direction for my community nutrition project.
I have received a few GREAT emails from blog readers and I really appreciate the time to email me.
If you have a chance in the next few days, I would love to hear your opinion, comment or feedback to the following questions. You can be anonymous via email or leave a comment. Email me mrakes1@hotmail.com. Based on your comments I will be creating my community nutrition project to encourage people to adopt a more plant-based diet.
(you don't have to answer every question)

1) Do you feel as if you eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies on a daily basis?
If so, do you feel satisfied during the day or hungry?
If not, why is it challenging for you to meet recommendations?

2) Do you eat fruits and veggies for health benefits or for the taste..or both?

3) Are there factors that stop you from eating fruits and veggies? ex. cravings for other foods, enjoyment of processed foods, money, availability?
Do you feel as if it is cheaper to buy process food/fast food than buy/eat fruits and veggies.

4) Would you buy more fruits and veggies if you could buy from a farmer's market?
Do you shop at farmer's markets and if so, how often (week/month/year).

5) Do you feel healthier when you eat fruits and veggies?

6) Are you on a "diet", an athlete looking to improve performance, trying to maintain weight and/or trying to lose weight?

7) Do you feel as if you eat too many fruits and veggies and not enough grains, fat and protein?

8) Although there is an abundance of articles, books and articles on the benefits of fruits and veggies, what resources would you like to encourage you/hold you accountable to eating a more plant based diet? ex. recipes, health benefits of fruits and veggies, grocery list of seasonal produce, more farmer's markets, guides/checklists, etc.

9) Any other thoughts.....


Thanks!

The big weekend

Every Ironman athlete has his/her BIG weekend of training at least once a month on the 1-2 months before Ironman race day. For myself and my athletes, I try to only schedule a few BIG weekends over the course of IM training so that the body has ample time to recover as well as avoiding the possibility of overtraining or injury. Although there are many physiological adaptations that occur throughout IM training, I believe that the mental aspect is one to be trained and that you need to do a few long workouts to prepare the mind, body and soul.
I have 8 weeks until Ironman Wisconsin and my training has exceeded my expectations for this year. Not since my first IM have I raced and trained injury-free. However, since my first IM I have never felt this strong. Fast is a relative term and I suppose I feel fast at times but for an Ironman, I don't have to be fast in order to have a great finish.
Success in an Ironman is not the fastest person but the person who slows down the least.

Karel left for Dahlonega, GA on Fri morning to ride the mountains with our Gearlink friends until Sun. Karel needed a guy's trip and although I was invited, I needed to stay home and focus on my dietetic stuff.

On sat morning I woke up around 5:30 and after coffee I took Campy on an early morning walk. I prepared my oatmeal w/ walnuts, banana and raisins and afterward I got my bottles and self ready for my ride.
I had 3 bottles on my bike. 1 w/ water and 2 w/ 1 1/2 scoops strawberry heed and 1/2 scoop sustained energy (all by Hammer).
I also had 3 Hammer gels w/ me and a handful of Endurance Aminos (Hammer).
I left around 7:30am (a little later than I planned).

I gave myself a set for the majority of my ride and I tried to do my best at it, despite the wind not being in my favor and a temperature of at least 90-95 degrees for the majority of my ride.
After 1:15 warm-up....
3x's:
20 min @ 130 watts
10 min @ 115 watts
10 min @ 140 watts
10 min @ 115 watts
5 min @ 150 watts
5 min @ 115 watts
15 min easy spin

I can't download my data until Karel gets home with his computer (WKO+ power tap program) to see what my intervals looked like but I know I wasn't reaching all of my power goals. That's ok, I gave a great effort out there and never got discouraged. I actually had a lot of fun and the time passed by rather quickly. The endurance aminos really help me stay focus and help postpone fatigue so I was sure to take 1-2 an hour after the first hour. I took in 2 1/2 gels (1 an hour) after the 3rd hour of my ride and refilled my bottles w/ water around 2 1/2 hours.
What a difference from last weekend when I was 100% discouraged at my performance and not mentally strong. I've also learned a lot about my body throughout this past year of training and I really pay attention to keeping my core temperature down, or as much as I can. Therefore, a lot of water goes on my body, in my helmet and on my face to keep me cool. I plan to have 3 bottles of Hammer on my bike for IMWI and grabbing water at every aid station to stay cool (depending on the weather, which you never know what the day will be like in Wisconsin in Sept).

After 4 hours and 55 minutes and 90 miles later I arrived home and happily accepted lots of kisses from Campy when I walked inside our place.

Campy told me he would gladly run a little with me for my brick run and I took him up on his kind gesture.
Campy had a great pace for .6 miles but sadly, he hit the wall and had to walk/jog the last .4 miles. I told Campy that we all have good and bad days and likely, our 2 miles together on Fri probably toasted him for the weekend. Oh yea, considering that it was nearing 12:45pm, I think we both wanted to call it a day after .6 miles of running in crazy Florida heat.
After I dropped Campy back at home, I gathered my fuel belt w/ COLD water and a gel and headed out for my run.
HOLY HEAT!
I made it 2 miles and needed to stop under a tree. I do a lot of mental talk while I train and race and it seems to help. However, at 1:15pm without a cloud in sight, my body and mind where screaming at me.
I managed to hold a good pace throughout the run and took in 1/2 gel at my half way point. Before I left for my run I put several ice cubes down my shorts and top and that seemed to help for a few minutes. I plan to do the same at IMWI.
Stats for my run:
5 miles
41 min
8:18 min/mile (including Campy's mile)
Mile 1 (w/ Campy): 9:32
Mile 2: 7:57
Mile 3: 7:57
Mile 4: 7:57
Mile 5: 8:08
I'd say consistency was on my side for this run :)

After the run I came home and nearly died. Figure of speech but wow was I hot. It was nearing 1:40am and I was dying for a cold shower. After the shower (w/ my water bottle in the shower) I cleaned up, put on my ice shorts (1 ice packet goes on each quad and 1 goes on each butt/hamstring - great invention!) and made a smoothie. It was not the most appetizing thing after close to 6 hours of training but it was one of those tough it up moments. I added blueberries, strawberries and banana to my whey, milk and yogurt smoothie and topped it with a large handful of cereal. I had several small snacks and meals during the day after my smoothie and made sure I ate every 2-3 hours. I had lots of water during the day....oh how I LOVE water.

Well, early to bed on Sat after spending much of my afternoon doing assignments for my community rotation.

I slept in this morning until 6:10am and the morning was similar to sat except for a sandwich thin PB&J sandwich (w/ walnuts, raisins and banana slices) instead of oatmeal. It sits much better for me before a long run but on an IM race day, I always have 1/2 bagel (or bread) w/ PB and then a bowl of oatmeal.

Well, I wasn't sure what to expect this morning. I knew it would be tough for me to get going and I was stalling all morning. I finally made it out the door at 7:30 and placed a bottle of water in a tree for refueling. I started my garmin and off I went.
This would be the longest run of the season and it was better than I thought it would be. My leg started to act a little weird around mile 7 but luckily I was getting close to the middle of my run so after a few miles of feeling a little weird in the psoas/glute region, I made a stop at my loop starting/stopping spot (in front of my apartment) to refuel my fuel flasks. After my fuel stop, my leg was back to normal and I was pleasantly with my energy. It was incredibly hot when I started my second loop and that definitely made it hard to stay focused. Since last week was my longest run this season, I decided to give myself a set so that I could control my pace and not run too hard or too slow.
My set 5x's:
2 miles between 8:15-8:30 min/mile
1 mile between 8:05 - 8:15 min/mile

Well, despite a few mental comments of wondering "why this is so hard" and then telling myself "there's nothing easy about training for an Ironman" I made it home in one piece, with no pain/injury, and ready for a 20 min walk with my Campy.
I had 3 amino's over the course of my run and 1 gel around mile 8. I had 6 flasks (starting w/ 1 heaping scoop heed in each flask) and then water (I refilled my flasks for the second time after 15 miles). The first 15 miles I was really focused for and the last 3 miles were just enjoyable, thinking about how amazing the body can be when we take care of it.
Stats for my run:
2hrs and 30 min.
18.15 miles
8:16 min/mile
Mile stats:
1) 8:16
2) 8:15
3) 8:04
4) 8:10
5) 8:16
6) 8:02
7) 8:19
8) 8:24
9) 8:05
10) 8:21
11) 8:27
12) 8:07
13) 8:21
14) 8:20
15) 8:07
16) 8:19
17) 8:31
18) 8:23


With open arms I welcome Recovery Week! The weeks are ticking by and I am really enjoying my 4th Ironman journey. I am amazed that this never gets easier but yet I find myself getting stronger and faster with each training season. I'm really enjoying myself and feeling really good with my recovery and my ability to balance IM training with the rest of my life.
Well, back to some assignments and readings for week #2 of my internship. My preceptor has a big week planned for me and I even have a speaking engagement on Fri to a group of employees on corporate wellness and nutrition.

Banana walnut muffins & The Best Mango walnut and feta salad

I have been doing some brainstorming about my community nutrition project.
I question why people don't eat more/enough/any fruits and veggies on a daily basis.
I hear all the time from people who are on diets, such as weight watchers, paleo, gluten-free, Mediterranean Diet, Best Life diet, Eat this/Not that diet and the Zone diet (want more examples, they are all listed on this page http://www.webmd.com/diet/evaluate-latest-diets) and how they feel much better on the diet and ask my thoughts of whether or not I support the diet. Primarily, I hear a lot about gluten-free, paleo, mediterranean and the zone diet from athletes.
I believe in a balanced diet and taking time to understand your personal individual dietary requirements which support your lifestyle and your exercise routine. Although there are pro's in several of these diets, I do not believe that a person should feel restricted in an effort to live a long and healthy life.
The benefit of several diets is that you become more aware of your eating habits and perhaps your body. By making swaps and replacing foods, you likely add in foods which you have been neglecting or that your body requires....specifically fruits and veggies.
For example, there are several research studies demonstrating the inflammatory effects of foods high in sugar. Many athletes feel better when they "go" gluten-free. My guess is that you are replacing the refined sugars w/ more fruits and veggies and perhaps a little more thought in your food choices. In my opinion, if you are eliminating healthy foods in the diet in an effort to be healthy and abide by a certain diet, you are simply sabotaging yourself to feel satisfied throughout the day and help meet your fitness goals.
If you have a chance in the next few days, I would love to hear your opinion, comment or feedback to the following questions. Don't feel as if you can't be detailed. Please leave a comment or email me mrakes1@hotmail.com. Based on your comments I will be creating my community nutrition project to encourage people to adopt a more plant-based diet.
(you don't have to answer every question)
1) Do you feel as if you eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies on a daily basis?
If so, do you feel satisfied during the day or hungry?
If not, why is it challenging for you to meet recommendations?

2) Do you eat fruits and veggies for health benefits or for the taste..or both?

3) Are there factors that stop you from eating fruits and veggies? ex. cravings for other foods, enjoyment of processed foods, money, availability?
Do you feel as if it is cheaper to buy process food/fast food than buy/eat fruits and veggies.

4) Would you buy more fruits and veggies if you could buy from a farmer's market?
Do you shop at farmer's markets and if so, how often (week/month/year).

5) Do you feel healthier when you eat fruits and veggies?

6) Are you on a "diet", an athlete looking to improve performance, trying to maintain weight and/or trying to lose weight?

7) Do you feel as if you eat too many fruits and veggies and not enough grains, fat and protein?

8) Although there is an abundance of articles, books and articles on the benefits of fruits and veggies, what resources would you like to encourage you/hold you accountable to eating a more plant based diet? ex. recipes, health benefits of fruits and veggies, grocery list of seasonal produce, more farmer's markets, guides/checklists, etc.

9) Any other thoughts.....



Banana walnut muffins
Dry:
1 cup oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 tsp all spice
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp flax seeds (ground)
2 tbsp wheat germ
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Wet:
2 spotty brown bananas
1 tbsp almond extract
2 eggs (1 whole, 1 white)
2 tbsp 0% plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup skim milk
1 1/4 cup carrots (shredded) - YES carrots. There is over a serving of veggies in this recipe.

Topping: chopped walnuts and golden raisins

Makes 14-15 muffins
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix together dry ingredients in large bowl.
3. Mash bananas w/ a fork in small bowl. Mix together wet ingredients in small bowl.
4. Add wet to dry and mix well. May need to add a splash or two of water to help with stirring. You should be able to stir with ease but it should not be drippy. More like thick pancake batter.
5. In a non-stick muffin tin sprayed with a little non stick spray, fill muffin tins 3/4th full.
6. Top each muffin w/ a few chopped walnuts and raisins.
7. Bake for 25-35 min or until top of muffin is firm.






The Best Mango walnut and feta salad
Spinach
Feta
Walnuts
Firm Tofu
Garlic
Carrots (shredded)
Onion
Tomato
Olive oil
Quinoa

1. On a non-stick pan on medium heat, cook garlic in 2-3 tsp olive oil. Add firm tofu (about 1/4 cubed per person). Cook for 5-8 min. or until tofu turns golden on most sides.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and top w/ tofu.

Week 1

What an exciting and wonderful week. My eyes are sleepy and my brain is overloaded but I am soaking it all in.
On wed. I spent 9 hours at University of North Florida.
First on our agenda was the UNF health fair (outside) by the bookstore/cafeteria.
We were promoting eating healthy in the dorm-room and the highlight of our booth/table was the yummy food. Because Ramen noodles are a staple on college campus's, I showed people how to "dress-up" ramen and pack in a little more nutrition (and take out the sodium from the seasoning packet).

For our booth I prepared an egg omelet w/ canned beans and rice and canned spicy tomatoes and green peppers. I made the omelet with greek yogurt (which I highly recommend for a fluffy omelet/eggs) and then when my "meal" was ready I served it on small plates.
I prepared the ramen with a little of the seasoning (a pinch) in hot water and then added a cooked scrambled egg and a can of spicy tomatoes.
I would say that our table got a lot of attention.
Also, I highly recommend this cookbook that my preceptor showed me
http://www.zonya.com/healthy_recipes.html
Lickety-Split Meals
After the health fair from 11-2 we cooled off in the office and then walked around campus promoting another cooking activity.
From 3-6 we went to the fitness center on campus for "Ask the Expert" and I spoke with a swimmer who recently retired (as a junior) and was training for her first triathlon. I was right at home, talking from my heart.
Afterward, we made our way to the Fountains Dorm room for a cooking demo at 6:30 but after waiting until 6:45, no one showed so we called it a day.
These are LONG days but I can't complain. An Ironman is a LONG day.

Today was also a great day! My preceptor had 3 clients at her office and I was able to sit in and take notes.
I am inspired, motivated and amazed by this field and I am so happy to be a "dietitian in training"