Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition

  Around the beginning of October, 2007, I came to the conclusion that my body had enough of triathlons. All because I raced the Ironman World Championships w/ an undiagnosed muscular injury in my right hip that left me on crutches after the race and the inability to bear weight on my leg for almost 2 months. I've had many MRI's, x-rays and doctor visits over the past 5 years and thankfully no stress fractures in my lifetime (or broken bones) but a lot of wasted time and money that came from a poor decision that showed that I did not respect my body. The pain I went through to finish the race is something that I never want to relive again. It was a hard decision to compete in the race and a big part of me wishes that I could have a do-over moment to approach the situation differently. With a flawless season leading up to my first Ironman (IMFL 2006), I figured if it worked the first time around, I don't need to change anything but instead, do more to be more c...

" Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success." Napoleon Hill I can't believe one year ago I was packing for the 2011 Ironman World Championships. I will be blogging soon about my recap of my 2011-2012 season, reflected by my decision to not do an Ironman this year. But in the mean time, just a few pictures from last year to remind me of the amazing opportunity I had to be an Ironman World Championship qualifier and finisher, two times earned. Quick pic before Karel discovers the mountains of Kona on his bike Thankful for Ironman Finish #5. Successfully starting and finishing every Ironman I have signed-up for.  Pre race warm-up Karel making sure I have proper hydration n my bike Can't ask for a better place to warm-up for a race Karel fully enjoyed his vacation. Sometime, hopefully we will both be racing in Kona. The calm before the storm. 140.6 miles awaits us all. No race is c...

At the young age of  10ish years old and I made a life-changing decision. I told my parents that I didn't want to kill or eat animals. Since then, I've been a woman of my word. Of course, leave it to the vegetarian to forget about World Vegetarian Day on Monday October 1st!!! I guess my lifestyle of being fueled by plants for almost 20 years (April will officially be 20 years since I had my last chicken nugget) makes it easy for me to overlook a day that pays tribute to humans, animals and the planet. I am a supporter of a plant strong diet but as a clinical dietitian AND endurance triathlete, I keep a very open mind when it comes to the individual diet. You do not have to be a vegetarian to be healthy and a meat-free diet doesn't mean your body will become healthy. Health is something that you feel - it is a way of life and I hope everyone is enjoying a diet that emphasizes real food. In my early days, my vegetarian diet consisted of a lot o...

Source   I may live in Florida but I LOVE the change of seasons throughout the year. Although we (Floridians) may not rake the leaves or shovel the snow, the hot humid temps will eventually go away and the cooler temps will grace our bodies as we bundle up for "winter" bike rides and runs.   Just like I love the change in temps (which reminds me that it is officially my off-season), I also love the change of produce. Enjoying seasonal produce keeps my creativity going throughout the year to avoid eating/cooking-boredom and I always look forward to the dark colors in my meals and robust flavors that fill my house. My crock pot, oven and panini maker get a lot of action in the fall/winter but before I know it, it'll be spring again.   My latest article from my Iron Girl column comes at a perfect time. With my best triathlon season ever ending on a high note, the next 3-4 weeks of unstructured activity allow for lots of (ext...

      I love to cook. I love making a meal out of food grown from the earth. I love having one idea when I start cooking and finishing with a totally different creation. I love sharing my creations with Karel and I love being proud of the food I put into my body.   So proud that I love taking pictures of my creations because after the meal is finished, I can still enjoy the beauty of my meal with a photo.   But I'll be honest. These creations are not made on a starving stomach. I believe that eating habits throughout the day, set us up for good behaviors in the evening hours. But most importantly, I want to feel better after I eat, than when I started. If we eat when we have low blood sugar or when starving, there is a large chance that we will overeat or choose quick, fast blood-sugar raising foods. Ultimately, the goal to feel great about the food we put into our body is replaced with an uncomfortable feeling that can not be undone. ...

  It takes time to build strength, speed and endurance. Months at the minimum but likely, years for the body to grow. The beauty of sports is knowing that you have time. This active lifestyle that we all enjoy (or are learning to enjoy) does not require a finish line to feel accomplished. It is only with goal setting, the fruits of your labor are often most celebrated when you finally cross that "finish line", knowing that you did everything possible to prepare the body and mind for the adventure ahead. For athletes, ultimately, your longevity in a sport is increased by following a realistic, balanced and quality-structured training plan and reduced if you expect to progress too quickly and overlook the significant variables that contribute to successful performances. Goal setting can be useful but it can also be abused. Nothing great is ever accomplished quickly.   For the past three months, Branson 70.3 was always on my mind. During every hard ...

  I'm really struggling to put a definition on this bike course. Karel says that a lot of hearts were broken on this course by athletes experiencing trashed legs on the run.   It's hard for me to properly describe this course because I am a 5 foot triathlete, from flat Florida, who loves to climb. Karel is a former (and very recent) Category 1 cyclist who spent much of his teenage years, climbing mountains in Europe.   Karel said this course was no joke and much harder than he imagined it would be from the course profile.   Source   I decided I would let Google dictionary help me with a realistic definition... (pictures from this race report in 2010)     The Branson 70.3 bike course is TOUGH - Physically hardy, rugged, severe, harsh, aggressive, demanding, troubling   One must be TOUGH - Able to withstand great strain without tearing or breaking; strong and resilient.     ...