Peace Out 2014!

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." – Winston Churchill

I saw this quote on Facebook Sunday afternoon as I was pondering what to write about for today’s blog. As 2014 is quickly slipping away I can’t help but look back on the year that was. I failed and I succeeded. Doors closed and new ones opened. I pursued the opportunity of a lifetime and kicked its ass. Well, sort of. I finished in a respectable time.

Call it courage. Call it stubbornness. Call it whatever you like.

I’ve learned a lot from 2014 and look forward to what 2015 will bring. Personally. Professionally. Athletically.

I’m pretty sure that many of you are looking forward to what 2015 will bring for me as well. I received more questions of, “WHAT’S NEXT?!” than I can count. I’ve spent some time thinking about what my race schedule will look like and even had a plan laid out before the holidays rolled in. Don’t be disappointed but there are NO plans for an Ironman. You can stop asking. I want to 2015 to be about getting back to training and enjoying it. For as much as I really enjoyed training for the Ironman it felt like a job. I want to ride and run and not be as obsessed with that my pace, time, distance, as I was this year. Wishful thinking but it’s worth a shot.

Will I tell you what races I have planned?  No, not all of them. There are some things I like to keep to myself. I will tell you I want to run a marathon, race a Half Iron or two, and sprinkle in a few other endurance adventures and that’s my race schedule for the year. Just as the quote says success is not final and I’d call 2014 a success. 2015 has new goals and new successes to look forward to.

Many of you followed my journey to Kona and were kind enough to tell me what an inspiration I was to you. I was able to do something that I never thought possible. It’s your turn now. I want YOU to find something that scares you, challenges you, motivates you and COMMIT to doing it. I don’t care what it is. Maybe it’s a 10k or taking a class at CPC that you have always secretly wanted to do but haven’t found the guts to do it. Tell me. Let me HELP you reach your goals. You helped me reach mine. A new year is right around the corner. Why not dream big?! It’s not about succeeding or failing about finding the courage to do it.

Happy New Year!

SK

Making a List…

Tis the season for making lists.

Shopping Lists

Gift Lists

Grocery list

Holiday to-do lists

And if you’re a jolly ol’ elf you have a few other lists your checking twice.

As a list maker myself, I have many going at once. If I don’t write something down I’ll forget it. Plus the added bonus of checking something off makes my day feel more accomplished.

List making parallels nicely with journaling. I do not mean Dear Diary journaling. I mean tracking workouts, food, sleep, etc. There are countless apps out you can pick from to help you throughout the day but personally, I prefer the old fashion way and choose write everything down. With the exception of the last month and a half I typically track every workout. As the itch to start training returns I also need to be more on point with tracking my fueling options. I’m finding that with the holiday season in full swing I have to be incredibly mindful of what I take in. The urge to grab something sweet is there. Baked goods magically appear in the office out of the kindness and appreciative hearts of the CPC subscribers. The struggle is real.

Keeping a food journal is a great way to hold myself accountable to all of the food I have or haven’t consumed throughout the day. When training, I found it a great way to tell the story of what I ate, when I ate, and how your body responded. It also show any deficiencies that I had with hydration, certain types of foods, and macro & micronutrients. With holiday parties almost every weekend journaling is also a great way to actually see what you’ve consumed over the course of a day and stay on point with your dietary plan. It’s okay to have a treat here or there but plan ahead and structure your meals to accommodate. You’ll notice that if you diligently track your food you’ll be less likely to over indulge leaving your body, and you feeling better at the end of the day.

Give food journaling a try this week. Pay particular attention to what you’re eating, how you feel before and after each meal, as well as how your body responds when training. Don’t worry so much about precise measurements but the entirety of what you’re eating at each meal. If you find that this works well for you make the commitment to journal more precisely.     

SK

Criss-Cross Applesauce

On 3 separate occasions this week my mind was filled of images of bubbling homemade applesauce. The first came as I was grabbing my lunch out of the fridge and was staring at a ¾ full tote of apples I swore I’d eat before they got soft. The second was at dinner the other night as I was slicing into a warm pork roast wishing I could have some applesauce. The third occasion, and today’s blog title source, came from a client I was training. We were training his agility and reaction time. I asked him to sit cross-legged with his back to me. With a puzzled look he looked up at me and replied, “Oh, you mean criss-cross apple sauce?” With a roll of my eyes I said, “Sure, whatever works for you dude.” Needless to say, I was left with a craving for applesauce.

Nothing beats homemade applesauce. I can remember helping my grandmother make applesauce when I was a kid. I can’t remember the exact recipe but feel confident that it didn’t require anything more than a bag full of seconds she picked up at the local orchard, cinnamon, and water.

I have no exact recipe to give you. I pulled out the bag of Macouns I had in the fridge, along with a few other Honey Crisps and Braeburns I hadn’t gotten around to eating before turning mushy. I peeled, quartered, cored, and diced even to fill a large, heavy bottomed, pot. I filled the pot with enough water to almost cover the apples; stirred in a teaspoon of cinnamon and a generous shaving of fresh nutmeg. With the pot sitting on a medium heat I let it bubble and simmer for 2-3 hours. The liquid reduced significantly as the apples turned into chunky sauce. At this point I debated about leaving the sauce chunky or blending it. The decision was easy to make as I gave it a quick taste. Leave it chunky! It tastes like apple pie filling, but with no guilt!

As my kitchen was filled with a wonderful apple-y aroma I couldn’t resist the urge to follow through with another recipe I found while nosing around a few of my favorite blog sites. Gingerbread Granola! Seriously, Gingerbread Granola. The holidays are upon us and for many years I would spend HOURS whipping up cookies for friends. Since, my newfound dietary habits limit…wishfully eliminate, the amount of white sugar and white flour I consume, cookies are out.

Ok ok ok…I admit it. I eat cookies! I LOVE a warm gooey chocolate chip cookie and a cold glass of milk. Who doesn't!?

As it is the holiday season Gingerbread Cookies are something I look forward to. They have to be soft and chewy, not crunchy. Leave the frosting and decorations. Give me just the cookie.

In an attempt to match the gingerbread deliciousness with an oat and nut granola I was hoping I’d be rewarded. Much to my surprise I was! Let’s be honest granola does not equal cookie but the sweet and spicy combination is a much healthier alternative.

I even threw caution to the wind and food combing rules out the window and mixed the granola into the warm and bubbly criss-cross applesauce. It had the taste and texture of apple crisp. Amazingly delicious.

I found the recipe for the Gingerbread Granola at the Minimalist Baker. In fact, I’ve found a number of recipes from this site. Most recipes are vegan and gluten-free friendly, of which I am neither but enjoy the variety. This recipe makes A LOT of granola. Be sure to share with friends. Or, if you don’t have friends give them some Gingerbread Granola sprinkled over your very own batch of Criss-Cross Applesauce and you’ll be sure to get at least one. ;)

Enjoy,

SK

They’re Deadly for a Reason

I do not consider myself a particularly religious person but I would say that I am spiritual one. Understanding the difference between the two may be difficult for some but not all. There is one overwhelming aspect of religion that I grew up with and has carried with me for all my adult years. The Seven Deadly Sins. Greed, Gluttony, Wrath, Sloth, Pride, Lust and Envy. I truly believe that constant self reflection is necessary to not fall victim to any of these fatal flaws - yes they're fatal.

I want to reflect on Envy for just a moment. What is it to be envious and what is it to be jealous? I'm not saying I'm dead on, but it's my blog post so tough shit. This is the way I look at it. In my opinion, it’s not bad to be jealous. It’s not healthy to allow it to consume you but it is not good be complacent and let life pass you by. To me jealous means I care, it reminds me to push and to live everyday with my very best self forward. It's the fear that a worthy competitor will take the next stride in front of me, my lifting partner will get one more rep, or a colleague will get published before I do. To be jealous is to look at someone and WANT what they have but you COULD have it. You just weren't willing to sacrifice and go through pain to get it. It wasn't important enough for you to be uncomfortable. Do be jealous might mean you let yourself settle and accept your current situation because quite frankly you didn't give a fuck. So, what is it like to be envious?

Envy is all consuming. Envy will paralyze you with negative thoughts. Envy is to look at another person and be CONSUMED with jealousy that they are more *blank* or that they have more *blank* than you. They may have better cheek bones or thicker hair and that makes you envious of their beauty. They may have been born into a wealthy lineage or had a trust fund and you didn't. They have a genius level IQ or are the height you wish you were. Envy is to not just want but covet something that you have ZERO ability to change. The thoughts running through your mind no matter how hard you push, how badly you want something, and what you're willing to sacrifice can change that fact. THAT is envy! It is an ugly, all consuming and life altering state of mind. Be careful my friends - this is a question you may have to ask yourself more than you want to admit. "Am I jealous or?.. Oh shit! I'm envious!" Scary realization but not a dead end. We are are all blessed with amazing qualities and making sure we are thankful for our true character and what makes us beautiful is to be happy with yourself. 

I am a competitive son of a bitch and I need to reflect on that daily. As I said, I am not a religious man but I have my outlet to "pray". I have the place in MY life where I can connect inside my own head and be at peace with me.

To quote one of my favorite artists: "This is my church / This is where I heal my hurts / It’s a natural grace / Of watching young life change / It's in minor keys / Solutions and remedies / Enemies becoming friends / When bitterness ends / This is my church." He was speaking about the recording studio. I am speaking of CPC. It's not just a place of business or where I see my friends - It’s my outlet. It’s where I find MY peace. 

The realization is that we are surrounded by temptations daily that will pull us in towards those seven deadly sins. Being in touch with who you are and remain damn proud of the beautiful things you contribute to everyone else's lives will help keep you away from at least one... 

~Sully

Soup is On!

Let’s be honest, the colder the weather gets the more I crave a bowl of soup. Not just any soup, but a soup that will fill me up and keep me warm throughout the day. When I get a craving for soup I typically empty out my fridge into a pot, throw in some pasta or rice and have a few crackers on the side. Those days are gone and let me tell you why.

In previous blogs, from my Kona or Bust series, I wrote a lot about working with my Health Coach, Krystal Say, and the food combining rules she was asking me to follow. If you didn’t get a chance to read about it I’ll give you a quick refresher. Carbs and proteins should not mix. Each are digested differently and when sitting in your stomach together you’re left feeling overly full and bloated. To give you a point of reference, think about how you felt post Thanksgiving dinner and everything thing you consumed. There you have it; food combining at it’s finest. There are exceptions to the rules and not all carbs are created the same but in an attempt to continue treating my body well and encourage continued recovery from Kona I’m sticking with it. Hence, the days of chicken noodle soup, homemade turkey & rice after Thanksgiving, and beef & bean chili for Sunday Football are gone.

If you can believe me I really don’t miss the recipes I grew up with. I see the world of food differently now. I have to resourcefully tweak recipes to eat the way I want to eat. In my search for a hearty and filling chicken soup I pulled out a cookbook I received for Christmas several years ago, New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker and Clara Silverstein. I sorted through a delicious plethora of recipes and settled on one, Caribbean Chicken Soup with Coconut.

Why? Simple I like chicken and I like coconut. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and aids in digestion, so why not. The recipe calls for lots of vegetables and room to be creative.

I made a few adjustments along the way and was rewarded for all 30 minutes of my hard work. Seriously, once I started chopping and dropping veg, broth, and chicken into the pot I was surprised at how quickly it came together. You’ll notice I put a few ingredients in bold. These are the items I tweaked. I also took the liberty of adding a few items just to give it an added nutritional kick.

• I used olive oil instead of canola. You could also use coconut oil.
• Instead of celery I got adventurous and tried celery root. I’m glad I did.
• The red bell pepper didn’t make it into my shopping cart, despite being on my list so I left it out.
• I added turnip for extra bulk. Yes, I know.  Food combining. If I’m going to food combine I’d rather it be with starchy vegetables and protein rather than grains.
• The homemade chicken stock was very quickly, and easily, replace with packaged organic chicken stock. I mean really; who has the time to make homemade chicken stock?
• I also subbed out the cilantro for several big handfuls of baby spinach. Greens are good and I always need to get more into my diet. 
• Topping the soup with half an avocado gives it an additional "filling" element.
• The biggest piece of advice I can give about this recipe is that it serves a small army! If you don’t have a small army kicking around the house half the recipe and you’ll still be able to feed the whole family.

I hope you enjoy the soup as much as I did. Please let me know any of your own tweaks. I’d love to hear them.

SK

Caribbean Chicken Soup with Coconut

Serves 10-12

3 Tbps canola oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbps peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 large Spanish onion, peeled and diced

2 ribs celery, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large red bell pepper

2 cups chopped cooked chicken meat

1 ½ cups whole corn kernels

1 cup shredded coconut

12 cups homemade chicken stock

Juice & zest of 3 limes

1 can (14 ½ oz coconut milk)

2 teaspoons ground coriander

½ tsp allspice

8 dashes hot sauce

1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt & pepper to taste

In a stockpot over medium-high heat add the oil, garlic, ginger, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and red pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chicken, corn, coconut, and stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the lime juice and zest, coconut milk, coriander, allspice, hot sauce, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Taken from New England Soup Factory Cookbook by Marjorie Druker & Clara Silverstein

Make The Time

Hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and some good eats!  It's here: we’ve finally reached the holiday season. With Thanksgiving now over, we begin that non-stop, hectic "race" to Christmas. As we get into this crazy time of year our schedules can get a bit overwhelming, but that is NO excuse to miss workouts and eat like crap. This is the time of year where so many people drop off with their exercise programs and diets. WHY?! Why give up all the results you’ve EARNED? Whether you’ve been working towards your goals for a few weeks, months, or even years - this isn't a time to use lack of time as an excuse to throw all of that out the door. 

Don’t let the holiday season be an excuse! That's lazy. A workout only requires around one hour a day. There are 24 hours in a day which adds up to 168 hours a week. There’s simply NO excuse as to why you can’t take 3-5 of those 168 hours a week to get in a workout. You'll thank yourself for doing it. 

Need additional motivation? Come and talk with me. We'll get you set up. 

- SW 

Happy Thanksgiving

In the midst of shopping for my next blog I realized time was escaping me and my plan was quickly sliding in the direction of Plan B. I was once an obsessive planner, to the point of having a back up plan for a back up plan. As of late, not so much. Chalk it up to a new job, new hours, a dog that requires walking at un-godly hours, and of course finding time to keep myself as healthy as the rest of you. It’s funny how priorities shift once you’ve meet one life’s goal (finishing the Ironman) and move onto the next (establishing myself permanently at CPC).

Plan A was to provide you with a killer Thanksgiving Dessert that was delicious and semi guilt-free. The deliciousness will have to wait until later in the week. Instead, I’ll provide you with the recipe if you are looking for a new post Turkey treat. I’ll also say, that I am eagerly looking forward to trying this recipe.

Crustless Carmel Apple Pie – Found at my new favorite food blog lemonsandbasil.com

http://lemonsandbasil.com/crustless-caramel-apple-pie/

Plan B was honestly an accident. I hadn’t thought about what I would blog about until I started considering what I would have for breakfast Monday morning. Overnight oats have come back into my morning rotation. They are a great way for me to limit the amount of processed grains I eat now that I’m not training for an Ironman, but also give me a satisfied feel to start my morning. Overnight oats are great, but as it gets cold I want something warm. Standing in front of my eyes fixed on the  tube of steel cut oats. Wondering to myself how I could find a way to cook these without having a stare at a simmering pot for 45 minutes it hit me…SLOW COOKER! I pulled my trusty crock-pot out of the cabinet and darted to my computer to find a recipe. Let’s be honest I may have great ideas but I am not the type to throw stuff into a pot and hope for the best.

My search didn’t take me long to find a recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Steel Cut Oats in the slow cooker. The recipe contained items I had in the pantry, thanks to the recipe for the crustless caramel apple pie above. It also had a Thanksgiving feel to it because of the pumpkin. Come on, who doesn’t like pumpkin!?  Warm creamy oats mixed with pecans and pumpkin pie spice. Winner! Added bonus, toss everything into slow-cooker before going to bed and breakfast is ready when you wake up, or in my case when I get back from walking the D.O.G.

I should mention that I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. As much as my perfectionism can consume me, there are times when I feel like a different ingredient might do the trick. Due to the size of my crock pot and Pyrex bowls neither would work together. Instead I melted coconut oil and spread it around the inner portion of the crock to prevent sticking. I also took the liberty of subbing out the brown sugar for my Dad’s own Maple Syrup. I mean really, can you go wrong with using family made Grade A Maple Syrup? I don’t think so.

I found this wonderful pumpkiny deliciousness at the food blog, Kitchen Treaty. Enjoy it on your own or with friends and family on Thanksgiving morning.

http://www.kitchentreaty.com/crock-pot-overnight-pumpkin-pecan-steel-cut-oatmeal/

Speaking of Thanksgiving, don’t forget to give thanks for all that you have in your life. I had a whirlwind of highs and lows this year but have become a firm believer that things happen for a reason an am thankful for all that has come my way. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

SK

The Incredible Edible Egg

I like eggs.

Scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, omelets, and the list could go on.

In the crazy day-to-day approach that I take, despite my best attempts to be more organized, I find myself never having a fridge full of food prepped for consumption at the end of a long day. I do, however, always have EGGS! One of my favorite go-to’s at the end of the day is scrambled eggs with spinach and cheddar cheese, with avocado on the side. It’s simple and nutritious.

Eggs are an easy and convenient source of protein. In fact, eggs are considered to be a gold-standard protein source. One large egg has only 70 calories, 0 carbohydrates, 6g of protein, and only 5g of fat. Some might scoff at the eating of the whole egg, yolk and all, because of the amount of cholesterol contained within. I’ll let you in on a little secret, egg cholesterol isn’t going to cause heart disease. Lack of exercise and poor dietary habits (ie. processed foods!) have a much larger impact.  One large egg has 185mg of cholesterol. The daily intake is recommended at 300mg/day. If you restrict the rest of the crap you eat throughout the day and enjoy a few eggs for breakfast …or dinner, you should be fine! Eggs are much too delicious and nutritious not to be eaten!

Below is a quick recipe of what I created the other night, Vegetable Hash with Eggs and grated Cheddar Cheese. I got the idea from a food blog I was searching through and immediately knew I could throw my entire refrigerator in a frying pan and make it happen.

Prep: Empty refrigerator onto counter. Use whatever you’ve got! I used roasted butternut squash, white sweet potato, roasted beets, red onions, orange and red peppers, and swiss chard.  Chop everything into similar bite size chunks.

Cook: Heat up a few tablespoons of olive or coconut oil over medium high heat to fry up the veggies. I was lucky and had a few vegetables already prepared and waiting for me which cut down on cook time. I’m all about cutting down cook time. Once all vegetables are soft to touch with crispy edges make a small plate and package the rest for another day.

Using the same pan plop a small scoop of olive or coconut oil to fry the eggs in. If I had time and was much more patient I would spend the time to pouch a few eggs. Instead I fried the eggs sunny side up to still allow for the gooey blend of egg yolk and everything else. Before placing the eggs on top of the hash I grated some cheddar cheese over top and freshly ground pepper.

 Eat & Enjoy!

Interested in learning more about eggs? The recipe that I took the liberty to tweak? 

Check out these links.

http://www.incredibleegg.org

http://lemonsandbasil.com/root-vegetable-hash-with-eggs-and-aged-cheddar/

Enjoy,

SK

Spaghetti Squash Soup

I know I know, I've never really heard of it either, but in response to a spaghetti squash dilemma this is what I came up with as a solution.  I thought it was pretty good.

What I did:
I took a smaller sized squash, cut it in half, scooped out the innards, and roasted it in the oven at 350 about 35-45 minutes.  While the squash was in the oven I took a small onion and a clove of garlic chopped them up and sautéed them on a low heat in some olive oil.  I did it on low heat to try to cook them as much as possible without actually browning or crisping them up, the technical name for it is called sweating.  Food for thought.
After everything was done cooking I combined it all into a pot and added a quart of vegetable stock and let everything simmer for about ten minutes.  From here you have a couple of options, I used a hand-held immersion blender so I was able to blend everything right in the pot (be careful if you do this not to use a non-stick pan, you will scratch it and end up with Teflon in your soup), if you don't have an immersion then a traditional blender works just fine.  Just be careful with a traditional blender not to burn yourself or make a crazy mess.
Once everything is blended up you can put it back into the pot to simmer for a little while longer.  Now, here is where you can pretty much go nuts. Taste the soup and see what you think, odds are it might be a little bland and the addition of salt and pepper may be needed.  What I did was added the S&P but then added some sage, a small "splash" of balsamic, and then when I put it in the bowl to serve I grated some romano cheese over the top.  It was good, actually looking forward to eating the left overs tonight. You can totally get creative with this soup, spaghetti squash doesn't have a huge or distinct flavor so you can put in whatever herbs or spices you like and make it your own.  Have fun!

-MS

You Are What You Eat

I’m baaaack!

This time I’m writing about food; anything and everything having to do with food; all from my point of view. No, I am not a nutritionist, or health coach. I don’t have any formal culinary training. As you may be aware I spent the last 20 weeks training for an Ironman and working with a Health Coach to turn my body into an efficiently fueled machine.  Inside those 20 weeks I learned how to become a REAL FOOD fueled athlete. I learned to look at food in a way that I had never seen it before. It’s my goal with this blog to provide you with insight into my REAL FOOD world.

Eating REAL starts with good decision making at the grocery store. For as much as I enjoy grocery shopping swinging by Fresh Acres at the end of a long day just isn’t as fun when the clock is ticking down to closing time. When the pressure is on and the fridge is empty you've got to have Go To Items that will provide you with high quality nutrition that requires little, to no prep. When zipping around the store be sure to pay close attention to where your produce is coming from and the ingredients within packaged items. I try to buy organic when possible, but if cost doesn’t allow I go for a similar local product. Any pre-packaged items I toss into the cart will have as few ingredients as possible. Less ingredients equals less processing. Low-fat, reduced fat, low calorie items are left on the shelf where they belong. Any product claiming the above have been processed and treated and ultimately turned even less healthy than they started.

Below is my time crunched, go to, shopping list. I’ve had plenty of time to tweak it over the last 20 weeks and know what works best for me and what doesn’t. Think about what’s on your list. What are your Go To Items? How do they compare to what I buy? 

Happy Shopping!

SK 

SK’s GO TO’s

·      Local Apples (Macouns)

·      Bananas

·      Avocados

·      Spinach

·      Baby Carrots

·      Cottage Cheese 4%

·      Hummus

·      Olives – green & black

·      Siggis Yogurt - Coconut, Peach, & Pumpkin are my favorites

·      Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

·      Cage Free or Organic Eggs (price dependent)

·      Sliced Deli meat – Not the best choice, but it’s quick time is limited

·      Quart of High Lawn Farm Whole Milk – Local or Organic

·      Almond or Coconut Milk – Organic or NON-GMO, No Soy Blends

·      Whole Grain Brown Rice Blend

·      Bulk Walnuts & Cashews

·      PEANUT or ALMOND BUTTER (Earth Balance Coconut Blend, Whole Foods 365 Brand, Justin’s Maple Almond Butter, or whatever else I’ve grabbed. Skippy stays on the shelf.)

It’s A Long Way to the Top…

It’s been approximately 3.5 weeks since I completed the Ironman. In that time I’ve rested, acquired a lingering head and chest cold, and putzed around with no exercise plan in place. I’ve been congratulated almost everyday I’ve walked into CPC and asked what’s next!? My response has been the same with a shrug of my shoulders a “Who knows look”.

The reality is up until a few days ago I didn’t have an idea of what was next. I didn’t want to give it much thought. My body and brain were not in any rush to start a regular workout routine. I wanted to enjoy going out for a casual run again before I started to think about another race and weeks…months…of training. Throughout my weeks of blogging for Kona I made mention that I couldn’t wait to get back to the place where I once was before I started training for the Ironman. That “place” is the weight room, boot camp, tearing through the woods at 6am on a Saturday morning for ROTC.

I’ve missed that “place” and the camaraderie that you develop when you’re side by side with someone face down after a killer set of burpees, toes to bars, and squat thrusters. Training for an Ironman is lonely. There’s nothing lonely about being yelled at to go faster or to move more weight. However, with the change over of energy systems, movement patterns, and training environments comes a physical state that challenges even the most “fit” individual. I put “fit” into quotations because fitness is  relative. I just completed the Ironman World Championship, arguably one of the most challenging endurance events in the world, but yet I dread stepping back into the world that I’ve missed so much.

Despite the humbling level of soreness, fatigue, and lack of strength that I will experience it’s time to hit the reset button and start getting back on track. I’ve rested long enough. So, the question of what’s next can be simply answered with one word…ROUTINE.

I will be getting back to the weight room, boot camp, all of the other crazy things I do ROUTINELY. I need to work on building back the strength that I sacrificed to be a lean cardiovascular machine, while still trying to maintain a portion of the endurance I built (mental & physical) to pursue future long distance goals. Patience is a virtue and one I will have to instill throughout the next few months.  

I will also get back to routinely blogging every Monday. I enjoyed it even if only a handful of people read my posts. What will I blog about? I’m thinking FOOD! NO, I’m not stealing Mike’s thunder. Everybody sees food and fueling differently so consider my upcoming Monday blogs to be my take on FOOD or anything that relates.   

Change and routine take time. The next few weeks and months will not be an easy transition for me. I feel more like a newbie and relating to my clients more than ever as they start their own journey of change and routine.

Simply put, It’s a Long Way to the Top, but once you reach the figurative TOP you know the time and effort…and inevitable discomfort…will have been worth it!

SK

Chicken Parm

Chicken parm was a pretty tough one for me to really get crazy creative with seeing as how if you change it too much then you don't really have chicken parm anymore.  I through in a couple changes that I thought were a little different but would keep the best parts of CP.

As always you aren't really going to get a typical/formal recipe from this guy

The Chicken
What I did here was started with a couple of boneless skinless breasts and sliced them so that I got about 3 thin cutlets from each breast.  I took the cutlets and pounded them out a little be to keep them from drying out and getting tough.  As far as the breading is concerned this is where I got a little creative.  I took plain bread crumbs about 1-2 cups and seasoned it with a little pepper, you can use any other seasonings you'd like though.  To the BC I added about 3/4-1 cup of finely grated romano cheese and mixed it to combine everything pretty evenly.
To coat the chicken I used the typical dry, wet, dry method, meaning you cover the chicken first in the breadcrumb mixture, then into an egg wash (a couple beaten eggs with a little milk or water added), back into the breadcrumbs.  That's it, that will give the chicken a nice tasty breading that won't be too thick.  Put the chicken on a wire rack over a cookie sheet and back in the oven at 350 for about 15-20minutes or until they are starting to brown around the edges.  Cooking time may vary a little depending on how thick the chicken is.  Just before taking out put a slice or two of fresh mozzarella on top and let it melt a bit over the top, and can try grating it too to get a little different result.

The Sauce
I really don't like to get too fancy with marinara or tomato sauce.  All I did for this one was used about a can and a half (large cans) of crushed tomatoes, threw in a handful of fresh grape tomatoes (cut into quarters), along with some seasonings (basil, oregano, salt, pepper).  Let it cook for a little while and you're all set to go, pretty easy.

The Pasta
Boil your favorite type of pasta, to your desired doneness and hold to the side until everything else is done.

The Build
What I did for this one (as pictured below) was took the pasta and added sauce to it until I got a good ratio of pasta to sauce, I don't think pasta dripping and sauce but I also don't like pasta that has so little sauce that it may as well just be plain pasta.  I plated some of the pasta set one of the chicken cutlets on top and then topped that with a little extra sauce.  That's all folk!

The Bonus
Also pictured was a side salad that I had made to go with the chicken which was really pretty simple and basic but also delicious.  I had some left over roasted beets so I sliced up some of those and put them over some mixed greens.  I added to that some granted carrot, a few sliced calamata olives, and goat cheese crumbles, and topped with just a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, balsamic, and a mix of seasonings.

That's it, hope you guys enjoy it if you try it out.  I'll be back soon with another one.

-MS

The Tortoise and the Hare: Speed of Movement

Speed of movement through an exercise is very important. It is easy to rush through a workout and not focus on key points of an exercise, but you won’t be getting out as much as you should for the time and effort you put in. Different types of exercises and training styles will have different goals, and different requirements for each movement. For the purpose of this topic, we are talking about general movements and not a power/speed development movement.

With most movements, there is a starting position, a midway point, and a return to the starting position. For example, with a squat you start in an upright position, squat down to hopefully somewhere near having a parallel femur, and return to the upright position. It is very common to see people drop to the bottom of the squat, abruptly stop and struggle to return to their upright position. I’m going to urge my quick squatters to slow it down, and here is why:

1. Speed of movement is often a compensation for stability. People may have a difficult time finding muscular stability, so the speed of movement is increased to compensate. What on earth is being used for stability you ask? Passive restraints such as ligaments and joint capsules as well as faulty bony alignments. You don’t have to be a doctor to know that doesn’t sound good. This leads to a misconception that you are training the muscle properly and a BIG increase in the risk for injury. THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM!
2. As if that wasn’t enough, you are missing out on the best part of the exercise. Someone may argue that regardless of the manner in which you descend, you are using muscle to stand back up. Although there are great benefits to that portion of the exercise, controlling the decent can be very beneficial. Controlling the downward portion of this exercise is an eccentric movement, and requires eccentric contractions at major muscles groups. Eccentric movements are a major part of how we properly move as humans, but also have been proven to have greater strength gains and demonstrate greater power outputs than their concentric counterparts. SUMMARY: YOU ARE SKIPPING THE MOST BENEFICIAL PART OF THE EXERCISE. Hey, its okay I go to the movies just to watch the previews, too.

This concept applies to many different movements. Not worrying about the speed of movement can lead to increased risk of injury and a lapse in receiving a true training effect. Slow your roll, take control of your movements, and reap the true benefits that you are working for.

-TM

Season's Eatings

We’re heading into that time of year when it’s getting colder, rainier, windier, and well - I’m not going to use the “S” word just yet. It’s also the time of year that we all start adjusting our diets. The farmer’s markets are all but done and gone and the availability of fresh local seasonal fare has once again taken a back seat to supermarket produce. Not only are the ingredients that we use changing, so are the cooking methods we use to prepare our foods. It’s no longer grill and chill season; it’s Crock-Pot and hoodie season.  

As I sit here and write this I’m finding myself veering off of my original plan and topic to slowly get myself into something that I might later begin to regret, but maybe not.  What I am proposing, suggesting, or requesting of those that actually follow/read this blog is let me know some of your go-to foods for the colder months.  You give me a bunch of recommendations for recipes, and I’ll come up with my own version and post it to the blog and other social media platforms.  This will have a two fold effect.  

1.  It will give us all a new way of looking at old possibly boring recipes that we have all have and continue to use. Spruce things up a bit!

2.  It will actually give me an excuse to start getting back into the kitchen; cooking food and meals that I have some what neglected to do in the past couple of months.  

Win win, I think. So go ahead let me know what cold weather standby you have that you’re getting tired of and I’ll revamp it for you.  

- MS

Protein & Carbohydrates

For one of my classes, I had to look up the effects of nutrition timing on muscle hypertrophy (increasing size) so I figured I could share the results of the study I reviewed. We all probably know that our nutrition pre- and post-workout is pretty important for performance, but can this also affect muscle hypertrophy?  

I looked into a study where they analyzed the effects of supplement-timing pre- and post-workout compared to supplementation in the hours not close to a workout. They performed a 10 week resistance exercise program and analyzed the changes in muscle fiber hypertrophy, strength, and body composition. The participants were split into 2 groups; one group had protein and glucose pre- and post-exercise while the other group had a protein and glucose supplement in the morning and late evening.  Both groups had the same exact dosage. They assessed 3 exercises (1 Rep Max), body composition testing through DEXA, and vastus lateralis biopsies.  The results demonstrated that Group 1(Pre/Post) demonstrated a greater increase in lean body mass and strength in 2 out of the 3 exercises.  Group 1 also had a greater increase in the cross sectional area of type 2 muscle fibers and contractile protein content.  Some of that may have been a little confusing to understand but the basics to take away from this is consuming foods consisting of carbohydrates and protein pre- and post-workout can have positive effects on your results in a resistance training program.    

Questions? Come and find me.

- SW

Ironman World Championships 2014 - "Sarah Kelly, YOU are an IRONMAN!"

Flight 1263 is high above the Pacific Ocean taking me home from the Big island of Hawaii to Massachusetts. It has been 5 days since I became an Ironman and realized a dream that I never thought I would ever have the courage to fulfill. It has taken me the last 5 days to wrap my head around what I did. To sum it all up in a post seems impossible. I am not an elegant writer that can craft sentences expressing the array of emotions I went through over the course of 11 hours and 23 minutes. What you will read over the course of the next few pages (sorry, not sorry!) will be directly from the heart as I have done since I starting blogging 20+ weeks ago. 

Grab a coffee, a comfy seat, and maybe some tissues if you're the emotional type because this will might take a while. :)

On May 4th, 2014 I learned I had qualified for the Ironman World Championship in a flurry of tears, hugs, and cheers. After accepting the slot to Kona I knew my life was about to change. I was excited, motivated, and sick to my stomach. I was going to the Ironman World Championships...freaking KONA...and I had YET to do an Ironman! 

The training, the nutrition, the early hours, the lack of fun for the last 20 weeks was done all for one reason, to hear these 6 words, "SARAH KELLY, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I have accomplished a lot in my athletic career. I've played a collegiate sport for 4 years. Played in an NCAA Final Four. I tried out for the US Field Hockey National Team. I've run road races. I've completed countless triathlons from sprints, international, and Half Iron distances. I've done Tough Mudders, and GORUCKs, but until 5 days ago I had never done an Ironman. 

Why you might ask? 

The truth is this, I don't do anything that I can't give everything that I have to make sure I finish...and finish strong. As much as I wrote about crossing the finish line any way possible, I was not going to settle for anything other than as hard and as strong as I could. There is just no other way. You can reference past mentions of the Game Face I put on or how I equate myself to a tank to gain further insight into why I am the way I am. Bottom line is this when I commit, I commit. There can be no halfway. Halfway is bullshit. So after countless training sessions I'd made it to Kona ready to take on everything that the Ironman World Championships had to throw at me.

Race morning I woke at 3:30am after a fitful night of sleep. I ate my peanut butter covered toast in silence standing in the kitchen. I was nervous but not to the point where I couldn't eat. Weird. The biggest race of my life and I'm not having a problem getting anything down. I decided to take it as a good sign. After the family stumbled half asleep out the door we were off on the seemingly endless drive from the Waikoloa Beach Resorts to the King K Hotel and pre-race funtivities. The volunteers were amazingly chipper at 445am inside the body marking tent. As I was tattooed with 1707 on both upper arms I learned the volunteer marking me had traveled from Colorado just to GIVE BACK to a race he has participated in several times over. He asked if I was nervous. I stopped to think about it because I wasn't chomping on gum like I do out of nervous habit, nor was my stomach a twisted mess. Out of habit though I said yes. He assured me that today was about enjoying the day, ups and downs, and the magic of what was happening around me. I'd received this same message from many Nauts who had done this race before me. Maybe the magic of the Big Island was sinking in because my nerves were as calm has they had ever been and I wanted nothing more than to just GO!

Lucky for me, and my family, they were able to finagle VIP passes allowing them access to the pier and behind the fences corralling the racers before the start. I was able to laugh and chat with them before heading into the water. More importantly I was able to give them all one last hug before I set out on the race course. I found Elena in the sea of pink swim caps of the women age group racers. She looked relaxed and ready, calming me with words of encouragement all the way to the stairs leading to the water. We parted ways as we headed out to start bouy to await the boom of the cannon. 

This was the moment I'd been dreading the most. The swim. Admittedly it's the weakest part of my race. I'm strong enough to hold my own and give a little nudge if needed but the though of swimming 2.4 miles was more daunting to me than running a marathon. As I bobbed up and down I remembered my good friend Steve Roulier telling me to take a moment and look around. Look at the pier and the sea wall with all of the people 3 to 4 deep. Watch the sun rise over the iconic church along Ali'i Drive as the surf boarders paddle back and forth holding you back. It was an incredible feeling knowing I had made it. I was ready. My plan was in place. All I had to do now was to execute and finish strong.

BOOM! Time to get the show on the road! The first 1/4 mile was rough. I spent most of that time jockeying for open water and the line I wanted to take. The pack thinned out and I made sure I lined myself up so I could see or touch every paddle board marking out the route, there was no way I was going to swim extra mileage. My plan for the swim was to play it very conservatively. I swam with ease and reached the Body Glove boat to start the turn around before I knew it. The water going out was choppy but not terrible. I had anticipated worse. Heading back in the current pushed me slightly off line but with a few extra sights I was on course again and swimming bouy to bouy as planned. The last quarter mile seemed like an eternity. You can see the pier, hear the crowd, but you just can't seem to close the gap fast enough. My stomach was starting to feel a little queazy from the salt water I'd swallowed along the way and my head was pounding from the cap and goggles suctioned cupped to my face. I was never so glad to get out of the water and start my 112 mile ride to Hawi and back.

I can't say enough how great the volunteers were. They slathered me up with sunscreen, helped me with my gear bag, and guided me out of the tent to my bike. Two things struck me in T1. The first, thank god my bike was all the way at the end of the pier and end of the rack so I could easily remember where it was. The second, damn we're my lips salty. My brothers asked me how I was doing as I donned my helmet. The only thing I could come up with was its salty out there. They got a laugh and I was off!

With the swim behind me I was now on my bike with many miles of the wind blown Queen K ahead of me. My stomach was still upset but I stuck to my plan of fueling every 15 minutes with a small piece of Garukabar or Honey Stinger Waffle. I drank when I needed to and even when I didn't. I finished my torpedo and another bottle within the first 30 miles. I didn't want to drink the Perform if I didn't have to but I had finished all of my Skratch and knew I'd need to keep the electrolytes coming because it was HOT! At some point within the first 30 miles a familiar voice came up behind me. "Fancy meeting you here!" It was Elena! She was riding strong as I watched her pull away from me. I'm thankful she caught me. She pulled me out of a conservative trance I had fallen into. I was unsure of how hard would be too hard and had fallen into a rhythm that matched past training rides. I knew if I could keep her insight I'd be okay. Then, the wind came. I'm not talking a breezy New England wind that comes every fall. I'm talking about a blow you off your bike cross wind that changes direction whenever it pleases. From Waikoloa to Hawi at the turn around I was scared to take my hands off of the bike. There were times I had to grit my teeth and pray as I leaned sideways into the wind. The headwind up 207 to the turn around made life suck. I watched the pros and age group leaders whiz by as if there was little to no wind. All I could think about was how great the trip back would be. Oh how foolish of me to think that any part of the bike course would be easy. Madame Pele kept the wind blowing every which way but from behind you. Riders would pull up beside me and ask if last year was this windy. I would reply with, "Hell if I know, but this kinda sucks!" 

The once amazing lava fields had turned into a blast furnace. I was hot and the wind just wouldn't quit. My stomach was still upset and my desire to eat anything was gone. I stopped eating solid food around mile 60. I forced a mushy banana down once or twice and kept the fluids and Endurolytes coming. I was worried I wouldn't have enough for the run but I just couldn't eat anymore. As gross as it sounds I was peeing...A LOT...and wasn't overly worried about my hydration. But, my head was still pounding. It had to be from the lack of caffeine, there could be no other explanation. I avoid coffee on race morning for reasons coffee drinkers can relate to ;). All I wanted was the Excedrin I packed, but it was in my RUN BAG. DAMN IT. As promised the last 30 miles of the Queen K was hell. I already hated driving it in the car but the bike was so much worse. The wind was strong enough to bounce the rental car around the road and road side straw bushes lay flat. I managed to close the gap on Elena after I lost sight of her at the turn around. As I pulled up along aside her she said she wasn't feeling well. I reminded her to just keep on truckin and smile. Lida would want us to smile. As T2 approached I'd never been so ecstatic to get off of my bike. 

Elena and I hit transition together, rounded the pier to my brothers routing us on and giving us high fives. Again, the volunteers were amazing. One lady did almost everything but put my shoes on for me. After a quick pee break (remember, a pee break in T2 makes you run faster...at least it does for me) I was off. Only 26.2 more miles to go. The thought of what that distance represents to most people, myself included before race day, didn't even enter my mind. The first few miles were effortless. My legs knew exactly what to do all I had to do was keep them under control and hold the 8:15/8:30 pace I had planned. At the turn around at Ali'i Drive I had caught up to Elena. I slowed a bit to see how she was and if there was anything could offer her. She graciously said no and to go ahead and have a great run. Steadily I plucked away each mile. On the hill up Pulani Dr I saw the woman I bumped into 3rd place in St. Croix and effectively stole her slot to Kona. She was cheering me on from the road side. I gave her the biggest grin I could muster and kept on pushing to the top and the left hand turn for the long out and back along the Queen K. 

At this point I knew I had it. I knew I was going to finish, but how well was the question. My left hip and IT band were tight with every uphill step and I swear the entire run out to the Energy Lab was uphill. Rather than focus on the grade of the road or the pain in my leg I set my gaze on the tents of each aid station. All I had to do was make it one more mile. My mind would wander between each aid station. I'd replay all of the long training runs I'd done by myself. The track workouts I hammered out in the midday heat this summer with Danielle on my heels. I'd think about all of my friends and family at home tracking me and routing for me at home. 

When I reached the Energy Lab I felt a wash of relief. I had made it. I was over halfway and still feeling great, but this was the point were I'd heard everything can start to fall apart. The turn around is so much further down than expected but the "energy" the volunteers put out at the turn around and special needs station got me to the base of the climb and to the mile 18 aid station before taking the turn on to the Queen K for the final push home to the finish line. At this point my legs are starting to slow down. They weren't seizing. I wasn't hitting a wall. They just weren't turning over like they were earlier in the run. I made the decision to walk through each aid station from there to the end. Take in as much as I could. 

Water. Perform. Ice. Orange slice. More Ice. More Water. Sponge off. Run.

My steps were forced. My pace had slowed to 9 min miles and I was chasing the sunset to the finish line which I so desperately wanted to beat. As I passed Elena on her way out to the Energy Lab I knew my chances were slim of beating the sun as it dropped below the horizon. I made the last long climb up the Queen K to cheers from the partiers at the top who had been going strong since the first few pros hit the run course. I allowed my legs to go as fast as they could down Pulani until I saw Jen El-Seriff. I slowed for a quick hello and wish of luck before finishing the excruciating descent. The last 1.2 miles seemed much longer though my pace was speeding up. I was going to take Ali'i Drive in true SK fashion. Full Steam Ahead! I made sure to keep my eyes up and slap hands as I neared the finish line. The crowd was wild and wanting nothing more than to cheer everybody on. I could hear the famous voice of a Mike Reilly calling out names and saying you are an ironman. 

There's a moment that I am sure everyone has the first time they do an ironman when all of the training and the struggle along the way floods you with emotion. I entered the chute replaying everything that had happened to me good and bad since the start of the year. My response was to pick up the pace even more and choke back the inevitable tears. When I hit the ramp to cross through the finish podium I made sure to slow down put my fists up in the air for a celebratory double pump with an added yell for emphasis. Mike Reilly made the call I'd been waiting for "Sarah Kelly, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" 

I had crossed the line in 11 hours and 23 minutes. No, it was not as fast as I wanted to go. No, I did not beat the sunset. The wind wasn't in my favor. However, I finished strong. I was upright and walking with ease. I ate the glorious little donuts they had for post race food, along with Coke, pizza, pulled pork, and more coke. Sorry Krystal. 

The VIP passes had never been more valuable than when I saw my family minutes after I finished. Kieran got to me first and picked me up in the biggest bear hug. I cried. I had never been more happy. Then I hugged my parents, and cried a little more. Brendan came up behind them a few a few seconds later, with another bear hug. He squeezed me so tight I'm pretty sure he bruised a few ribs. They are still sore. Worth it!

If you have continued to this point I can assure you I'm wrapping it...

Flight 1263 has landed and in 4 hours I've written about almost everything. Flight 1522 from San Fran to O'Hare is taxiing to the runway bring me closer to home and the people who have supported me every step of the way. I cannot say thank you enough to everyone who trained with me, coached me, motivated and inspired me. Without you none of this would have been possible. I'm sure I would have finished but the joy of racing for someone other than myself wouldn't have been there. When I started writing I wanted to journal as much as I could to look back on if and when I do another Ironman. More importantly, I wanted to share my journey with everyone and provide even a small amount of inspiration to take on your our Kona. There were days I thought I would be too scared to get into the water and start racing, but after weeks of dedicated training and racing it was the complete opposite. When you decide to do something, making a personal and financial commitment, there can be no halfway. You owe it to yourself, and those that support you, to give everything you have in that moment. It don't care whether it's a training day, your nutrition, or race day. Give everything you have. Trust me, it will all be worth it. Some of you have witnessed my journey first hand, while others have read about it. Either way it is my hope that you can take little piece of what I've done and put it into your own life. 

Mahalo,

SK