It has been a while since my last post. Call it a turkey hangover, call it depression from watching the Irish lose, call it a little bit of burn out, or call it the first round of germs that tried to take hold. I have been neglectful of some workouts and as a direct result this blog.
Last Friday the house hold chores and a full belly of thanksgiving Turkey won out and I took my first full rest (well no running) day since I started. Instead I elected to put up the Christmas lights while the weather was still unseasonably warm. Three trips to Lowe's later, my work was done and it was time to go and eat more turkey. Skipping workouts is a slippery slope, once you have made peace with skipping one, you are far more likely to skip another, which I did on Saturday. I skipped the bike, but did do my run putting up a 48 min 10k. Then it was time to watch the Irish take on USC. - Sunday I was too depressed to workout and decided to do work around the house instead. Monday I skipped because I was really moving down that slope.
I felt really bad about skipping those workouts and did not want to post about them, but there they are, I have come clean. Now with two consecutive days under my belt again and no intention of skipping today's run (even though last night really hurt) I feel better.
The really bad thing is that the weather has finally turned for the worse. Yesterday it was cloudy but almost 70 deg. Today it is raining and getting colder every minute. We are supposed to see snow tomorrow and all weekend which means lots of treadmill work is in my future. Oh well such is Multisport in Michigan.
We had some pretty good meals here in the last couple of days. Here are the marinades that we used on the chicken, the pork, and also my homemade spaghetti meat sauce (well, my mom's really)
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Grilled Chicken Marinade
Balsamic vinegar
EVOO
S/P
Dried Basil
Simple and tasty, we use this for grilled chicken salad.
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Grilled Pork Tenderloin Marinade
Grey Poupon
Worcester Sauce
Soy Sauce
S/P
Minced Garlic (3-4 cloves)
EVOO
Great stuff, served with some homemade apple sauce (Granny Smith's skinned with brown sugar and cinnamon) and some Broccoli
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Spaghetti Meat Sauce
1lb ground Round
1 diced yellow onion
3 diced cloves garlic
S/P
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
Italian Seasoning
It gets better the longer it simmers, so put it together before your run and let the flavors come together while you're out building an appetite.
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I have to also thank Becky for 'brining me home' last night on the run. I ran into her on her way home (my way out) from her run with the dog and she rode her bike out to meet me at about mile four (still 3.5 miles from home). I was really hurting and starting to think about giving up and walking. With her by my side I began to feel better and actually finished up pretty strong. It's really nice to have support out there - Thanks Baby.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Day 19 - Part II - Great Day for a Run
What a beautiful day, and an even better run. After all of my worries about my my legs I ended up feeling great, the temp was perfect, the sun was shining and I had Becky as my pacer and personal photographer along with me the whole way. We ended up going 32 min out and 30 min back for a 7.6 mile total and a 2 min negative split! More importantly I felt great and had almost no pain the whole time.Now I can eat all the turkey I want!!!!!!
These are some of the pics from the run. All of these are along my usual route along the lake. I guess a fella could do worse for scenery.
Day 19 - TURRRRKEY! TURKEY! TURKEY! TURKEY!!!!
I love Thanksgiving. The turkey the, the family, the football, the turkey, the crisp autumn air, the turkey, and the turkey. Today is turkey day so you all know what we will be having for dinner tonight, and I'm not going to bother to post any recipes since I actually don't know how to cook a turkey (but do know that we cook it breast down to make it extra moist) and I have not made the potatoes and gravy yet (this is my first year) so I have to test them out on my relatives before subjecting my loyal readers to unforeseen disaster (although at this point I think that they are both the same group - oh well).
I have to give a big shout out to my Mom and Dad, who are out visiting my sister Kristen, my brother in law Steve, and their boys Christopher and Brenden (Boo), and of course Kree the big black dog. I'm sure you are all glued to the computer screen anxiously awaiting my next post. Please send pictures and I will show you all off.
I also hope to post some pictures from Becky's folks' house tonight where we will be, and we can have a virtual thanksgiving.
I have to say that as excited I am about the turkey and the beautiful day we are having today, I am almost equally less excited about today's run. Normally an hour and five minute run means about eight miles and that I was really looking forward too until I decided to push my run on Tuesday and turn 4 sub 7:30 miles. Not a good idea, and not my coach's idea either, I just got a little carried away feeling like a 98 lb Kenyan until the wheels fell off. As a result last night's run was a disaster, a real demoralizer. I hurt bad for the first mile, just hurt a little for the second, and really hurt bad for the last mile. I made it through only stopping for traffic, but it was a far cry from how I felt on Tuesday, and even more so it was hard to keep myself convinced that this was part of the process and that I was still getting better at running. I have to say that this was the first appearance of 'The Voice' which I will go into detail about after my run today. For now it is time to stretch out and get ready to hit the road.
I'm going all Rocky Balboa on this run just to get through. DA DA DA NA DANANANA DA DA DA NANANA!!!!!!!!
"If You want to Fight for Ten minutes you Gotta Train for Ten Thousand Minutes!!!!"
Monday, November 20, 2006
Day 15 - Note to Self, you cannot run off a Hangover.
This weekend was great, and it was also a little rough. Friday's runs were no problem, we discovered that Red wine is actually a performance enhancing drug (well kinda) and I got to bed early. Saturday I had a banner workout early in the morning consisting of a 1 hour trainer ride followed immediately by a 35 min run. For all those unfamiliar with the lingo this is called a 'Brick' workout, mostly because that is usually how your legs feel when you get off the bike. Well, I was not setting any records for transition time but starting my run my legs felt great and a knocked out the 35 min on the treadmill without a problem, and I even finished with a 5 min build increasing the incline and speed every 30 sec. I felt great, and after cooking a little breakfast (leftover potatoes from the salmon night, eggs, cheese and tomatoes) it was time to start thinking about the big game.
Anybody that knows me knows that I am a Notre Dame fan, but the game that I was interested in this day was the Ohio State University of Michigan game. Not only was I looking forward to the #1 vs. #2 match up, but a certain nutrition company had posted a giveaway of $100 of their stuff if you picked the winner and total score. That company is InfinIT Nutrition, and I have been using their product to train and race with for the last year. I cannot say enough good things about their stuff or their company, so needless to say I was really hoping for a final score of OSU 45 U of M 37. Well I was close, and in fact was close enough to win the big prize!!!!! So I would like to thank Mike at InfiinIT for unintentionally becoming my non-official Nutritional Sponsor for IMFL 2007 'catchy phrase TBD'.
Now, while I was very well behaved for the game, and pretty good at the dinner that followed, the Red Wings needed to go into overtime and then a shootout which pushed my evening into the wee hours of the night, and also meant that alcohol to water intake shifted into the Hangover zone. Now while I knew that this was happening as I sat and helped my buddy Joe make sure his high quality Scotch's had not gone bad, it seemed totally worth it. It was worth it right up until I had to muster a run on Sunday. I know from experience that you cannot run off a hang over, but I was determined to try. I figured I might be able to sweat it out, but the body was weak, and after running for 25 min, and wanting to vomit the whole time, I threw in the towel.
I'd say lesson learned and that it will not happen again, but I know that when Joe's Scotch needs to be checked for consumablity I will be first in line.
We have not cooked since Thursday night which means that I'm probably not doing too well in the no weight gain holiday challenge, but there is always this week to improve. I'm hoping that I will soon start to see the benefits of all this running (almost 40 mi last week), but I think that I will have to do a better job with my portion control, and alcohol units.
I need to thank Ferrone for cooking a great meal for us on Saturday night. She made this egg white quiche that was out of this world and I will have to poach the recipe for it. I also need to thank Val (and Mark) for putting on such a fabulous spread last night. I'm not real sure how the pork was prepared, but it was great. Also the little onion deals were super tasty, but you went way over the top with the homemade Swan marrange white chocolate moose dessert, and I'm blaming this weeks extra poundage on the box of homemade chocolate truffles you sent home with us. Thanks so much, that whole evening was terrific.
Anybody that knows me knows that I am a Notre Dame fan, but the game that I was interested in this day was the Ohio State University of Michigan game. Not only was I looking forward to the #1 vs. #2 match up, but a certain nutrition company had posted a giveaway of $100 of their stuff if you picked the winner and total score. That company is InfinIT Nutrition, and I have been using their product to train and race with for the last year. I cannot say enough good things about their stuff or their company, so needless to say I was really hoping for a final score of OSU 45 U of M 37. Well I was close, and in fact was close enough to win the big prize!!!!! So I would like to thank Mike at InfiinIT for unintentionally becoming my non-official Nutritional Sponsor for IMFL 2007 'catchy phrase TBD'.
Now, while I was very well behaved for the game, and pretty good at the dinner that followed, the Red Wings needed to go into overtime and then a shootout which pushed my evening into the wee hours of the night, and also meant that alcohol to water intake shifted into the Hangover zone. Now while I knew that this was happening as I sat and helped my buddy Joe make sure his high quality Scotch's had not gone bad, it seemed totally worth it. It was worth it right up until I had to muster a run on Sunday. I know from experience that you cannot run off a hang over, but I was determined to try. I figured I might be able to sweat it out, but the body was weak, and after running for 25 min, and wanting to vomit the whole time, I threw in the towel.
I'd say lesson learned and that it will not happen again, but I know that when Joe's Scotch needs to be checked for consumablity I will be first in line.
We have not cooked since Thursday night which means that I'm probably not doing too well in the no weight gain holiday challenge, but there is always this week to improve. I'm hoping that I will soon start to see the benefits of all this running (almost 40 mi last week), but I think that I will have to do a better job with my portion control, and alcohol units.
I need to thank Ferrone for cooking a great meal for us on Saturday night. She made this egg white quiche that was out of this world and I will have to poach the recipe for it. I also need to thank Val (and Mark) for putting on such a fabulous spread last night. I'm not real sure how the pork was prepared, but it was great. Also the little onion deals were super tasty, but you went way over the top with the homemade Swan marrange white chocolate moose dessert, and I'm blaming this weeks extra poundage on the box of homemade chocolate truffles you sent home with us. Thanks so much, that whole evening was terrific.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Day 12 - Not fit for Man nor Beast
Yet there is still running to be done. Last night's run was dark, cold, wet, and longer than I have run in quite a long time. Needless to say I was having a little motivation problem. The alternative, however, was a 55 min run in my basement on the treadmill, and no matter how nice I make my basement the thought of running down there for an hour is less than appealing. this is especially so because it can be a long winter here in the D, and I am sure that there will be many nights spent running down there. 
So with a few words of derogatory encouragement from my buddies at SlowTwitch, and my cool new a3. beanie (thanks Brian) to keep my head warm and earphones in place, I was off to enjoy the great outdoors. even though the weather could have been better the rain held off for most of the run and the wind was only a factor on the way home (of course), but I still managed a 2 min negative split for the return 3.5 of 7 miles. Not too bad considering that if it were up to me, I would have been planted on the couch all night listening to my butt get bigger. I have to say that this is the area where having a coach to direct you to your full potential, and a group of fellow athletes who are not afraid to call you out as a big wuss really pays off.
To complete this truly healthy evening dinner was one of my favorites, especially after a big run, Copper River Salmon, Smashed Red Skins, and Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad. A word about Copper River Salmon - This stuff is a real treat, bright red, full of flavor and Omega 3's, the Copper River Fishery in Alaska is a sustainable fishery that only harvests once a year. When the wild caught salmon hits the shelves in the summer I buy it by the freezer full so that I can freeze it and have some all year long. This fish is much better for you than the farm raised stuff and tastes a lot better too. Here is how we like to do it.
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Copper River Salmon w/ Smashed Red Skins
Lay the fillet on foil skin side down, season directly with S/P. Coat lightly w/ Marinade (grey poupon, red wine vinegar, rice vinegar, EVOO)
Grill (on the foil) for about 10-12 min over med high heat. The fish should just flake when cooked through.
Potatoes - Boil red skins until cooked through and drain. Add butter (not a lot needed), sour cream (again not too much) diced Scallions, and S/P. Smash w/ potato masher to a coarse consistency, mix with a spoon.
Salad - Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad
Also goes great with asparagus when in season.
Healthy, and really good after a hard workout. Takes about 20 min to prepare (mostly waiting for the potatoes to cook). - Just try not to eat a pound of salmon like I usually do...
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Day 10 - I am Not a Morning Person
6:30 am it is dark and 35 deg outside, and it does not feel much warmer in the house at this point either. After a double run yesterday and a swim with a 10K the day before I am a little sore and despite the fact that I went to bed at 10:00 last night, the thought of getting out of bed to go to the pool is akin to the thought of climbing Everest in my boxer shorts.
Knowing that this was the first of many early mornings to come I mustered the strength to get out of bed after only one slap of the snooze bar. I shuffled to the pool motivated only by the promise of a nice soak in the jacuzzi afterwords to try to loosen my very tight legs. By some miracle I was able to snag a lane right as I walked onto the deck, little did I know that this was more a cruel joke by some higher power since after the cold shower in the locker room, the pool seemed even colder.
The swim was great for about the first 100 yards when my shoulders began to talk back to me about my workout on Monday. I pushed through and eventually managed to get in some drills (all that I could remember of Brian's workout instructions although I'm still not sure what 8x100kddsp:10 means.) I did wimp out and cut the swim pretty short today since I thought that my shoulders were going to let go of my arms and I was going to have to drive home with my feet (pretty hard since I drive a stick).
Ahhhhhhhh.... at least the jacuzzi is nice and hot. The warmth and the bubbles are almost enough to make me forget about the noxious odor of chlorine and bromine that remind me of what the woolly mammoths at Labrea must have smelled right before their impending demise.
even though I only managed a 25 min swim I am very hungry and must return home to eat. Last night there was scarcely a carb in sight and it is to this that I will now blame my less than stellar performance in the pool. Grilled Chicken Salad is a favorite for weight management, but should be supplemented with breakfast if I'm swimming in the morning.
Hopefully a couple cups of the freshly brewed Sumatra French Roast that is waiting for me in the kitchen will put a little pep back in my step.
For those that are interested here is the very fast dinner that we had last night (under 20 min if the chicken is thawed)
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Grilled Chicken Salad
Marinate chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar, S/P, EVOO, and dried Basil for at least 5-10 min (while the grill gets hot)
Salad - Romaine (and baby spinach if you can find it) Tomato, Red Pepper, Red onion, Feta, Parmesan, Avocado.
I like Newman's Own Balsamic Vinegrette but it's good with just about any dressing.
Grill the chicken for about 5 min per side, and dice up to put into the salad.
Quick, easy, and good for you.
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Knowing that this was the first of many early mornings to come I mustered the strength to get out of bed after only one slap of the snooze bar. I shuffled to the pool motivated only by the promise of a nice soak in the jacuzzi afterwords to try to loosen my very tight legs. By some miracle I was able to snag a lane right as I walked onto the deck, little did I know that this was more a cruel joke by some higher power since after the cold shower in the locker room, the pool seemed even colder.
The swim was great for about the first 100 yards when my shoulders began to talk back to me about my workout on Monday. I pushed through and eventually managed to get in some drills (all that I could remember of Brian's workout instructions although I'm still not sure what 8x100kddsp:10 means.) I did wimp out and cut the swim pretty short today since I thought that my shoulders were going to let go of my arms and I was going to have to drive home with my feet (pretty hard since I drive a stick).
Ahhhhhhhh.... at least the jacuzzi is nice and hot. The warmth and the bubbles are almost enough to make me forget about the noxious odor of chlorine and bromine that remind me of what the woolly mammoths at Labrea must have smelled right before their impending demise.
even though I only managed a 25 min swim I am very hungry and must return home to eat. Last night there was scarcely a carb in sight and it is to this that I will now blame my less than stellar performance in the pool. Grilled Chicken Salad is a favorite for weight management, but should be supplemented with breakfast if I'm swimming in the morning.
Hopefully a couple cups of the freshly brewed Sumatra French Roast that is waiting for me in the kitchen will put a little pep back in my step.
For those that are interested here is the very fast dinner that we had last night (under 20 min if the chicken is thawed)
__________________________________________________________
Grilled Chicken Salad
Marinate chicken breasts in balsamic vinegar, S/P, EVOO, and dried Basil for at least 5-10 min (while the grill gets hot)
Salad - Romaine (and baby spinach if you can find it) Tomato, Red Pepper, Red onion, Feta, Parmesan, Avocado.
I like Newman's Own Balsamic Vinegrette but it's good with just about any dressing.
Grill the chicken for about 5 min per side, and dice up to put into the salad.
Quick, easy, and good for you.
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Monday, November 13, 2006
Day 8 - I'm a Big Fat Fattie
Let's just say that the eat, drink and be merry side of me has been winning the battle of the belt line the last few days. Dinner out on Thursday, dinner out on Friday, the oh so good Chicken Chili for Dinner on Saturday, and Sunday, plus a Brunch Buffet on Sunday have pushed my weight up to 188.2 lbs. Whoaa!! My daily runs of 4 mi were no match for the caloric intake the last week which means that I am now up about three pounds instead of down three pounds like I thought that I would be. Have no worries, this is not where I turn all "M'anorexic" and sink into depression, but it is where the workouts start to get turned up.
Thanks to my coach Brian at Accelerate 3 Coaching this week marks the beginning of two a days. I have already been to the pool today to do some drills and remember what it is like to be wet. Let me just say that there is really no accurate way to describe that first day back in the pool after a long layoff, it is simultaneously like returning home, and wishing that you hadn't. That smell of chlorine, which will now linger with me for the next year, that freezing water, and all those muscles that start to talk back at about the 750 yd marker. Yes boys and girls, I will certainly be sore tomorrow.
Tonight I will also be running with Ben, even though it will be very dark, and very cold. I'm actually looking forward to it since we will be crossing over a bit of a mile stone, 26.2 official miles into training. Kinda scary to think that it took me a week worth of running to go this far, and a year from now I'll be doing it after 112 mi on the bike.
Since the only thing that I cooked over the weekend caused me to gain four pounds, I'm not sure if I really should share it, but just in case anyone out there has just been rescued from a desert island or needs carbo load in a hurry, here it is.
DISCLAIMER: This food is addictive. Once you start to eat you will have the uncontrollable urge to keep eating until you start to feel sick. Then you will start to sweat (aka 'here come the chili sweats') After the sweats subside you will be hungry for more chili.
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Aunt Ginny's Chicken Chili
Boil approx 2lb (1 package) chicken breasts
In a large nonstick pot combine over medium heat 8-10 oz Pepperjack Cheese, and 1 Jar of Salsa. Once the cheese is melted add 1 large (or two small) jar of Great Northern White Beans.
Shred cooked chicken into pot. Add Cumin to taste. Allow to simmer 30 min.
Serve with Blue chips and Sour Cream
So good.
Can be served Taco Salad style - bed of crushed blue chips, lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream.
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Friday, November 10, 2006
Day 5 - Is this really November?
65 deg and sunny!!! What a great day to be out and about. I'm glad that I had to get out of the office a little early to accommodate me run before going out to dinner, because the weather was so nice and it was great to run in the sun. Had a good run too 4mi/33:25/182bpm/170bpm/185.2lbs. Got home in time to take a quick shower and get ready for dinner for BECKY'S 29th BIRTHDAY!!!!
We went to a new location of an old favorite Kruse & Muer's in Troy. The only problem with this place is there are too may good things on the menu for one visit. From the fresh bread to the seafood chowder to my Parmesan encrusted Chicken this place is a winner! Thanks to Lloyd and Hun for treating us to a really great meal, it is always so nice to get together with the family.
We went to a new location of an old favorite Kruse & Muer's in Troy. The only problem with this place is there are too may good things on the menu for one visit. From the fresh bread to the seafood chowder to my Parmesan encrusted Chicken this place is a winner! Thanks to Lloyd and Hun for treating us to a really great meal, it is always so nice to get together with the family.
Happy Birthday Baby!!!!!!
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Day 4 - I get a new running partner :o)
Let's just say that the weather here last night was really good, especially for the second week of November. In fact, it was so nice out that even Becky could not resist a nice little run. What a TREAT! Let me just say what a real trooper she was. It has been quite a while since she has gone for 4 miles, but she said that she wanted to do it last night and she did, with flying colors. We held a nice steady 10 min mile the whole time and just took a little break at the turn to tie shoes and get the HR down a touch. Give it another couple weeks and she will be turning tempo runs with me and Ben!!
Yesterdays numbers 4mi/42min/220bpm/155bpm/184.6lbs. Obviously there is something wrong with my HRM because I'd be in a coma if I had a 220 spike. I think that it is my Road ID dog tag that interferes with the transmitter, or all of the hair on my chest not giving a good connection until I'm all sweaty. Either way I'll continue to trouble shoot and see if I can get some better numbers.
12 miles into the week and I'm feeling that old familiar pain in the shins. Not shin splints, but the muscle behind the shin that gets a little over worked. This usually lasts a week or two until it catches up with the rest of my fitness.
Last nights meal tuned out pretty well, but the preparation was a bit of a disaster. We decided to try these Fish Cakes (like a crab cake) out of Everyday Foods, but as I started preparing them I realized that we did not have all of the ingredients. Never ones to give up halfway through a meal Becky and I pressed on and ended up with what were pretty tasty treats. Here is what we ended up with.
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Tilapia Fish Cakes
Bake about 2lbs Tilapia fillets in the oven @ 400 deg for about 15 min seasoned with S/P and EVOO.
In a large bowl combine 2 Eggs, juice of 1 Lemon, 1 Lime, 1/4 cup Sour Cream, 2tbs dried Parsley Flakes, 3 tbs Horseradish.
Add cooked fish (dice it up in the bowl), and 1/2-1cup of coarse bread crumbs (ours made from crushed Stone Ground Wheat Thins - yummy).
Form mixture into cakes smaller tan a hockey puck but bigger than a bisket and dust with seasoned bread crumbs from the can.
Fry the cakes in a Med High heat pan containing EVOO and a little butter, 4-6 min a side until golden brown.
Sauce - 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tbs horseradish, lime juice, S/P, grey poupon.
Serve with steamed Red Pepper slices over baby spinach.
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Like I said dinner turned out great and we were able to freeze a bunch of the cakes for easy snacks. Beware that this does take about an hour to make and the clean up is pretty significant.
Tonight we are going out to dinner with Becky's family to celebrate her upcoming 29th B-day! So there will be no menu tomorrow, but there will be a restaurant review!
Yesterdays numbers 4mi/42min/220bpm/155bpm/184.6lbs. Obviously there is something wrong with my HRM because I'd be in a coma if I had a 220 spike. I think that it is my Road ID dog tag that interferes with the transmitter, or all of the hair on my chest not giving a good connection until I'm all sweaty. Either way I'll continue to trouble shoot and see if I can get some better numbers.
12 miles into the week and I'm feeling that old familiar pain in the shins. Not shin splints, but the muscle behind the shin that gets a little over worked. This usually lasts a week or two until it catches up with the rest of my fitness.
Last nights meal tuned out pretty well, but the preparation was a bit of a disaster. We decided to try these Fish Cakes (like a crab cake) out of Everyday Foods, but as I started preparing them I realized that we did not have all of the ingredients. Never ones to give up halfway through a meal Becky and I pressed on and ended up with what were pretty tasty treats. Here is what we ended up with.
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Tilapia Fish Cakes
Bake about 2lbs Tilapia fillets in the oven @ 400 deg for about 15 min seasoned with S/P and EVOO.
In a large bowl combine 2 Eggs, juice of 1 Lemon, 1 Lime, 1/4 cup Sour Cream, 2tbs dried Parsley Flakes, 3 tbs Horseradish.
Add cooked fish (dice it up in the bowl), and 1/2-1cup of coarse bread crumbs (ours made from crushed Stone Ground Wheat Thins - yummy).
Form mixture into cakes smaller tan a hockey puck but bigger than a bisket and dust with seasoned bread crumbs from the can.
Fry the cakes in a Med High heat pan containing EVOO and a little butter, 4-6 min a side until golden brown.
Sauce - 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tbs horseradish, lime juice, S/P, grey poupon.
Serve with steamed Red Pepper slices over baby spinach.
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Like I said dinner turned out great and we were able to freeze a bunch of the cakes for easy snacks. Beware that this does take about an hour to make and the clean up is pretty significant.
Tonight we are going out to dinner with Becky's family to celebrate her upcoming 29th B-day! So there will be no menu tomorrow, but there will be a restaurant review!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Day 3 - The first test of commitment
Yes, you read that right, the first real test of commitment came last night on the SECOND day of training. It was cold wet and dark and I still needed to go out and run, bummer. I am happy to say that I have won this battle my friends! 4mi/32min/210bpm/176bpm/185lbs. I have no idea if that 210 bpm is accurate or if it is just interference, but that is what the watch said.
When I came home Becky already had dinner going for me which was a real treat. Roasted Rosemary and Lemon Chicken with Roasted Veggies - yum. This one too a little more than a half hour, but if you did it right, you could get it going and then get your workout in, just like Becky did last night.
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Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken
with Roasted Veggies
Blend a sprig of Rosemary, EVOO, Lemon Juice, Honey, S/P, and Garlic to make marinade.
Chop veggies - Red Potatoes, Red Onion, Red Pepper, Portabella Mushroom
Combine veggies and 4 Chicken breasts in a large oven safe dish.
Roast at 450 deg for about 40 min. You may need to to cover the dish for part of the time to keep the chicken from drying out.
Finish the bottle of Rosemont form last night or try a nice light Chardonnay.
This recipe is mostly unchanged from Everyday Foods.
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I must say that as I write this I am a little sore form last night. Let's just say that it has been some months since I ran two days in a row. No worries, some ice and stretching at lunch and perhaps a little core work will set me straight.
When I came home Becky already had dinner going for me which was a real treat. Roasted Rosemary and Lemon Chicken with Roasted Veggies - yum. This one too a little more than a half hour, but if you did it right, you could get it going and then get your workout in, just like Becky did last night.
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Roasted Rosemary Lemon Chicken
with Roasted Veggies
Blend a sprig of Rosemary, EVOO, Lemon Juice, Honey, S/P, and Garlic to make marinade.
Chop veggies - Red Potatoes, Red Onion, Red Pepper, Portabella Mushroom
Combine veggies and 4 Chicken breasts in a large oven safe dish.
Roast at 450 deg for about 40 min. You may need to to cover the dish for part of the time to keep the chicken from drying out.
Finish the bottle of Rosemont form last night or try a nice light Chardonnay.
This recipe is mostly unchanged from Everyday Foods.
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I must say that as I write this I am a little sore form last night. Let's just say that it has been some months since I ran two days in a row. No worries, some ice and stretching at lunch and perhaps a little core work will set me straight.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Day 2 - Run Focus Begins
Monday was the first day of actual training and since I am a terrible runner it marks the first day of what will become a 12-16 week run focus.
My buddy Ben and I set out for a nice easy 4 mile jog at about an 8:30 pace. Nothing really exciting here, but I need to include some numbers just for myself while I get my training log together. 4mi/34min/176bpm/165bpm/wt185.8lbs (ouch)
Part of this log will be tracing my weight along with my meals, and as you can see from that last number I'm currently a slightly pudgy 185.8lbs. That's OK, Monday also started good food week, where Becky (my wonderful wife) and I eat like kings while ridding our systems of all things fast food and greasy. This plus the retun of running is sure to push my weight down to 180 lbs in a pretty big hurry.
Food is going to be a big part of this blog since I love to cook and I think that everyone could eat really well if they just had a little direction. Think of this as my online cooking show for everyone who loves to be active and not miss out on eating great stuff.
So here was last nights meal enough for Two (and today's lunch) Prepared in under a half hour
______________________________________________________
Tuna Steaks with Garlic Tomato Citrus Sauce
Sushi Rice
Romaine, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Season Tuna Steaks with Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil
Saute (3 cloves) Garlic, (1/2) Red Onion in EVOO and (1/2tbs) butter
Add Juice of 1 Lime, 1/2 Lemon and 1/8 cup water
Add 1 Fresh Diced Tomato Allow to simmer
Cook Sushi Rice with Salted Water, add 1tbs Rice Vinegar while fluffing
Sear Tuna on the Grill or on a Skillet for about 2 min per side (Tuna should be bright pink in the middle - Think Medium Rare to Rare)
Salad Dressing - 1 tbs honey, 1 tsp red vinegar, EVOO, Pinch of Dried Basil, S/P, Juice of 1/2-whole Lemon
Salad - Romain, red onion, goat cheese, pine nuts.
Get the rice going first since it takes the longest. Then start the sauce. Start the grill with about 15 min to go in the rice. Chop the salad while the sauce is cooking. Cook the Tuna with about 6 min to go on the rice. Clean while you go and you will have very little to do at the end of the meal. Enjoy.
I recommend a nice Crisp white wine like Rosemont Sauvinon Blanc to accompany the meal for those who are drinking.
_____________________________________________________________
My buddy Ben and I set out for a nice easy 4 mile jog at about an 8:30 pace. Nothing really exciting here, but I need to include some numbers just for myself while I get my training log together. 4mi/34min/176bpm/165bpm/wt185.8lbs (ouch)
Part of this log will be tracing my weight along with my meals, and as you can see from that last number I'm currently a slightly pudgy 185.8lbs. That's OK, Monday also started good food week, where Becky (my wonderful wife) and I eat like kings while ridding our systems of all things fast food and greasy. This plus the retun of running is sure to push my weight down to 180 lbs in a pretty big hurry.
Food is going to be a big part of this blog since I love to cook and I think that everyone could eat really well if they just had a little direction. Think of this as my online cooking show for everyone who loves to be active and not miss out on eating great stuff.
So here was last nights meal enough for Two (and today's lunch) Prepared in under a half hour
______________________________________________________
Tuna Steaks with Garlic Tomato Citrus Sauce
Sushi Rice
Romaine, Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
Season Tuna Steaks with Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil
Saute (3 cloves) Garlic, (1/2) Red Onion in EVOO and (1/2tbs) butter
Add Juice of 1 Lime, 1/2 Lemon and 1/8 cup water
Add 1 Fresh Diced Tomato Allow to simmer
Cook Sushi Rice with Salted Water, add 1tbs Rice Vinegar while fluffing
Sear Tuna on the Grill or on a Skillet for about 2 min per side (Tuna should be bright pink in the middle - Think Medium Rare to Rare)
Salad Dressing - 1 tbs honey, 1 tsp red vinegar, EVOO, Pinch of Dried Basil, S/P, Juice of 1/2-whole Lemon
Salad - Romain, red onion, goat cheese, pine nuts.
Get the rice going first since it takes the longest. Then start the sauce. Start the grill with about 15 min to go in the rice. Chop the salad while the sauce is cooking. Cook the Tuna with about 6 min to go on the rice. Clean while you go and you will have very little to do at the end of the meal. Enjoy.
I recommend a nice Crisp white wine like Rosemont Sauvinon Blanc to accompany the meal for those who are drinking.
_____________________________________________________________
Day 1 - Registration
Registration Day is upon us!
For those unfamiliar with the protocol for participating in an IM branded race, the first test of endurance and commitment is just getting registered. Since Ironman has gained such popularity in the past few years races sell out fast, especially if you want one of the seven races in North America. Each race will sell approach 1800 slots for Age Groupers (AGers) like me. This year IMFL was sure to sell out in the first hour, so I had to be ready to get in right when it opened for '07 - the day after the '06 race.
37 min after registration opened online (it took that long) I was confirming a slot for a race that was now 364 days away. Excitement quickly faded away into a feeling of "Good God what have I done?!?!" as I realized that there was now no backing out. Fortunately, I have been on an extended training break from my summer of racing and I am actually really anxious to get back out on the road. This short term focus was enough to quell my anxiety and get me focused on the days to come.
For those unfamiliar with the protocol for participating in an IM branded race, the first test of endurance and commitment is just getting registered. Since Ironman has gained such popularity in the past few years races sell out fast, especially if you want one of the seven races in North America. Each race will sell approach 1800 slots for Age Groupers (AGers) like me. This year IMFL was sure to sell out in the first hour, so I had to be ready to get in right when it opened for '07 - the day after the '06 race.
37 min after registration opened online (it took that long) I was confirming a slot for a race that was now 364 days away. Excitement quickly faded away into a feeling of "Good God what have I done?!?!" as I realized that there was now no backing out. Fortunately, I have been on an extended training break from my summer of racing and I am actually really anxious to get back out on the road. This short term focus was enough to quell my anxiety and get me focused on the days to come.
The Begining
Welcome to Tri T'war's IronLife Blog where, if you want, you can follow my training for Ironman Florida on November 3, 2007. In this blog you can see some of my workouts, meals, breakdowns, and colorful anicdotes about this crazy life.
Before we get into that, I suppose I should let all of you know who I am. I am T'war, or usually better known by the name my parents gave me, Peter. T'war is the name that my sister gave me many years ago and has stuck. Not the most macho nickname, but certainly better than 'old sock' which was once my moniker as a child.
So here I am, T'war, a now 30 year old married man living about a mile and a half from where I grew up for my whole life, getting ready to train for an event that at the very best will be over nine and a half hours of maximum physical exertion in the hopes of crossing the finish line for a silly metal and a Tee shirt. Sounld like fun? Well believe it or not it is, and this blog is intended to give you a little insight into why I came to think that this was a good idea, and hopefully you will realize that Ironman is not about the 9.5-17hrs that you spend out on the course one Saturday, but that it is about the 365 days before that, and the countless hours spent training that really is what the race is about.
Now that all of that is on the table, get ready for what I hope is fun, informative, and cathartic for you and me.
Before we get into that, I suppose I should let all of you know who I am. I am T'war, or usually better known by the name my parents gave me, Peter. T'war is the name that my sister gave me many years ago and has stuck. Not the most macho nickname, but certainly better than 'old sock' which was once my moniker as a child.
So here I am, T'war, a now 30 year old married man living about a mile and a half from where I grew up for my whole life, getting ready to train for an event that at the very best will be over nine and a half hours of maximum physical exertion in the hopes of crossing the finish line for a silly metal and a Tee shirt. Sounld like fun? Well believe it or not it is, and this blog is intended to give you a little insight into why I came to think that this was a good idea, and hopefully you will realize that Ironman is not about the 9.5-17hrs that you spend out on the course one Saturday, but that it is about the 365 days before that, and the countless hours spent training that really is what the race is about.
Now that all of that is on the table, get ready for what I hope is fun, informative, and cathartic for you and me.
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