Part II: TBT - Biking

For the next 2 TBT (Throwback Thursdays), I will be sharing my background and thoughts of each of the 3 sports (swimming, biking, running) of which I am about to embark on for my first Olympic Triathlon distance (1500m swim, 25mile bike, 10K run) sharing my excitement and nervousness along the way. Part I: Swimming was posted last week. 

  The majority of the race will be spent on the good old bicycle. This is typically the longest - both timewise and in distance for the race. 
  I started riding my bike when I was 5 or 6 and learned on our rocky driveway out in the country with one of those bikes that had a banana seat which mine just happened to be yellow. I remember trying to keep up with my older brother with the ramps and on the trails we made through the woods. Fast forward to college, I rode my bike to classes and then after graduating college I would go an occasional bike ride for fun - either off-road or road. It was always for fun. Never really cared about technique or how fast I was going.

my bike used for my first race

 In 2001, I was talking to a colleague from my first 'real' job about a race over in Ohio - the West Milton Triathlon. This was a canoe-run-bike that sounded like fun. He was game to be my partner and off to my first official race with a bike portion in it without really putting much training or thought into what I was going into. I just had my mountain bike with no cages or cycle shoes. Biking was the last part of this race and had a steep climb up a hill right at the beginning followed by a long gently sloped hill. There were a few other hills throughout the 17mile course, but not as bad as the first 2 hills. Another killer thing about the course was the headwind! I feel like the wind is pushing me back so hard that I could walk faster. This was my first experience in bike racing. Not for sure if I would want to ride a bike in a race again. But sure enough, I did several more times at West Milton bringing more friends and family along to race with me. The headwind always showed up. 
 Jump ahead to present day. I still find hills intimidating and headwinds discouraging, but try to use the mantra that this will make me a better biker for race day and realize everyone is facing these same conditions.  I have been doing spin classes once a week which has helped tremendously.  My pedaling technique has improved through this classes as well as learning to keep the toes up, pull up as well as push down, and keep the shoulders relaxed. I will also either ride outside or at the YMCA (depending if I have kid with me or not) at least one other day. I know I have not ridden outside nearly as much as I wanted, but you do what you got to do and for me that is often just biking at the Y. 
 The past few months of training, I have felt myself get stronger and faster, but I still find biking challenging with the hills and headwinds as I mentioned before. I totally can relate to 3x Tour De France winner, Greg LeMond's quote, 

                "It never gets easier, you just go faster."

The retired 'racing' Nishiki bike

 I have progressed in the bikes I have ridden that has helped me to get a little faster. I moved from my Specialized mountain bike to my first road bike - Nishiki- which someone gave me that is about 25lbs and over 25 years old. The Nishiki is now retired from my fun races and is our Burrito Riders bike with the saddle bags. I now have a Giant road bike (easy lift with one hand!) that I got off of Craig's list AND invested in a pair of cycling shoes when VO2 Multisport was having a crazy sale back in January. It is amazing the difference bicycling can feel with the bikes you ride. I am still getting used to the cycle shoes and waiting for my first crash because I can not unclip my shoes fast enough - just hoping it is when I am going slow so the road rash will not be too bad! But through all the training, I still find myself as the "fun, watch the scenery go by" bike rider and I am A-OK with that! 

current road bike

"Not everyone will understand your journey. That's fine. It's not their journey to make sense of. It's yours."

Tasty Tuesday: Avocados

Nutrition and exercise go hand and hand. So this week, let's focus on avocados!



Runner's World lists avocados as one of the superfoods for runners. They have valuable fat, good source of fiber, and contains vitamins B, K, and E. Google has plenty of sites to read up on all the goodness of avocados.

Lots of easy ways to incorporate avocados into your meals such as toppings for salads or tacos.


Here are my 2 favorite recipes using avocados:

Guacamole
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt with a fork. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

From Allrecipes.com

Black Bean Salad with Corn, Red Peppers, Avocado & Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette

Servings: 6-8

2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob - yes it is worth the effort!
2 red bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,
1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them)
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
2 Hass avocados, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired.

We often eat this with tortilla chips.

From: Once Upon a Chef

What are your favorite ways to eat avocados?

Catherine's Fitness Journey

To talk about my fitness journey is actually a very emotional thing. I have struggled with body image
for most of my life and for a long time working out and going to gyms was a means to try to be skinny and fit a certain mold I thought I was expected to fit. I grew up going to the gym with my mom, and she signed me up for my first training class as a pre-teen. In that class I was taught how to properly use weight machines and given basic fitness instructions so I wouldn’t injure myself. So working out and gyms have been a part of my life as long as I can remember.

 I first started to have more fun with fitness when I was a camp counselor. We took the kids hiking and mountain biking, and had an awesome climbing wall and zip line. These were all healthy ways to stay fit that weren’t being done because I wanted them to make me skinny, I just liked it!

   In college I dabbled in running to be “cool” (okay, I think a cute guy asked me to run so all of the sudden I was a runner) but running didn’t stick. I also began hiking more and rock climbing for real! I spent a summer outside of Yosemite in California working as a counselor, hanging out on a ropes course and going backpacking on my days off. I pretty much lived in a harness. I also continued this some once back home.

  After college I moved to Nashville, TN and my body insecurities crept back in. I was a teacher at the time and spent almost every day after school at the gym, taking classes or just pounding away on a stair climber. I ate very little and reached my lowest weight ever, wearing a size zero proudly. Unfortunately, it didn’t give me the satisfaction I had hoped it would. After several failed relationships I sought out counseling and talked through some of these issues which at least brought me more awareness about the dangers of my thought patterns. I did finally put back on a few pounds and reached a healthier weight after switching careers and having less time to work out and more meals out because of my job. I think I was happier too. 

 Once I was married, my husband and I worked out together a lot. We went golfing and walked the
course for more exercise, strolled botanical gardens, and rode our bikes. Once I became pregnant with my first daughter I kept exercising but packed on a lot of baby weight. I ate a LOT and for the first time in a long time didn’t worry too much about the scale. It felt great until I had to lose it afterwards! I breastfed, counted calories on MyFitnessPal and walked. Then when she was old enough I rode her everywhere I could in the bike trailer. I lost all but 2 pounds before getting pregnant with my second daughter. I swore this time that I wouldn’t gain the weight but my body did what it wanted despite my valiant efforts to eat salads and grilled chicken instead of Blizzards. The second time around I decided to get back into shape celebrity style. Unfortunately, by pushing myself to run and do boot camp type exercises too soon I injured myself and couldn’t do more than walk slowly for almost an entire year before it was resolved. This was very discouraging and coupled with my very messed up marriage and a move to another city I was not in a good place in life. I didn’t feel very good about myself but put on a happy face as much as possible.

  I joined the Y when I moved to Louisville and began working back up to the fitness level I was used
to. I made a lot of friends from my MOPS group who went there too and it was such a healthy and encouraging environment that I really stuck with it. When after living here for about 8 months my
world turned upside down and it became clear my marriage was ending, those same friends were there to encourage me and my fitness journey took yet another turn. It began to be therapy for me to run. Running on the treadmill and praying, sprinting out my emotions, crying (which of course got me funny looks) while taking long strides made me feel so much better. I remember feeling like God was saying to me “Look at those seconds ticking by on the screen. I just want you to trust me with one second at a time of your life and I will get you through this!” It’s the first time in my life where I was using my body to help heal my soul. It became as necessary to getting through the toughest of days as my friends, my therapist, and my Bible. 

 My baby weight is all gone, I can pull off a bikini again, but most importantly I am so glad that I have made peace with my body and can see the gym as a place to go to nurture myself physically and emotionally. Riding my bike through The Parklands is an opportunity to pray and to dwell in nature, not just to burn off the cookie I ate. When my insecurities start to creep back in, I am not as hard on myself as I used to be. I am so thankful that I have this body that made my beautiful children, legs that carry me through the zoo and pedal over trails, strong arms to hold my babies and spin them around until we’re dizzy, and a healthy mind to pass on good attitudes regarding fitness to my two girls. These days my favorite things to do are riding my bike, Barre, and yoga but I also do a lot of other things. I just have fun and will try any workout to shake things up and keep my body surprised. Most importantly, I try to have fun while doing it!

Thanks for sharing, Catherine! For more fitness journey stories check out the features tab above. If you would like to share yours, please e-mail me at fitinlou@gmail.com. You never know who you might inspire to start getting their fit in Lou. 

Part I - TBT - Swimming

For the next 3 TBT (Throwback Thursdays), I will be sharing my background and thoughts of each of the 3 sports (swimming, biking, running) of which I am about to embark on for my first Olympic Triathlon distance (1500m swim, 25mile bike, 10K run) sharing my excitement and nervousness along the way.

The hardest, out-of-my comfortzone, most scared, least experienced, and thankfully the shortest leg of the race is how I would describe swimming. I do not remember when I learned swimming, but yet I do not remember not knowing how to swim. I knew a few tricks of the trade such as spitting in the goggles to help prevent fogging, but did not know how to build up endurance or improve my stroke by myself. I am thankful for swimming friends and even a stranger (who I shared a lane with one time at the YMCA pool) who have helped me improve my swimming. Swimming is all about technique - less drag and using your larger set of muscles. Each friend has helped improved my freestyle, so it does not feel like I have the brakes on while I swim. I had a long ways to go when I first started training. I still have improvements that are needed, but having several mile swims under my belt I am building up my confidence that I can complete the swim in the upcoming race.

My friend, Deanne, was a swimmer in college,  focused on my arms. I can still hear her telling me high elbows and do not bend the wrist.  Breaking old habits is not an easy task! Fortunately, with lots and lots of practicing I am slowly getting the hang of it.

Another friend, Dorothy, a swimmer in high school, focused on making sure I was stretched out as far as I could to prevent drag and my breathing. I was turning my head up so much I was basically looking at the ceiling in the pool. I still cannot breath every third stroke, but will continue to practice.

Finally, a stranger named David, took time to give me a few pointers as well - after chitchatting for a little bit and he knew I was working on my swim technique, so the pointers were welcomed. I ended up sharing a lane at the YMCA with him one day. For some people, sharing lanes is a bummer, but for me it gives me a chance to practice swimming in close quarters with a stranger - similar to races.  David noticed, I swam with my head up causing my back half to drag lower in the water. He suggested I use a pull buoy to see if I noticed a difference which I did.

Meeting David was the extra push I needed to sign up for my first Olympic distance triathlon. We made some smalltalk in the pool bonding over our lack of confidence in the swim. He had hired a coach to get some lessons and watched you tube videos. He had just finished his first triathlon and was looking forward to doing more. I asked him if had had done any off-road triathlons since I am a fan of racing in nature. He replied with no because he uses a wheelchair and not quite ready to tackle those obstacles. I was so impressed and inspired that he was doing triathlons! I had no excuses except my lack of confidence in my swim. Needless to say, I signed up for my race that day!

I am using the Garmin Beginning Olympic Triathlon training plan which has you swim 2 times a week working on your technique and endurance. Once summer let out, I started going to the YMCA pool in the early morning to make sure I did not have to wait for lanes because of swim lessons. Also I did not want my training to affect the summertime fun for my kids by spending every morning at the YMCA (although they do love the Y!)

The swim is in a marina. I have completed 2 sprint triathlons previously (although not recently) and swimming in open water did not scare me. I grew up swimming (playing) in lakes and rivers so I am comfortable in the environment. I plan to not start in a pack of swimmers, so hopefully I will not get kicked, can just stay relaxed, and hear Deanne's voice in my head telling me to keep my elbows high. This is my race against myself. I have nothing to prove to anyone, but just enjoy the race that I have trained for the last few months.  I have come a long way in this journey, but still have much to learn and improve.

Know of other tips that have helped you in the swim? I would love to hear them!

"When you put yourself on the line in a race and expose yourself to the unknown, you learn things about yourself that are very exciting."
- Doris Brown Heritage, pioneer in women's distance running

Burrito Riders!

Rooster on his first ride

What are they? From their website: "The Burrito Riders is a bicycle-based organization dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of the homeless and those in need. We seek to build relationships within our communities, to foster hope, and to show God’s love by helping to meet basic needs, both physical and emotional."

Who are they? Burrito Riders got started by a Tim and his wife, Amanda, who wanted to find a way to serve the homeless community in Louisville. They had read an article in a magazine about a group riding bikes and passing out burritos in Charlotte and this was just the idea they needed.  They are an all volunteer group always welcoming anyone that wants to help out - make burritos (recipe below) or ride bikes to pass them out.

When and Where? They meet at Kroger at Eastern Parkway and Goss Avenue at 8am on the 2nd and 4th Saturday mornings of the month. They take burritos donations anytime since they can be made and frozen.

This is a very simple way to locally help others in need involving the whole family. It is fun to get together with friends and have a rolling party. Everyone makes the burrito filling and brings it to the party. Then, you roll the burritos together. Pretty easy and another excuse to hang out.
The Burrito Riders would love to have your help. It is easy to buy the ingredients, make the burritos, and show up to pass them out on Saturdays. Follow them on their facebook page to be reminded of their upcoming rides (One is this Saturday - July 26) or answer any of your questions.

Tasty Thursdays: Kale

 I would not be surprised if you think KALE as not a tasty food!  Growing up, I was a very picky eater and would agree with you.  Slowly, I have grown out of this picky stage by wanting to make new foods in the kitchen and knowing leafy greens are there to help and not harm you, right?

 Kale has been one of those foods, I have grown to like to eat because what it packs into its bitter green leaves. It was an acquired taste for me for sure, but reading that kale is a superfood for runners I was game to keep on trying. Minneapolis Running details the benefits of kale:

• Kale is “packed with nutrient rich photochemicals and health promoting benefits. It is rich in calcium, lutein, vitamin C, A, E and K, and tons of beta-carotene. Loaded with fiber, kale is a superior vegetable by any standards.” (Source)
• One cup of kale “includes over 1000% of your daily recommended vitamin K, an antioxidant that promotes bone growth and regulates blood clotting. In fact, kale’s vitamin K content surpasses that of broccoli, spinach and collard greens.” (Source)
• Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef . . . Kale [also] contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is better absorbed by the body than dairy.” (Source)

Here are 3 of my favorite recipes using kale - Thanks to my friend (and running friend) from RealFoodWithout for introducing me to recipes that make kale tasty! 

Kale Chips 

Ingredients
1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food.

Warm Kale Salad -  (use the dates for Larabars later!)

Serves 2
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots, cut into thin rings
3 slices bacon
1 bunch kale (about 8 cups,) removed from ribs then torn into bite-sized pieces
5 pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1/4 cup Marcona almonds (or sliced almonds)
1 recipe Maple-Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 Tablespoons shaved Parmesan cheese
Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots then fry until golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain then sprinkle with salt and set aside.
2. Turn heat down to medium then add bacon to skillet and cook until browned and crisp. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain then set aside. Remove all but 2 teaspoons bacon grease from the skillet.
3. Add kale, dates, and almonds then saute for 30 seconds. Add vinaigrette and then toss until just coated. Divide kale between two plates then top with reserved bacon, crispy shallots, and parmesan cheese.

 Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium white waxy potatoes, like yukon golds, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzos ( chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound diced chourico, casing removed
1 quart chicken broth
Warm, crusty bread

Directions

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

What are you other favorite kale recipes? I am always on the look out for some new ones!

Mighty Titans - Kids Mud Obstacle Race - Review

This is the second year in a row our kids have participated in the Mighty Titan race in Crestwood. My kids love their races! These races are kid-size version of the Rugged Maniac or other mud-obstacle races.

  There are several start times the day of the race. If you are not an early riser, you can still participate. You need to arrive about 20-30minutes before your start time to check-in. Here, they will give out the t-shirt, write his/her favorite number on his arm,  and offer the eye black to make you look and feel tough. When it is your time to race, everyone lines up and listens to Coach Nicole to start. The race is about 1.5miles with over 14 obstacles. The parents were able to run along with the kids to cheer them on which made the race fun for the whole family. There were volunteers at the obstacles for supervision and help like at the zip line and taller walls.
 My middle son, Rooster, is 4 and the youngest age geared for the race. Some of the obstacles were a bit more challenging for him as compared to my 6 year old who just blew through most of them. 

When Rooster went through the first mud area, it went up to his thigh which scared him a little, so he ended up going on the edge of the mud instead of directly through the middle. He was still able to get muddy, but not feel like he was in quick sand. Besides the sludge mud puddles and zip lines, there were cargo nets, tires, monkey bars, balance beams, slack rope, creek crossing, tube crawling, and wall climbing obstacles to conquer.
 At the end, they each received a Mighty Titan bracelet, water, and a banana. They also had the option to run it again if they wanted that day. My 6 year old was ALL over that of course! To top it off, a fire truck was there with the fire fighters hosing off the muddy runners.
 The price of the races is comparable to what you would expect for a road race and increases as the race gets closer. They are currently offering 3 races for $75 which is a pretty good deal. There are several more races being offered through September. One is next weekend in Prospect, so be sure and check it out!

Spin Class at the YMCA

With less than four weeks until my first Olympic triathlon distance, I have been using a spin class at the YMCA to help prepare me for the biking portion of the race. It is definitely not a substitute for getting outside on my bike, but with 3 young kids it is an acceptable alternative to help prepare for biking 25miles.

The bikes are somewhat close together so if the class is not full, I try to find a bike not right next to someone, so I do not fling any sweat their way. This class makes me sweat worse than a horse. The spinning bikes have several adjustments from the saddle, handlebars, and the pedals. The saddle and handlebars have either numbers or letters so you can memorize the setting for next time. If it is your first time or you do not remember your setting, just ask the instructor for help. A proper fit on the bike is very important. You can either wear cycle shoes or just use the cages. I just use the cages and tighten them around my running shoes. The bike does not have odometer. This is nice because you pedal as led by the instructor and how you are feeling that day. You can easily adjust the resistance on the bike with the red knob.

With the lights off and fans on high, the class starts off with a flat, easy warm-up before, Cindy, the instructor of the class I take, leads us in a variety of hills, flats, and sprints. She does a good job of describing what kind of road we are biking on and how much resistance to use. Each song played we do a different type of biking from flat, fast sprints to slow incline. Between the songs we can catch a breath, a drink of water and wipe our sweat off. The bikes have 2 spots for water bottles on the handlebars.

Cindy reminds us to relax the arms and shoulders since spinning works the lower half. I imagine I am going to be hearing her voice when I am in the bike portion of my race making sure my elbows are in and arms relaxed. At the end of the class, she goes through a cool-down and stretching exercises.
This class is only 45minutes and is a great beginners class.

 There are several places that offers spin classes besides the Y - Get Fit 24/7 and Be Well Fitness and Rehab to name a few.

Cycling is a great way to get some cardio in a low-impact way whether you are just getting into exercise or need an alternative from running. Be sure to take a water bottle and a towel when you go. Take a buddy or come join me at the Y and have fun!