Week in Review

Happy 2020! Wow, I can't believe we are a week into the start of a New Year. The weather here has been unseasonably warmer than the past few years, although we have had a few days of steady rain. Nevertheless, training is going well and we are in good health. 

On Monday last week, I welcomed a recovery day. When I have a recovery day, I take full advantage of it by getting a lot of work done in advance, catching up with to-do's around the house, enjoying a little extra time in the kitchen, taking Campy for extra long walks and not thinking at all about training. I sure do love my recovery days. 

On Thursday, I recruited my swim partner Kristen to join me (and Karel) in a tough interval-focused swim. Kristen is extremely fast in the water so she is the perfect training partner for me to ensure that I don't slack in the water. She isn't training for any events (just training for life) so she keeps training fun for me. Plus, we have managed to find ways to have conversations in our rest intervals of 10-15 seconds. It must be a swimmer thing ;) 

Thursday Swim (4400)

WU:
400swim/100 kick/300 pull/200 drill

6x25's odds build free, evens fly on :30

MS:

30x100's

5/1

4/2

3/3

2/4

1/5

Alternating intervals aerobic base pace with threshold pace interval. We did a 1:30 cycle for the aerobic and 1:25 for threshold. 

CD: 250 easy

We did this workout shortly after Karel and I did our morning run workout so I was a bit tired going into this but somehow found a way to enjoy this tough set. Karel had a bit of cramping in his feet (from running shortly before the swim) so he had to adjust the set a little (he also did his own intervals).

As for the furry crew, Ella had a string of diarrhea on Sat and Sun so it was back to the vet for our little kitten. Luckily, all is ok and we just need to change her kitten food and keep her away from nibbling on Madison and Campy's food.

                                                 

I can't believe how much our little Ella Bella has grown over the past few months. She was such a little malnourished birdy when we got her and now she pretty much rules our house with confidence, energy and cuteness.

Campy received his first rain jacket as a holiday gift from our friend/athlete Eedee. I thought he'd enjoy this gift so that he could comfortably go outside in the rain but we tried it out one day and Campy is still not a fan of water - in any form. 

On Saturday, Karel and I went out for a 2:50 hr ride (him on his tri bike and me on my road bike). Karel made some recent changes to his tri bike and he was riding super fast, without any back pain (which is something he regularly struggles with - over the past several years). We are hoping this keeps up so that he can train and race to his potential on the bike.

As for the changes he made:
-155 crank arms (from 165)
-Slightly higher front end position
-Narrow and forward elbows locked in the Wattshop ergo cups.
-High hand grip which allows him to drop the head down and rotate shoulders forward and be more narrow.

Thankfully, I didn't have to run off the bike and Bike + strength was my only workout of the day. My legs were toast trying to stay on Karel's wheel!

Karel had two bike fits throughout the week (one athlete from Massachusetts and one from Charlotte) so it was a bit of a busy first week of the year for Karel. 

Also, we received a notification from Ironman that our Tri Club placed 3rd in Div IV in the World. We are so proud of our athletes for this accomplishment!!

To finish off the week, Karel joined me for my long run on the Green Valley Road Race course. While a very easy run for him, it was a bit challenging for me. We are planning to participate in the Green Valley 10-mile Road Race on Feb 8th. We have been wanting to run in this event for the past few years but we have always had something going on during the event weekend. The race course is extremely hilly (~1000+ feet of elevation gain) but it's also on the roads that we train on all the time. It'll be more like a training day for us with a little push from other runners. It is certainly a running race that rewards strong and resilient athletes and not so much about being "fast" - just my type of race! 

Not only did we run the entire course but we also did a bit extra to make this my longest training run in a very long time! 13.9 miles an one hour and 50 minutes of running! There were some stops and reset breaks along the way but it was a challenging but great workout for me. And I loved having Karel as my rabbit to chase. After the run, we got a little work done on the computer and then went to the pool for one last swim workout for the week. 

Sunday Swim (3600)
(we both wore our buoyancy shorts for this entire workout)

WU:
600 choice 

PS: 3x

w/ snorkel

4 x 25 sculling

into 100 smooth swim 

Rest 5-10 sec. 

MS: 

600 snorkel, strap at 80% 

4 x 25 strap strong

400 strap at 80% 

6 x 25 strap strong

200 paddles at 85% 

8 x 25 strap and paddles strong

10-15 sec rest. 

PS:

3 x 200 at 85% and breathing every 3 strokes. 

Rest 10 sec

CD:
150 EZ

My Go-To Vegetable Curry Recipe

When writing my first book Essential Sports Nutrition, I wanted to include some type of recipe that was easy to prepare but also flavorful, nutritious and satisfying for athletes. On page 151 of the book, I created a delicious Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Quinoa Curry dish - packed with spices and veggies.
Inspired by this dish, I recently found myself in the kitchen - being creative as always - and created a similiar recipe but with root vegetables (perfect for the winter) and lentils (rich in plant protein, along with calcium, iron, folate and potassium). Depending on what veggies you like (or what you have on hand), you can also be creative with this recipe. I hope you enjoy my new favorite go-to vegetable curry dish. This recipe is sure to leave your taste buds happy, while feeling satisfied and thankful for such delicious food in your belly.

Marni's Go-To Vegetable Curry Recipe

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• Olive Oil (2-3 tsp)
• 1 can lite coconut milk + water
• 3 large potatoes, chopped (skin removed) - you can use any type of potatoe (I used Russet)
• 1 cup lentils
• 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• Your choice veggies (I used 2 large carrots, 2 large parsnips, handful mushrooms, and celery root) - chop all veggies - you can keep chunk-size or diced (or anything between).
• Pinch of salt and pepper (optional chili powder for a kick)
• 1/2 tsp of each seasoning: Cumin, tumeric, paprika, curry.

Directions

1. Set stovetop to medium heat. In a large pot, drizzle olive oil on the bottom and sautee onions and garlic until golden brown. 
2. Add coconut milk and water (I filled the empty coconut milk can with water and then added that water to the pot). 
3. Stir in veggies, lentils, potatoes and seasonings. 
4. Reduce heat to low and let the stew cook for 25-30 minutes. Stir every 8-10 minutes. 
5. The mixture will become thick and creamy looking and your kitchen will smel extra yummy. Continue to stir and cook until veggies and potatoes are soft. 
6. You can serve with your choice of protein or eat as is - this dish is very filling and satisfying. 
7. Enjoy! 

Are you ready to try a triathlon?

For the past fourteen years, I’ve called myself a triathlete. Prior to embarking on this incredibly fun multisport lifestyle, I participated in running events. Before that phase, I dedicated over ten years of my life to competitive swimming. While 

in college, I heard about a local triathlon event. I welcomed it as a challenging new training adventure and a way to meet other people. Here's a picture of me smiling my way through my first sprint distance triathlon. I had no idea what I was doing but I found a way to get to the finish line. 

Triathlon has allowed me to travel to new places, develop long-lasting friendships and discover my unique talents and strengths. Triathlon also has a wonderful way of teaching you many valuable life lessons.

Regardless of your background, triathlon is an everybody sport. Like myself, maybe you swam in college and miss the camaraderie of being part of a squad. Perhaps past running injuries have made you tri-curious. Or, maybe you are seeking a new challenge as a devoted cyclist.

Training for a triathlon adds purpose to your exercise regime. As a way to improve health, boost self-confidence, overcome a fear, stretch physical limits or be a role model, there’s no escaping the obvious of being drawn to the challenge of participating in a three-sport event.

Despite your nervous energy, excitement and curiosity, it’s normal to feel a bit overwhelmed by this new multisport endeavor. For example, you may be intimidated by all the gear used in a triathlon. Although triathlon is an equipment-heavy sport compared to a sport like running, you don’t have to break the bank just to cross the finish line. Another challenge to this multisport lifestyle is balancing training for three sports with work, family and life. By having clear expectations of the available time that you can realistically dedicate to training each day, you can build your training around your life and still achieve positive fitness adaptations.

Although the sport of triathlon has evolved since I first entered the sport, one thing has remained the same – through your hard work and determination, you’ll accomplish feats that you never thought were possible by your body and mind. 

In my new book Athlete to Triathlete, I discuss everything that you need to know to ensure a fun, enriching and sustainable triathlon journey.

For the beginners and tri-curious:
☑️Learn the fundamentals of how to train for a triathlon.
☑️Learn how to select your races.
☑️Understand how to fuel for a sprint and olympic distance triathlon.
☑️Learn what gear is needed to train for and participate in a triathlon.
☑️Learn more about race day, including what to expect during athlete check-in, transition area set-up, an open water swim start and all the nitty gritty details of participating in a 3-sport event.

For the experienced triathletes and coaches:
☑️You can access two easy-to-follow, descriptive and periodized 12-week training plans for sprint and olympic distance triathlons.
☑️You can access dozens of strength, mobility and stretching exercises targeted to triathletes.
☑️Learn how to fuel better around and during workouts and on race day to minimize the risk of GI issues, maintain optimal hydration and delay fatigue.
☑️Descriptive how to become a better open water swimmer.
☑️Improve your bike handling skills to become a better triathlon cyclist.
☑️Become a better triathlon runner off the bike.
☑️Improve your transition times through sample brick workouts.

If you or someone you know can benefit from my book, you can pre-order your copy here at: Athlete to Triathlete.

If you are in need of a training plan to help you kick-start your 2020 triathlon training, we have a variety of plans to choose from. We have updated all of our training plans to reflect our current coaching methods and strategies for optimizing performance without compromising health.

2020 Trimarni Training Plans

-13-week Sprint Plan
-13-week Olympic Plan
-10 week Foundation Plan
-21-week Half distance Plan
-21-week Full distance Plan

You can learn more about each training plan on our website. Click HERE.

2020 Resolution: Body Respect

The year 2020 is here!

We all know that saying that is widely heard on January 1st..... "New Year, New You."

New Year resolutions come in many forms. As a promise that you make for yourself - in hope of new beginnings - you may be wanting to break a bad habit or create something more positive. For most, resolutions are goals that you want to accomplish over a course of several months or over the year.

If you suddenly feel the need to make a change, there's nothing wrong with wanting to be more active, eat a more nourishing diet or live a healthier lifestyle.

However, because most New Year resolutions involve diet and exercise in an effort to change body composition/weight, this resolution to look, feel or perform differently may become detrimental to your physical and mental health. It's not uncommon for resolutioners to restrict food/nutrients and mistreat their bodies in an attempt to reach weight loss goals. If your New Year, New You goal is to improve your health, you have lost all health benefits of your resolution by abiding to such strict, rigid and extreme dietary and exercise regimes.

Do you feel the need to conform to societal norms or to please others?

Is your self-confidence wreaked from all the things you feel you didn't achieve in the previous year?

Do you feel judged by your appearance?

Do you regularly compare yourself to others?

When was the last time you thought about who you are as a person?

Do you know yourself?

In 2020, I encourage you to make this year about being more kind to yourself. If you want to change something about yourself, learning how to respect yourself is an instrumental part of the process.
Search inwards to start understanding your "self."

Self respect is an important component of achieving a health-related goal. The more you respect yourself, the more you are able to take care of yourself. If you find it extremely difficult to treat yourself respect yourself, how do you expect to achieve something that is important to you?



On the topic of self respect is body respect. It doesn't matter how much weight you lose or what diet regime you adhere to, you have to respect your body before you make a change.

If you struggle with body dissatisfaction or body comparison or constantly find yourself gravitating toward the latest dietary fad in hopes of finding a diet that will actually work for you, let 2020 be the year where you focus on respecting your body.

When it comes to dietary or exercise resolutions, most stem from a place of frustration, dissatisfaction and disappointment. You probably don't like/love something about your body and you feel like making a change will help you love your body. But how can you properly take care of something that you don't respect?

To show your body respect, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Update your wardrobe - Dress the body that you have right now. You deserve to buy clothes that fit you. If something doesn't fit right, don't wait until you are a certain size to buy new clothes. Show your body respect by buying clothes that you like and clothes that you feel comfortable wearing. Express your personal style - wearing clothes that make you feel great about your body. 
2. Clean-up your social media feed - Even a brief exposure to body-image posts can negatively impact your mood and your own thoughts about your body. Follow people who have a healthy and positive outlook on body image and spread good messages about health, food and exercise. If someone makes you feel bad about yourself, unfollow. If anything, by diversifying the images you see on social media, you will constantly remind yourself that this world is better with a variety of body sizes, shapes, ages, ethnicities and genders. 
3. Thank your body - When you eat, exercise or sleep, you are doing something good for your body. Don't punish your body through your diet or exercise regime. Be mindful of negative self-talk, especially when you are feeling anxious, stressed or frustrated. During these times, you may take out your emotions on your body. Don't forget to thank your body for all that it allows you to do. Show compassion and kindness for yourself. 
4. Don't compare - Every body is different. What you see (body image) doesn't tell you what's going on inside of a person or in their private life (work, relationship, family, health, etc.). More so, what makes someone special has little to do with their looks or body. If you find yourself comparing yourself to others, give yourself a pep talk by describing a few of your amazing qualities that make you unique and special. 
5. Live your best life - You don't have to look differently to be happy. There's nothing wrong with wanting to adopt healthier habits but don't value yourself by a number on a scale (or your look). Don't let your weight, shape or image stop you from doing activities that you enjoy. Don't let assumptions keep you from trying something new. Your appearance does not determine your self-worth. Make a difference in this world and make this world better because you are in it. 

Your gift to the Greenville Humane Society.

Whether it's to a friend raising money for a good cause, a stranger in need or to an animal shelter, at Trimarni, we regularly find ourselves donating to important causes.

For the past few years, we've donated money to our local Greenville Humane Society on behalf of our business - Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition. We take $1 from every Trimarni purchase, round it up and double the amount - and then give money and food to the local Humane Society. Because of your Trimarni support of our small business, you helped us donate $500 and an additional $100 of cat, dog, puppy and kitten food to the Greenville Humane Society. THANK YOU!






As someone who is passionate about helping others, I can't tell you how much it means to us to have your Trimarni support. Whether it's the purchase of our coffee, one of my books, a bike fit with Karel or purchasing our training plans, your support allows us to give back to others.





Here is how your donation is helping the Greenville Humane Society:

2018 Year in Review

• Adoptions: Adopted 6,099 pets into forever homes which makes the Greenville Humane Society the largest no kill facility in the Southeast just behind Atlanta.
• Annual Save Rate: 99.7% (5,456 animals were admitted to the shelter in 2018. 17 or .3% were euthanized to end their suffering from illness.).
• Admissions: In 2018, 43% of Greenville Humane Society animals were owner surrenders and 57% were transferred from other animal shelters. We now partner with 36 high euthanasia shelters in five states to pull animals. By doing so, we are helping to lower the euthanasia rates in the entire Southeast.
• Spay/Neuter Surgeries: 15,385 surgeries in 2018. 10,594 of these were public surgeries.
• Vaccine Clinic: 52,757 vaccines were administered at the Greenville Humane Society.
• Healing Place/Hope Fund: 2,321 animals were treated for serious diseases and illnesses (in homes and onsite). We were able to treat 61% more animals with upper respiratory infections, many of which were pulled from other shelters while sick, in our new expanded URI treatment room. Overall, 38% of the animals who found their forever homes in 2018 went through treatment in our Healing Place.
• Volunteer Program: 39,495 total volunteer hours donated in 2018. On average, 223 active volunteers each month.
• Greenville Humane Society Website: 732,841 visitors in 2018. Of these visitors, 40.8% were new.

What does our winter training look like?

We have been spoiled by incredible weather lately. For the past week we have enjoyed tempertures in the 60's for our highs! Although a few rain showers to navigate through, our "winter" training has been more like spring training. 

Nearing the end of our second month of our 2020 training, much of our training lately has been focused on strength, resilience, endurance and neuromuscular firing. Although many of the sessions are intense, this is only because they stress different physiological systems. There's no "speed" work as it's just way too early to be focusing on getting faster. More so, without a solid foundation of strength, it's difficult to adapt properly to intensity and volume. Seeing that it's only the end of December, it's important to keep everything in perspective when it comes to training. I feel strong, healthy and resilient but not fast or fit. I have training sessions when I feel fresh and energetic but most of the time, I'm carrying around a bit of fatigue from one training session to the next. A carefully designed training plan has the right mix of recovery and training to safely adapt to training stress while maintaining consistency with training. This is the tough part of the year when you just have to embrace the grind - no matter the weather or how you feel, you have to show up and just give your best for the day. 

I've really enjoyed feeling challenged lately and I welcome each training session as an opportunity to explore my abilities. Some workouts are physically challenging and some are mentally tough. As I mentioned before, no workout is too hard or too long but in the big picture of the season, I am still building fitness and adapting to different training stressors. However, the theme for the training right now is strength and neuromuscular firing.

Here are a few of my recent training sessions from this past week (delicious scones and croissants may have been consumed after the Thurs pool training session): 

Tues trainer bike (2:10): 

WU:
10 min + 5 min + 5 min (starting at Z1 and finishing at upper Z2) 

MS: 2 rounds

3 x (3 min Z3, 1 min Z4+ and 100+ rpm, 1 min EZ) 

4 x ( 2 min Z4+ and 100+ rpm, 1 min EZ) 

---

13 min sweet spot choice cadence

---

5 min EZ spin 

Repeat MS one more time

PS: 

Power descending intervals:

1 min Very Strong Z5

2 min Strong Z4+

3 min Strong Z4

3 min Moderate Z3

CD: 

8 min Z1/Z2

3 min Z1

Followed by a 38 minute hilly run - all smooth and form focused. 

Thurs AM swim (4700)

WU:
500 warm-up

MS:
4x400
#1-2: Snorkel, band, buoy.
#3: Buoy, band
#4: Paddles
All w/ 20 sec rest
---
4x300 no toys, descend 1 - 4
All w/ 15 sec rest
---
4x200 w/ buoy, paddles,
descend 1 - 4
All w/ 10 sec rest
---
4x100 no toys
All best effort w/ 30 sec rest!
---
CD as needed

Yumming over this delicious potato, lentil and vegetable coconut curry stew that we enjoyed on Thursday evening.

Wed AM run (1:35)
The first half on rolling hills, then on the flat trail). 
WU:
45 min best EZ pace (walks as needed)

MS:
4 x (30 sec fast / 90 sec EZ )
---
4 x (2.5 min uptempo (Z3+) w/ 30 sec EZ jog/walk)

PS:
15 min top end of aerobic range (Z2/Z3)
---
15 min best EZ pace

We have been trying to get as much sleep as possible, which is about 8-9.5 hours a night. 

On Thursday evening, our athlete Ericka made the long drive down to us from up North to spend three days training with us. Ericka is a super strong and fast athlete and we have enjoyed coaching her over the past few years - seeing her develop her skills, push her boundaries and get more in-tune with her amazing body. Although we called this a mini training camp, we didn't do anything extreme for this phase of the season. It was a great mix of strength and endurance with a bit of neuromuscular firing to keep the brain communicating with the nerves/muscles. 

Campy LOVES when Ericka is in town. Ericka has special dietary needs (no gluten, diary, eggs) but Campy doesn't complain as she always shares her food with him. 

This is how I like to fuel up for a long ride - semi-homemade pizza (fresh store-bought pizza dough). One pizza was veggies and marinara and cheese and the other was kale pesto (vegan) with mozarella. I served my pizza with tempeh for protein.

The mini training camp was as follows:
Friday AM
~1 hour run (I did a treadmill run + weighted vest hill walking and Ericka and Karel ran outside on the hills)

Friday mid day
4000 yard swim - a mix of 100's on a tight interval and smooth swimming w/ buoy and paddles between.

Friday late afternoon 
2 hour endurance ride
(I have been riding my road bike outside since October as my Ventum just received a new paint job and I can't wait to get it back out on the road!)

Saturday AM
4:15 ride - including the Saluda Grade and Green River cove loop with a million switchbacks and lots of climbing/descending). ~6000 feet of elevation gain.
20 min brick run

Sunday AM
~1:25 run (in the rain) w/ a main set of powerful hill running (2 rounds of 15/30/45 sec) followed by a steady run around lake Furman ~10 min) and then one more set of hill running and a steady run around the lake. ~15 min warm-up and cool down.

Sunday afternoon 
3200 yard swim - upper body strength work swim (lots of band and paddle work)

Although it was a solid week of training, no one workout destroyed me. Each day I found myself craving a bit more and wondering what my body could do the next day. Plus, it's always fun to train with others - especially when each person has his/her own strengths/weaknesess. 

Here are some pics from our weekend ride and run. 

Thank you body for being so awesome! 

If you are interested in our style of training, we have updated all of our training plans for 2020!!
All of our training plans are now available on our website.

CHECK OUT OUR TRAINING PLANS HERE.

Are you at risk for a performance setback?

The other day I was chatting with a friend and I told her that there was no way that I would have been able to write my new book, Athlete to Triathlete, six years ago. Even though I've been a triathlon coach for over 13 years, several things have changed over the years that have helped me become better coach triathletes and understand the sport of triathlon.

For example, on Pg. 35 of my book, I address several factors that can place an athlete at risk for a performance setback.

Setbacks are no fun. They are frustrating, distracting and depressing. 

While motivation and excitement can help you show up to a training session, as an athlete, it's your responsibility to be an active participant in all aspects of your life. Seeing that lifestyle choices impact your training, your athletic success is built on great body-mind awareness.

In my book, I will help you train smarter and improve the odds of maintaining consistency with your training, all while building confidence for race day. If you are interested in more info on the topic of reducing the risk for injury, sickness and burnout, in a packed 199-page book filled with triathlon-related information, tips, guideliness, exercises, training and gear, you can pre-order my new book now on Amazon.

ORDER HERE: Athlete to Triathlete. 

The 5's of mindful holiday eating

For athletes, social eating at holiday parties family gatherings and end-of-the-year events can be challenging. Even with the best intentions, it can be difficult to stay consistent with nutritious eating when you are overwhelmed by so many calorie-rich food choices. No need to skip your work holiday party, the family cookie-swap, your child's holiday function or your team social. Here are a few tips to help you feel good about your eating choices and improve your relationship with food.

1. Sit down - Instead of eating standing up, put food on a plate, sit down and focus on the present moment. You will enjoy your food much more when you give eating your full attention.  
2. Slow down - Intentionally chew slower than normal.  When you eat slowly, you will notice your food and enjoy it much more. 
3. Savor - Enjoy every bite. Use all of your senses and eat without distractions. Remind yourself that the first bite is always the most flavorful. 
4. Simplify - Create an environment where you can maintain a great relationship with food. Prioritize foods that make you feel good and that you love. 
5. Smile - Be grateful for the food that you get to eat. Take note of your fullness level - eat until you are satisfied. 

For many athletes, body image dissatisfaction is heightened during the holiday season. For athletes with a history of dieting, eating disorders or disordered eating, holiday eating may trigger uncomfortable feelings, emotions and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Remind yourself that you are allowed to indulge responsibly and feel great about it - and still feel/be healthy. Give yourself permission to enjoy foods that make your tummy smile.

The ultimate cycling experience: Haute Route Alps!!

Pic Source

We are registered for the 20202 Haute Route Alps!! 

For the past 8 years, we have been traveling to Europe every other year to visit Karel's family in his hometown of Znojmo, Czech Republic. For the past 3 visits (2014, 2016, 2018) we combined our trip with racing Ironman Austria - which is now one of our favorite race venues.

For the past few years, I've been wowing over this event called the Haute Route Alps (pronounced "oat" "root". The more videos I watched and more I learned about the event, the more excited we got for a new challenge (Karel and I like to share our crazy adventure ideas together). Although we are not removing ourselves from the sport of triathlon (we are already registered for two Ironmans and 5+ half IM's between us), we are constantly seeking different/new events to keep our spark alive for endurance training and racing. Through long distance training and racing, we have both developed great endurance, strength and mental toughness and we can use this fitness to test our physical and mental boundaries.

From August 22-28th, 2020, our endurance, strength and mental toughness will be challnged more than it's ever been tested before. And this excites us....and makes us a bit nervous too!

Here are some quick facts from the event: 

• 7 consecutive days of cycling
• ~500 miles
• ~65,000 ft total elevation gain

"The Haute Route Alps features bucket list climbs made famous by the Tour de France including six cols culminating over 2,000 metres (6,500 ft) above sea level and gives you the rare opportunity to pin on a number and test yourself on long point-to-point stages."


2020 stages:

• Stage 1: Megève – Megève (Côte 2000): ~68 miles / ~9842 feet
• Stage 2: Megève – Tignes: ~67 miles / ~11,320 feet
• Stage 3: Tignes – Serre Chevalier Briançon (Col du Galibier): ~86 miles / ~11,320 feet
• Stage 4: Serre Chevalier Briançon – Risoul: ~45 miles / ~7700 feet
• Stage 5: Risoul – Auron: ~71 miles / 10,660 feet
• Stage 6: Auron – Nice (Col de Vence): 106 miles/ ~10,826 feet
• Stage 7: ITT Nice – Col d’Èze: ~7.5 miles / ~1640 feet

Although this event costs a lot more than what we would pay for an Ironman, we also get a lot more than what we would receive in a one-day event. More so, it's the challenge, memories and experience that excites us the most as we train for something that we have never done before.

"The Haute Route’s objective is to deliver an unparalleled 'professional' experience for amateur cyclists. This means not only delivering first class hospitality and event management, but all the key ingredients that make up the culture and experience of professional road racing."

What's included in our registration fee:

• Rider's Pack - cycling apparel, backpack
• Welcome dinner
• Live timing
• Detailed road book
• Road mobile mechanics, safety vehicles, course marshals, feed stations, medical team
• Breakfast and post-stage meal
• Post-stage massage
• Post-race bike wash
• Professional photos
• Daily stage highlight video
• Daily rankings and awards
• Closing cermony
• Finisher apparel
• Medal
• Accomodations (for all 7-nights)
• Airport pick-up
• Daily travel of race bag
• Mid week laundry service

"Relax between stages with a post-ride meal, daily massage, and stress-free accommodation packages. On the road, enjoy the support of professional mechanics, French Gendarme moto escorts, staffed feed stations, and sag vehicles. A seven-day event is a major undertaking. You focus on riding; we’ll handle the rest."

Over the next 8 months, I'll be sharing more about our training (how we are preparing for this event while still training for long-distance triathlons), sport nutrition (fueling/hydration), gear, travel and anything else that related to this extreme endurance challenge.

Note to self: make room on your phone for lots and lots of pictures during the Haute Route Alps!

Doping in sport - what you need to know

Doping describes the act of using a banned substance to drastically alter the physiology of the human body - often used to improve performance. Justifying the use of a banned substance for financial reasons, to break a record or to level the playing field not only threatens the integrity of sports but athletes risk health problems or death. 

Unfortunately, in every sport, there’s great temptation to use performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Anabolic-androgenic steroids are used to improve physical appearance by building muscle. Clenbuterol and ostarine are widely popular to burn fat and build lean muscle mass. Human growth hormone and testosterone, commonly prescribed to older adults to combat the age-related decline of these hormones, can improve muscle protein synthesis. All of these drugs are banned by WADA (World Anti Doping Agency).

Most sports require an athlete to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code, which is "designed to set forth a standard set of parameters within which athletes can participate in triathlons and compete in a positive atmosphere of equal opportunity." These Rules are intended:

a. to promote and maintain sportsmanship, equal opportunity and fair play;
b. to encourage and reward individual performance and initiative;
c. to protect the health, safety, and well-being of participants;
d. to promote the integrity of sport and triathlon as a positive cultural force in modern day society; and
e. to foster the foregoing ideals through the establishment and enforcement of punitive rules.

With this being said, why do athletes take performance enhancing drugs? The primary reasons include;

• Therapeutic use for a health ailment.
• Social and recreational use.
• Performance enhancement.

Therapeutic Use

Some athletes require the use of drugs for the treatment of a medical condition. Athletes, just like the normal population, are not immune to illnesses or conditions where drugs are often needed for treatment purposes. When an athlete seeks medication that is on the prohibited list, a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) may give that athlete the authorization to take the needed medicine. Because some drugs can be purchased over-the-counter or online, it's important to ensure that the consumed drug does not contain other banned substances. Drugs taken by athletes that may require a TUE include:

• Insulin
• Diuretics
• Beta-blockers
• Beta-2-agonists
• Glucocorticosteroids
• Decongestant stimulants
• Narcotics

The broad criteria for granting a TUE are:

• The athlete would experience a significant impairment to health if the prohibited substance or prohibited method were to be withheld in the course of treating an acute or chronic medical condition.
• The therapeutic use of the prohibited substance or prohibited method would produce no additional enhancement of performance other than that which might be anticipated by a return to a state of normal health following the treatment of a legitimate medical condition.
• There is no reasonable therapeutic alternative to the use of the otherwise prohibited substance or prohibited method.
• The necessity for the use of the otherwise prohibited substance or prohibited method cannot be a consequence, wholly or in part, of the prior use, without a TUE, of a substance or method which was prohibited at the time of use.

Social and recreational use
Did you know that up until 2004, caffeine was on the banned substance list! Whether for social purposes or for other reasons, athletes may follow their peers (or trends) and use social or recreational drugs. Although not every athlete using a recreational drug does so with the intent to enhance performance, some drugs have performance-enhancing properties. Additionally, being under the influence of these substances can pose a threat or danger to other competitors or yourself. Drugs in this list include (but are not limited to):

• Alcohol
• Cocaine
• Cannabinoids
• Stimulants

Performance Enhancers
To level the playing field, to be the best, to achieve excellence in sport, to please sponsors, to change body composition, to change physiology, depression, low self-esteem, to earn money, for recognition, to qualify for an event or to set a personal best, there are many factors which influence why an athlete will resort to using performance-enhancing drugs. However, no reason is a good enough reason to use a banned substance. Substances on the WADA list used to enhance performance is cheating. It threatens the integrity of sport and may compromise health. These shortcuts to success are not worth it.

Although athletes are well aware that anabolic androgenic steroids or EPO (erythropoietin ) are banned substances, athletes should be aware and concerned with dietary supplements. Supplements are not well-regulated and many supplements contain undeclared substances that are prohibited under anti-doping regulations. For example, there is a high-risk list of supplements that could contain banned substances. Be mindful that any supplement used to improve performance, improve recovery, change body composition, prevent or treat nutritional deficiencies or to enhance energy, may contain banned substances.

For example, on the Supplement 411 list:
Brand Name: MetaSalt
Manufacturer: CarboPro
Could Contain: Anabolic agents
Notes: Testing of an open container of an illegible lot number revealed the presence of ostarine. A sealed container of the same lot or formulation was not available for testing. For more information about SARMs see the USADA webpage on SARMS.
What the label says: The Supplement Facts panel lists "a variety of vitamins, minerals and extracts."

As an athlete, it's your responsibility to stay updated with the current rules, guidelines and prohibited substances set forth by WADA. Whether you take a supplement to improve your performance or take a medication to improve your health, it's your job to become aware of what you are putting into your body and to comply with all rules set forth by the World Anti-Doping Code. 

Resources such as USADA can and the World Anti Doping Agency can help athletes identify product that are safe and effective or that violate a doping code. Check your sport doping code every year to recognize what substances are prohibited in and out of competition. 

2018 Prohibited List
Recognize the Red Flags
High Risk Supplement List
TUE process

Why I wrote Athlete to Triathlete (new book)

When I participated in my very first triathlon (2003), I knew little about the sport. As a collegiate swimmer, I felt extremely comfortable with the pool swim but the bike portion was super scary for me. I had a little experience with running so I was so relieved when my feet finally hit the pavement for final leg of the triathlon. I was equally exhausted and thrilled at what I had accomplished by finishing a sprint distance triathlon. It just seemed so crazy to me that my body could cover the distance of a sprint triathlon and that I did it by swimming, biking and then running.  

One year later in 2004, I participated in an Olympic distance triathlon. I had just graduated from college and I was a few weeks away from traveling to Florida for graduate school. I owned a hybrid bike and helmet but my triathlon equipment list was minimal - running shoes, swim suit, goggles and a bike (with a kick stand).

In 2005, I participated in my first marathon. I was in graduate school studying exercise physiology and I missed training for an event. After spending the last ten years as a competitive swimmer, I missed the comraderie of training/competing with others.

In 2006, I was bit hard by the endurance bug. I completed the Boston Marathon, my first half ironman and my first Ironman. Not only was I amazed at what my body was able to achieve but I loved the triathlon environment. The athletes were so supportive, inspiring and positive. Biking was always my weakest leg of the triathlon - and the most unnerving to me. However, over the years I've been able to go from weak to strong. And since my cycling skills have dramatically improved, I love riding my bike.

Karel came from a competitive cycling background and was seeking a new challenge in 2012. And boy, did he get one! He really strugged with swimming. He could barely swim 25 yards without getting out of breath. And for the first few years of triathlon racing, he would experience great anxiety when swimming in the open water.

Although I still feel like I have a lot more to learn and to accomplish in the sport of triathlon, I have learned the most from coaching hundreds of athletes over the past 10+ years. Although my focus is with endurance triathlon, every expert was once a beginner. From my own experience, I know exactly how it feels to be a beginner triathlete. It was scary, overwhelming, fun and exciting.

When I started the sport, there weren't a lot of resources for beginner triathletes - especially for individuals who had some type of athletic or fitness background. I felt like I had to learn as I went along. Because of that, I made some mistakes and had to figure things out the hard way.

As I was writing my new book Athlete to Triathlete, I took myself back to when I was new to the sport of triathlon. Confused and overwhelmed yet excited and eager to try something new. I wanted to provide practical and easy-to-read chapters that were related and applicable to individuals who are new to the sport, are re-entering the sport after a break or have dabbled in the sport without much understanding of what triathlon is all about.

The sport of triathlon has experienced significant growth since becoming an Olympic sport in 2000. Since I crossed my first finish line in 2003, much has changed in the sport. From gear and equipment to the training and fueling - triathlon has evolved and grown over the years. However, there are still several barriers to entry - such as cost, time and intimidation. From the outside, triathlon may appear complicated, exhausting, elitist and overwhelming. For these reasons, many active individuals are hesitant to train for and participate in a 3-sport event.

To help grow the sport of triathlon (specifically, making it more inclusive for women, youth and various ethinic groups), I hope that my new book Athlete to Triathlete will simplify the sport to help individuals safely and confidently enter the sport of triathlon, while exemplifying that the sport of triathlon is welcoming to newbies and beginners. I want others to feel the same excitement that I felt as a newbie - but also train for races in a smart and productive manner.

Athlete to Triathlete also serves as a triathlon training guide with features such as: 

• How to choose a triathlon race
• How to plan your season of training and racing
• Race day gear checklist
• Transition and brick workout tips
• Training principles and measuring progress
• Rest and recovery
• Motivational tips 
• Tapering for a race
• Swim, bike, run gear 
• Open water swim tips
• Warm-up recommendations
• The pre-race check-in and race-day procedure
• Triathlon lingo - yep, there is a language spoken by triathletes
• What to expect at the race (from start to finish) 
• Nutrition guidelines for training and racing 
• Race day rules
• Strength and stretching pictures 
• Workout advice tailored to swimmers, bikers and runners
• Detailed, day-by-day training plans to prepare for a Sprint or Olympic distance triathlon (12-week training plans). 
• And so much more!!!!

Along with pre-ordering my book, you can help me get the word out by sharing with your friends, training partners and anyone else you feel would benefit.
You can pre-order your copy here: Athlete to Triathlete.

Our 2019 Year in Review

When looking back at the past 12 months, we have had our share of highs and lows. Memories were made and tears were shed. With every high, there seemed to be a low. But through it all, we tried to stay positive and optimistic.

Life can be difficult, unfair and tough to understand. If I had to use a word to describe our 2019, it would be strength. We had to find strength to experience the highs and we had to find strength to get through the lows. Triathlon provides us with many life lessons but in 2019, life hit us hard. Throughout the year, there were several occassions when our hobby of triathlon was put to the aside in order to deal better with the hard times.

As athletes, it can be difficult to stay positive, hopeful and focused during stressful, sad or difficult situations. Uncomfortable feelings can leave us with doubt, anger and anxiety. Struggle to balance stressors appropriately and health (mental or physical), joy for sport and motivation can quickly diminish. There were times throughout the year where it was difficult to start a workout. There were even times when we debated about not starting a few of our races. With each workout or race, our strength was tested. And life presented us with a lot of moments to see how strong we really are. 

NOVEMBER '18

After a unfortunante mishap with Karel's electronic shifting at IM Kona, he finished off his racing season at IMFL, securing his slot to Kona for 2019. This meant that both of us were already qualified for the 2019 IM World Championship (my 5th and Karel's 4th time racing on the big island). Karel was emotionally and physically destroyed after racing two Ironman events within 2 weeks but he was excited and hopefully for the upcoming triathlon season.

After a long time thinking about the idea of working one-on-one with a coach, we decided on Cait Snow, who works under Julie Dibens. This was a very costly investment for us but we were all-in to see if we could squeeze out any performance improvements at IM Kona - which was our big goal for the season. Although Karel received training from PPF, he was never coached one on one. I have never had a coach - instead, Karel has "coached" me over the past 10+ years. Although we learned that our own coaching style works really well for us and we will be returning back to coaching ourselves in 2020, we learned so much from working with Cait (and Julie) and we both were able to squeeze out some best ever performances. Plus, Cait is an incredibly kind, knowledgable and awesome person and we feel so honored to have had the opportunity to work with her. Throughout the year, we made a lot of investments - not sacrifices. We stayed true to our own beliefs so that we never compromised on what was most important to us. In other words, although we were "all in" with our coaching, our health, coaching business, camps and other services (private camps, RETUL Bike fits, nutrition consultations) never took a back seat. If anything, we often had to put our own training to the side.

DECEMBER '18

In late December, just a few days before one of our athletes arrived to spend a few days with us for some training, I was taking Campy for a walk up the street in our (very safe) neighborhood and a lady with four rescue dogs (all big dogs), got loose from the leash as she was walking into her house. The dog approached Campy and as she walked over with her other dogs to get the loose dog, the dogs got anxious and one of them attacked Campy. The lady felt extremely upset about the situation. The next day, Campy was rushed to our local vet and he received several stitches. Campy was a fighter and recovered really well. He still gets a little timid when he walks by the house where the attack happened. The lady with the dogs wanted to pay the vet bill but we declined. We knew it was an accident and we have seen the dogs behave very well around kids and other adults. Instead, she gave Campy a bag full of plush toys with squeakers - which made Campy oh so happy. 

JANUARY '19

To give back to our local triathlon community and to help grow the sport of triathlon, I put together an event to help acknowledge and promote the local businesses, coaches and professionals in our triathlon community. Tri Night was a huge success!

As for racing, Karel participated in a local 5K and ran a speedy low 17 minutes.

FEBRUARY '19

To escape the cold and dreary days, we traveled down south to Clermont, Florida for a train-cation. Although it was not all rainbows and sunshine, it was still a nice change of training environment. I was really proud of my body and what it was able to accomplish during our mini training camp as I felt like my previous training was really paying off. It was still early season but I was getting more excited to get into race season.

Karel also participated in a local half marathon race and ran a speedy 1:15! Because of my previous hip/glute/back issues, I opted not to do this race since it was a "flat" run course and I am better suited for hills and strength-based running. 

MARCH '19

Our annual March camp was a great success. We had a wonderful mix of new and familiar faces. We lucked out with great weather and the group worked really well together - there was no shortage of laughs, support and teamwork.

Not too long before our camp, we received news that one of our local athlete (and friend) had took his own life due to mental health struggles. This news was really difficult for us, several of our athletes and lots of people in our local triathlon community. We have always stressed the importance of health before performance as part of our coaching philosophy - physical health and mental health. We continue to honor this athlete when we train and race, remembering that life can be difficult and there is no shame in taking care of your mental health. Because mental health is not something that can be "seen", never be afraid to ask someone if they are OK, if they need a listening ear or if they need help. 

APRIL '19

Finally, it was time to race! We love starting our our racing season in Haines City, FL for IM 70.3 FL. The race venue is very spectator friendly and the atmosphere is alwas fun. Typically, the weather is warm which is a nice change from the colder temps over the winter. The Trimarni triathlon club placed 2nd in the Triclub division and Karel and I both did OK. I say OK because neither of us felt great on the course but then again, it's really early in the season and we were not targeting this race as a best-ever performance type of race.

A few days after the race, I received an email from the publishing company that asked me to write my first book (Essential Sports Nutrition) and I was asked to write another book. This time, a Running Journal. I discussed this with Karel as my last book took over all of my time and energy as it was my very first book and I wanted to give it 100% of my attention. This time around, I wanted to keep up with our other obligations of private training camps, nutrition consults and coaching. After reviewing the contract and writing timeline, I signed the contract for my second book - The 365 Day Running Journal. 

Then, about a week later, I received another email from my contact at the Callisto Media Publishing Company and I was asked to write another book! I couldn't believe it. This book was a lot more in depth and required a lot more words than the 2nd book. I knew this book would be a huge undertaking but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. Karel was a little worried of how I would balance everything but after sleeping on it, I signed the contract for my 3rd book - which I would start writing a few weeks after completing the journal book. I am not one to "wait" for the right time to do something. Although I never want to overload myself or burn myself out, I feel it's important to balance my career with my passion so that I can make the most out of every day of life.

And with highs, come lows. Nearing the end of April, we realized that our 16-year old cat Smudla was nearing her final days. We made the very difficult and heart-breaking decision to let her pass away comfortably and humanely. Because we made this decision a few days in advance, we were able to spend almost 48 hours with Smudla as she enjoyed her last few days in the warm sunshine. If you'd like to read the tribute I wrote about Smudla, here it is. 

MAY '19

May started off tough as Karel didn't feel like he was in the right state of mind to travel alone to St. George for the half Ironman. Luckily, Karel was sharing a house with two of our athletes, which helped him keep his mind off the passing of Smudla. It was still a very emotional week for him, filled with a lot of sad tears. Karel was able to put together a fantastic race and he was happy that he was able to temporaril turn his mind off - away from sadness - so that he could do something that he loved with his body and mind.

February through June is often super busy with private coaching sessions and this year we found ourselves extremely busy with a lot of private camps. We love this part of our coaching business but it does require a lot of time, mental energy and focus. Thankfully, we always have super awesome athletes to work with ;)

In mid May, we traveled over to Chattanooga for the 70.3. It was great to see so many of our athletes at the race and we ended up receiving an award for the TriClub division! I felt like my race did not go so well but Karel put together a fantastic performance - he was on a roll! The competition was stiff for the females and it was great to see so many speedy ladies blazzing on the course.

May is always a tough month for me as my dad passed away from cancer in 2014, just three days before my 32nd birthday. I thought that time would heal but I still find myself really missing him - especially as I go through so many highs and lows in life. But in the spirit of my dad, I try to smile and find the positive in every situation. Most of all, I am making the most of every day on earth - in his honor. 

We had a lovely mid season break where we did litte triathlon training and took part in some outdoor activities. Campy had joined us at our last two races (FL and Chatt) so he was also ready for some recovery. 

JUNE '19

I found myself a bit overwhelmed in June - trying to balance the planning of our June camp, private camps, nutrition consults, Ironman training and writing my 3rd book. I managed to participate in an open water race (with my swim partner Kristen and Karel) which was a nice stress relief to be swimming in the mountains.

Eventually, I had to ask my editor if I could have a break from the writing - I was in a mega writing block where I would sit at my computer for hours and nothing would happen. Thankfully they agreed but I still had a tight deadline to finish the book by the end of September - my deadline was the day before our flight to Kona for the World Championship.

Our June endurance camp was another great success and our campers worked very hard and accomplished so much. It was also very hot! Although our camps are fun, educational and inspiring, they are always mentally and physically exhausting for me and Karel. We sure do love putting on camps but it's a ton of work! 

JULY '19

Shortly after camp, I found myself dealing with a hip/glute/back injury - something that is not new for me. Although I have not been injured in over 6 years, I do feel like I am always "on edge" and cognizant of my hips/glutes when running. I feel like this injury started from a lot of sitting, stress and poor posture and was simply exaccerbated (not caused) from running. Thankfully, I was able to still run and bike (of long duration and at high intensity) without any pain so I was still able to train for Ironman Canada. While I tried really hard to not let my situation affect Karel, I knew he was sad for me. The great thing about this race was that I knew I could put together a really strong swim and run and anything extra was just a bonus (and a big uncertainty). On race day, I finished the bike as 1st overall amateur but that position quickly went away as I managed the marathon run. But our athlete Ericka won the amateur race, which was super exciting. And we had so many incredible performances by our athletes. Somehow I managed to finish the race and not do further damage. We enjoyed beautiful Whistler and Karel put together an incredible performance by winning his AG with a best ever IM run of 3:04! 

AUGUST '19

After returning home from Canada, we finished off a well-needed recovery week before easing back into our training. I still couldn't run but had plenty of swimming, biking, water jogging and strength to keep me busy. Plus, I was deep into writing my 3rd book with a deadline of the end of September.

Just as we were about to get back int structured training after IM Canada, I was snuggling with Campy in bed and he scratched my cornea in my eye. Without being dramatic, this was extremely excrutiating - I couldn't be in any room (or outside) with light, I had to wear sunglasses everywhere, I couldn't drive and I had a constant headache. I found myself sleeping a lot and I wasn't able to gather much energy to exercise. I had to see the eye doctor every other day for about ten days. Finally, some relief. Just as I was getting better, Karel traveled up to Mt. Tremblant to support our athletes racing (and to do some translating for one of our Czech athletes). Our athletes did great and our Czech athlete won his age group (45-49) and qualified for Kona!

Near the end of the month, I heard the sad news that a triathlon friend passed away unexepectedly, which was incredible sad for the entire triathlon community. 

SEPTEMBER '19

Once it seemed like life was starting to calm down and we were able to get back into a good routine, we decided to get two rescue kittens to bring some love and happiness into our family. Although Karel was still grieving over the loss of Smudla, he felt ready to grow our furry family. We welcomed Felix and Ella into our family but sadly, Felix passed away 6 days later from Pneumonia. Ella was a fighter and although she got our other cat Madison sick a few times (and Ella had to be taken to the vet for a few emergency situations over the next two months), she is now living her best life and is officially part of our family. Here is the story about Ella. 

The day after we welcomed Felix and Ella into our home, I received news that my (almost) 96 year old Grandpa Joe passed away. I took a booked a flight for a quick trip up to Ft. Wayne Indiana for a memorial service that my aunt threw together last minute. I arrived Tues and flew home early Thurs morning. Then on Saturday evening, Felix passed away. Needless to say, training had a backseat all that week and we were emotionally wreaked.

Karel celebrated his 43rd birthday near the end of September and for his present, I asked a bunch of people who know Karel to write a note for him. I gave him this "gratitude" journal filled with over 80 notes from so many people who love and care about Karel. With such a tough month, he had a moment of joy reading the notes and learning how much people cared for and appreciated him. 

A few days later, we (last-minute) flew in Karel's mom to help take care of Ella, Campy and Madison while we spent 2 weeks in Kona. At one point in September, we couldn't even think about racing as we were just so empty and mentally depleted from everything that had gone on over the past few months. Life certainly happened and it was tough.  We didn't want to count ourselves out of the race and we knew that our other 3 athletes who were racing, would give us some great energy when they arrived.

Not only did I finish the manuscript for my 3rd book but I started to promote my 2nd book. Writing is like many things in life - filled with emotions from being excited to hating the process to feeling so relieved when it's over and loving the final product. It's pretty cool how a white piece of paper can turn into a book. 

OCTOBER '19

I wouldn't say that Kona was a bust. We actually managed to put together good performances at IM Kona. I had a PR swim and bike and was 4th/5th in my AG off the bike! Karel had a PR swim but just felt flat for the rest of the day. He dealt with his normal back issues and really suffered on the bike and run. He was very upset but with time, was able to move on from the race. We love Kona but plan to take a little break from racing on the big island. We feel so grateful for the 9 times (combined) that we have raced on teh big island. This year was just a bit too much for us emotionally. 

Campy turned 12 years old and he is staying healthy, active and loving life. Thanks to his Czech Grandma who stayed with us for almost 90 days, Campy got to go on lots of walks, hikes and adventures. 

NOVEMBER '19

It was great to have Karel's mom with us for so long as she fed us well and was a huge help around our house. With our coaching business, October, November and December are our busiest months so the extra help was really appreciated. Karel's mom is back in Czech now but thankfully, we have lots of her xmas cookies to enjoy in the freezer.

Although we got back into structured training (back to coaching ourselves), we also managed to fit in some exploring in the mountains. I'm so happy to report that I am back running injury free. Although I turned in my manuscript for my third book in late September, October and November were very stressful with a lot of editing.....a lot of editing. It felt like I was writing another book! But thankfully, the finish product is incredible and all of that hard work was worth it. 

DECEMBER '19

If you are still reading this blog and have made it this far, thank you for sharing the past year with us. On one side of the coin, life was very tough to us this year. While things could always be worse, we were tested in so many ways. We endured a lot over the past 12-months. But on the other side, life kept going and we decided to keep going with it. As with any setback, struggle or stressor in life, you may not be able to change the situation but you can manage your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Although we are athletes, we are also human. We can't do it all and life isn't perfect. Behind every training session, race performance or picture is also a behind-the-scenes story. Remembering that each one of us have our own behind-the scene moments, be kind to others and most of all, always take care of yourself and your own needs. 💓

And make sure to check out my social media channels tomorrow at 12pm EST when I announce the title of my next book! 

Want to try out my fav bike sport nutrition product?

BOGO 50% OFF SALE until 12/13/19!!!

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If you would like to try out the custom formula that I created and often recommend for my coaching and nutrition athletes to utilize on the bike in long distance training/racing (male/female/ any weight/height), INFINIT is having a fantastic sale off custom orders. The preset flavor for the endurance base formula is grape so I you like that flavor, you can just click this link to order  ➡️ Trimarni endurance base formula.

If you would like to change the flavor of my Trimarni endurance base formula, here is the nutritional information (and sliders) from my custom formula so that that you can recreate the exact Trimarni endurance base formula  choose your own flavor. Although I like the grape flavor, my other favorite flavors include Strawberry lemonade (Seasonal), Watermelon, Pink Lemonade and Fruit Punch.

The Trimarni endurance base formula is ONLY used for the bike. Do not concentrate - use 1-2 scoops per bottle per hour. I have a different list of sport nutrition products that I recommend for run training/racing. I do not recommend to add caffeine, aminos or protein to your formula. By keeping this formulation simple (with only electrolytes and carbohydrates/sugars), you will optimize digestion and absorption - limiting the risk for GI issues. This formulation is not overly sweet. Sport nutrition application should not be complicated or scientifically complex - this is why I like INFINIT as it makes fueling on the bike simple and effective. 

If you'd like to try out/include different products for your bike nutrition, I also recommend: 

• Carborocket Half Evil 333 (Trimarni discount code)
• NBS Carbohydration (Trimarni discount code)

Utilize the winter months to figure out what products/flavors/textures work best for you. 

If you'd like to read how I fuel on the bike, here are two race recaps:

2019 IM Kona

2019 IM Canada

Did you hear? Oatmeal is unhealthy!

When an athlete consults with me on daily/sport nutrition, it's becoming more of a regular occurrence to receive a "thank you" (along with a huge sigh of relief) when I tell an athlete that they are allowed to eat carbohydrates. Recently, I had an athlete tell me how happy she was that I told her that she could eat oatmeal for breakfast. She told me that she really missed having a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning before work (and after a workout) because she recently cut it out of her diet because she heard that oatmeal was unhealthy.

Can you believe that......oatmeal is now considered unhealthy? Another case of nutrition quakery!

Oats - from steel-cut to quick and rolled - are a form of complex carbohydrates. Which means they are far superior to their store-shelf counterparts...lucky charms and cinnamon toast crunch. 

Oats are rich in B-vitamins, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, selenium, iron, calcium and protein. Oats are low in salt, sugar and fat. Rich in both soluble and insolube fiber, oats are a powerfully nutritious food!

The beautiful thing about oats (specifically when cooked) is that they make a wonderful blank canvas when it comes to ingredient dress-up. From fruits and veggies (yes veggies - like shredded carrots) to colorful fruits, nuts and seeds, oatmeal is an extremely satiating and delicious food that packs a lot of yum per bite. Oats also pair well with protein - like eggs or yogurt.

Although the United States is renowned for giving engineered cereals their own aisle in the grocery store and targeting these cereals "breakfast" foods, countries like Iceland, Switzerland, Scotland, Sweden and Russia (to name a few) often start their day with a bowl of oats/muesli/porridge - and have a much smaller selection of processed cereals.

I'm not dismissing processed food as you deserve to indulge in your favorite childhood cereal every now and then.......oh so many memories of me devoring a full box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch while watching Saved By The Bell after an exhausting 5am morning swim practice before high school.

But, if you've recently sworn off this comfort food because you were told it was unhealthy, I give you permission to add oats back into your diet.

You are welcome. 

Now that you are "allowed" to eat carbs again, here are a few recipes/tips to enjoy:

• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
  
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
  
• Pumpkin Pecan Maple Oatmeal 
  
• The Scoop on Oatmeal (an article I wrote for USA Triathlon in 2011)
  
• The Best pre-run foods (an article I contributed to in Outside Magazine in 2016)
  
• The best breakfast foods for runners (an article I contribute to in Runner's World in 2017)
  
• What should my nutrition plan be for a sprint triathlon? (an article I wrote for Triathlete magazine in 2018)

Well fed.

All good things must come to an end. Later this evening, Karel's mom will be boarding a plane to travel from Charlotte to London to Prague. For the past (almost) 3 months, Karel's mom has been feeding us well. Our freezer is now packed with leftovers and extras - just in case we need a bit of her home cooking. We also have several tupperware containers of Xmas cookies (that we may have already gotten into :-)

Although you can't smell the yumminess, I wanted to share some of the delicious meals, treats and eats that we have enjoyed over the past few months. Many of our meals were vegetarian but with a few traditional dishes, Karel's mom would make me a vegetarian version so that Karel could enjoy the original dish (with meat). She got really good cooking with tofu and vegetarian "meat" so she could recreate the traditional Czech dish for me to enjoy.

Over the past few months, our lunch has been our "big" meal of the day (as that's typical where Karel grew up in Znojmo, Czech Republic) and the afternoon is often the time where we get to enjoy some type of homemade treat and coffee. I think we should hold on to this traditional style of eating! From bread crumbs to broth, almost everything was as homemade as it gets. We went through a lot of flour, butter, eggs and milk!

(All of the meal pics are mine - so they are all vegetarian ;)

Appreciative of the long run

After a very tough 1:45 trainer session on Saturday morning, we ventured out to the Pretty Place Chapel so Karel and his mom could enjoy the beautiful view of the mountains. We then we went back to Triple Falls so they could see the covered bridge and high falls. The weather was a bit chilly compared to the last time we hiked but the trails were so quiet in the afternoon - it made for a peaceful afternoon in nature. We made a quick stop at the Flat Rock Bakery for some fresh bread (and a pepermint brownie - yumo) before heading back home. As always, Campy loved his afternoon adventure and slept the entire car ride home.

On Sunday morning I had my longest training run in a very long time. I still get a bit of apprehension and worry on the day/night before a run. But with a good amount of time spent warming up with strength/mobility before each run, I am gaining more confidence and trust with my body.

My run was not the typical "long run" of going out and running for 95 minutes straight but instead, it included a bit of EZ, hills, tempo, aerobic and intensity. Let's just say it had a bit of everything.

WU: 10 min EZ + 10 min aerobic

Pre set:
3x (15/30/45 sec strong hill running w/ an EZ jog down between)

MS:
30 min aerobic running (holding ~140 HR)

PS:
4 x 2 min tempo (strong) w/ 1 min EZ between

CD:
15 min aerobic running (holding ~140 HR)

While I did find myself "wishing" I was faster during the aerobic running, I had a little self-talk with myself and stopped my negativity and reminded myself how grateful and thankful I am to be running injury free (and feeling so strong and efficient while running).

At the end of the run, while driving to the airport to pick up an athlete who traveled to us for a bike fit + swim assessment, I reminded myself of a recent/timely blog post that I wrote on comparison.

It's often said that comparison is the thief of joy. In other words, social comparison is a big part of how we determine our own level of happiness.

If you find yourself in a daily competition with the achievements of others or a past version of yourself, it's time to direct your energy elsewhere. Start caring about the things and people in life that are meaningful and purposeful to you.

Life is filled with sadness, stress, pain, disappointments, insecurities, anxiety or depression. It doesn't matter who you are, life can be tough. However, this idea that life is far from perfect is far from the picture-perfect life that is often depicted on social media. While you may envy over someone's highlight real, you never know what the behind-the-scene moments look like.

I encourage you to have less comparison to others and more compassion toward yourself.

Although it is inspiring and motivating to see the success stories of others, do not let the triumphs of someone else trump your own personal accomplishments and achievements.

How to go from injured to injury-free.

I consider myself a very resilient athlete. I also don't consider myself injury-prone. Although my recent injury lasted around 4 months, I was able to complete two Ironmans, I experienced huge improvements in my swim and bike fitness and I am now back running injury free. This was my first  athletic setback in over 6 years.

Having said this, I know I am susceptible to injury. Whether it's my swimming (non-weight bearing) background or bad motor patterns or maybe my endurance and strength allows me to muscle my way through fatigue, me and running have a rocky relationship. I've never had a stress fracture or broken bone and no foot, ankle or knee issues. It's all been glute/hip/lower back related. I've learned that my body needs a certain amount of running frequency + strength based runs to keep my body happy. 

Injuries are extremely frustrating to athletes. They force "us" to modify our lifestyle and remove us from doing what we love to do with our body. However, there's always a risk to getting injured when you are learning new skills, exercising at a high intensity, stretching your comfort zone, pushing your physical limits or training through fatigue.

So much of the rehab process requires time, patience and assistance from a medical profession (doctor, PT, strength coach, dietitian). However, it's important to get your mind in the right head space throughout the healing process.

Because many athletes fall victim to a vicious cycle of injury→rehab→return to sport→re-injury, here are my tips for how to help you go from injured to injury-free.

1. Don't give yourself a deadline - There's never a "right" time for an injury. Most of the time, injuries come when you least expect it and in the mind of an athlete - at the worst time: close to a race or when you are feeling like you are in the best shape ever. Feeling like you need to be healed by a certain date can bring a lot of mental stress, anxiety and frustration. You can't predict the future so make peace with the situation and just focus on one day at a time.
   
2. The race is not as important as you think - It may feel like your upcoming race is the most important race ever. You feel a tremendous amount of pressure to perform, you worry that you are letting others down, you've invested so much time, energy and money and you may never ever have this experience to race this race ever again. If you find yourself expending a lot of mental anguish on your upcoming race, remind yourself that it's just a race. And race day is when you get to showcase the best version of yourself. Be smart. Instead of wanting to make it to the start line of your next race, being able to live a healthy and active lifestyle in the long-term is more of a priority.
   
3. Focus on what you can do - A setback doesn't mean that you have to throw in the towel. The worst thing you can do during an injury is be all or nothing. To expedite the injury healing process, keep yourself healthy, strong and active - within the confines of your physical limitation. While it's normal to feel frustrated, sad and dissapointed, you have a choice. You can wallow in self-pity or you can accept your new normal and be positive about what you can do. Above all, an injury doesn't mean that you have to give up your sport, be sedentary or that all of your hard work is now lost or was all for nothing. The body works in amazing ways. To see your body do something amazing, you can't give up on it.
   
4. Don't take it out on your body - Athletes have a very unique relationship with their body. An injury can be a traumatic event for any athlete, particularly the body conscious athlete. During this stressful time, the incidence of disordered eating or eating disorder behaviors may increase. When you put so much into your sport, it can easily become your identity. When your normal daily activity level is diminished due to injury, you may find yourself wanting to cut out food groups, avoid carbs and significantly reduce your calorie intake. Remind yourself that the body needs nutrients to heal. Depending on the type of injury, you may actually need more nutrients than normal. While adjustements in your diet may be needed, an extreme change in your diet is not necessary. Understanding that the body may change, this doesn't mean that you are becoming any less of an athlete. Be kind to your body. The body that you are starving or poorly nourishing is the same body that you also want to heal so that it can perform well in training and on race day.
   
5. Turn rehab into prehab - Throughout the injury healing process, you should surround yourself with a team of professionals. ART, chiro, PT, massage therapist. While some of these professionals will do the work for you, others will give you homework to improve muscle weaknesses, imbalances and to strengthen or mobilize an injured body part. It's a common mistake that athletes will forgo specific rehab exercises once training has resumed. To prevent a re-injury and to get more in-tune with your body, your rehab routine should turn into a consistent and evolving prehab regime. Don't wait until an injury occurs to address your limitations, niggles or imbalances.
   
6. Don't get greedy - It feels great to get back to a structured training routine. The first rush of endorphins after a time away from sport can feel amazing. You may find yourself craving more of it, more often. As you ease yourself back into structured training, do so gradually and patiently. Avoid the tendency to get greedy and to load yourself up with intensity and volume too quickly. Depending on your current fitness level, time away from sport and the severity of your injury, give yourself more time than you think to return to normal training and racing. And avoid the tendency to try to pick back up with your training where you left off before you got injured or to sign up for a race before you've given your body a chance to absorb a good amount of training stress.
   
7. A niggle doesn't mean another setback - Celebrate the small victories. Just because your injured has healed or you've been given the ok to resume physical activity, this doesn't mean that it will be smooth sailing. Understand that you may experience niggles, soreness and pain. This can also be a scary time as you fear re-injury. Learn to trust your body, understand what's normal vs. not normal and constantly listen to your body. During the return to training/exercise, it's better to be a little safe than very sorry.
   
8. Avoid panic training - If you have a big event coming up, you may be tempted to make up missed workouts or cram in as much training as possible before the big day. Because this approach is for your ego and not your physiology, it regularly fails. Instead, be grateful for where you are now. Thank your body for the injury that you were able to overcome. Recognize your current fitness level. With these things in mind, you can approach your race with a smart mindset. Having no expectations is a lot better than low expectations. See this upcoming event as a stepping stone to future events.
   
9. Tomorrow is just as important as today - Consistency is key to fitness improvements. If you put all of your energy into today's workout, you may compromise your ability to perform well tomorrow. After an injury, be realistic with your current level of fitness. A well designed plan has a mix of recovery and stress. While you may feel like you can do more or work harder, resist the urge. The continued goal is to always save a little something for tomorrow. There's no point celebrating an epic workout or leaving it all out there if you can't be consistent with training.
   
10. Time heals - No two athletes are the same. Every athlete is on his/her own healing path. Knowing that most injuries are not career-ending, you must have confidence in yourself that you will heal. The sooner you accept the injury, get a diagnosis, take action and start resting (or recovering) from the injury, the quicker you will start healing. Training through pain, racing with an injury or returning to training too hard or too soon simply delays the process and increases your risk for a more devestating diagnosis - which may be career ending. Instead of fearing what you will lose when you are injured, stay focused on what you will gain when you return back to the sport that you love. 

A few weeks ago I wrote about lessons learned through injury. I hope this blog post will come in handy for anyone who is struggling with an injury or is in the rehab process.

Before you change your diet, consider these tips

Changing your eating habits may help improve your overall health, fitness/performance, improve your body composition and reduce risk for disease. Despite these benefits, many people struggle to maintain dietary changes in the long-term. To ensure that your dietary changes are practical, beneficial and health promoting, consider the following tips before you make an extreme lifestyle change with a new style of eating.

1. What's your motivation/reason for change? - If you are wanting to eliminate or add certain foods to the diet, give yourself a really good reason to do so. "Because it's trendy" or "because I need to lose weight" can be motivating but remind yourself that for any diet to be successful, long term nutrition compliance is key. 

2. Don't go all in - I caution you not to wake up one morning and start living with a dietary title (unless it's for medical/health reasons). Like anything in life, dietary changes take time. Make small tweaks and adjustments and for anything you eliminate, find a nutritious alternative so you don't end up with a nutrient deficiency. Making gradual changes and continually assessing how you feel is key.

3. Create a positive relationship with food - To start, there are no bad foods. Unless for medical/health/ethical reasons, your diet does not need an off-limit food list. Consider the "food talk" that you think to yourself in your own head or what you hear around you. When changing the diet, it's important to keep a healthy relationship with food. This means there are no cheat foods, bad foods, and unhealthy foods. Avoid categorizing food in a black and white way.

4. Learn to indulge responsibly - When a diet is overly restrictive, energy and nutrient deficient and rigid, you may be worried about how you will eat at parties, events, eating out or traveling. Removing certain foods from the diet because you feel you have a lack of self-control, fear or guilt when eating those foods, is not the answer. Because one of the side effects of a restrictive diet is food preoccupation/obsession, the more you restrict in your diet, the more you will think about food. Within every diet is room for indulging. Learn to indulge mindfully and responsibly. 

5. Cook - At the backbone of every diet plan is an emphasis of real food. And with good reason! If you find yourself gravitating toward processed food as a convenient option in your new diet plan, you have not changed the most important thing in your diet - eating more real food. No matter what diet plan you follow, you must make time and learn to appreciate grocery shopping, meal prepping and cooking.

Brussels sprouts, apple and pomegranate salad

Picture from Smitten Kitchen

I was in charge of providing the "vegetable" dish at our Thanksgiving day meal. I recently came across a beautiful picture on a friend's social media page with the recipe titled "Brussels sprouts, apple and pomegranate salad." I quickly bookmarked the recipe as I knew it would be a nutritious and flavorful dish, providing a pop of color to the Thanksgiving day table.

While the dish was well-received, I failed in snapping a picture of my final dish. So that is why I have the picture from the actual recipe featured above. Well, I did capture this picture of Campy at the head of the table where you can also see my dish.

I hope you enjoy my modification to the dish (for the actual recipe, click on this Smitten Kitchen link.). To help save time, I recommend to purchase your Brussels Sprouts already chopped and to buy a container of pomegrante seeds. This dish took me a while to make but it was worth it. But next time around, I'd consider going with a few short-cuts. :-)

Ingredients

• 1/2 large red onion, diced small
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups brussels sprouts (shredded)
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (a large one)
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple (chopped)
• Juice of a lemon
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Make the pickled onions: Combine red onion, wine vinegar, lemon zest and salt in a small bowl and set aside for 15 minutes. 
2. Combine brussels sprouts, pomegranta seeds and apple together in a large bowl. Toss with the pickling liquid. 
3. Combin lemon, honey and olive oil in a small bowl (or mason jar), give a shake and pour on salad (to your liking) when ready to eat/serve. 
4. Enjoy!

Thankful for Thanksgiving

We were spoiled with amazingly beautiful weather over the past four days in Greenville, SC. With family in town (and my mom living a mile away), we combined our love of physical activity + nature + food with the Thanksgiving holiday. Oh, and Campy was part of almost all of it!

For a change of scenery and terrain, we decided to do our Thanksgiving day workout at Lake Summit. Because this 9-mile run loop is about 30 minutes away, we rarely make the drive to Tuxedo, NC to run on the gravel road that wraps around the lake (with a short section on the paved road). But with the Thanksgiving holiday, we ventured out to get closer to nature.

It was a fairly aerobic run with a few hard efforts to get up the hills. It was also a bit windy but overall the temperature was perfect in the low 50's. Karel is much faster than me when he runs so we each did our own thing (while listening to triathlon-related podcasts on our wireless earphones) and Karel would loop back for me here and there. 

While we ran, Karel's mom took Campy for an out and back walk. She really enjoys walking Campy and Campy loves to be outside. After his 75-minute walk, Campy was pooped and napped the entire drive home. 

After we got home, I finished up the brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad that I made for Thanksgiving (I'll share the recipe tomorrow) and a few hours later (around 2:30pm), it was time for us to head over to my mom's house for the Thanksgiving dinner. 

I celebrated my 27th Thanksgiving as a vegetarian and like each year in the past, my plate was loaded with color, yumminess and plant-based foods. From left to right, mashed sweet potatoes, my brussels sprouts salad, roasted veggies, cranberry sauce, tempeh in the middle, stuffing (not cooked inside the bird and made with vegetarian gravy) and a slice of bread with brie. Not pictured was a slice of Challah bread that Karel's mom made. And for dessert, I had a small bite of pumpkin pie and ice cream (I prefer bread-type desserts over pies and cookies but the pumpkin pie was homemade and you can't beat homemade desserts that are prepared with love). 

As per tradition, Campy joined us for his 11th Thanksgiving dinner. He always finds himself a place at a the table before the humans sit down to eat. Lucky Campy even got offered wine from my uncle. Campy declined - he's only 12 yrs old :-)

After we finished our dinner, Campy got his plate (tradition) of turkey, veggies and potatoes. It was consumed in less than 30 seconds. We all finished the day with very happy bellies. 

On Friday, my family planned a short hike at Triple Falls at DuPont State Forest. My mom is in a hiking club (with Olli at Furman) so every Thursday (and sometimes twice a week) she goes to different places with her hiking group. I was excited to see somewhere new as we haven't explored a lot of hiking routes in our beautiful area of Greenville, SC (we typically just see sights via bike).

Since the location where we were hiking was on one of our biking routes, Karel and I decided to bike to Dupont to meet my family around 11am. We left at 8:30am and managed to arrive before they did. It was a 34 mile road trip but we rode a few more miles around the area while waiting for my family to arrive by car. It was a perfect morning for a ride as it was cool and cloudy but not too cold. Our route took us over Caesar's Head - a 6.5 mile climb/~2100 feet elevation gained. It was a hilly ride to Dupont (a little over 4000 feet elevation gain in 2.5 hours) but it was a great way to spend the morning. After a quick change (we had bags/food in the car), we ventured out on the trails. The trail was a bit busy but it was great to see so many people outside on Black Friday. 

Karel was only able to hike for about an hour as he had to get back home for a scheduled bike fit with an athlete later in the afternoon. He took his mom back so Campy and I stayed with the rest of my family. The hike was around 4.22 miles total and we saw two beautiful waterfalls. The weather was incredible - it actually got really warm! 

Campy was (mostly) on his best behavior as there was a lot of stimulation with all the people and so so so many dogs. 

After the hike, we drove to Pretty Place. We have lived in Greenville, SC since 2014 and this was my first time seeing the magnificent view! Karel still hasn't seen it. I'm sure we will bike up there together one of these days. Since Karel took the bikes back in our car (which was driven to the hike by my uncle), I rode with my mom, aunt, uncle and two others. It was a tight squeeze but we made it work. We had a picnic lunch at Pretty Place and soaked in the view. 

After the ride, I had an icelandic yogurt and a few figs (and a poppyseed pastry made by Karel's mom). Then for lunch, I had a banana and PB&J sandwich (made on homemade bread, by Karel's mom). It was all delicious!

Then we made one last stop to the overlook at Caesar's head. I can't get enough of this view. It never gets old.

We had leftovers for dinner on Friday evening and then it was early to bed for me. I was toast. I managed to sleep 10 hours on Friday evening and I needed every minute of it!

On Saturday morning, Karel and I went to Furman for a swim workout at 9:30am. After the 3900 yard swim, we did a good 30-minute strength session at the gym. We then had lunch (Karel's mom is spoiling us - we will be sad to see her go in a week!) and went to downtown Greenville with my family. It was great to see so many people in our lovely downtown for Small Business Saturday. Our award winning downtown has over 100 shops and boutiques and restaurants spread over several blocks of walkable tree-lined streets. 

Although we didn't make it to our favorite run store - Run In - we were there earlier in the week to pick up new shoes and a few other small items. I was happy to see that my two books are making their way off the shelves! Thanks for the support Run In!!

While walking in downtown, Campy helped me look for the Mice on Main. 

Our downtown is very dog-friendly. You can bring your dog into almost every store and even a few food-serving stores. There are dog bowls everywhere and an all-around feel for a love of dogs. 

Karel managed to find himself some croissants which he quickly enjoyed with his mom. We picked up Happy and Hale for dinner and then ate at our place with my family. After my family left around 6:30pm, Karel and I had to get some work done until we went to bed around 9pm. Another busy, productive and active day.

As for Sunday, we kept this day a bit more chill. Well, our bike/run workout was incredibly challenging and exhausting but the rest of the day didn't include any family activities - just time at home to get some work done and watch the Ironman World Championship NBC Coverage. Campy finally got a well-needed recovery day from all of his outings and adventures.

Thanks for reading. We hope you had a great weekend!