It's camp week!!

While you may have an important triathlon race on your schedule, motivation is sure to ebb and flow throughout the year. Although it's not easy being an athlete, you are more likely to enjoy your training when your enjoyment factor is high. Sure, we need to embrace the solo grind that is needed for self improvement, but let's not forget that your sport also allows you to live a active, happy and healthy lifestyle - thus, it's important to find ways to keep sport fun. 

I can't believe that this will be our 14th group training camp! Over the years, we have learned a lot and have met so many inspiring athletes and human beings. Whereas many training camps focus on accumulating miles, we believe in a nice mix of training, fun, education and skill development. And at our upcoming camp in Clermont, we are even including an Olympic distance race as part of our camp experience!

Ultimately, our goal at each Trimarni camp is to help our athletes explore their true physical and mental capabilities. We help them overcome fears and what was once uneasy, becomes familiar and more comfortable. We love education - never ever stop learning. Our hope is that when our campers return home, they not only have improved confidence and self-belief but they can apply what they learned at camp to their own training and racing.

A training camp is a big investment - requiring time away from work/family - but what you get in return is an inspiring, education, fun, challenging, memorable and life-changing experience where you can stretch your comfort zone, learn, explore new boundaires, push your physical and mental limits and become the athlete that you are capable of being.

If you are considering participating in a group training camp, here are a few things you can expect to gain/receive:

• Trying new things
• Stepping out of the comfort zone
• Discovering new strengths
• Building friendships
• Discovering the value of hard work
• Learning to take healthy risks
• Constructive feedback
• Setting goals
• Being responsible
• Being attentive
• Teamwork
• Learning
• Improving decision making skills
• Overcoming obstacles

Every time we plan a triathlon training camp, we look forward to providing our campers with all the benefits of a training camp, like improving fitness, learning new skills, breaking bad habits and making training fun, but also providing our athletes/campers with the opportunity to escape the day-to-day responsibilities, stressors, distractions and excuses so that they can put all energy, time and focus into training. By creating good habits at camp, there's a great chance that our campers/athletes will bring those habits back home to their familiar environment in order to make better, faster and bigger gains in fitness while keeping the body in good health. And above all, we want our athletes/campers to enjoy this sport for many years to come so we hope that our training camps remind our campers/athletes how much fun the sport of triathlon can be and why all that solo training is "worth it".

Homemade mini cinnamon rolls

This isn't the first time I've posted this recipe as I love my homemade cinnamon rolls. This time around, I made the cinnamon rolls in mini-size and added walnuts and shaved coconut - perfect for snacking and yumming. Enjoy!

Easy-to-make Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

Dough:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg

Filling:

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup shaved coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  (Use as much/little of the filling as you'd like)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with melted butter (or cooking spray).
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
3. Work in 3 tbsp softened butter into the flour mixture using your hands.
4. Beat milk and egg together in another bowl.
5. Pour into flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
6. Turn dough onto a floured work surface and roll dough into two, 1/4th thick rectangles. This allows you to make mini cinnamon rolls. If you'd like large cinnamon rolls, keep as one large rectangle. 
7. Whisk together the filling ingredients. Sprinkle 1/2-3/4th the cinnamon sugar mixture over the dough (If you don't use it all, you can save the cinnamon sugar mixture in a jar to use for oatmeal and a yogurt topping). 
8. Roll the dough to form a log and cut into small rolls. Secure edges and place on to a greased baking dish. 
9. Bake for 22-25 minutes (check around 18 minutes - when cinnamon rolls begin to brown and become firm, remove from oven). 
10. Remove from oven and enjoy. Don't forget to yum!

NEW Trimarni shirts!!

We are so excited to announce that our new Trimarni shirts are now available.

To purchase, visit the Trimarni store. 
Thanks so much for your continued Trimarni support!

And as always, $1 of your purchase will go directly to The Greenville Humane Society, which is one of the largest no-kill facilities in the Southeast. For the past two years, we have been able to donate over $500 to the Greenville Humane Society, all thanks to your support. Thank you for helping us support our local community to create an environment where all animals are treated with compassion and respect.

Planning your race travel

Race-cations (as we like to call them) provide a special opportunity to travel to a destination, race somewhere new and (hopefully) enjoy a little sight-seeing and R&R after the race. Although traveling to a race should be exciting, racing outside of your home environment can be stressful, as there are many unknowns and potential logistical nightmares of racing in an unfamiliar venue. For many athletes, the normal anxiety, worries and fears that occur during race week can be doubled when racing outside of your home environment or in a new location.

While stories like lost luggage, a broken bike or a cancelled swim may have worried about a race-cation, some of your most memorable racing experiences will likely occur at a destination race.

Here are a few race travel tips to help you make the most of your traveling experience:

• Plan ahead - Although you can't control everything, you can reduce anxiety/stress by being meticulously prepared. Having an itinerary - detailing what may or will happen between x-date and race day during your travel - will help you feel more at ease. Don't wait until the last minute to plan your travel. Months before you race, research the best places to eat, park, sleep, etc. so that you know your race location as if it was in your local hometown. Remind yourself that part of traveling is knowing that things will not always go as planned - bring a positive and calm attitude and always have a plan B. If something does disrupt your plan, this doesn't mean that you are doomed to have a bad race.

Trimarni travel tip: Always review the airline requirements for your luggage and bike bag well in advance as every airline is different, especially when flying international. Make sure you review the amenities where you are staying, such as AC, washer/dryer, kitchen appliances, etc. Consider some of the obstacles you'll need to overcome when traveling to your race (and the race course).

• Stay relaxed - Every athlete has his/her own definition of being relaxed. For some athletes it may mean surrounding yourself with friends, family and staying busy with activities, whereas for others, it may mean isolating yourself from others (or away from the race venue) so you can stay in your zone. Recognize what works best for you and then communicate this with your travel companions. Take into account your needs when planning your travel.

Trimarni tip: Be sure to schedule downtown for yourself to relax and put your feet up and of course, eat! Focus on yourself and what makes you feel the best during your race-cation. If something stresses you out at home (ex. traffic, waiting in line, etc.) try your best to avoid those situations at your race-cation.

• Planning your travel - Be willing to spend a little extra money on lodging/travel to help you minimize stressful situations. If you can, get the necessary time off work so that you don't have to rush to and from your race. Instead of trying to save costs during the most important time of the year (race week), save money throughout the year so that you can spoil yourself during your race-cation. Consider the following travel tips when traveling across time zones for a half or full distance event:

-2-3 hour time difference - arrive at least 2 days before the event
-3-6 hour time difference - arrive at least 3-5 days before the event
-6+ hour time difference - arrive at least 6-7 days before the event
-For a half distance event, we suggest to arrive at least two days before the event. For a full distance event, we suggest to arrive at least 4-5 days before the event.

Trimarni tip: When it comes to traveling to a race, plan for more time than you really need to get settled. If you are wanting to drive or train on some of the race course, plan that into your trip so you aren't rushed. Save the sight-seeing and family fun activities for after the race. Consider spending a few dollars on a massage chair in the airport between flights. Start adjusting to the new time zone as soon as you arrive.

• Do your race research - Regardless where you race (another state or in another country), you need to do some research. Certainly, you will learn something new every time you travel but it's important to keep up with your race website/emails for any last minute changes and to ask for suggestions from others who have traveled to your upcoming race venue. Review course maps, race day itinerary/schedule, packet pick-up information, transition area layout, read forums to better understand logistics/timing of race week to-do's, review parking, things for your family to do on race day or where they can see you and any other details.

Trimarni travel tip: When traveling international for a race, make sure to call your airline (at least a month prior) to notify that you will be flying with a bike. If you have dietary requests (ex. Vegan, gluten-free), notify the airline at least a few weeks in advance. If traveling international, review the requirements for entry into your destination country (ex. Visa). Review water quality, language, currency, weather, time zone, internet access and anything else that will help you feel more prepared for your trip. When traveling, do you research and don't wait until last minute (or a few weeks before your race) to start making travel plans and learning about your upcoming race course. Learn about your race venue/lodging environment - is it safe/accessible for cycling or running? Can you swim before the race (pool or open water)?

• Check, re-check and double check - Review all travel arrangements in the months and weeks leading up the race, review race website and pack and re-pack. Avoid making plans very last minute. Regardless of when you make your plans or pack for a race, recheck to make sure that you have everything that you need. Double check your reservation (lodging, rental car, flight info, etc.).

Trimarni travel tip: Bring what you need, and a little more/extra. Consider anything and everything that could go wrong. As the saying goes, plan for the worst but hope for the best. Bring your must-have triathlon gear with you on the airplane (think about gear that you can use right away for workouts in case your bike/luggage doesn't arrive with you). Don't forget to pack medications and chargers.

• Get excited - It's a very special experience to travel to a new destination and this is often why athletes choose to invest into a race-cation over a local event. Regardless of the outcome of your race performance, you are gaining a new experience for your book of life. Don't take your race-cation for granted - you are lucky that you have the time, income, support from others and ability to take your hobby to another part of the world (or another state/city) in order to do what you love with your body.

Trimarni travel tip: Race-cations are costly but they often bring extra stress and anxiety that may make your family/friends feel unwelcomed. Consider arriving to your race before your family and then when your family arrives (the day/night before the race) to cheer you on, make sure to spend a few days after the race with your family, when you can relax and thank them for all their support. Prior to the race, make it all about you. Don't let the predicted weather or stress of traveling freak you out. Focus on what you can control and remind yourself that this is your hobby and a sport that makes you happy.

My new Ventum NS1 Road Bike

As I prepare for the 2020 Haute Route Alps, I will be training (and participating) on my new road bike. The Ventum NS1 Road Bike. I am so excited....I've got all those new-bike-feels. Even though my primary sport is triathlon, I still spend time on my road bike (at least once a week outside). I love the feel of riding a road bike - plus it's a lot more fun to ride on our challenging terrain. 

Equipped with disc breaks, Rotor Aldhu 155 crankset, Shimano Ultegra r8000 Di2 and size 50 (XS), I feel so comfortable and efficient on the Ventum NS1 road bike. Although our relationship is still new, I absolutely love riding this bike. It handles extremely well, is very smooth over the bumpy roads and feels stiff and responsive.

The bike was shipped to us from Ventum in a large box, which made assembly pretty easy. I love the little details that Ventum puts into their shipping process.

After two full seasons on my Ventum One triathlon bike (which I absolutely love), I knew that staying in the Ventum family was the right pick for a new road bike. Ventum does not cut corners, invests a lot into their technology and specs and cares so much for their customers. I could not be happier with my new road bike. Now I just need to put some good miles on this dream machine!

Optimize your diet

When it comes to sport success, diet is a big piece of the puzzle that many athletes fail to master (or appreciate). Creating a healthy diet to optimize sport performance is not as confusing as many people make it out to be. Although intense and prolonged training increases energy, carbohydrate and fluid needs, the essential nutritional needs of active individuals are very similar to sedentary people in order to help maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk for disease, improve physical and mental health and live a longer, healthier life. Despite the strong relationship between good nutrition habits and athletic success, many athletes overlook consistent nutrition habits in favor of training harder or longer. However, it’s only when you supply your body with optimal nutrition can you perform at optimal levels.

With many strong opinions on nutrition, it’s easy to fall victim to extreme dogmatic nutrition approaches. But the truth is that every human being responds differently to different foods, making it impossible to prescribe a ‘one size fits all’ diet plan. Nonetheless, the essential component to a healthy diet is very simple - prioritize minimally processed, whole foods. It's important to take the time to personalize your diet so it works for your health and fitness goals. Say good bye to food rules and dieting as you learn realistic, healthy and sustainable eating practices - tailored to work for you physically, psychologically, culturally, financially and socially.

• Create YOUR diet - If you really want a sustainable way of eating, plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Healthy eating is best accomplished in this order: plan, shop, prepare, eat. When you know where your food is coming from and how much of it you will/want to eat, you will feel more control over your style of eating with less temptation to indulge.
• Emphasize real food - Almost every diet plan has one thing in common - eat.real.food. And to no coincidence, those who eat a mostly real food diet tend to have the best quality of life. Sadly, farmers have a quiet voice in a food industry overpowered by food companies. We live in an unhealthy nation that stresses healthy eating. Take a look inside your daily meal and snack choices to determine if you can make a few tweaks each day to move toward a more real food-based, locally sourced, and wholesome diet. 
• Create a positive food experience - Eating should not be a miserable, dissapointing and time-consuming experience. It is important to have a good relationship with food so that meal time is a njoyable and positive experience. Let your life stop for a brief moment when you eat. Make peace with food and as much as possible, eat at a table and not in the car/behind a computer/on the go. Be grateful for the food you get to it as it should not be taken for granted. 
• Make a lifestyle change - A healthy lifestyle is more than just what you eat (or choose not to eat). Embrace the many components that bring happiness and good health. A healthy lifestyle means managing stress, sleeping well, staying active, moving the body as much as possible, and reducing sedentary time. It’s important to surround yourself with positive people while always making room for “me time”. Create happiness by finding joy in a career choice, exploring nature, traveling and learning, and emphasizing a real food diet that offers flexibility rather than restriction. 

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Whether working, running around, or training in the cold weather, there is nothing better than a bowl of soup to warm you up and thaw you out after your chilly outdoor endeavors. This Instant Pot Lentil Soup is not only healthy, hearty, and meat-free but also delicious. Leftovers reheat well. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in freezer safe mason jars. Reheat gently, adding a little extra water or broth to thin if needed, for a quick lunch or dinner meal.


Instant Pot Lentil Soup
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, small diced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and stems discarded
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ cups dried lentils (green or brown), rinsed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (8 ounce) container fresh baby portobello mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can (~26-30 ounces) crushed or finely chopped tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth*
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for serving

Preparation

1. Add the oil to the Instant Pot. Set to SAUTE. Once the oil is warm, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften.
2. Add the carrots, celery, thyme leaves, salt, paprika, and pepper to the pot. Sauté until the carrots and celery are slightly soft.
3. Add the rinsed lentils and garlic to the pot and stir to coat them. Cook until the garlic is fragrant (less than a minute). Cancel the Saute setting on the Instant Pot.
4. Add the mushrooms, crushed tomatoes, and vegetable broth.
5. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Set to cook on HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Pot will take about 20 minutes to come to pressure before timer begins.
6. After 15 minutes of high pressure, allow the cooker to release pressure naturally. This will take about 20 additional minutes (if in a rush, and the pressure valve has not dropped with natural release, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release by turning to vent but be careful of water splash). Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot once valve drops.
7. Stir the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Serve hot with a sprinkle of parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired.

*Reduced sodium chicken broth can be substituted for a non-vegetarian option

Adapted from: Well Plated recipe.

Fuel your body in motion

There will come a point in your athletic journey when your daily diet will no longer provide all the energy that you need to support your workouts. Failure to nutritionally adjust your caloric/macro intake to an increase in training volume and/or intensity increases the risk for injury, sickness and burnout.

Sport nutrition recommendations can be confusing as most tips conflict with healthy-eating advice. For example, many athletes workout with a goal of losing weight. Asking an individual to eat before a morning run may conflict with the belief that a fasted workout will burn more body fat. Additionally, nearly all sport nutrition products – like gels, energy chews and sport drink powders – are rich with added sugar. And as we all know, our society already has a problem with over-consuming sugar-sweetened beverages.

However, the nutrition consumed before, during and after specific training sessions is designed to fuel your training sessions, whereas your daily diet supports your workouts and your overall health needs. For individuals training for an athletic event, the foundation to improved performance starts with a nutritionally adequate diet and is closely followed by the strategic timing and consumption of specific nutrients to support each training session.

Every sport nutrition product can fit into a category, with its own specific application during exercise. For example, sport bars are suitable for low-intensity exercise, such as hiking and casual bike riding. The added fat and protein can be satiating as these nutrients are slow to digest. However, at higher intensities on the bike or during a high-impact sport like running, it’s extremely difficult to digest fat, fiber and protein due to reduced blood flow to the gut. Additionally, during running there is an alteration of normal breathing patterns and the physical jostling of organs.

Most endurance athletes will best tolerate sport drinks, gels or energy chews because of their portability, taste and texture and formulation. Gels and chews are easy-to-carry but because both are heavily concentrated sources of carbohydrates, they lack appropriate amounts of fluid and sodium. In contrast, a well-formulated sport drink (ex. Skratch, NBS, Clif hydration, etc.) contains carbohydrates, electrolytes and fluids (all in one gulp) to give you the perfect osmolality to optimize gastric emptying.

In other words, the precise concentration of the drink helps the emptying of contents from the gut, into the small intestines before being taken up by the working muscles. The only caveat is that a sport drink is much more difficult to carry compared to a gel or pack of energy chews. When using a sport drink, you can either use a bottle on the bike (or on the pool deck) or in the treadmill cup holder. But when running, I suggest to “wear” your fuel around your waist or as a backpack while running -as carrying a bottle can throw off your form (your arm needs to be relaxed to swing efficiently with your running gait). Thankfully, hydration belts and packs have improved over the years and most are ergonomically designed to be comfortable and bounce-free. Carrying your own sport drink is protection against early fatigue, GI issues and dehydration. I highly recommend the Naked Running Band. 

Because most triathletes and runners struggle with how to best fuel/hydrate during a run, plan to consume the following within every 30 minutes of running (ideally, small amounts every 8, 10 or 15 minutes) during workouts lasting more than one-hour (or intense sessions more than 45 miutes):

•  ~8-16 fluid ounces (1 ounce = 1 gulp)
• ~12-20g carbs 
• ~120-400 mg sodium 
• Avoid the artificial sweeteners, food dyes and boosters. Keep the ingredient list simple with only sugar, electrolytes and natural flavors. Most sport drinks will be formulated with the above recommendations to make fueling and hydrating simple and effective. Visit your local running/tri/bike store to try different types of sport drinks like Tailwind, Clif, NBS, Osmo and Skratch. 

The never-ending race weight discussion

Within certain sports (ex. triathlon, running, cycling, etc.) it’s not uncommon for athletes to manipulate the diet in order to achieve a lower body fat percentage - believing that a body that weighs less will lead to athletic success. Whether for aesthetics, competitive leanness, body dissatisfaction, or in pursuit of an ideal “race weight,” what may start as an innocent attempt to lean-up or to lose a few pounds, can easily spiral out of control - undermining health, training, recovery, performance and mental well-being. Although there are safe and healthy ways to change body composition, it’s not uncommon for athletes to engage in unhealthy weight loss methods, resulting in great emotional and physical consequences.
Disordered eating is a general term describing harmful, obsessive or extreme eating behaviors that are used in attempt to achieve a lower than normal body weight. Examples include rigid or righteous eating, fasting, anxiety, control or preoccupation with certain foods, food rituals, extreme concern with body size and elimination of food groups.

Unfortunately, comments made by coaches, social media, body shaming, fat talk, attributing poor performances on weight, and regular weigh-ins intensify body image concerns, leading to disordered eating behaviors.

Because many athletes are given a socially acceptable setting to justify excessive exercise and strict eating habits, it’s not uncommon for the performances by an energy starved athlete to be celebrated. However the initial performance improvement occurring from disordered eating is typically short-lived as nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, anemia, reduced cardio function, chronic illnesses or injuries and low motivation will eventually impair physical and mental health.

How you need to look to live a quality-filled life may be different than how you think you need to look. The process of developing a positive body image takes time but to love your body in motion is worth the patience and hard work.

Preparing for an athletic should never require obsessive training and restrictive eating. As you build your fitness, build a better body image. In today’s fad-diet obsessed society, it can be difficult to keep a healthy perspective on the look of your body. You can still be an athlete even if your body doesn’t match the unrealistic images seen on social media. Athletes come in all shapes and sizes. Every Athlete has his/her own optimum performance weight where the body functions the best and this body type is achieved by consistent training, nutritious eating and proper fueling and hydration. If you are concerned about body image, remember that a performance-ready body is more about how you feel and perform, not what the scale tells you.

Your training and diet should promote long-term health and longevity in sport. Eating is not cheating. If you need personalize nutrition assistance, reach out to a Board Certified Sport Dietitian for help. 

For additional reading:

Chasing Race Weight

Changing your perception of race weight

Still trying to reach your "race weight"?

Attempting to reach race weight

Stretch your comfort zone

In six months, I will be doing something that I've never done before. From August 22-28th, I'll be riding my bike for seven consecutive days, covering over 500 miles and 65,000+ feet elevation gain. My bike will take me from Megeve, France to Nice, France as part of the Haute Route. Oh yeah, and Karel will be joining me for this "fun".

Although I love the sport of triathlon and I still feel challenged by training and racing, there is a sense of familiarity and certainity after 14 consecutive years of long-distance triathlon racing. When I started the sport, I was stepping outside of my comfort zone by doing things with my body that I have never done before. Today, triathlon is where I feel most at home. Psychologically, triathlon is my comfort zone.

Although staying within my comfort zone has resulted in consistent training and performance improvements, I feel it's necessary to find ways to step outside of the comfort zone with a new challenge. I'm captivated by endurance events and challenging myself mentally and physically. So when I heard about the Haute Route, I thought there was no better way than to combine my love of cycling, mountains and traveling.

While I will do my best to prepare for the Haute Route Alps (alongside training/racing triathlon), I know this event will bring stress, anxiety, self-doubt and worry. But when we challenge ourselves, that is where growth happens. That is when we can rise to the occassion.

While there's nothing wrong with staying in a comfort zone, you don't want to get too comfortable that you are afraid to challenge yourself, try new things, grow and learn. Have you ever noticed the adventure-like mindset of a child - who is a natural risk-taker? Sadly, as adults, we learn to fear failure and hold ourselves back from trying new things.

How will you stretch your comfort zone this year? 

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

If you need another reason to break out your Instant Pot (or take the leap to purchasing one), it may just be this easy, flavorful, and filling Mexican casserole! This Instant Pot casserole makes a complete meal (including carbohydrate, protein, and fat) all in one pot for quick clean up. The leftovers reheat well too. Add this dish to your meal plan as a Mexican themed dinner night and enjoy!

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey) breast
• ½ small red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 large orange or red bell pepper, sliced into ¼ inch strips and quartered
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced into ¼ inch strips and quartered
• 1, 15-ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or drained from a can)
• ½ teaspoon chili powder (can add up to 2 teaspoons for additional spice)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1, ~15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
• 2 cups of your favorite salsa
• 1 cup uncooked long grain brown rice (NO INSTANT rice), rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided

For serving: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, chopped green onion, sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (optional)

Preparation

1. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, chicken, and salt. Cook and stir, breaking up the chicken as you go, until the meat is no longer pink. Add the bell peppers, black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Stir to combine making sure to scrape up any stuck on bits of food on the bottom of the pot.
2. Pour in the diced tomatoes in their juices and salsa. Spread on top but do not stir. Add the brown rice and once again do not stir. Add the water. With the back of a spoon, gently push the rice down and spread it evenly so that it is submerged in liquid.
3. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure (manual) for 20 minutes (it takes about 15 minutes for the pot to come up to pressure before the cooking time begins). Once cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes and then vent to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and stir. Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired.
4. Stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Keep the Instant Pot on warm and put the lid back on the pot (no need to seal-just make sure it is resting on top). Let rest about 10 additional minutes to allow the cheese to melt and more of the liquid to absorb. Serve hot with any optional toppings.
5. Enjoy!

Adapted from: Well Plated recipe.

Triathlon cycling 101

Sandwiched between the swim and run, the triathlon bike portion is the longest discipline in both time and distance. With nearly 50% of your race time spent on two wheels, this is where your hard work pays off. But not enough time in the saddle will cost you valuable time and energy during the bike and run.

When it comes to triathlon gear and equipment, cycling is the most expensive discipline. Plus, training outdoors has its hazards, especially when you are sharing the road with cars, pedestrians, nature and wildlife. For these reasons, many triathletes don’t train properly or spend a considerable amount of time only cycling indoors. Because triathletes have a reputation for not having great bike-handling skills, preparation for the bike portion of a triathlon is a combination of having the right equipment, doing the right training and having great bike handling skills.

Fundamentals
The cycling culture may look intimidating but as long as you are riding a bike and having fun, you are part of the club. Plus, building bike fitness is fairly easy – go ride your bike. But to truly showcase your cycling fitness, proper bike handling skills and training are critical for your safety (and those around you), confidence and efficiency. Knowing how to corner, brake, descend, stand, climb and change your gears will take your bike fitness to an entirely new level. For most triathletes, due too much indoor riding (or fear of riding a bike), these fundamental skills are lacking. For example, going downhill on a bicycle at 40+ mph is a pure adrenaline rush – so long as you can safely handle your bike at these speeds. If you get yourself going too fast and you don’t have the right skills, you’ll tense up and may try to over-correct by squeezing your brakes – causing you to lose control.


Descending
Position yourself a bit back on the saddle. Avoid breaking the whole way down as this puts tension on your arms and hands, prevents the wheel from moving freely and can overheat your brake pads. Brake softly and then let it go. The front brake is on the left side of the handlebars and the rear brake is on the right. The front brake has more stopping power but if used by itself, your rear wheel can slip, causing you to lose control of your bike. Practice on a small hill with a slight decline and as you gain more confidence, work your way up to longer hills, where you’ll carry more speed.

Braking
For your safety, it’s critical to practice your braking abilities before you find yourself in a situation when you really need to brake. Find an empty parking lot and ride fast for 10 seconds. Then come to a controlled stop. Learn how long it takes you to safely come to a quick stop to better understand your bike’s braking power.

Cornering
While you may not be corning at a high speed like a criterium racer or descending on long and sweeping switchbacks in the Alps, making turns (especially u-turns) is a necessary skill to master. Always look ahead to avoid grease, painted lines, sand or rocks – especially in the rain. If you are turning, never brake in the turn/corner – get your braking done before the turn. Keep the inside pedal up, outside pedal down, weight on the outside foot. You can even move your butt slightly off the saddle to put more load on the outside pedal. Lean the bike – not your body – into the turn (this is called counter-steering). Push your hand on the side of the handlebar where you want to turn. Always look in the direction you want to go to maintain your line. Instead of trying to get close to the corner/cone, start at the outside and carve a smooth arc through the apex of the turn. As you come out of the turn, straighten up the bike and begin pedaling. Always shift into a lighter gear before the turn so that you can quickly gain momentum out of the turn (the same rule applies for stopping).

Bike handling
Lastly, although it seems basic, you must learn how to signal a turn, point to something in the road and take in nutrition as you are riding. This all requires you to ride your bike with only one hand. The only way to become efficient at this skill is to practice while riding. In an empty parking lot, practice lifting one hand at a time off the handlebar to learn how to balance yourself on your bike. Then practice grabbing your water bottle from the cage.

Changing gears
Not knowing how or when to shift your gears can cause you to lose momentum, drop your chain or struggle to get to the top of a steep hill. For proper shifting, you need to know how to shift to the right gear before you need it so that you can maintain a smooth and efficient pedal stroke throughout the entire climb.

For a big shift (up or down a hill), you’ll switch between the front chainrings. The left handlebar shifter controls this shift. In simple terms, the small chain rings makes pedaling easier (up a climb) while moving to the big chainring will make pedaling harder (down a hill). Before approaching a major terrain change, anticipate what shifting needs to happen and give yourself time to get into the right gear.

For smaller shifts in the wind, undulating terrain, or for more efficient riding, the shifting mechanism on the right side of your handlebars will move the chain up and down the rear cassette (right side of the back wheel). Moving the chain up will make pedaling easier while moving the chain down will make pedaling harder.

Don’t settle into being a one-gear rider. In an empty parking lot, practice shifting form your big to small chain ring and moving your chain up and down your rear cassette so you can feel how this affects your effort. A simple trick to keep your chain from dropping as you change gears is to keep the chain in the middle of the rear cassette when moving from the big to small chain ring (and vice versa).

5 Pro Tips

1. For smoother shifting, braking and turning, anticipation is key. For example, change your gears right before you really need to, especially when climbing.
2. Don’t wait until you are on the side of the road to perfect your flat-changing skills.
3. Learn the rules of riding on the road. Know how to signal appropriately when making a turn or pointing out a hazard on the road. Try to anticipate the decisions of the cars around, behind or in front of you.
4. Check your bike (ex. cables, brakes, tires, spokes, chain, etc.) before every ride. Don’t forget to pump your tires (recommend tire pressure can be found on the sidewall of your tire in psi).
5. In wet weather, stay off the painted line, watch out for oil and break earlier than usual when taking a turn. Look out far enough ahead so you can see and react to any obstacles on the road or on the shoulder.

For more triathlon tips, nutrition guidelines and race day advice, check out my new book Athlete to Triathlete.

The blog post that started it all

February 3rd, 2007.


My very first blog post.

You would think my first blog post would be a post would be something along the lines of me introducing myself to the world or talking about something positive or happy in life. But sadly no.

Instead, I decided I needed a creative outlet to write about my very first DNF (Did Not Finish) race.

Since then, I have written close to 3000 blog posts. I've had over 2.5 million blog views.

I've written about triathlon, running, and bike races. Going back to school for my dietetic internship. Went in depth about my accomplishments, setbacks and failures. I've shared my travels, events, recipes, nutrition tips, fueling suggestions, motivation tips and pretty much anything and everything about my life.

And of course, plenty of animal pictures - especially of our furry children.

Even though blogging does take out a big chunk of my time each week, I'm not planning to stop blogging anytime soon. A a writer, it is the best outlet for the many thoughts that circulate in my head, it's a great way to educate others and I love being able to refer back to special times in my life that I have documented through my blog.

Although my first blog was written nearly 13 years ago (when I was 25 years old), I find it very ironic that I wrote about the only race that I started but didn't finish.

But you know what? That's life. It's not all rainbows, unicorns and sunshine.

It's normal to have bad days, failures and setbacks...it's all part of living. And you really can't value your great moments unless you have bad moments for comparison. And this is true for racing and pretty much anything in life.

We all have great days, good days and days that we don't want to remember. So while it is important to highlight the great days (because we often take them for granted), it's important to not let the bad days get the best of you. It's just part of being human.

I hope you enjoy a walk down memory lane with my very first blog post that started the Trimarni blog thirteen years ago ........

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Well, that's right-no finish time for the miami marathon.

I never thought it would happen to me....

For the first time ever, I got injured during a race.

Even worse, first time I have been injured since I started training for triathlons/marathons. What a Bummer! The marathon, all together, wasn't the best for me.

Started out really rough, standing for over 30 min before the start in the pouring rain, only to start the race with soaking wet shoes and the rain to finally stop. Next part of the the race, which went bad, was when I ran up the first huge causeway and my shins and calves starting killing me. Quads hurt, everything hurt really...well, except my heart. Heart rate was fine and I wasn't showing any signs of fatigue, besides in my legs. However, I ran through it, stopped in 3 port o potties, then at mile 11, I felt like I had just started running! I was a brand new woman.

I guess that is why I love endurance events. Nothing like a 11 mile warm-up!


From miles 11-19 I was just dropping pace (as you saw in my 10K splits) from over an 8:30 pace to almost 5 consecutive miles of sub 7:50 pace. And even better, I was seeing a sub 3:35 finish, when at first I didn't see anything less than 4 hours! However, at mile 19.5 my achilles just throbbed with pain. I was wondering what was going on...I've never been injured during a race before! I didn't know how I could run anymore, but still tried. It was like a poor ironman shuffle.


However at mile 20 had to walk. I knew the shuffle run wasn't normal Marni running style and I felt tired cause I was using muscles that weren't designed for running a marathon. I tried to run, stretch, whatever just to keep going and it wasn't until mile 22 that I couldn't make it anymore. 4 more miles of walking in pain or just stop.

Although it was at mile 22 that I debated about stopping, it was at mile 20 then I started the self talk about my reasons for going or reasons for stopping.

The tears were being held back by my pride that I still have many more races. However, when you hear a person in the crowd yelling "you can do it, just 4 more miles" all I could do was tilt my head down to the ground and keep walking.

Why why why I asked, but sometimes there isn't always a "Because".

It just happened and it is overwith. What a bummer and it just sucks! No other words around it, but I'm thankful there is no tear or sprain, just some tendonitis or inflammation.

But to be so passionate about running and see people running right by me, it was sad for me cause I just love that feeling of running.

The energy, the endorphins, the feeling of moving forward and being so easy. This was not the way I would have choosen the outcome to be for that race, especially after my horrible first half of the race.

I even debated about stopping at the half and just finishing without a medal, but my Marni spirit took over and I just wanted to keep running.

It took a lot for me to stop and I am glad that I did. The foot is getting better and I am anxious to move on and look forward to my upcoming race season.

This just shows me that I even more appreciate what I do, ever morning, of every day. waking up, excited to train, not worrying about anything hurting me or feeling weak and just loving every minute of my life, regardless if I'm swimming, biking or running.

I'm ready to train hard and work even harder for the upcoming season. I am very thankful that I have a strong heart and a positive mentality when it comes to racing and training.

Be all in without being all or nothing

I've had a busy last two weeks but it has been all so rewarding. With a trip to Charlotte, NC and then Roanoke Virginia, followed by a trip to Lexington, KY the following week, I've had the opportunity to speak to a wide range of individuals about nutrition, education and sport - newbie triathletes, fitness enthusiasts, collegiate athletes, coaches, strength and conditioning coaches, exercise science students and so much more. It's truly been a dream come true to be able to give back to others.

With so many people wanting to improve health, change body composition or improve performanc (and in honor of my new book Athlete to Triathlete), I’d like to give you a few tips on how you can get the most out of your exercise or training journey without being all or nothing.

--------------------------------

The sport of running, swimming, biking or triathlon isn’t reserved only for the elite or as a means to an end to lose weight. It’s much more than clocking the miles. It’s part of your lifestyle. It’s who you are. It defines you. Training for a race adds purpose to your every day exercise regime. As you physically prepare for an event, you also improve health, boost self-confidence, overcome fear, stretch physical limits and become a role model for others.

When motivation is high, it’s easy to envision yourself crossing the finish line with a victorious fist-pump. It’s the follow-through, action-part of training that can be difficult to sustain. That’s why motivation is important. When you are tired, busy, or dealing with a setback, you need purpose and direction to drive your actions. Every human being has a different source of motivation. For some, it’s a goal or incentive, like reaching a personal best time. For others, internally you are motivated by your health, a personal cause, or mental well-being.

If you find yourself struggling with motivation, you are never alone. Even professional athletes, who train for a living, often struggle to find the drive to train. Here are a few tips to help you be "all in" without being all or nothing.

• Know your “why.” At times, training may feel repetitive and boring. If a personal challenge is greater than your why, triathlon will feel like an unnecessary sacrifice. When you know exactly what you want to achieve and why, it’s a lot easier to put in the work, even when you don’t feel like it.
• It’s ok to fail. When something doesn’t go as planned, it’s easy to give up. When you experience a setback, learn from it. Mistakes and failures provide you with valuable feedback—lessons you can use to improve.
• Change up your training environment. Freshen-up your music playlist, explore a new training environment, or invite a friend for company. Because repetition can become mind-numbing, give yourself a mental boost by revitalizing your workout regime.
• Body image - Athletes come in different shapes and sizes. The perceived ‘athlete’s body’ is not something you need to strive for. Success looks different on everyone. If you watch any race – The full triathlon distance to marathon – you’ll see all different body types celebrating across the finish line. Your body is amazing. Exercise because you love your body. Instead of bashing your body, thank your body. Be proud of the function of your body and all that it’s capable of achieving. learn to embrace the unique traits and qualities that enhance your athletic journey. Not every athlete body is going to look the same. The process of developing a positive body image takes time but to love your body in motion is worth the patience and hard work. Sport doesn’t care what you look like, it just cares that you take good care of your body.
• Train for those who can’t. If you are struggling with motivation, tap into something that really matters to you. Think of someone who is going through a difficult time or a cause that you are passionate about. There’s great power in dedicating a workout to someone/something.
• Re-energize yourself in a group setting. Not only are you more motivated to train when others hold you accountable, but nothing is better than the comradery of physical suffering.
• Don’t be all or nothing. Routines and plans are helpful, but not if they are overly rigid. Being a self-proclaimed perfectionist can cause frustration and burnout. Put your energy into what you can control, recognizing that something is better than nothing. Manage your expectations and focus on progress, not perfection.
• Love the journey, not the end result - Anytime you are overly focused with an outcome or an end result, you will quickly find yourself losing joy for the journey. When you love what you are doing, the end result doesn't hold as much weight. Thus the journey to reach your goals should in some ways, exceed the goal itself. The journey to achieve a goal is built from; the person you become, the skills obtained, the obstacles you overcame and the inner growth that took place.

• Have fun - Many experience great stress from constantly needing to prove something in every workout. Fitness improvements come from what you do most of the time, not what happens occasionally. Keeping your training fun is the most important way to foster fitness improvements. When you perceive a workout as enjoyable - something that makes you happy - it will have a positive impact on your entire workout experience. While many workouts will be challenging, you can only push yourself harder and feel a greater sense of satisfaction when you are enjoying what you are doing.
• Love the grind - Not every training is going to be fun, enjoyable or smooth sailing. There will be setbacks. It may feel like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. The weather will not always be perfect. Your body and mind will play tricks on you, telling you that you are too tired to train. It’s good to dread some of your training sessions or to struggle through some workouts. Elevating your fitness requires hard work and pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone. It means being willing to fail, go easier than you'd like, show up when you are tired and grit it out, even when you want to quit. Make every session count.
• Patience - Performance improvements, body composition changes and fitness improvemnts are never linear. Many times, a breakthrough occurs right after a serious of subpar workouts. To take your fitness to the next level, you can't rush the process. Your best performances are still within you. Stay patient. Real results require effort and energy. Patience is the combination of persistance and time: it is a process of growth, hard work, failures, and eventually, reaching goals.

Chocolate, Wine and Valentine's Day

Next to flowers and jewelry, chocolate is a staple gift on Valentine's Day. Although much of Valentine's day is all about marketing (if you love someone/something - say it daily), chocolate has history as a love food. 

According to a Smithsonian article, "passion for chocolate is well-rooted in Mesoamerican history. It was a highly-prized luxury item among Mayan and Aztec upper class elites, who were known to savor a drink that combined roasted cacao beans with cornmeal, vanilla, honey and chilies. Cacao beans were as valuable a commodity as gold, and gold, and were even used to pay taxes levied by Aztec rulers.

By the early 1600s, the vogue for chocolate had swept across Europe. In London, chocolate houses began to rival coffee houses as social gathering spots. One shop opened on Gracechurch Street in 1657 advertising chocolate as “a West Indian drink (which) cures and preserves the body of many diseases." In France, Madame de Sevigne wrote about enormous chocolate consumption throughout the court at Versailles in 1671; Louis IV drank it daily and Madame du Barry was said to use chocolate mixed with amber to stimulate her lovers.

When Marie Antoinette married Louis XVI in 1770, she brought her personal chocolate maker to Versailles. The official “Chocolate Maker to the Queen” created such recipes as “chocolate mixed with orchid bulb for strength, chocolate with orange blossom to calm the nerves, or chocolate with sweet almond milk to aid the digestion.” "

Here's the entire article if you'd like to read more: Click Here

In honor of Valentine's Day, I dug through my blog archives to search for a live video segment that I did with News4Jax in 2012. However, it looks like the segment link is no longer available BUT I still have the blog. So for your reading pleasure, here is a summary of the live TV segment.

WINE

Is red wine part of the Heart Wise eating plan?

If you already consume alcohol (beer, wine, spirits) occasionally, alcohol in moderation may play a role in heart health to help increase good cholesterol, reduce clots and help prevent damage to the lining of the arteries.

What are the heart healthy benefits?

The benefits may come from polyphenols or antioxidants, specifically resveratrol, which is a naturally occurring non-alcoholic plant based substance which appears to protect against artery damage. It may also slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. Much of the "alcohol" research is done on red wine but there may be health benefits with other types of alcohol as well. We need to keep in mind that a lot of resveratrol research is done on animals and the amount of resveratrol given to the animals would be similar to an extremely excessive amount of daily wine.

Red vs. white wine?
The higher resveratrol content comes from the skin of red grapes which are fermented longer than white grapes. In white wine, the skin is removed before fermentation. Also, wine in cooler climates may have more resveratrol. Both have the same number of calories.

Do other foods contain similar health benefits?

Peanuts, blueberries, grapes and cranberries all contain resveratrol. For a healthy cardiovascular system I encourage people to eat real food for the other nutritional benefits (vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc.) - which are also much better for your liver and stomach. 

What are the negative effects of drinking?

Life can be stressful and exhausting. Alcohol can be addictive and absused. When used as a coping mechanism, alcohol consumption can become excessive and obsessive. Alcohol may worsen health problems like hypertension, hyperlipidemia/high triglycerides, liver damage, obesity, certain types of cancer, accidents and weaken heart muscles. It can also negatively affect restful sleep and athletic performance. Pregnant women should not drink during pregnancy and individuals at risk for breast cancer should discuss with primary physician regarding alcohol consumption because alcohol may raise estrogen levels and tumor progression. Wine is also a trigger for migraines, either from the tannins and histamins or from the sulfites. If you are currently struggling with mental health issues and using alcohol as a coping mechanism, reach out to a professional for health. 

Take away message:

If you already drink alcohol, do so in moderation. If you don't drink, you don't need to start. Because you can’t drink your way to good health, make sure to prioritize a real-food, balanced diet to support your nutritional needs. 

• Moderate drinking: 2 drinks/day for men and 1 drink/day for women.
  (Men can generally drink more because of a larger body frame and more enzymes to help metabolize alcohol)
• 1 drink = 12 ounces beer, 5 ounces wine, 1.5 ounces 80-proof distilled spirits.
• 5 ounces of wine is ~120 calories. 1 bottle of wine = ~ 480 calories.
• Alcohol is a little more concentrated with calories (7 calories per gram in wine vs 4 calories per gram in carbohydrates) so don't let it be viewed as a "recovery" drink or carb replacement in an active diet.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Is Dark Chocolate part of a healthy diet?

All the chocolate lovers can take a breath of relief. Dark chocolate can be part of a healthy diet.

Is all chocolate the same?

When it comes to chocolate, you have many options. There's Hershey's, Butterfingers, M&Ms and twix at one end of the spectrum to 90% cacao (pronounced kacow) or cocoa. To choose the most "nutrient dense" option, you want to look for cacao – with an A before the O (not the other way around). Cacao refers to the bean itself - particularly in an unprocessed form. The cocoa (with an O before the A) is more processed due to the addition of other ingredients.

The percentage of cacao on a label refers to the percentage of ingredients by weight in that product that come from the chocolate liquor, cocoa powder and cocoa butter (see definitions below). In general, the higher the percentage, the more intense the flavor. In the US, cacao standards require that milk chocolate have at least 10% chocolate liquor, semi sweet and bittersweet have at least 35 percent. A higher % also means less added sugar. 75% cacao dark chocolate has about 25% sugar whereas 65% has about 35%. Unsweetened baking chocolate is 100% cacao and is very bitter.

Definitions of chocolate ingredients:

(definitions found via the internet)

• Cacao: Refers to the bean, which is the source of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and cocoa powder.
• Chocolate Liquor: Produced by grinding the center of bean, called the nib, to a smooth, liquid state. Chocolate liquor is also called chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, baking chocolate, bitter chocolate, cocoa solids, cocoa mass, cacao mass and cocoa paste.
• Cocoa Butter: The fat naturally present in cacao beans that melts at body temperature and gives chocolate its unique mouthfeel.
• Cocoa or Cocoa Powder: The product made by pressing most of the cocoa butter out of the cocoa bean and grinding the rest to a powder. Under U.S. regulations, “cocoa” and “cocoa powder” can be used synonymously.

What are the health benefits of dark chocolate?

Believe it or not, there are many health benefits of eating dark chocolate. Research shows that eating up to 1.5 ounces a day of dark chocolate may help lower blood pressure by improving blood flow due to the polyphenols helping the body form nitric oxide. Dark chocolate may also help with arteriosclerosis and reduce risk for stroke....but this doesn’t mean that after you eat a loaded hamburger that you will clean up the cardiovascular system with a chunk of chocolate ;) Also, since chocolate appears to improve blood flow, it may improve cognitive function to help with thinking and memory. It may also help with tooth enamel - who knew?

Chocolate also contains chemical compounds that make you feel good, similar to the hormones and endorphins released when you fall in love. Maybe that’s why so many people crave chocolate (or love to eat it on Valentine's Day)!

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants and flavonoids which not only help to protect the immune system and cardiovascular system but may reduce free radical damage to cells and may help with the aging process. Also, dark chocolate may help with insulin resistance for better glucose control. Dark chocolate also contains high concentrations of potassium, copper, magnesium and iron.

Take away message:
I recommend around 85% cacao but if that’s too bitter, try 65-70%. I encourage you to support small businesses that have good farming/fair trade practices. Keep in mind that a 1.5 ounce bar of dark chocolate contains 27 mg of caffeine. Also, depending on storage, handling and processing of the cacao bean, the % of cacao doesn't always mean that you are receiving a full amount of flavonoids (many of the heart-healthy nutrients may have been destroyed or removed).

Because chocolate does contains fat, a little bit can go a long way. Savour your chocolate - let it melt in your mouth, don't chew it. Portion control by choosing individual wrapped pieces or break into .5 ounce servings.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Instant Pot Cream Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup

Joey and I received a lot of great feedback/comments after our recent Instant Pot blog. Here's what you had to say......

• Is an Instant Pot practical for just one person? Even the small one?
  -I use mine for just one person, particularly for making a bunch of lunches at once, or cooking up big pots of rice or chicken to have on hand. If you’re a person who likes to cook one meal at a time, at each meal, I’m not sure it would be as practical.
  -I am just one person, and I have the six quart (plus an embarrassing number of accessories). It makes it possible for me to prep all of my food for the week in 4 hours or so, plus do things like ferment injera batter (or beer for home brewing), proof bread or pizza dough, make perfect hard boiled eggs, steam just about anything, etc. Imo, the 3 quart is restrictively small unless youre only cooking enough for 1-2 meals at a time. The 6 quart is the same size as your average crock pot, but way more versatile.
  
• Just recently bought an Instant Pot. Not totally on board with it yet. I think I need to buy one of the IP cookbooks. Example, I placed one large potato in there, set timer for 22 mins. The potato was still firm in a few areas and I had to stick it in the microwave. Took half-hour before I was able to have a cooked potato.
  -Yeah google or get a cook book as I can make like a full pot of potatoes for 16-17 min.
  
• I bought the 8 qt even though it's just two of us. Ideal for planned leftovers and we go through a lot of food. It took getting used to but it's definitely been helpful!
  
• Love mine!! Use it at least twice a week! Meats, beans, hard boiled eggs, pasta, potatoes, yogurt! It’s the best! I recommend this website for recipes: https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/
  
• It took some getting used to, but I love mine! I like it for batch cooking and have recently been using it for homemade broth. (it's not as rich as a broth that's been on the stovetop for hours, but it's still good!) The biggest advantage for me, is that you can set it and walk away (similar to a slow-cooker, but "faster") You do have to be there to hit cancel and release the steam, if needed, but other than that - fairly simplistic. I have the 6 quart with the wifi capabilities, but have pretty much used the "pressure cook/manual" button the majority of the time. So many bells and whistles, but so many recipes call for the manual button and adjust the time frame.
  
• We have 2 and use them several times a week. I do everything from grains, hard boiled eggs, sweet potatoes, stews, pulled meats, roasts etc in them. I like the ease of use but I still use a traditional slow cooker because the slow cook setting on the IP doesn’t get hot enough.
  
• I have the small and the large one. I love them. Use them both 3-4 times weekly.

If you are in need of a new Instant Pot recipe, here you go. Enjoy!

Instant Pot Cream Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

While the weather is still chilly, break out your Instant Pot for this amazingly delicious and hearty Creamy Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Soup. Use only straight up wild rice in this recipe (no wild rice blends, brown or white rice, or other rice substitutions) to avoid a potential mushy recipe disaster. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Instant Pot:

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 5 medium carrots, sliced/chopped
• 5 stalks celery, sliced/chopped
• ½ of a medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice (only use straight up wild rice—no blends)
• 8 ounces fresh baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth/stock
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (see recipe below*)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ½ to ¾ lb-no need to cut up)
  
  *For the DIY chicken seasoning:
  4 teaspoons ground sage
  3 teaspoons ground thyme
  1 teaspoon ground marjoram
  2 teaspoon ground rosemary (Optional)
  ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
  1 teaspoon black pepper
  
  -Combine all ingredients and store in a tightly sealed container.
  -Leftovers can be used in a variety of chicken or turkey dishes.

For the Stovetop:

• 5 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup flour
• 1 ½ cups milk (I used 1%)

Preparation
Instant Pot:

1. Put the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion in pot and saute until veggies start to soften. 
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. 
3. Add remaining ingredients in the first list into the Instant Pot and seal. 
4. Cook for 30 minutes (manual pressure cook, high pressure—takes pot about 15 minutes to come up to pressure before cooking time begins). 
5. Release steam using the valve on top (quick release). 
6. Remove the bay leaf and discard. 
7. Remove the chicken breasts and shred. 
8. Return shredded chicken to the pot.

Stovetop:

1. When the soup is nearly done, melt the butter in a saucepan. 
2. Whisk in the flour. 
3. Let the mixture cook for a minute and then whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, thickened sauce.

Together: Mix the thickened sauce with the soup in the instant pot.
Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from: Pinch of Yum recipe and Spend With Pennies recipe.

Embrace the Grind

I have had the most wonderful time over the past two days, visiting my alma mater - Transylvania University in Lexington, KY.

This is my first real visit to Lexington/Transy since I graduated college in 2004. Wow - 16 years have passed by and so much has changed! Both in my life and in Lexington. After spending the first 22 years of my life growing up in Lexington, I have so many amazing memories here.

Why am I here?
I was invited to Transy to speak to the senior exercise science students, the triathlon team and the swim team, as well as to some of the sport/exercise staff/faculty. I arrived on Sunday afternoon and I will be leaving Wednesday morning. It's a quick 5 hour drive. I have been sharing my journey of how I got to where I am today and I owe so much of it to my amazing liberal arts education at Transy. Funny story - my high school swim coach is now the head coach at Transy. And the triathlon coach is married to one of my friends from my high school swim team. What a small world!

During my talk to the senior exercise students, I couldn't help but put myself into their shoes nearly 16 years ago. I thought I knew what I wanted to do in life but my career path had many different twists and turns. At the end of my talk, I spoke about some of the lessons I have learned over the years. Here was my list: 

• Follow your passion(s)
• Figure out what you like/don’t like
• Don’t let hearing the word “no” stop you
• Don’t give up on what's most important to you.
• Stay true to your morals/ethics
• Don’t look for short cuts. 
• Start now, time will pass on by anyways.
• Don’t put your health to the side just for a lucrative career.
• Figure out your strengths. 
• Network.
• Learn from others.
• Don’t let social media get the best of you – comparison, self-doubt, fear of messing up, trying to be perfect.
• Never stop learning.
• Be patient.
• Don’t turn down opportunities.
• Say yes to what makes you happy.
• Embrace the grind

I ended with "embrace the grind" because I feel it's such an important aspect of achieving success in life. And it's so very true as it relates to sport succss.

Have you ever heard athletes and coaches talk about "the grind?" While you may think of it as the grueling aspect of training, the grind is where joy is found.

Whereas your day job may not be your dream job, your sport (or exercise of choice) is a hobby that you have choosen because it brings great happiness and good physical/mental health to you.

For many athletes, the deep satisfaction, joy and fulfillment that was once felt for training dissapears and what's left is a body and mind that is simply going through the motions of training for an athletic event. Although goals will help you get a workout started, it's hard to reach a goal if you don't love the work that it takes to get you there.

When was the last time you looked at a workout and got excited by the challenge? Or looked forward to learning a new skill? What about the feeling of giving your best during a workout, even what you don't feel at your best.

Being an athlete is hard and it requires a lot of work. But to get the most out of your training, you have to embrace the grind. When you keep grinding, you push yourself to limits that you didn't know were possible.

You must love the work that comes with being an athlete. It's not about the product but the process. Don't stress about the end result - the paces you think you need to run, the power you think you need to push, the pace you think you need to swim or the place you think you need to achieve to feel success.

Sure, some days are harder than others as you try to balance work, family, kids and other obligations. Sometimes you will feel under the weather or you may experience a setback like a health issue or injury.

But knowing that you are getting up every morning and doing something incredible with your body - and doing it to the best of your ablity - this is the grind. Attack every workout with a can-do positive attitude and give that workout everything you can give on that day. Be thankful that you are apart of a small percentage of individuals who can train for and participate in an endurance athletic event.

The next time you find yourself counting yourself out before a workout begins, giving up on yourself when a workout gets hard or making excuses for why you can't finish a workout, check-in with yourself and ask why you choose to call yourself an athlete? What are you doing this all for? What makes sport fun and exciting?

No matter how much you love your sport, there will be days when you are unmotivated, workouts that you want to quit (or not start), workouts feel repetitive and boring, the weather will be miserable and you will struggle to find the courage to finish. These aspects of being an athlete are not fun. But this is the grind. When you could easily give up, you don't.

The grind doesn't mean pushing through deep fatigue, sacrificing sleep or making sacrifices with family/work/friends. The grind is where you recognize how important this sport is to you and all the joy that it brings to you.

Set big goals and aim high but never lose sight of what it feels like to love the work that you get to do with your body - the good, bad and everything in between. This is the grind that comes with being an athlete.

Green Valley 10-mile Road Race - Race Report (Karel)

Our Furman Faculty friends (and Pat)

This morning was the 43rd Green Valley Road Race. With a new course and a running race that we have been wanting to participate in for the past few years, we were both excited for the event. However, I had to skip the race due to recent niggle with my hip/back. As you probably know, this is nothing new for me to experience these niggles. Luckily, this time was not as serious as what I experienced this past summer. While I am not sure exactly why this happens, my pelvis/spine often gets twisted. It's not painful but I struggle to move my leg (this time again it's my left leg) forward without feeling some catching, tugging, pulling or tightness in my groin/hip/adductor. Oddly enough, it comes without much warning - although I'm sure it slowly happens overtime. Because I often feel similar symptoms when this happens, I am quick to recognize when I need to back off or adjust my running. Interestingly, the treadmill is actually the place where I can slowly put myself back into place. And I can still swim and bike without any issues - if anything, my biking continues to get stronger. While it may not make much sense what I often go through, here is a picture showing what happens when I get twisted.

You can see how my left ribs are protruding forward when I lay down (I sent this pic to my PT). I have to do a lot of breathing and movement exercises to try to keep myself from getting twisted. My PT exercises (and continuing to run on the treadmill) and also biking are helping to get me back in place. While I would have loved to run this race, I didn't want to take any risks with our first triathlon happening in 4 weeks.

But enough about me....let's talk about my speedy teammate Karel!

We woke up around 5am this morning and the furry crew was not excited about the early alarm. Except for our kitten Ella who loves to play first thing in the morning. Karel did his normal pre-race routine - espresso, oatmeal, another espresso, Normatec boots, change into race gear, a few bathroom stops and mobility, he was off to the race venue around 6:50am. The race started at Trailblazer park which is about 3 miles from our house. After Karel picked up his packet and warmed up, he made his way to the start line for the 8:15am (the 5-mile race started at 8:00am). This was our first really cold morning in a long time (27 degrees) so it was a bit chilly for the start. But Karel found the weather very tolerable for the 10 mile race.

Karel's game plan was to run with the leaders of the race right from the gun. He knew there would be some young speedsters at the race and he had no expectations for what he would be able to run (pace wise) on this very hilly course (~1250 feet elevation gain) so he decided he would just run as hard as he could with the leaders until he couldn't anymore.

The great thing about this race course is that it is very familiar to us. We have ran the course a few times and we run on the same roads a lot in our training sessions. Knowing where each uphill and descend occurred throughout each mile was mentally helpful for Karel - he knew where he could make up time (uphills) and where the pure runners would move ahead (downhills). There really isn't anything flat on this course so it was a really good course layout for Karel.

The first mile felt "easy" for Karel but that seems to happen in any race - the energy of the crowd just sucks you in. After about 2 miles, the field started to separate and Karel found himself with about 10 other runners (mostly men but a few fast girls). When Karel entered the neighborhood next to where we live (Carilion), he knew that tactics would come into play. The field started to break apart and after a steep downhill, Karel found himself with 3 other guys. By mile 5, it was down to 2 others near Karel.

On River Bend Road, Karel was able to break away from another guy and found himself in 2nd. Because I was inside our house on the trainer suffering away during my bike workout, we had two friends on the course giving me updates via text - which was awesome. I love watching Karel race but because I am traveling tomorrow, I needed to get in a good quality brick (and swim today) so we both discussed the plan and decided it was best for me to stay at home. Thankfully, this was just a "fun" race for Karel.

Although Karel was now in 2nd, it was only for a small amount of time. Karel really worked the uphills (which is a strength of his) and found himself repassed on the next downhill. Karel's legs just couldn't turn over any faster. At this point, the race really started. He could still see two guys ahead of him but it was all about that 2nd place guy who was still within Karel's reach. Karel knew he needed to hang on to keep his pace as he didn't want to push himself alone. So he gave everything he could for the next few miles - up and down the hills. But it wasn't enough. Although the rubber band didn't break, Karel ended up 3rd by about 20 seconds. First place was about 1 minute ahead.

Karel was thrilled with his race as he never sees these kind of paces when he trains. Although Karel hasn't done any speed work, all of the strength-based and progressive runs (along with some tough bike workouts, lots of swimming and strength training) have transferred over to speed (when it really matters).

Of course, Karel was not surprised that he was beat by two kids - 22 yrs and 19 yrs of age. At 43 years, Karel is just happy to still be able to hang with the kiddos (especially since he just started run training in 2012 when he became a triathlete!).

Thanks Kristen for the post race pic!

After the race/awards, Karel came home and gave me a brief update as I was running on the treadmill. After a recovery drink (which he had right after the race) and a few snacks, Karel went to the pool for a recovery swim to help loosen things out. I came to the pool just as he was getting out (his feet were cramping - not surprising after the hard morning effort). As for the rest of the day - we enjoyed our first snow day of 2020!

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

If you are new to Instant Pot cooking, here are a couple of things to consider:

-Instant Pots can be a great way to quickly pull meals together in one pot but it is important to consider the total cooking time of a recipe. A recipe may only suggest a 5 minute cooking time but before the timer starts its countdown the pot will take time to heat up and come to pressure (this can usually take an extra 10-20 minutes depending on what you are cooking). When the cooking time is complete, the pressure release also takes additional time. Be sure to factor in this extra time when planning your meals.

-Make sure that you place your Instant Pot on open counter space (with no overhead obstacles around like cupboards since a “hot steam bath” from the pressure release could potentially damage them over time).

-There are lots of fantastic Instant Pot recipes available in print and online to get you started. Search out well written recipes with specific cooking instructions from tested sources to help ensure a tasty and successful meal.

Break out your Instant Pot and give this delicious, belly filling (and veggie packed) Minestrone Soup a try. Perfect for a chilly winter dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ medium onion, diced
• 2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2-3 stalks celery, diced
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon fennel seed
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 (~28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 zucchini, seeded and chopped
• 1 (3-inch) Parmesan rind
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation

1. Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano and fennel seed until fragrant.
2. Stir in chicken or vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini, Parmesan rind and bay leaf. Select manual (or “pressure cook” setting), adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
3. Remove bay leaf. 
4. Stir in kale until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Serve immediately garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

Adapted from: Damn Delicious Instant Pot Minestrone soup recipe.

Instant Pot: What you need to know

The Instant Pot has been termed the ultimate multi-functional kitchen appliance. It's a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice maker, steamer, yogurt maker and warmer and it can be used for sauteing and browning. Although the Instant Pot has been around for a long time, it's been gaining a lot of recent popularity. Before you purchase one, here's what you need to know. 

What is an Instant Pot?
An Instant Pot functions as a pressure cooker, slow cooker and crock pot. For the at-home-cook, this all-in-one appliance can help expedite the cooking process of any meal/recipe. For the not-so-good chef, you can set it and forget about it - just throw the ingredients in the pot and let it cook throughout the day. In addition to these funtions, it can also cook rice, steam and sautee and keep foods warm.

Different types
Sizes range from 3-quart to 8-quart. The 3-quart is ideal for small familes, the 6-quart is ideal for families of 4-6 and then 8-quart is ideal for large families (or when preparing for a large group). Every Instant Pot is cylindriclly shapped and can be stainless steel coated with a black base and black and stainless steel lid. Some pots include a non-stick, aluminum pot for easy clean-up. The inner pot is made of durable, stainless steel. Some pots include small side handles for easy carrying.
To release pressure after cooking, there's a quick release feature or natural release. Most recipes indicate which release is used. For example, the natural release lets steam out over time and is ideal for stews and other foods that won't overcook. The quick release removes steam from the pot very quickly (1-2 minutes) and is ideal for pasta dishes or those that are at risk for overcooking. It's recommended to use tongs (instead of your hands) when using the quick release.
The Instant Pot Smart is even bluetooth friendly and wirelessly connected to your phone.

Is it safe?
There are many safety mechanisms built into each pot. Each pot comes with a lid and the silicone gasket prevents steam from escaping, to help regulate pressure. If the gasket is damaged or ruined, it should be immediately replaced. The pots also include a floating valve that pops up and automatically locks when it's unsafe to open the lid when cooking food because it's at a pressure level that could be dangerous. The warm setting can keep your food out of the "danger zone" which prevents bacteria from rapidly multiplying to prevent a food borne related health issue.

Duo vs. Lux
The Instant Pot will monitor pressure and temperature, making adjustmeents based on how much food is in the pot. The major difference between the Duo and Lux is that the Duo is a 7-in-1 cooker with 14 cooking programs and then Lux is a 6-in-1 cooker with 12 cooking programs. The major difference is that the Duo features a yogurt maker. The Lux only has high pressure settings whereas the Duo has low and high pressure settings.

Cost
The most popular versions costs around $100 but the price varies.

Do your research
While this information may be helpful in your decision whether or not to purchase an Instant Pot, be sure to do your research to find the best version for your needs. Here's a helpful link.

In the next blog, I'll be sharing a delicious Instant Pot Minestrone Soup prepared by my wonderful friend Joey.