So here we are, August.  It’s hot.  Super hot.  Record hot.  My race schedule in July was almost exclusively criteriums – and I raced a bunch of them including an awesomely awesome bunch of fun in Chicago for Superweek and had a total blast with a really great bunch of people and made loads of new friends.  Bike racing is great for that.  Total strangers offering you a place to sleep. So fun.  But, as I mentioned in a previous post, my last remaining goal of the season is Masters Road Nations.   Time to adjust.

With that last, end of season road race looming large and my entry fee paid I’ve got to switch gears and after a month of short, fast and flat, I suddenly find myself faced with the need to be able to race longer distances and uphill.

Up to now, I’ve been working on accelerations, sprints, ability to go hard and fast quickly.  Lots of sprint workouts.  Now it’s all hills, all the time. Eeek!  The course in Bend is not super steep but it’s a course that is going to require power to the pedals the whole time while going uphill and downhill.  This is a wholly different skill set from crit racing. My short two hour weekend rides on non-racing days have crept back up to 3 and 4 hours.  My weekday workouts have changed too.  This week:  one day of repeated long climbs in the saddle at a low cadence to build up climbing leg strength; the next day – short hard efforts 60 seconds seated, 30 seconds standing and accelerating to build some explosiveness on the hills (or in my case, hopefully improve my ability to to go with attacks when they come); then another day of long climbs above threshold with a higher cadence just to improve my overall climbing.    Did I mention lots of climbing?

A funny aside:  I’ve been riding with my friend Tracy Tolson (she of multiple national championship titles) we cheer ourselves up the hills on those bazillion degree, low cadence, leg strengthening days by telling ourselves that it’s making us stronger as we’ve sweltered uphill.  Tracy said, “it’s so you can drop the hammer when you need to…”  I said, “I don’t think I have a hammer, it’s more like a carpet mallet…”  So watch out, I’m gonna drop the mallet on you one of these days….

My eating has changed too.  All summer long I’ve been content to roll with 2-3 extra pounds because, in all honestly, at my ability level it’s not going to make as much as a difference to my racing as smart training. And a cold beer on a hot day is awesome!  But now I want to tighten things up just a little – if for no other reason than in my head I will climb better!  I’ve added more protein to my diet – those longer, strengthening days tear down the muscles more and I need to rebuild.  TVP is great source of non-meaty goodness for that and Bob’s Red Mill TVP burgers are great and tasty especially in the heat when heavy foods really are not so fun.  I’ve upped the fresh fruit and vegetable content even more and well, those delicious oatmeal cookies I love so much will have to wait until September.  With the longer rides back on the schedule I am eating more but I want to make sure it’s all quality, nutrient rich calories that make me feel fit and speedy not heavy and needing a nap. My friends gardens are bursting and I am the lucky beneficiary – fresh squashes, tomatoes, peppers especially – and I’ve been making some awesome whole wheat pastas with sauteed fresh vegetables too.  I love this time of year!

Onward and upward (and upward and downward and upward…..)

[Editor's note: You can watch a video from Doug Carr over here, where he details his prep for Rev 3.]

Most of my triathlon race reports, or any event for that matter, usually start with “The alarm clock went off at 4:30 a.m.” This one will be no exception. I’m the kind of guy who likes to be methodical and relaxed on the morning of race day, and if that means losing half of an hour of sleep, then that’s just the way it goes. That’s not to say that I sleep very well the night before, but that’s another story.

This half-iron distance race would be my wife’s first tri at that length, and since she’d be facing “time cut-offs” for each of the swim and bike legs, there would certainly be some anxious moments until the gun went off for her wave. The more I could do to keep things calm, the better off her race would be.

Being as bikes were already at the lake, it was just a matter of grabbing our gear for the day and heading out for the 45 minute or so drive. We took a cooler to keep water chilled, as we both new the day would be getting long and warm.

The transition area for this event was approximately half a mile from the swim venue. That meant, once you made a last check on tires, hydration, T-1 and T-2 gear placement and size up your competition, it was time to head over to the start. The start would go off in five waves. Pro Men, Pro Women, All Women, All Men under 40, and the rest of the Men over 40, Relays and Aquabike. The weather was spectacular and the water temp was sitting at 72 degrees. This meant no wetsuits for the pros, and most of the Age Groupers would be sleeveless, given the option. I like the temps to hover near 63, as I feel just warm enough after the initial facial numbness subsides. Unfortunately my sleeveless top was sitting comfortably at home. Oh, well, that’s what it means by remaining flexible on race day.

SWIM

Our wave hit the water at 8:40. This is a pretty late start for long course races, and most folks new that sunscreen would be an essential piece of equipment. The swim would comprise a single lap around a rectangle, measuring 1/2 mile on its longest sides, and about 1/10 mile on its ends. Counterclockwise meant buoys to your left, but there were so many intermediate sighting buoys, that it really wasn’t a problem for us right-side breathers. The second buoy was at the end of the first “long-side” and was dead center of the sun’s reflection off the water. This made sighting more difficult for those who watch the buoy instead of a distinct landmark above the horizon. A friend of mine actual ended up heading for the third turn buoy, and was directed back to the second buoy by a kayak.

All in all, the swim went well even though it was a little warm. We were allowed to hang dry bags at the swim, so if you wanted to run to T-1 in shoes, you could have them there. You had the option of bringing your wetsuits with you, or stuffing it in the bag to be brought over to your bike by the event crew. That’s what I chose to do, and was actually surprised when a volunteer came and help me strip my wetsuit. Bonus! The 1/2 mile run to T-1 was a new experience, but I have to say that I actually liked it. It gave my legs a chance to warm up some of the biking muscles, and be ready to ride.

BIKE

T-1 was uneventful, just like I prefer it. Hopefully the sunscreen was still going to work? It was a short trip up to the main road to join the course, which was laid out as two loops of 27 miles each. The helicopter was already in the air for coverage of the swim course, and now it was zooming up and down the Columbia River catching the pro bike action, along with motorcycles getting footage on the course. It was a pretty cool experience being on course with the pros and watching them (hearing them actually) come whizzing past you turning 26 ~ 27 mph averages, including four complete u-turns. I managed to average 20.51 mph for the 56 miles and felt pretty comfortable the whole time. Wattage was right where I wanted it, as was heart rate. My bike performed flawlessly, and I had no problems passing when needed. Water stations were well equipped for hand-offs and distances were appropriate.

RUN

I felt better coming off this bike leg than I have in some time. I believe that it was a combination of controlling the output? But then something started happening about a mile into the run. My left inner quad and inner hamstring felt like they both wanted to cramp up. My right side was fine. I thought, “Great, this is going to be a long 13 miles!” At the first aid station, I took my weight to my right side, lifted my left foot off the ground while keeping my knee out in front of me. I then poured a cup of ice water on the head of the quad, and like magic, the feeling of cramping went away and never returned. It was weird. So I ran. The heat was starting to get to me, and I even used ice under my hat and in my back pocket of my jersey to keep cooled down. It turned into a struggle, but I had a lot of company. Misery loves company, right? I’d surge every once in a while and pick out landmarks or the next aid station to get to. I knew where the finish line was and just kept trudging ahead. I felt good to see the crowd still cheering everyone in, and likewise it felt good to cross that finish line. I can say that I did it with a smile on my face. In this link to the age group video, I have the unique honor of being the only one shown being presented with a finisher’s medal. Age Group Summary Video

Train With Grain!!

Have you tried our new granola?  After feedback from customers concerning taste and texture of our granolas, we came up with a new formula and introduced new flavors, including Honey Oat Granola!  You can eat this right out of the bag for a quick snack, or serve it as a cold breakfast cereal.  Adding nuts and seeds with increase the protein content and adding fruit will increase the yum factor.  You can also try this parfait recipe which layers granola, fruit and yogurt and more for a pleasing start of the day.

Fruit, Granola & Yogurt Parfait

• 1/2 cup Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt
• 1/4 cup Fat Free Cream Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 Kiwifruit, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 Medium Banana, sliced
• 1 Medium Orange, sliced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen Berries, thawed and drained
• 1 cup Honey Oat Granola

In a small mixing bowl combine the yogurt, cream cheese, honey and cinnamon. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till combined; chill. In a small bowl, stir together fruit. Divide one-third of the fruit mixture among 4 parfait glasses or wine goblets. Spoon about half of each of the cream cheese mixture and granola atop fruit; repeat layers. Top with remaining third of fruit. Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings.

One of our very favorite recipes, Quinoa Salad.

We have been blessed in Portland with a fairly cool summer this year, unlike many of you. While I personally, would love a few more really hot days, many of you are wishing for a break in the heat. Nothing makes an evening more miserable than turning on the oven or slaving over the stove making a hot dinner. We have some great recipes for grain-based salads that hit the spot when served cold and provide a filling meal on those hot nights. Each of these can be made ahead in the morning when it’s still cool in the house. Pair these with grilled vegetables and protein of your choice for a complete meal that will be sure to satisfy.

Here are my favorites. We have many, many more on our website, here.

• Bulgur Asparagus Salad (v)
• Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad (v) (gf)
• Triticale and Roasted Eggplant Salad with Dill (v) [Note: you could use wheat berries, spelt berries or brown rice if triticale is hard to come by (which it probably is).]
• Couscous Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese
• Szechwan Peanut Salad (v) (gf- if you use a gf soy sauce)
• Zesty Quinoa Salad (v) (gf)
• Quinoa Salad (hazelnuts, currants, green onions) (v) (gf)
• Spelt and Edamame Salad [Note: you can use wheat berries or brown rice if spelt berries are hard to come by; use brown rice to make this gluten free.]

(v) = Vegan
(gf) = Gluten Free

Mark provides a guide for best practices when shaving your legs and explains why that is desirable for male racers.

Multisport training, like any other type of athletic endurance training, requires commitment to a plan. If you’re married, it also means scheduling your training to keep your relationship from suffering neglect. When you have both children and spouse in the picture, balance becomes even more critical to everyone’s well being.

If you’re treading in these waters for the first time, it’s important to share your plan with those who’ll be affected by “your new found passion” for training in multiple sports. What follows are my suggestions for keeping the peace in the household, while still maintaining a training schedule that helps you meet your goals. Since I’m male, I will use the word “she” in this case as if I’m referring to a female spouse. Hey, I gotta go with what I know, right?

Let Her Know!!

Let her know what you’re training will entail and what the goal will be. When you start spending more time at the gym, pool, on the bike or running, it’s a definite time to have her on your side. Just saying you want to do a triathlon for example, may not be enough. When she says, “Tri-ath-a-what?” you know you’ve got some “splaining” to do, Lucy. If it’s something you’ve been curious about for some time, and she knows this, then your approach might be that you think the time is right to test the waters. On the other hand, if you’ve just found out “we’re pregnant” as the saying goes, you could be in for more than you bargained for and might want to reevaluate your timing. I’m just saying…

Be Transparent With Your Schedule

Our family uses a whiteboard calendar to keep track of everybody’s commitments throughout the month. If you can simply jot down your schedule for the week, everyone will know why you’re not at the dinner table. I put morning workouts towards the top of the day, and evening towards the bottom. Simple words like swim, bike or run in the appropriate areas will do wonders at keeping things from becoming a surprise, when you’re expected to be at that violin recital everyone else is heading to.

Ask For Her Help

If you can involve her willingly, in some way, she’ll feel like she’s a part of your new found lifestyle, and resentment towards your training will be lessened. Maybe you can solicit her help in planning weekly meals to ensure you’re getting enough energy, then offer to do the grocery shopping. Depending on what length of event you’re training for, food can play a bigger part in how you feel on a daily basis. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who’s continually cranky due to a lack of energy. If you feel there’s something in your nutrition that needs tweaking, the “I’d like to try…” approach works ten times better than the “Why didn’t you put xxx on the list?”

Is There A Common Interest Of Participation?

Does she participate in any of the sports you’re training in? I’m very fortunate in that my wife is a triathlete, too, who’s been working her way up the distance ranks. She found a passion in swimming, learning only a few years back, and is now pretty fearless in the water. One thing she’d always do is treat her goggles with Baby Shampoo after each use. I’d never heard of this, and just suffered with fogging goggles as a fact of life. One day I asked her if she’d do the same thing to my goggles. Soon enough she was asking me to hand them over so she could get them ready for their next session. It was this little thing she did, that solved such an annoyance, and made me think about her when I’d swim “fog-free”. Let her know it’s appreciated too.

Do Your Share

Training does not give you a pass on things like dirty dishes, toilets or laundry. You have to continue to pitch in and do your share. Since the chances are that your pile of dirty laundry and water bottles will be growing, expect to do what needs to be done to keep them taken care of, and then some. You’re tired, that’s a given, but life goes on. No one is going to automatically clean your favorite training jersey, water bottle or bike shorts. Step up as you usually do and do what needs to be done.

Rest Days Are Not The Same As Recovery Days

Rest days are total “off” days from training. They are typically built into the schedule preceding high volume or high intensity days. These are the days to plan for activities within your other life, that of husband, father, gardener etc. They might not always happen on the same day, so this is where being transparent becomes important. Is there something she’s been wanting to do with you? Is there a movie she wants you to see? Maybe she just wants to go for a walk and enjoy some time with you? This is the time to do it, and do so without fuss or bother. You might be tired out, but you have an opportunity to spend time with her and make her feel important. And unless she asks, she’s not going to want to hear a play-by-play rundown of the last training week. Give it a break, reconnect if only for a little while, and enjoy the off day.

Keep The Peace

You may find that your training requires some pretty early morning wake-ups. If you plan ahead and have your gear ready the night before, you can avoid having to turn lights on to find that missing piece of gear. Up and out the door at 5:00 a.m. can be an un-Godly hour for a swim or run, much less getting up period, for the rest of the family. Minimizing their sleep disturbance is the goal. They will be much happier with you. I put my gear bag in another room that minimizes light pollution into their bedrooms.

At The Race

Asking for help from other family members can pay big dividends in your sanity too. If you’re traveling to a big race that includes some family-vacation time, have them search local attractions that might be of interest to them. Being able to tune out of your schedule leading up to race day is healthy for them and for you, as well. In the case of an Ironman event, the athletes have certain responsibilities and commitments (check-ins, briefings, test-swims etc.) that pull you in different directions and can eat up a fair amount of time while standing in line. Make sure they have something to occupy their time and catch their breath as well.

Your most supportive fans are usually the ones living under the same roof as you. Be good to them and life as a multisport athlete will be good to you.

Let me start this post off with a confession: I am not a runner. I exercise, but I don’t run. The only running I do is after our pup to keep this or that from becoming his next victim.

Jessica Lee, Julie Gilliam (Bob's Red Mill) and Michael Sandler pose with their lovely dog Sawa, the ultimate barefoot runner.

Two weeks ago we got a phone call from Michael Sandler, author of Running Barefoot. He was in town and wanted to come meet us. My coworker, Julie, was beyond excited to meet Michael and his running/writing/life partner Jessica so we set up a  tour and meeting with them. I was a little nervous to meet someone who has built their life around running in a way that throws conventional running on its head.

You see, Michael and Jessica run barefoot. Everywhere. In all seasons. According to them, barefoot running is a more natural way to run. When you wear running shoes, your stride lands you on your heel first. Barefoot, you land on your toes first, which allows for natural shock absorption as the rest of your foot hits the ground. Landing heel first passes the shock up through the body and is part of what leads to bad knees and hips. Being the novice runner that I am, I had all sorts of questions. Jessica told me the key is starting slow. Your feet will be more sensitive at first and your legs will tire more easily. Like any new sport, take baby steps and before you know it, you’ll be up and running.

Michael and Jessica have a wonderful life philosophy, “Feel the Earth beneath your feet and run free.” We talked about food and nutrition- Michael is gluten free, mostly raw and vegan. He fuels himself on gluten free oats, flax, chia, hemp and nutritional yeast, plus lots of other things to keep his diet varied. The two spend most of their time on the road, with stops at their Boulder home occasionally to refuel and recharge. We met them at the end of a long summer about to start a full month off. Both were excited to go home and recharge for the publication of their next book and get ready for some marathons this fall. I can only imagine running a marathon barefoot!

We left this meeting feeling excited to try our feet at barefoot running and we want to share our excitement with you. Michael and Jessica gave us signed copies of Barefoot Running to share with you. I have 12 copies (they were so generous) to share with you.

This book is simply amazing. It gives step-by-step training advice, tips and tricks, guidance on nutrition and is, essentially, a how-to for barefoot running. I love the title of Part One, “Why on Earth Would You Want to Run Barefoot?” Isn’t that what we all wonder when hearing about running barefoot. Good information coupled with good methodology make for an inspirational read. Now, I know this book is not for everyone. Not everyone is a runner, nor is every runner ready to rethink how they run.

If you are ready to rethink how you run or take up running for the first time, like me, this book will inspire you to try a new way of logging miles. One that will undoubtedly help you stay fit physically and spiritually.

How to Win:

I’m giving you a couple of ways to win this time.

Mandatory Entry: Simply leave us a comment here and tell us what intrigues you about running barefoot.

For a bonus entry, visit RunBare’s facebook page and “like” it (facebook.com/RunBare). THEN, come back here and tell us that you did it.

That’s it, you can get two entries. I’ll pick 12 winners from all who comment by 11:59 on 08/14/11.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED

Meredith gives us a short recap of her busy July and some good insight into what the life of a pro-racer is like.

People often worry that vegetarians and vegans do not get enough protein.  Luckily the plant kingdom is filled with protein rich options which include beans, nuts, whole grains, seeds, soy and so much more!  Eating a varied diet of whole foods will assure anyone the optimal nutrition, which includes protein.

The combination of TVP and Vital Wheat Gluten allows these burgers to get a great texture that everyone will enjoy.  They are also great since each patty contains 16g of protein and are packed full of flavor!  Try these at home dressed up with all your favorite toppings for a healthier option that is sure to please.

Textured Vegetable Protein Burgers
by Dorothy R. Bates

• 1 cup TVP (Textured Veg. Protein)
• 3/4 cup Boiling Water
• 1/4 cup Ketchup
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/2 tsp ground Oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground Marjoram
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 cup Grated Carrot
• 1/4 cup Finely Chopped Celery
• 2 Tbsp Finely Chopped Green Onion
• 1 Tbsp dried Parsley Flakes
• 1/2 cup Vital Wheat Gluten
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the boiling water with the TVP®, ketchup, sea salt and herbs. Let stand for 10 minutes, then mix in the grated carrot, chopped celery, chopped green onion and parsley flakes. Mix in the oil and vital wheat gluten flour to make a firm mixture.

Scoop out a packed 1/2 cup of the mixture and shape into a patty. Repeat until you have 4 formed patties. Place patties on a greased baking sheet at bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, flipping burger after 15 minutes.