This week’s farm share was jam packed with early fall goodness: pumpkin, arugula, fingerling potatoes, garlic and heirloom tomatoes.

I opened my refrigerator and found pre-cooked rice and garbanzo beans staring me in the face, so I threw this together for lunch.

Pesto:

• Arugula (1 cup)
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (a handful, pre-roasted)
• Garlic (1 large clove)
• Olive oil (drizzle into the food processor until the pesto reaches desired consistency)
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Place arugula, pumpkin seeds and garlic in a food processor. Pulse. Drizzle in olive oil while food processor is on. Add salt and pepper. Pulse. Voila, pesto!

1. Prepared brown rice, Bob’s Red Mill Long Grain Brown Rice. Follow directions on package. Make extra rice and store in your frig.
2. Prepared Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Beans. Follow directions on package. Make extra beans and store in your frig.
3. Roasted pumpkin. Peel, cut and de-seed pumpkin. Toss with olive oil and sea salt. Roast in oven at 400°F degrees for 35-45 minutes. Store roasted pumpkin in frig.
4. Chop a farm fresh tomato. If it’s not tomato season, skip adding the tomato. Out of season tomatoes are mushy and taste terrible.

Grab your favorite bowl. Fill with brown rice, arugula pesto, garbanzo beans and roasted pumpkin. Top with chopped tomato, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Enjoy!

I grew up in a small town on the coast of Massachusetts between Providence, RI and Cape Cod. As a kid I rode bikes with my family and friends and rode my first little red bike until it was too small for me, climbing onto bigger bikes as I grew.

So, it seems appropriate to make my return to elite women’s cyclocross racing in Massachusetts—a place steeped in cyclocross tradition, the place where I first learned to ride a bicycle as a little girl.

I missed last year’s cx season after breaking my clavicle in September 2010. I raced on the road this spring and early summer then broke my clavicle (same one) in July 2011. Being in the broken wing club (once, never mind twice) is not something I recommend.

I’m back on my bike, training and racing into cyclocross. 2011-2012 is a rebuild year for me and I’m learning that coming back from injury requires more determination and perseverance than I thought I had in me. As the season unfolds I continue to set small goals, and meet them. I continue to learn about myself and the art of cyclocross racing.

Setting and meeting short term goals helps me track progress. Setting long term goals helps me stay motivated.

Great Brewers Gran Prix of Gloucester

Gloucester, known as the “New England Nationals,” kicked off the New England Holy Week of Cyclocross and included the top U.S., Canadian and European pros. My goals for Gloucester: race my race. Ride clean: no crashing, no mechanicals.

At the start in Gloucester. Photo credit: Marybeth Dowd

Gloucester did not go as planned. I flatted on the first lap on the backside of the course on a rocky descent before a long muddy run up. My rim hit rock and I prayed to the cyclocross gods, “please don’t have a flat.” On the run-up I felt my tubular: totally flat, so instead of hopping back on my bike with the rest of the field, I kept running—all the way to the other side of the course to the pit.

Working my way through the field, pre-flat. Photo credit: Marybeth Dowd

By the time I got back to riding the field had completely disappeared into the fog. I got back into “my own race,” ticked off 2 laps before the leaders caught me. My race was over.

My Dad, Uncle John and Aunt Marybeth sent me off from the start line, cheered for me and greeted me with hugs after my race. My brother, Jim Dowd, worked the pit (and was jealous of Cannondale’s power-washer).

Gloucester 2011: Bob Dowd (Dad), Patricia Dowd, John Dowd (Uncle). Photo credit: Marybeth Dowd (Aunt)

When I’m not working or riding my bike, I love to cook. At home in Bozeman, Montana, I get my food from Field Day Farms and the Community Food Co-op. In Massachusetts and Rhode Island I hit the roadside farm stands and the neighborhood fish market.

Shopping for dinner, Orr’s Farm Stand, Westport, MA. Photo credit: Patricia Dowd

One night my Mom, sister-in-law, Sandi, Jim and I made this fantastic dinner: local Atlantic Haddock, roasted butternut squash (recipe below) and fresh sautéed kale.

Here’s a recipe to try this fall:

Roasted Butternut Squash with Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Beans

INGREDIENTS: (improvise if you don’t have all ingredients on hand)

• 1 medium Butternut Squash (peeled and chopped)
• 3-4 Carrots (chopped)
• 1 small Onion (cut in half and thinly sliced)
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (or whatever oil you like to use)
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas (cooked) *Note: Pre-cook beans and store them in the frig
• 4-5 Scallions (chopped)
• 1 Chili (use chili powder if chilis aren’t in season)
• 1 tbsp Cumin (or more to taste)
• 2 cups Water/Vegetable Stock
• Fresh cilantro (chopped) to taste
• Sea Salt and fresh ground Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F degrees. Peel and chop the butternut squash, chop carrots and onions. Place in a roasting dish, toss with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Cook for about 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender and caramelized. Combine chickpeas, scallions, chili, cumin and vegetable stock in pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the contents of the pan over the butternut squash and roast in the oven for another 5 minutes. Toss in fresh cilantro and serve. De-lish!

Adapted from The Café Paradiso Cookbook: Vegetarian Cooking Season-by-Season, Denis Cotter.

The week between Gloucester and the Providence Cyclocross Festival, I raced the Night Weasel at Ski Ward near Shrewsbury, MA. The course: uphill switchbacks in the MUD with a traverse across more mud, over barriers, up the muddy stairs. Okay, you get the idea, it was MUDDY!

The elite women raced at night with lights overhead. Parts of the course were really dark, forcing me to rely on my other senses, let my bike roll and go with the flow. I finished my race then heckled the pro men.

The next morning I woke up with a fire in my belly, psyched to race my bike in Providence. I hadn’t felt the fire—the desire to race cyclocross—since December 2009. In my first few races this year I was going through the motions. I was riding, not racing, my bike. I was in a lot of pain and wasn’t able to trust my body. I was unsure of myself. I questioned why I was racing. I was afraid to crash and break my bones. It took a few months, but I worked through my fears, put them in the back of my mind and found my cyclocross race mojo in Providence, Rhode Island.

Providence run up, Photo credit: SmugMug

I also found and met some stellar people in New England, including two of Bob’s Red Mill’s finest: Michelle Dwyer and Judy Donahue. Michelle and Judy served up free samples of Bob’s Steel Cut Oats and Oatmeal to racers and spectators in Gloucester and Providence.

Look for Michelle and Judy at other New England cyclocross races this fall and for the Bob’s Red Mill Train With Grain table at races throughout the country.

Michelle and Judy, Providence, 2011. Photo credit: Patricia Dowd

Cyclocross season is on and I’m psyched to be racing cyclocross back into my legs, heart, lungs and head! See you at the races.

Triathletes are all about their gear. Naturally, I have plenty of pieces of gear that I am borderline obsessed with. There has one piece of gear that really made a difference for me this season though.

Going into my second season of racing 70.3 distance events I was looking for a more effective way to manage my nutritional supplies throughout the race. During transitions I try to minimize the steps needed from one leg to the other as much as possible, and one thing that always worries me is the need to grab and stash all my nutritional supplies before heading out on the bike from T1. The solution I found was the XLAB Rocket Pocket–a little pouch that is strapped behind the stem of the bike and conveniently fits several packs of gel and bars. The rocket pocket has helped me with the following issues:

• No need to worry about laying out the food supplies for the bike leg prior to the race at your transition spot. I can now pack them the night before and do not need to worry about them again.
• One less thing I need to do during the T1 (loading up the supplies into your tri suit pockets) and T2 (emptying the garbage out of your pockets).
• No more digging blindly through my tri suit pockets on my back in order to find the snack I am looking for during the bike leg of the race. Everything is right in front of me in my rocket pocket.

Another popular comparable product is the Bento Box, but I prefer the aero design of the Rocket Pocket. The Rocket Pocket is light weight and attaches to pretty much any bike via three Velcro straps. It was a great addition to my gear this season and has helped make race days a little more hassle free!

My First post for the Bob’s Red Mill Train with Grain blog is about recipes inspired by my race clothing.  Clean lines, simple design and euro-inspired white are reasons that golden vanilla cupcakes are a classic go-to every time.

This season I worked closely with Portland graphic designer Dan Schechter and the folks at Castelli clothing to create a unique version of the Bob’s Red Mill Team kit.

Inspired in part by the 2010 kit and the 2011 Louisville Team kit, we came up with a mostly white kit highlighting my title, presenting and supporting sponsors.

The color scheme of white, light blue and ocre yellow uses a classic European cycling color scheme and in turn invokes the likeness of the finest of European culinary delights, pastries!

At home, my go-to recipe for a timeless and classic recipe is the vegan version of the golden vanilla cupcake. This recipe can also be used as a layer or sheet cake and served in a big slice midday with a cappuccino, as it would be around Europe. Enjoy!

Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes

• 1 cup Soy, Rice, Almond or Coconut milk
• 1 tsp apple Cider Vinegar
• 1-1/4 cup All Purpose Flour (or gluten free all purpose flour plus 1 tsp xanthan gum)
• 2 Tbsp Cornstarch or Arrowroot Starch
• 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/3 cup Canola Oil
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp Vanilla

Mix milk and vinegar and allow to sit for a few minutes (this curdles to work like buttermilk)

Mix sugar, oil, vanilla and stir well. Add remaining ingredients, mix well and then fill cupcake liners about 3/4 way full.

Bake 20-22 min at 350 degrees

Recipe makes 12 cupcakes

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup Non-Hydrogentated Shortening
• 1/2 cup Non-Hydrogenated Margarine
• 3-1/2 cups Confectioner’s Sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1/4 cup plain Soy milk, Rice milk or Coconut milk

Beat shortening and margarine with hand mixer until fluffy. 5 mins or so.
Add sugar and mix well 3-5 minutes until well blended.
Add vanilla and milk and beat until fluffy 5-7 minutes

*recipe adapted from Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

This recipe is also posted to my blog at : http://thevegandelicious.wordpress.com/2011/10/17/vegan-golden-vanilla-cupcakes/

Every cyclist has a favorite piece of gear that they wear or ride or use for the red letter, circled in red sharpie, A+++, “must do well” races.  I’m no different.  When I’m looking for an extra advantage, that little bit of something-something that is going to give me if nothing else a psychological edge, I reach for my Zipp 303 wheels.

www.zipp.com

These are my fall back wheels.  I am totally confident when I’m racing with these babies.  At less than 1200 grams for the set (tubular weight) they’re as light as the lightest sets of climbing specific wheels, but they’re also virtually indestructibly durable.  Fabian Cancellara has used these wheels to win two of the toughest one day races in the world, Paris-Roubaix and The Tour of Flanders.  Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders are races in which there are extensive sections of brutal cobble stone roads. I’ve used them in races here in Illinois that go over several miles of clay and gravel farm roads as well.

If I’m racing in a criterium where cornering and acceleration are critical, I never have to worry about being stable taking sharp corners and sprinting out of those corners or attacking in a straight.  They have a low profile so I don’t get knocked around by strong cross winds but they’re still very aerodynamic and give me an edge on calm days as well.

Whatever any cyclists holds dear as they’re favorite piece of gear, it is generally a piece of equipment that provides comfort such as a saddle or a pair of shoes, or confidence such as a brilliant frame or an advantage life the most technologically advanced component set or ultra light wheels.  For me – it’s this wheel set.

Good luck!

When it comes to triathlon, I always seem to have a new book or reading material to converge on. Whether it’s about coaching or training reference, new equipment, technical studies or biographies, the stack remains high. Magazines in the sport are abundant and keep me up to date on the latest trends, gadgets and results. I’ll list a few of my favorites and a couple of my “Go To” selections that seem to get pulled off the shelf more often.

Magazines ~

Triathlete & Inside Triathlon: Both bring the latest news and equipment offerings to the sport. Race tips as well as destination races one might consider.

Outside: It’s a view in to those other areas of life I like to explore. Whether it’s surfing in Bali, kayaking in Croatia or just reading about top athletes in the great outdoors. It provides a nice escape every month.

Reference Books ~

The Triathlete Training Bible by Joe Friel: Let’s face it, with a name like that, you better know your stuff, and if anyone does, it’s Joe Friel. I can always find a reference source in this book when looking for the whys and hows of training and racing.

Strength Training Anatomy by Frédéric Delavier: This book, and it’s counterpart for women, always seems to be at an arms length. It is the most comprehensive, well-illustrated and in-depth book on strength training I have ever found. Got something that’s hurts? Pinpoint what muscle it is with this book. Want to know how to do more specific strength training and which muscles are actually doing the work? It’s in here. When the Body Works exhibit came to Portland, I brought this book along to see how the printed page actually translated to the three-dimensional human body display. It’s the best!

Workouts In A Binder by various authors through Velo Press: These are reference books for Swimming, Biking and Running. Workouts are categorized or broken down based on goals and distances. They’re great for changing up your routines and keeping workouts interesting or at least different. The sweatproof pages are a great help too.

There are a lot more books than I have space for. If there’s a particular area of the sport you’re interested in, chances are there’ll be several books to choose from.

Train With Grain!!

What is my favorite piece of gear? Tough question! For anyone who has been involved in cycling long term, you know all too well that there is a lot of gear that comes with the territory. In fact, it can be overwhelming when it comes time to choose the best helmet, the most comfortable shoes, the lightest bike, the coolest sunglasses or even the right bike light.

Having been in the sport for as long as I have, various pieces of gear has found its way into every nook and cranny in my house. I’m in a fortunate position that I have multiple items to pick from when I am deciding what glasses to wear that day or what wheels to use, but there is some gear that stands out in my mind as my go to gear on a daily basis and for every road trip – Thule luggage. It’s my gear of choice I use to pack the rest of my gear of choice. As Thule says, it’s

“Designed to meet the specific needs of people who take their gear from point A to points B through Z and want to make sure it gets there in one piece and ready for action.”

Thule has kept the “gear head” in mind by designing every size and shape of luggage imaginable to give every person the flexibility in packing just what he or she needs. When packing I have multiple bags to choose from – a small 56 Liter rolling duffel to carry-on, an 87 Liter rolling duffel to check-in, a 70 Liter duffel, a 30 Liter backpack. Depending on how many days or weeks I will be on the road, I might choose just the small carry-on duffel or I might have to go with all of the above for the long 3 week haul.

Regardless of the length of the trip, the one bag that stays with me at all times is my 30 Liter backpack. It fits all the small bits and pieces that I need in the front pocket, my MacBook, power cords and books in the main, spacious compartment and my glasses and other fragile items in the crush-proof compartment. The side pockets are a handy place to stash cash that I’ll find on a later trip just when I need it. Plus, it’s super comfy and fits well even when it is loaded down with all sorts of odds and ends inside.

All of the Thule bags are incredible durable, easy to maneuver, roll smoothly and are functional for any type of gear. Hands down, Thule bags are the best (and my favorite) for carrying all the rest.

In honor of Oktoberfest, which is in full swing all over the world, here are some great Beerfest Do’s and Don’ts from Mark. Be sure to check out more Do’s and Don’ts from Keyon over here.

I find myself uniquely qualified to report on this subject. I have just recently returned from a reconnaissance mission for the Train with Grain editorial board in which I was sent to Munich, Germany and without argument the largest Beerfest in the world – Oktoberfest.  He is what I learned…

• Dress Appropriately

• Do your best to not attract undue attention to yourself with outlandish and inappropriate attire.  The party is about the party – not about you.

• From time to time, take a breather.  You will never succeed at drinking all the beer in the world.  If it were possible, Munich would be a dry city by September 20^thevery year.

• If you’re in for the long haul, find a quiet place to take a nap.  You’ll wake up invigorated and ready for another round.

• EAT!  Nothing puts a good Beerfest to an early end like a belly full of nothing but fermented grain beverage.  Beerfest is an endurance event and you need sustenance in order to perform at peak levels.  Some suggested sources for proper Beerfest nutrition…

Weisswurst und Sauerkraut

Curry Wurst

Schwein Shaxen (pork knuckle) – the undisputed king of all Beerfest cuisine

With the exception of the sprinkling of chives on the perfectly beautiful potato dumpling above, you’ll note the complete lack of anything green on the above plates.  This is intentional.  Proper Beerfest fare is specifically designed to absorb and achieve a perfect carbohydrate and protein balance.  Arugula simply has no place at the Beerfest table.

• Enjoy the company of a few great friends

• Dance!  The movement is necessary to stimulate your metabolism to break down and absorb the beer and sausage.

  

• Finally and in all seriousness if you do not have a designated sober driver – Walk.  Cab.  Public Transportation.  There is no lower life form than one who mans the rudder while under the influence of intoxicants.

Some of our sponsored cyclocross racers got together to make this awesome video. Don’t they look great in their Bob’s Red Mill kits? Here we have Joe Czerwonka, Mo Bruno-Roy and Marne Smiley showing you how easy it is to make Quinoa Salad. You can find the full recipe here.

Ahhh, it’s September.  College Football, the NFL is starting for real and a nip of fall is in the air as the temperatures cool at night and the humidity drops.  It’s just about the time for the road weary cyclists to turn his thoughts to…wait for it…wait for it…CYCLOCROSS!

What?!  Wait a minute friend.  You’ve been at this stuff for a full year.  Remember?  You finished your season last year in mid September.  You took a few weeks to just enjoy riding a bike without your power meter and heart rate monitor.  Maybe you did a couple of club century rides, making sure to stop for the strawberry rhubarb pie and apple fritters along the route.  You played a couple of rounds of golf on some gorgeous autumn afternoons because everyone knows the best time to golf is after Labor Day when the masses are off the course and you can zip around in cart or walk a round by yourself and never see another soul on the course but for an occasional worker from the greens keeping crew.

Then, November came and with it, you began to build your fitness for the upcoming season.  You worked out on the trainer, lifted weights, took some hard spin classes and put in some hellish long weekends on the trainer to get up to 15 hours a week on the bike.  When the weather warmed enough to venture outside, you made the most of it, logging 4-6 hours of road time because you didn’t know when the next time would come that the weather would allow you to ride outside.

Then March came and so did the racing season and you’ve done more than 50 races.  It’s been a good year but you’re starting to show signs of fatigue.  The power meter is showing lower numbers each effort.  Your legs never really seem to clear the lactic acid during races and your attacks just aren’t crisp any more. It’s time to take a break.

But, all you can think about is cyclocross.  Hey, give yourself a rest.  Remember your winning formula from last year.  Leisurely bike rides, golf, toss that power meter to the curb and stop pushing…just for a bit.

Most of those hard core ‘cross racers didn’t put in serious road seasons.  Sure there are the rare few who are able to move right from the road to the mud and kick butt every step of the way but remember – they’re the exception, not the rule and besides – most of the time, those guys weren’t really on top form until July.  They plan it that way.  They’re resting too but just doing it later than you are.  If you’re a dedicated road racer going hard from February to October, you can’t jump directly into another racing season and expect to be effective.  You need to recover.  Here’s how.

• Keep yourself out of Zone 4 and 5 when you ride.  Keep things conversational. It’s important to not allow yourself to completely lose fitness but if you continue pushing, you’ll pay for it with fatigue in April.  Not good.
• Absolutely take a day off – especially when the weather is beautiful.  Take a walk in the woods with your dog, play some golf, go kayaking, fishing—anything but riding a bike.  It will do wonders for your mental recovery too.
• If you can stand it – do some running.  Use some different muscle groups
• Take a yoga class that emphasizes stretching and core strength
• Go to the gym and work on your depleted upper body.  Save the weight lifting with your legs for later.  Cyclists need to have some shoulder, back and core muscles too.
• Take up a hobby like cooking or baking.  Challenge yourself to see how many Bob’s Red Mill grains and flours you can use.
• Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep at night.  The HGH your body produces during deep sleep is invaluable to helping you recover after a long season
• Go ahead and enjoy some ‘cross racing.  Why not?  Most people see it as a mental break from the road season.  It’s okay to have the occasional push, hard effort and have people ring cow bells in your ears.  Knock yourself out, but if you do a full ‘cross season, remember to take your recovery and rest period into the late winter before you start building for the road season.

Remember, even when you’re well trained and race fit and the efforts you make in races seem – well, effortless – you’re putting a lot of stress on your body and unless you give yourself a chance to recover both physically and mentally after a long season you’ll never really be able to reach peak performance next season.