absolutley

Another random picture..... Travis Earley, Myself and Carl Johnston. I posted this because the next time I see Johnston he is going to whine that I put a picture of Grimm up and not of him. Johnston INVENTED middle child syndrome.....he's my spellchecker I am sure of it!

Juice Cleanse.... done. Feeling.... mighty awesome. Mighty awesome indeed. If there was ever a day I was going to snap (did I not say this before) it would have been Thursday, the final day. I was the Charge Nurse in pediatric Emergency with a full house, children in the waiting room, down a nurse, and surrounded by girl scout cookies.

And I did not... for the record.... cave in.

The greatest thing was..... I looked at my beloved Thin Mints. The... place me in the freezer and if you don't eat the whole row you don't even deserve to have one.... yes, those Thin Mints. I looked at them and I thought.... at midnight.... I could have one.

But I didn't want one.

That's where the beauty of all of this lies. The Thin Mints didn't call to me, speak to me, even frozen they didn't make eye contact. I relished instead in the feeling of feeling so good.... and this is why I do it.

I will say this. At about 11pm or thereabouts I was fried. It was a horrid night. And since I was in bed Monday night at 9pm and it had effectively been 72 PLUS hours since the cleanse began..... I got myself some good whole grain cereal and I had myself a bowl of it.

With milk even. It tasted really good, yet heavy on the stomach.

This morning I felt good in swim practice as I am adjusting back to the daily routine. I am craving fruits and veggies, and carefully adding in small amounts of carbs and protein. Did I mention how great I feel???? I feel clean, and I am not talking about my GI tract. There was no shit**g my brains out. All plumbing has been functioning normally.

So this trend shall continue, this primal eating movement I have been on. I am very happy about it, I feel like this accomplished what I wanted to accomplish. I am fueling my body with the best possible fuel and for me... not for everyone.... that does not involve Thin Mints.

Now tonight's big task: how to eat primally at Chuck. E Cheese.

I just might go completely pure and raw and bring myself a bottle of Absolut.

closing in

This picture has nothing to do with today's topic..... but here is Erik Grimm modeling his sleepwear while myself and Mike Moreland admire...... you never know what will happen at 0530!

As the run grew longer, the weather got worse. What began as an E paced run in the snow became a wind fighting-hill-climbing-where the hell are my feet-are-we even close to E pace-run.

"I know." Sarah cried out as we were climbing the hill that in the spring grew easier each week, "That you are the only one who would run this hill with me."

"Because we will do what others won't." I said "I forget the first part. I am juice cleansing." I am very sure that was my way of justifying a sub zero snowblowing "run". Just the same way I justify my coffee habit (please note I don't call it an addiction).

It's January, and snowy, and this is how this hill should feel today. It means we both took the proper off season and it means that we are both ready to begin tackling this stuff again. Neither of us are doing an Ironman this year, and both of us are feeling excited about that. We are planning camp, as this year Sarah will be one of the organizers, we are busy dreaming dreams, creating plans for racing.... and this is the stuff that ignites me..... and her.

I swear we were separated at birth a few years apart with different color hair and all that.

And welcome to day three of the juice cleanse. The day I feel absolutely amazing. The day that I feel clean, I feel the healthiest I have felt in a year, the day I wish it wouldn't end..... except I wish I could add on a few calories.

Nothing worth anything is ever easy. Name the goal. Not easy. We all know if it were, then we'd all be doing it. Ironman. Masters degree. Childbirth. Yoga. Nothing ever worth anything.... is easy.

Last night I hit the juice cleanse lull, or hell or whatever you want to call it. I wanted a damn steak (I don't even eat steak). I wanted butter popcorn (never really eat that either). I wanted to sink my teeth into a great big hamburger. (I eat hamburgers). My head pounded. I couldn't eat one more apple or piece of lettuce (how many pounds of green do I have to eat to ingest 4000 calories anyways).

As much as it sucked, I knew.... knew..... knew..... I was about to turn the corner.

This morning.... I did.

I woke up feeling lighter, cleaner, fresher. Still low on the calories but I have planned today to get everything in on time. I am working in Peds ED 4-midnight and I know I will have no problem averting the simple sugar treats that line the counters this time of year. And that is exactly why I am doing this.

My craving for that kind of stuff disappears. My desire to fill my body with the good stuff heightens. It's like magic.

I absolutely admit that being low on the calorie range is a fine line for someone like me. I alternate between that "high" .... and that's when I need to get something in. As we know I can take that and run.

Which leads me to believe that I am still hanging on in my recovery. Or just really really good at denial.

I am feeling very good. I am not hungry, I am craving good fruits and vegetables. I don't' crave a single carbohydrate or protein. BUT..... as a human being we can't live without those things (which is why this is only 3 days). So the reintroduction of these foods will have to be slow and careful or else I will be charting myself through morning swim practice.

Stay tuned for how that all goes.

Needless to say juice cleanses that are well planned and well thought our are wonderful. Things I would advise being careful of: cleanses that sound kind of weird (they then ARE), cleanses that have less than 1,200 calories per day, are based on a pill or powder, cleanses that restrict ingestion of calories for more than 3 hours..... and cleanses with strict rules, and cleanses designed by someone who is NOT a respected RD. Or one at all. Oprah..... notsomuch.

I did modify some of the rules for this one. I still drank coffee. I still took my vitamins. It's just like training, you have to let it fit you.

And just like running the hills with Sarah this morning, fighting through the hard parts, the wind, the snow, the lack of footing..... the good things are never easy to attain. We have to work to get them. But if they are important enough to us, we stick to our guns and we get there.

juice cleanse: 1/2 way there

The second day of the juice cleanse is always the hardest. You don't feel good. In fact you feel like ass. This juice cleanse is a lot like the Ironman.... you have to suffer to reap the benefits. The benefits don't come until Friday.

But if there was ever a day I was going to blow the entire thing, it would have been today. Which I blame on my own poor planning and mother nature.

Scheduled to pick up my juices at 0730, I headed to swim practice at 0530 fueled by 1/2 Acai frozen berry. And an apple. Yeah. I know. With over 24 hours since my last slice of bread I suddenly wondered how I thought training 15 hours this week + juice cleanse with the amount of calories for a normal person fit me.

The devil was sitting on my shoulder. Little bastard.

The plan: swim practice.... swing over to Breathe for my juices..... then over to the hospital for my CPR class (which for the record I am renewing before it has expired. Gold star for me).

With an inch of ice and freezing rain, that plan didn't quite work. I knew I wouldn't be able to pick up my juices until noon. Which meant I had to scrounge. I had four apples with me. I would have had more but my bananas are still green and I was hurrying. Note Note NOTE POOR PLANNING.

Swim practice wasn't so bad, but swim practice never really. is. Sure I felt like I was circling the bowl a bit but I knew that would happen so I adjusted accordingly. Anyone who has ever been a swimmer knows the danger zone is after the swim.

I made it through Starbucks with a Venti Pike Place and no scone. I made it to Peds ED to drop off my Health Update where at 8am there were chocolates and cookies on the counter. Made it through a 3 hour CPR class where there were bagles and pastries.

Every carb on earth was screaming out to me today. And I made it through on four apples. Now remember i am juice cleansing to cleanse, not to be all Atkins or something. But this poor planning left me in quite a lurch as you can imagine.

When I finally arrived at Breathe I had my entire day of juices plus a big bowl of veggie broth waiting for me, and good friends to laugh with. I took a 1/2 hour to slowly fuel up and get my bearings back.

I have been asked by many out of town friends if this is something they could do at home. Certainly, if you are of good health (medical disclaimer). To see what the juices consist of click here.

Pictured here are the following:

Front: vegetable broth

Front Left / white cup: The All America. I think you need a juicer for this one, and it is served hot. Basically hot apple juice (you could buy premade) and I think there is some ginger in there. Check the menu.

Front Left: Caribbean Cooler, can be made with a blender.... served cold.

Back Left: Breathe Classic, can be made with a blender.... served cold

Front right: Lemon up. I think it needs to be made with a juicer or perhaps can be bought as carrot juice, but with enough lemon that it tastes more lemon than carrot.

Back right: Ginger snap. Might need to be made with juicer: carrots and ginger. Ginger overshadows the carrots.

As I tried to guestimate the caloric content of the day I am coming up with about 1,500 calories. So Yes, I am low on the caloric amount. I am averaging 2 hours of E.A.S.Y. workouts a day.... and I will likely add another Acai juice to this mix. Don't forget I can have as much fruit and veggies as I want. But it is hard to fuel up with 4,000 calories of lettuce!

As someone who has had an eating disorder that was very severe this tests me in many ways. When I get hungry I almost feel that same "high" as I used to.... and if you have ever been there you know what I mean. I think as long as I am aware and don't take that and run.... that I am okay. So being aware.... and holding myself accountable (with you).... is keeping me in check.

There is no way on earth I would do this for more than 3 days. I need protein and I need carbs. My biggest goal in all of this is to detox.... as some of you know I have been chemicalized in some forms this year. I want that all out.

This might or might not be for you. It's very personal and there are many really good reasons as to why this would not be for you. And I would hope you planned better than I have.

Today I feel pretty good. This is usually the day I feel like S*** which makes me feel that my recent diet changes have taken hold. I am not hungry at all, in fact I have to force in the food. This makes me notice how much I can just pop in my mouth at work, or making meals, or even grocery shopping. So it has increased my awareness tenfold.

We are half way there.... so far so good! Now someone please..... pass the lettuce!

detox

Tomorrow I begin a 3 day juice cleanse. Horrid sounding isn't it? Not so. At our yoga studio we do a juice cleanse every quarter. I jump in when I can, as training can be tricky to fit in around it.

There are a thousand juice cleanses out there, a billion detox diets, and I don't believe in any of that stuff. So why would I believe in this one? Because I know it from the inside out.

This particular cleanse was created by my boss, friend, guru, Breathe Owner Cyndi Weis, who is a Registered Dietitian and the brains behind Breathe. She has over 15 years of experience in real world nutrition. She specializes in eating disorders and in sports nutrition. If you have ever had the honor of attending one of her nutrition seminars you will agree..... she makes things very easy. She offers no gimmicks and no tricks. Her nutrition advice has helped me immensely through the years.

The Breathe Juice Cleanse consists of 6 20 ounce prepared and blended juices per day. These are all organic and nutrient dense. All are made fresh.... no powders or anything artificial. They are so nutrient dense I find them hard to finish! Have them hot, have some cold. Check out our menu here.

To supplement the juices you eat fresh fruits and veggies all day long. In total there are plenty of calories but what is crucial is that it gives your body a chance to rid itself of the toxins that we build up through consuming processed foods. And even I had my share of cookies over the holidays.

The one thing I will not give up is coffee. As my physician friend puts it:

"After cigarettes, coffee has been the most studied food for negative health consequences. Despite hundreds of studies, no deleterious effects of coffee have ever been found. To the contrary, the anti-oxidant effects and the mild stimulatory effect of the caffeine may be beneficial. In a preservative laden world, it is also 'All natural'."

Now I am very well aware and ready to confess that I might do anything to justify coffee.

For me this juice cleanse is the natural progression of my primal eating goals. I also like to race the 70.3 distance at a lighter weight than I do the Ironman.... this gives me a good kick start to get all that stuff out of my system. The sugar, the cravings, all the stuff I truly don't need. I find that this completely eliminates my desire for anything processed at all. In fact on day four you have to reintroduce real food slowly or end up in GI hell.

Now as you browse this you will notice an absence of a lot of protein and carbohydrates. This cleanse shouldn't be done for more than 3 days. It isn't a way to lose weight. It is purely a cleanse. If you believe in doing something like this.... then this may be very attractive to you. If not.... don't bother.

I personally look very forward to doing this when I have the oppertunity. Certainly it is tough as you still prepare normal food for the family, explain that this isn't the Oprah take 7 diet plan, or try to explain exactly what a cleanse is.

By day three I feel awesome. Absolutley awesome.

As I start my 12 week block to New Orelans this week, I relish that the training hours don't top 15, and don't have much intensity. So this is the right time for me, to embark on a three day journey.

I will let you know how it goes, if I remember I will highlight some of the juices and I will certinaly keep you up to date on the java!

the year of heart

I don't know why, but there is just something about the month of January that jazzes me up. Maybe it is because my birthday is January 25th. Maybe it is because this year I am 35 and I am excite for a new age group. Maybe because January to so many of us represents a fresh start and 365 days of possibility.

Looking ahead to the 2009 season.... for me I have some good realistic and very attainable goals. I have a few goals in the reach category... and the Newton 24 Hours Of Triathlon fulfills one of the races on my "bucket list."

Most of all I am very excited as I sit back and take a look at the 2009 Train-This Triathlon Team. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many amazing athletes from beginner to advanced. From Sprint triathlon to 5K to Marathon to Ironman. And everything in between.

I have worked with some of these athletes anywhere from 1-4 years. I cherish that athlete and coach relationship that we develop. I feel like I know this team like the back of my hand. I know what workouts will challenge them and which ones they need to HTFU for. I also enjoy the process of getting to know the new athletes. I just love the whole darn thing.

As we sit down and plan seasons and make goals it motivates me as well. They light the fire in me.

Each year we have a bit of a different flavor to our team and I think every year, every season has been so darn special for so many reasons. We embrace a team atmosphere and for those who live locally there are a lot of group training opportunities that this gang sets up. for those who are out of town I look so forward to traveling to races to hang out and enjoy the experience a race offers. A reunion plus a family feeling I suppose.

I could assign a theme to the seasons in some ways. There have been some years where the theme has been togetherness. Integrity. Pride. I'd have to say this year could be called HEART. Each season has a ton of heart, but 2009 it is brimming for sure.

I feel so lucky and honored that these athletes have asked me to help them on their journeys. I take that position very seriously and I treasure it so much. There are a lot of people out there who slam triathlon coaches for whatever reason, slam coaching for whatever reason, I don't get involved in that kind of stuff. I am proud of what I do, I am very proud of the company that I own and the growth it has been able to experience. Four years ago I would have never understood the quality of people I have been able to work with.

That kind of trust is something I never take lightly and I never take for granted.

So here is to another season, in 2009. Here at Train-This we've got all bases covered. Goals have been set, the year has turned and this season.... we will be living more than we ever have!

Beauty

I stole this quote from Mel's Blog, who I think got it from Mira...... but I love it:

There comes a point in your life when you realize: Who matters, Who never did, Who won't anymore...And who always will.So, don't worry about people from your past, there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future

happy new year!

Happy New Year everyone!! Nothing like a brand new year to signify a brand new start. It's the day where the world collectively pauses and acknowledges the passage of time. It's the day where we all feel like we have hit that reset button and now have the clean slate. Cherish it, utilize it and make this the year to remember. Make every day of every year the best it can possibly be.

Life with our new Puppy Cocoa is much better than I imagined it to be. After listening to the tales of doom and gloom on how a puppy was like raising another child, someone even said my life as I knew it would be over.... funny how when you take on something new.... and this happened when I became a parent believe it or not.... anyone and everyone was quick to tell me life would change for the worse.

When we became parents it was as if every color was deeper. Every moment was enriched. Even during those six weeks of screaming and colic and no sleeping.... it still was an enriched life.

And so it is with Cocoa. She's exactly what Luc needed and dare I say what Curt and I needed to to complete the family?

She's a darling little pup, mild tempered and sweet as can be. Her energy level increases daily (she's 8 1/2 weeks old) and the nice thing is Luc's energy level matches it. They play and play hard and then they both retreat to their spaces. Hers is Luc's room.

Luc even cuddles up on the couch with her for a nap. Luc is in charge of feeding her and is fiercely protective about that role. Right now we hit about 80% of her poops outside. And yeah, we are outside every hour except at night. Unlike Luc we've been blessed with a little pup who sleeps form 9 pm until 5am. That could be temporary but it's been a week and we will take it for however long it lasts.

Maybe because we have to deal with the school system and society's way of handling special needs, but the dog training.... not so bad. Curt is "Mister Dog Whisperer's" biggest fan and little Cocoa is crate trained, goes into her crate on her own, knows when it's time to go outside, knows how to sit and how to lie down.

Sure she's chewing everything in sight but if you don't want it chewed.... put it the heck away.

I would have to argue that I do have the world's most adorable dog. I have even chosen her middle name to be Puff.

From our family to yours, may 2009 bring you blessings of all kinds. The happiest New Year to all of you!