After an intense week at work and sitting in a room for 3 straight days wireframing & planning out a new client’s web app, I came home Thursday evening exhausted, but pressed on. I packed the car with my bike, my dog, and my food and hit the road. Because of the busy week and not having a minute to spare, I wasn’t able to be as prepared as normal in my food prep, but I did as well as I could. I started dehydrating apples and bananas a few days prior to make sure they would be ready and pretty much scrounged together everything I could to make sure I wouldn’t be coming into a meal without anything to work with. I didn’t really have much of a plan for meals, so I essentially packed the produce that might go bad, and some dried ingredients to work with.

I stopped along the way to see my best friend and her fiance’s bed and breakfast, La Maison de Lucy and let me just tell you, if you’re looking for an escape and want to be truly taken care of, look no further. it’s a pretty awesome spot (albeit it’s in a podunk town that has not a lot to offer), but the property itself it so incredible you have no reason to leave. They resurrected it from an old school house and turned it into an international treasure. They have 12 rooms, each representing a different country and as soon as you open the door, you are completely transported. I’m so proud of them and all the hard work that has gone into it. go. stay. thank me later. After getting the royal tour and visiting for a while, I ventured back into the rain and continued on for the last hour of my trip. I so wanted to just be home and in bed.

Friday morning I woke up and got in a nice 2 hour ride and 5 mile run. Though, the winds were brutal and the temperatures were low. It was my first taste of winter this year and yes, I was in Florida. The bike was tough and I haven’t had wind like this in quite a while. It was like I was on a stationary bike. Luckily, the bad conditions were not an indication of what would come for raceday, so I’m glad I was the only one who had to endure it and the 2500 athletes who poured their blood, sweat, and tears preparing for this race avoided it. My run was uneventful, though it felt long and I was anxious to be done. You know me and how much i hate skipping meals, so i was bummed that i finished this workout so late that it was lunch time and i missed my delicious bowl of granola. Luckily i had lunch plans to go to Lotus Cafe with my mom and my stomach was growling by the time I got there. Last time i was home i got to preview the new menu they had coming out which actually featured a raw dish, so i was super excited to try it. panama city is not at the forefront of most things, so this is huge.

I ordered the “raw wrap” (which wasn’t a wrap at all, but instead in romaine boats) and a kale avocado salad (i always order these when available to compare mine with). The “wrap” was pretty good– they used 2 different seed cheeses and a variety of veggies. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was tasty and I was hungry. the kale salad was decent, but i still think mine wins :) i ate half and took the rest home for dinner. and, of course, i picked up a couple of raw chocolates for dessert. they were the star of the show. i can’t quite put my finger on what i like so much about them— perhaps the coconut oil and that they’re frozen?– but they’re yummy and completely satisfied my sweet tooth.

A few hours later, my parents and I picked up Chloe and headed to the race site for the volunteer meeting. My parents are a part of the wetsuit peelers and my dad takes his title of “wetsuit peeler captain” very seriously. like, for real. haha.

chloe and i met up with her friend Heidi and we found our way to the draft marshal table. after an hour debriefing we had all the info we needed to regulate that bike course.

We headed home and while my mom prepared dinner for my parents and John, I whipped up a super quick beet ravioli. I peeled a beet, sliced it as thin as i could with a knife (my mom didn’t have a mandoline!), added a dollop of leftover cashew cheese, mixed up a sauce to go on top and paired it with my leftover kale salad. I think i was done making dinner before she plated hers! who says raw food has to take hours to prepare?! we had a great dinner and it was awesome talking to john about his pre-race tactics and exchanging experiences and advice. he’s so totally chill and down to earth and not at all the type-A personality you find from most triathletes. he wasn’t picky when it came to his dinner and looked cool as a cucumber the night before his big event.

Alarms went off around 4:45 and after john tossed back a banana and a bagel we made our way to the Boardwalk Hotel (about half a mile away). I wished john luck and rushed off to my 5:30 draft marshal meeting. we went over the rules again and got to pair up with our motorcycle buddies. There was a team of veterans part of a bike group (way diff than the OTHER bike crew you usually see at triathlons!) that volunteered to use their bikes and drive us along the course. I got paired with Chris and his apple gigantic green harley. pretty sure i lucked out :)

we got our red/yellow penalty books and our helmets and were told to be back by 7:20, so chloe and i rushed off to the beach to watch the pros race start. we pushed through the thousands of people to get a front row spot at the swim exit (it’s a 2 loop course). i got to watch john effortlessly run out of the water about 7 minutes ahead of the next swimmer. i screamed my head off and ran next to him as he purposefully entered the water towards the first set of yellow buoys all over again. I couldn’t believe how much distance he put between his competitors. no one stood a chance. he was wearing a brand new TYR wetsuit (which arrived fed-ex the day prior!) that isn’t even on the market yet, it even said “prototype” on the sleeve. It’s a $1200 suit and he said it felt incredible in the water. i’m wondering if for that much money it doesn’t come with a propeller!

well, it seems john’s legs are human propellers, because he not only slaughtered his competition, but with a 44:36 he crushed the COURSE RECORD.
just like that.

i was setting up with the rest of the marshals at the bike start and was able to cheer him along as he took off on his bike.

I thought this recipe would be perfect because i could use some of the collards i scored from the farmer’s market on saturday… for free. zero dollars. the super nice guy behind one of the stands overheard me say that i was out of cash (whoops. spent it all on my raw granola staple) and i was commenting on how gorgeous the collards were… well, he told me to stay put and came back from a truck with about a bagillion collards. no joke. a bagillion. i gave a some to Gary, some to Marni and i went home with a bagillion minus 20. my math is bad, but that’s a lot.

For not starting until about 3pm (when i was well enough to stand upright for longer than a few moments), this meal looks (and tastes!) like it took well many more hours than it actually did. While I wouldn’t call this one a “throw-together” meal, if you’ve got the ingredients on hand, it really is quite simple to prepare. I always like to think about how i can improve upon a recipe after making it, but honestly, i thought this one is great as-is. It definitely got the stamp of approval from the Raw Tuesday Crew, too.

My only complaint?

It looked a little too much like real sausage.

like, a lot.

But once it was all wrapped up and tied with a bow, it was a joy for the eyes and the tastebuds.

So there you have it. my contribution were these “raw autumn wraps”.

by the way, the “ribbon” used was just some butternut squash spiralized and tossed in some remaining spices and a splash of olive oil. nothing special, but icing on the cake. i always say “you eat with your eyes before you eat with your mouth”… and presentation is always key :)

Gary brought his infamous “Fiesta Soup”– a warm, comforting bowl of yumminess. it’s one of Gary’s go-to meals that always pleases the masses. think Mexican-tortilla meets avocado with bites of corn and green peas, to boot. thankfully, he tweaks his recipe to suit my (weak) tastebuds and saves the spicy additions for after he dishes them up. thanks gary :)

Sarah and Chris brought a really yummy colorful salad made from red cabbage, apples, raisins, and a tangy dressing. Christy made a small aperitif of pumpkin seed (she extracted from a fresh organic pumpkin!) pate, served it with celery. She also whipped up a creamy spinach, cucumber, avocado salad with a dressing made from fresh herbs in her garden. love me some fresh herbs.

What raw tuesday would be complete without decadent raw dessert(s)?! none that i want to take part in, that’s for sure. Tonight we had trio of date cookies (which chris has now perfected), a pumpkin mousse of sorts from Christy, and the drool-worthy lemon squares from Kaz. These aren’t just any lemon squares, that much is for sure. This recipe took a lot to achieve. We’re talking blood, sweat, and tears… ok, slight exaggeration, but really I worked hard to get this (and another exciting one i’ll write about later this week!). After visiting Chicago and touring the raw-scene there, I fell in love with Chicago Raw– a small food stand that sells pre-made dishes (actual meals, salads, desserts, dehydrated items, etc). I’ve done a LOT of traveling and a LOT of raw food reviewing and this place (not even a restaurant!) blew my socks off. I’ve since been in contact with the owners, placed a couple orders for cross-country delivery to fill my fix and had co-workers (we have an office a few blocks away) bring extra luggage to cart me my goodies. i may be obsessed. but anyways, i was able to purchase a couple recipes and the lemon squares were one of them. sorry, i won’t be posting this recipe, but trust me, it’s a-may-zing.

if you’re lucky maybe i’ll make some more and share ;)

yet another raw tuesday potluck success.

One of the main ingredients it nutritional yeast which is a good source of B vitamins and some nutritional yeasts are fortified with B12. It contains 18 amino acids and is a complete protein. And, get this: a whopping 8 grams of protein in one and a half tablespoons! It gives a cheesy, nutty flavor to the game. I also use raw tahini which is a nutritional powerhouse on its own. It’s easily digestible because its high alkaline mineral content neutralizes the acid end products of the protein. Because of its non-acid nature, tahini is an ideal protein source for people with weak digestive systems and is an excellent source of quick energy for active people and athletes.

Jam-packed with nutrients and flavor, this is one to try!

Doris’ Magic Dressing

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
* 1 1/2 T olive oil
* 1 T Agave (or 1 date)
* 1 T tamari
* 1-2 T water
* 1 T raw tahini
* 1 clove garlic

Instructions

Put all ingredients in blender (I use my Magic Bullet for all my dressings) and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more/less water for desired consistency.

I used this as a sauce on top of shredded beets, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash on a bed of spinach and topped with some sprouts and green onion. yum! Then, the next night I used it as a traditional salad dressing on a big green salad. I see it working beautifully on kelp noodles with chopped (dehydrated if you have time!) broccoli for a more Asian flare or shredded cabbage or zucchini noodles or … the possibilities are endless :)

It’ll keep bottled in your fridge for about 4-5 days.

Full disclosure: i may or may not have been found in my kitchen drinking this from the blender cup…

– Willie Mays

It took me a few hours before I finally fell asleep, but once I was out, I was pretty much out the whole night. Usually my mind keeps me awake the night prior to a race, but I was so caught up in my migraine and purposefully did not let any thoughts of the day ahead creep into my consciousness. The alarm went off at 4 and I, quite willfully, rolled out of bed. I went straight to the kitchen and took out all my pre-filled water bottles and mixed them up with HEED and stuck them in the freezer while I got ready. I had most everything set out and ready to go, so not much thought was needed.. which, let’s be honest, at 4 in the morning is always a good thing. I continued on, braided my hair, rubbed on some arnica, donned my tri suit (new top and all!), and finished packing my bags. My mom, true to her insomniac night-before-anybody’s-big-day fashion, came out to see me and help with any preparation.

Because our bikes had to be racked the day before, it was easy to pack the car. I poured hot water into my to-go cup, already filled with a packet of VIA (best invention ever, i might add), and put my raw energy bar on a napkin along with a frozen banana and almond butter. Pre-race meal in hand, I jumped in the car and headed to Amelia island. I couldn’t believe how much energy I had, i was seriously filled with excitement and I’m pretty sure based on my rampant texts to Chloe, she could feel the energy from miles away!

I got to the race site a little before 6 and was unusually calm– excited but not nervous. i was ready. I got to the body marking and was thrilled to see my friend, Shivella, holding a marker. She used to be a part of DRC sports who puts on this race, as well as many other awesome events. It was fun to see her, catch up and reaffirm the fact that I had no nerves. I headed straight for the palm tree that my bike race was next to (always a good idea to have a landmark to help your transitions go smoothly). I started laying out my towel in my usual fashion– we’ve all got a system, and I know what works for me. Shortly after, I met up with Chloe and we both celebrated the fact that the race was confirmed to be wetsuit legal (whew!).

With 30 minutes until race start, I made sure to take my pills– 1 Race cap, 1 Anti Fatigue, and 1 Amino Acid. After one last check over all my gear and making sure my bike computer was zeroed out, I grabbed my goggles, cap, chamois butter, and espresso gel and Chloe and I headed out of transition. We got to the beach and tried to figure out the swim course– it looked SUPER long, so, naturally we figured we must skip some of the buoys. With 3 separate races going on (half, olympic, and sprint), multi color and shape buoys, it was quite the puzzle to solve. Finally, the race announcer shed some light on the course and we were in fact swimming every buoy. Boy did it look far. Moments before the national anthem I spotted my mom and my sister and was able to say hello and snap a few photos before having to file into our corral, as we were the 3rd wave.

Swim time 38:55.5; 39 OA; 6 Women

T-1

It’s amazing what not allowing negative thoughts creep into your psyche can do. I reached my towel where I told myself “make up for the time on the bike. the swim is over. focus on what’s next.” I quickly yanked my ankles out of my wetsuit (a usual point of contention), slipped on one sock and then the other. One shoe and then the other. sunglasses on. helmet on. helmet strapped. yanked my bike under the rack, triggered the computer and started sprinting to the mounting line. I had to go around a woman having trouble clipping in (one female down!) and then I was on my way.

T-1 time 1:29

…yes, weeks… sorta hard to believe myself.

I’m going into tomorrow with a few goals and at the top of my list is to simply HAVE FUN. I’m trying not to put any pressure on myself and just enjoy doing what i love to do. if i don’t have a smile on my face, i’m doing something wrong.

obviously, i have a time goal in mind, but more importantly, i want to race well, feel strong, and know that I put in the hard work to get me here. the journey to the start line is the toughest part. what happens tomorrow is just another day.

now, i just have to keep telling myself that :)

i started the day out with a swim, bike, run warmup. there’s nothing like watching the sun rise full of oranges and pinks, sparkling and reflecting along the water through a pair of goggles every few strokes. the water was perfect temp– 76 degrees and there was even a yoga class practicing along the shore. lovely lovely morning. I did a quick T1 at my car, hopped on my bike for an hour, then went out for a short run. i did a few spikes to get my HR up and finished with a light jog. i grabbed my 110% compression ice sleeves, packed up my grawnola and headed to the park to meet my family. my parents are in town for the weekend and my sister was putting on a field day of sorts. we played at the play ground and i swung on the swings with my littlest niece. we then got to tour the firehouse and the girls got to climb on a real truck. such fun.

after making my folks a giant kale salad for lunch (surprise, surprise), we headed down the street to my oldest niece’s school to their fall festival. i ended up working the sand art booth and helping a bunch of kids fill tiny pumpkins with rainbow colored sand. ooh la la.

i rushed home, packed my snack (rice cake and celery + raw almond butter), grabbed a coffee and set out on my hour drive to amelia island.

packet pick up and registration went fine, especially because i got to hang out with my friend, Chloe! the bike racks were, of course, loaded with sick tri bikes, wheels, and the like. always fun to walk around the bike racks and think about who rides which bike.

unfortunately, as in true day-before-a-race routine, the migraine came. i tried to avoid it, ignore it, will it away… but no such luck. after an hours drive home with one hand squeezing my temple and slowing down twice thinking i’d get sick on the side of the road, i finally made it back. no appetite, had 3 bites of dinner before thinking i’d get sick and instead curling in the fetal position on my floor… so forget the “nothing new on raceday” b/c this girl just made a smoothie for dinner. let’s hope it sits well. i figure better to have some calories and nutrients than none at all. blueberries, banana, spinach, carrot, hemp protein, almond milk and ice. not too shabby.

computer screen too much for the head, time for bed. guess i have to save all the rest of my packing and prepping for morning… gonna be soooo early.

now, this isn’t the first time i’ve talked about compression, but after today I’m an even bigger believer and supporter of this oh so fashionable trend.

We’ve all heard that compression is good. but when should we wear it– before a race? during a race? after a race? does it matter? do all brands work the same?

Turns out all compression gear is most definitely not the same. There have been rumblings that wearing compression during a race might aid in your aerodynamics but did you know that some brands can actually ADD time to your race??

whaaaaaat??

yeah. my thought, exactly.

Would you be surprised if i told you that in this wind tunnel study they found that a certain brand of compression (sleeves, not socks) would not only shave seconds… but minutes…

we’re talking

cutting 12 minutes off an Ironman?

well, i was. and minutes later i was bringing these babies home. I couldn’t be troubled to wait a whole day for Amazon to deliver, i needed them now.

The guys at TriTalk and PowerTri wrote an incredibly enlightening post, Preliminary Wind Tunnel Results on Apparel which will surfaces these findings.

ho-lee cow, right?

so, do yourself a favor, order these. And, when you score that PR you’ve been dreaming of, thank me… and, well, PowerTri.

so, nutrition is prepped and ready. gear is laid out. bike has been adjusted. and i’m finally starting to get some energy back. my head still feels like it’s clogged beyond belief, but i think it’s starting to clear. thank you vitamins for naturally helping speed along the process.

now i just gotta study my race plan — forwards and backwards. there’s always unknowns that pop up and it’s near impossible to execute a race plan perfectly, but as long as i have something to work towards, my type A personality will be happy.

let’s do this.

Tonight I went ahead and started laying out my sports nutrition– not just for the race, but for leading up to the race, as well. This way I don’t have to think about anything. I can let my mind be at ease because everything will be laid out and organized and all I have to do is follow the protocol. Today, Friday, and Saturday I will take 2 endurolytes just to make sure I’m balanced. For this race, I’m adding something new to my regimen: Hammer Race Day Boost. My old coach said of all the fluff and products on the shelves that you have to weed through, there are a couple of gems that actually work. This being one of them. So, here it goes. 2 today, 4 tomorrow 6 on saturday. It’s supposed to be a 4 day dosage, but well, mine didn’t arrive on my doorstep til today, so 3 days it is.

I also got my swim, bike, and run nutrition all organized and separated. I found that using tin foil to wrap individual groupings of my pill capsules made the most sense, so I have 5 foil balls to go in the bento box on my bike and 3 which I put in a coin purse for the run. Each package consists of 1 Hammer Endurolyte, 1 Hammer Anti-Fatigue, and 1 Hammer Nutrition Endurance Amino. I’m bringing 3 Hammer Energy Gels with me on the bike and 3 for the run. I also have one gel, always Espresso flavored to help wake me up :) to eat just before the race, along with 1 foil packet of capsules.

it doesn’t happen often, so when it does i can’t help but smile. i love being prepared :)

Speaking of being prepared, my parents come in town tomorrow, so rather than scramble trying to think of what to make for dinner, I resurrected an old favorite recipe for dinner tonight that yields plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. In my farmer delivery box yesterday I got a beautiful large head of cauliflower and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it…

Curried Cauliflower Cous Cous

Ingredients

• 1 large head cauliflower, rough chopped
• ½ red bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ green bell pepper, finely diced
• ½ c cherry tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 Green onion, chopped on the diagonal
• 1 T Curry powder (+/- to taste)
• 2 tablespoons Light Miso
• 2 teaspoons cold-pressed sesame oil
• Himalayan Pink Salt

Instructions

1. Using the Food Processor and S-blade, pulse cauliflower until it resembles a rice-like consistency. Stir in salt until combined.
2. Place mixture in a Nut Milk Bag
and squeeze out all liquid into a bowl, reserve for a soup. Put cous cous in large bowl.
3. Add chopped chopped veggies, curry powder, miso and oil and mix until combined.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste

**I also think celery would be a nice addition for some crunch, as would some fresh herbs– cilantro, parsley, and chives come to mind.

Nope.

Not happening.

I refuse…

Take that, invaders. talk about immune system overload.

there’s nothing more inspiring than watching the best of the best overcome pain and adversity on what’s called the toughest course of all in my sport. If you’re a triathlete, you’ve no doubt heard about the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. While I’ve never seen it in person, for years now I’ve found myself glued to the screen (sadly, a computer screen b/c triathlon is not as important as other sports, apparently. pfft) for hours upon hours watching folks swim, bike, run and push themselves beyond their boundaries. you can’t watch it without getting goosebumps and literally feeling the energy that emanates from these superior athletes. saturday renewed my excitement, my passion, and my love for the sport of triathlon. i’m so super excited to race next weekend… now i’ve just gotta contain that anxiety and save my energy for race day…

so saturday morning i was scheduled to do a “Kona Workout”, which meant a mini-triathlon. my weekends always consist of “bricks” (aka bike-then-run), but never do i put all three together, aside from on raceday. i was excited for this day though. i haven’t worn my wetsuit in a year and i longed for the meticulous planning/prepping and full run through of my transitions. I lost some sleep friday night thinking about all the things i needed to remember and where i wanted to place all my stuff on my transition towel and all the logistics. it’s exhausting just planning for a tri. haha.

but, i woke up, ate my typical pre-training snack and began packing the car. i decided, i’d drive the 3/4 mile to the ocean, swim there, then do T1 at my car, bike out and back to my house, do T2 in my garage, finish my run at my car, then i’d be right at the gas station to pick up my ice for my bath. perfect plan.

… until i showed up at the beach. it was dark, gray, and misty. oh well, i’m tough. i get out of my car, slide my wetsuit on (and by slide, i mean struggle and jump up and down trying to force that thing up my body. i’m sure i gave the neighborhood some entertainment there), and started walking to the beach. i get onto the boardwalk and the rains and winds have picked up in just those few minutes and it started POURING. i could barely see the ocean, but i knew it was rough. i put my goggles on just to see through the rain and the waves were GINORMOUS. like, bigger than i’ve ever seen them before. i really didn’t want to miss this workout and i really wanted to swim in my wetsuit so i took a few more steps towards the sand… there was not a soul out there– not even the hardcore surfers who relish a day like this one. i finally got talked some reason to myself and decided to forfeit the swim. i wasn’t thrilled, but i suppose it was the smart thing to do. I got back to my car DRENCHED as though i had been in the ocean, drove home in my wetsuit and decided to still practice getting out of my wetsuit as though it were T1. i jogged to my dining room table on the tile floor, pulled the suit down to my knees and tried the trick my old coach showed me where i yank my knee upward and “pop” my foot out of the leg. welp. i slipped and fell on my butt. so that went well.

i checked outside one more time and it was still hurricane-like conditions, so i set up my trainer and did my ride in my living room. it called for 1 hour with 4×5:00’s at race pace. i got to catch up on some charlie’s angels, too. which i’m still deciding whether i’ll get into or not. it’s entertaining, sure, and they’ve got some good wardrobe styling, but so far every episode has been pretty much the same and predictable. ah well, it made my hour go by quickly. by the time i finished, the rain had subsided and it looked like it was just wind at this point, so i jumped off my bike, slid on my running shoes, grabbed my visor and my fuel belt and went out for my run. i did a 10K with 3×1 miles at race pace. it went by super quickly and before i knew it i was back home. i had kona on the brain.

after my breakfast(s) and coffee, i started getting set up for the big day. my face was inches from the screen, and had twitter and the IMlive updates open on another computer. i was set.

the swim start is my favorite part of the day. imagine 1800 bodies all with one thought in mind: GO. That’s 3600 elbows flailing and 3600 feet kicking and everyone vying for a better position in the water. it’s like turning the pacific ocean into a human washing machine. it’s jaw-dropping.

I remained here just until after the pros went through transition and hit the bike course. then i whipped together a quick raw zucchini hummus and chopped up some jicima to bring to my friends Katrine and Ryan’s house for snacking. I stayed up to date with the race (thanks twitter!) on my way over, so i felt like i didn’t miss a beat.

I totally love how K&R are welcoming a more high-raw diet with open arms and are eager to learn more about it. they asked me to show them how to make my famous kale salad, so i gave them a list of ingredients which they procured with full success and i told her to get ready to get her hands dirty :)
it’s so fun teaching about raw foods and so rewarding to see others enjoy it as much as me. we made a YUMMY meal which we all gobbled up blissfully.

great massaging, kat!

The bike course lasts for several hours, so while the pros were still laying down the hammer, we watched the video katrine put together of their recent triumph at IMWI. They both had KILLER races and came home with matching 5th place awards. does it get much cuter than that? The video brought tears to my eyes and once again reaffirmed my love of this sport. it’s truly an incredible roller coaster ride filled with emotion. the training, the blood, the sweat, the tears, and the joy. it’s all worth it when you cross that finish line and the sensation fills your body with an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

we spent the day sharing race stories, tips, plans, recipes, and all the while tracking our friends on their race of a lifetime. the IMLive coverage was great, but it was entirely focused on the pros (which is expected), so we constantly updated the tracker feature. We were cheering on my coach and good friend, Marni, as well as Libby, Susan, and the rest of the Hammerheads. we’ve got some speedy folks in this here city.

Later in the evening, we walked on over to watch the Pro finish at our friend’s Kari and Adam’s house. it was super fun to watch with a room full of triathletes and cyclists. I stayed until the age groupers started trickling in before heading home at almost 11. way past this girl’s bedtime.

i of course kept tracking my friends and hanging on their every mile. I’m so incredibly proud of Marni for her inspiring race and overcoming some huge struggles. she had to dig deep and her mental strength helped bring her to her 5th Ironman finish and 2nd World Championship medal. you can read a bit about her experience here, with a full race report to come. She’s got a lot to be proud of.

Likewise, Libby wrote a race report you really need to read. it completely gives you a taste of what it’s like to be a part of this race. I got chills just reading it.

way to go, ladies. you are a true inspiration.

Sunday’s training included a 2.5 hour ride followed by a 3 mile run. The weather was only slightly better than saturday. no rain, but heavy winds. pretty sure it was windier here than it was in Kona where the winds are usually BRU-TAL. this was definitely a test of strength. my neck and upper back are pretty sore after that ride b/c i had to clench my bars the whole time just to keep control of my bike. at one point, the wind picked my bike up and shifted it (and me) horizontally a few inches. never had that happen before and still not sure how i kept from wiping out. So, the bike was windy and when i was slow, it was really slow… but when i was fast, i was really fast! Katrine let me borrow her front HED wheel and her Giro aero helmet for my race, so i used these and I gotta tell you, i know the wind had something to do with it, but i clocked 39 mph going down the bridge. i’ve never seen more than 30 here before. placebo or not, i’m pumped to use this combo next weekend.

I approached my run a little less conservatively than usual. i think maybe i hold back more than i should, so i pushed it a little today. my workout called for 1 mile at 80%, 1 mile at 90% and 1 mile easy recovery. b/c i usually take the first mile nice and easy warming up for the rest of my run, i expected it to be tough to kick it off at 80%, but it was surprisingly comfortable. my legs felt a bit still and i felt the lactic acid from yesterday, but all in all, it was a good run and left me feeling good about my last brick before the race.

one week to go!

when i started my run on sunday, i felt some discomfort under my left arm. the pain seemed to increase every stride i took, so i constantly adjusted my top, my arm band, and my arm warmer. nothing seemed to be touching the spot that hurt or alleviate it at all, so i did what any runner would do– i kept going.

after a few miles, i told myself to put it out of my mind and instead i focused on the task at hand. but, as soon as i finished, i couldn’t wait to see what it looked like. it felt like it had been completely rubbed raw and i expected to look in the mirror and see a grotesque wound. to my surprise, i saw nothing. maybe some minor discoloration, but not the “holy cow what happened to you” sort of mark, i thought for sure what there. showering BURNED and i had to choose a nightgown that was loose enough that made no contact with my skin, but still no mark. weird.

well, fast forward to morning, and this is what i woke up to:


yep. that’s more like it.

luckily, i had a date with a massage today– my favorite part of the week! my massage therapist and all-around encyclopedia of pertinent and helpful knowledge, marjorie, took one look at my arm and said, “you need honey”.

huh?

manuka honey, which she explains here. it comes from the Tea Tree plant and is known to be one of the most potent honeys available. Bees add an enzyme (glucose oxidase) to their honey that breaks down into hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria. “When applied topically, the sugar in honey creates osmotic pressure within certain foreign cell bodies and shrivels them to death. The sugar also feeds the hardworking white blood cells.”

She instructed me to mix some of the honey with Propolis (either open a capsule in half or crush a pill in a mortar & pestle). These two combine to make a fierce antibacterial team.
She says to goop it on– the honey creates a thick, sterile bandage.

so what did i do? well, exactly what i do every single time i leave her– follow her advice to a T. by the time i got to my car, i had a jar of honey ordered on amazon and headed my way.

it’s a bit pricey (for honey), but it’ll last a long time, can be used as an alternative to dates/agave for a sweetener, and i’d much rather go the natural healing route than medicine any day.

//update: within hours of application, my raw skin had almost completely scabbed over. now that’s incredible.