Ink-Free Communicatin'

She speaks! Like going from silent film to talkies. Pen and pad have been cast aside at Devereaux.

After having some hardware removed, M can really talk. Very good to hear her voice and converse. Even headed back to work as energy allows. And, the menu is getting a bit more solid, I saw some mashed potatoes. Nothing truly tough or chewy for quite some time to come, better not to stress test the surgeon's workmanship prematurely. I sampled some green soup whipped up by D this weekend, once again, excellent stuff.

Turning the food spotlight on me for a bit... I recently was laid low for a week with a stomach bug, and discussion came around to a straight forward question: "what do you eat?" Hmmmmmm.

I suspect, okay, I know, my rep in some circles is one of being the crazy healthy eating guy. At work, I'm the one, the health freak, the "super healthy" eater. Likely identified with more interesting terminology when I'm not within earshot. I'll lay bare my nutrition habits, my usual practices compared to my recent GI bug recovery eating.

I steered well off my usual food track in dealing with the illness. Whatever it was it brutalized my GI system. Left me quite depleted. At rock bottom a pair of angry girl scouts could have knocked me down and stolen my lunch money with no trouble. No exercise for at least a week.

During the roughest stretch it was a few days of watered down Gatorade and Pedialyte. Don't normally consume either. Progressed to yogurt, frozen and regular (- say what?! yep, dairy :O need that easy-on-the-tummy probiotic content, restore the natural flora of the gut), bananas, pea soup with some broken up baked white potato mixed in, Keebler saltine type crackers, fig newtons, nabisco chips ahoy cookies stirred into blueberry yogurt. Every day started with two capsules of a broad spectrum of probiotics. Wasn't long before I gained back the ~4-5lbs I had lost and added a couple more.

Back on my standard fare now. It's not a conscious effort to eat the same thing daily, but it typically works out that way. I favor low glycemic over high glycemic stuff except during and immediately after exercise, and avoid "processed" stuff (perhaps machined and coming out of package but no hydrogenated, corn syrup, chemical type contents). Immense quantities of nutrient dense food - veggies, fruit, whole grains, healthy protein. The more active the more immense the quantity.

Something like this:

Starting the day: probiotic caps (gonna stick with these for a while), 20-30mins later a small banana, half or whole clif bar, glucosamine/chondroitin supplement, and coffee.

If I swim in the a.m., that is followed up with an electrolyte drink, and within 60mins of the swim a big bowl of: whole grain cereal, soy milk, protein powder, banana, frozen mixed berries, raisins, chopped almonds.

Mid morning snack as needed - banana, kiwi fruit, berries.

Lunch - turkey sandwich, carrots, chopped and green red bell pepper, multi vitamin.

Afternoon snack - banana, frozen berries and/or kiwi fruit, clif bar.

Dinner - turkey or roast beef sandwich, carrots, chopped and green red bell pepper, glucosamine/chondroitin supplement.

Evening snack - generous pile of assorted whole grain chips/crackers, humus, a thick dip comprised of sweet potato or pumpkin puree (canned), spinach, peas, butternut squash or sweet potato soup, a crushed brown rice cake, flax oil, turmeric powder. Maybe half a turkey sandwich.

While riding: bananas, water, E-gel or Hammer Gel sports gels, Clif bars, longer rides include some maltodextrin/protein/electrolyte sports drinks, longer the ride the more cals and protein I'll use for these drinks.

There you have it. I often hear where's the soda? beer/wine? what of salad dressing, condiments, ice cream and dairy? do you ever eat out? It works for me. I recommend nothing. If someone wishes to survive on pop tarts, twinkies and Genny Cream Ale, more poer to you.

Cheap stuff was $3.55 (on 4-25) at my undisclosed red state location.

An article that is a dif angle and actually a little more than a horse-race opinion on the political veneer of "the Reverend Wright story." Even political junkies like myself get a bit soured on the shallow analysis typical of this and some other campaign related events. Bill Moyers opens a window to shed light beyond the short youtube clips, and the only news it makes is experts taking 30secs to question why Wright is venturing into public where he can only hurt Obama, and how many % points he'll lose as a result.

Training Update & Race Radar '08

RUNNING
Long run recently up to 50mins with no knee trouble. Still no real flow to my roll, a real absence of running mojo. It will take time to get my form back near where it was 12/07. Stomach bug setback doesn't help. Anyway, running every other day. Started at 10mins six weeks ago and added a few mins each time. Slowed the progression when I reached 30mins, stayed at 30 for a few, then bumped to 35 for a few, then 40, then 45, now 50. Thinking I'll keep it here and vary 'em between 40-55mins for awhile, maybe try some 35-40min runs on back-to-back days.

The 1979 Raleigh, spruced up.

RACING
Officially pulled out of the Memorial Day weekend of triathlon madness known as the American Triple T - 4 triathlons in 3 days. The race organizers agreed I can transfer my entry to the 2009 race.

Currently entered in just one race for 2008. The Nation's Tri here in DC in Sept. 14 (Olympic distance: swim 1500meters, bike 24.8miles, run 6.2mi). Couldn't resist. Registered at the last minute just as it was filling up. Only a few years old, and the only tri in DC, it's grown to 3,500 racers. This is huge for a tri. Hay-yoooj. I can only guess how many waves of swimmers this will be broken down into for the start, maybe 40? 50? More?

Meanwhile, the priority for me is to get healthy so as to really train and enjoy the summer, and to really race in Sept. Plan to enter some small fitness-tester races for fun along the way. These races are not likely to fill, so I can do last minute entry. Everything will be short distances until September. If I'm feeling good at that point I may go longer (my preferred distance) to finish the season.

All together, currently on my 2008 race radar:

• June 29 - General Smallwood Oly distance race in Indianhead, MD. Have raced here a couple times years ago. Really like the rolling course.
• July 12 - Diamond in the Rough Oly distance race in Perryville, MD. Did this a few years ago as well. Hilly bike, flat run.
• August 16 - Cheat Mountain Challenge. Cycling only. Snowshoe, WV. 105mi and 68mi options. Mountainous terrain. This would be a decent fun training day in prep for the Sept. 27 Aqua Velo. In 2006, 93 finishers, 20 DNF for the long ride, most finished in 7-9hrs, first finisher just under 6hrs, last ~10.
• August 17 - Northeast Oly distance race - North East, MD.
• September 7 - Annapolis Oly distance race.
• September 7 - Delaware Diamondman Half Iron race (swim 1.2mi, bike 56mi, run 13.1mi). Bear, DE. Pancake flat. Raced here many times. If healthy, I'll be tempted to go for a PR here and forget about a true peak effort or AG competitive race in DC Sept. 14.
• September 21 - Savageman Half Iron distance race. Perhaps return to Deep Creek, MD seeking some vengeance for a tough day there last year.
• September 27 - ChesapeakeMan Aqua Velo. An interesting option here, the Ironman without the run - swim 2.4mi, (super flat) bike 112mi. Would be a great opportunity to get a taste of the Ironman experience, get a notion of swimming and biking for 8hrs and contemplating a run of 26.2 after.
• October 12 - Brierman Half Iron race, Boonsboro, MD. Race day driveable.
• October 12 - American Zofingen long distance duathlon, New Paltz, NY (5mi trail run, very hilly 84mi road bike, 15mi trail run). Maybe this will be the year to cross AmZof off the life to do list.