Paleo Pear Pie

I have quite a few friends that adhere to the Paleo Diet For Athletes (http://www.trainingbible.com/pdf/Paleo_for_Athletes_Cliff_Notes.pdf). I do not follow it strictly (I like Greek yogurt!!!) but work on incorporating as much of it as I can as often as I can. Being involved in triathlon, I have to fuel wisely while also balancing trying to enjoy life (and great food...and pizza).

One thing that I know is that I love desserts, and maybe I could find some that are a bit better than others. Enter tonight's experiment: Paleo Pear Pie.

Crust: Blend together via processor

1/4 cup almond flour (160 calories: 14 g Fat, 6 g carbs [1 g sugar], 6 g protein)

4 medjool dates

Filling:

1 pear chopped (100 calories: 26 g carbs [16 g sugar])

1/2 cup pecans (377 calories: 39 g fat, 7 g carbs [2 g sugar], 5 g protein)

2 tbsp Agave nectar (120 calories: 16 g carbs [15 g sugar]) the less you can use, the better.

Total for entire recipe: 757 calories (53 g fat, 61 g carbs [34 g sugar], 11 g protein.

Now, of course you have to divide that into more manageable portions :)

Two would be pretty large sized and 378 calories each. Three portions would be more ideal...only 252 calories and a lot of flavor. Notice that this isn't low fat, but you have to have some...and this source is nuts so that is a better fat than others.

19 Days To Go

So the 6 day poison ivy treatment was completely inadequate, and as I tapered off of it the poison ivy reflared in all the same places it was. Saturday's 22 mile run that became 14 miles in the heat didn't help matters. I had a minor meltdown freaking out at my appearance and then booked it over the Walgreen's clinic, where thankfully there was no wait! I love that place.

The nurse practitioner was appalled that the urgent care doctor had only given me a 6 day treatment. I'm starting over...and feel hopeful this will kick it! At least I'm not itchy anymore. It's looking better day 3.

I have to keep telling myself that maybe this happened for a reason...if anything, during the race I could say "this isn't as bad as the poison ivy!!!!"

Had to delay my last Big Workout a couple of days...Wed (or Thurs) will be the glorious day. 7 1/2 hours. THEN taper.

We had a nice IMKY crew get together on Sunday (thanks to the Farrells!). I'm happy to share this experience with so many stellar people. I said I'd never do this...you all (and those KC folks that have Ironman-ed before) inspire me and make it more fun. I wouldn't want to do it alone.

New toys make everything better! Picked up the Garmin 310xt and am totally stoked to have it for the race.

Small Poison Ivy setback and moving forward

Logged about 15 hours of training the week of July 19-25. Saturday I ran 16 miles group run and it was pretty stinking hot (could be on race day! :) ) and then turned around Sunday and did a solo 7 hour workout...my longest ever. I keep saying that every week...
'longest ever'.

So on Sunday I swam 5 x 500, drove south to Heritage for an 80 mile ride (4 x 20 mile loop to work on pace. Result? I am freakishly consistent), then an hour run. It was hot as usual. Seeing all the horses along 199th made me happy. Getting ready to run, I really didn't feel like doing it and was cranky. Did it. First 10 minutes = cranky. Next 10 minutes = a little better. Next 40 minutes = I'm fine, this isn't that bad! Best moment that made me smile (have to find those little things) a dog frolicking at the dog park. He found a puddle to run through then plopped down right in the middle of it looking so proud of himself.

Tuesday/Wed/Thursday of the next week roll around and disaster...I got poison ivy on my legs during my 16 mile run. Touched that, then wiped my eye :( Itch-fest and swollen eye follow...followig Friday realizing something very bad is going on, I go to urgent care and get treatment.

I miss the August 1st group Century Ride, which would have been another great opportunity to practice nutrition and endurance and hang with IMKY peeps. My eye is half swollen shut that morning. That and the treatment would impact my (and others?!?) safety on the bike.

So I get on the trainer for a little while but it isn't the same. But it isn't nothing either!

Monday...eye is better and I'm able to get goggles on and back in the pool.

I feel overjoyed. Although it was a short break from training, maybe the poison ivy happened for a reason. Maybe my body needed rest. It made me appreciate being ABLE to train. I felt joy being in the pool today and moving. When you really can't do something, it makes you appreciate the time you CAN all the more.

4 more weeks. Tis August, the month of Ironman.

How you doin'?

Very well thank you!

Last weekend when I was running, a totally random thought popped into my head. "You are stronger than you realize. You are stronger than you know." That is really all I need to know.

There are some workouts where I have to drag myself out there and don't feel so hot, but there are many where I feel fantastic too. Basically in a nutshell, I feel like I can do this! I do my best to keep a positive attitude, and hope a self-fulfilling prophecy will take it from there :)

I feel a 'strange' sense of calm. Am I nervous? Of course. I always try to be a realist - and I certainly realize that Ironman is going to be a LONG and tiring day. Bad things could happen. Or not. I will likely be cranky at times, and maybe will want to cry. It will be up and down, and with each down I have to remember there is something good around the corner.

I have no idea what will happen, and it is out of my control. If obstacles get in my way, I'll figure out a way over them any way I can. All I can do is prepare, the best way to do that is doing what my coaches tell me and trusting them. So that is what I do. Keep it simple.

Had a good swim technique session with my coach Kathy last Friday. A couple of things I didn't know about...worked them in today and it feels a lot different, and faster. Could I be on the verge of a swim breakthrough? I hope so!

Carrying on...tomorrow is Shawnee Mission Triathlon. Short course :)

Ironman Training - BIG training weekend

One of my biggest training weekends yet. I was kind of nervous going into it, but I made it!

Saturday: 14 mile run. HUMID! Felt pretty good considering, but with the heat I slowed it down a little bit. Didn't want to get too nutty before...

Sunday: Amelia Earhart CENTURY ride followed by short run! Atchison, KS

Okay this is what I was most nervous about. It had been years...7+ or maybe 9?...since I did the MS 150 ride, which included a century. I did that ride 3 times. It's a lot. It's tiring. I kept telling myself that I am in MUCH better shape than I was then. Yes that helped a little.

In the training rides building up to this, there has been a point where I really felt like the fatigue was trying to take me down. To the point where I feel like I want to cry...and I'm cranky.

But as the rides get longer, my perspective changes and that fatigue point gets pushed out. Last week when I did 80, at mile 72 I was in that mentally & physical zone of discomfort and crankiness. This week, it was at about mile 82. Then once I get to mile 95, I'm happy again because I'm almost finished. And when I'm finished, I'm practically jumping up and down in the parking lot with joy.

It's pushing through that wall of fatigue that is really hard. All I can do is keep it steady, maybe slow it down a bit and try to be mentally strong. But what I really feel like doing is crying. All I can think is to just keep going and take it one mile at a time at that point.

Final result (not including SAG stops) 5:58 ~ 16.7 mph

Hour 1 & 2: slow warmup + headwinds ~ 16.3 mph (33.25 miles)
Hour 3 & 4: feeling good + tailwinds ~ 17.4 mph (34.05 miles)
Hour 5: tail and crosswinds back into town...getting warm ~ 17.1 (17.84)
Hour 6: really tired + headwinds ~ 15.9 (14.87)

Highlights: it is really beautiful up north there. I really enjoyed the peaceful, green countryside. The course is great...some rolling hills but nothing killer. My bike is still getting lots of attention..."I like your bike", "that's a nice bike", "I want your bike". LOL. I'm loving it. Nice to eat and hang out with Chad, Carly, and Oliver after the ride.

Negatives: I HATE seeing roadkill.

To improve: stick with the relaxed first hour. Don't try to hammer it. Probably pushed it a little too much around mile 55-70 and maybe could have saved a little bit. Might still be overdoing it a bit on the nutrition...a little too much Perpetuem maybe. Don't want too much in my tummy.

Woot woot....now off to check in on my Ironman Couer d'Alene friends! They are doing the whole darn thing today!!!!