I'm Alive!

So I'm still here, alive and well. Surviving this crazy semester.

Update on Charlotte races!!

- Hit the Brixx 10K - Race went great! Beautiful uptown course that is mostly downhill. A great 10K if you're just starting out.

- Davidson Run for Green - great run through a beautiful town. Didn't hit a PR but won my age group! still waiting for my prize in the mail though...get on that Davidson!

- Take Flight Sprint Triathlon - What a great time and great company. Raced with lots of my friends, clients and colleagues. Improved my time from UNC SS on all segments but the run (and transitions, ugh). It was a little chilly though at 7 am coming out of that water!

- Fall Harvest 10K - I liked the Hit the Brixx 10K more, but this one was much more hilly and not so favorable weather conditions. Oh well, still had a great time!

While Take Flight will be my last triathlon of the 2009 season, I am looking forward to training for a summer Olympic distance. Possibly a Half-Ironman if my friends can catch me at a weak moment and peer pressure me into it!

No Train, No Gain :) ...krg

Last half of Charlotte race season!

As the summer turns into fall, Charlotte's races are picking up before they start to become few and far between during the late fall/winter months. As for me, I'm getting in a last few races before my last triathlon of the season in October. Triathlon season in the southeast pretty much comes to an end in October because it becomes too cold to swim open water events. However, running season gets slower but continues through the winter with the Thunder Rd. Half and Full Marathon. Swim season, however -- all year round! Makes that 5:30am practice really tough to get out of bed for in the winter!

Right now I have a few events scheduled to finish the season, including a bike from Huntersville to Davidson for the Race on the Green 10K/5K and then ride back with a group of triathletes from NOMAD, all on 9/19. I am also registered to run the Hit the Brixx 10K on 9/26 (free beer and pizza afterward is a major perk for running so early in the am!). Then, on 10/3, I will race my last tri of the season at the Take Flight Triathlon in Huntersville at NOMAD Aquatic Center. This should be a fun one because I know so many people racing this tri, including two of our trainers from Precision and a few of my clients as well!

Good luck to everyone in their various racing events...see ya out there!

Are you a So You Think You Can Dance fanatic?

If you're a dancer, former dancer, or just appreciate dance at all...you've probably watched So You Think You Can Dance and are a fanatic like the rest of us. The choreography, the songs, and the dancers are great, and thank God FOX is finally starting to air this fabulous show all year round. You may even be going to see the tour (like me!) and when you hear a song that was used on the show, you are immediately brought back to moments like "The Butt Dance", "Ramalama" and other crazy, memorable numbers.

If this is you, consider taking a peek at FOX's SYTYCD Music site: click here. Here, you can see all the titles, artists, dancers, choreographers, and genres of all the numbers on SYTYCD, including the solos and audition pieces. Personally, I have downloaded a bunch of my favs onto my ipod and love dancing around my house like a fool to these jams.....just a suggestion. Oh, and get excited for Season 6. I hear it's going to be "buck".

A Successful Tri

Yes, its taken me a week to write about it, but the triathlon was a success! I placed 7th in my age-group out of 18, and 97th out of 193 women overall. I was pretty happy overall with my performance for my first tri experience. The hardest part by far was the bike-to-run transition...your legs feel like rubber! It was such a fun experience though, and I can't wait for my next one in October! Thank you for all the support from my family and friends...you guys made my day! Here are some pics from the event. I think I've even talked Adam into learning how to swim so he can do one! ...krg

get to the bike!

bike

RUN!

Finish Line!

Here's a Health Reform idea: Put Down the Doughnut

I finally read an article today that summed up all my thoughts and issues with healthcare and healthcare reform. MSNBC's JoNel Aleccia hit the nail on the head: Has anyone ever heard of 'Personal Responsibility'? This story covers the issue of how poor personal health choices, primarily smoking and obesity, claim a large majority of health care costs in this country. The worst part? Many of these health problems preventable are a result of poor diet, lack of exercise, and choosing to smoke. For those who make wise health choices and live healthy lifestyles, we are still forking over a large portion of this money for those who are not privately covered, yet using up the majority of health care money. While it seems simple to make obese people and smokers pay higher healthcare premiums, this is not an easy solution. Where do you draw the line? Should motorcyclists pay more too because they choose to drive motorcycles which have high fatality rates? I don't know the answer, but I know something needs to be done to level the playing field here.

Read the article here: Put Down the Doughnut

...krg

Slow down, summer!

So there is offically t-3 weeks til Triathlon time.  Yikes.  I'm getting a little nervous but I think it will turn out good as long as I'm not sitting on the side of the road with a flat or worse, an injury.  But I think I'm in good shape otherwise.  I'm anxious to get at least one under my belt so I know what to expect for the next one, and what I would want to change in my transition/supplementation routine.  We shall see. ...krg

A Few Favorite Recipes

I just wanted to share a few of my favorite recipes, especially since I know a lot of my friends are newly out on their own and perhaps cooking on their own for the first time.  I am not about complicated recipes or recipes that take forever to cook, so these are simple and fast recipes that don't require a ton of ingredients.  I also hate leftovers, so most of these don't make a gazillion servings.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Raisin French Toast

2 slices of Ezekiel 4:9 Cinnamon Raisin bread (found at Trader Joe's)

3 egg whites

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

Fresh blueberries to taste

Spray non-stick cooking spray onto a pan or griddle and set to medium heat.  Mix egg whites and vanilla extract together on a plate.  Dip both sides of bread into the mixture, making sure to cover completely.  Cook on pan for 2-3 min each side, or until egg is thoroughly cooked.  Serve with fresh blueberries.  You can also add syrup or powdered sugar if you're into that kinda thing.  Serves 1.

Ultimate Protein shake - a great post-workout snack

1 cup of skim milk or water

1 scoop of protein powder (I like soy or whey, chocolate or vanilla flavor is best)

1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries

1 small banana

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp ground flax seed

Blend everything together in a blender except flaxseed until smooth.  Then add flaxseed and blend again.  Add ice for a thicker consistency.  Serves 1.

No-Cook protein bars

Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups of dry oatmeal

2 scoops of chocolate protein powder

2 tbsp flaxseed

1 cup nonfat dry milk (powdered)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter 

1/2 cup water

1 tsp of pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup of raisins or other dried fruit of choice

Spray an 8x8 inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, protein powder, flaxseeds, and nonfat dry milk and mix together.  In a separate bowl, whisk together peanut butter, water, and vanilla extract.  Add this mixture to the dry ingredients to make a sticky dough.  Knead in raisins or dried fruit.  Using wet hands, spread mixture into pan.  Freeze for 1 hour or refrigerate for several hours until the mixture is firm enough to cut into bars.  Cut into 9 squares and wrap individually to grab on the go.  Store in fridge.  Makes 9 servings.   

Turkey Chili

1 package (1 lb-ish) of 99% fat free lean ground turkey breast (or leanest cut available)

1 package of Chili seasoning (mild or medium or spicy)

1 can of diced tomatoes (organic if possible)

1 can of red kidney beans (organic if possible)

Spray non-stick cooking spray in a large pan or pot and brown turkey on medium heat.  Add seasoning mix when turkey is fully cooked.  Then add in the diced tomatoes and followed by the drained kidney beans.  Simmer until fully hot.  Serve with low-fat sour cream and reduced fat shredded cheese if desired.  Serves about 4.  This is my one exception to leftovers because its super easy to heat up and doesn't taste gross the next day.

Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

1 cup of chopped onions

4 egg whites

8 oz. of salsa or Rotel Zesty Italian tomatoes

4 oz. uncooked oatmeal

1 package of vegetable soup mix (the powder kind in the package)

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup organic ketchup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients except ketchup in a bowl until well blended.  Place in a meatloaf pan and cover with ketchup.  Cover and bake for 1/2 hour.  Serves 8.  This one takes a bit longer, but I usually make this one on Sunday nights along with another meal and then don't eat it until the next day.  It's better the second day anyway because the flavors blend together more.  Like I said, I hate waiting a long time for food. :)

Edamame Salad

8 oz. frozen shelled edamame

1 oz. seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/8 tsp sea salt

Dash of ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Toss everything in a large bowl and serve chilled or at room temperature.  Super easy.  Serves 2.

Easy Margaritas - STRONG but delicious!

12 oz. can of frozen limeade, or 12 oz of Simply Limeade

1 - 12 oz. can of light beer (Bud light works great)

12 oz. of Tequila

12 oz. of Sprite Zero

This is easy if you use the limeade cardboard can as a measuring tool.  If using the Simply Limeade instead of the frozen can, add a few ice cubes and blend before adding beer and sprite (to avoid a huge mess).  Mix all the ingredients together and stir with a spoon.  Serves 6.  Pace yourself, this one tastes delicious but with 12 oz. of tequila, it'll knock you on your ass preeettyyy quick! :)

Hope you enjoyed my recipes!...krg