Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope yours was safe and enjoyable. Melissa and I typically stay in on New Year's Eve and plan our goals for the new year. While most people celebrate on New Year's Eve, I hold off on the celebration until New Year's Day. My celebration this year went something like this:

I woke up at 7Am and made myself a fruit-protein smoothie. I have a new smoothie recipe that uses a protein powder that is plant-based rather than using whey protein (usually derived from sickly cows). It is yummy and super nutritious as well as being Vegan which is something I am striving for. I also include Udo's Oil which is packed with Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids.

After my shake, I loaded up my gear and headed for the park to meet friends for a New Year's Day mountain bike ride. We got started at Poor Farm Park about 8:30 AM. There was really no one else there. Typically we like to ride down at the river but the trails down there were trashed because of all the snow. Poor Farm was wet but not too bad.

We had a great ride. We were out there for about an hour and 30 minutes with a total actual ride time of 1 hour and 11 minutes. We had a few breaks in the woods including a scary moment when Mario crashed. I just happened to look back up this steep snowy hill that I had just descended when I saw Mario flying over his handle bars and letting out a pretty good yell. My other friend Jeff said, "do you think he is alright?" Just then Mario let out another yell. He had already been on the ground for a few seconds when he yelled again which was not a good sign. Turns out he was bruised up a little bit but mostly he had gotten the wind knocked out of him. He recovered well and we all rode for another 20 minutes or so. He may have a broken pinky but has to fly out of town on business Monday so I doubt he will get it checked out.

After our ride, I went home and made some fresh juices with Melissa (more on that later). Then while Melissa ran her 4-mile run, I took my brand new road bike out for its maiden voyage. I rode for about 45 minutes around the neighborhood doing intervals. I rode fast until I found Melissa running and then slowed down and gave her some water. Then I took off fast again. Interval training gets the best results.

After my road bike ride, Melissa and I hit the store to do some quick shopping. Then we came home and did our P90X, 90-minute Yoga routine. We were both tired but we had to bring it. And bring it we did! It is hard to believe that we are now done with P90X. I don't think I have ever followed such a regimented workout schedule for so long and I am happy to say that we made it through with no injuries and pretty good results. We have one more day of stretching tomorrow and then we take all our post P90X measurements. I will of course report on those results here.

That about wraps up my summary of our New Year's celebration. Now onto goals, plans, and goings-on for 2011. Our first order of business is to go on a 15-day reboot diet. I have written about this in previous blog postings. Tomorrow we start. We will eat pretty much all veggies for 5 days along with fresh juices. Then after the first 5 days, we will only drink fresh juices for 5 days followed by another 5-day round of all veggies and juices.

This diet is not a diet in the traditional sense. We are not trying to lose weight. Rather we are rebooting our system by cutting out all sweeteners, added salts, and processed foods. The intent of the diet is to reset our palate so that we desire good foods over bad foods. I describe good foods as lots of fruits and vegetables and no processed foods. I have already cut all junk food from my diet. Now we will step it up a bit.

In order to do the reboot, we had to get a juicer. We got a nice Omega VRT330 Dual-Stage Vertical Single-Auger Low-Speed Juicer. Low speed juicers ensure that the juices do not get heated up during the juicing process thus diminishing the quality of the juice. The juicer is really cool. After we got it, I immediately went out to Whole Foods and filled an entire cart full of fresh organic fruits and vegetables. We are ready!

I plan to blog about the whole experience so tune in frequently for short updates about the reboot diet.

And now onto fitness goals. I have tentatively mapped out my 2011 race schedule. It is ambitious but as followers of my blog, you know that I like to bring it! Here is the schedule so far as I see it. Important to note that some of the races are tune-up races with the main goal to get used to racing.

• April 2-Monument Avenue 10K -Melissa and I are signed up as are Melissa's brother and his son.
• April 10 - Chasing Chics Sprint Triathlon-First road triathlon ever for me-got a new bike just for the occasion.
• April 16- Fredericksburg Offroad Duathlon #1-Hope to beat my time last year
• May 22 - Ground Force IT Sprint Triathlon-Another road tri.
• June 12 - Xterra East Coast Championship-Off Road Olympic Distance Triathlon
• September 4- Shenandoah Mountain 100-Redemption!

As you can see, this is pretty ambitious. However, with the proper training and nutrition, I think this is very doable. I will of course be blogging about it.

Again, Happy New Year and stay tuned for frequent updates about the diet and training.

One Year Later

A year ago today I was laid up on the couch recovering from knee surgery on both by knees. I was pretty much living on the couch with occasional trips to the bathroom. I would also periodically use my arms to drag myself up the stairs to swap out my ice. I was also not really eating too much. Melissa would leave me with a box of crackers and I would have either a Dr. Pepper or Red Bull now and then. After a few days, I was able to go back to work. Each day after work, I would do some leg raises and then ice for the rest of the night. For those of you who have been with me on this blog from the beginning, you pretty much know the story.

Today I would like to reflect on my year - post knee surgery. After doing physical therapy religiously every day for several months including riding the stationary bike, I felt well enough to try a race. I did the Fredericksburg Offroad Duathlon #1 with some friends and while all my friends beat me, I still did pretty well all things considered. I also completed 3 10Ks, the National Offroad Duathlon Championship, and I made it through 75 miles of the Shenandoah Mountain 100. No doubt, I have recovered well and was able to do more than many people are able to do.

Currently I am doing P90X with my wife. We start our 11th week tomorrow. Doing P90X plus swimming twice a week has left little time for biking and running but Melissa and I both are looking at doing more races next year including more triathlons. In fact we are in the process of shopping for road bikes now. There are so many bikes out there to test ride and then follow up with Internet research. It is truly amazing how many choices there are out there.

Personally I like the idea of working my way up to a full Ironman Distance Triathlon. But first I have to start small with a Sprint Triathlon. The triathlon distances break down something like this:

Sprint: 400 Meter Swim, 12 Mile Bike, 5K Run

Olympic Distance: 1.5 K Swim, 40K Bike Ride, 10K Run

Half-Iron Distance: 1.2 Mile Swim, 56 Mile Bike Ride, 13.1 Mile Run

Full Iron Distance: 2.4 Mile Swim, 112 Mile Bike Ride, 26.2 Mile Run

As you can see, a Full Ironman Distance triathlon is no joke and I see this as more of a dream distance at the moment. After all I am just learning to swim properly and I can do about 100 meters without having to take a little break. I have a LONG way to go. Plus there is another issue-what I consider to be the biggest issue and perhaps the one thing that may keep me from achieving what I believe the rest of my body can handle. My darn knee.

My left knee is still bothering me. Some weeks are better than others but lately it has been a nuisance. It has not kept me from doing all my workouts but the way it feels, I am not sure I can run more than a few miles on it. After I swim, it feels great but then my day of sitting at my desk makes it start to ache a bit. Sitting seems to be my worst enemy. Of course yesterday we swam for an hour, test road bikes for a least an hour including climbing a decent hill about 5 times, and we did Kenpo X. I was able to do all that fine but this morning, the knee feels a little sore in places that it shouldn't. I probably should have iced again last night but I did not.

Two years ago, I liked the idea of running ultra marathons but with my gimpy knee, I know that is not in the cards. So then I starting leaning towards the triathlons. There are some additional workouts I can do to strengthen my knee and get over the knee pain. If I work on it, I may be able to work up to my dream tri distance. I feel motivated to do it.

I used to play soccer. That was my passion and is still my exercise of choice. Unfortunately soccer is too hard on my body. If I am sore today, it is because I pushed myself in a workout. When I was playing soccer, if I was sore, it was because I got kicked, stopped up, run over, flipped, or otherwise bruised by the opposing team or the ground. Unfortunately the toll of soccer still haunts me today. My ankles are stiff and make some wicked cracking noises and of course my knees are not pristine either.

In summary, I still have a lot of work to do in order to reach my athletic goals. Conquer the knee, train like a beast, dial in the nutrition, and have fun doing it. I am lucky to have a very supportive wife and an income that lets me do all these things. For instance, one race I was looking at - a Half Iron Distance tri- costs $150 just to enter. Plus I would have to rent a wet suit. And as far as support goes, Melissa is the best. She continues to push herself and she has really made some significant gains in her fitness over the last year. From my perspective anyway.

Next time I write, I hope to have a new bike and maybe I can post some pictures.

BRING IT!

Thanksgiving Recap

I am a little behind the times but wanted to bring everyone up to date. This past Thanksgiving we continued with tradition and traveled North to PA to visit with Melissa's family. The whole gang was there with a total of 24 people for Thanksgiving dinner. Diane and Scott are such amazing hosts and really know how to make everyone feel comfortable and well fed. My thanks goes out to the whole family for their hospitality.

Besides the tradition of having Thanksgiving with Melissa's whole family, we also have another tradition that we followed again this year. On Thanksgiving morning we all go to the Gobble Wobble 5K run and 2 mile walk at a nearby YMCA. Last year, I was a spectator due to my knee issues. In fact, I remember being in great pain during the whole stay last year. But this year, I had planned to run the 5k. I was hoping to run it barefoot but did not get enough barefoot training in to make that happen. In fact, after the Shenandoah Mountain 100 at the beginning of September, I want on 1 long run and then only 2 or 3 very short runs. In the weeks leading up to the 5K, I did not run at all. BUT and this is a big But, I have been doing P90X and swimming so I knew I was in great shape.

As it turns out, I got a PR at the 5K. I ran the hilly course in 23.08 which is about a 7.27 pace. Considering I had not been running hardly at all and taking into consideration the hilly course, I thought that was a good accomplishment for me. Melissa also PR'd and ran the whole course with out stopping at all. She really burned up the course and I really proud of her accomplishments. The fact that both of us did so well is a testament to the benefits of doing P90X and swimming.

Since we got back from Thanksgiving, all I have been able to think about is training and racing. I have been pretty jazzed about my run time at the 5K and am looking forward to doing some triathlons this spring as well as the Shenandoah Mountain 100 at the end of the summer.

For the past several New Years, Melissa and I have sat down and put together goals and plans for the coming year. This year we will be planning our training and race schedule. We also are looking forward to a system reboot starting in the new year. After watching the movie "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" we have decided to try a juice fast.

The system reboot is really not a fast. It is a 15 day program of eating certain foods to help the body detoxify, give the colon a break, and reset the pallet so healthier foods are more desirable. During the middle 5 days, only fresh juices are consumed. Not the kind you buy in the store, but the kind you make at home with a juicer. I will post an example of the 15 day plan at the end of this blog.

Well that about wraps it up for now. We are continuing with our swimming and P90X for now. In future blogs, I plan to summarize the "results" of our 90 days of P90X, as well as lay out my training and race plans. Of course, I have lots of shopping to do too.

Here is an example "Reboot" plan from the jointhereboot.com website.

Day 1

Breakfast

Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Arugula, Fennel, Avocado Salad

Afternoon Snack

Carrot Ginger Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Portobello Mushroom Caps (2) with Fresh Salsa and Guacamole

Steamed Kale with Garlic

Herbal Tea

---

Day 2

Breakfast

Grapefruit

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Shredded Carrot, Fennel, Radish, Cabbage, Celery Salad with Fresh Dill, Lemon

Afternoon Snack

Steamed Cauliflower with Fresh Lemon, Sea Salt and Pepper, and/or Carrot Ginger Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Stuffed Squash with Mushroom, Leek, Red Pepper

Green Vegetable Soup

Herbal Tea

---

Day 3

Breakfast

Strawberries and Ripe Bananas (up to 2)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Vegetable Juice – Cucumber, Celery, Apple

Lunch

Green Salad with Radish, Fennel, Red Pepper and Fresh Dill

Afternoon Snack

Green Veggie Soup

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Roasted Beets and Sweet Potato

Steamed Kale

Herbal Tea

---

Day 4

Breakfast

Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

Lunch

Seaweed Salad with Avocado

Afternoon Snack

Carrot, Celery, and Cucumber sticks with Guacamole

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Steamed Kale with Ginger-Honey-Soy dressing

Herbal Tea

---

Day 5

Breakfast

Strawberries and Ripe Bananas (up to 2)

Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

Vegetable Juice – Cucumber, Celery, Apple

Lunch

Cabbage Salad with Carrot, Cucumber and Fennel

Afternoon Snack

Veggie Broth

Dinner

Reboot Green Salad*

Roasted Sweet Potato

Steamed Kale with Garlic

Herbal Tea

*See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

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Just Juice.

Day 6 – Day 10

• There are three main types of juices: Fruit juices, Vegetable juices and Green juices. Examples from each category are below. On a typical day of juicing, we suggest having 3-4 juices, at least 16 oz. each. Ideally, 2 of these juices will be Green. Take a look below for some combos and feel free to experiment!

• JUICING Tips *Have a cup of hot water and lemon first thing every morning, along with at least 16 oz. of filtered (if possible) water. *Remember to drink water throughout the day, in between juices. Juices do not replace water intake. *Apple/Pear is optional in all juices. Feel free to omit. It is permissible to use 1-2 Apples or Pears per juice. *Lemon, Lime and Ginger Root can be added to any juice. *Each juice should be at least 16 oz. *Have Celery juice or Coconut water after a workout or sauna, to replace electrolytes and re-hydrate the system. *Do not drink too much liquid before bedtime. *Keep fruit juices to a minimum until you know how your body reacts (fruit is the most cleansing of all, in other words, it passes through the body most quickly.)

  
  

  TYPICAL DAY OF JUICING

  First thing

  Hot Water with Lemon (gentle cleanser) plus a separate glass of Water, at least 16 oz. (for hydration)

  Morning

  Fresh Fruit Juice

  Mid-Morning

  Fresh Vegetable Juice

  Early Afternoon

  Fresh Green Juice

  Mid-Afternoon

  Herbal Tea or Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  Evening

  Fresh Green Juice

  Night

  Herbal Tea or Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  
  

  JUICE EXAMPLES

  Fruit Juices

  *Green Apple

  *Apple, Pear, Ginger

  
  

  Vegetable Juices

  *Carrot, Apple, Beet, Ginger

  *Cucumber, Fennel, Celery, Spinach

  
  

  Green Juices

  *Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Green Apple, Lemon

  *Romaine Hearts, Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Celery, Lemon, Ginger

  *See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

  ---

  Day 11

  Breakfast

  Bowl of Fresh Pineapple

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Arugula and Avocado Salad

  Afternoon Snack

  Vegetable Soup

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Baked Zucchini with Tomatoes and Herbs

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 12

  Breakfast

  Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Cucumber Salad with Baked Sweet Potato

  Afternoon Snack

  Vegetable Soup

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Roasted Brussels sprouts

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 13

  Breakfast

  Grapefruit Wedges with Raisins (up to 4 oz. of dried fruit)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Arugula and Fennel Salad

  Afternoon Snack

  Raw Carrot Ginger Soup with Lime

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Steamed Broccoli and Spinach with Roasted Garlic Cloves

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 14

  Breakfast

  Apples and Pears (raw or baked)

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Seaweed Salad with Watermelon Radish

  Afternoon Snack

  Sweet Potato/Yams and Carrot "Fries"

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Herbal Tea

  ---

  Day 15

  Breakfast

  Bowl of Fresh Pineapple

  Morning Juice, at least 20 minutes later

  Green Juice – Kale, Spinach, Cucumber, Celery, Apple, Ginger

  Lunch

  Raw Mixed Greens with Cauliflower Mash

  Afternoon Snack

  Coconut Water, fresh if possible

  Dinner

  Reboot Green Salad*

  Garam Masala Collard Greens

  Herbal Tea

  *See recipes under HOW TO MAKE tab for a variety of choices.

  **********

  CONGRATULATIONS!