Fueled By Krystal?

Eat Right.

So there's a lot of talk about nutrition. Training nutrtion. What to eat for meals, what to eat pre-workout, what to eat on the bike, the run...what to eat post-workout for optimal recovery. And there are as many opinions as there are products. I am generally a fan of the Hammer product line, but as of late have been simultaneously re-acquanting myself with my Southern roots while re-acquanting myself with training.

Let me give you my favorite example. Workout gels (Gu, Carb-boom, Hammer Gel, Clif shots, etc.) are designed to give you quick and easy access to simple carbohydrates. Sugar. A few weeks ago I was fixing to head out for a morning run and scanned the kitchen for the solution to my complaintive grumbling stomach.

Nothing.

Then, I saw it....my leftover birthday cake from John. I thought - now this is a stretch - as I popped a 2"x2" square - with icing, thank you - into my mouth and chased with water, then headed out the door.

It worked. Apparently the simple sugar compound of the icing as fuel and the tad of protein from the eggs (did I mention the sugar) made for a delightful run fuel. Plus let's face it...when you burp while running, do you want to be tasting a gu...or birthday cake? Cake, please!

In this vein, yesterday I found myself headed to do a brick on Columns drive about an hour late after helping John print some stuff for his finals studies. It was past 11, and I was now hungry again from breakfast. He suggested Krystal for lunch and I thought, why not a single Cheese Krystal (if you don't know that they are small, square, and delicious, you probably shouldn't read this blog because you don't know me well) for a long bike ride? Tender warm bread, cheese, a delightfully thin patty of beef, a solitary pickle, and a dab of mustard and (user added) ketchup...I even had the signature cooked onions left off. How bad could that be for me?

Bad.

About half an hour later I had parked the car in a shady spot, let the 70 degree air blow through the truck while Tilley napped, and I was off. There was a bit of a headwind, so going out was less than great. BURP. Ohhh, yes, there you are again! My little square friend. I then tried to catch a woman in green (never did). Another burp. Not good. I finally settled into a rhythm (trying not to lose too much pace to the three boys about half a loop ahead; they and the Green Lady were my measure of mental success) and am delighted to report that the Krystal stayed down, but not without a fight. By the time I got back to the truck, the Krystal had burned up in my fuel tank and I was ready to run.

I grabbed Tilley and after a quick chat with the Green Lady, we were off along the shady path along the river. Bliss! It was maybe 70 out and just gorgeous. At the turnaround at the riverbank (no gators this time) Tilley met a Golden named Bailey and her sister Trixie, and they played and played in the water while I chatted with their owners...who were going that afternoon to look at Golden puppies. I told them all about Cooper and our brood. Tilley and I had a nice run back to the truck, followed by stretching (me), Recoverite recovery drink (both: she's addicted to it), and a belly towel off (her).

Maybe the Krystal wasn't so bad after all. They do have a cycling team cosponsored by Litespeed after all...maybe it's fate...

Getting to the Core of the Matter

Core this, core that. It's all about core strength they say, especially for the swim and the run. I bought the book, I have the ball. And there they sit - and have sat. As part of my exploration of the new gym at Lifetime, I took a core strength class.

I went with my coworker Amy-she did the elliptical beforehand and I eeked in a 600m swim. I sprinted through a clothing change and suddenly had a flashback to the pool at W-L with Jess and JoMarie and how sports bras do not like to go on wet bodies, nor do yoga capris. I actually said out loud, "Jess, hep me!" (This was part of my job for her as workout buddy) Sadly there was no one to assist... so after some jumping, groping, grimacing, and giggling, I was changed and on my way.

The class itself was a mix of floor work, work on the ball, work on the bosu (half ball on platform), and medicine ball. It was really fantastic, and a great workout in only :30. I had to laugh at one point though. I quickly spotted the other triathlete in the room - the only one with water next to him, shaved legs, and a race tee shirt. At one point the instructor's mic went out and she muttered something and walked to the back to get a new one. Everyone kinda stopped and said "did she say stop?" I shrugged my shoulders and kept doing my side to side with the medicine ball. Only one other person in the room did the same - the other triathlete.

Let me say this much. If I do this once a week, I am convinced it will fundamentally change my performance. Mostly, it will make me stronger and give more power to my swim rotation and to my run. But there's another angle. Most of my historical issues with my legs (IT band season one, ankle and shin season 2, on and off shin since then) is due to my hips being slightly akimbo. This is generally corrected with chiropractic, which is fine. But the day after (and the day after that) the class, I was more sore on my left side which made me think. Hm. If I can improve my core strength and KEEP my hips well aligned...you got it. I am set up for success and less issues with my lower legs.

(She's a) Brick (House)

That's right, my first brick of the year took place on Sunday. Some readers are (intimately, painfully) familiar with bricks but for those new to this, it's the geek term for a training ride followed by a run. Bike+Run="ICK!".

I went down to Columns Drive (now that I have my handy annual pass) LATE on Sunday...I spent most of the day cleaning and organizing the office/training room, and finally found myself in the car headed over there at like 6:30, Hammer Bar in hand. I got on the bike, not knowing what to expect as I'd been doing indoor trainer workouts since my birthday and hadn't been out since then on the open road. I was eager to see if I had improved with the extra 4 rides in between. Just four in 2.5 weeks.

The answer? Yes.

I kept a pretty steady moderate pace with a goal to check my time after 2 loops (10 miles), as this was the distance I did previously which left me totally done and tired in :45. I am pleased to report that at 2 loops my time was just over 39 minutes...yes! I went on to do another loop (previously impossible) at a pretty good pace, and netted out an overall average of 16.3 on my bike-0-meter.

Then I was ready for a run...I honestly don't know when my last brick was. A year or more, if not two. I started out with the familiar pegleg/brickleg feeling and was kinda cranky about it then remembered one simple truth.

This is how you get stronger.

And then I smiled broadly and almost giggled to myself about how uncomfortable and familiar and happy it felt all at the same time. At the turnaround I picked it up and managed a negative split - my legs having shaken off some of the nastiness and warmed up into real and functional body parts. I finished and spent about :20 stretching in the now-near-dark lot (yes, there were still plenty of people around) ...feeling like a brick....house. Mighty mighty.