Ingredients

• 1 cup Brown Rice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/4 cup Vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 2 ripe tomatoes, large-diced
• 1 cup packed baby spinach (1 large bunch), chopped

Directions

Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil and add the rice and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed. Transfer the rice to a bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, remaining teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Pour over the rice. Add the tomatoes, spinach and rosemary. Mix well and check the seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

Relationship and Triathlon

Exercise is great for your heart, but a regular fitness routine can wreak havoc on a relationship, especially if your significant other’s idea of movement is reaching for the remote control.

We’ve all heard about “golf widows” bemoaning the hours their partners spend in pursuit of the little white ball. And for every person who is thrilled when his or her spouse goes from fat to fit, there’s another who resents the fact that Chunky Monkey has been banned from the freezer.

But triathlon, with its extreme time demands and its power to transform athletes both physically and emotionally, may be one of the toughest challenges any pair of valentines can face. Triathlon has been called the “divorce sport” because the commitment it takes to complete one of these run-bike-swim events can leave the noncompetitive partner feeling neglected, and perhaps even abandoned.

Tough love is needed at all times. Try and make them part of your routine and journey. If they are a fatty, it is time to get in shape. Have them join.

Set your mind prior to practice. What is your purpose when you wake up each morning to practice. The sky is the limit. I read today:

“‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3:8 ESV)

We are farmers laying our field and waiting for the rain to fall. We are athletes laying our training prior to the race. Waiting for that day to show what you are capable of. We are not here to win races, it is not about us to make glory and die… we have a bigger in reason in life. You do this sport for a reason, to follow your heart and determination. It is not only in the field, it is on a day to day basis… on everything you do. When it comes to race and you win or cross the finish line…. ask yourself if you did your best!!!!

I have faith in all of your efforts you do in practice, because everything you do will show me how you really are in a day to day basis. So, if you give me half efforts, that will show how you function on a day to day basis. Show me your true colors and you will shine!

White Bean Hummus

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons tahini (sesame-seed paste)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (19-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove, peeled

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, and process until the mixture is smooth.

CALORIES 108 (30 percent from fat); FAT 3.6g (sat 0.4g, mono 1.2g, poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 5g; CARB 15g; FIBER 2.2g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 144mg; CALC 48mg

Summer Spinach Salad

• 1 Granny Apple Diced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 (5-ounce) packages (8 cups) baby spinach leaves
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup light feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup of cranberries
• 1/4 cup of mandarin oranges
• 1/4 cup thin sliced carrots

Directions:

1. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and serve.

As the season comes along, we are coming across the biggest predicament in the beginning…. the flu!!!  As an athlete, we go threw so much commotion cause we want to push threw anything… but there are certain parameters we must follow:

First, though, we should mention the situations in which athletes should put their workouts on hold. Whenever you have a fever greater than 100 degrees, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath or wheezing, or a rapid/irregular heartbeat, it’s best to abstain from training. The risk of making things worse, combined with the likelihood of completing a poor workout which won’t really help you attain your training goals, make it wise to rest until such symptoms resolve themselves.

Rest.. what does that mean!!!!

That means listening to your body and resting.Do not overdue it! if you do! There is some evidence noting that light physical activity such as walking offers protection from getting sick. However, the physical stress of heavy training can make an athlete more vulnerable. For example, in one study runners averaging more than 96km/wk were twice as likely to suffer from colds as those running less than 32 km/wk. Poor nutrition and psychological stress that can occur with over-training also can weaken immunity.

So how sick is too sick to train? A good rule of thumb is that if symptoms are confined to the neck or above, it is probably fine to work out but at a reduced level initially and then advance the intensity and duration as tolerated. On the other hand, if symptoms occur below the neck, one should rest until the problem resolves. A fever means the body’s temperature regulation center already has its hands full and may not be able to tolerate additional physical stress of training. Exercising with a fever can also be a recipe for dehydration. Muscle aches, diarrhea, and difficulty breathing all indicate that an infection is more serious and that the body needs rest in order to heal.

To conclude, many of the symptoms of colds and flu are self-limited. By drinking plenty of fluids, getting extra rest, and judiciously using a pain and fever reducer, you will often obtain adequate relief from your symptoms. Whenever particular symptoms are preventing you from getting a good night’s rest, one of the cold/flu remedies might be helpful. If you are confused about the multitude of medications which are available, an excellent source of information is The Complete Drug Reference. Although priced rather steeply, this volume tells you what to expect from various drugs and advises you about which drugs to avoid if you have underlying medical conditions. If you are ever unsure about what to take, talk to your doctor for helpful hints.

Many athletes have made the decision to stop eating meat. Despite common misconceptions, the word “vegetarian” has nothing to do with consuming vast amounts of vegetables. Although vegetables do play a large role in the vegetarian diet, the word itself actually comes from the Latin word “vegetus” meaning full of vitality, vigorous and cheerful.

The list of reasons why people switch to a vegetarian diet is as varied as the people themselves and include issues pertaining to ecology, economy, religion, ethics, emotions and of course health. Not only can a vegetarian diet meet the nutritional needs for any high performance sport, studies are beginning to show that it may also play a major role in disease prevention

A vegetarian diet for endurance athletes is really not all that different from a normal (healthy) diet, with the exception, of course, of the meat.  If you’re switching from eating McDonald’s every day, then sure, it’s going to take some getting used to.  But if you eat lots of nutritious, whole foods as it is, there really aren’t all that many adjustments you need to make to go vegetarian.

You can take it as far as you want, and some vegetarian and vegan athletes tend toward raw and gluten-free diets, citing even greater energy gains.  There are differing degrees of health in even vegetarian diets, and mine still includes a lot of delicious cooked foods that “normal” people eat.

Links of Websites of Vegetarian Resources:

1. No Meat Athlete: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-diet-athletes/
2. The Vegetarian Athlete: http://www.thevegetarianathlete.com/
3. Vegetarian Runner: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303-308-10861-0,00.html
4. Active.com: http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/The-Vegetarian-Athlete.htm
5. About.com: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sportsnutrition/a/VegetarianTips.htm
6. Vegetarianism in a Nutshell: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/athletes.htm
7. Vegetarian Cooking: http://www.vegetarians-cooking.com/ 

Keep up the good work!

McMillan Running Calculator 

Another test in which many coaches use the 10k field test. Items required: Heart rate monitor and GPS device.

Description: The athlete will provide resting heart rate in the early morning.  A 10km run at Threshold or RPE 8 – 10. The test will be as follows:

The athlete will run this at race effort… don’t hold back. During the test, make sure  the athlete is hydrated.  Each mile the athlete runs, the athlete must press the lap button.  When the athlete is done, make sure to stop their watch. Record your results as Max HR, AVG HR, Max Pace and Avg Pace per each mile. Collect the total time and visit: http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/site/calculator The coach will complete the form and their running paces will show up in the next page.  The coach will provide you with a copy of your performance pace sheet. Based upon these paces, the athlete will follow the coach’s training plan.

Testing is of no value unless the information gained is used to improve their training or confirm that they are training in a appropriate manner. Periodic assessment of race performance and fitness is a valuable tool for multi-sport athletes and can help the coach lean how to train the athlete for steady improvement.