cycling, gym ratting and cooling down with veggie protein

So, in the past two weeks in addition to organizing 3 cooking classes and putting together a series of workshops for the fall, I have pedaled 60+ miles of two organized bike rides. Not too shabby. There's something about not being able to do the whole hundred that has been plaguing me as this is not the first time I have done these rides. Actually I have done both of them three times. The first few times I did 75 miles and I did the whole hundred last year, twice! Yes, its impressive, but I've come to learn that biking is a solo sport. I have friends that blow me out of the water with their biking prowess and others who bike like my grandmother (and some of them are guys!). Tune in here to a document of the North Fork Century from August 24th on this great video:
http://ilanadonna.typepad.com/downtown_diary/

In addition, I am in boot camp at Asphalt Green meeting each of their trainers 1:1 to learn their unique style. It is wonderful and painful at the same time. I feel like a gym rat working out with a trainer nearly every day. I have to say its been very humbling. I thought I was in excellent shape. I did a triathlon, my resting heart rate is about 60, what has happened to me? I'm working out nearly every day and biking across town (because the only way to efficiently get around the city is by bike!) and preparing for these rides, not to mention running on occasion. I have to get back into running as I have some races coming up in the next few weeks. I think not getting into the marathon lottery and having lost my ability to do the marathon despite completing my 9 races last year due to an economic technicality has taken its toll on me. The thought of doing 8 races in three months is a bit daunting and time consuming (not to mention highly expensive) but I am determined!

Now for the food. I had an unfortunate experience with a new beef guy from the union square greenmarket, who sold me spoiled meat. Its not his fault, these temperatures are ridiculous for the end of summer/beginning of fall and I had a long way to ride on my bike and I have learned to never ever buy frozen hamburgers not in a see through package again - I was really worried about those when I saw them - but my mom really wanted them and I felt pressured to get them. I don't know if the taste or smell of inedible grass fed beef has turned me off to meat altogether - but I am taking a bit of a vegetarian month off. I am experimenting with spirulina, nutritional yeast and hemp seeds as my main forms of protein. Nutritional yeast has all the B vitamins, even the mighty B12 thought only to be in animal products. Dairy, egg and meat industry beware, nutritional yeast may blow your marketing cover! I've also been taking these new drinkable vitamins called Ola Loa. I'm not a big fan of nutritional supplements but I must say that ever since I have been taking these, probably combined with my newfound veggie protein and ever love of green vegetables, I have incredible energy and happiness. Granted things are going particularly well in my life and my business, so that might be helping, but I still think its linked to what I am putting in my mouth.

I found a great set of recovery items for workouts. I am giving a lecture at the JCC of Manhattan on September 21st at 2pm on Sports Nutrition, so I have been thinking about my own recovery techniques and those endless varieties of packaged recovery suggestions on the market. I have been using unsweetened goat yogurt, kefir, bee pollen and a bit of buckwheat honey with some hemp seeds added for protein. I have also used my tried and true smoothies with acai, berries, hemp seeds, almond milk and either greens powder, spirulina, bee pollen or some combination thereof. If I have greens on hand, I will throw them in with maybe a ripe peach sliced up if I have one around. I find that nothing helps me recover better and gives me more energy than a smoothie with these ingredients. I have also been taking to having small amounts of raw honey while working out. I found small packages of raw honey that work the same as hammer gel or these other gels on the market and a) taste better and b) are more nutritious and natural that hammer gel, gu or clif shots. I'm a little afraid of some of those ingredients.

I'm going to go enjoy my early lunch now of greens, brown rice, nutritional yeast and hemp seeds with a few flax seeds and sesame seeds added for good measure. A few tablespoons of different seeds are a great addition to any grain or vegetable dish for added protein, omega 3 essential fats and good vitamins and minerals (selenium!). Look for ground varieties if you suffer from digestive issues or soak your seeds prior to adding them to your favorite dishes or smoothies.