Up & Running, Kona and "coldslop" recipe!

Thanks everyone for sending in your pictures/stories of endurance-sport gnarliness. Keep them coming and tell all your friends to send me their gross photos too. I plan on making a cool blog with all your nasty contributions, so don't worry, I won't be stingy and only share this with my CSUF classmates. There's enough grossness to go around.

Moving on...

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Knee on the mend for good?
I decided to take Saturday off from any activity, minus some stretching and foam rolling, because things are going really really really good on the workout front and I don't want to push my luck by doing too much too soon. In the last four days, I've had 60 awesome miles of biking (thx to bike commuting), one stellar run and a lot of other fun workouts -- like a distance lake swim with aqua jogging intervals, the usual SPI gnarliness, rowing, etc.

The stellar run was on Friday and came right after master's swim. I got in 20 minutes of running on hard-packed dirt (30 min total since it was walk-run intervals). I felt 100% normal during and after, except the fact that my HR was soaring because I'm so out of shape... but that's the least of my worries right now. In the recent past, I've felt an odd lingering tightness/pressure feeling in and around the knee after "test" runs, but not this time. Woo hoo! I really wanted to workout Saturday, but I'm playing it safe instead. Thankfully we have a solid bike ride planned on Sunday with no slacking allowed.

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Kona 2010 Baby!
Me in Kona last year, loving it... and guess what...

...turns out I will be reporting in Kona again this year, this time with Triathlete Magazine!!! I wasn't sure if this was going to pan out, but it is. I have to thank Matt Fitzgerald especially for helping me land this gig. I feel totally blessed that at least one of my talents is taking me to the Big Island for the mother of all triathlons. Be sure to keep an eye out for me in all the coverage. Plus, I think I know even more people who are racing this year, so that will only add to the fun. And D is going, so, well, that speaks volumes :)

Last but not least...

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Coldslop aka kick-ass coleslawThis is a healthy guilt-free coleslaw recipe, but I like saying coldslop--I prefer a messy, hands-on eating style so that word is awesome in my book. Anyways, this coleslaw is protein-packed and totally guilt free because I use Greek yogurt instead of the traditional sour cream & mayo blend. I originally saw coleslaw being made on the Food Network (during a trainer sess of course), but it was so fatty and sugar filled... it was screaming for a healthy makeover. Enter TP into the kitchen...

12 oz bag - broccoli slaw blend

10 oz - shredded green cabbage

8 oz - shredded red cabbage

1 heaping handful fresh chopped cilantro

3 carrots - shredded or grated

1 apple coarsely chopped (about walnut-sized chunks)

juice of 3 limes

3 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cup nonfat or lowfat greek yogurt

2 tsp dried chives

1 tbsp dried onion flakes

8-10 packets stevia (or sweetener of choice)

1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in large bowl & chill in fridge for at least an hour for best results.

*Note: For an added kick, add 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper OR red pepper flakes but be careful… mine turned out waaaay too spicy (think I measured cayenne wrong, oops haha)

The above pic was taken a day after letting it chill and soak up the flavors; this pic below is what it looked like before mixing in the yogurt, etc. All fresh.....