Coyote In Patapsco!

I like to take my GoPro Camera when I ride in the dark in Patapsco for when I come across interesting critters.

Mostly I just get a lot of spiders.

But today I got a coyote!!

Strava File

Rainy days... great for Zwift Racing

Seth G and I put together a great AFC Team race this morning.  We worked well together even though we were both tired from big efforts yesterday.

Here is our sprint finish

I went for the long sprint, leading Seth out, he finished em off with an insane 12+watts/kg

zwiftpower placed me at 3rd place.  Seth got the W!

Full race video https://www.twitch.tv/videos/315294491

Strava upload: https://www.strava.com/activities/1868499639

I always need to do the races that start between 4 and 4:30am.  Luckily Seth does not mind waking up early with me :)  If anyone else wants to join us for an early morning race just let us know.  With all of this rain lately we have been racing 2ish times a week, but to be honest I am almost always up for a race in the morning.

Vegan Update

I am not vegan now... my family and I all had low iron levels due to my 10months of being a vegan and cooking all of the meals for the family.

After going back to meat I felt MUCH better overall.  I felt weak and tired at the end of the 10months.

I am sure someone else could do it right but being vegan did not work for me.

I do still eat mostly vegetables and fruit... but now with some meat and eggs added.

I am addicted to Zwift Racing!

Raced with Seth G yesterday in a Zwift race!  I am still learning the ropes but I got a lot of things right this time.

1. I collected an Aero power up before the start of the race.  
   

   
   
2. I saved the Aero power up until the finish.
3. On the first couple laps I timed it so that I knew where I should enable the Aero power up for the sprint finish, knowing that it lasts 30seconds.

For sure, if you are in a race with a sprint finish and you don't have the Aero power up you DO NOT stand a chance.

It was awesome racing with Seth!  I had someone to chat with and someone to work with in a break away.  

We broke away for something like 2ish laps 2/5-3.5/5 or so.. Seth correct me if I am wrong.  That was the best part of the race.  Trading pulls with Seth.

There was a short/steep climb right before the finish.  The finish is a flat out sprint.  Each lap looked like this:

With 2.5miles to go, after we were caught by the pack, I attacked to try to break up the field so that maybe Seth could win the sprint.

I was caught on the last climb so my plan didn't workout so well.  I stayed with the chasing group until the sprint finish.  I used the Aero power up at the right time to finish 2nd place.  Seth was 5th.  I think that if we try again we can win one of these things!

Post race 'zwift selfie' with Seth G... and yes somefreakinhow I have the Green Sprinters jersey.  I think I need to update my avatar to look more like me.

I always figured I would get into zwift racing and now I am hooked.  This stuff is addictive.  

The effort for most of these races is close to what I would do in a cross race.  Especially if you try to break away.  Perfect training for the season!

I do have one problem though.  In the sprint finishes I end up pulling so hard on the Kickr/Bike that I move the Kickr forward like 6 inches or more.  During the sprint in this race I almost pulled it so far forward that I nearly hit my TV.

What can I do about that?  What does everyone else do?

Thanks!

1 Year

Its been 1 year of absolutely no alcohol.  I do not miss it.  That stuff is poison and trash.

Feeling freaking great!  All of those times that I had a drink after a race was really messing with recovery.  Recovery is MUCH MUCH faster and I feel much stronger.

Oh yea!

Today is the day!

Today marks exactly 6months since I stopped drinking alcohol. 

OHHH YEA!

Not going to stop this streak any time soon.

Vegan Protein Powder? Not a whole food... but...

Been doing the whole food / plant based diet for about 5 months now and I am going on almost 6 months of no alcohol.

I had a new / recent discovery.  I was starting to feel like my diet was really missing something and I thought about it and figured it might actually be a super easy / quick / digestible source of protein.  It was just a hunch.  So even though protein powders are NOT whole food they do have a ton of organic / natural / plant based options these days.  Doing some research I found this one got the best reviews for price, quality, and ingredients.

I plan to use that like I used to use whey protein.  Maybe like 1-3 scoops per day spaced throughout the day, used as a 'snack' between meals and after workouts as needed.  I already feel better after just a few days of using it.  Definitely feels like it made the difference.  

If you want to transition to a whole food / plant based diet... I recommend that you really go 100% whole food for 3 weeks... see how you feel.  After that u might want to consider protein powder or any other things that you feel like u might be missing.  

They say it takes about 30 days or so to have a life change like this really take affect.  I think 3 weeks is doable!  You can do anyth!ng!  

Eat Your Veggies!!

I have a hard time getting my youngest (almost 2yrs old) to eat any veggies.  He will eat broccoli sometimes but that is about it.  My 4yr old is pretty good at eating his veggies but it can be a struggle.  Therefore I have resorted to 'hiding' the veggies in yummy concoctions like homemade blueberry jam with great success!!

Ingredients / Instructions:

• Fill blender with defrosted organic veggies
• Add defrosted organic blueberries (as many as you can fit)
• Top with ground flax meal and organic honey

Blend until so smooth that no veggie chunks remain... hide the evidence at all costs!!!

I made it this morning.  It should make enough for a few meals.  Use it as a topping for peanut butter jelly, waffles, bagels, etc.

Whole Food / Plant Based

Check out the "Food Choices" documentary.

Here are some suggestions for easy / awesome meals... eating like this takes time and it will be an adjustment... please make the leap.  Go for it. I predict it will be life changing.

Breakfast: 

• Oats, organic banana, frozen/defrosted organic strawberries, organic syrup/honey, organic flax/chai meal... mash it all together... add hot water.
• Oats, organic banana, organic raisins, dash of almond/cashew milk unsweetened... mash it all together... add hot water.
• Organic sprouted waffles/english muffins/bread (recommend Ezekiel brand or similar.. u can find them in freezer section of grocery store), organic flax/chai meal organic banana, frozen/defrosted organic blueberries.. drizzle a touch of organic syrup/honey on top.

breakfast for my wife

Lunch: 

• Organic sweet potato, a huge portion of organic greens (spinach/kale/cabbage), any other organic veggies (beets/broccoli/cauliflower), touch of organic fruit (bananas/dried figs/dried dates/raisins), touch of seasoning (ginger/cinnamon), touch of tumeric/pepper for health and stomach, 1/4 - 1/3 can of organic beans 
• Organic sprouted bread, organic peanut butter (small amount), organic raisins/banana, arugula on top (i know it sounds weird but try it) 
• Potato, organic gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos, a huge portion of organic greens, other organic veggies, nutritional yeast, 1/4 - 1/3 can of organic beans

lunch!

Snacks:

• Small handful of almonds or other nuts 
• Organic carrots are a freaking awesome snack 
• Small handful of organic pumpkin seeds 
• Haven't tried this.. might be good for long runs/rides Vegan Power Bars
• Lauren loves these Vegan Buddha Balls

snacks that I made/used for a 3hr ride on the indoor rollers

Dinners: (These recipes are all very easy to make... please be sure to remove any/all oils from recipes.. you don't need oil and it is very very processed and high in fat / calories).  Dinners should be based on veggies (organic and uncooked as possible), then legumes (organic), then grains (quinoa is your friend)

• Baked Fries
• Pad Thai Sauce
• Lasagna Vegan
• Black bean beat burgers
• Vegan Butternut Squash Soup
• Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa Lentil Burgers
• Vegan chic pea sandwich

Drinks:

• Do you drink coffee? If so then switch to cold brew. Let me know if u want me to list the way that I make it. Cold brew is less acidic so better on stomach / digestion / etc. 
• 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/8 organic lemon slice, 1 glass of water 
• 1/8 organic lemon slice, 1 glass water 
• Green tea 
• NO alcohol if you can manage it.

Cold Brew Coffee!!?

Have you tried it?  Have you made it?

I made some yesterday and drinking it now.  I will tell you that it tastes like the best coffee I have ever had.  I am just using the crappy pre-ground coffee from the grocery store.

Apparently it is also much better for you because it is 65% less acidic.  Coffee always gives me a slight tummy ache because of its acid level.  This is my first day having cold brew coffee so I am going to see how it feels in my stomach after a few hours.  Video listing the benefits.

It was easy to make, you just have to make it the day before.

I found a youtube video for how to make a HUGE batch of it so you only have to make it like 1x every week or so.

Another option is to get one of these: OXO Brewers

Not sure yet... but what I do know is that I think I am hooked on cold brew!!