Big Deposits at the Bank of Ironman

This past weekend was a busy one but very important for my IM training.

Friday is my typical rest day. I slept in a little and took a cold bath for my legs before taking a regular shower. I had to drive 3 hours in the afternoon to a customer for an evening migration. The work didn't last long and I was sleeping by 11:30PM. the next morning I just needed to check on the customer and drove home. I was back by 12:30PM. I still had to do my workout for the day.

Usually I have a long ride/run brick on Saturdays then a long run on Sunday....supposed to simulate running on tired legs. But with the weekend schedule I switched the two workouts around. I ran my 2 hours Sat. afternoon starting around 3:00PM. The weather was threatening the whole time but I never had any rain. I was feeling great running on "fresh" legs for once. I was in my target HR zones and had a nice rolling course. I'll have to introduce it to my Cleveland friends. All said and done I put in 16 miles again, same mileage as last week. I calculated my pace and I hit 7:45 average per mile. It was good going that fast but that will not be my run pace at Ironman, I'm hoping for 9's.

Back at home Aimee and I made some pizza on the grill and I prepared all my gear for the brick on Sunday. I went back to the CVNP for my Lake Placid training ride, aka the Death Ride. The workout plan called for 5 hours on the bike and a 45 minute run afterwards. This Death Ride is comprised of approximately 14 hills coming out of the valley with plenty of rollers in between each hill. These hills ranged from a short steep climb for 1 minute to a longer gradual climb that lasted 15 minutes. In between were rollers that usually lasted 20 minutes.

Of course some of the steeper climbs are later in the route on very tired legs. My first hill I knew it would be a long day as my legs were still tired from the 16 miles the day before. But the more I rode the better they felt. They started to loosen up and respond to the climbing. The best hills were in the middle portion of the ride. I did enjoy the entire ride and had some funny observations during the rides, usually involving farm animals and a slug.

As I finished the bike ride I rolled into the parking lot and mentally made myself ready for the run. I didn't look at my bike computer on purpose. I didn't want to know my stats until I was all done. The display on the computer shows RPMs and total time. It will be like that at Lake Placid also.

After a 5 minute transition I headed out for my run. This was the worst my legs have ever felt after a ride. Heavy and tough to move. I thought I would have to walk some but I pushed on. My first mile was 9:30, okay not bad. Then my legs started to respond to the new movement. My stride was short but quick. I made sure my upper body was relaxed and focused on pace and form. I kept it flat since I did a rolling course the day prior. When I made it back to the parking lot I had ran 5.5 miles.

Ride Stats: 86 miles in 5:05, 13 hills plus rollers. All combined 14+ hills.
Run Stats: 5.5 miles in 45:49, 8:20/mile pace. I'm skeptical on that but the GMAP and time don't lie. but I started at 9:30 for the first mile. The other 4 miles really changed the average.

Total workout time is 5:54:22.

Now if that isn't a big deposit in the Ironman bank I'm not sure what is. I talked to my coach today and she is excited because I am right where she wants me to be in the training. She knows the stuff I am riding now is harder than the Lake Placid bike course.

So after my workout I had to get home, ice bath the legs, shower, get dressed and go to my brothers for mother's day dinner. I'm glad he was cooking because I was fried, I'll have to post his seafood stew it was very good.

When Aimee and I got home I checked my training for the upcoming week and decided to skip the morning swim coach had for me. We went to bed early and slept in. I needed the rest after such a big weekend.

I hope everyone had a great weekend like I did.

I've been called out.....

....by Bolder in Boulder. I knew someone would call me out in response to my interview on GYGO #17. So here are the pictures that I sent to TriGeekKahuna and IronWil. Now don't judge me if you don't know me. I'm not some sick pervert that sends pictures of feet and legs to just anyone. When I heard GYGO #15 and how Kahuna wouldn't stop teasing Wil about her foot "issues" I had to step up, literally. I just have a sense of humor that is a little off kilter and I just couldn't resist.
When I first sent the pictures I wasn't sure if I freaked them out. I didn't hear any response until they called me, yes I was a surprised triathlete.

So Bolder, here is my shaved leg, where's yours?

Another 16 mile long run today. Felt great and riding long tomorrow, probably in the rain, oh well.

Keeping the Game On.

Quote of the Day

“In every real man a child is hidden that wants to play.”

PHILOSOPHER FRIEDRICH WILHELM NIETZSCHE

If the rain keeps up I'm going to go play in the rain.

Go out and play....Game On.

Family and Friends Friday - Mother-in-Law

Some people paint an ugly picture when it comes to Mother-in-laws. I've never had any problems. I'm on my second one and still no problems. Sure they have their little quirks but doesn't everyone. Aimee's mom is no different than any other person and is a damn wonderful person.

Liz is the aquatics director at a local city's rec center. She has been teaching swim lessons, arthritis classes, water aerobics, life guarding, etc....for as long as I've known her. She knows what a crappy swimmer I started out as but has commented on how good I look when I swim.

Liz and her boyfriend Joe have been able to travel around the world and recently visited New Zealand where they hiked and went bungie jumping. We have been fortunate enough to join them on vacation and always have a great time. This picture was from the jeep tour of Aruba two years ago.

Liz and Joe will be at Lake Placid watching me put my body through the wringer.

Happy Mother's Day for all the lovely ladies out there. Tell the kids all you want for Mother's Day is a four hour block of time so you can ride your bike and train.

Enjoy getting your Game On.

Double Duty

I've been doing double workouts since the beginning of the year. So what difference does it make today that I mention that. Because I have to pay homage to Mistress Mirror and Master Placid.

Thank-you mistress for a good swim this morning. I felt strong and fluid as I swam next to TriSaraTops. My confidence is continuing to build as I approach IM USA. If you had told me three years ago that I would be swimming 4000 yard workouts with thinking twice I would have said, "Yuz crazy Alfalfa".

Thank-you Master P for the strength to perform my evening hill repeats with power and stamina. I know the hills will improve my running for the Lake Placid course.

Have you thanked the patriarchs/matriarchs of your triathlon course?

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Seafood Pasta

When it comes to meals I've found some great recipes that are quick and easy to make. Ironman training has made it mandatory to whip up meals like that. This one allows you to choose the main ingredient and pasta.

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 cup dry white wine
1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup and Recipe Mix
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper
seafood or choice, shrimp, scallops, white fish, fake seafood (crab/lobster), your choice.
pasta of choice, cooked and drained

Lightly saute the garlic in oil for 5 minutes. If you are using uncooked seafood you can cook your choice with the garlic. Remove the seafood and set aside.
Add water, wine, soup mix, oregano and dried red pepper in skillet. Stir constantly, bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Return the seafood to the skillet and simmer 2 more minutes. When done spoon over your pasta of choice.

Enjoy with a glass of red wine, it's good for you.

Eat up, so you can get your Game On

Two for Tuesday - Hills

Cutting to the chase today so hang on.........

Tackling Up-Hills
Whether you are running or cycling hills, how you attack the upward slope, especially turns, can make or break your climbing. Often times people think that the best route through a turn is to hug the inside curve. That's not bad when you are on a flat surface. Once the road turns skyward the inside may be your worst choice.

The inside curve is often the point where the slope is the greatest, causing you to fight gravity even more. Try to outside corner instead, or at least move away from the corner. On a closed course you can use the entire road. The incline is usually more forgiving and you won't struggle up the steep corner.

Running the Down-Hills
Last year at a local du, Hinkley Buzzard Duathlon, I was running the downhills at a conservative pace. However there were several others that were charging down the hills and just blowing by me. That's when I knew I need to learn how to run downhill. You figure this would be easy since gravity is helping your down the hill. But more often that not you are subconsiously putting on the brakes. This braking action is counter to the downward momentum and puts a strain on your quads tiring them out too fast.

I read in Runner's World about running down the hills. In a nutshell it said to treat the downhill as a controlled fall. Let gravity help you move quickly, turning your legs over at a high rate and using your arms to keep your balance. Your body position should be perpendicular to the ground. I try to move my shoulders forward to keep the right position.

You will look and feel like you are about to fall over, but again subconsciously your body will compensate to prevent you from hitting the pavement.

Remember hills are out friends. Hills will make you both faster and stronger. Flat roads can't.

Game On

Holy Schmoly......

have I really not posted since last Wednesday? Sure as shit in the woods came from a bear. It's been hard to balance the Trilogy lately and find any time to post on the blog. I want to put up something worthwhile and meaningful but I can't sit still long enough to do that. I have missed two weekend recaps so I will summarize my summary with two words(or letters)............................F' in A.

Training has been treating me well. Weekend rides are between 4 and 4.5 hours usually lasting 70-75 miles. Runs after the rides have been surprisingly fresh. Long runs on Sunday have been postitive.

Last week was a recovery week. Lighter on the intensity so my body could absorb the training.

Saturday was a 4:45 brick which resulted in 71 miles on the bike and 6 miles running. Kick ass part was that I did the 6 miles in 45 minutes, and this was after the freakin' ride. I was pumped.

Sunday was even better. For those the understand the word Hinkley will understand what I'm talking about. Hinkley is the best hilly running routes in the area. The roads around the Cleveland Metropark provide 6, 8 and 10 mile loops. I started with the 6 mile loop expecting to do two loops for my 2 hour run. I was back at the parking lot in a perfect 48 minutes. where the hell did I pull 8 minute/mile from? So after a quick P2, I went back out on the 8 mile loop to see what I could do. I was feeling great. I made it back to the parking lot in 63 minutes.

Now I will say that each uphill has a downhill that improves your pace but damn I was moving and still feeling good. I still had 10 minutes to kill of my two hour run. So I head back out on the 6 mile loop to do one mile out and back. Damn, I kept getting faster, 15:22!!!!!!

All said and done 16 miles, 2 hours 6 minutes, 7:55 pace.

I"ve decided that I must pay homage to Master Placid, the patriarch of the IM USA bike/run course. I've been paying homage to Madame Pele but I'm not going to Kona, so Master P gets my thanks for providing me with the strength and speed to kick ass on the hills of Hinkley.

Enough rambling tonight. Two for Tuesday will probably be a late post tomorrow due to working out of town.

I'm feeling good, time for you to get your game on.

check out my countdown clock. IM USA is just over the next couple of rises.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Let's Get This Party Started

In case you haven't noticed a recurring theme, I like to cook on the grill. Specifically my Weber grill using the recipes from the Big Book of Grilling. I've shared some great recipes that are mouth watering and delicious.

Many of the recipes call for a sauce or rub to be used. So today we talk about how to get things started properly for a great meal on the grill.

Rubs
I really enjoy taking a variety of herbs and spices, some fresh from the garden, and mixing together a flavorful rub. With most rubs you want to coat the food with the rub about 1 hour before cooking. This helps intensify the flavors when the food hits the grill. We try to make several rubs at once then store them for future use when needed. A zip lock bag or airtight container works great for storage. The following rub is very simple to make and is good for any food; steak, pork, chicken, even fish. A true all-purpose rub. Double the recipe to store some in reserve.

Southwestern Rub
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (can also use cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

combine everything in a small bowl and rub on the meat or fish. refrigerate for 1 hour before grilling.

Sauces
When is comes to barbeque sauce there are plenty of bottles in the grocery store to choose from. Many interesting flavors, some national brands, some local brands. In the Cleveland area former Cleveland Browns defensive end Al "Bubba" Baker has his own sauce and opened up a restaurant. I've been there and the food is great.

Well, I like to make my own sauce and Weber has a recipe that is easy to make and tastes great on anything.

Weber Tangy Barbeque Sauce
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup catsup
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dash pepper

In a medium saucepan cook celery and onion in butter until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve warm with grilled beef, pork, or chicken, or brush on meats during last 10 minutes of grilling time.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Get that food on the grill and enjoy.

Two for Tuesday - Bike Skills

According to Bolder, "It's all about the bike". So today's TfT is about the bike. I have spent many miles and hours on the bike recently, especially the hills. This past Friday I was OTR for 4.5 hours going up and down the hills of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. While on the downhills I thought about skills required on the bike.

Skill #1 - Pedal Position
While coasting or riding downhill it is recommended to keep your pedals flat. This provides you with a stable platform for your feet without feeling off balance. You feet are also in the best position for when you want to navigate a turn. I've found that I am most comfortable with my left foot forward. Having my pedals level are very important when going down hill. Some of the hills I was hitting were fairly steep and the level cranks gave me better stability without getting pitched forward. Give it a try next time you are on the bike.

Skill #2 - Keep it Steady
Tri bikes are not necessarily designed for cornering, climbing or descending. The angles of the bike are much steeper which is great for when you are wanting to go fast in a straight line. Even descending can get a little hairy on a tri bike, I've almost crashed several times thinking I was on a road bike. To help keep the bike under control I clamp the top-tube between my knees. It's amazing how much extra control you can get on the bike by doing this. The extra stability helps prevent the bike from shaking.

So get on your bike and ride.

Quote of the Day

I think of this quote every May 1st. Please help me fill in the blank.

Hurray!! Hurray!!
It's the first of May,
Outdoor _______ begins today!

I'll get a more meaningful post out later today.

Family & Friends Friday - Coach Angela

Today I introduce you to my Tri Coach, Angela Forster. This is my third year of being coached by Angela. My wife and I started with her in 2004 when we trained for a half-iron distance tri (the 3 of us at the finish, Angela on the left). Last year she took me through an Olympic distance season where I raced in a series of races and she coached Aimee for the Columbus (Ohio) Marathon. This year she is putting me through the ringer with the IM training, but I'm loving it.

I first met Angela during swim clinics at the local fitness center. She would be the on-deck coach for a group of triathletes. It really helped my swimming. I liked her approach to the swim, which is what I needed the most work on. She was a collegiate swimmer at the University of Kentucky and is super fast in the water. She also has the knowledge and experience to coach. She has finished Ironman something like 8 times at Florida, Lake Placid, Wisconsin and Hawaii. In 2005 she had her first baby, then came back to race at IM Wisconsin (13:07) then followed that up with IM Florida (11:15). Both races she swam 57 minutes being out of the water as part of the top 100 people.

She is very knowledgable about recent training techniques and makes sure she is up to date with nutrition, heart rates, VO2, etc. She keeps learning so she can help her athletes become better.

Today we rode together. I was doing the 14 hill route and she wanted to see what the roads were like. She hosts a tri camp in the Cleveland area and was going to use the route for a training day. I was eager to show her the hills. I would power up the hills and wait for her to catch up, she hasn't had much time to train herself, but man she still looked good while riding. The bonus for me was that she could see me ride. She has done Lake Placid several times and knows the course very well. She knows how the hills that we were riding compared to the bike course at LP. Several times she commented on how strong I looked and that I would "tear up" the bike course.

It's great to hear that from your coach. The mental aspect of coaching is important as well and Angela tries her best to get that across to you. When I made the decision to back out of the Shamrock Marathon she supported me 100% and agreed that it was the best thing to do. She also trusts my judgement about how I feel and if I decide to skip a workout because of being tired or too busy. I pay attention to my body and won't push if the body says no.

Angela is excited about my IM debut. The training so far has been great and she puts together some awesome workouts. I keep on learning more about myself through this training.

Angela is a great coach and a wonderful friend. She is one of many special women in my life.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Puddin'

Keeping things simple today, we all like simple.

As triathletes proper protein intake should be on the top of our nutritional list. I buy my protein powder supplement at GNC. Good flavors, mixes well and seems to work well for me. But drinking it straight or making the same shakes over and over can get boring.

So how about some protein pudding? Follow the directions on the box and add two scoops of protein powder. I would recommend preparing in a blender so the powder mixes well. Pour into bowls chill and serve.

Experiment with different flavors of pudding and protein powder.

You will feel like a kid again.

Two for Tuesday - Pain and Suffering

So what is a little pain and suffering during your triathlon training or racing? We have all experienced the dark side of triathlon. The endless yards and miles that seem to never end. The muscle cramps that pop out of nowhere due to dehydration or poor nutrition. How about that strained muscle when we tried to squeeze out one more interval during training? Or that insidious IT Band that protests about the overtraining with pins and needles.

In The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training there is a chapter about Pain. The authors help to define pain, suffering and discomfort, yes I know I have thrown in a third term on TfT....deal with it, I'm trying to make a point.

Everyone has a different perception of what pain is and their threshold to said pain is just as unique. But I liked the definitions they use in this chapter because I feel they hold merit.

What are the differences between pain, suffering and discomfort? Pain is a general term to express the physical feeling we have and how we deal with it. The fear of pain may prevent us from doing that extra interval or pushing our legs to run 5 seconds faster. We know it will hurt and be painful all the way through to the end.

But are we suffering or experiencing discomfort? Pain is the common factor between the two. The differences lie in how we deal with the pain mentally. In the book the authors differentiate suffering and discomfort the following way.

Some people suffering through pain caused by a life threatening disease or physical ailment that may be severe, long lasting, life threatening and possibly not under their control. A cancer patient puking their guts out after chemo knowing there are more treatments to come. The police officer run over during a routine traffic stop that now has to learn to walk again because his leg and hip were crushed. These people SUFFER.

As triathletes, or athletes in general, we place our bodies in uncomfortable situations. We accept the discomfort of training and racing. But we really never suffer. We can control the discomfort. We can slow down, walk, or even stop. We can see the light at the end of the 8th track interval. We can see the top of the incline and are glad to have a downhill on the other side. We know that the finish line is the end of this particular race and the immediate pain and discomfort will stop.

I use this comparison during my training. I'm on the bike doing big gear pushes. I'm into the wind. It's cold out. My legs are burning with lactic acid. I am not comfortable. I can stop. The "pain" will go away. But I don't stop. As long as I am not doing anything to cause an injury I keep moving forward. I remember the story of Blazeman, the ALS Warrior Poet as he was featured during Kona 2005. He never gave up. I think of my friend Tina who is battling breast cancer. She has not given up. I am not suffering like they do. I am simply uncomfortable, so I keep moving forward and pursue my IM goals.

To make sure I remember what I am doing I am raising money through the Janus Charity Challenge. Yes you will hear more about that later. My charity is the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. I think of the many women that have had to suffer through their cancer. Some have won, some have lost. I train and race Ironman for them

My favorite inspirational quote is from Steve Prefontaine.

"To give less than your best is to sacrifice the gift"

I have an athletic gift that permits me to train and race triathlons, this year an Ironman. I am not going to give less than my best because I am experiencing a little discomfort. I will move forward in memory and honor of those that suffer.

Have you given your best today? Have you sacrificed your gift?

Do your best, expose your gift....Game On.

Breakthroughs, Recoveries and Insights

I hope everyone has me listed through bloglines so they weren't checking back to see a new post. I extended my mental recovery period into the weekend partly due to a hectic work day Friday and a bigmongous training day Saturday. Let see how far back I need to go in my training.

Tuesday was my next training day. I was pleasantly surprised that my coach didn't schedule a swim workout for Tuesday morning. Slept in a little and felt great in the morning. My evening workout was a one hour run. Now my running has been slowly getting better. As usual I decided to just go with what felt good. Feeling good this time meant a 7:45 pace. I was cruising by the 1 mile mark so I just went with it. I was in Zone 2 for the first time in months. After 25 minutes I backed off a little to recovery slightly, then I picked it up again. I finished in 43 minutes. Since I added some intensity to the run I felt vindicated to cut things short. Still trying to be smart about the recovery on the leg.

Wednesday brought out the bike. A 90 minute evening ride was on tap. I was working from home all beautiful day. The dogs loved it since they could be outside as well. Somewhere in the afternoon Ruby decided to break through the Invisible Fence and have a little adventure. She was gone for around 4 hours and got nice and dirty. Some nice people that live not too far away rounded her up into their fenced in yard. Her tags have Aimee's cell phone and our address. I didn't think I was going to get my ride in since she was gone. Around 5:30 the couple drove over to tell me they had Ruby. I followed them back to their house and retrieved my dirty dog.

I did finally get on my bike, thank goodness daylight sticks around longer. I rode to my mechanic to pick up my truck after service. This ride was to be a easy Zone 2 ride. I felt great on this ride. The heart rate was right where it needed to be. Average speed was between 19-20 MPH and I held a high cadance 95-100 RPM. What a great ride.

Thursday I was back in the pool. Another 4000 yard workout. I struggled early on with getting my body started. I felt a little sluggish. My form was on but my focus was a little askew as my splits were all over the place. Too fast, too slow, a build which increased in time instead of decrease. It was an insightful day to realize that you can loose focus even within the confines of a pool.

Thursday evening I had a 45 minute run. I didn't double check my workout and was positive that I should run 60 minutes. I had a movie to return to Hollywood Video so I ran it up there literally instead of using the car, in case people haven't noticed gas prices are up. Another awesome run for me. 8:23 pace through streets I have never run on before. So the new scenary was an added bonus.

Friday was a typical rest day and I managed to get a massage in from Di. She's great because she tries to fit me in whenever possible and this time it meant going to her house for my massage.

Saturday was a big brick. Total time scheduled was 4:45:00 bike/run brick. Again I rode out of the house because of gas prices and I wasn't disappointed. The day started with a dense fog alert in the Cleveland area. I put on a wind vest and arm warmers to fight any chill, yet I could take them off when things warmed up. I also put my blinky butt light of the bike for safety reasons. Fortunately there isn't much traffic at 7:30Am on a Saturday to deal with, but still the fog was thick. The Cleveland Metroparks is similar to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as they are both in a valley created by the rivers that feed Lake Erie. So in the Metroparks you have to climb a hill to get out of the valley. This worked well as I needed to do some hill climbing to get ready for my next tour of the Death Ride route. I hit almost every hill, 16 in total when I was done. Now these hills are nothing compared to what Bolder has been riding, most only lasted 2-5 minutes but I take what I can.

My coach said the ride should be 3:30 - 4:00. I went for the 4 hours instead. I like riding my bike. I had fun. However, I couldn't wait to get off the bike, but not for the reason you think. I could have gone another hour. I couldn't wait for my run after the bike. I was feeling so good I wanted to get my running shoes on for the 45 minute run that was waiting for me. as I turned into my development I saw Aimee waiting for me in the driveway. She was going to join me on her bike while I ran. I was hoping she would be up for it as she already did a 1:40:00 run with her friends earlier, I saw them in the park.

My run was feeling good as well. We went 6.6 miles in 53 minutes. I was at a perfect 8 min/mile and I didn't even feel like I was pushing it that much. Total workout time was 5:04:00 with 73.65 miles of biking and 6.6 miles of running. Man I feel good.

Finally on Sunday I did a 90 minute run in the morning. Legs were a little tired but that's how coach wants it. You have to know how to run on tired legs in Ironman. Regardless I did 12 miles at an amazing 7:55 pace. I'm so happy my running is coming back around. Coach says I'll start getting some hill repeats soon. To finish out my weekend I have a 30 minute run that I will hit as soon as I post this.

I know that was alot of reading above but I needed to get the great news about my training posted, especially my run. My excitement level is high as I far within 90 days of IM USA.

Tomorrow I'll provide some deep thoughts. You have lots of time to think while on a 4 hour bike ride.

I hope everyone else had a weekend that allowed them to get their Game On.

Recovery Week - For the Mind

I've decided that my mind needs a small break from blogging. You know, 3-4 weeks heavy then a recovery week, it's called periodization.

So I leave you with my training recap from the weekend.

Saturday I had to stay close to home in the morning due to work committments. I finally made it to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to get in my 3:35 brick. The CVNP is the best area in northeastern Ohio for hills. There is a ride route called the 14 hill ride; aka the Death Ride. Granted it's nothing like the mountains that Bolder has been riding in Colorado, but it's what we have available.

I did the northern portion of that route which allowed me to swing by the car and top off my water bottle. It was a glorious day. About 65 degrees F, slight wind, blue skies, plenty of sun.

I mapped the route and I have to do some final calculations for vertical gain but these climbs are short and steep. All said and done I rode for 3:10 and 56 miles. Not bad for a hilly route. After the ride I had a 35 minute run. I wasn't sure how I would feel with the hip. It took about 1 mile for the hamstrings to realize I was running. I pulled in 4 miles at 9:00 minute/mile pace. I was happy with my run as well. Things are feeling good and my confidence is returning in regards to my run.

Sunday morning I had a long run of 1:15. This is the longest I have run in a long time. My route put me at 8 miles. Before that I was up to around 7 miles. Slowly but surely I will get my run volume back up to speed. Easter dinner was at my parents house where we feasted like royalty. Later in the evening Aimee rode her bike while I got in another 4 miles.

Monday morning I swam 4000 yards. This was supposed to be a steady pace. Pace was around 3:25 per 200 yards. I was tired from the weekend and wasn't sure how I would fare. The last 600 yards were supposed to be race pace effort. I used some psych up techniques from my mental training book. It must have worked. I was surprised how I was able to increase my intensity. May last three 200's were 3:17 / 3:20 / 3:06. I couldn't believe the final 200 was that fast. I was happy to finish like that.

I finally saw my first sign of spring. No not the birds, bees, or flowers. Nor the short skirts or bare legs running. I'm talking about tan lines. My biker tan line is starting. I tried to take a picture but the line still isn't dark enough. I'll get a picture when it shows up better.

Have a good week everyone, I'll get my Game Back On this Friday.

Family & Friends Friday - Beyotch-in-Law

I say that lovingly about my sister-in-law, Becky. Just don't piss her off or else she will get beyotchy all up in your butt.

Aimee and her sister as like water and oil, respectively; and I'm not talking about water from a mud puddle and extra virgin olive oil. I'm talking black crude oil (Becky) and Aquafina bottled water (Aimee), at least that's how it was when I first met them 15 years ago. Both very precious but also very different.

Becky is 5 years younger than Aimee and followed quite a different path than her older sister.

Vocational school to get her beauticians license and cut hair for 5 years.
Attended Kent State for fashion merchandising while working.
Currently working as a buyer for DOTS clothing stores.

It's been weird watching her change during that time. I still can't believe the words coming out of her mouth when she starts talking cost, margins, inventory, fashion trends, and accounting. But she is very good at her job and works hard. She also plays as hard as she works.

These sisters do have some simularities.
They both like to ride their bikes: Aimee has a nice Bianchi road bike and Becky has a big Honda 750.
You don't want to piss them off: Even hell get's scared.
They love their pets; Sig, Snickers, and Ruby
They both have great husbands.

Becky is one of our biggest supporters for our athletics. Becky and her husband drove down to "watch" us compete in our first Half-Ironman distance event in 2004. They decorated our hotel room door with balloons and streamers. Becky will be at IM USA with an unlimited amount of energy to share with all of the competitors.

Becky makes our lives interesting and I wouldn't want her any other way. Variety is the spice of life and Becky is hot cheyenne pepper. The new video is dedicated to this Metallica fan and the song is for all of us triathletes who follow our own path.

Game On for the weekend.

Thank-you Madam Pele

for moving the severe thunderstorms through northern Ohio quickly
for providing sunlight after the clouds drifted away
for not cooling the temperature down after the rain
for providing a stiff wind in my face for my big gear intervals
for providing a stiff side wind that forced me to work on my bike handling skills while in the aero position
for providing a beautiful orange sunset as I rode my last few miles home.

I had a 90 minute workout on the bike last night. Watching the skies and doppler radar on the Weather channel I knew the storm would move through fast. I waited long enough that I never got rained on. However, I did have the road spray to deal with, mainly on my legs.

Big gear pushes went well especially with the stiff winds coming at me. Eight intervals when I only needed to do six.

I finished almost 32 miles of riding in 94 minutes. I was happy with that.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Bacon Wrapped Salmon

I know some of you out there cringe about thinking of eating fish, but it's very good for you. Properly prepared fish shouldn't smell "fishy" or have bones in it. Salmon is a great fish for the grill or oven.

BACON-WRAPPED SALMON WITH WILTED SPINACH

Ingredients:
4 (5- to 6-oz) center-cut pieces skinless salmon fillet (about 1 1/2 inches thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons whole-grain or coarse-grain mustard
4 bacon slices
2/3 cup sliced shallots (2 large)
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 oz baby spinach (16 cups packed), rinsed but not dried

Special equipment: 4 (10- to 12-inch) metal skewers

Preparation:
Preheat broiler and put broiler pan under broiler so that its rack is about 4 inches from heat.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then spread curved sides with mustard. Lay 1 bacon slice lengthwise along top of each fillet, tucking ends of bacon under fillet (ends will not meet). Thread 1 skewer through length of each fillet, entering and exiting fish through bacon to secure it.

Arrange fish, bacon sides down, on preheated rack of broiler pan and broil 3 minutes, then turn over and broil until fish is just cooked through and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes more.

While salmon broils, cook shallots in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until spinach is just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve salmon with spinach.

Makes 4 servings.

Comments:
I use whatever mustard I have a taste for. I used French's Bold n' Spicy last time. Not much else to say because this recipe is so easy.

Food on!

Two for Tuesday - Quotable Quotes

I get a Page-a-Day Calendar e-mail everyday and I wanted to share two good ones:

“You will never ‘find’ time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.”
WRITER CHARLES BUXTON

How true is this for triathletes that strive for physical and mental well being. No matter what distance triathlon you intend to do, you must put in the time. Time which is already valuable and limited. I sometimes wonder myself where do I find the time to do everything. Unfortunately you cannot do everything and some tasks must fall by the wayside.


“My son, observe the postage stamp! Its usefulness depends upon its ability to stick to one thing until it gets there.”
HUMORIST HENRY WHEELER SHAW

I guess my one thing right now is Ironman. And I have no doubt that I have the ability to stick it out and cross that finish line. No matter what that one thing is, the work day, long training ride, track workout, hard swim intervals, stick to it and get it done.

Game On.

Adverse Conditions

The way to learn to react positively to adversity in races is to train and respond positively to those challenging conditions. Quoted from The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training.

Saturday morning weather along the North Coast of Ohio:
Temperature: 30 degrees
Wind: NNE 15-20 MPH gusting to 29MPH
Skies: Partly cloudy
Roads: Dry

The plan was to ride my bike to the start of the Spring Classic Half Marathon. I needed to get in 3 hours of riding and this was a good way to do it. Ride to the race, run my leg, ride back home. I was recruited to run a co-ed relay with some friends. Despite the cold weather I was bound and determined to ride outside, challenging conditions and all. I bundled up and hit the street with toe warmers in my booties and hand warmers in my gloves.

I was heading east before I could head south and the wind was stiff. Overall the bike ride was great. I anticipated the ride for 1:30 but it turned out to be 1:50 for 30 miles. I missed the start of the race but I was running second half anyways. I found Aimee's car, put away my bike and changed into new clothes for running. I found Dale and Aimee at the relay exchange and didn't have to wait too long for my relay partner Deb to come in. She was running with Gina, Dales relay partner, and Dale and I started off for our 6.55 mile run.

I was treating this as a good, fun run with Dale and an easy pace to see how the hip would respond. I felt very comfortable. After the first full mile we were holding an 8:15 pace. I was surprised since I was originally planning on a 9:00/mile pace. I decided to just go with how I felt and see what happens. I was pleasantly surprised that we kept that pace the entire time.

After the run I was going to ride my bike back home for the last hour of my planned training ride. Aimee was concerned that I would get too cold on the bike since I had already expended over 2.5 hours of energy already. Our group wanted to get some breakfast so I decided to join them.

I'm glad I went to breakfast. I hadn't seen Gina and Deb in a long time and I enjoy their company. The social aspect of my training day was just as important as the final hour on the bike, only warmer and it put food in my belly.

I did get my final hour in after dinner. Tomorrow I am part of a relay at the first duathlon of the year. Alot of friends and teammates will be there. I am only doing the bike to see how my race level is. Still looking to have some fun.

Spring is here and all I can say is.....Game On!

Family & Friends Friday - Father-In-Law

Oh yes father-in-laws. I've never had problems with f-i-l's. Always managed to get along with Tom and we share some common interests. We can talk computer systems with interest and he has even started cycling and running to keep healthy. I try to provide good input whenever he asks.

Last year he lost his wife to liver disease. It was a rough time for everyone since Susan was only 54 years old. It was hard seeing her in ICU as her body started to shutdown. Tom was good through it all and was by her side everyday hoping for the best. I visited with him whenever I could to provide support.

One of Tom's hobbies is photography. He went with us to Utah for Aimee's first marathon and took some pictures. He will be going to Lake Placid as part of Team IM Eric. I'm hoping that he will get some good photos of me during the race.

More about the freak of a sister-in-law to the left of Tom next week, Aimee is on the right.

Make the most of a situation

Tuesday I made last minute arrangements to do work at a customer in western Ohio. I like when I can visit customers that are within driving range because I can take my bike or other gear for training. I decided to take my bike this trip since I was going to be surrounded by country roads and the weather was forecasted around 50 degrees. I was also able to take advantage of a great setup that my customer has. The company bought the house of the founder and turned it into a guest house. I have a four bedroom century house all to myself tonight. It is a great setup and more comfortable than any hotel. I'm fortunate to be able to use it.

I drove out this morning and it turned into a long day. Didn't leave the office until 6:00PM but with the time change I was able to get in a 1.5 hour ride. This was an awesome ride. I needed to be in Zone 1-2 for recovery so I was able to enjoy the scenery.

On the way back I stopped by Casa Rodriguez for some take-out Mexican. I rode home with my bag of food and ate my dinner. Very yummy.

Thank-you Madam Pele:
For the winds in my face that reminded me to keep my exertion low.
For the winds at my back that helped me fly with little exertion.
For the riding partner as the setting sun cast a shadow of me on the fields.
For the sound of the wind rushing in one ear and out the other.
For the only other sound being the whir of my tires on the pavement.

I almost thought my day was not going to have a ride, but just when you think all is lost the Game is back on.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

Marvelous Mini Meatloaves

This is a great variation on a old time favorite. For busy triathletes these little guys freeze great for easy heating up later.

Follow 3 simple steps:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Mix meat, stuffing mix, 1 cup water and the seasoning until well blended. Press evenly into 12 medium muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray; make an indentation in center of each with back of spoon.

SPOON 3/4 cup add-ins evenly into indentations in meatloaves.

BAKE 30 min. or until meatloaves are cooked through (160°F). Top evenly with 3/4 cup cheese; continue baking 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Add-Ins:
Italian
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
spaghetti sauce
KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Fiesta
2 tsp. chili powder
TACO BELL HOME ORIGINALS Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
KRAFT Shredded Mexican Style Cheese

Mediterranean
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
chopped roasted red peppers
ATHENOS Traditional Crumbled Feta Cheese

BarBQ
1 tsp. garlic powder
KRAFT or BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce
KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

To reheat, thaw, reheat at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Hit the link at the top for the original recipe.

Two for Tuesday - Training Gear

Swim Gear - Goggles

When I first started swimming for triathlon I was terrible. Aimee and I would go to the pool and I could barely swim a length without being out of breath. Part of what I felt was my problem was the goggles I was using. The standard small eye socket with the foam gaskets. I never felt comfortable. Then I bought the Aqua-Sphere Seal Mask. They were comfortable and allowed me to have a wide range of vision. I felt better in the water immediately. Since then I have progressed to even smaller racing goggles like the Tyr Socket Rockets.

I would highly recommend the Seal Mask for newbies or anyone else that needs more vision in the water or comfort around the eyes.

Bike Gear - Toe Warmers

I know the weather is getting nicer but there are still some cool days ahead of us, especially in the northern states. So I have broken out the toe warmers to place under my toe booties when I ride in the morning. My toes always get cold and I need the extra warmth, especially since my tri and road shoes are well vented with mesh.

Thank-you Madam Pele for the winds today while running. You breath kept me cool and challenged me to keep moving forward during my run.

Bear with me......

this may be a big post. I'm usually not about big posts......read my little post and move on to the next blog you want to read.

This past weekend Aimee and I went to Athens, OH for her spring half marathon. She had been training hard for this race and it all came together on race day. Perfect weather and her body was ready for action. I rode parts of the course and was able to take pictures during the race. At the end she finished with a 1:49:52. She had been struggling with breaking 1:50 and she did it and I am very proud of her.

Thanks goes to my massage therapists husband Rob for running with her for the first half of the race. It helped her stay focused and on pace.

When we got home that evening I went for a run to stretch the legs and it was also part of my workout schedule. I kept it easy since I pushed it on Saturday and things were tender. I ran a nice 9:00/mile pace and did 5.6 miles. That is the marathon pace I want for IM USA so I'm happy I can at least run that pace without pain. Things will come around, I just have to be patient. I have to keep reminding myself of that. My coach isn't worried because she knows I am a strong runner and will ramp up quickly.

My Monday morning swim was 4200 yards with 3 x 1000 yards decending in speed. Final 1000 was race pace. My 1000 splits were 16:56 - 16:15 - 15:30. I think 16:30 will be more of a race pace, I felt like I could have held that for a long time. I had set my watch alarm for 4:50AM since Aimee was going to be sleeping in. I was a little puzzled when her alarm went off before my watch. I thought I had slept through it, however I quickly realized that I had forgotten to set the watch ahead one hour. It was 5:45 now. I did a quick mental calculation and decided I could still do the workout and get to my customer at a decent time. It really didn't matter when I got to my customer anyways.

When I arrived at the Y there was only one person in the pool. When I hit the pool deck the water was calm. No one in the pool. I asked George the guard if it was light today and he said I was the fourth person in the pool. I had the pool to myself for about 5 minutes. That's when Marge got in the pool. I doubt that her name is Marge but she sure is large, so large she's like a barge. Now I usually don't make fun of people like that and I'm happy that she's even in the pool and being active. BUT IT SURE PISSES ME OFF WHEN I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF MY 3RD 1000 GOING AT RACE PACE AND SHE WALKS RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME TO TALK TO A FRIEND!

I was approaching the wall and I notice her right in front of me talking to the lady that was swimming next to me. I pulled up short 2-3 yards and simply turned around to continue swimming. I thought of what I could have done, plow into her or just stand there and yell "Excuse me!!" I did neither. I brushed it off. Why burn precious energy being mad. That is the type of attitude that will see me through Ironman. But boy was I pissed.

I don't have a swim workout for Tuesday so I will be able to miss the masses in the water.

Finally, I have to share a picture of our team uniforms for 2006. In case you haven't visited my teams website, Snakebite Racing, this is what we will be wearing. These turned out so much cooler than we first thought. So I am going to pass on the Team Tri-Geek Dreams apparel because I have cool stuff of my own. If you are able to wear custom clothing like this please do so. The Cleveland Tri Club has cool stuff as well. Wearing a uniform makes you feel good about yourself and people will cheer for you even more by shouting out your team/club name.

Everyone go out there a get your Game On. Two for Tuesday tomorrow.

Winds of Change

Yes it's windy in Cleveland. Every spring the change of the seasons brings warm weather but also strong winds. I was determined to ride outside for my morning brick. Two hours was all I needed. The morning temperature was 50 degrees, but there was that stiff wind coming from the west. My neighbors flag was flying straight out. The ride still needed to be done and I didn't want to do it indoors.

I am a strong proponent of training in all weather and conditions. You never know what will happen on race day. Two years ago my wife and I started a long ride WHILE it was raining. Who starts riding when it's already raining, those that are preparing for their first Half IM. It turned out to be the best ride of the summer.

Back to today. I picked a route that would have me riding primarily south. To get to my southerly road I had to head west, directly into the teeth of the wind. I manage to spin through it knowing that on my return trip the wind will be at my back. Heading south I started to feel the wind from the side. I enjoy the wind. Today the wind is my training partner.

Heading into the wind I remember to keep the cadance high and not burn out my legs. The sudden, unexpected gusts of wind from the sides help improve my bike handling as I have to adjust my position as the wind tries to push me into the middle of the road.

I road 34 miles today for my two hour ride. Then I did a 30 minute run to complete the brick. It was a good training session.

The rest of the weekend is all about Aimee. We have traveled to southern Ohio for the Athens Half Marathon. We love coming down to Athens and walk about the campus of OU. We also visited with my son Andrew. Sunday morning is the half marathon. I will see her start and then ride my road bike to the turn-around point to see her make the return trip. I should be able to make it back before she finishes. I'm excited to go out on the course and see her run.

For Aimee, tomorrow it's Game On.

Family & Friends Friday - Bro

I have one sibling in my family, my brother Rob. Seven years older than I, we were never that close growing up being so far apart in age. I was the jock and he was the artist/performer. He participated in the band, choir, and theater. I did sports; baseball, basketball, soccer and track.

I always enjoyed hearing him sing or act. It provided a well rounded environment for me and I was proud of what he was doing. Since high school he has always had a great voice despite no formal training except in school. If American Idol had been around back then I'm sure he would have tried it. After college he started into community theater where he quickly made a name for himself as first a performer, then a director. The theater crowd is very different. Getting to know his friends has been very entertaining, with their off stage antics and dramatic flair for everyday life.

Even though he is not athletic in the sense of what I do, he exercises and stays in shape. For myself this blog is currently my creative release, and an occasional stab at Karaoke.

Rob is a corporate trainer for an international law firm headquartered in Cleveland. His work schedule has had him traveling around the world training different offices in the use of computer systems and applications. This summer he may be out of town during Ironman USA but he has contributed to my Janus Charity Challenge fund raising.

We are typical siblings. Growing up we called each other names. Fought occasionally but finally found ourselves on even ground when we both settled down with our lives. We are both very busy and find it hard to connect, but the time we do manage to get together for an occasional lunch or family gathering we have a great time.

How about some Triathlon stuff

Yes I originally started this blog because of triathlon. But I like to mix things up because even though triathlon is a big part of my life, there are other areas I like to share with my readers.

But today it is about triathlon. Where is my training lately? If you recall I had a dry spell with my running because of some tight muscles in the hip flexor, gluteous, ITB area. That sucked because I had to bail on my first marathon, Shamrock. It was a good call and I am getting back on my feet running. I've managed some runs between 45 minutes to 1 hour that have felt good at a comfortable pace without pain. Still trying to stretch when possible. Dr. Zak (ART specialist) says the muscle fibers are like leather and need to be broken up so the irritation goes away. Still working on that. He says things are much better than when we started.

During my repreive from running I focused on the bike and swim.

My cycling has always been solid and I feel great so far. I managed to go outdoors yesterday after work and was flying. Temp was about 56F, or 13C. A little nippy but it didn't bother me. Just being outside on the bike was great. All winter is has been hard deciding if the resistance on my trainer was too hard to simulate road riding. Right now I think the extra resistance has improved my leg strength so the open road feels fast at the same HR.

My swimming has been getting better each week. Little adjustments have helped greatly. TJ made a recommendation about how my left hand enters the water, I'm consistantly doing better with that. TriFrog had a good post about Swim golf or golf swimming or something like that. He helped me think more about my glide, extension and efficient swimming. So this morning I hit the pool for 4000 yards and nailed some race pace efforts. The negative 800, race pace 500 and hard effort 300 each had 100 yard times under 1:40, most under 1:35. Cool thing was that I really felt like I was putting forth a good effort while being efficient. My breathing didn't become labored until the 300 hard near the end, but those were all under 1:30/100 yds.

Mornings at the pool have been crazy lately. Tuesday and this morning were packed. This is 5:45AM people, and everyone wants to swim. Go figure. A four lane 20 yard pool and we are fitting 8 people in, without lane lines. But the spoils come to those with patience and persistance. TriSaraTops and I both started early, or as she says at dark:30 (it is getting lighter earlier, but not at 5:30). Anyways, by 6:15 Sara, noodle lady(Ruth) and I are the only ones in the pool. How nice is that?!?! No dodging people, no collisions, just open water. I can resume focusing on my swim stroke and being efficient.

Things are feeling good and the weather is getting warmer. Looking to get some good riding in this weekend.

Game on, the bike and in the water.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - PB&J

No I didn't let my daughter write todays post. And no you will not get gourmet meals each and every Wednesday. So let's get back to basics.

Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches. You're in a rush, not enough time to grab something substantial. Yet you have bread, jelly of some sort and peanut butter. Fairly nutritious and yummy. I have often used the old stand by as breakfast after my morning swims during my drive to the office. Doesn't require refrigeration and if it gets smashed, who cares. Still pretty much tastes the same.

Didn't you listen to GYGO #10? IronWils coach even said a PB&J is a good item to eat during the bike. Easy to digest and yummy, what more do you want?

No I'm not going to tell you how to make a PB&J sandwich, but I will describe how I make a sandwich. I picked up this tip from a friend about 10 years ago and I still use it now.

I first put the peanut butter on both slices of bread. This provides a barrier between the bread and jelly. The extra moisture from the jelly is what makes the bread soggy, gross. So with the peanut butter on the bread and the jelly in between you have a sandwich that should stay firm and "dry" longer until you get around to eating it.

One other solution to quick and easy sandwiches is to use Goober. This stuff rocks. Peanut butter and grape jelly in the same jar. Scoop it out, spread it on the bread and you are all set.

Now if you are like Elvis you could skip the jelly and go with sliced bananas instead, I haven't tried that yet.

So next time you are making sandwiches for the little muchkins, make an extra one for youself and enjoy an old fashioned PB&J.

Now that is some good eats.

Two for Tuesday - Let's Get Mental

For some reason I had some trouble figuring out what to write about today. I was having a hard time focusing on a good topic, all of a sudden I realized it was staring me in the face.

There is so much in our lives that are dependant upon our mental focus and intensity. The Trilogy, as I call it, of Family, Work and Triathlon is always trying to pull us in several directions at once. With so much pressure it is easy to lose that focus and intensity in our daily lives. I've been reading The Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training and thought I would share some thoughts about Focus and Intensity. This is just a brief overview of two chapters from the book. I haven't finished the book, but so far I would recommend it to anyone. I'll be reading it several times.

Intensity is one of the harder aspects of mental preparation to deal with. Everyone trains/races with a different level of intensity that works best for them. Some athletes are super serious while others are very relaxed before and during events. As different as the people are in the previous example, they may both finish a race at the same time and set a PR because they utilize the exact amount of intensity required for their personality. Determining your optimum intensity may take some time. Think about past training or racing and see if you can remember how you felt during a bad, good or great race. How did you feel going into the race? What happened during the race and how did you handle it? You also need to learn how to control your intensity and keep it at the right level through self-motivation or relaxation techniques.

Focus is often related to single items or events. People often "focus" by tuning out external distractions and burying themselves in the moment. But this chapter helped me realize that triathlon is about three sports and two transitions that require a different focus during each of the five segments of a race. Your triathlon focus allows you to perform well and block out those external distractions that can derail your attention. As you flow from one aspect of the race, or training, leave what's happened in the past. You can't change it and there are other things to focus on. The book mentions the four Ps of focus.

• Positive: Focus on positive things and avoid the negative that can impact your performance
• Process: Focus on what needs to be done during the race/training to meet your immediate goals
• Present: Focus on the present and forget the past, you can't change the past, but you can influence the future
• Progress: Make sure you are making progress toward whatever goal you have set in front of you

So there is your Two for Tuesday. Sorry it's late for the day but my "focus" was elsewhere.

So go out and get your Mental Game On.

Bob Roll, Rocks Cleveland

Friday night Bob Roll made a special visit to local bike shop Century Cycles. CC won this special visit at the InterBike show in Las Vegas. The store was packed with people who gave Bob a fantastic welcome to Cleveland. Immediately he had us laughing histerically with his stories. I was laughing out loud with tears in my eyes. After sharing some stories Bob took some questions from the audience. This was like a free comedy show and actually much better than some pro comics.

I learned that Bob felt that each race he participated in SUCKED! He couldn't understand why everyone was going so fast. The peleton was all together and they were all going to the same place. As he would say in the peleton, "Who's the IDIOT up front going so fast!!"

Working with OLN provides Bob Roll with some of the best food on the Tour Day France, better than when he was a rider.

Riding in Italy is preferred to riding in France. In Italy they appreciate tourists and cyclists and way you to have a good time. In France they just want to treat you like crap, especially if you are American.

After approximately 1.5 hours he sat down to sign autographs. I had him sign my copy of Bobke II and also got a picture with Bob Roll himself.

Family & Friends Friday - My Parents

Where would we be without parents. I classify myself as very fortunate in regards to my parents. They were/are a big influence in my life. A recent message board post on the Cleveland Tri Club asked who was your greatest influence while growing up? Without hesitation I said my parents, also my HS track coach.

My Dad:

He is a very motivated and organized guy. His entire work career was with NASA, something like 38 years (launch vehicle project manager). I remember taking family trips to Cocoa Beach to watch some of his satellite launches from Cape Canaveral. Very cool having an inside track on historical flights that eventually reached the edge of our solar system.

Besides his work he keeps busy with many side "jobs". He was Scout Master (yes IronWil, a scout master) for both my brother and myself. He helped form the Westlake Soccer Association when soccer was in it's infancy for my home town and I was just getting started with the sport. He helps any way he can at church; maintenance, committees, etc. Even now he spends two days a week at Habitat for Humanity with his work crew. The man can't keep still, always wanting to help and always there when you need him.

The most amazing thing about my dad is his compassion for humanity. His acceptance of people is amazing. His tolerance nearly flawless. If he sees the need to help he will be the first one to offer assistance. I can honestly say that I have rarely heard him say anything negative about anyone. Even if he has, it doesn't stick out in my mind. I can only hope to eventually have the same attitude.

My Mom:

I've known my mom as a stay-at-home for my entire life. There was a time when she did work before my brother was born. Go figure she was a math major and also worked at NASA on some of the early computers they had. But for as long as I can remember she was usually there when I got home from school. She was active in her things as well: golf league, Garden Club, Womens Club, Library board, College Club, Investment Club, geneology, quilting,....mom type stuff. Of course she was usually stuck schleping me around for soccer, basketball and track. Oh yeah, and she was a Cub Scout Den Mother. The crap she had to put up with dealing with 8-10 boys at a time.

Now my mom is a tell it like it is type of person. Won't hesitate to ask the hard question or voice her opinion, a strong woman I would say. I got busted at school one year for writing something not nice about a teacher, not that I was a troublemaker. Anyways she went to bat for me because of her previous experience with the same teacher through my brother. I still was suspended for 3 days but I think she understood where I was coming from. And she had to do this while my dad was in Washington, D.C. for work. She has done alot for me.

Well my parents are enjoying their retirement years now. Traveling the world (China, Costa Rica, Alaska, Ireland, Germany) and spending winters anywhere but in Cleveland. They deserve it because of the hard work they put into their careers and family.

I'm excited that they will be at Lake Placid when I tackle IM USA. Every once in a while my mom will ask nervously about the race. How long will it take? Are you going to be ready? What type of training are you doing? My dad has seen me race more often and is probably more comfortable with my abilities. Either way I'm excited because they will see me tackle my biggest race to date.

My parents rock and I'm a lucky guy.

Game on.

Whatever it takes - Just Do It

This is how I needed to approach this morning's swim. Looking at the workout last night I mentioned to Aimee that I had a total of 3800 yards to swim. She looked at me, told me to suck it up and stop complaining. I wasn't complaining, I was making an observation about the yardage of my workout. What does she care anyways, she's in taper for her half marathon April 2nd.

So the alarm goes off at 4:50AM and I jump out of bed to get the day started. Pre workout meal consists of a high protein Boost and a small bagel with peanut butter. For the pool deck I have a bottle of Gatorade with Carbo-Pro added for calories.

I finished getting ready and was taking my bags downstairs when it hit me; I'm up at 5:00AM going to a pool to swim 38oo yards in preparation for Ironman USA, and I don't even think about it. I just do it. It's become such a part of my life and routine that it's essentially automatic. Cool.

At the pool:
Warm Up 800 - 15:50
Pull 2 x 400 yards- breathe 3,5,7,9 by 100
7:57 / 7:31 - I forgot to pull and just swam regular, usually got to 8 before needing a breath, sometimes 9. I really need to read my workouts better.
Swim 4 x 200 yards- all negative split
1:45 / 1:44
1:45 / 1:40
1:45 / 1:39
1:43 / 1:41
Swim 8 x 100 yards - all race pace - take 15 sec rest
1:32 / 1:36 / 1:35 / 1:33
1:55+20 yds (I really need to learn how to count) / 1:33 / 1:32 / 1:35
Swim 400 yards - hard - faster race pace
1:28 / 1:34 / 1:32 / 1:29
Cool down easy 200 yards - 6:32
3800 yards - total workout time 1:25:00

When I finished I looked at my watch as saw my total workout time. And you know what, the time just flew by. I didn't feel like I was in the water that long but my pruney hands showed differently. The pool wasn't crowded like the past three days. Monday crowded, Tuesday TriSaraTops got slapped, Wednesday I was told it was crowded, today not crowded. At one point TriSaraTops and I were to only "swimmers" in the pool, noodle lady was water walking along the wall. Tres bon.

New video posted today. I've been thinking about my bloggy friends (IronWil, TriSaraTops) and how they have been handling the Ides of March. Everyone is antsy to get outside, feeling pressures from all sorts of external forces and struggling with the demands of life for an Ironman triathlete. Looks like everyone is finding their peace with their own battles. But sometimes you feel like you are just going to "Just Lose It" which if handled in a controlled manner is a good thing.

So do whatever it takes, even if you have to just lose it and just do it.

Game on my friends, game on.

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Grilled Pizza

Aimee and I have been playing with pizza on the grill and have become quite proficient. We don't make our own dough, so we buy it from Trader Joe's.

The dough usually has to sit out for 30 minutes to rise or something like that.
After the 30 minutes I fire up the grill on low heat.
Take a piece of parchment paper and spray it with a light layer of olive oil.
Dump the dough on the parchment paper and start spreading it out. We use the bag it came in so the dough doesn't stick to our hands.
Form does not matter. Circle, square, rectangle, whatever shape you want go with it. We usually wind up with an oval more or less. The free form of the dough gives it some personality.
I place the parchment paper and dough on a cookie sheet to help carry it out to the grill.
At the grill I pour some more olive oil on the dough and spread it over the dough with a brush.
Now simply turn everything over straight onto the grill. The cookie sheet was only for carrying the dough out to the grill.
Slowly pull the parchment paper off the dough, the thin layer of oil will help it separate.

Don't leave to grill for very long. At a low heat the dough will only need between 5 - 8 minutes to cook. Check it at 5 minutes and be ready to flip.

Before you flip have the olive oil ready again. Spread a layer of oil on the top before flipping the dough.

On the cooked side you can now place your toppings. Go traditional or be adventurous. Lately we have done a wonderful white sauce pizza with Asiagio cheese, spinach, red onions, fake crabmeat, and garlic. Very yummy with a glass of red wine.

bon appetite

Two for Tuesday - Tri Gear for the Feet

Yankz

There are lots of shoe lace replacements out there for triathletes but I am sold on Yankz. Each time I buy a pair of new running shoes I put in some Yankz. Once I dial in the tension my feet are comfortable and I can just slip the shoes on and off. So don't waste time in T1 or T2, get some elastic laces for your shoes.

DeFeet Socks

These are some of the best and funnest socks around. I train and race in nothing but DeFeet socks. The thin layer let's me slip my foot into my shoes with no problems while also moving moisture away from my sweaty feet.

Short and sweet but that's how I like my transitions.

TfT, Game On.

G.D.M.F.S.O.B.

For those of you that can decipher the title and were affected by the blogger problems this past week, you know what I mean.

At first I thought it was my internet connection or perhaps a virus/spyware was impacting my laptop. But I could browse around the rest of the internet. I was surprised how pissed off I was getting because I couldn't post my blogs. I had two in draft already and I couldn't complete or post them. I want to keep on providing interesting reading for anyone who visits my blog and having a big gap is not a good thing.

So I am finally back on line. I have or will be backfilling my posts for the past week.

Kudos to the guys at Blogger for working hard to get the file servers fixed and operational. Being a computer guy myself I know what a pain those computers can be.

Game on!

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Beer Can Chicken

Oh this has become a family favorite. My daughter absolutely loves this recipe.

Beer Can Chicken
From: Weber's Big Book of Grilling
Here’s a technique that delivers great-tasting chicken and makes a lively conversation starter as well. We’ve used one of our special rubs, but you can sub in 2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite one. Bottoms up!

For the rub:
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 can (16 ounces) beer (tall boy)

To make the rub: In a small bowl combine the rub ingredients.

Remove and discard the neck, giblets, and any excess fat from the chicken. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly spray or brush all over with the vegetable oil and season, inside and out, with the rub. Open the beer can and pour off half of the beer. Set the half-full can on a flat surface and slide the chicken over the top so the can fits inside the cavity. Transfer the bird to the grill, keeping the can upright. Carefully balance the bird on its two legs and the can. Grill over Indirect Medium heat until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thickest part of the thigh, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Wearing barbecue mitts, carefully remove the chicken and the can from the grill, being careful not to spill the beer – it will be hot. Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before lifting it from the can. Discard the beer. Cut the chicken into serving pieces. Serve warm.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Cook Comments:

• I use Miller Genuine Draft for the beer. You really don't taste the beer in the chicken, but if I have to drink half the can for the recipe I want to drink something I like.
• When applying the rub make sure you separate the skin from the meat and get some rub in there as well. If you don't eat the skin you will still have some of the rub on the meat.
• Try to close off the neck cavity. This will make sure the steam from the beer will stay in the chicken, otherwise it will just come out the neck.
• I'll try to post a picture when Blogger let's me.

Two for Tuesday - Book Review

Today's twosome is books. I'm always looking for some good reads for bedtime. Reading helps my mind relax before getting some rest.

Once a Runner by John L. Parker.

I think this book is a must read for all athletes. I read this one twice because there were some great moments I wanted to relive. My favorite quote from this book is "Trials of Miles, Miles of Trials". For me that single quote sums up my training, racing, and life. There is also a time when the main character does 20 quarter miles in a row. Complete body breakdown, but he came back very strong.

Iron Will: The Triathlete's Ultimate Challenge by Mike Plant

Iron Will was a disappointment for me. I stuggled through this book as the years went by reading about how Ironman, and triathlon, got started. The characters are popular with some age group stories thrown in.

While the history of Ironman Hawaii is important I was not expecting a history lesson from this book. I was hoping for more information about IM races all over the world. I think I will get that from a different book I recently acquired, Becoming an Ironman.

The link above has some reviews as well and I agree with some of them. I'm sure each person will react differently to this book. I borrowed it from my coach, glad I didn't buy it.

Feel free to suggest some books that you have enjoyed.

A nice double

It took some doing but I did make it outside for a small bike ride today. The rear wheel of my road bike has had a broken spoke since September. I didn't want to take my tri bike out because the rear wheel was glossy from all the miles on the trainer, too thin and prone to a puncture.

I did 2 hours on the trainer this morning since my coach gave me a specific workout to do. That "ride" went great and it didn't bother my hip. As the day progressed the weather got warmer and the lack of wind was a huge motivator for fixing my rear tire. So I managed to replace the spoke and true the wheel for a quick spin after dinner. It felt so good to get outside on the bike.

Since my leg started bothering me I haven't been able to run outside. I'm hoping to get on the bike outside at least once each week. It will be my main opportunity to get outside.

So I pretty much did a double workout today. 2 hours in the morning and 45 minutes in the evening. It was so worth it.

I know several other Miw-Westerners were able to get outside as well, IronWil, TriSaraTops and CurlySu. Spring is coming soon and this was a nice taste of what is yet to come.

Training injuries have relegated me to the elliptical machine at the Y. I started with 45 minutes on the elip., then tried a short run on the treadmill but only lasted 5 minutes. Finished with 30 minutes back on the elliptical. Now I did manage to listen to Get Your Geek On #8 during my workout. I'll have to listen to it again in case I missed anything. To cap off the workout I did some upper-body weight lifting.

At home we had some errands to run and clean-up in the house. Aimee asked me to clean-out the fridge. You know, throw out the old stuff. Well that turned into pulling the shelves out, tossing old food, essentially detailing the fridge. It's nice and clean now.

So the rest of today is left to do other chores and relax.

Tomorrow the temps will be around 50 but raining. So my 2 hour ride will be on the trainer. No problem, just have to decide what movie to watch.

Family and Friends Friday - Going to the Dogs

This installment will handle all of the individuals living in the house. The two crazy dogs are Snickers and Ruby. Both are Brittany's, a spaniel breed, and are very active, enjoy running, being outdoors and sleeping on our bed.

Snickers (male) will be 9 years old in October, he was born on Halloween (sometimes he seems a little obsessed). Called the runt of the litter, he is a solid 60-65 lbs. Breed standard is 35-40 lbs. so people are always asking us if he is a Brittany. He's very loving and gets excited when we put our running shoes on. Sometimes when I have my cycling gear on he thinks he can go along is a raring to go. Snickers loves to play ball in the yard and will play with anyone who comes into the yard; neighbor kids, family, service people.....anyone.

Ruby (female) we are not so sure of. We acquired ruby 1.5 years ago as a rescue from a local group. She is actually smaller than breed standard, 30-35 lbs. Her spastic nature keeps us entertained constantly with her excited little dance when she wants to go outside. She has learned how to run with us also. Her innocent little face can be misleading because if we leave the crates unlocked she will drag the bed out, up from the basement and into the family room where she will tear out the stuffing. If we don't crate them for a small outing we make sure the crate is locked.

The two of them will sometimes play tug together and run around the yard after birds and little critters, hey they are hunting dogs.

Next week more of Team IM Eric.





This picture is after a 1 mile Doggie Dash. Snickers and I took 1st overall.

Gone Daddy Gone

Lately my head has been spinning so much I feel like I've gone out of my mind. Well tonight I can relax, blow off some steam and enjoy seeing the Violent Femmes at the House of Blues, Cleveland.

I'll be there with Aimee, her sister, and two other female friends. My own little group of violent femmes.

Let me go out, like a blister in the sun...........

What's Cookin' Wednesday - Sea Bass

We grill at our house year 'round despite the cold winters. The taste and flavor of food cooked on the grill is something to enjoy all the time. But for those that don't grill, I'll do an indoor recipe next week.

Short on time and hungry, this may be the recipe for you. This recipe doesn't call for the fish to marinade, instead a simple to make paste gets brushed on, then you slap it on the grill. We had this the other night on a bed of mushroom pasta. Yummy.

Mediterranean Sea Bass
From: Weber's Big Book of Grilling

This recipe is all about Provence, and these are the ingredients that make the region’s food sing. Keep it simple and enjoy. (Suitable substitutes: red snapper, striped bass.)

For the paste:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons dried lavender
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 skinless Chilean sea bass fillets, about 6 ounces each and 1 inch thick
Lemon wedges (optional)

To make the paste:
In a small bowl whisk together the paste ingredients.

Spread the paste evenly on both sides of the fish fillets. Grill over Direct High heat until the flesh is opaque throughout and starting to flake, 5 to 7 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Serve warm and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Did anyone try last weeks recipe? Let me know what you think.

New Video

I posted a new video from bolt but it doesn't autoplay for some reason. Check it out. It sets the mood for my weekend read.

Two for Tuesday - Buffet(t) Style

While swimming this morning in the pool I was flanked by two female sharks, one of which was TriSaraTops. I had fins to the left and fins to the right, so therein lies the inspiration for todays Two for Tuesday.

Jimmy Buffett:

• Born December 25, 1949
• Has a college degree in journalism
• Originally started his signing career as a country artist
• He has donated $500,000 to Hurricane Katrina relief so far

Buffet:

• A meal at which guests serve themselves from various dishes displayed on a table or sideboard
• the modern buffet was developed in France in the 18th century
• The "all you can eat" buffet has been ascribed to Herb Macdonald, a Las Vegas hotel manager who introduced the idea in 1946
• In the United States, HomeTown Buffet is a large buffet chain, and part of the larger Buffet Inc. corporation, and also owns "Old Country Buffet", "Country Buffet", and "Tahoe Joe's Famous Steakhouse".

I would imagine that most of us fun loving triathletes enjoy a good Buffett concert like everyone else. However, the last real buffet I ate at was in Las Vegas, juts because it was the thing to do.

Speaking of food, take two and read me in the morning. What's Cooking Wednesday is in draft.

Work, Eat, Sleep...x 4

Yep that was my weekend. Friday - Monday was work/eat/sleep, and even the eating part became optional.

I am a computer consultant for an IBM business partner in Ohio. I help customers migrate to newer hardware when they buy/lease new equipment. This equipment is pretty significant since it often supports very large companies, users and applications. I had to work at two customers this weekend, a hospital and a national distribution company. So this is how my weekend went, too bad I'm not giving you training details.

Friday:

• Work during the day with three different customers and a visit to Dr. Zak, ART.

Saturday:

• Wake up at 1:30AM, at hospital 2:30AM. Leave hospital 6:30AM. Work not injury.
• Sleep for two hours, get up at 10:00AM, shower, eat, arrive customer #2 12:00PM.
• Leave customer #2 at 11:30PM.

Sunday:

• Wake up at 7:00AM, eat, arrive back at customer #2 at 8:30AM.
• Leave customer #2 at 6:30PM
• Have dinner with Aimee, first real food all weekend, in fact almost only food on Sunday.

Monday:

• Back at customer #2 at 8:00AM for another 5 hours of work. Everything up and running things look great.
• I also got in another visit to Dr. Zak for my leg.
• Ran for the first time since my leg started to bother me, 4.2 miles.
• Decide not to run Shamrock Marathon on March 19.

Which is a good segue to answer my comment about my fitness last week. I've been struggling with a tight hipflexor, tfl, quad, hamstring...you name it, it's probably too tight. I wasn't sure if I was going to be ready by the 19th for the marathon. Dr. Zak was confident about getting me loosened up with enough sessions.

However, after my run this evening I didn't feel comfortable with my leg. I could still feel the tightness, not as bad as before, but it was still there. Aimee and I have talked about it often and she helped me decide the right thing to do. I also talked to Coach Angela and she supports my decision. She thinks it's the right thing to do and is glad I made this decision.

My primary focus this year is Ironman. Do I push through a marathon that may injure me more or bail and continue therapy on my leg? The answer is pretty obvious, rest and recover. The marathon was a distance I wanted under my belt before IM. It would have been nice to do a marathon by itself. I am sacrificing now for the greater good in July.

I have weird emotions about this.

A little bit of disappointment, I was looking forward to traveling to Virginia Beach and run my very first marathon.

A little bit of relief, no pressure to get better quick and worry about the consequences down the road.

A little bit humbled, my training was going good until the hip flared up. I have been sidelined. Not an easy pill to swallow for a competitive athlete.

I've also been reminded of the awesome support group I have around me. My wife was keeping me on an even keel showing her concern for my health, both physical and mental. Coach was trying her best to keep me in shape to run the marathon throughout the therapy and provided constant mental support. I couldn't ask for anything more from two of the most important women in my life right now.

So now I have to make the comparisons between my recent experiences and my Ironman journey. It's kind of expected with this blogging thing.

Like the kids from Southpark, I've learned something today (or over the weekend).

My marathon weekend of work has shown me that I have the mental toughness to handle Ironman. I hit alot of emotions during the weekend as I tried to make things work, regrouped, thought I was in over my head, persevered, tapped into some great support and triumphed in the end. A great sense of accomplishment when all was said and done.

The courage to do what is right by deciding to not run my marathon and save myself for IM. I hope to carry the right mental attitude into IM USA so that I may make the right decisions at crucial times during the day.

To continue to surround myself with a support system that will help me get through all of the training, work and life issues that will present themselves to me over the next 5 months.

Here's to beginning a new phase of my IM training.

Family and Friends Friday - Amanda

This is my daughter Amanda (the blonde not the gorilla). She's a high school student, teenager, creator of grey hairs (on my head), emotional roller coaster, good friend, average student, beautiful girl, snowboarder.......basically a normal teenage girl.

For those of you who have been through the girly teenage years, bless you for surviving. For those of you that have yet to experience these years, good luck.

Amanda is excited about watching me at IM USA. She's been to a couple of my past triathlons but still prefers the mountain bike scene. I think she may be impressed with the venue at Lake Placid.

Next year she will be starting vocational school, digital photography and design. She's excited about her next two years of school so I'm happy with that. I'm going to start having her do my pictures for the blog.

Are you Awake

I changed my video feed today. Nothing like a long day at work (drive 1.5 hours, all day meeting, drive home 1.5 hours) to just suck the energy out of you. Of course I was also up at 4:45AM in order to get a workout in at the Y, which semi-sucked.

But I think about all this crap I'm doing and the current state of my fitness (update coming on Monday) and I'm trying to remember why I am doing this at all. Then I remember one of my favorite pre-race songs, Godsmack/Awake.

The hard driving beat and the refrain, "I'm alive, ass still kickin". I'm training, exercising, working, breathing, eating, living, loving so I can feel alive. I feel alive when:

I feel my chest heaving up and down after a hard swim, bike or run session.
I feel the sweat seeping from my pours and dripping from my arms.
I feel a dull ache in my head from pouring myself into a project at work.
I taste the herbs and seasonings of my favorite meal.
I feel the tender touch of a loved one.
I get goosebumps as I step outside for a run on a cold single digit morning.
Rub my hands on the soft fur of my dogs.
AND
I will feel unbelievably alive and Ironman ass-kickin' when I cross that finish line.

Go out this weekend, wake up and be alive.

What's Cooking Wednesday - Chicken and Artichoke

It's sometimes hard to find recipes that you like as well as are good for you while training for triathlons. I want to share some of my favorite recipes that I love making. If you "tri" them let me know what you think.

Artichoke Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The active link above is for the original recipe from Weber.com.


Artichoke-Stuffed Chicken Breasts
From: Weber's Big Book of Grilling
A tasty departure from the ordinary. If flare-ups occur, finish these breasts over Indirect Medium heat.

For the stuffing:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar (7 ounces) artichoke hearts
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

4 large boneless chicken breast halves(with skin), about 8 ounces each
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the stuffing: In a medium sauté pan combine the olive oil, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Set the pan over medium-high heat to warm the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse, and coarsely chop the artichokes and add along with the garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Add the goat cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Mix to evenly distribute the ingredients and allow to cool.

Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and, with a meat mallet or back of a small pan, pound to flatten to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Place the breasts, skin side down, and spread each one with a quarter of the stuffing. Fold the breasts in half over the stuffing and use toothpicks to skewer the sides closed. Brush or spray both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the breasts over Direct Medium heat until the meat juices run clear and the cheese is melted, 8 to 12 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and carefully remove the toothpicks. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.


Important notes/comments/changes:

I could never get the end result to look like the picture. They must use specially grown chickens that have mutant breast meat the flatten out perfectly so the fold thingy works. I finally said screw it. I use two flattened chicken breast that are the same size and just make a sandwich out of it. Place the stuffing between two flattened chicken breasts, forget about the toothpicks and use a large flat spatula to flip the chicken.

I can never find crumbled goat cheese. Usually the cheese is in a tube and when I try to crumble the cheese, it doesn't crumble. The pan is usually quite hot when the cheese goes in and it kind of melts and mixes in with the other ingrediants anyways. So when the chicken is on the grill, the cheese is already melted. I just watch the chicken to decide when everything is done, look for clear juices.

Never forget to spray/brush the chicken with oil before placing on the grill. This helps the chicken release from the grill when you want to flip it. The salt and pepper are very important as well, adds to the final flavor.

I get artichoke hearts that are in a flavored marinade. Adds to the overall flavor. So don't rinse the artichokes when you take them out of the jar.

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think. Yummy.