Inspiration Tuesday - Morgan Freeman

This Academy Award winner (Million Dollar Baby) paid his dues working for several years as an unknown actor.  At the age of 52, he came into his own playing chauffeur Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy.

He was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 from the American Film Institute.

Balance and the 80/20 rule

Triathlon is a unique sport which profoundly illustrates the point that doing more does not always lead to better results.  The key is to train smart by investing your time wisely.  Single sport athletes may be able to get away with a lot of volume, but triathlon already starts out with a lot of volume.  One has to train for swimming, cycling, and running as well as the nutrition and mental aspects of the sport.  By comparison, a runner can do up to 100 miles/wk and still be under 12 hours/wk of training.  A bare minimum for a half or full Ironman is 12 hr per week with many doing 15-20 hr/wk.  That doesn't leave a lot of time for physical recovery, mental recovery, family, work, or other obligations.

One thing that I have found helps is being efficient with my efforts.  In life and triathlon, I can't always do everything I want.  It's good because what I want is not always what I need.  Jesse Thomas talked about the 80/20 rule in a recent Inside Triathlon article.  He says that 80% of the things we do can be accomplished in 20% of our time.  We can always do more, but not everything needs to be perfect.  I could spend 20 hours on this blog or spend just 4 hours and accomplish the same result while also having time for my wife, career, and other activities.  By intentionally limiting my time commitments, I have the necessary time for when things do need to be perfect.

Half and full distance Ironman training requires a fair amount of time.  In a recent interview on IMTalk Tyler Butterfield discussed the differences between ITU Olympic distance racing and the Ironman.  One of the reasons he believes more ITU athletes are not successful in the Ironman is a lack of patience.  In ITU, training hard produces great performances.  In the Ironman though, one must be patient, conserve energy, and balance a lot of variables.  Tyler has trained with a lot of great athletes including 3 time IM World Champion Craig Alexander.   One thing that stood out for him was that he never saw Craig overexert himself on a mountain climb during group rides.  Craig would usually finish around 5th, saving his efforts for when they counted.

Volume and intensity require a balancing act. In a recent interview with Bob Kennedy on Competitor radio, Bob said the difference between African runners and American runners was that the Africans knew when to cut a run short or reduce their effort. The body and mind breakdown if we try to do both for too long.  I think about tax season for accountants, they cannot maintain that intensity year round or much more that a few weeks.  In triathlon, the great Simon Lessing tried to maintain his high intensity training when he transferred to Ironman.  He had one good race at Lake Placid then disappeared due to injury.  I believe the same thing happened to Bevan Docherty this past year after setting a course record at IM New Zealand.  The best athletes know how to balance their efforts.

Mirinda Carfrae recently discussed what she had learned since leaving then returning to coach Siri Lindley.  She found that most training programs are roughly the same.  The key is having people you trust to help with the mental aspects of training and racing.  People to prevent you from worrying too much and not balancing your efforts.

Although not always easy, I strive to build my life and training around the core ideas of balance in doing too much vs. not doing enough, being effective with my time and efforts, and surrounding myself with people willing to tell me the brutal truth.  Just because I have the time or money to do something, doesn't necessarily mean it's a good idea.  Everything has a cost.  Some costs are readily apparent, while others reveal themselves over time.  Kia Kaha

Celebrating the Holidays in Cincy

Recently I found myself in a chat on Facebook discussing fun things to do in Cincinnati. As some of you may already know, I am passionate about this city and I love getting out to enjoy everything it has to offer.  It's not hard for me to come up with something fun to do with my best friend (and husband) Bryan. Upon realizing that many may not know what this great city has to offer during the holidays, I wanted to dedicate this post to celebrating the holidays in Cincy.

A little warning: I am bit biased as I tend to focus on downtown. But there other fun things going on in Greater Cincinnati. We simply find it difficult to get out of downtown when it has so much to offer. High class problem, I know. 

Last Sunday we enjoyed the day in Eden Park. At first we simply planned to walk around and enjoy the newly fallen snow. After several hours of walking we wondered into the Krohn Conservatory.  Initially it was to use the bathroom and warm up, but then we decided to stay and view their holiday display "A Cincinnati Scenic Railway". We thoroughly enjoyed our time there observing miniature replicas of famous Cincinnati sites. After our little detour we started walking home. While going through the park we saw people sledding, cross country skiing, and walking their dogs.  People were finding all kinds of interesting ways to have fun in the cold.

Below is my list of fun ideas for this Holiday season in Cincinnati.

Theater:

• Cincinnati Ballet and SCPA both put on the Nutcracker
• Know Theater: This season their improv group has a show at Arnold's The Naughty List
• Playhouse in the Park: For a more traditional show there's Christmas Carol 
• Shakespeare Theater: Every Christmas Story Ever Told 
• Ensemble Theater: For a non- Holiday show there's  Around the World in 80 Days

Shopping:

• Findlay Market: Cincideutsch Christkindlmarkt
• The City Flea: This is a one day Holiday shopping experience in Washington Park Wrapped up Holiday Market
• Rhinegeist: Another fun event is Art on Vine at Rhinegeist brewery. 

Enjoying "Luminaries":

• Krohn by candlelight
• Light up OTR
• Luminaria Mt. Adams

Other fun stuff:

• Naughty or Nice Christmas
• Reindog Parade
• Eggnog Jog  If you want to get in a "fun run" before Christmas, there's a 5k run through Mt.Adams.
• Ice skating Downtown
• Festival of Lights

Movie Night:

Last year my husband and I started a tradition where each week in December we watch a different holiday film. Below are our favorites. 

The Holiday

White Christmas

Elf

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Love Actually

Christmas Vacation 

  

Lastly, what would the holidays be with out a few libations. This is a list of our favorite places to enjoy a few drinks or a tasting:

Market Wines We love popping into this store/bar. It's got a great neighborhood feel. You can go there any night of the week and have a drink at the bar or make a quick run in to pick up a few things for home. On Tuesday and Sundays they have tastings.

Rhinegeist This is a new brewery/bar that's best enjoyed with a big group. In addition to enjoying their beers you can have fun watching sports on their flat screens, or play a game of corn-hole or ping pong.

1215 Wine Bar This is a great place to go on a date or with another couple. My favorite night is when there's live music. Who doesn't enjoy listening to someone play the guitar. 

Eight Ball We recently came across this little gem while shopping at the Party Source. They have 42 different beers on tap, each available for 4 oz beer flights.

Everything's d'Vine Every Friday night they have a wine and beer tasting.
Pedal Wagon This is something that has been on my bucket list. It's a 2 hour pub crawl with 15 other people. They take you to some of my favorite places; Neon's, Arnold's, Lackman's, and Rhinegeist. I can't wait to pin down a time to do this.

Onwards & Upwards, T

Foods We Love: Zula's

For those that may not know, my husband and I live in Cincinnati, OH. Lucky we live within walking distance of the downtown area where we can walk to some fabulous restaurants.  We love sampling new foods and new restaurants throughout downtown Cincinnati. We particularly enjoy grabbing a bite in Over the Rhine (OTR), an area of downtown that's in the midst of a renovation with new shops, businesses, homes, and local eateries. One of our favorite new restaurants in OTR is Zula's.

Zula's is located on the corner of Race and West 14th street near Washington Park. They specialize in tapas, which encourages sharing items with friends.  My favorite items (in full disclosure, the only thing we've tried) are their mussels and flat breads. They have a few traditional entrees, but the mussels and flat breads are their specialty.  The mussels come in a large black pot, submerged in a variety of broths.  The broths are so good, we often find ourselves requesting a cup to drink every last drop.  Our favorite, thus far, is the "Funghi" followed closely by the "Thai".  "Funghi" may not sound appealing, but it includes a savory blend of mushrooms, apple wood smoked bacon, garlic, and cream.  Order a bowl of bread or one of their fabulous flat breads to soak up the broth.  The Goat Cheese flat bread is a personal favorite.

They also have an extensive wine list with a variety of reds and whites.  During one of our most recent visits we were introduced to the white wine Torrontes. It is a refreshingly balanced white that pairs well with mussels, cheese, or all by itself.

Should you decide to check this place out, make sure to get a reservation as it's really popular.  Parking  is available on the street or in the garage under Washington Park. In the evenings, the garage is only $3, unless there is a special event.

Visit ZulaBistro.com for a full listing of their menu and for some beautiful Bossa Nova music. If you like what you hear, check out Ceu.



Onwards and Upwards, T

Sugar part 2

I apologize for the F-bomb, but the quote is too compelling to ignore.  Part 2 covers the lesser known problems of sugar consumption.

Feel free to read some of the links provided as they contain more data than discussed in this blog.  As you read the blog you might feel compelled to make drastic changes.  I encourage you to refrain from such quick fixes and make small realistic progressive changes.  For example, low carb diets (< 50 g/day) are not needed nor sustainable, rather a modest reduction improves health.  The 2006 Institute of Medicine Dietary References Index (DRI) suggests 130 grams (520 calories) per day of carbohydrates to meet nutritional requirements.  This amount is sufficient, even for athletes, as aerobic activity burns fat not glycogen.

Sugar Impairs immune function
Consuming a large dose of sugar temporarily suppresses the immune system.  For several hours, the body's ability to respond to challenges is reduced and one is more likely to get sick.  Even without weight gain, sugar can damage the liver.

Increases inflammation
Sugar increases inflammation, which cause free radicals, impairs recovery, and promotes aging & disease. Several studies on dementia have found an association with inflammation, sugar intake, and insulin. Sugar has also been associated with Coronary Heart Disease and brain disorders such as MS and Parkinson's dz.

Reduces HGH
Sugar reduces the release of human growth hormone (HGH), which is the body's natural source for repair.  In the past decade, HGH has risen to prominence as several athletes have used it to speed recovery after an injury (e.g. Andy Pettitte). Reducing natural HGH impairs recovery, healing, and promotes aging.

Raises blood sugar levels
Sugar raises blood sugar levels, which stimulates the pancreas to release insulin. Over time, it takes more and more insulin to remove sugar from the blood stream. Eventually, the pancreas may stop responding leading to diabetes.  A record 382 million people worldwide now have diabetes.  It doesn't take much, one can of soda per day increases the risk for diabetes by 22%.  In addition, chronically exposing one's cells and organs to high insulin levels and glucose accelerates the aging process and increases the risk for cancer and dementia.

Sugar Promotes Glycation
This is the one that was new to me.  Sugar consumption produces Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGE), which cause irreversible damage to cells. AGEs are associated with accelerated aging, inflammation, and vascular complications. The process occurs as sugar molecules attract protein and fat molecules forming toxic glycation end-products.

No longer is saturated fat and cholesterol viewed as the culprits of heart disease.  Sugar, Trans fats, metabolic syndrome, and inflammation are the real villains.  Unfortunately, artificial sweeteners are not a better option.

What to do
The best time to eat sugary or highly refined carbohydrate "treats" is during or right after a vigorous workout. During strenuous exercise, sugar is efficiently metabolized and quickly used by working muscles, which mitigates many of the negative side effects. Exercise also sensitizes cells to the effects of insulin, which is the opposite of chronic sugar intake. My advice is to develop a realistic plan and stick to it. Examples include: limiting "treats" to during or after strenuous exercise, only eating "treats" with meals to avoid overconsumption, limiting "treats" to a specific # of times a week, only eating "treats" at breakfast when the body is most receptive to insulin, etc.

Sugar part 1

      When speaking about weight maintenance, I encourage three fundamental tips.  Manage stress, make small realistic changes, and eat less sugar.  I knew sugar was detrimental, but I wasn't aware of the full extent until I listened to a podcast by Monica Reinagel.  The following is the first in a series of brief highlights on the consequences of excessive sugar consumption.

Sugar Provides Excess calories
Sugar is a very concentrated calorie source void of fiber.  It is not filling and it is easy to overindulge, which can lead to unintended weight gain. In his book, The Secret Race, Tyler Hamilton, an athlete with extensive experience in blood doping, claims that a 3 pound weight loss is much more beneficial than a 3 point Hematocrit increase.  From his perspective, being lean provided a greater boost than the drugs and blood transfusions.

If you need additional evidence, look no further than Luke McKenzie, pictured above, who had the race of his life after trimming down for the 2013 Ironman WC.  Being lean makes it easier to go fast.  A friend once shared her experience on an antigravity treadmill that allows you to run at various percentages of your body weight.  She started running 5:30 min/miles at 100% body wt.  She then reduced her wt by a mere 6 pounds and it helped her run 4:30 min/miles with the same effort.  

Sugar is also very addictive stimulating Opioid receptors in the brain.  Sugar was not as plentiful in the past, but it was a necessary nutrient to help gain weight for the winter months.  In our current culture, food is abundant year round and there is no longer a need to bulk up for the winter.  The challenge we all face is  that our Opioid receptors are strong.  When I go through phases where I increase my sugar consumption, usually around holidays or after races, it is hard to break the cycle.  On the flip side, if I can get through a week without eating sugary foods, the temptations subside.

What to do
Become friends with vegetables, such as celery and green beans.  Vegetables will increase satiety and reduce over-indulgence of other foods.  Set goals for your vegetable consumption.  My wife's new "small realistic change" is to eat a vegetable with two of her meals each day.  Try filling 50% of your plate with vegetables.  Be innovative with your vegetable consumption.  Check out Pinterest or the Food Network.  (e.g. Eggplant Seasoned with Garlic Salt)

  

La Course en Tete

      Tiffany and I recently saw the movie 12 Years A Slave.  Following the film, in the midst of our discussion of the movie I began to think about commitments.  I thought about consistency, integrity, and being assertive.

      There were many people that were sympathetic to the slaves in 12 Years A Slave, but they weren't willing to commit to change despite their religious upbringings.  Their inconsistent behavior ended up doing more harm than good.  It further perpetuated this false image that everything was okay.  In the movie, the character, Armsby, discussed the inner conflict of being a slave overseer.  In order to cope with the atrocities he was committing and still see himself as a decent person, he needed to believe slaves were unhuman as well as consume copious amounts of alcohol.  He demonstrates a classic example of cognitive dissonance, holding two opposing views at the same time creates tension that needs to be addressed.  

      I also look at the Jonathan Martin situation and see a lack of commitment.  Martin left the Miami Dolphins after allegedly being bullied by teammates.  Other athletes had to know what was going on, but they didn't say a thing or didn't say enough.

      Eddy Merckx, the greatest cyclist ever, is the perfect example of 100% commitment.  Every race he entered, he gave his utmost.  If there was an opening, he made a decision and committed to it.  By committing fully to his decisions, he was able to break through mental barriers and achieve greatness.

      I believe raising children is the same way.  One must be consistent and assertive.  Young children are not fully developed intellectually, hence they need someone to guide them.

      God also calls us to commit to Him.  Just like parents know more than children, God knows more than us.  In turning our lives over to Him we gain freedom.  We become free from the pointless worries about money and status.  Free from cognitive dissonance and anxiety.