Athlete Food Summer Breakfast: Yogurt with Peaches, Seeds and Mint

Now that summer is here, we’re taking a temporary break from eating hot bowls of oatmeal for breakfast. Instead, we’ve been fueling our morning workouts with refreshing and light breakfasts like this bowl of greek yogurt topped with peaches, seeds and mint.

When you make this dish, don’t skimp on the seeds! They provide valuable nutrients and the calories you’ll need to perform in your workout. They also give the yogurt a nice texture. As for the mint, use smallest, most tender leaves you have. The big ones are too tough for morning.

-Bec, Laurel and Melissa

Yogurt with Peaches, Seeds and Mint

Combine the following into a small bowl:

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 peach, cut into small pieces

sesame seeds

pumpkin seeds

sunflower seeds

hemp seeds

walnut pieces

4 small mint leaves, torn to pieces

Athlete Moms: Post-Baby 5k PR

I normally wouldn’t be happy with running a 5k over three minutes slower than my best time, but crossing the line in 19 minutes, 55 seconds at yesterday’s New Paltz Challenge called for a celebration.

Going into the race, I had what I thought was the realistic expectation to break 21 minutes. At this stage in my run training, all signs pointed to a 20-plus minute 5k. I’ve only been steadily running outside for 2 weeks, averaging 3-4 runs between 3-5 miles. I did my first intervals the Friday before the race (2x3 min., 2 min., 1 min.) and my average pace was 6:40. Also, the race came at the end of my first 2 weeks of more serious training. I even did my first bike intervals (3x7minutes) the day before the race. The night before, I was up with Amy a few times. for all of these reasons, I thought it was a reasonable goal to break 21.

What I didn’t factor in were competition and my competitive instincts. When I got to the start of the race (after a morning that started with Amy at 5am!), I was happy to see that Terisa from the SUNY New Paltz track team and at least one person with racing flats on the start line. The gun went off and I instantly forgot about my scar and my lack of training and immediately started racing. I chased Terisa, which sent me into oxygen debt, and came through the first mile in 6:04, my new post-baby mile pr. Shortly after the mile mark, the wheels started to come unhinged. My legs, shocked from this sudden shift in pace, started to feel like they were separating from my hips. I still wanted to run fast and not let go of the competition, so I started focusing on form. I was able to pull things together and at the halfway point of the out and back course, I looked at my watch and saw 9:42. I then realized that not only could I break 21, but something in the mid-19’s was entirely possible. By 2 miles, my pace had slowed to 6:24 and my third mile was 6:36. I could tell I was slowing down, but knew I had to keep pushing myself to see what time I could run. Terisa ended pulling away and finished about 20 seconds ahead of me. Even though I finished second, I was happy that she was there because I wouldn’t have run as fast without someone to chase.

My legs are sore today, which is to be expected, but it’s right back to training. I’ve got a week to get even stronger for the TriRock Philly triathlon this coming weekend.

Thanks so much to Meghan N. for helping me get out the door on race morning and to Maggie for watching Amy during the race. Also, thanks to my mom for the motivating words the day before the race.

Course: New Paltz Challenge 5k, starting in Huguenot Street with a mile or so out on back on the Walkill Valley Rail Trail. 

Nutrition: 1/2 bottle of First Endurance EFS (Orange) and 2 peanut butter rice cakes before the race. Post-race: ZICO Strawberry Mint smoothie with Ultragen. 

Equipment: Nike Structure+ 16 Training shoes, Nike 2" Rival Stetch woven running shorts, Nike New Border Strappy tank

Athlete Mom News: Press and Amy's First Splash

This week I chatted with Triathlete Magazine about what it's like to be an Athlete Mom. Here's a link to the article if you'd like to read it. In other news, Amy went for her first swim - and loved it!

Laurel 7th at Rev3 Quassy

PHOTOGRAPH BY ERIC WYNN

The team at Rev3 put on another great event last weekend at Quassy amusement park in Middlebury, Connecticut.  I love this race because it attracts the toughest of the tough athletes.  Everyone who races there is unafraid of the terrain and the competition. That combination seems to bring out the best in people and the top finisher's performances are always world class.  Going into a hard half iron distance race as my second race of the year wasn't something my coach thought was wise, but I assured him I wouldn't hurt myself and that I could do it.  There was no way I was going to miss Quassy!  Things turned out ok, and I managed to place 7th.  

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Athlete Food: BikeWay Faster Strawberry Smoothie

Bikeway Bicycles in Wappingers Falls put on a great clinic for female cyclists last Friday night and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. The clinic covered training,  rider safety, how to fix a flat tire, and my contribution, nutrition.

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Athlete Food Snack: Sweet & Salty Cucumbers

For the past few weeks Laurel and I have been snacking on these sweet and spicy cucumber spears. We like to eat them in the hours after we’ve finished working out for the day, but when dinner is still a few hours off. This snack is light enough that it won’t “spoil your dinner” (which has yet to ever happen to me!) and will keep you from going hungry all afternoon. Think of it as an appetizer served a few hours before the meal.

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2 Bridges Swim

Race Results

Race Photos from Capri Djatiasmoro

With the exception of a few people, everyone I know thinks I’m crazy for swimming in the Hudson River. I really just can’t figure out why. What’s not to like about jumping into a cold, choppy river with a tide table that takes a PhD to figure out?

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Athlete Food: Waffles without Sausage Gravy

When I'm out in the middle of the woods running or biking, it isn't too unusual to come across something that makes me sprint in the other direction -  a bear, a half naked man sunning himself behind a rock, parts of a gorilla suit costume (not joking!). But a discovery on last Sunday's "off-piste" bike ride might just be the most interesting yet.

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