Hope everyone got a chance to relax, drink lots of beer, and enjoy a plethora of burgers, brats and potato salads of every kind. Marc and I actually went to the Chanhassen carnival for the 4th, and it was a trip! I indulged on a super delicious funnel cake and Beer-ga-rita and let me tell you, every calorie was worth it. Plus, I did a 3 1/2 workout that day, so pretty sure I earned it! If you follow me on Facebook, you will even see a post where I calculated my caloric output to be able to see how many hot dogs/beers I can consume to make back the deficit. Science is fun!! (Spoiler alert: It was 16 beers and 9 hot dogs!)
As I sit at home, enjoying one of my few coveted days off, I thought now would be a great time to write about the last few weeks, as I have made some significant changes and seen real differences from them. Despite me demolishing a funnel cake this weekend, I have actually made huge changes in my nutrition, and it is making a world of a difference! My biggest weakness is the bike portion, so after the epic failure that was Liberty Tri, I vowed to make gains on my bike skills with the 5 weeks I had before Racine. This meant changing my routine both off, and on the bike.
Step one: Quit drinking beer. GASP!!!! BUT WHYYYYY??? Beer is delicious. It's a great recovery tool. And it makes me have 100x more fun in any situation.
But it is also loaded with empty calories. And in my 31 years, I have found that alcohol and my body do not work well together. In my 20's, when I was bartending and out partying all the time, I had a constant bloat from booze that was neither attractive, nor healthy. As I transitioned into beer sales this last year, I then found that having a beer or 3 a day was not doing me any favors on the scale either. Time for a change. (Granted, I did quit my job and go into managing a Country Club, which helped. But that's a story for a different day.)
While I know I am not addicted to alcohol, its amazing how hard it is to quit cold turkey. I remember telling my coach that I have had several workouts where I have spent the final minutes fantasizing about a cold, frosty, scrumptious beer. But I also have my eye on a bigger prize.
Losing 5 lbs of fat typically equals out to gaining speed on the bike. And as of today, I am officially down 7 pounds since Liberty. My workouts lately have felt immensely better. I am smoother on the bike, and my running feels less labored and more fluid.
While I miss beer, being faster is so much more rewarding in the long run.
Step 2: Dial in nutrition on the bike for race day.
I used a combination of homemade rice cakes and gu packets for Liberty, and I found they weren't as satisfying as I had hoped. Then again I only had enough for a 56 mile ride that day, not 65 miles. Sooooo there's that.
So I did what any normal person does who has access to Amazon Prime. I ordered a shit ton of different popular products to try out. The three I chose were Bonk Breaker bars, Honey Stinger Waffles, and PB & J Uncrustables.
I have had Honey Stinger Waffles previously, so this experiment was all about finding a good flavor. Nothing worse than being on the bike and having to choke down a disgusting chocolate blob, and chase it with HEED that taste's like someones foot has soaked in it for 2 days before packaging it.
Results: Lemon and Strawberry are the clear winners. Delish!
Next up, Bonk Breakers. Everyone seems to rave about them, so what the heck. Why not. I bought a box of PB & J, as that was the best rated one. I took one on a long ride with me, and gave it a shot. Upon opening, I realized it is a Lara Bar type consistency. But as far as flavor goes, it was tolerable. As long as I have water to choke it down with, no problems with this one.
Results: Kind of a weird consistency, and in high heat it's not my favorite thing to have to eat. These feel like a better breakfast option. Or at least I run the least risk of choking on it in the morning versus on the bike.
Last up, the Uncrustables. Now, I have bought these for post workout snacks before, so I had a feeling this would be the one. Realistically, if I had it my way, I would fuel with Pop Tarts and those weird orange circus peanut things if I could. Spoiler alert: I am a sugar junky. But this was why the uncrustables appealed to me for race day nutrition. I have had several athletes say they work well, and at 330 calories per sandwich, they made perfect sense.
Results: Amazeballs. Great consistency, even in heat. Felt fulfilled. Didn't want to regurgitate it. Also, was able to open it without veering into traffic or tipping over. HUGE PLUS.
I am racing a Sprint this weekend at the Lifetime Minneapolis Tri as a warm up for Racine. I won't need nutrition for that race, but I am happy to know that I have dialed in my long distance needs for now.
Time to crank up the Metallica, put my game face on, and get ready to destroy the Racine course.
Go fast. Party Hard.
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