Morning: Shanghai Day 2 began in Shanghai and ended in Chengdu. We kicked off the morning with another Chinese breakfast - very similar to yesterday. Today I loaded up on more of the kale salad, pickled veggies, tofu noodles with peanuts, veggie dumpling, red bean dumpling, rice pudding, and squash. Did you notice the chopsticks? I forgot to mention that every meal we ate in China was chopsticks only - good thing I'm comfortable using them. :) After breakfast, we headed for the airport - this time we were able to hitch a ride on the Maglev! Maglev comes from "magnetic levitation" - the train essentially flies along the track using magnets for lift & thrust. Top speed we saw was 431 km/hr, which is about 268 mi/hr! It's a very smooth ride, you would never know how fast we were ... View Post
To Race, or Not To Race…That Is the Question
Confession....I don't always follow my own advice. Even when I know it's the right advice, it can be hard to swallow. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I had a wreck on the bike at Ironman in July. Since then, I've been struggling with my knee during the run and have been seeing my favorite sports doc regularly to address the problem. Unfortunately, I'm still struggling with pain on the run in my knee, although it has gotten better at times. We're under 6 weeks from the Marine Corp Marathon now, and my running mileage is way below my plan and most long runs have not been good. What would I advise someone else to do? Back off... let your knee recover... there are plenty of other races. MCM even has a transfer or defer policy which would be MUCH less expensive than other races I've ... View Post
Food Adventures in China – Part 1
This was my first vacation while eating a Vegan diet. It was both easier & harder than I expected. Easier - I just don't crave meat anymore, so I wasn't looking at meat wishing I could have it. Harder - I don't speak Chinese/Mandarin and most people don't speak any English! That made it very difficult to know if there was any hidden meat or dairy in the food. Meat is easier to avoid, but Dairy was harder. I did the best I could, hoping I made the right choice, but understanding that I had limited information. Starting with the plane - I actually ordered a Vegetarian (non-dairy) meal. I didn't take a picture (packed the camera), but it was nothing to write home about. We had two meals & a snack - both meals were the same and there wasn't a special snack. The flight attendants did ... View Post
Ordering a Better Dinner Out
I'm getting more comfortable with Vegan eating outside the house - it's a lot less intimidating when I go out to eat at a restaurant. Don't get me wrong, it's not always easy, but I do feel like I'm getting better at it! Here are some tips for I've discovered that have made this a lot easier. 1. Tell the server that you are ordering an Vegan meal. They are a lot more understanding about menu changes and will help you if there is hidden dairy in a meal. 2. Check out any vegetarian options first. These seem to be the easiest to tweak - removing the egg or cheese is generally all that is required. Tonight I ordered a Tempeh Sub from Mellow Mushroom - just ask the server to hold the mayo & cheese. They actually offer Vegan Cheese on their menu (which is rare), so I was able to swap that ... View Post
So You Want To Be A Runner?!
The rain I could do without (yes, I know the grass needs it), but I am enjoying the cooler weather! We were able to run after work today and it was only 66 degrees!! A-mazing! :) Dinner was Pepper-themed tonight, with Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Peas & Thank You) and Callaloo with Hot Pepper Vinegar (Vegetarian Times). I subbed Habanero Peppers (2) for the Scotch Bonnet Chile in the Callaloo recipe. First, a glass of Bell's Oktoberfest to enjoy while cooking. This was the perfect Fall beer to start the evening. Just a bit spiced, but still clean and refreshing. Not a full-bodied beer, but enjoyable! The Hot Pepper Vinegar sauce for the Callaloo was so easy and colorful. It was fiery hot on its own, but perfect on the Callaloo. Finally, the finished product - look how beautiful this ... View Post
From Couch to Ironman – Part 3
This is part of series I wrote in 2011, which describes my progression from non-runner to Ironman athlete -- a long journey that I am very proud of! I hope this story will inspire you and help prove that you can achieve the impossible, no matter where you start. Links to the rest of the story are at the bottom of this installment. ********************** My Story picks up in my second year of triathlons. I add olympic-distance triathlons to the mix, which is a big jump in swimming. I spent a lot of time trying to learn about the best ways to train and how to improve, but I hit a wall and was really struggling on the run. I met a lot of great people through our triathlon club and hired a friend and triathlon coach, Brett Daniels, to help me get better. I got a lot faster and stronger as a ... View Post