Ranting and a CHALLENGE!

RANT TIME!!!!!!!!

Go read this article and get ready to scream! High fructose levels make fat cells fatter. (Thanks Anjanette for the links!) Kids are bombarded from every side with things that are bad for them and make them fat. Too much TV, video games, computer time, cutting back PE and recess, everything is "unsafe". Good grief, all the things I did as a kid would now get DCFS called on my parents. I rode my bike down Highland Drive in SLC to the 7-Eleven to get slurpees with my friends at 6 yrs old. Swung on a rope over the canal. Went to Wines Park in Lehi with no adults at 7, down to the Broadcaster on main streeet for an ice cream again with no parents.

Now I realize that safety today requires more supervision--too many creepies. But instead of doing these things with their kids, too many parents buy them electronics to keep them occupied. Resulting in fat kids and adults. Don't jump on me too fast....I'm not talking about a kid who's a little bigger, I'm talking about kids who are obese and pre-diabetic. I see them everywhere I go.

Ok, back to the relevance of the article:

It makes me so sad and angry at the same time. We have become a nation who eats like garbage. Who do you blame? Manufacturers? They make what we buy. Government? I'm rarely for more govt regulation. Parents? Junk is cheaper than fruits and veggies. And it really is hard to shop for a family on a budget. But the truth is, it comes down to personal responsibility. I grew up without fruit snacks, why buy them for my kids. They and similar snack foods provide no nutrition.

Second rant: British study links food dyes with hyperactivity in kids.

I've heard this before, but it hit hard this time. Why do kids foods need to be neon colored for them to eat them? If my dad had seen that as a kid, he'd have thought the bomb had gone off and now all their food was radioactive! For all history food has been fairly basic, it's only in the "modern age" that we've decided to destroy our bodies on purpose.

Honestly, what happened to food being food? Not a bunch of chemicals, preservatives and additives. Then they "enrich" it to make it "healthy"

Why spend money for something that gives you nothing. I wouldn't put crap in my car and expect it to run well. I put the proper fuel in and don't overfill it. That way it runs the way I need it too. Why is it so hard to treat our bodies with the same respect?

So here is my first CHALLENGE for all of you. Read the articles, and then post what you are willing to do to take your healthy eating to the next level. What are you willing to cut out of regular life and make just a treat? (Yes I do eat junk, but it's a treat, not regular food) I've cut soda, chips and chocolate candy out for the most part. Switched to fresh ground peanut butter, mostly only whole grain bread. So time for something new.

Here's my commitment: I'm going to buy only healthy (even over crying and whining) snacks for the next shopping trip. (trying a co-op this week to save $ on the produce, I'll let you know how it goes) Yes, there are some popsicles left in the freezer, but not next time. More fruit and veggies to snack on. String cheese, whole grain crackers, yogurt. It's time to take control of our fridges and stomachs!

We really do need a food revolution. Bring back Jamie Oliver!

I Tri and I Tri

First Tri of my season under my belt and I'm feeling pretty good! Was a little nervous, because even though I've been biking and running, I've done little swimming and no bricks at all.

Originally I had set a goal for 1:20 for a sprint this year. But with no training, I decided that for this tri, I would feel great if I broke 1:25.

BTW, this is me rockin' the cool racing glasses Mark got for me.

So this morning I woke up early after falling asleep late. So far, completely normal night before a race, haha. Got up, had some oatmeal... should have eaten more. Then got dressed, grabbed the bag and out the door. Thanks to my sweetie for getting my bike all ready and loaded the night before!

Hurried to T2 to drop off my shoes and a water bottle, then to the Legacy Center. Hurried and set up T1 and in to pay my $5, woohoo for a cheap race! Thanks again Trevor!

Ok, now in to the pool area to get ready. Get the swim cap on, hate that, and then wait for everyone to be ready..... nerves set in, why I don't know. It's just for fun right? Finally we were off! First lap, easy, but by lap 8 I was getting tired. Then I remembered some tips that Brian had shared and started implementing them, ahhhh, relief. Getting more streamlined helped reduce energy expenditure and before I knew it 16 laps were done. Jump out, pull off the cap and goggles, toss to the basket and out the door to T1. Didn't check exact times, but estimates are about 16:45 for the swim and 1:30 for T1.

Quick dry the feet on with socks and bike shoes. Slip on the cool new sunglasses Mark surprised me with and clip the helmet and I'm off! Legs felt like JELLO! Why do they feel so tired? Finally after a few blocks they loosened up and I felt better. A little over a mile in came the railroad tracks, just as I turned the corner to see them, crap a train whistle. Are you kidding me? Hope it's a short one! No, I coasted to a stop with everyone else who had been ahead of me and we waited another minute for it to pass and then we were off again.

For the rest of the bike portion, I went swung back and forth between exhaustion and energy. Couldn't figure out why. Kept eating and drinking as much as I could and pedal at the same time. I'm such a great multitasker! Past the hogs farms twice, UGH! That stunk. Can't hold my breath that long.

Finally coasting into T2, doing great! Jumped off the bike, out of my shoes and into my runners in a matter of seconds! Drop the helmet and I'm off. Did grab a quick drink on my way out. Check the watch. Out of T2 at 58:20. Wow! Fast bike portion. It had to be under 40 min, which is great for me.

Off for the run I felt like I was going to fall over. Was this the time I consider walking? NO WAY! Come heck or high water, I was running the whole way. Good grief! It's silly, and for the most part I don't care about beating people, just my time goals, But you have to have something to chase. Right? So I was a little behind Trevor and I thought, maybe I can catch him by the end of the race. If nothing else it kept one foot in front of the other. Around 3/4 mile I caught him and we ran together and chatted for a minute. But my pace was just a titch faster and soon I bid him farewell.

As I was running along, I saw the guy in the lead, Jamison. He's a local pro who works at PowerTri in Lehi . So fast! He won the Daybreak Tri I did last year. Super nice guy who has helped me a lot. So I started counting, How many were in front of me? By the time I hit the turn around point, I figured there were 6 guys in front of me. Feeling pretty good! Now it's just my time goal. I willed my legs to turn over faster. But there wasn't much left. Just get the the finish line!

Watching the clock, I knew I wouldn't hit the 1:25 I wanted to, but I still had to run the whole way. I stopped the clock as I crossed, 1:25:48. Not bad at all. In fact I realized, that I probably did do less than 1:25. The train blew a good minute or more off my time. In a bigger organized race, that obstacle wouldn't have been there. So I count this as achieving my goal. Now I just need to get training and meet my second goal of 1:20 this season.

So I unofficially finished 7th. There were 23 entrants, 1 was a team, and 2 were women. I feel pretty good about that.

Need to improve swimming technique and do lots of brick workouts to build endurance.

Strange to think how different my summer was two years ago. Now, I am an athlete! I love being an athlete. I never, ever thought I would refer to myself that way, much less hear others say that about me. I never made the team, was never picked first and was scared of every ball that came my way. But, here, now when there are no more teams, I get to decide what I am.

And I am an endurance athlete.

Hello again...

Hello again, it's been a while. I feel like I have neglected my blog for a while and we have been super busy.


Another blog I follow asked what have you accomplished today? Well I got the 44 lasagnas I made two weeks ago out of my freezer and with the help of 43 ovens and the friends who own them, got them all cooked and off to youth conference for all the kids on trek. Thank you again to all my wonderful and kind friends who made this possible. I should have taken a picture of my freezer, it was packed and in the few spaces available, we froze otter pops for the youth too.

Then we went to dinner, yummy bento boxes! Love Won Won Wok! And then off to go over the race route for tomorrow.

On tap for the morning is the first Tri of the season, thanks to my spin friend Trevor, who organizes a fun, free tri. Perfect way to see where I am to start the season. Well, I know I am no where near where I wanted to be, but hey, I do this for fun not just for the times. (That's the lie I tell myself when I don't feel prepared)

So see you tomorrow for a race recap and layout of what I need to do to get ready for the next race.

BTW, locals, he organizes a kids one in August and another sprint tri in September. I'm going to do a couple clinics for anyone who is interested in trying a tri! So if you were ever curious what it's all about, this is a great no pressure way to check it out!

Nite!