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Operation Jack: Train 4 Autism, Fuel on Ice Cream, Inspire by Example

2010-03-10T12:56:00Z

In 2009 around the summertime I was messing around on my Twitter account, and I did a search for running. One name stood out: @operationjack. I clicked onto Sam's profile, and noticed a few things. First, some of the people I follow on Twitter were following Sam. And second, he was tweeting a lot about ice cream. I was feeling kind of low about my running on that day, and decided that a runner who fueled on ice cream was exactly who I needed to follow to get me out of my funk.

Little did I realise exactly WHO I had started following. Sam Felsenfeld is spending 2010 running 60 marathons to raise awareness and funds for Train 4 Autism, under the banner "Operation Jack". You see, Sam has a son, Jack, who has autism.

I find autism really difficult to explain. My great friend Tana (Emily's mom - I am Emily's godmum) is an autism specialist. I guess I first learned what autism was from Tana when I met her in 2002. I was completely intrigued - I had no idea that there were so many people impacted by autism. People who communicated in an entirely different manner than society as a whole, who need to learn how to interact with society, people who are just as smart, creative and intelligent as everyone else, but who just cannot express this in a way that we can comprehend. I bought books on autism and I am sure I bored Tana silly with my questions. I learned that autism is a disorder that cuts across a broad spectrum, from highly functioning autists with Asperger's syndrome to severely affected people who cannot live without care. People with autism undergo a lot of therapy to learn to communicate and interact. It is not easy - for the children, parents or families.

So when I learned that Sam's son Jack had autism, it struck a chord. This is a condition to which one of my great friends has dedicated herself. I have met many of the kids with whom she works.

And... Sam has his own amazing story too. He didn't start to run until he was 30. He had broken his neck when he was 16 and picked up running as a way to get fit 14 years later - after years of drinking, smoking and living a very sedentary lifestyle. And now... Well, not only is he running 60 marathons this year, but he is super fast. His personal story with running is inspiring.

I hope you read on and are as inspired and awestruck as I am. And I hope you lend Sam your support in 2010.

Sam at the finish of Marathon 10, Pasadena, 21 February 2010

Jack with the number 10, 21 February 2010

DD: Operation Jack. Can you tell us a little about 2010 and the Operation Jack plans?

SF: Very simply, I'm planning on running 60 marathons this year to try to raise money and awareness for a charity I'm a part of called Train 4 Autism. I'm not an expert in raising money, so I'll be trying lots of different things throughout the year to see what works. From selling shirts to asking (gently) for donations to hosting pasta dinners and working with race directors on discounts/rebates for entries for my teams, I'm trying to develop creative ideas that will increase participation. It's going to be a long year of trial and error!

DD: 60 marathons in a year. For autism. How are these marathons helping autism?

SF: They're indirectly helping autism. My goal is to use the "wow factor" of what I'm doing to get attention that will help bring money and people to Train 4 Autism, essentially planting seeds for growth that will create a harvest down the road. Train 4 Autism serves as a vehicle to help people raise money for the autism-related charity of their choice. It works similarly to Team In Training, so I know that if we could ever grow to something anywhere near that size, we'd be making a HUGE impact on the autism community and helping more people that I could even imagine.

DD: How did you find out that Jack has autism?

SF: He was behind on all his standard well checkups and the pediatrician recommended for us to have him observed by specialists after his 18-month checkup. We did, and they raised all sorts of red flags. He's had in-home behavioral therapy since before his second birthday, and about six months after he started, one of the therapists told us she was pretty certain he had autism. It wasn't a huge surprise to us, because he had always been behind and the developmental gap between him and other kids his age was getting pretty wide. Nonetheless, it was pretty hard to hear. We got a diagnosis of severe autism on November 7, 2006 from a pediatric neurologist and three years later, we know she was right.

DD: What are the biggest challenges you face as a parent of a child with autism?

SF: The biggest challenge is looking at your son and knowing the struggles he faces. He barely communicates verbally, not anywhere enough for us to know what's on his mind or to actually talk with him. When he gets frustrated, we don't know why and he gets pretty upset. It's tough to look at our three kids and see that our other two are living typical lives, but he's stuck in an all-work, no-play life (he goes to a special school or has in-home behavioral therapy seven days a week) and he's only 6.

It's challenging for my wife and I as parents, because his needs have a big impact on scheduling and cut into attention for our other two kids, but that's not as bad as what he goes through.

DD: How will Operation Jack help others families?

SF: Well, there are several ways Operation Jack can help other families. The obvious way is if Train 4 Autism grows, it will help raise money for autism-related charities, and there are many, many ways that could help families over a very long period of time.

But beyond the obvious goal of raising money to fight against autism, I'm really hoping that I can inspire others to live a healthier lifestyle. When I was 16, I broke my neck. I was never athletic. I turned to drinking and smoking and was extremely overweight just five years ago. I hope people read my story and realize that it's never too late to live a healthier lifestyle. There's not a whole lot you can't overcome. If I can come from my past and run 60 marathons in a year, you can go for a walk around the block, cut some fried food out of your diet and live longer for your kids.

I also hope to serve as an example to other parents of children with autism (or really, any special needs). Having a child with autism is not what we wanted or expected, but it's not the end of the world for us or for Jack. We keep moving forward and we'll always keep fighting for him.

DD: For those interested in showing their support to you, how can they do so?

SF: Well, the obvious thing is fundraising. Donations help, but for those who can't afford them, I created a program called "10x10" where participants try to get 10 people to contribute $10 USD and when successful, I'll send them an Operation Jack t-shirt and technical shirt and recognize them on the website.

Beyond fundraising, participating in a race, spreading the word, following along and offering any suggestions are all great ways to help. I'll always admit that I'm learning by trial and error every day and if anybody has any suggestions for how I can improve Operation Jack, I'll definitely listen!

DD: I have to ask - have you always been a runner? Running this much just seems so extraordinary!

SF: Nope. I was extremely overweight (261 pounds) when I turned 30 (I'm 35 now), so my wife bought me an iPod and suggested I start walking. That turned into slow jogging, which led to a dare to run a half marathon, and then eventually a marathon, and I guess the rest is history. But it's not like I ran track or cross country when I was a kid. I was completely unathletic and slow. I never ran a mile faster than 8:30 before my 31st birthday. I broke my neck when I was 16, later turned to drinking and smoked a pack a day for four years when I was in college.

My background is definitely unusual, which is why I believe that I've been led down this path for a reason.

DD: Do you have any tips for new runners?

SF: Take it slow. Don't try to do too much too fast, otherwise you'll get injured and/or burn out. The general rule is not to increase your mileage per week or per long run by any more than 10% at a time, and if you do that three weeks in a row, drop down 25% the fourth week to recover. You WILL notice progress if you work hard, but if you work too hard, it will be counter-productive.

Also, go to a running shop to get fitted properly for running shoes. Just because something feels soft to walk in doesn't make it an ideal running shoe. Get fitted by someone who knows. More expensive isn't necessarily better, but don't save money and buy the wrong shoe — in the long run, you'll pay more for a visit to the doctor!

DD: How can runners help you along the way in 2010?

SF: The biggest ways are to join a team and participate in a race, follow along and of course, fundraising. Money isn't everything, though. It's really nice to interact with people, because that's how I know I'm not alone. That's huge to me, because mentally and emotionally, this is very challenging because I have to leave my family nearly every weekend.

DD: For those interested in charity fundraising, so you have any tips that you could share?

SF: Really, I don't know. I'm learning as I go and I'm trying to find out successful methods from people who have done well for Operation Jack. It seems like the best way is to be honest and passionate about what you're doing and if people believe in your cause, they'll support you.

DD: And finally, what runs through your head during the tough moments? Any particular song, mantra, or motivating thought you could share with us?

SF: A lot of times, I'll think about Jack. If nothing else, we're getting free hyperbaric chamber treatments as a gift to Operation Jack, and they've really helped him. He has no idea that I even run, but several times this year, when I've felt pain during races, I just think that my pain is his gain. I'm earning those treatments for him by running my body into the ground, and as a father, that's a very satisfying feeling.

As for a mantra, I'd go with a bible verse, Galatians 6:9. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." I have that at the bottom of every page on my site because I really feel like I'm doing a job that God has led me into doing. If you look at my past and where I've been and where I am, I really feel like I'm doing what I'm doing for a reason, and the plan is out of my control. So that verse means a lot to me.

I hate to admit the song I think defines Operation Jack, because it's by Miley Cyrus. But The Climb gives me goosebumps when I hear it and think about Operation Jack. I am so excited to have the opportunity to make a difference, and I want to work as hard as I can and push myself as hard as I can to make this happen!

NOTE: You can donate to Operation Jack here.

Back in the saddle, again...

2010-03-08T18:48:00Z

Last week marked my return to cycle commuting.

OK, I admit it. I am not a huge fan of:

Cycling on ice
Cycling in rain
Cycling in the dark
Cycling in the winter

So I breathed a huge sigh of relief a few weeks ago when I realised that the sun was coming up around 6.30, setting at about 5.30, and that the ice had more or less cleared from the roads.

My return to commuting was bred from necessity. We decided to upgrade our bathroom and works started last week Tuesday. We are using a new team of plumbers - ones not too familiar with the barely hanging together plumbing we have in our house - so they DIDN'T REALISE they had turned off the cold water. Without cold water it is impossible to take a shower in our place. The water pump will not work, the shower does not flow, and so we woke up on Wednesday facing the dilemma of where to get ready for work...

I decided the time had come to get back on the saddle. I would get ready at the gym close to work, and it would be the opportune moment to get back into my spring/summer/autumn cycle commuting routine.

It wasn't warm - about -2C - but I have the clothing (and gloves). Out came Bertha, the trusty commuter bike, and we rolled off and out east.

I am pretty lucky. Although I ride on one very large road, the majority of my commute (about 80%) is on dedicated cycle paths. That means just one stretch of potentially hair raising London situations. My morning commute was fine - but I was dreading my return home. My batteries were dead on my front light. And I discovered that I had broken my left cycle cleat (how that happened is a mystery). I decided to take it slow and easy.

That commute home - outside of another cyclist yelling at me for not having a light, and the wide boys who didn't see my high visibility arm signal who shouted at me when I was turning - was super peaceful.

I feel like spring has arrived. And with it, so too has my return to cycle commuting.

Welcome back:

Downtime on the way home to put the day out of my mind
Quiet time - I forgot how quiet a cycle ride can be
Mental fatigue from always having to anticipate the actions of those around me
Tired hands

Yes, road cycling makes my hands tired. How many other people get tired hands from cycling? Is this another of my quirks or is this common place?

It was nice to feel my legs moving, to return to the old familiar. To cycle down memory lane as I cycled down Cable Street. My Wednesday and Friday rides reminded me of years gone by - cycle commuting I have done in Japan and in London. It was a nice return to a happy place.

It's nice to be back in the saddle again...

Holisticguru's Oatmeal Chicken

2010-03-05T10:59:00Z

A few weeks ago I participated in the #i8this challenge on Twitter. It was started by Christine Lynch, the Holisticguru, as a way to spur on food awareness of what we are eating, and also to become inspired by what other people were eating.

I realised I had some chicken in my fridge that needed cooking, but was lacking inspiration. I asked Christine if she would share with me some of her chicken ideas.

The Oatmeal Chicken recipe is a perfect one if you are seeking a fun chicken "snack". We loved it, it was super easy to make, and delicious. Think chicken tenders but homenade. I loved the honey mustard dip too. And hey, my philosophy is that if you make it, you know what goes in it, you control the cooking, so it's got to be heaps better than any ready made stuff that you could buy!

I've made this a few times and can safely report that it was devoured each time and has now made its way into the family favourite category. Thanks Christine for the simple, awesome suggestion.

Oatmeal Chicken

Ingredients

1/3 cup whole grain (wheat) flour
Salt and ground black pepper

1/3 cup milk (or a beaten egg)

1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch wide strips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray/rub with a light layer of cooking oil.

2. In a shallow dish, combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper.
3. Add chicken to flour mixture and turn to coat.
4. Place milk (or beaten egg) in a separate shallow dish.
5. In a third shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine parmesan, oats, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano.

Note: I have played around with the topping, and what I do at the moment is to take the oats, put into my mortar and pestle, and grind them to a flour like consistency. I have found that this makes the coating crunchier. Also, I am a huge fan of Joe's Stuff, so I substitute Joe's Stuff for the garlic/onion/oregano powders. This makes the coating a bit spicier too. I think if you don't have Joe's Stuff, you could just add some dried red pepper or cayenne pepper (about a half a teaspoon) to the mix to get the same spiciness.

6. Dip chicken into flour and turn to coat.
7. Dip flour-coated chicken into milk (or egg) and then transfer chicken to oat mixture.
8. Turn to coat chicken (or shake bag) until well covered with oat mixture.
9. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet and spray the surface with cooking spray.
10. Bake until crust is golden brown and chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes a side).

Creamy Honey-Mustard Dip

Ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt, regular or low-fat (Note: I use Greek Yoghurt for this, unflavoured)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (Note: I use whole grain mustard)
2 teaspoons honey

Directions

To make dip, in a small bowl, whisk together sour cream (Greek yoghurt), Dijon mustard and honey.

Serve chicken with dip on the side.

Yes, this was as delicious as it looked and was gone almost instantly!

Just Keep Going

2010-02-22T16:13:00Z

"Make No Mistake, That Body Bag's for You" PunkRockRacing.com

Ok, that may be a bit of a severe start to my Monday blog. But if there is one thing that I discovered this weekend, it is that my journey is going to be about giving it my all both physically AND mentally.

On Saturday, once again, I met Coach T at the track for a session. Expecting another morning full of lunging and squatting and 100s and such, I was kind of taken aback to be asked if I wanted to know the aim of the session.

Um, the aim? You mean not just leg strength today?

Nope.

The aim was to just run a continuous mile.

That's it.

Well, kind of... A continuous mile with the aim to keep the pace exactly the same for all four laps. Time not important. Just consistency. And leg strength. Stability, footfall, form. Staying strong. And do not worry about time.

And the absolutely no-no?

Absolutely no walking.

Yep. That was it. And that's what I did. I ran a mile.

Now this might sound like a small thing to many people. And, admittedly, I thought that it wouldn't be such a big deal for me either. I thought to myself "no big deal". I mean, I managed to eek out a few 5ks in 2009, albeit with a fair amount of walking, some knee issues, unstable ankles, and probably not with form that even came close to being able to be called running form. But I did them, and so I wasn't worried about 4 times around a track.

(Except that I don't think I had run a constant mile since, well, ever, maybe?)

Ready... go! Off I went.

I kept the pace slow, my hips were already feeling tight so it wasn't hard to keep it slow. One lap turned into two, turned into three. And then on the third lap a small thought crept into my head.

Just walk for a second. You'll feel a bit looser.

NO. That was not the goal. The goal was a continuous mile, NO WALKING.

And the difference between LOOSER and LOSER on this challenge was not just one O but also caving into that small thought.

I battled temptation for about 200m. And I won that little battle. I did my continuous mile.

I didn't wind up in a body bag. Actually, I felt ok, except for the tight hips. My legs felt - dare I say it? - strong. Much stronger than a few months ago. Not really any pain - definitely no foot pain, some tenderness from my knee tendon stuff, but that will pass with time and as I get stronger.

Saturday was a confidence booster. And also a sign that this is going to be as much about my mental approach as it is about building my physical strength and fitness. I always knew that this journey was not going to be easy, but that's cool, I don't like easy things. If it was easy then everyone would do it.

My road may be long as it is taking time to build the strength and stability that I need... Far more time than I realised it would. And now I know that I need to battle the little confidence killing voices in my head, too. But, to quote one of the folks I follow on Twitter, Patricia Brownell:

"The long roads are far more worthwhile than the short ones. Keep truckin'!"

Me at Parliament Hill track on Saturday, wearing my PunkRockRacing hat and smiling big post my 1 continuous mile. My friend Ron is launching Punk Rock Racing on 1 March and, needless to say, the hat sure helped me to get in the right spot with my mental attitude. Thanks Ron!

Thai Green Curry (made easy)

2010-02-19T11:03:00Z

A few months ago on Twitter, Astrid commented that someone had said that it was easier to use store bought green curry paste for a home cooked curry than to make your own. We both agreed that we completely disagree with this comment.

Making your own green curry paste is not hard. In fact, it is super easy if you have a food processor to hand. Without a food processor you can still do it, but it requires more chopping and a mortar / pestle to grind up the ingredients into a good paste.

The recipe below was originally inspired by Nigel Slater. Over time I have simplified it. For example, he adds in ground cumin and coriander (1 teaspoon each) to the paste. I don't do this any more. He also adds Thai fish sauce (one tablespoon to the paste - another tablespoon to the curry when cooking). I don't always have this to hand so don't always add it. Finally he suggests adding green peppercorns to the curry when cooking - I love green peppercorns but don't always have these to hand either. The dish is fine without them, but a bit more interesting with them.

For the vegetables and proteins to use in the curry itself. I often use chicken for this recipe. But I also use prawns. Nigel's original recipe keeps it simple using just chestnut mushrooms, chicken, and then fresh herbs (basil and coriander) for the curry. I tend to add in vegetables of many colours to the curry phase - I love baby bok chois, baby corn, sweet red romano peppers...

I think the joy of this recipe is that once you have made it the paste, and as long as you keep the stock/coconut milk measuring consistent, you can do just about anything with it.

I serve over steamed brown rice. But again, I bet you could serve it with Asian noodles as a soup, or with white rice, or however it takes your fancy.

Enjoy!

Curry Paste Ingredients / Instructions

4 stalks lemon grass, peeling away the outer husks and using the tender inner leaves
3 medium hot green chillies, seeded and chopped (note: I use 3 as this is plenty for us but add to your taste)
3 cloves garlic
1 thumb sized piece galangal or ginger, peeled
2 shallots, peeled
1 good sized handful of coriander leaves
1 teaspoon of lime zest (or if you have it, as my supermarket does, some Thai Keffir Lime leaves)
1 tablespoon lime juice (if you do not have lime, you can substitute lemon just use less)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

(optional - these are in the original Nigel Slater recipe but I eliminate them)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

1. Put all ingredients into Food Processor (Magimix)
2. Blend until chopped finely / paste-like (frequently stopping to ensure ingredients are in bowl rather than sides)
3. You can store in a very airtight sealed container in the fridge for a day or two before use

Note: I prefer using immediately as the fresh smell is just so good, and the fresh flavours even better.

Curry Ingredients / Instructions

2 - 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
a few teaspoons oil (for browning chicken - ground nut oil has a high heat ability so this is a good choice)

Vegetables of choice
(Nigel Slater suggests 200g of quartered chestnut mushrooms; I use 3 baby bok chois, 1 sliced Romano red pepper (rings), baby corn pieces, sometimes mushrooms, sometimes mange tout (snow peas))

1 can coconut milk
400ml stock (chicken stock, or vegetable stock - I have a tin of Marigold organic vegetable bouillon at home that I mix for this)
Coriander leaves (and stalks also ok) - chopped up

Note: 400ml stock is the same amount as the can of coconut milk - so you can use the can to measure it out.

If you have it to hand:
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
Chopped basil (Thai basil)
1 tablespoon green peppercorns (drained, just the peppercorns)

1. Cut chicken into strips, brown in oil.
2. Remove chicken from pan, brown mushrooms (if using them).
3. Remove mushrooms from pan, add stock, coconut milk, and curry paste (4 tablespoons, add more to taste)
4. Bring to simmer, add in chicken, mushrooms (if using) and other vegetables.
5. Cook until vegetables done (about 10 minutes)
6. Add green peppercorns and Thai fish sauce (if you have to hand) and chopped herbs (basil, coriander)

Serve over rice, noodles, however you choose, and enjoy!

Reflections: Love

2010-02-18T10:22:00Z

(I would like to thank Mish at Eating Journey for inspiring me to think about love - she is publishing the extracts of many bloggers Self Love posts during the month of February on her blog - check it out.)

I love...

First light in the morning

Breathing fresh air

The sound of waves crashing on the shore,
Beach sand between my toes

Empty desert landscapes,
Clear, unbroken, blue sky horizons

Movement -
Being able to swim, bike and run

Laughing when it all gets too much

My absolute determination and willpower

Being at peace with myself -
Putting it all into perspective

A hug, a hand squeeze, a pat on a shoulder - showing that you care, showing you that I care...

Breathing deeply

Unexpected colours at sunset

Shades of violet -
The smell of night blooming jasmine

Life...

Note: These images were photographed by me. The top image is of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro Brazil in the morning light, January 2002. The bottom image is of the Wahiba Sands in Oman as the sun was setting, February 2007.

The Best Thing...

2010-02-15T10:09:00Z

"The best thing that has happened to me is realizing that I can do more than I thought I could."

A few weeks ago I quoted Anissa Mayhew in my blog. Anissa is a blogger, a mother, has a wicked sense of humor, and suffered a stroke at the end of 2009. She is slowly making a recovery. Her road is long and hard, but she is doing it. Through hard work, patience, and conviction, she is confounding expectations.

On Saturday, albeit of a totally different order of magnitude, I had an Anissa moment.

I did more than I thought I could.

OK, before anyone (including me) gets excited about this, I need to put it all into perspective. At the end of last triathlon season, the season I decided I would start to run again (with the blessing of my doctors), I was kind of a physical mess. I had peroneal tendonitis (not unusual for me - I have had it in my left foot before). I spent from May until August nursing strange feelings in my left knee. And I had gotten to a point where I knew that I needed a new approach to triathlon and training.

I asked Terry Collins if he would consider becoming my coach, to help me to move beyond my neurological limits, to learn to run again, and to do the best that I could do with triathlon. I asked my physiotherapy team at the National Hospital for Neurology to help me with my biomechanics. And I decided to commit to triathlon - to give it my all in the run up to the 2010 tri season to see just how far I could go.

We decided to go back to the beginning with my training, and to focus on strength building first and foremost.

Since December I have been working on leg strength. Teaching my muscles to work again. Hitting the strength and core sessions regularly at the gym. On the nights when I am not at the gym, I have been working on leg lifts and balance exercises at home. I have been visualising nerve signals - in my mind small lights of energy - flowing from my brain, down my legs, and to my feet. I have been working.

And it all seems to have paid off.

For the first time on Saturday I felt moderately comfortable going around the track. Sure, my usual niggles persisted. For the record, I am convinced that these will go away the stronger that I get. I felt my feet working. I felt a small forward lean as I jogged around the track. I am pretty sure my foot strike was more midfoot than January.

And, although it was only one time around, I hit 2 minutes 25 seconds for 400 meters.

That equates to a 9 minute mile.

That means I could run 10k in an hour.

I am getting stronger. The work is paying off. And I am surpassing my own expectations.

The road is not easy, but having these moments... Well, that is the best thing about training. The best thing about the journey I have put myself on - the road to see just how strong I can get.

I will get strong.

Thank you Anissa for the inspiration.

Me, at Parliament Hill, wearing my Team Anissa shirt. All smiles!

A Lot of Vowels: Jalapeno Quinoa

2010-02-12T14:55:00Z

Today's recipe is once again from Alicia Ambroso, aka Ali the Runner.

I follow Alicia on Twitter, and she is a great source of food inspiration, workout motivation, and old school tunes. She also writes a great blog which is well worth a read. And she's doing a marathon this year for TNT (Leukaemia and Lymphoma) and as you know, anyone who does sport for charity is just top in my books!

Alicia shared with us her chicken enchilada recipe in September, and it was a huge hit in my house (we ate it watching football aka soccer). And I can report that this recipe for jalapeno quinoa was another hit!

This is the first time I have made quinoa so I didn't know what to expect. My husband didn't know how to pronounce it either (for the record, it is keen-wa). I thought the consistency of my quinoa would have been a bit fluffier, but I didn't achieve that - it was more like a combination of sticky rice/fluffy couscous. I wonder if that was due to cooking with stock, or maybe even over cooking the grain.

I took it easy on the chilis. Our chilis recently have been super hot. So I used one from a type labeled "green - not too hot not too mild". They didn't have jalapenos on the Ocado drop down list so that was my only option. One was a good amount for taste - I could've used two for more heat, but DH is not always a fan of spicy. My recommendation: use the amount of green chili that you feel comfortable with, to taste.

When you sweat (saute) the chili, garlic and onion the smell of the Mexican spiciness is just so awesome. I was so excited to try it...

And... It did not disappoint. Consistency questions or not, the dish was delicious. Two thumbs up from DH on this!

Alicia told me that her husband puts a little cheese on his, but that she didn't. She serves hers with carne asada, sauteed zucchini (courgettes) and guacamole. That just sounds unbelievably good to me. We served ours with grilled lamb chops and a little gem lettuce salad. It was a big hit.

I hope you enjoy it, and many thanks to Ali the Runner for sharing!

Jalapeno Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

2 cups stock (I used vegetable, but depending on the meat you serve you could use beef or chicken as well)

1 small onion, diced

4 jalapenos, seeks removed and diced (note - I used one medium sized medium hot chili and it was plenty - chili to taste)

1 shallot, peeled and diced

1/2 clove garlic (or 1 small clove garlic) - small dice

3 tablespoons olive oil for sweating the onion/shallot/chili/garlic (I used butter)

salt to taste (I did not add salt to cooking as I prefer to add after cooking)

Instructions:

1. Bring stock to boil

2. Add quinoa

(note: my quinoa pack said to rinse first, so I did, then added it to the hot stock)

3. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer.

4. Sautee jalapenos, onions, garlic and shallot in olive oil until onions transparent

(note: I used all my shallots making Thai green curry paste, so only used onions, it is still good without the shallots)

5. Add sauteed mix to the quinoa, which is about halfway done by this point.

6. Add a bit of water to quinoa (1/4 cup) and bring back to boil.

7. Reduce heat and simmer until all liquid absorbed.

8. Serve and enjoy!

[Note - I am missing the picture of the finished dish as my iPhone was on video mode - will add it later once I figure out how to extract a good still!]

A small gesture can mean so much

2010-02-10T15:32:00Z

Today on the way to work I clicked onto a story in the Guardian about Evan Muncie. Evan is a 28 year old rice seller. 27 days ago he was trapped in the market in Port au Prince following the mega-earthquake that struck Haiti. And yesterday, he was pulled out ALIVE.

27 days. Trapped. Alone. Surviving.

A miracle.

It got me thinking - Evan is probably the last survivor that will be found following the earthquake. A lot of the 24/7 media hoopla has subsided, the amazing stories like this are now most likely over. But for Haiti, the process of rebuidling - from the bottom up - all of its institutions, buildings, governance, law, order - everything - will really only start now.

In January before the earthquake Eric Harr amazingly offered to donate $250 to everyone who replied letting him know their favourite charity. I replied to Eric - telling him about my 2010 fundraising efforts on behalf of CMTA (the Charcot Marie Tooth Association) and their STAR program to find a cure for CMT1A - the nerve disease which I have.

Then the earthquake happened. A lot of people wrote to Eric and asked him to redirect the funds for Haiti.

Rather than ask Eric to donate the funds to Haiti, I decided that as he was donating $250 to my charity, I would donate what I could to Haiti.

I split my donation in half.

The first half I donated to CARE in honour of Eric. Eric is a CARE Ambassador and I fully support their aims and in particular their programs for women and children. CARE in Haiti will play a vital role in supporting people as they rebuild their lives.

The second half I donated to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. When I was in Washington DC a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet with a woman who was coordinating the United States efforts to repower Haiti. Haiti, before the earthquake, only had about 250MW of installed power plants. In the United States, this amount of power would only keep the lights on for about 250,000 homes. And that is all that Haiti had nationally. Before the earthquake. And now it is mostly gone. Granted, a lot of the power generation in the country is done by separate standalone generators at each house - but the fuel infrastructure (to get diesel to power these generators) is also destroyed. I know the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation will channel funds to organisations that will work on rebuilding the infrastructure that Haiti so desperately needs.

Although Evan Muncie may be the last survivor pulled from the rubble, he is just one of millions who need help in rebuilding their future.

Sorry if this post sounds a bit preachy, but there are a few things that I am passionate about. One of those is "doing good". I believe in the power of positive. And I know that good comes from philanthropy and charity.

Don't forget about Haiti.

And keep Evan's story close to heart - miracles can happen, and the power of positive cannot be underestimated.

The Dreaded Turbo

2010-02-08T09:33:00Z

The weather was so-so this past weekend. I should've gone for the Serpie newbie group cycle, but didn't.

I'm starting to feel a bit of pressure. Pressure to spend more time on the bike, and to spend more time on my runs. I'm still a bit gun shy with the runs. I know the focus right now is leg strength, and am in the gym working on this diligently. I have also stepped up my coached sessions from once to twice a month. And I suspect when the weather improves and days are longer I may increase this yet again.

But what about the bike? I have the new bike, I go out now and then, but I am not really 100% super sure of the feel of the bike yet. To do this I know I need to get out and go for some long rides. I am hoping that is the plan for the end of March, when we head to Florida for holiday (alas - haven't booked the tickets yet though!)... But what about the interim? I really do need to get on the bike.

All winter I have read about triathletes whiling away hours and kilometres on their turbo trainers.

I have a turbo. It is sitting in the back of my house. I haven't used it all winter.

(the guilt. the shame.)

(for those of you unfamiliar with a turbo, it is basically a bike stand in which you set your bike, clip it in, and then can use your own bike as a spin bike - only the back wheel spins, and the front wheel is held stationary)

Sometime last week I decided that I needed to start spending more time on the bike. And for me, that would mean more time on the turbo.

Sigh.

Time to get over the mental hurdle. And to get on the trainer.

Me, with new bike, Bertha the commuter bike is lurking in the background.

I don't know what it is that makes the turbo so, well, objectionable. I guess it is because it is just so dull. Your wheel does not move. The lure of your own bike is there, but without any of the pleasure. And for me, my turbo is outside, in a semi-enclosed space. So if it is cold then it is cold. There is no television outside (the triathlete's secret turbo weapon - put on some movies and spin the hours away) so there is nothing to kill the mind-numbing boredom. And unlike spin class, there is no blaring music to keep you going or spin instructor to vary the routine.

In January Jamie of Swim Bike Run Live posted on his twitter stream that he had perfected a great spin workout. I bookmarked the set, with every intention of doing it that weekend.

Well, that weekend turned into this weekend. And it was time for me to try out the Spin Until You Puke workout mix.

I lost my iPod (it may be in my house - it may be on an airplane - some guy at the gym may now be listening to my half heard Zen and the Art of Triathlon podcast - who knows). On Saturday I picked up an iPhone, so there really was no more excuse for avoiding the turbo. I downloaded all the music (except for two tracks) on Jamie's set, and plugged in one of the missing tracks with another Mix Master Mike number of the same length. The other track - well, it was just before Jamie said to jump off the bike to stretch out, so I just finished up with the stretch track and then stretched without tunes.

(My hips and thighs are super tight, by the way. Thank goodness I have some physio with Magic Hands Michael Collins coming up!)

I forgot to put on my heart rate monitor and watch (back from servicing just last week) so I had to play the effort order in time with the music. I suffered through the standing sets (I hate doing standing sets on a spin bike - probably because I'm so weak legged). I sweat. Profusely. I stripped off layers. I know my stuffed muskrats looked out the window and laughed at me (yes, I own taxidermy - natural death animals I was assured).

And... I listened to new tunes. I smiled at old tunes I hadn't thought of in a long time. And when the set neared the end with Porno for Pyros, talking about humans making great pets, I thought that I probably looked like a dog, panting and overheated, at the end of 45 minutes of work.

I didn't puke. It was a good set. I got over my turbo mental block.

So, yep, I guess I will be spending more time in the back of my house. That is, until our extension construction begins. Yep, that's right. After two years of to-ing and fro-ing, we finally received local authority permission to build our extension - which will put the back out of commission for a bit. Who knows from when, but I guess I have a few more months of turbo-ing before anything major starts. And then once the extension is done, maybe I will have space to turbo and tv at the same time

Let them eat... Bread! (Part 2)

2010-02-05T11:27:00Z

This is the second Friday of "bread" posts, spurred on by the discussions I've had in real life and on Twitter about the joys of home-baked bread. The first recipe (posted 19 January) was for an "almost no-knead" bread. This week I am posting my recipe for a traditional (read - knead it yourself or with a bread machine) multigrain bread.

I make this bread using the knead-only function on the bread machine, and then I finish it in the oven. I love the smell of fresh baked bread. This bread is super - with the honey adding just a nice sweet note to the multigrain. I suspect you could do the whole recipe in the bread machine, but I haven't tried that (I am not a fan of square bread). Also clearly you can do the recipe all by hand, but I love delegating the kneading to my bread machine.

If you take a photo of the finished product, feel free to email me and I will add it to this post: donna@myfitnessyear.com - along with your feedback of course.

Enjoy!

PS: I have halved this recipe (and the half sizing is below) as the full version just doesn't fit well in the bread machine.

Multigrain Bread

Published March 1, 2006 in Cook's Illustrated

Makes one 9 by 5-inch loaf.

I have frozen extra bread by wrapping in foil. Defrosted and reheated it is just as delicious as the fresh variety.

Also, the original recipe uses food easily purchased in the US as Cook's Illustrated is a US publication. I have substituting with grain mixes readily available in the UK. Experiment and find a combination which you like.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/8 ounces 5-grain porridge (oatmeal) , about 5/8 of a cup
10 ounces boiling water (1 1/4 cups)
7.5 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour (1 1/2 cups), plus extra for dusting work surface
3 3/4 ounces whole wheat flour (3/4 of a cup)
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 tablespoon table salt
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, unsalted (I use a flaxseed / pumpkin seed combination - I bet you could also use Chia seeds too, but I haven't found a Chia supplier yet in the UK)
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place cereal mix in bowl and pour boiling water over it; let stand, stirring occasionally, until mixture cools and resembles thick porridge, about 1 hour.

2. Whisk flours in medium bowl.

3. Once grain mixture has cooled, add honey, melted butter, and yeast and stir to combine.

4. Add flours, 1/2 cup at a time, and knead until dough forms ball.

5. Place into non-reactive bowl and cover with plastic. Let dough rest 20 minutes.

6. Add salt and knead. Add seeds and knead. Knead until seeds are dispersed evenly and dough forms smooth, taut ball.

7. Place dough into non-reactive bowl. I make sure the bowl is coated in olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled.

NOTE: For Steps 1 - 7 I do this in my bread machine, following the instructions of the machine for the order of ingredients.

8. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees (about 180C). Spray 9 by 5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray (I use olive oil).

9. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and pat into 12 by 9-inch rectangle; cut dough in half crosswise with knife or bench scraper. Follow illustrations below to shape loaves and coat with oats. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise until almost doubled in size. Dough should barely spring back when poked.

Roll bread into log. Pinch log shut. Coat in oats and lower seam side down into pan.

Images from Cook's Illustrated.

10. Bake until internal temperature registers 200 degrees (120C) on instant-read thermometer, about 35 to 40 minutes.

11. Remove loaves from pans and cool on wire rack before slicing, about 3 hours.

This bread is delicious - I couldn't wait until it was cool to have it!

Alone

2010-02-04T10:18:00Z

Alone.

There are times that I feel low. It is rare but it happens. I laugh often and I love life. But sometimes...

Sometimes I feel alone.

Everyday when I wake up I think to myself "Life is brilliant." I breathe deep and wonder how I can fit into the day all the things I want to do!

But... Sometimes... I wonder if it will it always be this way...

That is the problem when you have a progressive, degenerative condition. A condition with no known path, no known final prognosis.

You just don't know what the future will hold. And staring at that unknown. Well... For me, anyway, it can make me feel alone.

The intense feeling of being on a solo journey arises at the strangest times. Out of the clear blue, it will hit.

When friends and colleagues have babies, it can hit. Do I want to have children, knowing that I can pass along a condition whose path is unknown?

When you ask for time off of work to go to a doctor's appointment and are told that you need to take it as paid annual leave, because you are in perfect health. Because they can't see what you know is there. That alone feeling hits.

A coach's light-hearted poolside remark - "You guys are pretty slow" - triggers frustration. I seem "normal" but am battling demons that I can't control and that no one else can see. My nerves don't communicate well with my muscles. By definition I am slow. Such a small remark, triggering a big feeling of being alone.

Family and friends help. A good hug at a random moment can mean the world. But...

Do they *get* my solo alone feeling?

The extraordinary thing about tweeting, blogging and opening up in public is that sometimes you get messages from strangers who let you know that you aren't alone. From people who fight their battles, and who share their pain.

"We know the loneliness that is sometimes there when one does not quit." ~ lak1

You find words that resonate. Words to pick you up, words that make you look inside of you. To search not for what you don't know, but for what you do know.

I know that no matter what happens to my nerves, my spirit will remain. Who I am, who I truly am, shouldn't be dependent on my unknown physical future. Who I am is about today - how I approach living this very second. The unknown shouldn't be important, it shouldn't dominate my thoughts. When it does... *That* is when I feel alone.

I need to focus on what I will achieve today, and tomorrow. I need to have goals. To keep me going, to keep my spirits high. To be true to myself...

Through blogging and twitter, much to my surprise, I have found words that make me stop and think. Words that make me feel less alone. Words that cause me to wake up and ask myself "what is my next goal, the thing that will keep me going".

Resetting my goals is fast becoming priority number one for me. 2010 looks like it is going to turn into quite the year - from the huge physical challenge I have set for myself with triathlon, to the emotional journey I am about to embark on as I search for the next path I will take.

"Be brave and true to yourself and know what you want." ~ lak1

"The race is never against other people. Never ever. It's against yourself. When you set yourself a goal you challenge yourself and nobody else... ...my race has always been with myself. I think of each box ticked as a lap on a never ending track of life. Stamina and pacing are essential in order to keep on running. And keep on running we must, because it is this that makes us truly alive." ~ Jevon O'Neill

"I’m thinking about the good things. The happy things. The things that make life seem so good. So no matter what I get told today, whether it’s good, or bad, or ugly…I know I will be OK. I have so much to be OK about." ~ This Little Lady Went to London

"The best thing that has happened to me is realizing that I can do more than I thought I could. I felt weak and I felt tired and I found out that I am able. I have things that I can’t do, but I can still try." ~ Anissa Mayhew

"We are what we create. And we can create and re-create ourselves all the time if we choose to." ~ Venus in Balance

Let them eat... Bread!

2010-01-29T14:07:00Z

For some reason a lot of my friends and the folks I interact with online (via Twitter) have been talking a lot about baking bread. Baking bread does not have to be difficult. I have two great recipes, both from Cook's Illustrated, and both absolutely delicious.

I will publish "bread" posts for the next two Fridays. The first recipe is for an "almost no-knead" bread. The key for this bread is two-fold: first, a non-reactive bowl (I use glass or ceramic) when rising; second, a warm location for the rising (if your kitchen is cool overnight expect to add a few more hours onto the rising time in the morning).

The second recipe (to be published on the 6th of February) will be for a traditional bread (yes, you knead the dough) - but I shortcut it and use the bread machine for the kneading. I suppose you could use the bread machine for the whole thing, but I like baking the bread in my oven.

Enjoy - and if you make either loaf and take photos, send them to me at donna@myfitnessyear.com and I will add them to this post!

Almost No-Knead Bread

Originally published January 1, 2008 in Cook's Illustrated.

Makes 1 large round loaf.

I use a Le Creuset cast iron covered large pot (also called a Dutch oven) for baking. It works perfectly. I think you can use any heavy pot that is oven safe and with a lid.

Use a mild lager (we have used Becks, Fosters, and Bud) - I am sure a non-alcoholic lager would also work.

This doesn't last long when I bake it. But to store it I always put bread in a paper bag and then our bread box.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (15 ounces), plus additional for dusting work surface
1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water (7 ounces), at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mild-flavored lager (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon white vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in large bowl. Add water, beer, and vinegar. Using rubber spatula, fold mixture, scraping up dry flour from bottom of bowl until shaggy ball forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 8 to 18 hours. I find in my kitchen which is fairly cool that I need to leave this for about 12 to 15 hours.

2. Lay parchment paper inside big bowl (I use ceramic or glass - non reactive) and spray with nonstick cooking spray (I have an olive oil mister so I use that, as I do not like cooking sprays). Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times (thus the almost no knead name of the recipe). Shape dough into ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough, seam-side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray (again, I use olive oil). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with finger, about 2 hours. Again, as my kitchen is cool sometimes I find this step can take 4 hours.

3. About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place heavy-bottomed pot (with lid) on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees (about 250C) - heat the oven with the pot in it. Lightly flour top of dough and, using razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment paper and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees (about 200C) and bake covered for 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until loaf is deep brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 210 degrees (about 120C), 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

I find this bread is best made by starting in the evening, around 6pm, then doing step two around 9am, then baking at noon. It is out of the oven at about 1pm, and we often eat it with a lunchtime soup or roast on Sundays (starting on Saturday).

I look forward to adding any photos you mail!

Andres summits for a cause

2010-01-27T09:08:00Z

Last summer I ran into my friend Andres. We used to work together, and have shared a few drinks over the years (and lots of laughs). I saw him right before he was heading off to tackle Europe's largest mountain, in the name of charity. I mentioned to Andres that I would love to share his story on my blog, and thankfully I am finally able to do so.

Andres is originally from Colombia and used his summit as a means to raise money for the education and training of young single mothers in his home country. I can only ask you to read on, and hopefully you, like me, will realise that in doing the things that we love and thinking about what motivates us, we can find ways to help and inspire others.

Pictured: Andres Cruz (on the left in blue) holding the Colombian flag at the summit of Mt Elbrus

DD: Summit for a Cause... Let's break this into two obvious questions. First, the Summit. What did you climb?

AC: I climbed Mount Elbrus, which is Europe's highest mountain, it rises 5642m (18,510 ft) in the border between Russia and Georgia. The Foreign Office doesn't recommend traveling there as it is also close to Chechnia. All I can say is that it is a magical place and worth the visit. The Russians are very interesting bunch, especially for a Latin American!

DD: What got you interested in mountain climbing?

AC: I am Colombian and was born in Bogota which is 2600m (8,530 ft) above sea level and surrounded by mountains. My father and I would always go climbing/racing into the mountains that are in front of our house. I have very fond memories of trekking up the mountain, whilst everything around me was silent and I could almost listen to my heart beat. The forest would always be wet as the sun had not reached it and the smell of a cold, wet forest in the morning is unfrogettable.

Later on in University I joined the mountaineering club and we would go on expeditions in the mountains of Colombia. Odd as it sounds, cooking fondue at 4000m with ambient temperature of 0C and being able to clearly see the Milky Way is my idea of fun. So much so that when I got married, my wife and I went to Annapurna base camp (in Nepal) at 4200m and -12C!

In all honesty I had not climbed a mountain like Elbrus before as I had taken an almost 15 year sabbatical from mountaineering as life had got in the way. Having summited the highest peak in Europe has firmly reignited my passion for mountains so more should be coming soon!

DD: And how about the Cause piece of the puzzle? Which Cause did you support?

I was invited to join the Elbrus expedition and whilst very excited to join I felt that the idea of a 35 year old man with very little prior experience could inspire people to support a cause. The good ole mind over body with a dollop of spirit mix!

I decided to support an amazing foundation in Colombia which has single handely helped to reduce infant mortality and teenage pregnancy nationally. The Juanfe Foundation has created a comprehensive approach to infant mortality reduction. Part of its mission is to help reduce avoidable deaths at birth through the creation of a state of the art neonatal unit in a hospital which alone was responsible for skewing the national average. Once the child is born, the parents sign up to the JuanFe health system which monitors the development of the children until the age of 5 ensuring there grow up fully nurtured and healthy.

The most interesting part of the foundation for me is the one that deals with single teenage moms, which they found out were the main contributors of risky births and avoidable deaths. Most of the girls are 12 to 15 years old and a lot had been raped by their boyfriends or next of kin. Being pregnant at 12 in heavily Catholic society like Colombia's will ensure that you are ostracised, kicked out of your house and thrown into a very dangerous environment where abortion is still illegal.

Most of these girls come from the poorest parts of Cartagena, the city where the Foundations operates. The foundation works in these areas teaching girls about contraception as well as enrolling the ones that are pregnant into very concise programs that help them rebuild their self esteem as well carve a future out for themselves. Most finish high school, go on to earn techincal degrees. The very academic ones get scholarships or start their own business. The foundation is with them through all of these milestones so it ensures that the poverty cycle is broken permanently.

DD: Why teenage mothers?

I am a firm believer in helping people that want to be helped and when I understood that these girls had to apply to join the Foundation's programs it made me realise that these girls wanted to change their lives and were taking the necessary steps to do so. I also understood that every pound, dollar, peso raised would help two individuals: the mothers and their sons or daughters, a double return on any investment made!

I have been an entrepreneur for the last 5 years and loved the idea of helping the teenage moms that were particularly interested in becoming business owners themselves. That is the one year program that donors would be sponsoring.

Pictured: Foundation JuanFe in action

DD: How much money did you raise for the Foundation?

The goal was to raise USD 8,000 to fund the one year program for up to 156 teenage moms. This being my first fundraising effort I raised half of that and was able to fund 70 teenage moms on their program.

DD: For those interested in showing their support to you, can they still donate to the Cause?

Absolutely! I was amazed to see how far the foundation was able to stretch the USD 4,000 I raised so I really understood that like Tesco: every little helps!

I am using Conexion Colombia, a Colombia site that serves as the online payment vehicle for most Foundations in Colombia. Don't worry it's in English.

Should anyone have any problems, please let me know at: arcruz@gmail.com

DD: And for those interested in charity fundraising, any tips that you could share?

Pour your heart into it! Talk to everyone you know and pull all the favours you can to make yourself heard (thanks Donna!). A lot of people are doing the same thing so you need to set yourself apart. Actually I still have a lot to learn so tips are welcomed from people that read this and are experts.

DD: And finally, what ran through your head at the toughest parts of the climb? Any particular song, mantra, or motivating thought you could share with us?

Undoubtedly the toughest day of the climb was summit day. We walked a total of 13 hours, starting at 3.30 am from an altitude of 4000m to the summit (5642m) and back down in the middle of a snow storm so temperatures dropped into the -10s C with a wind chill factor that made it feel like -20s C! The best description is imagine walking inside a steam bath, with a 40Km/h wind hitting your face and feeling that it is freezing and you can't even see the steps you take. Every time I raised my head to see where I was, all I could see was snow! On top of this, members of the expedition were suffering from altitude sickness so halfway throught the ascent, we had to stop and decided who continued and who turned back.

I carried on but the last 300 meters of ascent are the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

After we stopped to see who carried on, the conditions and terrain only worsened and it felt like I took a step forward and two back. That does your head in. That and the fact that you don't know where you are going cause you can't see the road, let alone the destination!

At one point I started getting worried, my iPod had frozen so there was no music to help and I thought of the following mantra:

"I feel fresh, I am doing this for myself, my son and the 157 girls that found their way through a maze like the one I am currently in".

I repeated this until the last step I took when I reached the summit.

Pictured: Andres trying to get a solar charge into his iPod before it froze

Plans. Big Plans.

2010-01-25T16:52:00Z

It is still January. My racing plans for 2010 are just taking shape. As they take shape, my plans reinvigorate my training and give me purpose. I take huge health benefit from being active, but there is just something else that I get from racing - an adrenaline shot, a sense of accomplishment, a buzz...

I am really looking forward to 2010. I have the big aim of completing an Olympic distance triathlon. For many people this may seem like small change, but for me, it is a huge physical challenge. With nerves that don't talk well to my muscles, and years of bad knees, the 10k run is a massive goal for me. We'll see how it goes. But I am optimistic, excited, and ready to share my race schedule as it stands today.

6 June	Blenheim Triathlon	Sprint distance: 750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run
3 July	Great London Swim	1 mile swim (will be done as a brick, with 7mi bike before and after swim)
8 August	London Triathlon	Olympic distance: 1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run
5 September	Great North Swim	1 mile swim at Lake Windermere

All of these races are in the UK. We are thinking about adding a few races into the calendar which are not in the UK. I am keeping my eye on the Barcelona triathlon in October, and also thinking about the Nation's Triathlon in DC in September. And we are thinking about bringing our bikes along on holiday this year. And I haven't added in any 5k runs yet. I am still waiting to see how my knees/ankles feel with the running... But I have a few of those in mind as well!

Wish me luck. I will continue to track my training and progress here, on Twitter, and on Dailymile in case you are interested in following me!

Shannon's Spinach Jalapeno Dip

2010-01-22T10:45:00Z

In November on Twitter, Shannon (@hendy2) posted that she had a great recipe for spinach jalapeno dip. I am a huge fan of chips and dip, so asked Shannon if she would share the recipe. Now, she says that she got the recipe from her best friend, who got it from someone else, who got it from someone else, and that it is technically not her recipe. But since Shannon sent this to me, it will in my recipe files be forever known as "Shannon's Spinach Jalapeno Dip".

I made this for two Christmas drinks parties in December. The first one I was lucky enough to have some leftover, the second time it was completely demolished. It was a delicious addition to a party, and with Superbowl Sunday creeping up on us, I thought I would share this. Thanks again to Shannon for the recipe.

Spinach Jalapeno Dip

Ingredients

1 block cream cheese - about 300g - soften

1/2 cup Half-n-Half or single cream
1 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
3 tablespoons chopped jalapenos - I used hot spanish peppers, in a glass jar
1 cup chopped spinach - 200g steamed fresh spinach or 1 small frozen box - make sure to drain thoroughly (and thaw if frozen)
salt, pepper to taste - just enough to add a little zip

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Cumin - use this if you want a more "Mexican" or "Indian" flavour

Instructions

1. Mix together.

2. Put into a container and bake - I used a small round casserole dish, Shannon uses round aluminum disposable pie pans

3. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

4. Serve with tortilla chips (like Tostitos)

ENJOY!

Laying the foundation for 2011: Mark Allison

2010-01-20T09:07:00Z

Some of us start the new year with goals for 2010. Others of us look at 2010 as a year to lay the Foundation for the future. For me, one of the most inspiring stories I've read about when it comes to plans for a physical adventure for charity in the future has got to be the story of Mark Allison, Mr. RunGeordieRun. For those of you not from the UK, Geordie means, in colloquial British English, someone from the area around Newcastle-upon-Tyne, or the northeast of England.

I first came across Mark on Twitter. It is not everyday you come across someone who is planning to run a continent. Reading his story is impressive - he has already run from the north to the south of the UK, and in addition to the 2011 run across the US, he also hosts regular Sunday 6 bridges runs in Newcastle. And... he's doing this all to raise money for charity. His current plans exceed my own physical abilities, but they inspire me nonetheless.

Pictured in my RunGeordieRun shirt at Tuesday swim fitness

I hope you will join me in supporting Mark and Run Geordie Run.

DD: First you ran the length of the UK... Now you are planning to run across the US... Some people would say this is crazy! What has motivated you?

The primary motivation for the USA 2011 run, as with all of my previous sponsored runs, is to raise funds for local charities. I find it remarkable that so many kind people are willing to contribute to charity as a result of me putting one foot in front of the other a few million times. It's a great process when you think about it in it's simplest terms!

My run across the USA is being done under the brand RUN GEORDIE RUN. I'm an immensely proud Geordie and having the chance to be an ambassador for the North East region is also a motivating factor.

DD: What was the toughest moment of your run across the UK?

This is an easy one. Running with shin splints and a pulled hamstring for 8 days through the English/Scottish Border region and into the Pennines was sheer agony. By rights I should have given up. I was in absolute agony. However, with so much sponsor money riding on my success and the amount of support and encouragement I got, I just kept going. 500 miles into the run and these symptoms disappeared and I got stronger each day after that. The rest, as they say, is history.

DD: Have you always been a runner?

Not always. I started running in the winter of 1993 at the age of 21. I've got no idea why I started running. I just did. The first sponsored event I did was in 1994 just before my Mam died. Looking back, I'm so pleased that she got to stand at the finish line of a few runs to see me right at the start of my running "career". Ever since then I've had the desire to run further and further, pushing the boundaries each time. I can still remember that first 3 mile run at 6 in the morning through the snow.

It is, indeed, true that "The longest of journeys start with the smallest of steps".

DD: What about the run across the US - what has been the hardest part of the preparations so far?

Again, another easy question. The hardest aspect of the preparations so far has without doubt been eating the right kinds of food in the correct quantity. While I've been very happy with the running I've done so far, I've been far from happy with the nutritional side of things. This is something I must put right over the remaining training months. It's a massive learning curve and I've struggled so far to apply the right amount of discipline and planning. It's not been unusual during a 90 mile week in training for me to binge on 20 - 30 chocolate bars!

DD: What is the route you will do?

The route starts in Huntington Beach, California and ends in New York City. I will be running through a total of 15 states. The runs takes in unforgiving heat in the Mojave Desert and relentless climbs in the Rocky mountains with a summit of 11,307 ft (Berthoud pass). A high level route can be viewed here.

DD: What do you friends and family think about the RunGeordieRun challenge 2011?

The majority of people are in awe of the task that lies ahead and my wife Katy and son Jack are very proud of what I'm trying to achieve. There are, however, a minority who think that I'm wasting my time and that I won't succeed. I've heard it all before when I ran from John O'Groats to Lands End. I value their negative opinion as much as the positive ones as this makes me more determined to succeed.

DD: How about the charity piece of the puzzle? Which causes do you support?

The 2 charities I raise funds for are St Benedict's Hospice and The Children's Foundation.

DD: How did you choose St Benedicts and the Children's Foundation?

St Benedict's Hospice (Charity No. 1019410), cared for my Mam during her final days battling cancer in 1995. Ever since then, I have tried to repay the debt of gratitude I feel towards the Hospice and the staff.

I have a young family myself and I'm very proud to contribute to The Children's Foundation (Charity No. 1000013). They care for the health and wellbeing of so many children in the North East. It is estimated that, last year, the charity touched the lives of over 90,000 children.

DD: How much money have you raised for the charities so far, and what is your goal with your 2011 run?

Since 1994, I've raised over £50,000 for St Benedict's Hospice. Since 2008, I've raised just over £5,000 for The Children's Foundation. I'm not normally one for setting fundraising goals but an event of this magnitude has to have one. Given that £34,108 was raised during my last run from John O'Groats to Lands End in 2007, the USA 2011 run has a fundraising target of £50,000 (£25,000 for each charity). It's a massive target and with the help of so many generous people out there it's one I'm confident of achieving.

DD: For those interested in showing their support to you, how can they donate?

I have a page for each charity on the popular justgiving.com site. They are www.justgiving.com/rungeordierun1 and www.justgiving.com/rungeordierun2. As well as traditional pledges, I also have t-shirts and a specially written and recorded CD for sale. Details on how to purchase these can be found at www.rungeordierun.com. The full amount for the sale of these items go to the 2 charities.

DD: For those interested in charity fundraising, do you have any tips that you could share?

The main tip is to be shameless in your fundraising. And by that I mean don't be afraid of asking as many people as you can to sponsor you and don't be too shy about it. If the event and charity are worthy of sponsorship then, in my experience people, are usually more than happy to donate.

DD: And finally, what goes through your head during the toughmoments? Any particular song, mantra, or motivating thought you could share with us?

There are many things which I call upon during the tough moments. The obvious one is music and I have an armoury of tunes to pull me through the dark times!

A favourite trick of mine is to think of the headlines in my mind for my next blog post. The second part of this is to perform the necessary actions required to make those headlines a reality.

You'll be sick if you spend all your time indoors

2010-01-18T14:40:00Z

This is the title of one of my favourite prints by Patrick Caulfield. Based on a poem by Jules Laforgue, the cut out door just tempts the viewer with the clear blue sky... Just there, but inaccessible....

This longing to be outside is one of my key fitness motivations. It was one of the best parts of the walking marathon training I did in 2004, and a huge positive of triathlon. Even in the winter months, we get outside. We find the parks that have no ice, we take advantage of the sun when it shines, and we learn to appreciate warm weather and summer days...

Pictured: The London Fields Lido on 8 January 2010

On Saturday the 8th we cycled up to London Fields to our local lido - a 50m outdoor heated swimming pool. It was an incredible start to the day - even though we didn't stay long, we felt the sunshine on our arms, we swam outside, we breathed fresh air - and we got to see frozen London.

The view of London Fields from the Lido entrance - a winter wonderland

But the rest of the week... Well, it was hard for me to stomach, quite literally. On Sunday the 9th I came down with the dreaded stomach virus. This rendered my entire week pretty useless. I didn't eat much, and only started to feel somewhat normal again on Thursday.

Easing back into training is tough when you've been ill - how much is too much? I got on the spin bike for an easy 45 minutes on Thursday - inside. And then I felt completely exhausted on Friday. DH suggested to think about my coached track session on Saturday, but I JUST WANTED TO GET OUTSIDE.

The alarm rang on Saturday. It was pouring rain, and cold. But, I WANTED TO BE OUTSIDE. Like Laforgue, I felt like I'd continue to be sick if I stayed indoors. I slowly layered up, found my Goretex, and stepped out - we headed up to the Parliament Hill track.

No matter what the weather, there is just something deeply satisfying about OUTSIDE. Working hard, breathing deep, fresh air filling your lungs. It beats the heck out of the gym - any day. And, of course, since I don't know how to run on the treadmill, it is the only way that I actually do my runs - another great reason for me.

At the track on Saturday, with Coach T

It was a good session. It's not going to be easy for me to get to 10k. It's a hard slog to build strength - and my left leg needs a lot of strength building. But, thankfully, we can always find things to laugh about along the way to make the hard sessions easier.

I feel better now than a week ago. I'm not sure how hard I will hit the training schedule this week - I guess I will keep on seeing how I'm reacting and feeling. But one thing is certain - I'm looking forward to the weekend, and GETTING OUTSIDE ONCE AGAIN.

Post Script: Slow Food Diet Update

Week one was about breathing, and awareness. I learned something about the way that I eat (sorry if this is a bit too much information) - I don't always swallow before I take my next bite. That is just not right! I'm definitely not helping my body out. So I'm working on fixing that behaviour by breathing, swallowing, and being aware while I eat. Week one was also about Vitamin O - oxygen. It seems my love of breathing outdoor air fits in well with the week one teachings. I'm trying to go for a quick walk outside during lunchtime too - to have a break, breath and de-stress during the day. That is proving harder to do...

Week two is about quality. I am repeating week two, as last week, with the stomach virus, quality and eating were the last things I had on my mind. Stay tuned for next week's report...