Runner's High: With Friends

You guys have already heard me grouse (twice) about how the training gods jealously foiled my first date with my new bike. And I wasn't the only one (although TriGreyhound did manage to get out on his new ride this weekend).

Of course, other Wichita triathletes were equally bedfuddled by the nasty weather--we all had long bikes and/or runs planned. So one resident tri buddy (who coaches for the Wichita YMCA) organized a spinning soiree in one of the Y's (small, poorly-ventilated) aerobics studios.


And let me tell ya--that was a blast.


Last night, when I was spinning to my own music and watching the NCAA men's tournament, I had trouble keeping my heart rate above 130; today, 145 felt effortless. I got to meet and talk with a bunch of relative newbies I'd never met. One of the athletes I coach was there and we ran and swam together after a couple hours of trainer time.


Working out in a group (even for an introvert like me) is just better. Solo workouts are great too; but they can't match the ease and intensity of swimming, biking, and running with friends.

By Request

:-)

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

By the way, this weekend brought 3 inches of ice, another 4 (or so) inches of snow, 50 MPH wind gusts, and snow drifts a foot deep. Also, today our power went out (we think a combination of ice and snow) for several hours, leaving us with no heat or running water. But I still managed to get a two-and-a-half hour ride in on the trainer. So it turned out okay.

Kansas: A Pictorial Tragi-comedy

Yes, the gods have smiled on me, and I have made a very important addition to my family.

But the gods are fickle. Where they blessed me with this weather for riding last week:

Today, they handed me and my new love this:

Shit, Kansas. Seriously, WTF?!

Beginners' Guide: Stretching

If you're new to the sport and wondering if you need to stretch on a regular basis, allow me to enlighten you.

You do.


I know some elite athletes who advocate a no-stretching training plan. I've heard about studies that reveal that top runners have compromised flexibility in some areas. So when you win Ironman Wisconsin (after completing Ironman Louisville the previous weekend) or can call yourself a "top runner," you may discontinue stretching.

Until then, this is very, very important.

The tough part is knowing what stretches to do. Besides the stretches you learned in grammar school gym class, that is. Here are some areas of particular concern to most of us swim/bike/run specialists.


Hamstrings
Backs of the legs. There are three hamstrings--one that's more towards the outside of your leg, two more towards the inside, so try to work in stretches at multiple angles.


IT Bands
The IT band isn't actually a muscle; it's a long band of fascia that connects the tensor fascia latae to the knee. It gets really tight in runners and cyclists, so what does that tell you about how it must be in triathletes? It's hard to stretch, so you may also consider rolling it out on a foam roller.



Hip Flexors
This one will get particularly bad if you spend a lot of time seated (i.e. at a desk, driving). Tight hip flexors can throw off your whole posture. They'll make kicking in the pool more difficult, and can contribute to the problem of overstriding when you run.


Deep Hip Rotators/Glutes
These muscles (the piriformis, in particular) took me out for 4 weeks last season, giving me only 2 weeks to prepare for my first race of the year (took me out again in the fall, spoiling my marathon training). Tight hip rotators and glutes can cause low back pain; a tight piriformis can lead to sciatic pain.



Calves (Gastrocnemius/Soleus)
Tight calves are very common among triathletes. This can cause a problem when you get off the bike (which uses quite a bit of calf engagement, if you're doing it right) and start running. Tight calves can also aggravate your achilles tendon. To stretch the gastrocnemius, perform a calf stretch with the knee straight; to get more into your soleus, bend the knee slightly.


Anterior Shoulders
Most Americans are very overdeveloped in the anterior muscles, again because we spend so much time sitting and hunched forward. This problem is exacerbated in triathletes because we primarily swim freestyle. It's extra important for us to stretch these out, though, because it improves our posture (particularly crucial for running) and prevents overuse injuries.


Rhomboids
Ever get tightness or pain in between your shoulder blades? It's probably these muscles.


Erector Spinae
Spinal extension muscles. I've got a "Stop Slouching" article coming soon that specifically addresses these. Triathletes have a fairly unique problem, because we have to shorten these muscles to look up and forward when cycling. There's really no way around that, so it's vital that we stretch these muscles on a regular basis.



Those are the basic stretches that I would recommend. Alternatively, you could join a good yoga class that emphasizes flexibility (if you're trying anything with the words Vinyasa or Power in the title, you're probably barking up the wrong tree). I advise stretching for around 20 minutes a day, but I know that's not gonna happen for most of you. Let's just say pick 2-3 stretches to do after each workout, planning to get through all of them every couple days. If you'd like a second opinion you can check out this guy's stretching routine.



Just try it for a while. You can always give it up, if you want, once you turn pro.

Note: I'm working on photos/video of my favorite stretches. I would prefer to present that at this point, but it's just so damn time-consuming! It'll show up when I can grab the time (and a camera monkey) to film it.

Runner's High: PR

10.21 miles.

1:35:01.

Average pace? 9:18/mile.

I have never gone that far that fast. Ever.

And the split for my last mile was 8:38.

This is how I feel about that:

I've said it before--this is going to be a breakthrough year for my running.

Know What I Mean?

"In sport, a good opponent can bring out the best in a man; the existence of a close rival focuses attention on technique, piles on the pressure, and the constant threat of being beaten keeps ambition burning. In an ideal world, a man would choose his rival, selecting him as carefully as he would a friend but, in reality, circumstance makes the decision for him."

- from The Crossing by Kathy Watson

As it Stands

Today is my first day completely off work in months. Literally months.

I've been a little overworked, to say the least. I'm getting used to it, but every now and then the stress will creep up on me. Like this week, when I'm in my last week of build before recovering, when I was really on the edge. Let's just say, it's a good thing that nothing went badly on Thursday, or I may have quit my job right then and there.

During this time, yoga has been hugely helpful to me in my recovery. Like amazingly so.

Anyway, today is great, because I don't have to go to work at all. I went to breakfast with my family, went shopping, went to a bike store to drool, and headed out for a 2-hour bike ride. The ride ended abruptly with a busted tire. I could have borrowed my dad's front wheel (I don't have any spare tires, currently, excepting my CX tires), but I decided instead to take the flat as a sign that I should stay home, mellow out, and enjoy my day off. I can't decide whether to be bummed out or not, because the weather is so great today. It's not too hot, not too cold, and there is absolutely no wind. Do you have any idea how rare it is to have a day like that here? It's shocking (especially since yesterday we had 20-degree temps and freezing rain)!

But I have decided simply to sit on my deck and read a book instead of biking or running on this glorious day. Tomorrow is going to be a big day, training-wise (and I do have to work), so today's rest will probably enable me to get through the 10-mile run, 1800-yard steady swim, bike class, and yoga class without pooping out. And it's not like this missed 2-hour ride is going to totally throw off my training. But you get into a groove, you know, and hate to miss workouts.

I joined a local masters swim group this week. There are only half a dozen people who regularly attend, so I'll get lots of individual attention (but not much competition, speed-wise). Also trying a new running group for the first time tomorrow--ten miles with the Derby running club. And there will be some very exciting developments on the bike front this week, as well.

So that's where I stand.

The Dumbass Chronicles: Plank

If you've never done a plank, I will eat the bike shorts I wore for tonight's spin class.

This is the kind of bad ass exercise that we all want to be able to hold for at least 5 minutes. I know some coaches who swear you don't have core strength unless you can hold plank for a minute solid. I've had people in the gym say to me, "Wow! You've been doing that through three of my sets!" Holding plank for what seems like an eternity gives us a great burn. We feel it throughout the gut ("high" abs, "low" abs, "deep" abs, etc.), and it completely exhausts us. Must be a pretty good exercise, right?


Here's the thing, though: it doesn't work.


You know the idea of specificity, right? Basically, it means that if you want to get better at doing what you do (i.e. swimming, biking, running), you have to do what you do. In the case of weight lifting, it means strengthening movements and muscle engagements that you would use when you're swimming, biking, and running (hence "sport-specific" training). The reason it makes sense to most of us to hold the plank for ten minutes at a time is that that's what you're doing when you're swimming, biking, and running--holding your abs tight for sometimes hours at a time. Right?


Not really. Try this: Put one hand on your upper back just below your shoulder blade (lats) and one hand on your lower back just above your hips (QL). Now try walking around holding perfect posture and actively engaging your core. Feel those muscles flexing with each step? When you take a step, your muscles engage on the opposite side to stabilize your body. Now put a hand on either side of your spine about halfway between your shoulder blades and hips and walk around. Feel that? You should feel each side of the muscles along your spine contracting as you take steps.


Those muscles--the QL, the lats, the multifidus--are all parts of your core. But they weren't engaged the whole time, right?


What I'm getting at is that you don't hold the muscles of your core tight the whole time you're running, biking, or even swimming. Those muscles are constantly flexing and releasing to stabilize your body; they are anchoring against whatever's available--bike seat and pedals, ground, even the rest of your body--to provide you with stability and power. The key point is that they're constantly engaging and releasing. Not engaging and holding. Hence the limited specificity of holding plank for a full song on your iPod.


Does that mean that plank isn't useful? Not at all! Plank does get really good engagement through your core musculature, from the superficial abdominals and back muscles to the deep abdominals, spinal stabilizers, and legs. However, the key to using plank in your training is the initial firing of those muscles simultaneously. In short, you want to make those muscles better at working together, firing in concert with each other. So the most important part of plank isn't the last 30 seconds; it's the first 2.


My suggestion is that you hold plank for no more than 20 seconds at a time. The way I'm currently doing plank (when I do plank) is in a Tabata format: 20 seconds on, 10 off. Repeat that 8-10 times, and you should be sufficiently fried.


By the way, as long as I'm on the topic, I'll post a guide to proper form and a few alternatives to plank. I'll try to get that up within the next two weeks.


Sources:
AKUTHOTA, V., A. FERREIRO, T. MOORE, and M. FREDERICSON. Core stability exercise principles. Current Sports Medicine Reports,Vol. 7, No. 1, p. 39-44, 2008.
Fredericson, Michael and Tammara Moore. Core stabilisation training for middle- and long-distance runners. New Studies in Athletics, Vol. 20, No. 1, p. 25-37, 2005.
McGill, Stuart. Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. Wabuno Publishers, 2004.

The Opening Half

What is that gorgeous building? That, my friends, is the venue for my second pre-70.3 tune-up race.

I've got the first half (give or take a month) of my season planned out, now. Three races: Emporia Spring Migration, Boathouse International Triathlon, and Lawrence Ironman 70.3.

It's on, kids.

"Runner's High": Gracie

Gracie is not technically our dog. She belongs to the neighbors ("neighbors" in rural Kansas means anyone residing within 3 miles of your house). But she might as well be ours. She came to our house to hang out with Blazer (R.I.P), our golden retriever. We fed her and loved her and put blankets out for her in the winter. She doesn't come around much anymore, because Blazer is no more. But every now and then, she'll hear me running past and come out, tongue lolling, panting like crazy and run home with me. She whines and wags her tail, pushes her head into my hand for a rub. She's not the best pacer, but she is a great listener. And she's done everything from 2 miles to 10 miles and has never pooped out or slowed me down.

Most importantly, when it's Friday afternoon and I'm coming down from a long work week, she makes my run bearable. She puts a smile on my face and a spring in my step. And if I slow down, she stops and looks back at me as if to say, "What do you think you're doing? C'mon!"

Thanks, Gracie, for being my run buddy.

Barefoot Wednesdays

I was looking through old posts, and I don't think I ever blogged about my barefoot running phase.

You know, that phase where I was all over this site and all into the idea of shoeless running. That phase when I tried to do a barefoot track workout at noon in a Southern California spring and blistered my feet so badly that I could barely walk for a week. Yeah. That phase.

The phase ended shortly after I incapacitated myself with my own stupidity. But I've always kept barefoot running in the back of my mind.

Two things happened this week that brought it once more to the forefront. First off, there was an article in Triathlete about running in minimalist shoes. Second, I went to an all-day clinic on Functional Movement Screenings, and the presenter (who, as many professional fitness clinicians are, was an asshole) made a few remarks about how humans weren't designed to run on mattresses (incidentally, he didn't look like he had done any running in the recent past).

That reminded me of how good running barefoot felt (when I wasn't rubbing all the skin off the bottoms of my feet, of course). And the biology seems to me very sound, although I suppose it really depends on your point of view. If you believe that humans were meant to run, then of course you think we should all be able to run barefoot; natural selection didn't take Nike Shox into consideration. On the other hand, if you believe that most people weren't meant to run, that it takes a specific kind of genetics and biomechanics to make a good runner, then why the heck are you on this site anyway?

All that to say that I've instituted Barefoot Wednesday. I had been doing my track workouts on Wednesdays, but I've moved those to Thursday so I don't have to do them alone (because they suck). Which leaves me with two cycling classes on Mondays, recovery on Tuesdays, and a serious yen for running on Wednesdays! Enter barefoot running.

I begin with an easy (shod) mile. Then I find a grassy knoll, remove my shoes, and proceed to alternate running and walking in the grass (5 x 1 minute running + 2 minutes walking). My feet are tender. They weren't too happy about all the dry, prickly, dead grasses stabbing between their toes. I even have a couple of cuts on my feet from some really sharp grass.

But you know what? Without shoes, I land perfectly on my midfoot. I don't overstride. I get better extension after my toe off. And it feels awesome; I feel like a good runner.

So I'm going to keep running barefoot. I'm going to work up to where I can run a 5k barefoot. And then maybe I'll switch to a very minimal training shoe (either one of the special "minimalist" offerings coming into the market or a lightweight trainer/racer). Or maybe you'll see me running barefoot at my next sprint tri, ahead of the rest of the pack because I didn't have to change my shoes in T2.

Also, I once ran into Barefoot Ken Bob at a race. It was the CSULB Reverse Tri. Saw him, noticed the lack of shoes and blackened toes and humongous beard. Sort of put it together from there.

Runner's High: He Will Make A Way

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm not exactly religious. My church is the Church of the Long Run. And I'm okay with that.


I used to be. I grew up as a conservative, Evangelical Christian. Amazing how coming out of the closet throws a monkey wrench in all that.

I'm finding my way back, slowly but surely. Actually, I prefer to think I'm finding my way forward. Because if I just go back to what I was before, what was all the suffering and confusion and questioning and all that for?

At any rate, I still retain some of the edifices of my former belief in my everyday life: a desire to reflect, a sense of fairness that I just can't shake, and Christian songs in my running playlists.

There's one song that keeps coming up, run after run. I mean, of course it comes up; it's on the playlist, it's gonna come up. But it always sticks with me, gives me encouragement to run a little faster, and (dare I say) kind of speaks to me. Don't know what it is about this song; it's sweeping and epic and the lyrics are exactly what I want to hear in the last 2 or 3 miles. Here it is.

He Will Make A Way
Kathy Troccoli
I know that you're discouraged
But you're not alone
There is absolutely no situation
Out of his control
One door may close
Another will open
Jesus is healer of all that is broken


He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Watch him put together what's been torn apart
He can soften up the most hardened of hearts
He will make a way where there is no way


Don't you go believing lies
He's not forgotten you
There's gonna be another higher, greater place
He will take you to


Watch him move mountains, ride you through the way
He can deliver in the darkest of days
He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace
There is no war he does not will
When you're at your end he's just beginning
He will make a way where there is no way


Our only hope is in him
No matter what this life can bring
Jesus stands alone
As the god of impossible things


He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Watch him move mountains, ride you through the way
He can deliver in the darkest of days
He will make a way where there is no way
He will bring his peace where there is no peace

Beginners' Guide: Cold Weather Gear

My first winter training in Kansas, I half-heartedly looked for a guide to how much money I would have to drop for cold weather gear. I asked schoolmates from colder climes (i.e. Chicago) what they wore while running in the winter. I looked for articles on Trifuel and Ontri. I browsed forums. I wished for a blogger who would tell me all I need to know.

So to prevent my newbie readers from having to work so hard, I've collected what I've learned since returning from Southern California (where "cold" was anything below 60* and "windy" was gusting to 8 MPH).

Swimming
Even with a wetsuit, don't bother. The water is going to be too cold for any but the most brazen, and there's no reason for you to swim in the open water, anyway (other than earning valuable badass points). Stay in the pool and work on your technique. You can wear your wetsuit there, if you want to (if you have one).

Biking
Ah, the gear required for biking--it makes paupers of us all. Presented in order of importance (in my experience), with options for those of you who have no money (or who spent it all on your bankruptcy-inducing bike).

1. Tights. Cheapskate option: wear a pair of running tights (or two or three) over bike shorts.

2. Hat/ear warmers. Cheapskate option: wear an old stocking cap, if you don't care about moisture control.

3. Full-finger gloves. Cheapskate option: wear a pair of $1 knit gloves over cycling gloves.

4. Toe warmers. Cheapskate option: put plastic bags (like the kind your newspaper comes in) inside your shoes to block the wind.

5. Balaclava. Cheapskate option: tie a scarf or bandana snugly around your face, and pull your ghetto stocking cap down all around it.

6. Wind vest/jacket. Cheapskate option: any wind-resistant jacket will do the trick, although most won't breathe as well as technical apparel.

And if it starts snowing? You're screwed anyway (for road biking, anyway; there are plenty of people who ride in the snow, but not usually on road bikes).

Running
Possibly the least pleasant activity to do when it's cold and windy (right behind swimming and cycling). Most of the equipment you'll need to run comfortably (or rather with as little discomfort as possible) can cross over between bike and run. The one thing on which I strongly advise you to drop money is a pair of quality thermal tights. They should be fuzzy on the inside (you might want two pairs: one thermal and one light). Layering is a must. Smart Wool is, well, smart. Gloves, stocking cap, balaclava, all can be used for biking and running. If you're dealing with a nasty wind chill, wear pants and a jacket that will cut the wind (I wear a pair of $20 Adidas warm-ups when it's windy out). You might want to wear two pairs of socks (both wicking! not something that you can skimp on!), and the plastic bag trick works for running too.


Note on safety
Snow is okay; ice is not. If the road is slick, suck it up (buttercup) and get on the treadmill or the trainer. I know, I know, it's super boring. You can alleviate the boredom by downloading one of my (awesome) podcasts, though! Hurray! In all seriousness, be sensible. If you're going out when it's cold, bundle up, use common sense, and (always always always) let someone know where you're going and when you'll be back.


The coldest weather I've braved for running was temps in the teens with a negative wind chill; the coldest I've been out on the bike was in the high twenties. It can be done, and with relatively little up-front investment, but you kind of need a badass mindset to begin with. If you don't really, really want it, you're never going to get outside and run when it's below freezing. Then again, if you don't really, really want it, you probably wouldn't be doing this crazy sport.


I should also mention that Kansas has had a run of unseasonably warm days. By which I mean it's 10:00 p.m. and 60* F (with no wind, WTF?). So if all else fails, you can come visit me.


And I'm not (by a long shot) training in the coldest weather here (although I'd bet money that I get the worst winds). Northerners, Bostonians, residents of Lake Wobegone, what do you think? What are the best cold-weather investments for newbies' money?

Why I Hate the Girl Scouts

Let's ignore, for a moment, my bad experiences with the Girl Scouts. Let's pretend that my troop leader's daughter was not an overachieving twit who always sold like a thousand boxes of cookies. I'll set aside the fact that said troop leader liked to publicly compare our relative achievements. ("Oh, looks like Jamie only sold 199 boxes of cookies; not quite enough to get [whatever the hell prize 200 boxes of cookies entitled you to]. Too bad.") And we can totally forget the fact that my dad was into camping and we did way more fun/cool stuff (camping! shooting GUNS!) as a family than I ever did in stupid scouts.

Why I really hate Girl Scouts is that every February, when I'm feeling down and draggy and really, really ready for spring, those damn be-sashed young women come bearing the comfort food of all comfort foods.


Those bitches bring cookies.

And between my pig-out on Oscar night (cheese! crackers! cosmopolitans!) and the boxes and boxes of cookies at my house (I got six, my brother got six, my parents each got four), I am going to gain back the five pounds I've lost in the last four weeks.


I'm off to the 24-hour Walmart to buy a padlock for the frickin' freezer.

Spinning Workout 5: Cadence

SPINNING WORKOUT 5 - BIG CLIMB, BIG DESCENT (45 minutes)

This workout focuses primarily on cadence, so you should keep your turnover constant. The roadmap for the workout is primarily climbing in the first half, primarily descending in the second half. However, you'll notice that the resistances stay within a relatively small range. So don't go crazy with the resistance; make your primary focus on keeping the pace and maintaining form. Once you've got that down, you can start to add more and more resistance.

Mama Told me not to Come (3:19) : Pre-workout
Strength, Courage, and Wisdom (4:57) : Pre-workout
Call in the Cavalry (2:26) : Warmup
Satin in a Coffin (2:37) : +(4) at 1st verse, +(5) at 2nd verse, +(7) and up at slow bit, --(5) increase cadence at 3rd verse to end
Detective (2:55) : -(4) pick up at cadence at beginning, down at 1st verse, +(5) at chorus, up at chorus, pick up cadence at instrumental, down at a cappella
Cheryl Tweedy (3:28) : in (5), find a steady cadence, pick up after chorus, +(6) and maintain cadence (attack on uphill) at 2nd chorus, back off after chorus, climb to end (try to maintain or increase gap
I Wanna Love you Forever (3:22) : -(5) and pick up cadence, down and maintain cadence at 2nd verse, jumps at bridge, down at last chorus and maintain cadence to end
We're Not Gonna Take It (3:34) : +(6) up at musical intro, +(7) at chorus, -(6) at 2nd verse, +(7) at bridge, --(5) at guitar solo, +(6) at bridge, +(7) at chorus
The Dirty Glass (3:38) : ----(3) spin it out for intro, quick legs at tempo pick up, sprint at first chorus, +(4) and up for 2nd verse, sprint at chorus, down at 3rd verse, sprint at chorus, -(3) and spin out, sprint at final chorus, maintain to end
A Praise Chorus (4:03) : +(4) and quick legs, +(5) at chorus, -(4) and up at end of chorus, +(5) at chorus, -(4) after chorus, down at 2nd time through "crimson and clover," +(5) at chorus, pick up to end
Overrated (3:12) : --(3) quick spin, sprint at chorus, +(4) and up at pre-chorus, sprint at chorus, down at bridge, GIVE PLENTY OF WARNING FOR seated sprint to standing sprint! go at chorus, stand at second chorus, back off after chorus, stay quick to end
Are You Gonna be my Girl (3:38) : +(4) and down, establish a quick rhythm ("Close to the end now!"), pick up at chorus, fast time trial through verse, pick up at chorus, accelerate through last chorus (about :40)
Bad Reputation (2:48) : maintain intensity from acceleration, last mile, maintain intensity to end, +(5) at modulation, quick quick quick! up at guitar solo, accelerate through last repetition of "oh no! not me!" (at about 2:28)
The City (4:44) : Cool down
Back to the Middle (5:11) : Stretch
Satan Lend Me A Dollar (2:45) : Post-workout
Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (4:49) : Post-workout
Looking for more workouts? Go here!

Runner's High: Pool to Myself

 

Yesterday morning, I did my (measly) 1200 meters in the pool and I had it all to myself. Truly, when there's no one in the pool, and the water is still and reflects everything so beautifully, it's all I can do to resist jumping in and disturbing the water myself. Having the pool to myself takes the workout to another level. Makes it totally worth waking up at 4:30 a.m.

Race Report: Derby Not 4 Wimps 10-mile Trail Race

There is no race report.

Because I was too sick to race.

:-(

p.s. I promise this is my last post whining about how sick I am. I was, actually.

Sick

Really, really sick.

Ugh.

Recipe File: Umami Soup

A crash course on umami, the fifth major taste sense (the others are sweet, sour, salty, and bitter). This soup is vegetarian, but cooks up delightfully hearty, and completely delicious. Serve with sour cream and flat bread, or over brown rice.

4-5 tbsp olive oil (you don't really need that much; I just put in extra fat for the calories)
3 cloves garlic
1 small onion (you can use less onion, also; sweet onion is better)
Cumin
Paprika
Coriander
1 cup of mushrooms (the more the merrier!)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 carrot, roughly grated
2 cups of stock (beef, chicken, or veggie)
1/2 cup of red lentils, rinsed
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, mashed (can also use a can of diced tomatoes)

Start by heating the olive oil over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook gently (i.e. don't let them burn like I always do). While you're letting the onions and garlic cook, combine the paprika, cumin, and coriander. You'll get the best flavor by using whole cumin and coriander seeds, toasting them, then grinding them together with the paprika (crushed red pepper or chili powder will also work, although paprika has a gentler flavor). When the onion has turned translucent, add the spices. The spices, onions, and garlic should mostly absorb the oil to form a rich, fragrant paste. After all that is well-mixed, add the veggies (celery, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms), the stock, and the lentils. Allow the soup to come to a boil, then back it off to a simmer. Cook until the lentils start to break up and the mushrooms are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Also, if the soup isn't tomato-y enough for you, you can add some tomato paste.

I never give measurements on spices, because I always kind of eyeball it. I would start with about a teaspoon of each spice cooked into the oil. You can always add more of one thing or another once it's simmering. It'll take some experimentation to figure out how you like it, anyway.

This recipe makes 3 servings (for me, anyway). For 3 servings, these are the (approximate) nutrition facts . . .

Calories: 403
Fat: 25 g
Carb: 32 g
Protein: 14 g
Sodium: 330 mg (not including salt)
Potassium: 792 mg

And you can always go here to figure out the nutrition facts for your recipe.

DRC Pictures!

As promised, here are a few photos from the Derby Rec Center Indoor Tri . . .


And thanks to Alan Farrington for the photography.