Monday, August 19, 2013

taper.crazy.again

A couple years ago, I wrote a post about my taper crazies for Ironman Cozumel.  Feeling a little caffeine-deprived in my current state of t-minus 6 days to race day, I can definitely relate!  It's a familiar, but good crazy.  :)

The long hours of training may be over...but my appetite persists!

Two weeks ago, I commenced my usual pre-race diet of gluten-free / high-protein / no caffeine / dairy-free / low GI foods.  This would all be fine, except for my constant need to eat everything in sight.  When tummy tells me GET FOOD NOW (as it does at least eight times a day), having healthful, suitable alternatives readily available is really the only thing that keeps my weak-willed hungry tummy away from energy-sucking junk food.    

So, aside from having a really, really clean house, my spare hours have been spent getting creative on how to keep my dietary promise to myself.  Since the majority of readily-accessible convenience food is really pretty junky - greasy, gluten-laden and full of all the things I should not be consuming - it does take some effort to eat well.  That being said, it's so worth the time to seek out healthy food...and it feels like a victory when I discover a delicious new place!  

Some of my favorite new (and old) standbys...

  • Organic Lives, while pricy, offers some delicious and inventive vegetarian and gluten free selections.  The attention to detail and use of interesting ingredients is really unique...and yummy.  Their Vanilla Chai smoothie totally satisfies my fix for all things ginger...yum!
  • David's Tea caffeine-free tea soy mistos put a guilt-free hot morning drink in my hand in lieu of my latte.  Seriously...tea mistos are so yummy that I might be converted for good!  Lucky for me, they are located right across the street from my office (rumor is that they are also going to start early morning openings too...please, oh, please?!)
  • Culver City Salads offers up awesome, healthy alternatives to the typical food truck fare with delicious, locally-sourced salads and quinoa/rice bowls.  Seriously wonderful stuff worth walking out of my normal two-block radius at lunchtime!
  • The owners at SMAK saw a hole in the downtown fast food market and filled it eagerly. Completely gluten-free, locally sourced and fresh - this place makes eating well quick and easy.  Oh, and it tastes amazing too.  These guys are also pretty dialed in on sustainability...it is so refreshing to see a serious effort at recycling and composting being made by a restaurant.  So if you are walking down W Pender looking for a lunchtime fix, just keep a walkin' past that gluteny alternative meat and bread.  The real goods are at SMAK.    
  • Sejuiced on 4th Ave serves up amazing tonics, juices as well as vegetarian salads.  Great place to stock up on beet fuelled juices and yummy post-meal snacks (chocolate bliss bars...oh yeah!!)
  • Pizza is one food that is really, really hard for me to give up.  Lucky for me, Rocky Mountain Flatbread makes sure I don't have to!  Their gluten free 'zza is downright delicious.
(I'm always looking for more places to add to my repertoire...so if you have any additional suggestions, I'd love to hear them.)

So much time on my hands!

Aside from my preoccupation with cleaning the house and squirreling race gear into one (very clean) corner, having spare time is a downright luxury...and a boost to environment to boot!  Household water consumption has been reduced by at least a half (less dirty laundry, less dirty girl) and the dust bunnies in my apartment are hopping for their lives.

My endorphin fix has been satisfied by *not racing* a few running and cycling events (as well as Dale's impromptu swim race Fridays), reacquainting myself with the concept of exercising with no expectations.  Swim, ride and run is damned awesome when I am not dragging lead-filled legs around!

Gen and I cruised the wacky and fun Sea Wheeze half-marathon two weeks ago, chatting and enjoying the entire run.  It's amazing how much fun a race can be when you are wearing bright colors, smiling and not sucking wind!

Good reminder for next week's race!  I hope Ironman has dancing lobsters too...
The most colorful, happy half mary you will ever *not race*

This weekend, my firm co-sponsored the Glotman Simpson Cypress Challenge, a fantastic event that I have participated in for the last several years.  Not only do I get to ride my bike up a mountain, but for an incredible cause (100% of the proceeds benefit the BC Cancer Foundation aimed at pancreatic cancer research and therapy).  GS puts on a classy event: fun, empowering and yet a very sober reminder of how precious life is.

When the young daughter of a pancreatic cancer patient delivered a speech to more than 500 cyclists, her message was brave, inspired and heartwrenching.  Quoting Audrey Hepburn. "Nothing is impossible; the word itself says I'm possible".  Simply not a dry eye in the place.  With the $400,000 raised this year, hopefully a big step to making recovery and cure for pancreatic cancer patients a little more possible.

This IS possible...

And, on the theme of possibility, this last week before Ironman Whistler will be spent not fretting over the race, but relishing the experience.  The Frank Family super-fans arrive from Medicine Hat and Kelowna in a few days, my niece and nephew are armed with sidewalk chalk and cowbells, and the long weekend in Whistler will soon begin!