Category Archives: Fitness

Making Leg Jello

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One of the things I have learned about runners and triathletes in the last 2 years is that they are crazy, myself included. Why is it that after waking up and having some coffee on a 35 degree Saturday that I have the need to go run? I mean, my apartment is awesome! I have tons of coffee, music is playing, it’s got lots of light and guess what, it doesn’t have a wind chill factor.

Without delay I threw on shorts, Zenah calf sleeves, a dry fit top and a zip up top to take off were it to get ‘hot’. I decided on a Saturday run as I wasn’t able to sign up for the Joe Kleinerman 10K on Sunday as it sold out. Once again, 4,000 crazy runners paying for this stuff.

Once I was moving it wasn’t too cold. I was really surprised at how warm the Zensah sleeves kept my legs. I’m a really big fan now.

Entering the Park at 84th Street I switched on my Garmin and took off, my goal to run 12 miles. I also decided I WOULD NOT look at my Garmin until my run was over to see if my internal mechanisms would keep me in check.

At the top of the Park I ran by my friend Kevin Masse (who was running but in the opposite direction). It was a pretty good day for a run after all and I started to get hot, taking off my zip up. I didn’t know what my pace was, but I was having fun.

As I rounded the loop and arrived where I had started I decided to call that the end of my run. I wasn’t feeling the distance at that moment.

Total Miles: 6.03
Time: 37:35
Pace: 6:14

The following morning I happened to be crossing the Park right as the Kleinerman 10K had started! Exciting! I was able to catch the leaders as they hit Mile 5.

They were flying! In fact the two lead guys pictured had a 1 minute lead on the rest of the pack.

Above in white is my friend Sebastian. He was really confused as I cheered at him because I don’t think he has ever seen me in ‘pedestrian garments.’ He was crushing it.

Once home I couldn’t sit still. After watching all my fellow local runners I needed to do something exercisy. (yes, that’s a new word.) My new favorite toy is my Kurt Kinetic Fluid Trainer. It essentially turns your Tri Bike (or Road Bike or whatever bike) into a stationary spin bike.

I know some of you are saying “Man, I hate the bike trainer, it’s not the same, etc. etc.” True, all very true, but one of the plus sides to the trainer is sweating. SIDENOTE: I love to sweat. Seriously, I hate biking in the winter and not even sweating. I don’t feel like I’ve put in any work. The same goes for running, although it’s pretty easy to get hot during just about any run.

I rigged up the trainer and did around 35 minutes of intensity intervals. It was awesome and 10 minutes in I was drenched.

I don’t know if you can really tell with that picture. Any of you that run with me in the warmer months know that I get really red faced.

For the rest of the weekend (which was spent at Dave and Buster’s in Times Square for Erika’s birthday… awesome!) my legs were totally jello.

Baker’s ‘Race Burritos’

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By now most people have heard of and hopefully come to terms with the fact that I eat ‘Race burrito’ during any distance race over a Half Mary. I started this nutrition tactic during the Knickerbocker 60K last year when I was freaking out over how I would survive the race. It worked that day and a new way of fueling was born for me.

A lot of people have asked how they are made and what goes into them so I though I would do some explaining.

SIDENOTE: I will make you ‘Race Burritos’ if you give me a few days notice before a race.

Baker’s ‘Race Burritos’

Ingredients:

– 5-10 Flour/Wheat Tortillas (do not use corn, they fall apart)
– 1 cup brown rice
– 1 Can GOYA Black Beans
– 1 Can GOYA Kidney Beans
– 1 Large Tomato
– Sea Salt
– Cumin

In a large (deep) sauce pan cook brown rice. It’s important that the rice is over cooked rather than under cooked. (Crunchy food during a run just ain’t cool)
While the rice is cooking, drain and rinse the beans and dice the tomato. Add them to the rice mix once it is cooked thoroughly.

On low heat, keep stirring the rice and bean mixture. Add a hearty amount of sea salt and go light on the cumin. Do not over do it (regarding the cumin) otherwise it will affect you on the course.

Once the mix has cooled a bit (and there is minimal moisture) add very thin strips to the tortillas. Try and get an even spread of beans and rice.

Roll them very tight and moisten the outside flap with warm water to seal it. Then, wrap it in cellophane by folding the left and right ‘open’ sides of the burrito first, then roll the rest around it. This helps to keep it together and to make it easier to open while running.

Refrigerate, then on race day tape them to your bike, stuff ’em up your shirt or in your arm warmers.

SIDENOTE: I normally eat one the day before a race so my body adapts to it.

Beer Run

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Sunday was willrunforbeer’s inaugural ‘Beer Run’ around Central Park and the Upper West Side.

After Saturday’s Tough Mudder debacle (report and crazy pics to come) I didn’t think I had it in me. Then I thought to myself, “What’s one of the motto’s of Tough Mudder? No whining, kids whine.” Since I was now a Tough Mudder, I had no excuse to skip out. I also really like beer and socializing so…

I met up with the gang of 18 or so people at the Engineer’s Gate, then, after a quick speech by Claire we were off!

Running north, and around the 102 transverse we were all having fun conversations and enjoying the fall weather. Our first stop was Dive Bar. We made a group decision that 1 beer be consumed at each bar before moving on.

Next we went to Firehouse, followed by Amsterdam Ale House. It got pretty wild, running with a bunch of buzzed people! We were yelling and dodging innocent pedestrians!

The final stretch was a 1.5 mile segment ending at PJ Clarkes. I only stayed for one last beer as I was making Erika a lasagna for dinner which takes like 3 hours!

Congrats to Claire for a fantastic first ‘Beer Run!’ I look forward to them in the future. It was also awesome catching up with my runner pals. ROLE CALL: (sorry if I missed anyone) Claire, Monte, Maura, Joe, Evelyn, Neal, Susan, Maura and Brian, Michelle, and Carlos.

Run, Bike… Rock Climb?

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You would think that after running a marathon, someone would take the month off from running? Well, any crazy runner out there (and you know who you are) will tell you no way. In fact, we are just WAITING until we can go out for that first successful post-marathon run and it’s such a test of patience.

Saturday was that moment for me. (I ran 3 miles on Wednesday but that didn’t count as I was just running to get somewhere fast, not workout.)

Aside from it being gorgeous out, 63 and sunny, I was itching for some speed. I set out for Central Park with no set goal, I just wanted to test out my body to see where it was post-marathon.

I jumped in at 84th Street on the East Side (my local entrance) and took off. I felt great and had zero issues with any residual pain or soreness. I ran mile 1 in 5:59 and 2 in 6:16 but it felt like I was going at a slower pace. Rather than question it, I just kept going, basking in the sun. Erika took this photo from her office which I am now appropriating so you have an idea how gorgeous that Park is in the Fall.

I ran 4.5 miles at a 6:09 pace and had really enjoyed myself. I think the marathon might have upped my speed?

On Sunday I rode my bike up to Brandon’s apartment in Inwood. It’s 7 miles, but (for any of you who have yet to bike the northern part of the island) it has crazy hills! My legs were burning something fierce when I landed at Brandon’s. I chose to ride my track bike Athena as I had been neglecting her all season in lieu of my TT Bike. It cannot coast nor does it have brakes, so hills become quite a challenge.

Our mission was to rock climb around Inwood Park, Manhattan’s most natural park with its untouched primordial forests.

Brandon was on point for this mission since it was his neighborhood and I was new to the park. As we entered I was immediately blown away by it’s natural beauty.

SIDENOTE: I am an avid NYC history buff (go ahead, call me nerd, I stand by my obsessions) and had always wanted to explore Inwood Park so I was ecstatic! Our first stop was the famous rock where the Native Americans sold the island to Dutch settler Peter Minuit in 1626! Just so you know, that rock was not there at the time. In fact, a huge tulip tree (native to the island) was on that spot. It died in 1933 so they put the rock there in it’s place.

Soon after we confronted our first set of cliffs. They were massive rock outcroppings with natural caves (that’s right, caves) where the Indian’s used to take shelter. These were no joke. We made a few attempts and got half way up before deciding we needed better gear… like rope and harnesses. Oh right, I forgot to mention we were free climbing. After ascending the cliff from it’s sides we went on to hike and explore the rest of the park.

We really couldn’t have picked a better day. The leaves were a rustic array of yellow to red for as far as you could see.

The highlight for me, was navigating to a small beach at the island’s most northern tip. I never thought I would ever get to this spot after seeing it n passing on an Amtrak Train, but we managed to find it.

We spend around 2 hours hiking the hills and paths before heading back.

I then biked the 7 miles back down to my neck of the woods which was extremely difficult as I was wiped out. I kept thinking of it as some weird Triathlon or something. Bike, Rock Climb, Hike.