I know it's near impossible to read, so let me bring the following sticky note's greatness to larger font.  It reads "Eat, sleep, breathe recovery. To Become a god damn Titan"! BOOM! However grammatically incorrect that statement may be, saying that phrase aloud makes my blood boil (in a good way).  A good friend and athlete recently sought my coaching expertise as he prepared for IronMan hokkaido.  Sadly a few weeks prior, he'd gotten a pretty gnarly stress fracture.  Anyway, this is his fridge and despite the long recovery he has ahead of him, his mind is stronger than his body.  He's taken this opportunity to focus on his nutrition, mental stability and overall focus on what is directly within his control.  I cannot tell you enough....focus on what IS and forget what ISN'T. 

Which brings me to my next observation. Any schmuck can put in 30 hours a week of training, pulverizing muscles and excreting massive amounts of bodily fluid.  Those guys/girls don't last long and are the "what not to be" sort of people.  If you would have told me that 6 months ago, I'd have said...replied like most age group "zombie" triathletes do. "If I don't hit 16+ hours every week, I'll never get faster".  My attitude was WRONG and my body was paying the price....and of course it was all my fault since my attitude was off-beat for my goals. Every workout needs a purpose, even the easy ones that seem like "garbage".  I'm trying to say, whether you're injured, healthy as an OX or dragging yourself around like a zombie because you woke up at 3:30 to do a 2 hour trainer ride....trying to find something new on Netflix (which is impossible), we've got to put our attitudes in check and become the BEST version of ourselves. So if you're always injured, don't rely on a pill to make you feel better or if you're not losing weight or constantly bonking...fix your nutrition and do your own research.  It ALL starts with attitude (I recommend a humble approach, continuously finding new ways from credible sources). Re-invent yourself!

ITU World Triathlon Grand Final....is right around the corner.  Age Group World Championship here I come!  

WOW, I've been on a journey over the past few months.  Fueled by a solid performance at 70.3 Steelhead, thankful my achilles is finally healed and inspired by all of the great athletes I get to work with on a daily basis.  I've had two solid blocks of training in Clermont Florida, hosted by a pro athlete and his girlfriend (thanks Nicholas and Heather).  I'm actually on the second round of training right now and you better believe we''ve been watching some ITU races, getting mentally prepared for the looming race ahead.  Actually, I'm going to freshen up my "race day" skills at the Tarpon Springs Triathlon next weekend, come out and say hello!  I've certainly been busy over the past few months, working with a new coach, getting tons of fuel from Jet City Espresso (massive salads and paleo scones), training with the best people I know and making sure my rest is adequate.

When it comes to food, I'd like to consider myself fairly well informed and well versed.  I am a sucker for sweets though AND since we all have dirty little secrets (hopefully yours isn't cereal)...this one is mine.  I don't think a recipe is really necessary but above is a GREAT, long ride treat.  Banana, grass fed nitrate free bacon and 80% dark chocolate....I also put some coconut butter on mine.  Which ALSO leads me to my FAVORITE source of amazing food/vitality/health information, the FAT BURNING MAN PODCAST.  If you're in your car often, I highly suggest you get some knowledge instead of listening to whatever garbage is on the radio (unless you're listening to NPR). 

BOOYAH! Another race under my belt!  This means more knowledge and a better understanding of my abilities as I head into Olympic Distance Worlds in London! I decided I would give a little more detailed race "wrap-up" since I tend to learn a lot from others experiences....but it'll still be pretty short:
1- DIET- I've been on the "Paleo" or "Wild" eating plan for several months now, transitioning my fuel sources.  To keep it simple, I pretty much decided that processed foods aren't really "food". With precise planning and a powerful understanding of ingredients/nutrients, I get WAY more bang for my buck using veggies as carbs (when needed). It's hard for most to understand since the sandwich, pasta and dairy "mindset" is engrained in us since birth.  Anyway, I'm not here to sway you, just know that I've NEVER had issues with GI distress or "bonking" while racing/training. 
2 -Morning/Swim Leg- NOTE: MAKE SURE you book your hotel the day you sign up for your race.  If you don't, you're pretty much saying "sure, I'd love to stay at the hotel that everyone avoids because it smells of urine and is most likely 40 minutes away from the race". SURE, you'll have a good attitude about it and think "all the explicitly negative reviews on Yelp can't be true, right?" HOWEVER they WILL be and you'll soon be layering up in your own clothing, with hopes of preventing any part of your skin from touching the sheets, carpet or even the drapes. Anyway, the swim was one of my favorites.  Water temp, 67 degrees and the course was in a straight line, parallel to the beach.  BOOM, the cannon goes off and before you know it (13 Buoys later) you're scrambling to your feet like a drunk baby.  It felt great since I stuck to a "conservative" approach and came in with the faster age groupers (didn't try to blow anyone away).  Being the last wave wasn't very fun though, had to dip/duck/dive/dodge lots of floating mammals with flailing limbs.
3 -Bike Leg- Wow, one of my best times yet! I think it was around a 26mph average, boosting me into the top of my age group. My Felt DA and I were a rocket, taking advantage of every roller available.  Looking back at the data, I was able to lower the heart rate and RPE in order to conserve some energy on the run.  I managed to demolish about 3 Stinger gels (Ginsting) and a Stinger waffle, while downing 1.5 bottles of NUUN (Cherry Limeade).  Aside from getting a great workout, my vocal chords were definitely strained from very politely asking other to share the road (aka yelling ON YOUR LEFT!!!!!!).
4 -Run Leg- As usual, this is the most humbling aspect of my race and it definitely demands respect.  I had a solid plan though, which prevented some turmoil. I wish I'd ridden the course though, there were 2 very steep hills I hadn't expected.  A 6 mile steady state run, 3 mile tempo, finishing with descending miles at the end=Running Gam Plan. Sadly, the descending part wasn't really happening on the average min/mile part but my RPE definitely went up....along with heart rate.  It's pretty standard though, as the race goes on...you'll work harder and harder to maintain the same pace.  Regardless, I'm fully aware I'll be developing the run over the next 6 months.  BETTER TIMES ARE AHEAD which means....Pro status. 

All in all, I broke 4 hours 20 minutes, a marker I'd been hoping to meet this season.  I really loved this race and thought it was a great change in scenery/weather.  MOST of all my Mom and Dad were there to cheer me on and High Five me as I finished.  I couldn't have asked for better support as I'm totally aware my needs are often demanding and a pain. 

What aspect of life is most important with what I do? Recovery! Which means repairing damaged tissues with proper micro nutrients.  I've gotten my hands on some great recipes over the past months but haven't had the time to cook them or prepare them for anyone who would enjoy.  Luckily, my parents are always munch on what I prepare and are obligated to like it.  I finally made a frittata, which will be a staple for my weekly meal planning from here on out.  It's so easy, always available and will definitely last a few days in the fridge.  After some trips to Whole Foods and Trader Joes, we made some other treats as well.  



- Dark Chocolate Paleo Brownies
- Blueberry upside-down cake
- Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin with sweet potatoes apples and onion
- Grass Fed Beef burgers stuffed with Avocado

So the desserts were mostly because I NEVER make them at home AND since I wasn't home (in MI) for my birthday, it was a nice way to enjoy some moderately healthy treats.  At the end of the day, the ingredient list is short and simple and I will always give kudos to those who indulge in their own, homemade desserts.  It definitely eliminates a ridiculous amount of unecessary ingredients. Seriously, why does Yellow dye #5 need to even occur in the world??

I'm completely ready and excited for the end of the season and to continue my learning and experience. Finally,  I'm currently working with some very talented and inspiring athletes and I'm lucky enough to be called their "coach".  This is the first time I've really talked about this on my Blog but I have to say, being a coach is truly rewarding and on a small scale, I feel like they are my kids....growing, learning and always challenging themselves.  Kinda Cheesy, but it really makes me happy. How Happy? Happier than Elmo at a tickle convention. 

Well, after an absolutely unforgettable birthday week, reality had to set in.  Actually, before I start talking about the Georgia Grand Prix, it's incredibly important I talk about the importance of good people.  GOOD PEOPLE surprise you and never let you experience something important on your own.  I may not have the biggest group of close friends but I truly appreciate the athletes/friends who constantly support my cause...(which is totally selfish and self-indulgent).  Athletes would agree with me, the demands of training take their toll on the social life.  With early bed times, lazy movie recovery days, constant eating and habitual soreness.....there isn't too much room for tons of fun.  I've always noticed, the harder I work during the week, the more I hate stairs.  Literally, if the remote control was upstairs and I was already in "Recovery" mode, parked on the couch.  I would be sitting in silence, smelling my own farts
Birthday Highlights:
- Surprise Gathering of Important People
- 27 X 400 on the track
- 127 mile bike in San Antonio
- 2.7 Mile Swim
- Paleo Cake....which was immediately destroyed by all.   

To start this off right, imagine 6 bike races...in 5 days (obviously nothing compared to what the Pro's do)! A fellow athlete and I (the famous Nicholas Sterghos) embarked on this journey with a little red TDI Jetta, loaded with hopes and dreams (4 bikes, a year supply of race nutrition, smelly shoes and nasty burps/farts...oh and a grill). NOTE: NEW FAVORITE CLEAN BURNING BAR  The journey took us about 7 hours since we had to pee every 3 minutes and hunt down delicious Paleo/Vegetarian friendly foods.  I'd like to go on the record and say "Atlanta Bread" may sell themselves as a competitor to "Panera Bread" but DO NOT be fooled.  If you think you're going to be left with a delicious meal which is designed to your liking, introduce those expectations to the GROUND! Either way once we arrived, we were able to race on some incredible, technical courses that had some great rollers.  There was typically a plan on each day...make everyone hurt and try to finish in the top 5%.  This was totally going to happen, except I crashed on the last 2 days, pushing me out of the top 5 GC standings. However, I will say that despite drivetrain malfunctioning on the TT, I still blew away the CAT 4/5 field (so I pretty much dominated the lowest category of riders...no big deal). None the less, we recovered VERY well with fresh veggies and visits to Athens GA for swim and run sessions.

For now...I'll be dealing with the ups and downs of taper week as 70.3 Steel Head approaches.  Typically, the worst I feel the better I race.  Right about now I'm feeling like a dry white turd.  In 2 days time, I'll be ready to unleash the Crackin on these Michiganders! I have to go build my bike though, which means the next time you'll hear from me is POST RACE!


Before I go, I'd like to highlight an athlete I am currently coaching towards Triathlon domination; Captain Hila Levy.  Next time you think you've done some "stuff" in your life...read this story, then quietly head back to college to learn 14 languages, 5 Masters Degrees.... and get on HER level!  READ HER STORY HERE