Thursday, January 31, 2008

Snow workout



Got another 12 inches last night, school is cancelled!!!! I had to pull out the dreaded snowblower to do the driveway...still took 45 minutes.....YEEEE HAAA!!!! might be a week to start swimming again with all this snow.

here are some shots in the backyard...pretty nice looking eh?

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

almost back to normal


so I am back only 5 weeks post knee surgery to everything I was doing before except skiing. Doc said to take about 3 more weeks before I start that up again. with the amount of snow we have had I will get in plenty of skiing this year so no loss ( other than some sweet powder days recently). I think starting next week I am also going to work in some crossfit days. I think I will start with 2 a week along side my basic base training. since I am not training fr any particular event just general fitness to get in a lot of mountain biking this summer for fun not race. I need to get a yearly plan outlined...I am wandering without focus,,,maybe I need to find a few key weekends I want to peak for not just to race but to go on some epic funrides??? need focus.

next week I will start with:

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats


but this morning I am going to go ride the bike for 30 minutes, do some light upper body and then finish by shoveling the snow off the driveway.

Monday, January 28, 2008

let it snow


The knee gets better and better and I actually got to run a bit the last 2 weeks. I was on a semi Physical therapy type running program...run 4 minutes, walk 4 minutes and build up to run 10 minutes and walk 2 minutes. so I have been off doing about 40 minutes of running. also the knee flexibility is up to about normal so I have hit the rower a few times. I am working on getting my 2000 meter times better as a goal. this is a brutal distance that they use for contests because it is short enough tthat you want to go faster but long enough that if you do not pace yourself you are toast. Having only been on the rower a few times i did it in 9:34 as my winter starting place. according to www.concept2.com average Time: 8:11.8. So i am not brutally off the average but I need to work my way down.

current podcasts listening to:

jaimies podcasts
zentri
jetpack
kpunk
DSC
the age grouper
tacoboy and bigun
TWIT

So off to the surgeon today to have my final appt regarding my knee and since I am running and jumping and doing everything except skiing I think that should work pretty well and no bog deal.

This Friday seeing my buddy Sean in his punk band : link to his site here: Hands on throat

Friday, January 18, 2008

super carbo load


WOW did I ever carbo load? this new beer made here in town is the bomb and it better be at $120 a case!!!!!!

I got 4 bottles and drank one tonight: YYYYYUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!


info:

This exceptionally popular imperial stout, aged in French oak, pinot noir, and bourbon barrels since March, has immense depth with its rich and complex flavors. True to its name, subtle notes of coffee, chocolate, molasses and licorice pull you in deeper and deeper. Cherry bark and vanilla bean added during the dry-hopping process are the proverbial “cherry on top”!

Early December was originally publicized as the release date for the 2007 version of The Abyss. Perfection cannot be rushed though. Emails from excited fans continue to flood the Brewery asking, “When is it coming and where can I get it?”

The Abyss has developed somewhat of a cult following with reports from some bottle shops where six or seven cases have already been reserved through single bottle orders.

In addition to being a beer aficionado’s favorite, The Abyss has been showered with industry and consumer awards: the “Best Stout in the World” by Men’s Journal’s October 2007 issue, Top 10 on BeerAdvocate.com’s World’s Best rankings, “Gold Medal Imperial Stout” at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival, and “Best Beer Above 7%, International Champion Beer & Supreme Champion” at the 2007 International Beer Challenge.

“The Abyss was one of those beers I didn’t want to end,” said beer writer and Men’s Journal contributor Christian DeBenedetti. “I was totally blown away - this is precious stuff.”

Thursday, January 17, 2008

carbo load




I love to make and eat fresh home made bread so while getting better ( by the way actually ran a little today at the PT and have a week of run/walk this week so getting better) I made afew loaves of no Knead bread.

No-Knead Bread 2.0

From Cook's Illustrated Jan/Feb 2008

  • 3 cups (15 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
  • ¼ tsp instant yeast
  • 1 ½ tsp table salt
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp water (7 ounces), at room temperature
  • ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (3oz) mild-flavored lager
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar

Whisk flour, yeast, and salt in a 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.

Lay a 12-by 18 inch sheet of parchment paper inside 10-inch skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Shape dough into a ball by pulling edges into middle. Transfer dough seam side down, to parchment-lined skillet and spray surface of dough with nonstick cooking spray. 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.

About 30 minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position, place 6- to 8-quart heavy bottomed Dutch oven (with lid) on rack , and heat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly flour top of dough and using a razor blade or sharp knife, make one 6-inch-long, ½-inch deep slit along top of dough. Carefully remove pot from oven and remove lid. Pick up dough by lifting parchment overhang and lower into pot (let any excess parchment hang over pot edge). Cover pot and place in oven. Reduce oven temperature to 425 degrees 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, 20 to 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread from pot; transfer to wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

hard=fun





I guess i like to try things that are hard. i get satisfaction out of the accomplishment. growing up asthma boy i must say i get something different out of all these athletic accomplishments. I took Japanese in college because people said it was too hard. I started whitewater kayaking a few years back beacuse it scared me. you get the idea. right now I have to admit the guitar is really getting me excited...because i am good at it? no because it is hard. simple things i see teens doing on you tube with their guitar are taking me time to figure out. i got a guitar from a friend that is from the mid eighties that would have been the guitar I would have bought back in my big hair metal days. It was also the original brand that Van Halen used for his crazy striped guitar that most would recognize. Old school red Kramer! ( mine is the red one in the middle of the pics there)I will try and figure out how to embed a vid on this blog ( I know it can be done as my bro did it on his) but too early in the morning to do that.

I am going to go play a few pentatonic scales and then I am off to my 7 am Physical therapy appt for my knee. I got some great tips from KT as she does PT back in NB.......OK?

have a killer day and my plan is to try and go swim next week and maybe even get back on my bike ( studded tires and all as we have a ton of snow here.)

Saturday, January 05, 2008

182



So I noticed as did my buddy Bruce that I had a few extra pounds going for the off season..I admit I embraces the off season by having a lot of drink and a lot of be merry. I also have not worked out much with the knee issue and decided that day 1 of ly PT that I did last night would be the start back. Bruce and I were laughing and I decided to hit the scale for the first time in months...HOLY SCHNIKE!!! 182 and that without shoes or anything. I went from a ironman race day weight of 167 to this in a matter of months. I admit it am not concerned as I start on the path of the workout again it will come off pretty quick. I laughed out loud though when I saw the number....man did I enjoy that off season and I must say that has me motivated again for 2008. without a true off season I do not think you mentally or physically are ready to start another season so if you have not had one take a 4 week break and be stupid,.,,,,,,your body and mind will thanks you.

now back to guitar practice and stretching on my knee.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

2008 update


Knee feels a little better everyday though hard to go up and down stairs. I will hit the physical therapist this Friday and work to getting some skiing in before the season is over since we have mucho snow here.

My good Bud Bruce and also Dave got all American for xterra this year along with Jdub so pretty psyched for those guys:

http://www.insidetri.com/portal/news/news.asp?item=111601

My plans as of now for 2008 is to get into basic shape the first half of the year and play more guitar and camp with the family...about mid year I will ramp up, likely with Kyle Will training again and start the season with the 2008 cross crusade cyclocross series. I think to be smart I need to scalke back to be successful at 2009 Idaho.

I will still do most of the local races here for mountain bike and some running but will use as social training events not really races