Summer time in South Carolina can get hot.  Sometimes a big veggie plate is just right on those sweltering days.  Here's a recipe that is easy to customize.  Don't have quinoa?  Substitute rice or farro.  Same with your veggie choices.  Hummus adds a nice dimension to the plate, as does sticky tofu and pickled carrots.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry quinoa prepared per package instructions
  
• pickled carrots (see recipe below)
  
• sticky tofu (see recipe below)
  
• cucumber - chopped
• cherry tomatoes - cut in half
• leafy salad greens of your choice
  
• pita bread - cut into triangles and lightly toast with garlic & basil.
• hummus of your choice

Pickled Carrots:

• 1 lb carrots - sliced thin or grated (and water to cover)
• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

1) In a saucepan, cover the carrots with water and boil for about 5-8 minutes.
2) In a smaller saucepan, combine all other ingredients, whisk and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3) Drain the carrots and pour the simmered sauce over them.  Let cool and then store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Sticky Tofu:

• one block of firm tofu, pressed then cut into cubes
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp ketchup
• 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup water

1) Mix all ingredients, except tofu, to create a marinade.
2) Place tofu cubes in marinade for a few hours, or even overnight.
3) Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
4) Drain off the marinade from the tofu into a small saucepan.  Spread the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake in the stove for about 35 minutes.
5) Add tofu to the saucepan and warm.

For the Veggie Plate - simply layer the greens on the plate, add all of your ingredients on top of the greens, and put the hummus in the middle.  Add you favorite dressing and enjoy!

Asheville is a neat place to visit. Teresa and I have been here before to run Asheville Citizen Times Marathon in 2013. The City has a great vibe and there are lots of Vegan restaurants to eat at. I needed another race for the Setup Events NC Series, so I thought we could visit Asheville and I could get a race in.

My research on the race led me to believe that Biltmore Lake tends to stay cool and the race is usually wetsuit legal. While this point alone didn’t sway my decision to choose this race, I did find a wetsuit legal race in June to be interesting. The lake ended up warm at 79.5 degrees and not wetsuit legal. I didn’t think the race would be flat, but it’s a Sprint distance so how hilly could it be? Well turns out it’s pretty damn hilly. Estimates are around 1500’ of elevation gain in the 17.5 mile bike. From parking your car all the way to the awards ceremony, this race was well executed from start to finish. This was the 10th anniversary of this race and you can tell they have perfected the race. There was a slight change in the run course that was handled perfectly through updating the website, announcements, and the pre-race meeting. This race will be on my “I’d do that again” list.

Swimming is not my specialty. This is no secret and it’s something I’ve been working hard at improving. But after this race performance it’s time to admit that I need a little outside help. Practicing OWS in the ocean is great for sighting practice, but I definitely got used to the extra buoyancy of the salt water. I felt like I was dragging an anchor in this fresh water lake. I was in the first of 3 mass start waves and had a clean start with very little bumping. Lake was clear and well marked with turn and sight buoys. My sighting skills are good but I just couldn’t seem to find a rhythm during the race.

I like to think of myself as above average when it comes to transitions. My rack position was not ideal and probably added a few seconds to both transitions, so a 7th place result on both is awesome.

The slow swim left me with a lot of time to make up in the bike and run, not the position to be in if you want to podium. I knew I had to push the bike if I had any chance of reaching my goal of a top 20 finish. “What goes up most come down” turned into my mantra for the bike leg. The bike course was never flat. I was either climbing in my lowest gear (39x27) or spinning out of gear (53x12) on the downhills. On at least 2 of the climbs I had to be out of the saddle in order to maintain momentum. I reached a new max speed PR of 45 mph on one of the longer downhills (which my wife was not impressed with, LOL). I didn’t count how many riders I passed, but I knew I was making up ground. I realized the hard work on the climbs paid off once I came into T2, because I immediately noticed the lack of bikes on the racks.

The run was on a trail that winds along the lake. The modified course created 2 out and backs, which were perfect for figuring out where the competition was. Heading out to the first turn around I tried to count how many athletes I met going the other way. Then once I made the turn around I got to see who was chasing me. My legs were dead and I was having trouble holding my pace. The thought of walking actually crossed my mind. I quickly reminded myself of my goals and dug a little deeper. Just hang on, don’t let anyone pass you, top twenty finish – all of these self talks helped keep me focused.

58th in Swim, 7th in T1, 15th in Bike, 7th in T2, 29th in Run, 17th overall male finisher,  18th Over-all, and 2nd in age group.

Certainly one of the hardest things about being an Athlete that also Coaches, is coaching yourself. I’ve spoken to many coaches over the years and many of them hire a coach when it comes to their own training. I’ve always self-coached and honestly, it’s what inspired me to start my own coaching business. So now it’s time for me to be the coach and analyze my own performance.

The Positives:
Great transitions, period.
Amazing bike leg considering you can’t train on hills. The bike intervals and strength training really paid off.
Good run considering how hard you pushed the bike. You even ran negative splits! The self-talk and positive attitude helped you stay focused.
What we need to work on:
The swim needs more work. We are going to work on getting you more relaxed during the swim.
Over-all: 
Great race. Congratulations! Now take a day off to enjoy Asheville, then head back home because you have to get prepared for Carolina Beach Double next weekend!

Here's an easy recipe that is good for the night before a race or big workout or as a recovery meal.  Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are a good source of both protein and fiber.  A cup of cooked chickpeas contains 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber.  Quinoa is known as an "ancient grain" and contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and vitamin E. 

This can be served on its own with a vegetable side or over greens.

Ingredients:
1 can (about 2 cups) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water

zest of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp lemon juice (fresh if possible)
1 tsp maple syrup
salt and pepper

Optional garnish - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Boil the water in a sauce pan, add quinoa, turn down to a low simmer and cover.  Cook about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.  (Alternatively, cook your quinoa in a rice maker with a little more water - it comes out fluffy every time)

Combine the chickpeas with 1 Tbsp olive oil, brown sugar, cumin, Kosher salt, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes and toss well.

Transfer the chickpeas to a lightly sprayed baking sheet and spread them out in a single layer.  Roast in the oven, shaking occasionally, for about 20 - 25 minutes.

Combine the lemon zest and juice, maple syrup and 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil (depending on your taste).  Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, just spoon out some quinoa and top with chickpeas and lemon sauce.  Then add some pine nuts if you choose!

Jbird Multisport Coaching will be holding our first clinic on July 12th at 6pm. Fleet Feet Myrtle Beach will be hosting us at their store at 7931 North Kings Hwy, Suite 120, Myrtle Beach. The topic of discussion will be an Introduction to Triathlon Cycling. Topics will include basic bicycle anatomy, difference between road bike and triathlon bike, helmets, shoes, and more. The presentation will last about 45 minutes with time after for questions. This is a free event so come out and join us!

Click here for Facebook Event link.

We are official! Jbird Multisport Coaching is on the web. Bear with us as we fumble our way through building our first website. We plan on posting weekly news, events, training tips, recipes, race reports, and anything else we think our visitors might enjoy.

If there is something specific you would like to know, learn, or see on this site just use the Contact page to shoot us an email.