Lightweight Eats

First off, happy belated birthday to my big sister! Her birthday was yesterday, but thankfully not on Thanksgiving yet again. And happy Thanksgiving to everybody else.

This week, I am thankful for...

Rowers: Just in time for your Christmas wishlist, this is a list of my favorite places to go find great rowing gear. There are very few rowing specific brands, so I've had to cobble together pieces from different sources. Save yourself some time and check these place out! I've tried to give the lowest cost option without losing quality.

In high school, I never got cold, so I survived with a few pairs of spandex shorts and cotton t-shirts. I had a few technical long sleeves for the coldest winter days, and suffered a few winter mornings.

In college, Princeton provided Nike gear for student athletes. We got a lot of great stuff: long tights, long sleeve tops, short sleeves tops, unisuits, sports bras and more. That gear has been the basis of my wardrobe ever since. But it's getting to the point where that is no longer enough, especially as the older items start to wear out.

The Nike gear we were given was of high quality, especially the cold weather gear. I wear each pair of the long tights at least once a week for 6 months of the year, and the only visible wear is from rips and snaps I've created. I've owned some of them since 2008. So when it was time to restock gear, I definitely went to Nike.

There's a Nike Outlet in the east bay that has some great deals, especially on non-basics. Black tights and plain sports bras rarely make it there, but I picked up an awesome collection of long sleeve technical shirts that were apparently so-last-season. Since I'm hoping these will last me for 5 more years, I'm not too worried. I love the Nike Outlet because you pay super low prices for great, long-lasting gear.

Their labeling system is also really helpful. Most gear is labeled as either "hyperwarm" or "hypercool". It turns out, some long sleeve shirts are meant to cool you down, not warm you up. It's good to know which is which before you wear a thick wicking shirt out into the winter rain.

Since the outlet isn't great for basics, I have to look elsewhere for those.

Sports bras are one of the least important basics for rowing, so I usually go relatively cheap on these. I have a few dedicated running bras, but the super low impact of rowing means I don't need much support. I strongly prefer a racer back and thinner straps help prevent bad tan lines. (Pro tip: so does sunscreen.) I've had success purchasing these at Forever 21, although the quality varies. Nothing beats their prices. Target's Champion brand also has some decent (and cheap) sports bras. I've also purchased some sports bras, running shorts and racerback tanks from Old Navy with success.

So far, only one company has produced an acceptable spandex short for rowing: JL Racing. They seem to wear out after about 2.5-3 years of weekly (or twice weekly) usage, which is a lot better than other brands (especially since they take a lot of abuse from the seat). They're the only company that has nailed the fit: long enough but not too long, enough room in the seat, and double thickness where the seat hits the fabric.  The waist doesn't pinch, the compression is just enough to prevent chafe, and they're generally comfortable. (Note: if you're a woman, get the women's cut trou!!! They're very different.)

I've been uninspired by JL's other products. Their long tights don't come in a women's cut and don't have enough room for serious rower thighs.  I bought some of their super warm tights about three years ago and found that they aren't very warm. And the low back on their tech shirts means I have a bare belly when I'm standing around on land—not very flattering.

Tights have been very difficult to find. I tried products from Lululemon, Nike, Patagonia, SmartWool, R.E.I., GAP and more. They were all unflattering, not stretchy enough, poorly fitted or poorly constructed.

Finally, I went into Athleta and found what I was looking for. Their products are on the lower end of the price bracket for similar quality items. The feel is similar to Lululemon, but I find the material they use to be a lot more pleasant to wear. (I'm not a fan of Luon.)

Although they only carry women's clothing, they've got a lot of options for tights. I got one of their newer styles, the PowerLuxe Revelation tight, which feels like wearing technical cotton. Their labeling isn't very informative in the store, but the staff were really helpful and knowledgeable. The website is also a bit confusing because there are so many options (each individual color has a separate entry, so there is a lot to navigate). If you live nearby, go into the store and ask for help finding the best options. Some criteria to consider: breathability, warm, length, comfort and stretchiness.

The last piece of gear: headwear. A lot of people wear sunglasses. I'm a hat person. Hats are good for sun and good for rain, and hats never fog up. Hats also keep your hair and sweat out of your eyes. I have a small head, so hats can be hard to fit; my favorite so far is Headsweats. I also love that the ponytail holders on their hats don't have velcro, just a clip!

That's a summary of where I get my athletic gear. I have a few pieces from elsewhere: socks, tanks, etc. For the most part, though, I find what I like best, and I buy a lot when it's on sale.

Here's what I've got in my wardrobe:
Spandex shorts
Running shorts
Socks (incl. a few wool pairs)
Sneakers
Sports bras
Tanktops
Technical T-shirts
Technical longsleeves (warm and cool)
Tights (warm only)
Hats
A windproof vest

Note: None of these companies are sponsoring me. I just really like their stuff. Of course, if anybody wants to send me things to try and review, send me an email at lightweighteats (at) gmail (dot) com! When I find something I like, I make sure everybody knows about it.

Last Thanksgiving, we'd been vegan for about a month before Thanksgiving rolled around. We were still too new to feel comfortable at the Thanksgiving table. Despite the plethora of articles about navigating the holidays as a vegan, there are very few about welcoming vegans, or really anybody with an allergy or food intolerance. These are some of the things that would have made the vegan Thanksgiving experience a little bit more manageable.

1. Print recipe cards. We do our Thanksgiving as a potluck so it's particularly difficult to check ingredients since who knows who brought what. This one is easy to pass off as a kind gesture—if you like the food, take a recipe. Plus, it lets people decide for themselves if each food fits their dietary needs. You won't have to remember whether barley has gluten and if the chocolate chips have dairy in them. (Bonus points if you include the brand you used—many experience vegans know which brands are vegan.)

2. Make some super safe dishes. Roasted sweet potatoes and beets with olive oil (gluten free, vegan, paleo, nut/seed free). Baby spinach, walnuts, dried cranberries, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic (gluten free, vegan, raw, paleo, low carb). Fresh fruit salad for dessert (gluten free, vegan, raw, paleo, nut/seed free—seriously, who doesn't eat fresh fruit?) These dishes are also easy to prepare, making your life easier!

3. Send out a rough menu plan ahead of time. If I know my dinner options are mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, I will come prepared with snacks. I may even volunteer to bring a small vegan-friendly dish, like I did for my family's Christmas celebrations last year.

4. Ask your guests to inform you of any allergies or dietary restrictions! That way you can avoid using the peanut butter spoon to stir the fruit salad if necessary, or switch to olive oil instead of butter where possible. A lot of people with dietary restrictions don't want to impose on their gracious hosts and choose to eat less rather than allow their hosts to provide options.

Any other tips?

This week brought the first rain of the season (not counting the weird September downpour). I'm thankful for...

Most endurance athletes have been taught to carb-load prior to racing. I tend to do the opposite before racing. Carb-loading is effective for races lasting more than two hours, similar to our long practice sessions. Our longest races don't last more than 25 minutes, so we don't need the increased glycogen storage required for endurance events.

Moreover:

"Glycogen storage is associated with a concomitant storage of water." - marathontraining.com 

 In other words, carb-loading causes weight gain due to water retention. This is important for endurance events, where consuming calories and liquids are difficult. For a lightweight rower, it spells disaster.

Instead, my pre-race dinners focus on foods higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates (including fiber). This quinoa salad was perfect: filling but light and easy to digest.

The directions are simple.
Cook your quinoa (about 2 cups dry, if you want leftovers) and let it cool.
Steam some greens (I used baby chard and spinach, about 4 cups worth) and cool them.

Chop and mix in a big bowl: a few handfuls of cranberries, toasted hazelnuts, a tart apple, two celery stalks, and a cucumber. Add the quinoa and greens, and top with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and paprika.

Serve room temperature.

This would also be great with some chopped parsley and/or some julienned carrots.

Last year, I executed this race very poorly. The fall speed order is a two part race: 6000 meters on the rowing machine on Saturday followed by a 4000 meter race on the water on Sunday. My inexperience with weigh-ins along with overconfidence led to a disappointing Saturday erg test. I paid for that on Sunday—my legs were suffering way too early.

This year, I did a lot more preparation and planning. My weight management was not perfect, but it showed improvement—two weeks out I was about 3.5 pounds off of weight (rather than the 6 pounds of last year). That allowed me to train smarter and recover better in the weeks leading up to race day.

Over the past few weeks, we have done some great 6km prep workouts:
3000 meters at 6k goal pace minus 3 seconds (per 500m split)
4000 meters at 6k goal pace (or faster)
5000 meters at 6k goal pace + 2s (/500m) for 1km, + 1.5s for 1km, + 1s for 1km, + 0.5s for 1km, + 0s for 1km
6 x 250 meters practicing the start sequence, with 6 minutes rest between

The first workout gave me confidence that I could pull fast numbers, the second that I could finish the full length, the third that I could increase speed over the distance, and the fourth that I could find my rhythm.

Saturday morning was spent passing time until the weigh-in. I woke up way earlier than necessary (habit) and watched about 4 episodes of Flashpoint before getting bored. Dan and I went for a walk, I munched on some nuts (high calorie, low weight), and generally twiddled my thumbs. By the time I got to the boathouse, I was ready to go!!!

Saturday's erg went almost according to plan. Although there was a last minute change in schedule (and an added Sunday weigh-in, much to my chagrin), I managed my nerves and stress successfully. My erg malfunctioned right at the start, but I quickly fixed the problem and got started. I took advantage of the opportunity to sit between two silver medalists from the World Championships this summer and did my best to hang onto their pace. I ended up less than a second from a personal best, which is a great way to start the season! My score was 5th out of the lightweight women.

Sunday morning, I was up early and off to the boathouse for another weigh-in. My priority for the morning was getting a long enough warm-up, so after the weigh-in, I ate breakfast and got ready to go. I shoved off the dock about 40 minutes before the start and got in a really productive warm-up.

I had bow #1 and a fast competitor starting right behind me. (The race is a time trial, so boats start at 30 second intervals and race the clock.) I knew it would be tough to beat her time, so my goal was to stay in front. She steered a great course, which made it even more difficult, but my cheering section at 1250m to go helped me pull off a great time in the last 1000m. I placed 4th on the water—a great result.

Ultimately, this race was a well-executed, successful experience. My results were fast and encouraging, and I'm looking forward to gaining more speed over the next few months. The next racing opportunity will be at the first National Selection Regatta in April and I'm hoping to improve from this year's 10th place finish. This also marks my last race as a member of the California Rowing Club. Although I'll miss proudly wearing the California flag, I'm really excited to transition to GMS for the next season.

If you follow me on Goodreads (which you should! send me recommendations!) you'll see that I've been reading a lot. Consider The Shallows a book about why you should read a lot, too. More than that, it's a book about technology and your brain. It asks you to question the technologies we've welcomed into our lives and gives you the tools and knowledge to do just that.

And on top of all that, it's an incredibly well-written book. I'm not sure I can recommend it more highly.

The book ties into a recent theme in my training, as well: sports psychology. Over the summer, we met with a psychologist as a group which I found very helpful. Since then, I've begun to take my brain a bit more seriously.

In The Shallows, Nicholas Carr argues that the internet has decreased our ability to focus for long periods of time. And while it has given us other abilities, like parsing large volumes of information for specific keywords, mental endurance is a key component for rowing. A productive row can require intense mental focus for upwards of two hours. And while not every row requires that kind of focus, more focus means faster improvement, especially on technical issues.

This Runner's World article talks about building mental endurance for PR's in marathons. We row a marathon most weekends, and half marathons almost every day. Shouldn't the same apply?

I don't want to underestimate the value of rapid data processing. During a race, I have to be able to interpret a variety of inputs: heart rate, stroke rate, wind conditions, 500m splits, other boats locations, time elapsed, distance remaining, audio and visual cues from my teammates, audio and visual cues from referees and more. Certainly tools like Twitter and link-heavy online articles help me process those with minimal brain power (important during a race).

But if 95% of the work happens before you arrive at the starting line, I suspect that closer to 95% of my mental training should be focused on improving my mental endurance. And, as Carr argues, the best place to do that is between the covers of a book.

This week I am thankful for...

Dan is visiting his parents while I stay in California to train through the Fall Speed Order. That means I'm eating all of the foods Dan doesn't really like: artichokes, mushrooms, vinegar, tomatoes... the list goes on.

Tonight's dinner also helped clean out my parents' collection of condiments and use up odds and ends of leftovers.. and it ended up quite tasty.

I bought mushrooms on sale from the Berkeley Bowl, and threw them in a pan with a bunch of veggies (kale, bell pepper, pre-cooked squash). When they were nearly cooked, I added about a quarter cup of artichoke tapenade and some green onions. After a few more minutes on high heat, I served the veggies over white rice. Tasty tasty!

I just finished reading "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams. For those that don't know, Scott Adams created Dilbert, that Sunday comic strip I never understood at age 10. His book is equally witty, entertaining and poignant.

Adams' life values are closely aligned with my own, and part of my enjoyment was certainly due to the pats on the back I gave myself every time my habits mirrored those of somebody so successful. Still, most of the books I read are doomed to be returned to the library and perhaps contemplated but not purchased. I think this book might have earned itself a coveted place on our bookshelf.

Of all the stories and advice, one overarching theme sang to me most marvelously: personal energy. Adams' talks about your personal energy levels as the key to being successful at just about everything. The book was filled with his tips for maximizing personal energy.

The conceptualization also helped me identify my own strategies for increasing personal energy, particularly before particularly tough workouts. And it has helped me identify some of the things that drain my energy unnecessarily. For example, an inconsistent workout schedule (i.e. mixing things up) exhausts me. For others, constant repetition (i.e. consistency) may be equally exhausting. Being in pajamas and cold weather also drain my energy terrifyingly fast.

But that's not all the book talks about. You can learn how to win the lottery (hint: it involves living a very, very, very long life), how to eat anything you want and not be fat, and how to cure the incurable. Sound hokey? Well, it really, really isn't. It's well researched, well-written and embarrassingly funny (if you're reading it on a crowded BART train).

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17859574-how-to-fail-at-almost-everything-and-still-win-big

One of the things I learned during our Live Below the Line challenge was realistic budgeting. I've read about a lot of families chasing the elusive $50 grocery budget. Let's break that down:

$50/week for two people. That's roughly $3.50 per person, per day. Let's assume you need to provide each person with 2000 calories a day. That means each nickel needs to buy you around 30 calories, assuming you don't waste any food at all.

What can you afford?

Rice, oats, and dried beans definitely fit into this kind of a budget. Peanut butter, at $3 for a 3000 calorie jar, also fits the budget nicely.

What about meat? A pound of pork tenderloin has about 550 calories. The most you could spend on it and stay on budget? 90 cents. (5 cents times 550 calories / 30 calories = about 90.) Our local Safeway currently has boneless pork on sale for $2/pound. And let's not even talk about sustainably produced, high quality, organic meat.

Fruits and veggies are also questionable. Onions have around 175 calories per pound, so if you can find them for less than 30 cents a pound, you're in the clear. Bananas might fit as well, but you'd have to be looking at 15 cents for a large banana. Of course, going under budget with rice, beans, oats and peanut butter will provide you some leeway, but don't expect to be eating haricot vert, organic apples or hearts of romaine—unless, of course, you grow it yourself.

And packaged foods? Unlikely. If you can get a 2-liter bottle of soda for a dollar, you'd be within budget. But even candy, at 75 cents for a 250 calorie bar, is way out of budget. Crackers and chips are similar.

How about those questionable in-betweens? Like cheese and yogurt? Eggs? Wild rice? OLIVE OIL?!?!

It's easy to calculate yourself.

Want to know the maximum price for something to stay on budget? Take the calorie per unit of the food item and divide by the calorie per penny you have to achieve in your food budget (in this example, 6 calories per penny). There are 248 calories per ounce of olive oil. 248 / 6 = 41.3 cents per ounce. A 1-liter bottle (34 ounces) of olive oil would have to cost less than $14.

Have a price and calorie count? Divide the total calories by the price in cents; if it's more calories per penny, you're in the clear.


What's the practical application of all of this? Well, let's say I'm trying to stick to the budget above. I have a list of items that fall within that budget. Rice, oats, beans, peanut butter, onions, cheap bananas, oil, inexpensive nuts and seeds, etc. These items will have to be the bulk of my food, providing well over 50% of my daily calories.

If your grocery list includes organic kale, an abundance of seasonal fresh fruit, packaged snacks or anything but the most boring of ingredients, you're probably not going to make a $50/week budget. I don't think that's a bad thing.

For our family, good food is a priority. It's a choice we make. BUT, we also choose to buy oats instead of cold cereal so we can put money towards purchasing organic apples and cucumbers. My tips for shopping for quality food on a budget:
- Eat simpler, cheaper, higher quality foods: buy organic peanut butter instead of almond butter, or cabbage instead of kale. eat toast instead of a Clif bar, or use canned/frozen fruit in place of jam
- Shop around and do the math: do you know the best price for organic rolled oats in your neighborhood? we get ours for $1.29/lb. which is cheaper, dried or canned beans? are you sure?
- Know the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen: organic sweet potatoes are expensive, but conventionals show up in the bargain bin regularly; should I buy them? same goes for apples; same answer? we posted the list on our fridge, next to our shopping list, which also helped us make smart swaps on our menu plans.
- Don't waste food: let's not even start on letting things mold because you're too picky to eat leftovers. I'm talking broccoli stems, carrot tops and orange peels. they can go into smoothies, be made into cleaning products, candied, juiced, boiled into veggie stock and so much more.


What's your budget? How did you set it? How do you stick to it?

This is the start of a new series. I read that successful people regularly think about things for which they are grateful. This might be a gross generalization, but it's free and it can't hurt my chances. It only seems appropriate to begin in the month of the Thanksgiving holiday.

This week, I am thankful for...

When I rowed in high school, I had no idea that anybody rowed after college. Clearly, it happens. Rowing has four main categories of athlete: junior, collegiate, open and masters, in approximate age order. Each of these categories has different competitions and seasons.


The junior athletes row for their high school or a local club team. Rules vary, but these athletes are almost exclusively in high school, with a few programs accepting 7th and 8th graders for learn-to-row type programs. Many junior athletes start their fall season in August and September, training for longer head races typical of September, October and November (where weather allows). Others will start rowing in the early spring months.

Junior athletes see the culmination of their season in May or June with regional and national championships, respectively. The best athletes are often invited to Junior National Team camps in the summer to compete for Team USA on the international racing circuit. All of these major races are overseen by USRowing. Many juniors also continue to row for club programs during the summer months.


Although collegiate athletes also start in September, they compete in a different arena. Collegiate programs fall into a wide variety of categories, from club to varsity teams, and with different combinations of genders and weight classes practicing together.

For collegiate programs, there are three major year-end regattas: NCAAs, IRAs and Dad Vails. Only openweight women's programs fall under the NCAA, and the top school from each conference, plus a number of at-large bids, are invited to compete. The NCAA championships have categories for DI, DII and DIII schools.

The IRA championship regatta is the equivalent of NCAA for the remaining three weight and gender classes: lightweight women, lightweight men, and heavyweight men. The event is invitation only, and based on season performance.

For many small and young programs, the Dad Vail regatta marks the season's end, with competitors from all over the country competing. Regular attendance at NCAAs and IRAs precludes crews from competing at the Dad Vail regatta.


Post-collegiate athletes divide themselves into two categories: open and masters athletes. Unlike scholastic athletes, these rowers compete primarily in the summer season.

Although open competition is just that—open to anyone—it has de facto become the racing venue for elite athletes. A number of events key to elite athletes span the seasons, from the October Head of the Charles, to the late spring National Selection Regattas and speed orders. For the top level athletes, the summer is spent on the international racing circuit, competing at World Cup and World Championship Regattas.

The open rowers can be found throughout the country, racing for clubs like CRC, Riverside, Penn A.C, Seattle RC and more. The best of these athletes often also have the choice of training at an official USRowing training center.


Masters athletes also compete year round, with long fall head races and shorter summer sprint races. In fact, the masters racing calendar is the most sensible of all. The year begins in the fall with regional head races and the major Head of the Charles regatta, all long races. Winter is spent preparing for the San Diego Crew Classic, a 2000 meter race. This is followed by a summer of 1000 meter racing, culminating in regional and national championships in mid-summer.

Masters athletes are divided into age brackets. Within each bracket, the oldest boats are given the biggest headstart. For example, a boat with an average age of 64 might race a boat with average age 62, and simply start a few seconds earlier.


Individual regattas choose to include certain classes of athletes. The Head of the Charles is all-inclusive, whereas many local regattas cater to only high school or collegiate athletes. And oftentimes, the "open" category at regattas is populated by master, junior and collegiate athletes looking for better competition. But, for better or worse, that is the lay of the land (water?).