Ironman 140.6 Flexibility

Make sure to read the last paragraph

Sometimes the key to great meals is improvisation. In preparing for a pre-race meal for an Ironman 140.6 Miles, the goal was to get the guys fueled with carbs/protein and minimize the risk of stomach issues. My son Brian and his buddy Eric Brown had run a half Ironman in Boulder Colorado in August (See Boulder Blog) and their pre-race meal worked well then so we tried to mirror it. Unfortunately, some shortfalls at the rental property called for several improvisations:

  • No grill forced a switch from grill chicken to Chicken Milanese
  • No meat pounder called for the use of a wine bottle and small pot bottom to pound meat
  • Shallots were replaced with finely minced red onion and garlic
  • Butter was replaced with olive oil in the garlic bread
  • Tomato salsa was replaced with an avocado based salsa
  • No matches or lighter forced the use of a price of paper in the toaster to get a flame
  • Bagel based French toast

Menu

  • Gougeres
  • Chicken Milanese
    • Tomato Salsa
    • Avocado Salsa
    • Mama Agata Sauce
  • Baked Penne With Mozzarella
  • Garlic Bread
  • Spring Greens With Mom Mom’s Vinaigrette
  • Birthday Cake

The rental property in Boulder had spoiled us. It came with a kitchen that was probably equipped by a professional chef. It had all the equipment and utensils that any chef could ask for. The property in Florida was the complete opposite. First there was no grill. It had a grill grate brush, but no grill. The pantry in Boulder was stocked with a full array of basic ingredients. The Florida property didn’t even have salt and pepper.

A few changes to the menu, a quick second trip to the supermarket and some improvisation were called for. Your guest would never notice most of the changes, for example:

  • Pounding out your chicken breast with a wine bottle and the bottom a small pan because you had no meat pounder
  • The replacement of shallot with a little onion and garlic in the gougeres
  • The garlic bread with an olive oil versus a butter based spread
  • The addition of a avocado based salsa because 4 of my guests don’t eat tomato (What is it with millenials and tomatoes?)

Just about everyone had to notice me lighting the birthday cake by getting a flame off the toaster with a piece of paper. The smoke and the unusual smell were a bit of giveaway, but it worked!

The meal was a success but the highlight of trip was the Ironman. Brian and Eric have been best friends since they were three years old. Now in their 30’s they are still best friends and training for the Ironman has kept them close. The fact that Brian lives in Memphis and Eric lives in Boulder Colorado is a detail. The work and dedication that goes into the training is amazing. A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, followed by a full 26.2 mile marathon run in under 15 hours is more than amazing.

Note: Biran and Eric at 3 (Bri-guy loved his cowboy boots..)

Brian and Eric after their 2 mile swim

Speeding their way through the 112 mile bike ride

In the transition between the bike and the run

Flying through the 26.2 mile run (Brian wearing his Westhampton hat so the the force of mom mom would be with him)

Celebrating at the finish

The line of the week goes to my daughter in law Lauren who is pregnant with their second child due in a few weeks. Leave it to Lauren to say the most important things in a few words.

At the breakfast table in the morning the day after the Ironman, Brian states: in the last 24 hours I have swam 2.3 miles, biked 112 miles, ran 26.3 miles, got up this morning and updated my weekly work numbers, got on the phone with Autozone IT to straighten them out and set direction for my  team at work…what have you done?:

Lauren’s soft response…”NOT HAD A BABY”

 

Gourmet Group On A Budget

GUEST BLOG… My sister contributed the following. If you find any spelling or grammatical mistakes, you will note that such errors are consistent with the quality of the other blogs on the site. We are the children of an esteemed communication professor, but as he would have noted: “Good grammar/spelling skills run in the family, but when it came to these blog authors, those skills walked”.  ENJOY THE BLOG.

Ten women gather each year on Kiawah Island, South Carolina for tennis, biking, walking on the beach and eating!  For over 15 years, Martha has organized this great group and has provided the meal planning and cooking.  We all help out.  Martha’s goal – feeding ten people for four days (including wine and beer and liquor!) for under $100 per person.

Advance planning is key – and she takes into account food preferences and allergies.

Martha brings with her little baggies of any spices she thinks she will need.  She figures out the main meals and then the different components of the main meal.  Then she will see how overlaps work, so food not used in the main meals contribute to other meals.

Main meal or dinner menus included steak, potatoes with pesto, couscous with grilled vegetables, salad; surf and turf with leftover steak, Shrimp scampi, pesto pasta, salad, grilled asparagus; and shrimp/steak/veg tacos, quesadillas and more salad.

Lunch today will be two frittatas – leftover pesto potatoes with bacon and another one with leftover grilled vegetable/bacon and onions.  Both have tons of cheese.  And of course bacon.

Frittata Recipes

Each day begins with steel cut oatmeal with all the fixings served with a lot of coffee and conversation.

How does Martha do it? She buys steak, salad, eggs, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, coffee, olive oil, fruit, vegetables and bacon in bulk at Costco.  She buys locally caught shrimp and adds a lot of helping hands.  And then she mixes in friendship, memories, conversations and athletic activities to work all the food off.