It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since we were last here but it’s husky long course race day again! We’re two thirds of the way in (The Runner is running) and so far he’s looking good! Will this be the year the Husky curse is broken? Fingers crossed !!
Happy February!
Today was a fantastic way to start the month. The Runner did a VO2 Max/Lactate Threshold test and is busy analysing his results. He is exceptionally pleased with them and now is just trying to work out how to use them to improve his training. Husky Long Course is a mere three weeks away and this year he’s either going to get an awesome time or possibly die trying. He’s had three bad races there in the past three years he’s done the race– a torn Achilles the first year, a crash and a lost watch the second year, and bad cramping last year. This year we’re hoping the curse has somehow been lifted!
While he was out testing, I was at a Mexican Cooking Class at The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle. It was a Christmas present from The Runner and it was fantastic!
First of all, I love that shop, it’s basically a cook’s paradise in Sydney. They have lots of ingredients and cooking equipment and Le Creuset pots, and Kitchen Aid mixers and all sorts of other kitchen related things. From obscure ingredients to obscure equipment, if you need it to cook with, they probably have it.
Secondly, the chef, Travis Harvey, who led the class was absolutely fantastic. He’s just gotten back from filming an SBS series on Mexican Cooking with Peter Kuruvita and his passion and knowledge of Mexican cooking was fantastic! He was really helpful and gave just the right amount of help but also let us play and cook ourselves. The food was TO DIE FOR. Literally, some of the best Mexican food I’ve had in a very long time. I’m not a fish person, but the fish tacos we made were the best ones I have ever had in my entire life. We made Baja Beer Battered Fish Tacos and the recipe is here on the SBS website along with 10 of his other Mexican recipes which are related to the show which are on the web as well.
Actually, everything we made in our class was tasty. We made Ceviche with the Snapper that we learned to fillet in class– actually I watched other people learn, I have a thing with dead, whole fish. (It’s their creepy, dead eyes and the thought of their scaly skin…I shudder just thinking about it). We served it with tortilla chips and they were beautiful and tasty.
Also, we made mini spit roast pork tacos with pineapple which were yum! We learned how to make corn and flour tortillas and various salsas as well.
I was responsible for making two types of Chicken Tamales- one with salsa verde in banana leaves and the other with salsa roja in corn husks. And they were fabulous!!!
Best of all, everything we made were things that I could easily make again. In fact, I bought a tortilla press, black beans and masa harina and tomorrow I’m going to make vegan tacos from scratch! I think it should be pretty easy but of course, no cheese or sour cream to go with them but hopefully with guacamole, pico de gallo, and maybe even salsa verde we won’t even care!!
If you’re in Sydney, I highly recommend taking one of his classes- I would do one again just to eat the delicious food! You can book for yourself here.
So I’m done with my first week of detoxing, and to be honest I haven’t done that badly. Only three glasses of wine (I’m allowed four) and pretty much no wheat or cow’s milk consumed by yours truly which is pretty good.
I’ve been exercising and feeling really good, I’ve taken up yoga– well the Runner and I both have really as part of a 4 week Yoga Challenge with his Triathlon club. We’ve been to two sessions this weekend and we’re both loving it– especially nap time at the end.
The food side has been pretty easy, it’s one of those things where the thought of going wheat and dairy free is really worse than the reality of it. It takes a bit of willpower and a bit of planning, but really it’s not so bad. I’ve eaten out– and that hasn’t been too bad, Japanese, Mexican and Vietnamese. Ten, the Japanese place we go to in Randwick, actually has gluten free options including soy and teriyaki sauce which was a bonus! I will admit to having Mad Mex’s Naked Burrito twice this week! It’s pretty good, and totally on my detox plan especially if you skip the cheese and the rice! Mexican’s my favourite cuisine anyway, so even if it wasn’t on my plan, I’d find a way to put it there. Where there’s a will, there’s a way, right??
Most definitely! The one thing I have been struggling with is my other favourite cuisine- Ice Cream…. and shut up, Ice Cream does count as a cuisine. It’s almost impossible to find dairy free, gluten free, no extra sugar ice cream. Wait, I said ALMOST. Last weekend, in Jervis Bay, I found the Holy Grail. Ice Cream that’s on my detox! It’s a brand called So Delicious from the States (http://sodeliciousdairyfree.com/) and they make Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Sugar Free Ice Cream. What the what???? I know! It was actually pretty good, because of course I had to get a tub when I saw it in Jervis Bay. Even at $11 a pint, I couldn’t resist. Cookies and Cream Almond Milk Ice Cream. Ok, so they won’t put Haagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry’s out of business any time soon, but it was pretty tasty and given my present detoxified state, it was just what the doctor ordered. Any port in a storm right??? Except for one thing, I want more. I’ve been craving Ice Cream all week, literally salivating at the thought of it. Ideally, it would be a big bowl of Ben and Jerry’s mint cookie (my absolute favourite) or even a big bowl of chocolate ice cream, and I can’t have it…. and I don’t know where to find more So Delicious. It’s nowhere in Coogee. And the store finder on their website, only works in the States. If I were in DC, I’d go to Whole Foods in Silver Spring, or Yes Organic on Georgia Ave, but it’s a bit tougher to nail it down in Sydney. Even Uncle Google is letting me down in terms of finding a place to buy it in Sydney.
“Why don’t I just go back and get it where I did last weekend?” I hear you ask….well, there’s a pretty good reason. It’s nearly a three hour drive away. Fail. Big Fat Fail.
I’ve been looking for somewhere to order it from online but it’s ice cream….not exactly practical to home deliver ice cream when it’s the middle of summer in Sydney. So I’m stuck with a conundrum, do I cheat on my detox and give into temptation or do I stay strong and stay the course????
Who was it that said, “I can resist anything, except temptation”? Oh yes, Oscar Wilde, you were a VERY wise man!
Happy Valentine’s Day to all the lovers out there! I wish everyone love and happiness and chocolate today (and every day!)
And for everyone heading to Jervis Bay for Husky long course triathlon- good luck!
The Runner has one. I have one. Superman has one. I’m sure everyone has one. And that’s a nemesis.
In Greek Mythology, Nemesis was the Goddess of Revenge, she’s the one that brings “sorrow to mortals” (according to Wikipedia which doesn’t lie). Nemesis also believed that “no one should ever have too much good, and she had always cursed those who were blessed with countless gifts.” Sure, we’ll go with that. It kind of makes me feel better about myself.
My nemesis, (at least in the world of Pole Dancing, my sport) is the Candy. It’s a move that I’ve struggled with for years… YEARS! All the other girls make it look so simple and so easy- just throw your legs over your head and smile– hooray! Too easy!!
Nope, sorry, not me. That move taunts me, much like Nemesis taunted Narcissus. Yup, she was the one who led him to the pool where he drowned staring at his own reflection– she was soooo mean. Much like my Candy. I hate it, every week it’s a reminder of why I will never be really really good at pole. Because every week, we practice it and every week I fail. Annoying and frustrating and yes, it’s my archenemy. But I’m determined- and one week in the near future, I will conquer it– or possibly die trying.
This week also features The Runner’s nemesis (and no, it’s not Valentine’s Day). It’s the triathlon in Huskisson aka Husky Long Course. This is the 3rd time he’s doing it and hopefully it will be the year he beats it…..Because frankly, I’m not sure that it could be any worse than the previous two years he’s done it.
Last year was so bad, he came second in a competition for who had the worst race. Second! Which means that not only did he have a horrible race, but he didn’t win a prize for having the worst race, which really just adds insult to injury….and by injury, I mean an actual injury…. two years in a row!
The first year he did it, he pulled his hamstring, and had to limp his way out of the race. Last year, he lost his watch during the swim and then rode through a pothole at 50km/hr and came off his bike and wound up in the first aid tent after the race. Ouch! Every other race he’s done has been flawless- or at least relatively drama free…. It’s just something about the race in Husky that’s, well, trouble.
So, understandably I’m a bit nervous for him. Unlike my nemesis, which realistically is only hurting my ego, I’ll be waiting and watching on Sunday morning with baited breath hoping that The Runner finishes the race and makes it through in one piece and not broken and bruised.
There’s nothing better than beating your nemesis once and for all, and I really think that this could be the year he does it. I’ll let you know how it goes but keep your fingers crossed…. maybe once he conquers this race, I’ll finally get my Candy sorted!
A girl can only dream…..
P.S I found a great blog that pretty much sums up how I feel about pole….
http://pole-dancing-adventures.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/my-kryptonite.html (oh yes, this would be my other nemesis move– don’t even get me started on this one!)
He Runs, I Cook 