If transitions can be considered the “4th event” in tri’s, then nutrition can certainly be a fifth.  Dave Scott refered to the care and feeding of an athlete’s body as “the unknown element”.  What we eat through months of training and competition is arguably just as, if not more important than, all other factors combined.  Why is it then, that nutrition and diet are often a part of training that get thought about the least?  It is most likely a combination of factors, but for me it boils down to two things, time and know-how.  The time part, well duh, who doesn’t struggle with that?!  Know-how though, is where things get tricky.  It’s not that I don’t know about nutrition.  I can calculate nutrient percentages and daily recommended requirements as good as any dietician.  I know about reading labels, balance and moderation, benefits of leafy greens, hazards of processed foods, blah, blah, blah.   The tricky part is the combination of time AND nutrition.  Finding the time to practice good nutrition, that is the key.  

I’ve decided I’m not going to plead ignorance any longer.  If I’m to be serious about racing I need to be serious about eating (in a good way!).  But saying and doing are two different things.  Being the goal-oriented person I am I know I work much better with structure, not to mention a little accountability.  In the spirit of the movie “Julie and Julia”, I am going to write a blog based on a cookbook.  I will try each recipe in the book and share my experiences through my blog.  The book I’ve selected is “The Athlete’s Plate”, by Adam Kelinson.  The author promises to introduce a clean, healthy, simple and socially-aware eating lifestyle to his readers.  I found the book in a somewhat random manner, so I am surprised to find it a seemingly perfect fit for my needs.  Kelinson is a chef as well as an endurance athlete.  He has done extensive research on food and agriculture as an industry, and the effects that industry is having on the health of our world and the people in it.  His unique perspective fosters a wholistic approach to food.  Kelinson promises to guide his readers through a process that will enable them to incorporate healthy foods into a lifestyle that supports athleticism and longevity, as well as a greener world.  He claims his methods are simple, time effective, and proven.  So it is with this assurance that I proceed into a world I’ve been skirting for some time.  A world I know is good for me, that I can no longer avoid.  ”Eighty-five recipes for quick, fresh meals.”   Care to join?