Day 157: Rest Day

Post Race, last week, within hours I felt the tingles of a nice little cold. Last Sunday, I was fighting hard, but by Monday evening, I was fevered and chilled.
Tuesday, I went to work late (they had me back another week, as my coworker's father passed away). We had most things wearable by Dress Rehearsal, and everything tied up with a little bow by opening. It is a beautiful show.

Because of my congestion, training took a hiatus for the week. There have been times, I wasn't sure if my body ached because I was fevered or atrophied. This week was a complete bust, except for the little ride by the beach yesterday.

Today, we went to Crystal Cove for a walk. It was late afternoon and as we made our way toward a path to the beach, a cycle-tourist couple rode past. I called to them, asking where they had been and where they were going. They were headed home to Ohio, having started their journey in the wrong state at the wrong time of year: Oregon on the coast in 35 degree weather a week ago and had decided to jump on a train instead of endure the biting cold of the North Coast (it was so cold, even in July!). They are going to travel through the southern region toward Ohio, and hoping for some warm weather. I offered shelter for the night, but they were excited to sleep by the beach. They rode on. (If any readers come across a young man and a young woman, traveling by bike with sleeping bags on their handlebars trying to dry out; please let them in, they might be cold)

Yesterday was fun. Here's the truth: I have continued to log; privately. I have created a habit. It is a happy thing and it keeps me motivated: I hate the entries that I haven't done anything worthy.

So, about yesterday. Here is part of my entry:

Day 156: Cupcakes

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
1-2-3-4 cake
Sift and set a side
10.5 oz sifted cake flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
mix 1 cup milk with 2 tsp vanilla, set aside
beat until creamy and pale
1 cup unsalted butter
10.5 oz sugar
Add one at a time and beat until incorporated into mixture
4 egg yolks
Add ⅓ the flour, mix
Add ½ the milk mixture, mix
repeat, ending with the remaining flour
In a separate bowl, beat 4 egg whites until foamy
Slowly add ⅓ cup sugar and beat until almost stiff
Fold ¼ the egg whites into the batter and then fold in the remaining egg whites
Divide into lined muffin tins, being careful not to overfill.
Bake at 350 for around 20 minutes. Let stand in pans for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
When cool, insert the large end of a chopstick into the center of the top of each cupcake to make room for the filling. Pipe Lemon Curd into each cake. Let set slightly and top with 7 minute frosting.

Lemon Curd:
Grate the peel from one lemon into small saucepan
Beat in ⅓ cup sugar and 2 egg yolks and 2 eggs (reserve whites for the frosting)
Add ½ cup fresh lemon juice
and 6 tbs butter
Whisk constantly on medium heat. When mixture starts to thicken and bubbles appear, turn heat down and whisk constantly for a couple minutes. Remove from heat and pour through a sieve into a heat proof bowl. Use a spatula to force through the sieve, if needed.
Add 1 tsp vanilla and let cool


7 Minute Frosting
In a stainless steal bowl, beat together:
2 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
5 tbs water
1 tbs corn syrup
10.5 oz sugar
Place bowl in a skillet of simmering water and beat constantly with an electric mixer until an instant read thermometer reaches 140. Set timer for 5 minutes and beat on high. Remove bowl from skillet and add 1 tsp vanilla.

After the cupcakes were ready, I slipped back in bed for a bit. It was such a nice day, though and I really needed to be outside. We took cupcakes to Josh, for his birthday. But wouldn’t you know it! He had gone home sick, an hour before.
So, we stopped by Starbucks for strawberry frappuchinos. Outside the Starbucks, was parked a really old Harley, with a sleeping bag on the handlebars and saddlebags on the back. Journeyman.

Inside, we made our order, and while we waited, I introduced myself to the obvious owner of the bike. Billy. When I asked where he had been, where he was going, and how long he had been out, he replied with a “we.” Instantly, my mind went to a riding partner, but then remembered the soloist-ness of the bike. The single sleeping bag. The placement of the saddlebags, which would have made a second rider impossible. And then I realized, the we, was the bike. They had been on the road together for 16 years, had visited over 800 dealerships, gone all around the Great Lakes region. Only in the past year, had he come to stay in southern California.

We talked awhile, he was reluctant to let us go. I remember the days of solitary riding, and the grocery store clerks who couldn't stop me from my chatter. I remember being desperate for a handshake, just to touch another human soul. I shook Billy’s hand several times as we parted, him wishing us safe travels.


My goal now is to run the San Diego Triathlon Classic in September, but our first Olympic distance tri will be in May, 12 weeks away. To do this, I will continue to enter triathlons, starting with a classic sprint (Swim, Bike, Run) as opposed to the reverse tri, which I just completed. For the next 12 weeks, I will need to add 5K to my run, 1,200 yards to my swim, and pick up speed on my bike. That means adding a kilometer of running every 2 weeks, 1oo yards of swimming every week and start spinning with a bit more vigor. JE is in. He pretty much rocks.

Plan for the week
Monday: AM Run 5K, 2 Sets= 30 push ups, 50 sit ups (crunches) 24 sit ups (obliques), 30 lunges each leg, 30 squats; bike with JE to work
PM: Swim 800 yards, or 20 laps
Dinner: Broccoli with Cheetos (replacing the heavy cream with 2% milk),
Steak and steamed red potatoes

Tuesday: AM: Circuit training with Nike Training Club app (we shall see how this goes)
Bike to work
PM: Swim 22 laps
Dinner: Thai Curry and Jasmine rice (on a Thai curry kick because it is so dang fast, fresh and easy)

Wednesday: AM: Run 5.25 K
PM: Hoping to catch the ever elusive BC and drag him of to Umami Burgers

Thursday: AM: quick ride Mountain to Sea trail, 2 Sets
PM: Swim 25 laps, or 900 yards
Dinner: Taco Salad

Friday: AM: Run 5.5 K (just do it, keep going! Live strong! I can do it!)
PM: Something fun that includes friends?
Dinner: Pasta with sausage?

Saturday: Long, lazy, fun bike ride, 2 Sets
Dinner: Battleship Tacos (if you like food, and you live local, you HAVE to TRY this! however, go inside the supermarket and pick up a Tepache--a fermented pineapple fizzy drink (no alcohol) while you wait for your magnificence to be prepared. Eat curbside while dining on the crates provided)