Fast foward and we are a week away from the starting line of the EPIC 5 event.  What is EPIC 5 you ask?  Take and Ironman (2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking, and 26.2 miles running).  Do that every day 5 days in a row.  Then to really shake it up…do it on 5 different Hawaiian Islands.  HUH?  Yes, an Ironman, 5 days in a row, on 5 different Hawaiian islands.  Of course the EPIC 5 kicks off on May 5th.  Many might say there are better ways to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, say a beach and a margarita, but where is the challenge in that.  To learn more about EPIC 5, please visit www.Epic5.com.

Over the last few months, I've been trying to convince some other Nike employees to join me on this crazy adventure.  Surprisingly it wasn't that difficult.  First I reached out to a cycling and triathlete friend, she mentioned that it was crazy and then promptly gave me the name of another runner/triathlete.  And thus Team Nike was formed.  We are the only relay in the event and the only women.  If you are stuck on the only relay component, yes there are 5 other ultraendurance athletes that are doing the event solo.  See we aren't as crazy as those guys.

So team formed we now needed to get our entry fee covered.  We would worry about the flights to Hawaii later.  With much support from Nike and the Athlete's Lounge in Portland our entry fee came together late last week.  Nothing like cutting it close.  Plus we had help reaching out to Hawaiian Airlines and our bag and bike fees are covered as well.  That left flights to Hawaii.  Thus far they are funded by ourselves, but we have hopes some other anonymous donor will come through.  (Note:  If this is you, please reach out and I would love to chat!)

With entry fee paid and team put together…oh wait I haven't introduced my rocking team members.  Patty Smaldone, cyclist, skier, triathlete, all around adventure racer extraordinarie.  And Kelly McKean, runner, triathlete, cross country skier, etc.  As you can see I'm not the utility player on this team. 

Ok with entry fee covered and team put together, we knew we wanted to fundraise as well.  We selected the wonderful organization called The Girl Effect which is supported by the Nike Foundation.  The Girl Effect wants to empower millions of adolescent girls to end poverty for themselves and the world.  One Girl, one Family, one Community and one Nation at a time.  That's the Girl Effect.  Its AMAZING!  See the video below, it knocked my socks off…wait I don't wear socks.  Oh well, watch the video anyways.

The Clock is Ticking – The Girl Effect

To make a donation to the Girl Effect and support Team Nike, please do the following:

Visit: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/girl-effect-fund/.  You will be asked to either create a log in or use your Facebook account.  If Girl Effect doesn't show up, do a simple search for "Girl Effect."  It will come up.  Select your donation amount.  Please add a note in the "In Honor Of" field and put in EPIC 5 – TEAM Nike.  We appreciate your support.

If you are a Nike employee, please go through the Nike WE giving portal to make a donation.  Perform a search for Team Nike – EPIC 5.  Similar instructions to those above.  Again please remember to put in Honor of EPIC 5 – Team Nike.

So want to follow us on this EPIC journey.  Well there are so many ways that you can:

- Via EPIC 5 website: http://www.epic5.com/live  Each athlete will have GPS on them. 

- Via Twitter – MacySwim

- Via blog – www.macyswim.com -  This is probably the least updated as it will be after the event and really late at night and if I can get off the bed from a day of racing to make the update.  Rest assured that I will do my best!

It was just such a day last Thursday when Lynette pulled out the bosu balls.  I have an extreme distaste for these pieces of exercise equipment and of course the person that invented these torture devices.  Rather than using this as individual torture devices, Lynette had us put these into a fun circle of hell for the whole class.  Ok maybe it was only a circle of hell for me.  Now rather than my own personal discourse with the bosu ball, I would have to contend with one of my classmates chasing me from behind.  AWESOME! 

I don't recall the particulars around the steps that we were supposed to be doing and what I was doing my best to pretend to do.   I know that one of our faster people in class was behind me.  I just wanted to keep moving so that my embarrasment would hopefully end soon.  Oh no fate was not smiling on me Thursday.  I took one step on a bosu and went down hard.  I fell like a tree newly cut in the forest, straight and with a resounding boom.  I'm pretty sure the floor shook.  I didn't have a moment to even think as one moment I was fumbling on the bosu and the next I was laying on my left side.  It is really hard to look cool when you are flopping like a fish on the floor.  Thankfully I didn't even have a chance to brace for the fall.  Maybe fate was smiling the force of my fall I'm sure would have snapped something.  As it was, my pride was totally bruised. 

Naturally the class came to a halt after my tumble, as I tried to explain I was totally fine and pop up from the floor with a push up for good measure.  Someone walked over to the offending bosu ball and stepped on it and nicely commented "oh yeah, this one is slippery."  I know they were just trying to make me feel better.  The bosu wasn't slippery.  I'm just completely inept at land sports and this was practically the tattoo on my forehead that screamed it out. 

I finished out the class by doing the steps lamely around the bosu circle while the rest of the class danced lightly on them like ballet dancers in Swan Lake.  So unfair!

While I thought my humiliation would be confined to the classroom, it was not to be the case.  I was in the locker room talking with a friend when they mentioned "Hey didn't you completely fall in functional training."  This goes to show what a collosal fall this was.  It has become the stuff of legends.  Oh yeah it was that good and LOUD.  For this reason, I've concluded that I do believe that if a tree fell in the forest and nobody was there to hear it, does it make a sound?  Heck YES!  My bruised shoulder and hip have healed, my pride is slowly coming along.  At least I can bring humor to the class.

I thought that this week would be one of the easiest due to the drinking of salt water.  I've had plenty of practice with gulping salt water on my swims.  Drinking a small shot of salt water would be a cinch. Not so, I ended up doing a really good impression of that crusty cat in the Opus comic strip.  ACcckk  Pffflt!  It was almost like coughing up a hairy ball.  I know I would have lost my stomach contents if there were any in there.  Perhaps this is the real reason that I have to take these shots first thing in the morning.

Once I made it through the first day, I was prepared for the gag reflex that was quickly accommpanied by the salt water hitting my empty stomach.  Nothing else really to report as the detox program came to a close.  I will be definitely be trying to keep up the recommended water intake as I've found I really enjoy how that is making me feel.  I would love to say that I could maintain the low sugar and the minimal/no wheat.  However, I'd totally be lying.  I guess I will see how this all goes when foods start coming back into my diet next week.  I'm will be in Las Vegas next week for work and perhaps this is the perfect place to go off my detox wagon.  As they say "what happens in Vegas."

Overall rating of a detox program:  Well worth the time and effort as I do feel better.  I'd definitely recommend it to a friend.

While my friends are out of town, they’ve let me relax at their house.  I’m currently a little transient in my living situation, which another quick tip…don’t do this.  As my dad likes to say I’m squatting in an apartment.  I have an air mattress and a camping chair.  No real cooking supplies available so eating out or pawning myself off on friends.  This is not easy or fair to friends while going through a detox, unless you managed to con a friend into doing it with you like I have. 

So back to my friend's house, I’m starting to create my sole drink.  Apparently “sole” refers to the Celtics believing that all life originated in the ocean.  Ok I buy that.  And then there are the Germans the word “sole” is derived from the Latin word “sol”, which means sun.  Now I didn’t think German derived from Latin, but I’m not a language specialist.  Apparently these are better thoughts around the sole drink than my line of thinking in which “sole” means the bottom of your foot or shoe.  I hope that this isn’t an indication of what is in store.

Creating the sole drink consists of dissolving Himalayan pick salt into filtered water in a glass jar.  There should still be undissolved salt on the bottom of the jar.  This means that you will have made the perfect sole.

This sole will then replace the cranberry juice drink and the tincture.  You don’t have to drink the whole sole.  You take 1 teaspoon of the sole in or with a large glass of water. 

I think I can do this as I’ve downed plenty of ocean water in my swims. 

While at my friend's house, I tried some new recipes.  I found them in a magazine and they are super healthy.  One was successful, the other not so much.  Both are shared below.

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• A bunch of kale.
• Olive oil
• Salt 
• Pepper

Preheat oven to 300.   Take the kale, wash and dry.  Then cut out the spine and any large veins.  Cut/tear into large pieces.  Place on a large cookie sheet.  Toss kale with a drizzle of olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Place in a 300-degree oven for 20-30 minutes until crisp. 

I used only one bunch of kale.  It cooks down quite a bit so you may want two.  My kale turned crisp at about 22 minutes. 

You may be surprised as I sure as heck was.  This is DELICIOUS!  I’m serious.  Salty goodness.  Ruffles may have a pretty big contender in the kale chips.

Crispy Black Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans rinsed
• Olive oil
• Cumin
• Salt

Preheat oven to 450.  Place rinsed and drained black beans onto a cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with cumin and salt to taste.  Cook for 7-10 minutes until crisp. 

Ok when I did these I think I cooked them too long as most of the black beans split open out of their skins and they aren’t really crisp.  They taste good, but are a little bit messy.  I’m thinking that the skins should stay intake and be crisp.  Or maybe they are supposed to split open and I didn’t cook them long enough.  Either way, I think they are worth some experimenting.  Let me know what you find out as they do have a good flavor.  I’m going to use mine on salads for extra protein and flavor.  

Seriously having trouble getting all the liquid in.  I have failed more than I like to admit.  I’m supposed to consume about 1 gallon of liquid a day including the cranberry drink.  That is a lot of liquid!

Val’s finally moved off of week 1 and the Satan’s brew torture into week two.  I think she likes being behind a week as now I’m the sacrificial cow going to slaughter first.  Here are her thoughts on week 2, as she starts to limit dairy and wheat.  

Val’s Week 2 – Day 1 – email subject:  Bless me Tiffany for I have sinned.

Completely forgot about the no dairy thing today…twice.  (Okay, while I’m confessing, I only forgot once – the other time I blatantly defied).  This week’s gonna be a while lot harder for me than last week. 

And, btw, when your sweet tooth is really screaming what, exactly, can you eat in week 2 that will satisfy it? 

My response:

Clementines are working for my sweet tooth.  Plus in season so very sweet.  I eat 1-2 after a meal. 

Val’s response:

Are the clementines chocolate-covered by any chance?

Perhaps she is struggling like me.  Maybe our friendship will survive this detox.  I can only hope.

FYI – if you are dying for sugar, do try the nut trick as it does help even if it isn’t an immediate release to the sugar craving.  Eat nuts and wait 30 minutes.  If like me the craving will go down, or by this time you will have eaten a bag of clementines.  Either way you’re trying.

I don’t love oatmeal.  Yet here I am 16 days into a detox program getting my oatmeal card punched at the check out line at the cafe at work.  I guess it is a good thing that work has some oatmeal program going on.  I don’t know what the oatmeal program is about, but I’m doing it.  I found that if a put a bottle of cinnamon on my oatmeal I don’t need sugar, as my body seems to attribute cinnamon with sweet items.  I also can pretend I’m eating a cinnamon oatmeal cookie.  I’m hopeless I know. 

Today I happened to be wearing a sparkly pink tank top.  Sometimes you just need a little sparkle in your life, even if it does come from your clothes.  I think it caught some of my coworkers and friends off guard.  One of my friends just started laughing in the elevator as she choked out “I don’t see you as a sequins person.”  I responded that I like to keep people guessing.  Perhaps besides detoxing my body I also need some work on my wardrobe.  Mental note taken. 

One of my coworkers also mentioned that it looked like my skin was glowing.  I think that it was the reflection from the pink sequined tank top.  They assured me it wasn’t.  Maybe this detox program isn’t all that bad.  I’m sure that it has to do with the increased water intake.

I’m back to being waterlogged because in addition to your allotment of LOADs of water, you have to drink an additional 32oz of your cranberry drink.  It consists of 8 oz of your super tart cranberry juice and 24oz of water. 

Day 2 and I’m having trouble getting it all in.  However, I have started to eat enough fruit that would keep scurvy at bay for the Scott Antarctica expedition.   I’m not sure if this is what Tiffany has in mind by reducing your sugar intake.  At least this is natural sugar.  I’m addicted to clementines as they seem to be in season and they are super sweet.

I had to take an unexpected trip back to Minnesota the weekend leading into week 3.  I went back to help my Pops pack up a house.  My recommendation as you go through the detox program.  Do not travel someplace that you have favorite restaurants that you won’t be able to go to! 

As we drove towards the house from the airport, we went by one of my favorite pizza joints.  If you don’t know this, I love pizza.  I don’t think there has been a pizza that I don’t love.  However, Red’s Savoy’s pizza in Minnesota is a thing of beauty.   Their secret is definitely in the sauce.  I’m pretty sure it contains some narcotic so that people keep coming back.  It is that good.  (Special disclaimer:  I do not know what is or is not in Red’s Savoy’s pizza sauce recipe.  I just know it is SOOO good.)  Anyways we drive past and I look at it with mouth watering knowing that I will not be partaking in it’s pizza loveliness. 

Oh good lord, this is going to be tough. 

Ok so I get back from Minnesota and I run to the store to get my ingredients for week 3.  You will need to find organic unsweetened cranberry juice in a 32oz glass bottle.  If you are like me, you will go to at least 3 stores to find just these specifications.  Actually you will probably be smarter than me and go to a Whole Foods or Trader Joes right off the bat.  I’m a slow learner in the detox program. 

You will also still need your tincture, at least that is the way I’m reading what Tiffany wrote. 

She also says to be mindful of your attachment to caffeine, sugar and bread this week.  I think for me this is a ridiculous warning.  I’m only mindful of sugar and bread and I MIND that I can’t/shouldn’t eat it.

I  find myself really getting the hang of this drinking your body weight in water.  In fact, I think I’m starting to adjust as I don’t have to be less than 30 seconds away from a bathroom.  However, this may also do to the fact that my salt intake may have gone up.  I think I’ve replaced potato chips for bread.  Not a great substitute I know. 

Did you know that potato chips have added sugar as an ingredient?  Ok, I had no clue.  Only the Lay’s Ruffles brand seemed to be just potato, oil and salt.   For the record, I didn’t check every bag of potato chip.  I ran like I was being chased by an angry mob of healthy detox rebels after I found one bag that didn’t include sugar.  I then crammed them in my mouth to hide the evidence.  In my defense, I did choose a small bag of chips. 

I call that progress.

I spent all day thinking, dreaming and craving…you guessed it…wheat.  I wanted a bagel for breakfast with a donut for the meat filling.  Ok I guess I was also still craving refined sugar too.     Holy crow, this was just day 8 of a 30 day program.  I’m in deep trouble.

On a side note, the tincture in the morning is not that bad.  Sort of tastes like a shot of some medicine.  I find it much easier than the Satan’s brew.  I didn’t envy Val as she stayed in week 1.