-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Why the Heck Would Foundry Want This Racing Chick Riding a Foundry Bike?

The Foundry Cycles Tradesperson contest is over and Foundry has awarded me one of their awesome bikes!! Soon a beautiful Auger will be here, and I can’t wait to start riding it and sharing it’s awesomeness with everyone. I will be writing and posting more about the Auger here, please stay tuned! The Auger Adventure is just starting!!

Why would Foundry want me riding their bike?

Who would have thought that mother of three teenagers would end up not only riding, but racing—and winning, and beating 20, 30, and 40 year olds—on a road bike, Cyclocross bike, and a mountain bike in the short span of 3 years?

Buying a nice road bike to get out, have fun, and meet cool people after a divorce is what inspired me to start riding, and frankly, I was really bored with working out at the local gym.

Being the competitive athlete at heart that I knew I was, I decided to try my hand at racing.

In my first year…

…as a Cat 4, I dabbled at racing, trying some road races, a few crits here and there, and–I did pretty dang well.

So the next year, I decided to get serious about racing, and started winning some bigger cat 3/4 races.

Indiana State Crit Championship, 2010. I won that one. 🙂

2010 St. Louis Gateway Cup Series, Giro Della Montagne. Last lap. (I’m on far right)

The Gateway Cup race series in St. Louis was a big deal…

2010 St. Louis Gateway Cup Series, Second place Omnium cat 3/4 . Women from 12 or more states across the US competed in this series.

On to Cat 3 as a road racer for me…

Based on my road racing success, I decided to try my hand at a few cyclocross races.

Well, cyclocross is a whole different animal to a sprinter like me, and certainly not easy for someone who likes short, intense, fast races.

It hurt, it was grueling, and for some strange reason, I liked it and I had a lot of fun.

I loved the exhilaration of finishing a race and knowing I had gone as hard as I possibly could.

And yes, I felt like puking sometimes, but then doesn’t everyone?

I knew I’d be back next season for more of this…

I enlisted the help of one of the country’s top-ranked female pro cyclists to coach and train me and I got a little more focused on training, racing and hitting the podium a time or two, or three or four.

And… I did.

St. Louis Gateway Cup Series, Giro Della Montagne, 2011–me in front on the last lap–and that’s the finish line.

I finished up a successful crit racing season with a sprint down a long straightaway to win one of the the Midwest region’s biggest races– something I had been working on, visualizing, and planning on all season.

Rolling across the finish line…what a great feeling!

A sweet victory for sure! I beat the reigning Jr. National Crit and Road Racing champion, along with some very tough women from 10 or 12 states.

We even got a podium guy to present the awards.

Not bad for an old chick, eh? 🙂

Cyclocross last season as a cat 3 racing in the ‘opens’ went very well, coming off a successful road racing season.

I learned how to suffer, how to race against some really tough ladies, and how to do well.

I learned how to sprint for the hole shot…

Yeah, I got that one!

I also learned to maneuver through the tricky turns…

mud…

hilly, off camber trails…

Me, on left.

and sprint like crazy for the finish line.

Dust, heat, rain, cold, snow, sleet, mud–no matter what the weather, I loved it!

And, oh yeah, did I mention, I have FUN!!???

Halloween CX, 2011

The annual top secret, team Seagal, CX-mas ‘non race’, December, 2011. I won. 🙂

I love those gnarly, technical trails and the maneuvering it takes to stay on the bike and navigate a tricky course. And mud–what can I say about mud?

I love the challenge of trying to stay upright and pedal through the mud, when everyone else is slipping and sliding all around me.

But then I race mountain bikes and do pretty well, so it seems natural to me.

My goal this year is to KILL IT in Cyclocross and I am training to peak at just the right time so I can race in the National CX Championships and the World CX Championships as well.

Not just to race, but to stand on the podium!

But if I am going ‘up’ my game, I need to upgrade my CX bike. Most definitely! My old bike isn’t bad but it’s time for a major upgrade to top of the line, carbon fiber, better components, and disc brakes.

The Foundry Auger is the bike that I’ve been looking for! With that incredibly badass, understated design, plus SRAM components, a light, stiff, responsive carbon fiber frame and a state-of-the-art disc braking system, there is nothing better. This is the bike for me–and the bike that I will ride to the podium in CX races this year.

Who am I and why would anyone pay attention to me?

Well, I am the author of two very successful online (and soon to be available on Amazon Kindle) books on diet and nutrition, with a successful website/blog and following. I write, research and study about diet, fitness, health and nutrition. My first book has already sold about 100,000 copies worldwide.

When I started winning races, people started paying attention to what I was eating, how I was training, what I was riding, etc.

And, by the way, my bike racing team is sponsored by Momentum Bicycles, a proud Foundry bike dealer.

I will happily talk up my awesome Foundry CX bike, the cutting edge design, its badass speed, and amazing disc brakes, and I will ride it proudly!

My Foundry bike will get it’s own tab on my website www.simplesmartnutrition.com, where I will be blogging about my racing, my bike and my training. I know I would love showing off my Auger, blogging about, talking about it, and riding it like crazy!

(Btw, did I mention I have over 1,000 ‘friends’ on Facebook–many who are cycling fanatics themselves–who follow my posts?)

I think my new Foundry Auger and I will look very good crossing finish lines in first place, don’t you? I am already in love with it…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ve been working with Cat for over 2 years and she continues to be one of the most motivated athletes I coach. Cat desires improvement each year and won’t settle for anything less.

This past CX season, I was very impressed with her CX success each race. She has worked hard to dial in her bike handling skills and it has paid off. She made dramatic improvement and wants to do even better this year.

With her sights set on National and World Championships, this is the perfect carrot she needs to raise her game up to another level. Lastly, Cat is a good person. She is friendly, thoughtful, and great to work with.

-Coach, Alison Powers, ALP Cycles Coaching, NOW-Novartis Cycling Team

“I can’t think of anyone who would represent Foundry Cycles better than Cat Ebeling. Cat has raced for Momentum for the past three years and is one of the few riders I know that excels in road, mountain and cross racing.

No matter what the conditions or venue Cat always represents us well and with enthusiasm. She’s always pushing everyone who rides with her to aim for a higher level and no matter whether she wins, which she often does, or just finishes with the pack she does it with class and humility.

Those are the traits that make Cat the perfect choice to race the Auger and proudly represent Foundry and Momentum Cycles.”

-Steven Maas, Momentum Racing & Momentum Cycles, St. Peters, MO

“I have been a teammate of Cat’s since the fall of 2011. She has been such an inspiration to me. Cat welcomed me to the team and has been great about giving advice and even working with me on new skills.

Being new to racing, I could not ask for a better teammate. Her bike handling skills during the CX season were amazing! She puts forth 100% effort in everything that she does and would be a great spokesperson for Foundry. I don’t know anyone else who is as friendly and willing to help as Cat is. She truly is role model for women and men alike.”

-K.P., Momentum Racing Teammate

“Cat is an inspiration on the bike, she trains hard, races hard and welcomes all with her Joie de Vivre. She has quite a big fan club and we all watch what she does–with interest!”

-L.V.N., One of her biggest fans

Beets and Athletic Performance

What would you think about a natural food that has been scientifically PROVEN to help you work out harder and longer?

What would you think about a natural food that has been scientifically PROVEN to help you work out harder and longer? Remember when your mom used to say, “Eat your beets!” Well, there’s even more reason to now. Although this food has been around for a long time, this news is a very recent discovery with amazing results–especially if you are an athlete.

Although many people turn up their noses at beets, the fact that beets have some awesome benefits may make you take another look at them–especially if you are an athlete or are interested in getting (or staying) into shape.

Beet juice (or ‘beetroot’ as they say in the UK) can increase endurance in the muscles and help you exercise 20% longer. While 20% may not seem like a lot, it certainly can mean the difference between you winning a race or finishing in the middle of the pack!

What’s in beet juice? It is thought that the nitrates in beets are very effective in enhancing the oxygen utilization and physical endurance in the muscles (more so than just training harder will do) and it also lowers blood pressure. Natural nitrates have the effect of dilating blood vessels and allowing better blood flow to muscles that need them.

Two studies done at Exeter University on men have opened the doors to looking for foods that help the muscles in the body utilize oxygen better and stay stronger, longer. In this particular study, it was found that cyclists who drank beet juice before cycling had a 20% increase in muscle endurance than those who drank a placebo of blackcurrant juice instead. In other words, the cyclists were able to pedal a significant amount of time longer on the beet juice without tiring.

How does this happen? Scientists theorize that the naturally occurring nitrate content in the beet juice turns to nitric oxide in the body, and expands the blood vessels and reduces the amount of oxygen that the muscles need for exercise, so the muscles don’t tire as easily.

Besides athletes and those who are work out regularly, beet juice may be just as beneficial to those with cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic diseases as well.

And the action of nitrates on blood vessels is also similar to a very popular prescription medication for erectile dysfunction.

Still not convinced to eat beets or start drinking beet juice?

Well, these humble little red root vegetables are also a packed full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, making beets a fat burning superfood.
Consider some of these reasons to add beets or beet juice to your daily diet:

Potassium–Potassium is a vital mineral that helps regulate fluids in the body. And potassium intake is extra important if you exercise. Physically active men and women require about 2,500 to 4,000 milligrams of potassium a day. If you train in a warmer climate, where you may sweat more, potassium needs are higher. A cup of beets contains over 500 milligrams of potassium, which is a good start to maintaining that balance.

Anti-inflammatory–Sports, overtraining, and working out regularly is a lot of wear and tear on your body–which can lead to chronic inflammation. Muscles and joints that are overtrained can develop inflammation and will lead to injuries, tendonitis, joint issues and even arthritis. Beets contain a substance called betaine, which helps reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation has advantages to others besides athletes because it can decrease the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, type-2 diabetes, and more.

Heart Health–The dietary nitrates in beets help muscles pump longer and harder—and that also includes the heart muscle. Beets have been proven to lower blood pressure and helps to make your heart stronger and healthier too.

Iron–Beet greens are edible too and are even higher in iron than spinach greens. Iron helps to transport oxygen in the blood and gets it to the muscles where it is needed, your energy levels stay higher.

It’s time to give beets a second chance. Try this recipe and you will be amazed at how tasty beets really are–

Purchase fresh beets and wash them well.
Peel off the tough outer skin with a potato peeler or paring knife.
Remove the green tops and slice beets in fairly thin slices.
Add beets to sauce pan with about a fourth to a half cup of water and a couple Tbsp. of grass fed butter.
Simmer with a lid on low to medium heat until fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain any excess water and add a squeeze of fresh lemon, sea salt, pepper and more butter if you would like. Enjoy!
If you want to juice your own fresh beet juice, try it with some other additions: a couple stalks of celery, a half an apple, and some carrots to your juicer. You can also purchase beet juice at many health food stores.

Beets and beet juice are an excellent addition to anyone’s diet–whether you are a serious athlete or just a weekend warrior–or want to improve your ability in the bedroom.

Beets contain a powerful punch of vitamins and nutrients and provide the biggest bang for your buck!

Note: It’s not a great idea to drink large amounts of fresh beet juice all by itself. A few people can have negative reactions to beet juice, such as hives, rashes, and even paralysis of the vocal cords. Beet juice is best in smaller amounts and mixed with other vegetable juices. Beets and beet greens are also high in a substance called oxalic acid and should be avoided by those who tend to get kidney stones, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis.

This recipe started out as a joke, but if you are going to have an alcoholic cocktail, this one is actually VERY good and not as bad for you as those sugary concoctions full of preservatives and artificial flavoring. You will be surprised at how good this tastes, but go easy, it’s still a potent drink–and it most likely will NOT improve your athletic performance with the addition of vodka–so probably not a great pre-race drink! 😉

The Beet Martini

Ingredients:

1 bottle Chopin or other Potato Vodka
3 Fresh Organic Beets
2-4 cups Blood Orange or Fresh Orange Juice (I just bought fresh squeezed OJ from WF)
4 Meyer Lemons, juiced
2 Fresh Limes, juiced
Simple Syrup to taste
6-8 ea. Fresh Basil Leaves
Lemon Twist, garnish

Directions:

Cut tops off beets and wash. Place in boiling water for about ten minutes. Remove from pan, rinse under cold water and scrape off tough outer skin. Slice and add to vodka in a glass pitcher or jar. Infuse for three days.
When ready to mix drinks, remove beets with a strainer spoon and discard. In a glass pitcher, add the vodka and chill. Meanwhile squeeze 3 Meyer lemons and three limes into a glass container. Add the orange juice. Crush the basil leaves in a small amount of simple syrup with a wooden spoon. Add to juice mixture and sweeten with simple syrup to taste. Leave it slightly tart.
To mix drinks, add ice to a cocktail strainer, juice and two shots of vodka. Shake and strain off ice. Garnish with a lemon peel.
Note: Measurements are approximate, so it may need a little tweaking to ‘taste’. Enjoy in moderation! Cheers!

Till next time,

Stay healthy and lean and FAST!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, (studying MSN/PH) is an international health, wellness and longevity expert. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing, she has spent the last 30 years studying sustainable diets, health and nutrition all over the world. She also has 4 books including the worldwide best-seller, “The Fat Burning Kitchen,” “The Top 101 Foods That Fight Aging”, and “The Superfoods Diabetes Reversal Diet”, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help create a healthier planet and healthier people. Cat’s Global Green Kitchen

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

The Fat Burning Kitchen will get you started on the path to a healthy diet, weight loss and vibrant health.You will notice a difference in the first 24 hours! Learn about the so-called ‘health’ foods you may be eating that are actually ruining your health, and causing you to gain weight. And find out the best, fat-burning super-powered nutritious foods to eat to lose fat, gain boundless energy, and feel better than you ever have!

Source:
Stephen J Baily, Andrew M Jones, et al. “Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans”, Journal of Applied Physiology, Aug.6, 2009.