We’re not big on Valentine’s Day. The last time one of us ventured out à deux on the 14th, there was heart-shaped glitter on the table. It took a lot of willpower not to ask the sommelier for crayons.
But we’re so excited about the launch of Athlete Food, so thrilled to have gathered a few readers (thank you!), that this year we’ll celebrate Valentine’s Day with the coupling of two of our favorite things: competition and Chia Charger BeKind Nut Butters. Here are the details:
If your Valentine likes to ride bikes or spin her heart out on a Saturday morning, she might just love you more when she's wearing these shoes.
They are SIDI's snakeskin inspired cycling shoes. The shoes come in a triahtlon style that is great for racing and training outdoors, but we're finding that SIDI's snakeskin mountain bike shoe is perfect for an indoor spin class, as the tread on the sole makes it easy to walk around the studio.
Those who know me well, know that I tend to find an article of clothing and stick with it. I can come up with a long list of best-friend clothes - my first adult Gap jean shorts, last winter's yellow and grey Nike ski cap, and who could forget the red Patagonia vest? I tend to overwear clothes that were cute (the first time) to the point of friendly ridicule. 
Laurel and I were walking around the Village on one of those mild nights last week, looking for a place to get dessert, when we stumbled upon Victory Garden. We were lured into this little shop by their bright design and frozen yogurt machines. 
The last time I ran a 3k indoor track race was in my Mt. St. Mary’s uniform at the 1997 Northeast Conference Championships. It was the first day of a three day meet where I ran the mile (trials & finals), 3k, 5k and distance medley relay. Our team won the meet with the most points any team had ever scored in the Conference history, a record that still stands. We collected every just about every award given. I remember that meet well. 
Our go-to snack after a long training day is chips—potato, tortilla, flax seed or anything in a big bag! They’re salty, crunchy, and full of fat, which we crave after hours of exertion. There are days that we spend up to 6 hours riding, running and swimming and we don’t even get a chance to think about counting calories (except maybe to make sure we’re getting enough). But I’m sick of feeling like I’ve undone all the good I did in a workout by eating something greasy and unhealthy afterwards. So lately, I’ve been willing myself to reach for the popcorn jar more often than the chip bag. 
The idea of cooking fish used to daunt me. After a full day of work and working out, I’d think up every excuse not to make it. My two biggest worries were that it would take too long and that I’d overcook it.
Then, I realized that if I can master three sports, cooking a piece of salmon should be a piece of cake. I surfed around the web looking at recipes and discovered that cooking fish is actually pretty speedy. Roasting seemed the most foolproof, since the cooking time is relatively predictable.
