The Long Winter Ride & The Right Stew
With snow covering the ground in most parts of the northern hemisphere it can be tough to feel like your racing nutrition plays a large role in your everyday life. But now is the time to concentrate on establishing good daily habits because the racing season isn’t too far off and, before we know it, high-intensity efforts, long rides and fun times with friends and competitors will be upon us.
I love the winter months as they truly allow for taking advantage of cross-training. Try something new like snowshoeing, skate or classic styles of cross-country skiing and cyclo-cross. The winter months are a great time to establish the base. The longer, slower distance allows us to train our body to utilize fat for fuel and spare the carbohydrates for those long grinds where we know we are going to go anaerobic – YIKES!
So if you are going for a three-hour base ride on a cold day – bundle up! Don’t fight the fact that you feel like the Michelin Man on a tricycle; know that these slower base rides are going to set you up for a great riding season, especially during the TransRockies. Ensure that you stay hydrated. Even if it’s downright cold out there you’ll still want to replenish those lost electrolytes. Aim for one bottle of hydration per hour and 100-250 calories after the first hour of your ride.
The greatest part of winter base training? Coming back to a house filled with the smells of homemade stew! Nothing beats the feeling of a hot shower after enduring sub-freezing temperatures – add to that a steaming crock-pot of fresh stew awaiting your arrival and you’ll discover it’s not so bad to train in winter. Pile in a bunch of tasty goodness before you head out the door.
So get out there and move. Eat to enjoy and eat to ride! See you on the trails!
Chicken Stew in the Crock-Pot
- 1/2 cup Unbleached flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
- 3 lbs. Free-range, natural chicken cut into bite sized pieces
- 1tbsp Olive oil
- 4 large Carrots, sliced into 1-inch slices, or 2 cups peeled, organic baby carrots
- 4 stalks Organic celery cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 Onion, thinly sliced
- 2-3 Sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 cups Organic chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup Organic frozen peas
- 4 cloves Garlic coarsely chopped
1. In bowl combine flour, salt and pepper. Toss chicken pieces into mixture and coat. Transfer to a plate. In large non-stick skillet heat oil over medium-high heat, add chicken pieces and cook for 8-10 minutes or until brown on all sides. Set aside.
2. Add carrots, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and rosemary to crock-pot. Place chicken pieces on top of vegetables. Pour in chicken stock and cover. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours (see guidelines for your crock-pot). Add frozen peas with 20-30 mins left until serving time.
3. Feel free to use this as a base and add your favorite vegetables – such as mushrooms, yams, green beans, peppers, etc… or use turkey or lamb. And mix up the spices – add ginger, chili peppers…
