ZippyTurtle Tri

SNX: Renaissance Tea House

A quick dinner before a Shamisen concert at Carnegie Hall. Renaissance Tea House is tucked away in a bookstore. They serve limited but lovely dimsums, a v loose version of dan dan mien and varietals of tea from China and Japan. My dad and I shared the Yunnan tea which was thoughtfully aromatic.

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SNX: BLT Prime Cheese Popovers.

Holy Yum. Tasted amazing even with at home ingredients!

Since chef BLT has made this recipe available here, I will highlight my substitutions although for slightly caloric modification. By all means, if you are feeling festive, go for the whole milk version.

In lieu of:

1) whole milk, no fat milk
2) gruyere, cheddar and Parmesan already in the fridge
3) oil coating of trays, Pam olive oil spray
4) pop over pan, muffin tin
5) 50 min bake time, checked in at 40 min as the Popovers were smaller

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TRNG: T+11 days, Hopping on One Foot

Weaning off the crutches; I had not realized how difficult NYC life is when you have two additional semi- limbs attached to you.  People are generally civil - but it vexes me when they huff/puff about me - so I wait for the moment I can 'accidentally' jab them.  

Post-Op recovery continues daily - including the sleep inducing CPM machine.  Doppler Ultrasound to make sure that there are no lurking bloodclots hiding.  

Finally, looking for quick-fire one-leg balancing worthy recipes where I won't have to bend this way and that way... Hmm.  I am craving however for BLT Prime's Popovers. Let me take a look around.  

DNR: Tomato, Corn and Bean Salad with Thai Curry

TRNG @ Surgery + 6 days: 

1 vicodins, 2 naproxens, CPM and Stationary Bike 15 minutes at 65 RPM.  Lots of Ice.  The swelling in my hip/thighs have subsided - and they look less-elephant-like.  Phew.  

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BKFST: Okayu (aka Congee)

When your tummy is raw from Vicodin/Naproxen heaving cocktails - this is what a Japanese mom makes for you.  There is comfort gruel in every country it seems, and I do enjoy all of them.  Grits from the South, Oatmeal anywhere, Congee in Hong Kong with a sliver of pork and ginger, and Okayu at home.  Rice and Water.  Nothing more pure than that, unless you want to sprinkle a little spring onions for color.  

My heart and thoughts are saddened with the continuous NHK broadcast of the earthquake/tsunami disaster at home.  How precious Life is.  

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TRNG: R&R 5th Day

Vicodin 1
Naproxen 2
CPM 60min
Stationary Bike 20min, 0 resistance, 4.2miles

When your tri-training trajectory is everything but clear, you take anything your limbs can do and move forward, even if you're sitting grimacing on a stationary bike, cussing at everyone around you (hopefully inside voice)...

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BRKFST: Sake and Moyashi & Misoshiru

Quintessential homemade breakfast from my Mama...  This is why I insisted that I recover and convalesce at my 'rents.   So the routine is  - vicodin, naproxen, food&bev, ice.  Repeat every 4 to 6 hours.  

Broiled Sake (Salmon) and Moyashi laced with Green Onion,  tsp of soysauce and a tsp squeeze of Meyer Lemon.  Miso Soup on the side and 1/4 cup of rice.  Green Tea.  NYTimes.  Tranquil.  

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TRNG: T+1

Arthoscopic hip surgery team informed me that the procedure was a success; as for me and my hip, we are both hazy and fuzzy in a field of vicodin cocktails ... ZZZ.  

TRNG: T - 6 hrs

Sigh.  Can't sleep.  Surgery in 6 hours - and now that  I am denied any nourishment or H2O prior to the operation, that's all I think about.  Big Bottle of Agua pleeez.  

Of course, it didn't help to watch '127 Hours' earlier, so now I am having my own miniflashbacks of sorts.  Visions of my happy 2010 triathlon training days where my Hip was not an issue.  Flying up rolling hills cycling North on 9W, running through the Muck at Mudders and Grunters.    

I'm not worried about the surgery or recovery per se.  I just want my freedom back to get on the saddle again... 

TRNG: T-4

4 days until dreaded surgery.  Eeks !  

It is arctic cold today that even indoor swimming at 79F is not remotely appealing.  So I hopped on the ever cursed Elliptical, jabbed a few keystrokes (age, wgt, interval/hills) and stared at the blue expanse of East River traffic for 30 minutes.  

Weights/Conditioning inspired from Men's Fitness magazine (March 2011 --  with the gorgeous LL Cool J on the cover) scarily titled "Massive  Muscle in Less Time".  I'm just shy of 5' so I picked and chose a few moves that wouldn't transform me into steroid stupor.  

1) Leg press, 5 sets x 5 reps @ 50lbs

2) Dumbbell Row, 5 x 5 @ 8lbs

3) Bentover Fly, 5x5 @ 8lbs

4) Hanging Leg Raise , attempted.  Miserably. 

Swim tomorrow.