Peppers and Run-Ups

While living with the Hungarian family I adopted a few eating habits and became accustomed to buying red bell peppers. Red peppers are considered a large component of the Hungarian cuisine and can be found in many dishes and condiments. These days I cut up several peppers including the yellow and the orange into sticks for work and dinner. The various colored peppers provide high amounts of vitamin C and vitamin A - which is a nice snack following a training ride or race. During the racing season I watch my diet and consume food based on the amount of riding completed. If I ride less I eat less - it's a simple approach. This evening I prepared some roast beef with cherry tomatoes, peppers, Gouda cheese and Hummus. My time is limited in the evening so I end up purchasing pre-cooked meat or cold meats as my source of protein.

Another beautiful thing about preparing a meal at home are the smells and colors of the food. Once the knife cuts into a piece of fruit or vegetable the wonderful aroma fills the kitchen. There are some Hungarian dishes I hope to cook in the future and one of my favorite's consists of potatoes, cheese, onions, hard boiled eggs (minus the yolk) and sour cream. The ingredients are placed in a Pyrex dish and stacked in layers - the end result is baked and served with sour cream. This is not conducive to my training but is something I can prepare on those rainy days or cold nights. My next food post will describe some of my favorite Hungarian desserts and the use of poppy seeds in cake.

Enough about food - there is a race this weekend at Sierra Point in Brisbane (California). It will be the first race of the Bay Area Super Prestige series. I expect the course to be similar to a criterium with no hill climbs and a few short run-ups thrown in for good measure. This venue did not appear on the circuit last year and I remember watching a race in the same area several years ago. The crowds should be large this year and I will expect a large amount of "B" riders at the start. The temperature is beginning to fall in San Francisco and the days are much shorter - especially for those training in the evening. My schedule will have to change drastically if I plan on being a contender this year.

Thanks for reading.