Take a guess, where does this label come from?

We need sugar, a form of carbohydrates, to survive. The source of sugar can be a difference-maker in weight control. According a NY Times article, fructose is converted into fats faster than glucose. The most common source of fructose is high-fructose corn syrup that we see on packaged goods. Although fruits also contain fructose, fruits are nutritious and brings more benefits than damages to our health. Take your time and spot the devil the next time you are buying grocery.

My first triathlon season has been a wonderful experience. I am glad to be done and currently recovering from NYC-Tri. While recovering, I will be going over triathlon event calender and start making my race schedule for 2009.

My recovery workout:

Warm-up:

• 1/4 mile jog
• core activation: front and side planks

Weight training:

• Incline bench, push-ups, and jump squat (s/s): 3 x 15 (95 lbs.), 3 x 15, 3 x 15 (bar weight)
• Deadlift and decline crunches w/ shoulder press (s/s): 3 x 10 (135 lbs.), 3 x 15 (5 lbs. dumbbell each arm)
• 1-arm clean-n-jerk and 1-arm dumbbell upright rows (s/s): 3 x 15 (30 lbs. dumbbell), 3 x 15 (15 lbs.)
• Barbell combo - regular chest press, close-grip press, bend-over rows, curls, shoulder press, wide-grip press: 2 sets (50 lbs.)
• Freestyle pull on stability ball: 3 x 15 (2.5 lbs. plate each arm)

Cardiovascular training:

• a loop around my campus, just barely over 2 miles

Does anybody know what this is? and how to cook it?

It is currently sitting on my dining table…ready to be guinea-pigged

I am a week late, but here it is…blackberry!

On the way to class this morning, I happened to come across an interview with Scott Rigsby on a radio station. Scott Rigsby lost both legs in a terrible accident when he was 18. Living without two legs and with millions of dollars in debt from medical bills, Scott found a new a life when he started training for triathlon.

Scott raced in several sprint distance (swim: 500 meters, bike: 13 miles, run: 3 miles) triathlons before moving onto one of the Ironman series races - Kona Ironman. His incredible finish at Kona has made him an icon in physically challenged athletes community. He is currently touring around the country, giving speech, and inspiring many others who have gone through traumatic life experiences like he had.

His courage made me wept.

On Sunday, July 20th, I participated in 2008 New York City Triathlon. I have greatly anticipated for this big race since last November. I had a blast swimming, biking, and running my tail off!

Welcome to New York City.

Picking up my race packet, which included my swim cap and bib number.

Hudson River…the water I’d be swimming in for the race.

Another shot of the river…and my kind of girl.

Transition area…one of them. Bikes must be placed at the proper space in the transition area the day before.

Final bike tune up.

Bike (the middle one) is up…and 15 hours before the sound of the gun goes off.

My age group.

Swim start.

Here we go…1 mile in the Hudson River, and stung by jellyfish for the first time.

Zooming down the West Side Highway.

While making my way through the race, my friends, Pete and Andy, were making a poster for me in a nearby coffee shop.

Finishing my 25 miles of biking.

Heading into the transition area.

The first mile from the transition area, 79th and Riverside Drive, to Central Park.

My other great friend, Diana, was looking at the map for a good spectator area to view the race.

Crossing the finished line…painful? a little…but I felt great! My time was 2:50:10.55, placed 19 out of 61 in my age group, 20~24.

My time (starting from the left: bib number, name, age group ranking, total time, swim time(1 mile), transition-1 time, bike time(25 miles approx.), transition-2 time, and run time(6 miles approx.).

Thumb’s up.

Guinea Pig needed to refuel. I ate everything in sight!

There they are! My greatest fans!

No hugs…I was sweaty and sticky (from the humidity and many cups of sports drinks I dumped on myself)…just give me the pound!

The Sweaty Guinea Pig, a.k.a. “Be Kind, Regine”

Smile, you are on candid camera!

It was hot on Sunday. They were sweating just as much. Thanks for coming!

Cindy and I…she is awesome; brought me a clean towel!

Sunglasses: $20, Speedo swimsuit: $35, a pair of Asics sneakers: $95, entry fee to NYC Triathlon: $185, friends: Priceless!

Racing in the NYC Triathlon was a humble experience. I saw many physically challenged athletes competing hard; their courage makes me feel grateful for my healthy body. Finishing the race was also rewarding after many months of preparation. I finally have one Olympic distance triathlon under my belt, time to sign up and prepare for the next one.

Next NYC Triathlon: July 12th, 2009.

Dare you to race with the Sweaty Guinea Pig!

Here’s my take on eating cookies: after training hard, everyone deserves a treat. While indulging in our favorite treat, we shall keep in mind the portion that we consume. I like my cookie to be the size of my palm, about 3 inches in radius. I also only eat 1 or 2 when I reach for my cookie jar. Train hard, eat smart, you can have anything you want!

Guinea Pig’s cookie dough

Guinea Pig’s cookies.

By the way, home-baked cookies taste better and are healthier because better ingredients are used and no preservatives are added.

Before shutting down my body and rest up for the New York City Triathlon, I did my last brick session today.

I biked to school and back home, and ran 2 miles right after in my neighborhood.

Bike route:

Run route:

Total time: approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes.

See you next week!

Leaving home to compete in a triathlon (or any race) can get expensive; majority of the cost goes to transportation, food, and lodging.  Although my triathlon race this weekend takes place in New York City, which is only 45 minutes away by train, I still need to spend the weekend in New York attending race briefings and setting up my transition area.

In order to save money on food, I finally tried the no-knead bread recipe to bake a loaf of classic sandwich bread for my trip to New York City.

I made this simple dough in 5 minutes before I left home for class this morning.

12 hours later….pooooof (or proof). The final no-knead bread dough!

After getting the dough out of the bowl, I generously sprinkled the dough with corn meal and brushed the surface with the mixture of 1/3 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of corn starch; they help develop crunchy crust.

I pre-heat the oven to 475 degree. The dough was baked in a stock pot (the recipe calls for a dutch oven). I heated the stock pot in the oven until blazing hot before baking.

Approximately 50 minutes later…the inner temperature had reached 208, which is within the range, 200~210, for a fully baked bread.

Warm and chewy, this loaf will be part of my lunch and dinner for the next two days before my big race on Sunday.

What is in your favorite sandwich?

Blueberry season does not last as long in New Jersey as in California; therefore, before farmers finish harvesting blueberry in the next several weeks, I bought 6 pint of blueberry and stored them in Ziploc bags in the freezer for later use.