How It Went

(Team Hartz for the win!)

How did it go? Here's how it went, quantitatively speaking:

5,452 = dollars U.S. raised (and counting!)

1,500 = meters swum

40 = kilometers cycled

10 = kilometers run

2 = Hartzes in the Nautica NYC Triathlon

1 = OneFamily Fund!

0 = sweat

Qualitatively, however, it was AMAZING. Two goals were shattered this year. The first was our fundraising goal, which we set at $3,600, thinking that it would be a challenge to surpass last year's total of around $3,000. We ended up raising nearly $2,000 more than our goal this year! For that we owe a huge thank you and yashar koach to all the wonderful people who donated on our behalf, and who made a huge difference in the lives of people who really need your help.

The second shattered goal was my own personal goal to walk less of the run portion of the event. Last year, I ended up walking about 2.5 miles of the 6.2 mile course. I was determined that this year, I would walk one mile at most. Turns out, I ran the entire course! This may seem lame to many of you (and indeed it sort of is, comparatively speaking) but it was a big challenge to a non-runner like me, and when I thought about all the people who would laugh at me if I slowed down, it really kept me going. So thank you.

I am majorly thankful for my family who came into New York over the weekend to watch and cheer as my dad and I raced our way to the finish line. I am majorly proud of my dad for doing the swim course in the midst of windy rainfall, and for even passing swimmers who took off before him! Go dad!! Finally, I am majorly thankful for my wife Tamima who has kept me focused and well-nourished this entire summer, and who motivates me to do good things.

Here's to a fantastic second annual triathlon, and looking forward to an even better third!!

(And it's still not too late to donate!)

Guest Blogger: Tamima! on Food!

Having always lived by the motto, everything in moderation, I far prefer to be hyper-aware of what I eat and the ingredients that I include in my food than to “diet.” Plainly put, Jacob and I both love food, and love to indulge – but we do so with caution and planning (if I eat x now, I will not only be sure to not have x later, but to have y instead). For someone entirely obsessed with food and the culinary arts, being a thoughtful cook and eater is a hobby, not a task.

For the second year running (womp, womp), I am using Jacob’s triathlon training as an opportunity to integrate more nutritious and wholesome foods into our diet. While we generally eat healthfully – lots of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables – triathlon training season is a chance to make an extra conscious effort to stay away from sweets, snacks and most unfortunately, beer.

Using the brand new the “food pyramid” as a guide, this year I am taking it a step further and working to reduce “main ingredient carbs” like whole grain pasta, rice and bread, and focus on adding even more vegetables to our plates. This renewed sense of purpose has forced me to become more creative with our meals, concocting side dishes like chunky roasted summer vegetables (recipe below), cannelloni bean ragu, and of course, lots of homemade salads and slaws.

For me, the most challenging part of planning and executing wholesome meals is incorporating a sufficient amount of protein. It would be cost prohibitive (and also maddening) to go to the supermarket each day to buy fresh fish and poultry. Instead, we have integrated various beans and legumes, tofu and vegetable stir fries, homemade lentil veggie burgers, and even a light alfredo sauce (a whopping protein monster made with 1% fat whipped cottage cheese, egg whites and skim milk) into our meal plans.

This year, we have also developed healthier habits, like bringing lunch to work and school (usually arugula and goat cheese salad with a few toasted almonds and a light vinaigrette) and eating dinner early in the evening. We still have plenty of hurdles to tackle, like dining out, portion size and drinking more water all day long.

Wish us luck and stay tuned for more food ruminations as we approach the big race on August 7^th. Happy and healthy eating to all!

Roasted Summer Vegetables (serves 2)

2 large zucchini, cut into thick, 1 ½ inch chunks
3 plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
½ yellow onion, thickly sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
Juice of 1 lemon, divided in halves
1 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of salt
lot of fresh ground black pepper

Combine all of the vegetables in a roasting dish and season with olive oil ½ of the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Bake at 400F degrees for 15 minutes, or until the zucchini is just tender. Finish with remaining lemon juice, and extra pepper if necessary.

Oh, and please remember to make a donation and help Jacob raise money for the One Family Fund. Thank you!

How It's Going

I have yet to attend a group training workout. For this I have only myself, and the universal forces of hard determinism, to blame. However, my solo workouts have been going pretty well so far. I have been running 23 times a week! Oops, that should read 2-3 times a week. On Friday I took a gorgeous bike ride up the Hudson River bike path, which runs the entire length of Manhattan's west side virtually uninterrupted. (The path is virtually uninterrupted. My ride was interrupted several times.)

Cycling great distances is starting to take its toll on my elbows and spine, and I wonder if it would be a good idea to rearrange my handlebar configuration to allow for a more comfortable riding position. I would love to ride a cruiser in the triathlon, but I think it would contrast unflatteringly with my spandex. Although to be fair, my spandex contrasts unflatteringly with the body to which it clings, so there may not be a noticeable downside to the arrangement.

This week I am going to begin running with my friend Ephraim. We've never done any sustained, strenuous physical activity together before, so I run the risk of embarrassing myself with my lack of stamina. I have worked myself up to running 3.5 miles as a basic run, which for me is pretty okay, but for a runner is decidedly subpar. The idea is that running with a partner will motivate me to not appear lame, and push me to exceed my average speed and distance. Fingers crossed.

Triathlon Jacob is Back

Hey everyone!

Another summer is upon us. For some, this means basking carefree in the sun's carcinogenic radiance like swimwear-clad ants beneath a celestial magnifying glass. For others, it means doing the same thing you've been doing the rest of the year, only hotter. For me it means both of these things, but it also means training for the Nautica New York City Triathlon. Once again, I will be raising money for Team OneFamily, which assists the families of terror victims in Israel. This year, my dad and I are doing the race together as a relay team. He will be doing the 1500m swim in the Hudson River, and I will be doing the 40k bike ride and 10k run. Go Team Hartz!

I've been training sporadically this past semester. However, now that finals are over, I am kicking into gear in earnest. This morning I went for a 3.5mi run around the Lower East Side. This route will become my base run for the summer, with the goal of building my distance up to at least 6mi, which is American for 10k. My wonderful wife Tamima also ran with my this morning! We are going to be training together this summer, at least a couple times a week. Who knows, perhaps she'll join us for next year's race??

Stay tuned to this fascinating trog (triathlon blog) for more exciting updates as the summer progresses, and race day draws nigh. I will also let you know as soon as my fundraising page has been created so that you can help me support my worthy cause!

You Had Me At $2800

(Liz Hatch, pro cyclist and unofficial icon of my gratitude to all our donors.)

With four whole days left before the race, I am thrilled to announce that we have EXCEEDED our fundraising goal of USD $2800!! This is, of course, thanks to all of you who have donated and supported our cause over the past few months. It really means a lot to Tamima and me that we have friends and family who are willing to help us help others. We had a fantastic fundraising party last Saturday night, and we have nothing but warm sentiments for everyone who showed up and/or donated.

In training news, last night (Wednesday) was my last swim workout, and tonight (Thursday) will be my last run workout before Sunday's race! It is likely that they will also be my last swim and run workout for a good long time, at least until I forget how nonplussed I am about swimming and running. Rest assured, I will always keep cycling. That is because bicycles are awesome, and riding them is fun. Anyway, it's been good to get out of my comfort zone for a while and appreciate the masochism of serious athletes.

The countdown continues... wish me luck! We can still raise plenty more cash for Israel's victims of terror; just because we reached our goal doesn't mean those victims don't need all the help we can give them. And if you're in the New York City Area this Sunday, come out and watch me flop my way to the finish line- the spectre of Liz Hatch compels you.

The Final Countdown

In twelve days I will take the plunge into the Hudson River and subject myself to the mercy of the triathlon gods (i.e. the faster, stronger triathletes who swim on top of their slower, weaker racemates).

Seriously, that's what happens in the swim portion of the race. Last week at practice, we did an "open water simulation" exercise in which the lane lines were removed from the pool and we all swam in a circle at once. It was every swimmer for his or her pathetic self. The only consolation to being kicked and jabbed multiple times, is that I too kicked and jabbed multiple people multiple times.

This, I suppose, is a metaphor for life. There will always be faster, wetter people grappling their way past you. The best you can do, as you briefly swim beside them, is to stick your elbow in their ribs ever so slyly and find joy in gliding along at your own pace.

Over the next twelve days I'll be making a final push for donations to Team One Family. This organization does so many good things for noncombatant people in Israel who have been cruelly victimized by senseless acts of terror. Check out this video, and don't forget to DONATE! Every little bit counts.

So, How's Your Training Going?

Many people ask me this question, and my answer is always along the lines of, "Well, I've been really busy until now. But it's going to be good!" With a little over a month to go til the Big Day, I guess I can finally say that my training is starting to pick up speed. (Mind you, only metaphorically.) I am either running, cycling or swimming every day, and my feelings of dread at the prospect of collapsing after mile two of the final stretch are slowly being allayed. Just like a sailor get his sea legs, I am getting my obligatory shin splints and blown-out knees, and loving every excruciating moment of it.

Last Sunday, I went on a forty-five (45) mile bike ride, which is the longest ride I've done since my high school bike racing days. Back then, we did several forty-five milers a week, and a fifty-to-seventy miler on Sundays. And that was in Chicago in February. Anyway, this past Sunday's ride was amazing- I rode from my abode on the Lower East Side up to Central Park's Engineer's Gate at 90th St. and 5th Ave. to meet up with the One Family group. From there we rode over to Riverside Drive, up and across the George Washington Bridge, and up New Jersey's Palisades Parkway to the New York state line, and back. The weather was cool and overcast, which is perfect exercise weather. The whole experience just reminded me why I have always loved cycling.

Oh, and running and swimming are okay as well. The advantage of running is that you don't need an external apparatus or special venue to do it, and the advantage of swimming is that you are rather unlikely to crash or blow out your knees. However, both lack the freedom, adventure and camaraderie of cycling. While I look forward to completing this triathlon for the worthy efforts of the One Family Fund, you may find me in the future doing more bike rides to support the other charitable causes I am passionate about.

In the meantime, don't forget to donate, and enjoy the summer!