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!