Thursday thoughts ed. 80 - Pizza Party

8:21 AM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

Hey team, 

I once worked at a wine bar that served grilled pizzas as their staple to pair with the red, whites, and pinks. Being one of only two servers I was the weeknight BBQ'er. I good at serving wine but terrible at making these pizzas. The dough was lumpy, my toppings piled like towers and the end results looked little like pizza. But, it was tasty. And it had potential. 

Since then, I've improved my pizza skills. My cooking skills in general have grown exponentially since getting married and starting my fitness career. Oh, the things I used to eat! Shivers! 

My two favorite foods are pizza and ice cream, Always have been, always will be. I just do things differently now. I go out for "pre-race pizza" at one of my favorite restaurants before every big race (it's a secret tactic I'm happy to share). Find your favorite pizzeria and become a regular. If I'm traveling, I have a pizza search app on my smart phone! As for ice cream...well, dairy is a food group, right? 

When I'm at home I usually don't make my own dough. Semi-homemade is more my style. On weeknights these days, topping a thin fiber-rich whole wheat wrap, crust or plain pizza with spinach, fresh tomato, olives and maybe bacon if I'm feeling frisky makes a killer, simple, quick dinner everyone enjoys. 

Now that it's grillin' season and the garden is ripe -- try this!


Pizza gets a bad wrap for being covered in cheese, grease and artery-clogging crap. Think about it like this instead -- a whole grain, nutritious edible plate of veggie goodness. With good ingredients, a solid veg:crust ratio (veggies win!), pizza can make dinner, lunch, heck even breakfast fun and healthy. 

What are your favorite toppings?
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Race Report : Deschutes Dash July 14th, 2013

9:21 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments


One day I'll explain how it was I got here. For now, a story about last weekend -- with a little lead in.


Three years ago when I first started coaching and competing in triathlons, the Deschutes Dash was
happening the same weekend as the Girlfriends and Dudes Triathlon. A couple of the women I was coaching were planning to race down the river in Bend. It seemed awfully scary to me so I raced the
more beginner-friendly Girlfriends and Dudes instead.

This year, things are different. My coach, Ann, suggested the Dash would be a good race for me.
One I might even be able to win. (Ok, what? I have a coach? And I might win a race?) Things are
different indeed.

Andrew and I drove down to Bend, 3.5 hours, on Saturday afternoon. He'd just flown home from
a week away so I piloted the Mazda down the highway. We arrived at the Red Lion with enough
daylight to wander the streets downtown, pop in for a pre-race planning session at a local watering
hole and fill up on the best pizza in town - thanks Hot Rock Pizza!

Sunday morning was bright and cold. After several cups of sweetened hotel coffee we headed to the
race venue. I'm not going to lie, I really wanted this one. Trying to be cool as I set up my transition
space, my main man was causing quite a commotion. He was talking to the race officials to make
sure I could give the info I didn't have at registration, my USAT number, after my finish. He was
more nervous than me!!!

We walked together down stream to the "beach" start. DANG!!! That's cold!! I splashed about for
a minutes blabbing with nearby racers about the silliness of it all. We are about to swim 1/2 mile in
snowmelt and then bike 12.5 miles and run a 5k. All this for fun.

The first buoy was about 50 yards ahead. We were to swim around it, keeping the marker on our
left shoulder then head straight down stream to the take out. Assuming my place front and center I
dove in at the start shot and headed straight for the buoy. WHOA!!! Not 30 strokes in my legs got
whipped down current and I was pulled off track, hard! No way! I'm going to miss it!!! With full
force I swam upstream a few strokes and yanked myself around the right side on the buoy. That'll
get your heart rate up.



I was the first woman out on the bike course. Notorious for getting lost on course I hollered at every volunteer en route - "Am I going the right way???" Uphill for 6 miles, downhill for 6 miles. I coasted into the transition with the three guys I'd followed the whole distance. Thrilled I could keep up but not sure what was happening behind me - I knew the run would have to be fast.

We bounded down the road, through the park, into the neighborhood, under the bridge, over the
bridge, across driveways and through sprinklers. It was crazy and unlike any other course I’d raced
before. With no mile markers my pace was off. I would sprint, then pull back, sprint again, and by
the end I had no idea if I was fast or slow.



Andrew cheered me in through the finish line.  Laughing and smiling and soaking up the feeling of being done. So good.

Chocolate chip cookie. Beer. Sunshine.

I was in the first wave of racers so I finished about 9:15am. Many people would be coming in
over the next couple of hours and I wouldn’t know the official results until later. With the awards
presentation scheduled for 11am we decided to scoot back to the hotel for check out. I decided that
was a great chance to clean up and get prepared for my podium appearance. I've got this one -- I
know it!!



Nope. Not quite.
2nd place. Took a nice photo though.
Think I've got fire in my belly? DAMN RIGHT!

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Thursday Thoughts Ed. 79 - The Salad Days

7:56 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments


I love veggies and salads, this we all know. There are a couple versions that I love best and regularly accompany me to picnic and bbq parties. A delightfully spicy mix of black beans and kale make a great side for burgers, beef, turkey or veggie. Farro is a fun, nutty whole grain that adds depth to a savory side served with curried chicken kabobs or steak. My version of a superfood salad with nuts, blue berries, crasins and, yup, more kale tastes simple summery with grilled salmon. Eat your veggies!
Carib-bean Salad
I quite like the taste of raw kale. But, if you need a little help with that try steaming it for a few minutes to make it more tender.
2-3 cups thinly chopped kale (with or without stems)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 can black beans (rinsed)
1/3 cup sliced red onion
1 tsp salt to taste
2 TBSP lime juice - fresh squeezed
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili (or more!)
1 TBSP olive oil
This one I've been making for long I do it from memory. I'm sure I once had a recipe but now I just put it all together in a bowl, whirl it around until kale is coated. then whirl a little more to soften it up. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Farro Salad with Asparagus and Parmesan
The nutty flavor of farro balances nicely with the salty cheese and tart berries. Plan ahead as farro need an overnight soak. You can always substitute spelt, or wheat berries.
2 cups farro
3/4 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 cup red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped parsely
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette - to taste
1 cup shaved parmesan cheese, divided
Soak the farro in a big bowl of water overnight, 12 hours atleast. Drain.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a roiling boil. Stir in drained farro and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.
Steam asparagus for about 3 minutes until it brightens. Drain and then immerse in ice bath to stop cooking. Once its cold, drain, and chop.
In a big bowl add the farro, asparagus, tomatoes, nuts, berries and herbs. Drizzle the vinaigrette over top and sprinkle half of the cheese, toss it up. Serve with the rest of the parm on top.

Superfood Salad
This one is great with raw kale. But again, a little steam won't hurt if you must:-)
3-4 cups chopped kale
1-2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup blueberries
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup dried cranberries, or cherries, or blueberries.
1 cup shredded carrots
optional 1-2 TBSP sunflower seeds
I just toss this all up in a big bowl too. Mix up some apple cider vinegar, (3 TBSP) olive oil (2 TBSP)and pomegranate juice (1-2 TBSP) and toss with the salad mixture. In a pinch use some of Newman's Own Balsamic Vin dressing and a little salt and pepper. 

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Blue Lake Race Report - (Love it!)

11:31 AM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments


Race Report: 2013 Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon

June 13, 2013

Submitted by Craig Dean -
The second weekend in June in Fairview, Oregon was greeted with mild conditions and a sea of multi-sport athletes converging on Blue Lake Regional Park for the traditional start to the open water triathlon season in the Northwest – the Blue Lake Triathlon. Over 400 competitors raced each day in either Saturday’s sprint distance or Sunday’s Olympic distance events. There were plenty of new comers experiencing their first taste of multi-sport racing and lots of help from volunteers and veterans alike.

With the inevitable pre-race anxiety that nearly every participant faces, most experienced racers arrived early to the venue to allow for enough time to properly set up and attempt to relax before the gun. Blue Lake attracts many first timers with its flat and beautiful setting close to a major city.

A small wave of elite triathletes kicked off the swim before the larger waves of age groupers took to the 71-degree body of water. In the lead from the start was Rod McClaue from New York City. Rod was looking for a group training ride while on his west coast visit to Bandon, Oregon. Having found the triathlon bug years ago in the circuits that feed Manhattan area competitors, Rod jumped at the chance to taste a bit of west coast racing. Well behind Rod was a pair of young upstarts in 15-year-old Garen Marter and 19-year-old Marco Ramirez. Rod posted the fastest men’s split at 10:01. Garen exited the water in 10:57 and Marco in 11:01.

The lone woman in the elite wave was Bend’s Joanne Eastwood. She braved the swinging arms and kicking feet from the elite men and stuck rather tightly to our pack for the opening turn. She ultimately exited the water in 13:44. The top women’s split was posted by Portland’s Sara Cannon with a 10:59 performance. That gave her a near two-minute lead over her nearest pursuer in Camas, Washington’s Sierra Colletto. Alexandra Cohen, Remy Maguire and Julie Deal rounded out the sub 13-minute swim splits for the women’s field.

After a few twists and turns making our way out of the transition area and onto Marine Dr., the bike ride is a flat and fast effort on a simple out-and-back that only has a bit of crosswinds to spice up the ride. Ramirez managed to reel in McClaue a few miles into the bike and enjoyed the escort from the lead motorcycle until the turn around cone. I made up my two-minute deficit from the swim and took the overall lead and a personal escort to complete my 29:22 bike split. Mark Doane and Jason Shroeder made up the most ground in the later waves with their 2nd and 3rd fastest bike splits at 29:50 and 31:14 respectively.

Sara Cannon continued to create distance on the field by posting the fastest women’s split on the bike to go along with her top swim split. After 32:44, Cannon was into transition with only the run separating her from an overall win. Eastwood kept herself within striking distance with the 2nd fastest women’s split at 34:04. Cohen, Maguire and Deal all backed their strong swims with efficient rides that kept them in the running for podium spots.

I followed my ride with a relatively strong run that was escorted by local area triathlete, Phil Anderson, on the bike. Phil offered a bit of course information while leading out my run. After meeting Phil six years ago at the Heart of the Valley Triathlon in Corvallis, I’ve come to appreciate seeing him at many of the region’s local races. Seeing that he is giving back to the community by volunteering is a testament to the spirit of the sport. Two notable men’s run splits were posted by Molalla’s Kenny Wood (5:43 pace) and Colton’s Ken Hyland (5:45 pace). Ramirez ran with inspiration to the tape and good for 2nd place overall and a total time of 1:03:43. Young Jacob Bustamante took advantage of his swift running to skip into 3rd place overall (1:04:45) with a chase on Mark Doane through the twisting park paths near the finish.

Cannon finished what she started with a solid 21:07 run and breezed to victory with a 1:07:42 overall time. 

Remy Maguire popped from 3rd overall to 2nd with the help of the fastest women’s split on the day (6:24 pace) to complete her 1:12:01 race. Eastwood rounded out the women’s podium just behind Maguire and well ahead of all chasers with a total time of 1:12:53.

Congratulations to all that enjoyed a great day of racing in Fairview, Oregon. AA Sports organized a wonderful event and the many sponsors gave the event a festive feel. The party lasted into the afternoon with live music to accompany the food, beverages and good company. Nearly 400 competitors showed up again the following day for the longer Olympic distance race. Congratulations to OSU’s Blair Bronson on his scintillating seven-second victory over Tualatin’s Matt Berg.
Overall Winners:
Men – Craig Dean – Portland, OR – 1:02:01
Women – Sara Cannon – Portland, OR – 1:07:42
Men’s Age Group Winners:
11 & under – Reid Chen – Portland, OR – 1:24:07
12-14 – Harry Thoma – Portland, OR – 1:19:18
15-17 – Jacob Bustamente – Portland, OR – 1:04:45
18-19 – Marco Ramirez – Forest Grove, OR – 1:03:43
20-24 – Philip Crepeau – Moscow, ID – 1:13:14
25-29 – Jordan Fuesser – Portland, OR – 1:08:16
30-34 – Jason Shroeder – Boring, OR – 1:05:20
35-39 – Mark Doane – Ruston, WA – 1:04:56
40-44 – Jeff Marsh – Portland, OR – 1:08:39
45-49 – Ken Hyland – Colton, WA – 1:06:43
50-54 – Ted Wheeler – Portland, OR – 1:13:07
55-59 – Richard Earle – Salem, OR – 1:13:39
60-64 – Frank Goulard – Lake Oswego, OR – 1:11:39
65-69 – Jim Gulaskey – Lebanon, OR – 1:20:19
70-74 – Dick Shores – Florence, OR – 1:30:04
Women’s Age Group Winners:
11 & Under – Alexa Fuhrer – Portland, OR – 1:39:32
12-14 – Jessica Rouske – Camas, WA – 1:36:18
15-17 – Sierra Colletto – Camas, WA – 1:24:27
25-29 – Emily Alcott – Portland, OR – 1:17:49
30-34 – Remy Maguire – Portland, OR – 1:12:01
35-39 – Stephanie Colletto – Camas, WA – 1:20:55
40-44 – Suzanne Middleton – Corvallis, OR – 1:20:02
45-49 – Joanne Eastwood – Bend, OR – 1:12:53
50-54 – Jodi Marhaller – Medford, OR – 1:18:44
55-59 – Debbie Lavery – Kirkland, WA – 1:20:42
60-64 – Vickie Berger – Salem, OR – 1:53:51

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Race with your friends.

7:45 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments

6 Hour Scorcher
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Les Femmes!

7:44 PM Remy Maguire - Manifest the Best 0 Comments


Les Femmes de S&M. My team. My femmes!


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