Man, it’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Albuquerque for 3 weeks now. I think they say that time moves faster as you get older, but since I don’t like feeling old, I will ... Read more »]]> Written by Shannon Rowbury, HoneyMilk Olympic athlete, World Championships Bronze medalist and two-time US 1500m Champion.

Man, it’s hard to believe that I’ve already been in Albuquerque for 3 weeks now. I think they say that time moves faster as you get older, but since I don’t like feeling old, I will instead opt with the saying that time flies when you’re having fun.

This week was a good one. Everyone came back from their respective races and since Oxy (May 21) is still a little ways away, we were able to get in a hard training week.

This weeks training featured a variety of locations. We explored the Sandia Foothills a bit more, got in some good tempo work along the river trail, used the UNM track, and since UNM was closed Fri/Sat for the New Mexico High School State Meet, we also worked out at Albuquerque High School (which is quite nice I might add). I continue to be impressed with the training options here.

We also had some visitors this week. Three, in fact, so we had a pretty full house. My chiropractor, Leonard Stein, had a rare free weekend now that the Warriors are out of season, so he came out to ABQ for a few days to work on the team. Mark Scappaticci (better known as Scap), A chiro from Canada and a good friend of Coach Cook, also came to ABQ to give us treatment and to teach us how to use the new fascial release tools that he created. Last, but most definitely not least, Mr. Paul Moser (husband of Treniere), came out to visit. Of course, Cook put him to work too, and on Saturday morning bright and early he could be found rabbiting the ladies track session. Maybe not the nicest welcome to altitude, but a great help for us.

Lastly, my experiments with Athletes HoneyMilk have led me to discover my new favorite “dessert.” When I was a little kid, I had a pineapple frozen yogurt thing outside the Disneyland Tiki Room and I fell in love. I had long forgotten about this, until now. By using a some frozen fruit and Vanilla AHM, I was able to make an healthy yet still tasty equivalent that works as a post-workout recovery smoothie or an ice cream-esque after dinner treat.

Shannon’s Tropical Frozen Yogurt – Serves 2

1 bottle of chilled Vanilla AHM (11.5 fl oz)

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 cup frozen mango

1/2 cup frozen bananas

Blend ingredients together. If your blender is a little weak, try adding fruits one at a time to the blender. The finished product will be thick and is best served with a spoon. Enjoy!

As I welcome this fine Monday with a morning track session at UNM, I will also be rounding out my first week of altitude training for the 2011 season. For the past ... Read more »]]> Written by Shannon Rowbury, HoneyMilk Olympic athlete, World Championships Bronze medalist and two-time US 1500m Champion.

As I welcome this fine Monday with a morning track session at UNM, I will also be rounding out my first week of altitude training for the 2011 season. For the past three years, my teammate in the Austin Track Club and I have spent 4-8 weeks in San Luis Potosi, Mexico for altitude training. But this year, for various logistical and safety reasons, we have switched locales to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

I must admit, at first I was rather disappointed about the change. The weeks I spent in SLP were my favorite of the year. The weather is 70 degrees and sunny every day, the La Loma facility where we trained was absolutely gorgeous, and the cultural change was a nice one. So, when we landed in Albuquerque, I was sure what to expect. Luckily for me, I have been extremely impressed so far. It seems as if there are trails everywhere I look, the sun is shining bright, and best of all, people have been extremely friendly and helpful. (Being able to use my cell phone has been nice too.) We haven’t done much exploring yet, but let me share a couple of my favorites thus far:

The UNM Track & Field Staff:

Coach Joe Franklin, Assistant Coach ‘A Havahla Haynes, Trainer David Byrne, and everyone else involved with the program have been extremely kind and friendly. Whether we need recommendations for massage therapists, trails to run on, or places to eat, they have helped us with a smile.

The High Desert Trail:

Some of the best trail running in ABQ is only about 1/2 mile from where we are staying. In Northeast Albuquerque, if you take Academy Rd. East until it turns into High Desert Rd., you will find a parking lot on your left. From there you can run for miles along the gently rolling foothills. But beware of snakes, I had to jump over one on my Sunday long run.

Cafe Giuseppe:

I am a big coffee fan, so I was really excited when a friend recommended this coffee shop to me. All the espresso is hand pulled and the milk is steamed to perfection.