I try to say 'thank you' out loud on a regular basis for even the most minor of life's offerings. For even the chaos. For even the hard times so to be sure I will recognize the good times. But nothing churns our internal reflections of gratitude like the day the Pilgrims 'landed' (or in my life, 'ran, tripped, and skid full throttle') on our veritable 'rock' that is our life, like Thanksgiving. Here's a few examples of the less than traditional gifts in my life I received over the last few days. When I start to sweat the small stuff or fuss over that which truly doesn't matter, I will remind myself of these things.....I hope that you can conjure up your own gratitude list.
1. My son looked at me while we were painting rocks we'd collected (from neighbors yard because they had the expensive smooth river rocks) with pictures and words of what we were grateful, and he gave me an unsolicited 'I love you, mama.' He looked me right in the eye and pierced me in the most glorious way possible.
2. The kitchen was covered in paint. This at first made me crazy, but then grateful to know my house was alive and kicking with creative energy.
3. My son ate a ton of fruit and fish sticks for Thanksgiving. He barely eats at all, yet manages to be a miniature tank of a child. I fret over his nutrition endlessly and the fact that he ate so much trumps all other accomplishments in this world right now.
4. I cooked for my small family and good friend. Not only was I able to put the recipes together, thank you, but I have a job that made that possible.
5. I ate dinner overlooking Lake Mead and beautiful Boulder City. I live in one of the best towns I've ever come to know.
6. I got into a tickle war with my son and Mickey's daughter. Nothing is more satisfying than prying that pure expression of joy laugh out of a child. It's addictive. And I won't hear it forever.
7. I ate with gusto, totally void of any fear harboring caloric indiscretion. I'm grateful that I've learned to manage my wellness so that one night of butter and wine is all I will need. Then back to business.
8. I slept like I was dead and woke to my son asking for morning milk.
9. Mickey's daughter cried when she had to go back to her other family because she was going to miss me and 'miss doing projects with me.' I'm the ultimate entertainment director for her and though it can be exhausting I'm grateful to have that position and take it as seriously as my career.
10. I'm grateful that I'm a technical invalid as it forced my good friend, Rebecca, to show me some stuff on my iphone. Usually I'm showing people how to manage stuff and it's great to have someone share their goods (brain) with me.
11. My dog cleaned the floor as I was cooking which saves time.
12. Black Friday Bootcamp (My turkey day remedy for volcanic calorie eruption) was an utter success. I'm grateful that I can manifest an outing based on fitness and a beautiful environment complete with eager patrons, kids, and dogs....and bring it to life. Everyone came with a food hangover, gave it their all, and left feeling great about themselves and their ability to ignore the traditional Black Friday sprints through retailers, and instead did sprints with me. I'm grateful for their self discipline and open minds.
13. I'm fortunate I have a family to contact on Thanksgiving and a beautiful little nuclear family between my humble walls and ceiling. While we may be, and while I may have come from some of the most dysfunctional groups, they are in all ways......perfectly imperfect.
14. I'm grateful for the pile of dishes, dirty floor, unanswered emails, bottomless laundry basket, stack of mail (bills) toy hurricane upon which I gaze and try to jedi mind trick it into doing itself. It means I have a life.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Super satisfying, super nutritious, super easy, super pleased with myself
I whipped this up faster than my 4 yr old son can ride his bike around the block naked.
I made tuna salad on Ezekiel bread. The Tina salad had onions, garlic, Serrano peppers, 365 sandwich spread (whole foods dairy free), pepper, and sweet pickles chopped small.
The salad is all kale. Oil/vinegar dressing with dried cranberries, sprinkle of feta cheese, sliced almonds, and pepper.
I will be full and loaded with nutrition from this basic fuel. Simple food is the best food! Go make some for yourself and family!
Much love,
Nancy
I made tuna salad on Ezekiel bread. The Tina salad had onions, garlic, Serrano peppers, 365 sandwich spread (whole foods dairy free), pepper, and sweet pickles chopped small.
The salad is all kale. Oil/vinegar dressing with dried cranberries, sprinkle of feta cheese, sliced almonds, and pepper.
I will be full and loaded with nutrition from this basic fuel. Simple food is the best food! Go make some for yourself and family!
Much love,
Nancy
Friday, November 11, 2011
New swim clinic!
Hey everyone!
It's that time again....time for me again to share the gift of swimming with my best peeps! I'm so excited to introduce ANOTHER regular swim clinic into Corehore weekly mayhem. Wednesday 1230 at Maryland/Karen LVAC. (There are other times/locations as well). ALL ABILITIES ARE WELCOME ESPECIALLY THOSE BRAND NEW TO THE WATER. If you haven't splashed around with me yet, here's a few of the best reasons to shimmy into a speedo:
*Face down front crawl, rhythmic breathing swimming can burn more calories an hour than even running. This is due to the fact that there's so many muscle groups enlisted and your heart is working so hard in the best way.
*Swimming is rehabilitative and your spine is decompressed. All day your spine is compressed and if you're doing weight training, then it's even worse. Swimming is restorative and helps reverse spinal stress!
*If you're injured, swimming is likely still safe so you can stay in shape while recovering.
*You won't be running when you're 100 years old, but you can sure swim. This provokes fitness longevity!
*Need a change from the drab land cardio? Change your workout a while for swimming and change your body, too!
*We have a blast and lovingly make fun of one another all while celebrating eachother's progress. Come join our fabulous pool posse!
So far there are 3 Corehore swim clinics:
Saturday 1230p 215/Eastern LVAC
Wednesday 1230p Maryland LVAC
Thursday 520a Maryland LVAC
In addition I'm still at the Henderson Multigen Pool these days/times for workout/stroke development (more advanced swimmers) so please join me:
Saturday 9a
Tues 12p
Thurs 12p
The cost for each group clinic is $19 and package deals for swimming and training available upon request. Please get in on where I like to say 'the smart fit folk train'. And change the face of your fitness! Thanks so much everyone and I will see you in the pool!
Much love,
Nancy
It's that time again....time for me again to share the gift of swimming with my best peeps! I'm so excited to introduce ANOTHER regular swim clinic into Corehore weekly mayhem. Wednesday 1230 at Maryland/Karen LVAC. (There are other times/locations as well). ALL ABILITIES ARE WELCOME ESPECIALLY THOSE BRAND NEW TO THE WATER. If you haven't splashed around with me yet, here's a few of the best reasons to shimmy into a speedo:
*Face down front crawl, rhythmic breathing swimming can burn more calories an hour than even running. This is due to the fact that there's so many muscle groups enlisted and your heart is working so hard in the best way.
*Swimming is rehabilitative and your spine is decompressed. All day your spine is compressed and if you're doing weight training, then it's even worse. Swimming is restorative and helps reverse spinal stress!
*If you're injured, swimming is likely still safe so you can stay in shape while recovering.
*You won't be running when you're 100 years old, but you can sure swim. This provokes fitness longevity!
*Need a change from the drab land cardio? Change your workout a while for swimming and change your body, too!
*We have a blast and lovingly make fun of one another all while celebrating eachother's progress. Come join our fabulous pool posse!
So far there are 3 Corehore swim clinics:
Saturday 1230p 215/Eastern LVAC
Wednesday 1230p Maryland LVAC
Thursday 520a Maryland LVAC
In addition I'm still at the Henderson Multigen Pool these days/times for workout/stroke development (more advanced swimmers) so please join me:
Saturday 9a
Tues 12p
Thurs 12p
The cost for each group clinic is $19 and package deals for swimming and training available upon request. Please get in on where I like to say 'the smart fit folk train'. And change the face of your fitness! Thanks so much everyone and I will see you in the pool!
Much love,
Nancy
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
2011 ITU Long Distance World Championship Triathlon report. Success only comes with Support!
The thing about racing is that it's hardly a matter of racing. That's actually the smallest part of the sick/beautiful/addictive/neurotic/heroic/narcissistic pie. I want to share my endurance rollercoaster through heaven and hell with everyone being careful to amplify the truth that it was NOT JUST ME ON THE RIDE. The people I love had a huge impact on my training and results. My most beautiful family came to see me in what they felt was larger than the "Olympics" and surely I was to win the whole thing and be universe champion. To my family who doesn't live here and who isn't savvy to how simple and quite frankly boring my life is, I was a superhero. I decided to roll with it and I put on my USA triathlete costume. If it didn't chafe so much I'd feel more super. It takes a village to raise an athlete for lack of a better cliche, and it takes humility to be that athlete. I'm humbled, hurting, and utterly happy as I usually am after a hell of a race. Here's my experience both from the trenches and from those plastering the sidelines lovingly in my honor.
Race morning came; this whole thing wasn't just some long dream that mixed surreality with actual phsical hurt and euphoria. It came with wind, freezing temps, and avengence. Forget the anxiety of a world championship triathlon, look at the elements. Did I have enough fat on me for this?
5:24am Saturday, Nov 5 2011 Melissa Olivas reported to me that "the swim was cancelled." I had my wetsuit halfway on and my head fully on and ready to swim. The swim is my strength. The swim is my tactical friend in all these godforsaken races from whom I receive regular help in making up for my lazy friend, my bicycle legs. The swim left as fast as time goes the months leading up to a race of a lifetime. And she left me hanging. Wetsuit and all.
Like every 'swimmer' at the race I foolishly mulled over all the endless hours in the pool and lake over the last 20 weeks. Was it all for nothing? Who is USAT or ITU to say when it's too cold or dangerous? What just because they have some silly acronym?! I have a full wetsuit! And I know how to f'ing swim like a world champ so bring back my leg up on everyone! I stared at my bike. I don't know how to ride this thing without getting on it wet, I sware.
My sis followed me up to the start of the bike so that I could keep my sweatshirt on til the last minute before lift off. Mickey locked eyes with me and said, 'hey....nothing changes!' What he meant was that my 'numbers' on my bike, as in my 'power' and 'heart rate', perhaps even 'avg mph' or 'distance'....would NOT change just because I didn't have my swim for a warm up. He mentioned this because for the National Championship qualifier, the swim was cancelled. I was so wound up about it and nervous fearing that I didn't know how to race without the 'swim' in 'triathlon' that I got on the bike and hammered it so malicously along with doing a hellacious fast run, that I spent the night puking.
I was so relieved when he told me that. Instantly I felt peace. I almost felt a little grateful for the fact that I would be riding in 30 degrees in a skimpy uniform....dry. Outlook was good! Just stick with my numbers. The numbers to whom I've been married for 20 weeks. The numbers I know so well. The numbers that took me to a Long Distance Triathlon World Championship.
Shit I have no numbers. My bike computer wasn't working. Upon the start of the race with my new leisurely perspective, I looked down at my handlebars so some technology would as usual, tell me what to do with my body. My heart rate jumped back and forth between 30 and 280. Awesome, so I'm Lance Armstrong at rest and/or a hummingbird. My distance said I'd gone 45 mi in approx 25 yards. And my power, my power with whom I've made the ultimate bond and who tells me just how hard I can go to even THINK about taking on a distance like this and still be able to muster my way through a long run....my power was reading zero. Zero guidance. Zero sight into 80 mi bike and 18.5 mi run. Zero assurance. Zero remaining faith in endurance technology. Ever! And then zero hope. Zero filled my heart. And there was a long way to go.
I don't know exactly where the voice came from, but I'm pretty sure it was from my legs. I talk to my body SO much while racing and often go through each muscle group (even the smallest because it's great practice for keeping up on my career not to mention a great distraction) thanking them for enduring. A voice came from my lower extremities saying 'don't worry....you still have FEEL.' Yes of course! Feel! What are we as athletes without FEEL?! This is exactly what distinguises an athlete! KNOWING our bodies. I no longer had fear. I had instincts, the greatest training tool in the world.
My bike ride was on MY course in MY backyard and I reminded all my competitors as I passed them, inside my head and with utter courtesy and respect, that they were on MY ride. I felt fantastic. I felt like even though I was lacking a tangible tool I had more tools than anyone. I felt like I was flying and it was easy.
It must have been easy because before the 'sisters', the steepest hills on the course painfully placed near the END of the ride, my average speed decided to show up on my computer (along with time) and it reached up to slap me in the face with a reading of 18.5 mph average. 18.5! Shit! Way, way too fast. I had trained impeccably at 17.5 to ensure I would still have some run legs. Long distance run legs. Fear seeped into the stitches on my uniform and suddenly I felt the worst sensation a triathlete feels in the middle of the bike....tired.
Tired right before the sisters, too for that matter. I approached them conservatively assuming I would be LUCKY to even make it over. But as I started over the first bitch sister I felt so fresh! So much pop in my legs still! Wow, even after holding 18.5. I felt invincible. I felt like I had conquered all the previous labels I'd held over my head regarding my 'weak bike leg.' I felt ready for my run.
My transition was smooth and almost looked as though I had done it a few times. I didn't roll over my shoes or tip over still stuck on my bike like the ways in which I normally subject myself to 'transitioning off the bike' in most races. It was pretty amazing up until I put my socked feet down onto the asphault. I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but it was as though I'd never been off pedals in my life and my newborn baby deer legs wabbled and threatened to give out. They matured and got me into the transition tent where I got into my BFF...my run shoes.
I lied, my swim is not my strength. My run is. All runners just plain know how freeing it is to run. Freeing isn't normally a word until you start running. Then it's forever appropriate. Triathlon is just a run with a longer warm up as far as I'm concerned. The whole race is strategized around having a good run. If you had a crappy run, you had a crappy race. Everyone at the world competition level was coming in with a hell of a run. And I planned on doing a 'heaven' of a run. Given that my legs wouldn't say 'f**k you, you just put us through 18.5 and now you want this?!'
The first 3 miles I spend checking into my body. Moving from a relatively horizontal and fast position on the bike to a slow/vertical position running, can do a number on even the most seasoned athletes. Super baseline questions fill my mind during the first 3. Am I ok? Am I going straight? Am I going forward? Then it's all about the twinges. Major muscle groups have shifted and taken on new responsibilites. There will be pain and all sorts of other sensations as a result. I like to identify them as quickly as possible then assign them all a 'time limit' in which they're directed to leave. For instance the calf cramp only has one more mile or 7.5 minutes to make it's debut, then it has to leave so that left hamstring sledgehammer can get it and out in time. A long time ago I discovered that if I personify any issues in my body not to mention the muscles themselves, everyone cooperates much better. We can usually all work together with a productive purpose.
But being that this course was on one giant hill of major grade, all my twingy issues got a little selfish with their time. You see this course was a festering mecca for pain. I tried to talk to them....but my feet turned to the dark side.
The series of painful issues with which I dealt for the next 2 hours I will not bother to explain. I will, however, give a quick THANK YOU FOR KEEPING MY LEGS ALIVE to Biomechanics of Las Vegas because without them I wouldn't be so lucky to even HAVE race pain because I wouldn't be able to race. The truth of the matter is ALL long distance triathletes deal with this crap and we CHOSE to subject ourselves to it so we ought to stop whining. It's not worth the words. What is worth the words was what was actually going on OUTSIDE of me.
I've struggled with some major elements of triathlon since I began the obsession. I've struggled with the narcissism. I've struggled with the sacrifice. I've struggled with the loss (or gain) of identity. Jesus I've given up so much to do this stuff. Yes I've gained a world of joy, but call me a half empty type of athlete, I've had so much turmoil during the completion of this endeavor. Triathletes always feel as though they're letting SOMEONE down, somewhere. Whether it's our families, clients, friends or whatever, we've had to let go of some things in our lives to gain athletic benefit. This has always haunted me.
But I must have done something right in this pursuit. When I went running by on some seriously destroyed feet/legs, I felt no pain because the cheering overpowered the hellish screams from the lower limbs. SO SO many of my clients and family were screaming their living, beating, loving hearts out for me. They came. They brought banners and cowbells. They screamed so loud they scared the foreigners god bless them. They put their lives on hold to spend cold hours in the wind anxiously waiting for another few seconds that I may run by. They worried about me. They thought good thoughts for me. They recorded every silly step I took. They told me I 'could do it!' They carried me through the course. All I had given up, all the garbage I'd taken, all the guilt I'd placed upon myself for taking this on, and all my idiosyncratic race anxieties....melted.
I finished and found myself immediately greeted by my coach, Cyndee Platko, who has given my the best guidance in the world. Mickey held me up both physically and metaphysically. My entire family (mom sis bro stepdad aunt uncle) had been here making my home feel like home and they did the same at the finish line. My sis started massaging me in a frenzy like a mama cat nervously licks her kittens. My mom tried to feed me. The dearest and best clients/friends a crazy mama triathlete could have, softened the nausea at the finish with their smiles. I had forgotten about the race and my 6 out of 46 world placement. All I could do to not cry and cry joy over the fact that the people in my life were far more grand than any world championship, was go say 'hi' to my 4 year old playing on the ground. He smiled at me and asked for a snack. That sounds good.
I flew back to earth from being universe champion. I was again grounded. Triathlon has in many ways defined me. It's made me dig deep into the nitty gritty of my very being to see exactly of what I'm made in this life and what I can handle in a day. But it's the support system outside of an athlete that truly makes one's heart beat strong. I owe any athletic success to those helping keep me afloat OUT of the water. Thank you for your support. Thank you for all the love. Thank you for carrying me through the trenches.
Race morning came; this whole thing wasn't just some long dream that mixed surreality with actual phsical hurt and euphoria. It came with wind, freezing temps, and avengence. Forget the anxiety of a world championship triathlon, look at the elements. Did I have enough fat on me for this?
5:24am Saturday, Nov 5 2011 Melissa Olivas reported to me that "the swim was cancelled." I had my wetsuit halfway on and my head fully on and ready to swim. The swim is my strength. The swim is my tactical friend in all these godforsaken races from whom I receive regular help in making up for my lazy friend, my bicycle legs. The swim left as fast as time goes the months leading up to a race of a lifetime. And she left me hanging. Wetsuit and all.
Like every 'swimmer' at the race I foolishly mulled over all the endless hours in the pool and lake over the last 20 weeks. Was it all for nothing? Who is USAT or ITU to say when it's too cold or dangerous? What just because they have some silly acronym?! I have a full wetsuit! And I know how to f'ing swim like a world champ so bring back my leg up on everyone! I stared at my bike. I don't know how to ride this thing without getting on it wet, I sware.
My sis followed me up to the start of the bike so that I could keep my sweatshirt on til the last minute before lift off. Mickey locked eyes with me and said, 'hey....nothing changes!' What he meant was that my 'numbers' on my bike, as in my 'power' and 'heart rate', perhaps even 'avg mph' or 'distance'....would NOT change just because I didn't have my swim for a warm up. He mentioned this because for the National Championship qualifier, the swim was cancelled. I was so wound up about it and nervous fearing that I didn't know how to race without the 'swim' in 'triathlon' that I got on the bike and hammered it so malicously along with doing a hellacious fast run, that I spent the night puking.
I was so relieved when he told me that. Instantly I felt peace. I almost felt a little grateful for the fact that I would be riding in 30 degrees in a skimpy uniform....dry. Outlook was good! Just stick with my numbers. The numbers to whom I've been married for 20 weeks. The numbers I know so well. The numbers that took me to a Long Distance Triathlon World Championship.
Shit I have no numbers. My bike computer wasn't working. Upon the start of the race with my new leisurely perspective, I looked down at my handlebars so some technology would as usual, tell me what to do with my body. My heart rate jumped back and forth between 30 and 280. Awesome, so I'm Lance Armstrong at rest and/or a hummingbird. My distance said I'd gone 45 mi in approx 25 yards. And my power, my power with whom I've made the ultimate bond and who tells me just how hard I can go to even THINK about taking on a distance like this and still be able to muster my way through a long run....my power was reading zero. Zero guidance. Zero sight into 80 mi bike and 18.5 mi run. Zero assurance. Zero remaining faith in endurance technology. Ever! And then zero hope. Zero filled my heart. And there was a long way to go.
I don't know exactly where the voice came from, but I'm pretty sure it was from my legs. I talk to my body SO much while racing and often go through each muscle group (even the smallest because it's great practice for keeping up on my career not to mention a great distraction) thanking them for enduring. A voice came from my lower extremities saying 'don't worry....you still have FEEL.' Yes of course! Feel! What are we as athletes without FEEL?! This is exactly what distinguises an athlete! KNOWING our bodies. I no longer had fear. I had instincts, the greatest training tool in the world.
My bike ride was on MY course in MY backyard and I reminded all my competitors as I passed them, inside my head and with utter courtesy and respect, that they were on MY ride. I felt fantastic. I felt like even though I was lacking a tangible tool I had more tools than anyone. I felt like I was flying and it was easy.
It must have been easy because before the 'sisters', the steepest hills on the course painfully placed near the END of the ride, my average speed decided to show up on my computer (along with time) and it reached up to slap me in the face with a reading of 18.5 mph average. 18.5! Shit! Way, way too fast. I had trained impeccably at 17.5 to ensure I would still have some run legs. Long distance run legs. Fear seeped into the stitches on my uniform and suddenly I felt the worst sensation a triathlete feels in the middle of the bike....tired.
Tired right before the sisters, too for that matter. I approached them conservatively assuming I would be LUCKY to even make it over. But as I started over the first bitch sister I felt so fresh! So much pop in my legs still! Wow, even after holding 18.5. I felt invincible. I felt like I had conquered all the previous labels I'd held over my head regarding my 'weak bike leg.' I felt ready for my run.
My transition was smooth and almost looked as though I had done it a few times. I didn't roll over my shoes or tip over still stuck on my bike like the ways in which I normally subject myself to 'transitioning off the bike' in most races. It was pretty amazing up until I put my socked feet down onto the asphault. I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but it was as though I'd never been off pedals in my life and my newborn baby deer legs wabbled and threatened to give out. They matured and got me into the transition tent where I got into my BFF...my run shoes.
I lied, my swim is not my strength. My run is. All runners just plain know how freeing it is to run. Freeing isn't normally a word until you start running. Then it's forever appropriate. Triathlon is just a run with a longer warm up as far as I'm concerned. The whole race is strategized around having a good run. If you had a crappy run, you had a crappy race. Everyone at the world competition level was coming in with a hell of a run. And I planned on doing a 'heaven' of a run. Given that my legs wouldn't say 'f**k you, you just put us through 18.5 and now you want this?!'
The first 3 miles I spend checking into my body. Moving from a relatively horizontal and fast position on the bike to a slow/vertical position running, can do a number on even the most seasoned athletes. Super baseline questions fill my mind during the first 3. Am I ok? Am I going straight? Am I going forward? Then it's all about the twinges. Major muscle groups have shifted and taken on new responsibilites. There will be pain and all sorts of other sensations as a result. I like to identify them as quickly as possible then assign them all a 'time limit' in which they're directed to leave. For instance the calf cramp only has one more mile or 7.5 minutes to make it's debut, then it has to leave so that left hamstring sledgehammer can get it and out in time. A long time ago I discovered that if I personify any issues in my body not to mention the muscles themselves, everyone cooperates much better. We can usually all work together with a productive purpose.
But being that this course was on one giant hill of major grade, all my twingy issues got a little selfish with their time. You see this course was a festering mecca for pain. I tried to talk to them....but my feet turned to the dark side.
The series of painful issues with which I dealt for the next 2 hours I will not bother to explain. I will, however, give a quick THANK YOU FOR KEEPING MY LEGS ALIVE to Biomechanics of Las Vegas because without them I wouldn't be so lucky to even HAVE race pain because I wouldn't be able to race. The truth of the matter is ALL long distance triathletes deal with this crap and we CHOSE to subject ourselves to it so we ought to stop whining. It's not worth the words. What is worth the words was what was actually going on OUTSIDE of me.
I've struggled with some major elements of triathlon since I began the obsession. I've struggled with the narcissism. I've struggled with the sacrifice. I've struggled with the loss (or gain) of identity. Jesus I've given up so much to do this stuff. Yes I've gained a world of joy, but call me a half empty type of athlete, I've had so much turmoil during the completion of this endeavor. Triathletes always feel as though they're letting SOMEONE down, somewhere. Whether it's our families, clients, friends or whatever, we've had to let go of some things in our lives to gain athletic benefit. This has always haunted me.
But I must have done something right in this pursuit. When I went running by on some seriously destroyed feet/legs, I felt no pain because the cheering overpowered the hellish screams from the lower limbs. SO SO many of my clients and family were screaming their living, beating, loving hearts out for me. They came. They brought banners and cowbells. They screamed so loud they scared the foreigners god bless them. They put their lives on hold to spend cold hours in the wind anxiously waiting for another few seconds that I may run by. They worried about me. They thought good thoughts for me. They recorded every silly step I took. They told me I 'could do it!' They carried me through the course. All I had given up, all the garbage I'd taken, all the guilt I'd placed upon myself for taking this on, and all my idiosyncratic race anxieties....melted.
I finished and found myself immediately greeted by my coach, Cyndee Platko, who has given my the best guidance in the world. Mickey held me up both physically and metaphysically. My entire family (mom sis bro stepdad aunt uncle) had been here making my home feel like home and they did the same at the finish line. My sis started massaging me in a frenzy like a mama cat nervously licks her kittens. My mom tried to feed me. The dearest and best clients/friends a crazy mama triathlete could have, softened the nausea at the finish with their smiles. I had forgotten about the race and my 6 out of 46 world placement. All I could do to not cry and cry joy over the fact that the people in my life were far more grand than any world championship, was go say 'hi' to my 4 year old playing on the ground. He smiled at me and asked for a snack. That sounds good.
I flew back to earth from being universe champion. I was again grounded. Triathlon has in many ways defined me. It's made me dig deep into the nitty gritty of my very being to see exactly of what I'm made in this life and what I can handle in a day. But it's the support system outside of an athlete that truly makes one's heart beat strong. I owe any athletic success to those helping keep me afloat OUT of the water. Thank you for your support. Thank you for all the love. Thank you for carrying me through the trenches.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
For the exercise novice ready to get moving!.....Frequently asked questions you can use to help someone you love get moving!
The Las Vegas Athletic Club recently approached me with some exercise novice 'frequently asked questions.' For most of my gym junkies, this is old news. However, everyone has SOMEONE who is toeing the line at the gym lobby and frightened to put one foot in front of the other, literally, due to the vast unknown that lies within 'exercising.' Please, please share this info with someone you love. They surely admire YOU for your dedication. Be their cheerleader, their coach, their trainer!
Best way to avoid injuries- Become best friends with a yoga mat, stretching, and foam rolling. Our bodies aren't meant to take the constant abuse that is 'exercise' without some sort of rehabilitation. Foam rolling to break up scar tissue in muscles keeps fascia working at optimum capacity and helps prevent injury. Yoga and stretching is great for muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints but more important it keeps 'body awareness' which also aids in injury prevention. Talk to a fitness professional about how to implement rehab into your routine.
How to stick to your goals- Make the 'process' of achieving goals part of the goal itself; i.e "To lose 10 lbs by the end of next month I'm going to get in 3 days a week of solid cooking of whole/nutritious foods." Having smaller goals within the large ultimate goal that are attainable, makes it so you have successes along the way which keeps adherence and positivity. Keep the small goals flowing strong and keep them in close range. We lose motivation if things are too far off and not applicable to life TODAY. Even having the small goal of just 'waking tomorrow at 6am' is hugely valid. Especially once completed because the world is yours after that!
Curb your cravings- Cravings don't exist just to ruin our day and sabotage our goals. They usually come for a biological reason. You must get to them before they get to you! For instance if it's the end of the day and you're dragging, you're probably craving some sort of 'up' snack better known as 'sugar.' If you're dragging having had solid rest, it's clear that your nutrition has been less than solid. You need to start the day off immediately with energy foods and snack appropriately along the way with nutrition that keeps you going. If you start with a slow burning, complex carb (like oatmeal) for breakfast and eat balanced small meals (lean protein and greens) with healthy snacks (almonds, trail mix, veggies to name a few), you will have the very best defense for keeping cravings at bay. If we eat every 2 to 3 hours small, snacksize meals, we never get truly 'hungry' which creates less room for cravings. Cravings are tricky and evil and take outsmarting. Plan well and prepare foods and you won't be vulnerable to their capture!
Common workout mistake- Using too much weight so people end up using momentum to perform the exercise instead of the actual intended muscle groups. I've seen it with nearly all exercises, not just one. For example if someone is doing bilateral bicep curls while standing and they're using too heavy of weight, they will lose form and depend on momentum. Once that happens they are usually swinging their hips forward and putting their lower back in real danger. On top of it, it's likely that the bicep muscles they thought they were working aren't actually doing a whole lot. The fix- get lighter weight and focus on the muscle groups you want to work. Make those and only those move the weight in a controlled manner and the results will triple the momentum method.
Change up the workout- Today there's very little style of exercise that you can't find in an LVAC class. Ask someone about the desired 'type' of exercise you're seeking be it cardio, strength, or rehab based. Then keep an open mind and experiment with some classes. If you've always been a 'strength' person, it's likely you have some scar tissue in your muscles and would hugely benefit from some yoga, pilates, or stretching classes. If you're stuck in cardio world, you likely have a strength imbalance which can leave you vulnerable for injury so a body pump or bootcamp class could be a great asset. If you're bored with traditional classes, there's so many class 'combos' being born like 'body flow' which combines strength and yoga or 'water zumba' which combines dance with the rehabilitative aspects of water. Drag your friends with you to unknown classes or don't be scared to test your luck with a trainer you've always admired and try to get a free workout out of them, you never know!
I want to start running, but every time I try to run my body/legs are killing me the next day. What am I doing wrong?- Running is a different animal. If performed wrong it's straight up abuse due to the pounding nature. Our hips, knees, and back can be really wrecked if our form is off. Before hammering it on the treadmill, find a professional to look at your form. Then do a walk/run ratio. This can resemble something like this: Warm up 10 min on treadmill with brisk walk, then do a 2:4 ratio (2 min run easy, 4 min walk) for the duration of desired cardio. Skip a day and do something low impact such as eliptical, bike, or swimming. Then the following day you can keep that ratio or make it a 3:3. The key is to start slow and really allow your body to adjust to the new movement. Make small changes and you will be running all out before you know it! And staying healthy!
Favorite post dinner snack- This is such a tough topic. I wish I could tell people to eat well enough all day so they don't have cravings at night, but I'm human, I have them, and that's just plain not realistic. First I will tell you what NOT to eat. Avoid any and all carbs (unless you want a complex carb for the sake of performing well in an athletic endeavor in the morning, but that's a whole other topic) because if not used up, they turn to sugar and ultimately excess fat. Protein from animals is filling, yes, and feeds your muscles, but the hardest to digest which could throw off sleep pattern worst case scenario. So a veggie! Sigh....ugh, who on earth wants just that? Well give celery and almond butter a shot. Celery is virtually guiltless offering negative calories, and almond butter is a lower calorie and higher 'good fat' option than it's brother peanut butter. Plus it handles a bit of a sweet tooth. Have a salt tooth? Go for celery (or any green raw veggie for that matter) with some hummus (mashed garbanzo beans), but be careful to look at the sodium content in your particular brand. Last thing you want is to go to bed with your ring fitting tight!
Best way to avoid injuries- Become best friends with a yoga mat, stretching, and foam rolling. Our bodies aren't meant to take the constant abuse that is 'exercise' without some sort of rehabilitation. Foam rolling to break up scar tissue in muscles keeps fascia working at optimum capacity and helps prevent injury. Yoga and stretching is great for muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints but more important it keeps 'body awareness' which also aids in injury prevention. Talk to a fitness professional about how to implement rehab into your routine.
How to stick to your goals- Make the 'process' of achieving goals part of the goal itself; i.e "To lose 10 lbs by the end of next month I'm going to get in 3 days a week of solid cooking of whole/nutritious foods." Having smaller goals within the large ultimate goal that are attainable, makes it so you have successes along the way which keeps adherence and positivity. Keep the small goals flowing strong and keep them in close range. We lose motivation if things are too far off and not applicable to life TODAY. Even having the small goal of just 'waking tomorrow at 6am' is hugely valid. Especially once completed because the world is yours after that!
Curb your cravings- Cravings don't exist just to ruin our day and sabotage our goals. They usually come for a biological reason. You must get to them before they get to you! For instance if it's the end of the day and you're dragging, you're probably craving some sort of 'up' snack better known as 'sugar.' If you're dragging having had solid rest, it's clear that your nutrition has been less than solid. You need to start the day off immediately with energy foods and snack appropriately along the way with nutrition that keeps you going. If you start with a slow burning, complex carb (like oatmeal) for breakfast and eat balanced small meals (lean protein and greens) with healthy snacks (almonds, trail mix, veggies to name a few), you will have the very best defense for keeping cravings at bay. If we eat every 2 to 3 hours small, snacksize meals, we never get truly 'hungry' which creates less room for cravings. Cravings are tricky and evil and take outsmarting. Plan well and prepare foods and you won't be vulnerable to their capture!
Common workout mistake- Using too much weight so people end up using momentum to perform the exercise instead of the actual intended muscle groups. I've seen it with nearly all exercises, not just one. For example if someone is doing bilateral bicep curls while standing and they're using too heavy of weight, they will lose form and depend on momentum. Once that happens they are usually swinging their hips forward and putting their lower back in real danger. On top of it, it's likely that the bicep muscles they thought they were working aren't actually doing a whole lot. The fix- get lighter weight and focus on the muscle groups you want to work. Make those and only those move the weight in a controlled manner and the results will triple the momentum method.
Change up the workout- Today there's very little style of exercise that you can't find in an LVAC class. Ask someone about the desired 'type' of exercise you're seeking be it cardio, strength, or rehab based. Then keep an open mind and experiment with some classes. If you've always been a 'strength' person, it's likely you have some scar tissue in your muscles and would hugely benefit from some yoga, pilates, or stretching classes. If you're stuck in cardio world, you likely have a strength imbalance which can leave you vulnerable for injury so a body pump or bootcamp class could be a great asset. If you're bored with traditional classes, there's so many class 'combos' being born like 'body flow' which combines strength and yoga or 'water zumba' which combines dance with the rehabilitative aspects of water. Drag your friends with you to unknown classes or don't be scared to test your luck with a trainer you've always admired and try to get a free workout out of them, you never know!
I want to start running, but every time I try to run my body/legs are killing me the next day. What am I doing wrong?- Running is a different animal. If performed wrong it's straight up abuse due to the pounding nature. Our hips, knees, and back can be really wrecked if our form is off. Before hammering it on the treadmill, find a professional to look at your form. Then do a walk/run ratio. This can resemble something like this: Warm up 10 min on treadmill with brisk walk, then do a 2:4 ratio (2 min run easy, 4 min walk) for the duration of desired cardio. Skip a day and do something low impact such as eliptical, bike, or swimming. Then the following day you can keep that ratio or make it a 3:3. The key is to start slow and really allow your body to adjust to the new movement. Make small changes and you will be running all out before you know it! And staying healthy!
Favorite post dinner snack- This is such a tough topic. I wish I could tell people to eat well enough all day so they don't have cravings at night, but I'm human, I have them, and that's just plain not realistic. First I will tell you what NOT to eat. Avoid any and all carbs (unless you want a complex carb for the sake of performing well in an athletic endeavor in the morning, but that's a whole other topic) because if not used up, they turn to sugar and ultimately excess fat. Protein from animals is filling, yes, and feeds your muscles, but the hardest to digest which could throw off sleep pattern worst case scenario. So a veggie! Sigh....ugh, who on earth wants just that? Well give celery and almond butter a shot. Celery is virtually guiltless offering negative calories, and almond butter is a lower calorie and higher 'good fat' option than it's brother peanut butter. Plus it handles a bit of a sweet tooth. Have a salt tooth? Go for celery (or any green raw veggie for that matter) with some hummus (mashed garbanzo beans), but be careful to look at the sodium content in your particular brand. Last thing you want is to go to bed with your ring fitting tight!
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