My grandma was right - Chia is a super food

My childhood was hardly ordinary.  Neither one of my parents were born in the US and making my experiences quite different from my friends.

My grandmother (my mom's Mexican roots) made homemade tortillas, tamales, and was very strict..all 4'10" of here.  Her strong, female presence was coupled with holistic roots liken to a medicine man.  She made a tea out of corn husk, cured colds with a raw onion rub, and the list of homemade remedies goes on.   One of my faintest memories is drink with chia...and it was good.

Almost 40 years later I have rediscovered this funny little seed and it has resurfaced as a 'superfood'.  My grandmother (Tata Maria as we called her) would have laughed.   I recently purchased some at Trader Joes for about $4 and it was touted for its Omega 3, fiber, and protein!  Way to go Tata!!!

View a recent Huffington Post article about the benefits of Chia - Benefits of Chia Seeds which includes

I have been using Chia seeds in my morning oatmeal.  But it can be used in almost any food including yogurt, ice cream, salad (although they roll away easily), smoothies and drinks.

Maybe getting a chia pet for christmas isn't such a bad idea...

Train smart!
Chi

Respect the coach

A coach is a role that is valued in my life next to my parents and teachers.  I've been fortunate to have wonderful and caring coaches that have made me the athlete, and to some extent the person, I am today. And so when recently some parents got upset about what position their children should play, I had to step back and think of my position of the coach. 

Ode to my coaches 
My first coach, my dad, who taught me soccer at the age of 6 and the passion of playing - The Roadrunners. We played at wee hours of the morning, in the pouring rain, cut vacations short, and practiced during holidays.  There are no excuses..you just play.

My high school cross country coach.  My first female coach (and math teacher) who believed in my running speed and trusted me with the the role of being the captain and leading the team.  Taught me to lead by example.

My high school soccer coach at who gave me a spot on the varsity team (I was a freshman) and gave me chances to earn my position.  I was put on the team as an alternate and had to try harder than I ever would to get a spot on the field..and I did.

Paul Romero..my adventure racing coach.   Many year later, as a grown woman, gave me the tools to do my first expedition race and the tips to survive.  He instilled in me the power of your will - NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP.   I learned that my will is very very deep.

Veronica, my older sister, who in every life situation, gave me the guidance to trudge forward with integrity.  At my first adventure race (see Paul Romero), said a few hours before the start "It isn't IF you run out of water, IF you run out of food, or IF you get lost...it is what you do when it happens".

Derek Hermon of Bear Valley Bikes (www.bvbikes.com) who is the closest thing to my mountain bike racing coach I have.  Who should me how to race, what to wear (and a jacket wasn't one of them), and told it like it is..no sugar coating.

My respect for coaches is deep.  The coach is looking after you AND for the team. and one thing I never did was question or doubt my coach.  

My daughter running with the ball.  I'm smiling in the background.

A funny thing happened tonight when parents approached the coach demanding their child play a different position.  All I could think is "how can you question the coach?!"  The lessons of the coach are many and some lessons you may not realize for years.  You may learn how to pack your bag, care for your gear, how to be a team player, that you are better than you think, or that you need to try harder.  Teach you new skills that you want to perfect; or that it's not about winning or losing, it's about how you played that really matters.  And that you when you practice together for hours and months and taste the joy of winning, that it feels so good.

In this day when everyone wants a trophy, I think parents need to let kids have the space to learn.  Let children be guided by a coach and learn their lesson(s).  Let kids have the opportunity to speak up, reflect, enjoy, trip and fall, and let the coach be there to help them.

Go team!  Go coach!
Chi

5 ways to stay young...while still getting those achievements

If you are like my friends, you are constantly testing your strength, endurance, and skills. With the new Strava tool, it is even easier and quicker to see your improvements.  Those PRs, crowns, and trophies feel good; immediate gratification.  But repetitive days of intense exercise can have a toll on your body.

Recently at work, an avid beach volleyball player came into my office to ask information about why his body was starting to hurt and what he could do.  He was in his late 30's and was worried he getting old.  He wanted to keep playing volleyball but wasn't sure if he was wearing down his body.  The grim look on his face was a complicated balance of keeping your body feeling young and healthy while still enjoying your favorite sport and reaching/pushing your goals.

Prasarita Padottanasana D - 
I love this stretch - it opens my hamstrings, inner thighs, calves, and stretches my lower back.

5 simple ways to keeping your body feeling young:

1. REST  - be sure to give your body a break 1-2 days per week.  After an extreme & intense event, you may have to take days or weeks off.

2. NUTRITION - performance is 100% training and 100% diet.  When the body is under extreme stress, it is possible to weaken the digestive organs decreasing the amount of nutrients it can absorb. You may need to take a supplement.  Also, notice how much protein and fat you are eating and the macro-nutrients in your diet.   Taking fish oil or Omega can help reduce inflammation in the joints.  Your nutrition is your medicine.

3. BODY WORK  - have a trusted massage therapist, acupuncturist, and/or chiropractor that can keep your body tuned up like a machine.  Runners and riders will often have tight hips and hamstrings while swimmers and surfers will have tight shoulders and back muscles.    

4. WARM-UP - Take time to stretch and warm-up.  A proper warm up properly can help with performance and studies have shown that a proper warm up can also decrease DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness).  Integrate a yoga practice into your routine.  

5.  CROSS TRAIN  - complement your passion with variety.  Try biking, running, swimming, tennis.  Constant repetitive movement can wear down joints making you more susceptible to injury.   Strength training and core work is a great foundation for any sport.

Off to yoga for some recouping after an intense mountain bike ride yesterday.

Stay young :)

Chi

Weekend Quickie - WOD for busy people

Making time to exercise on the weekends can be challenging - kids, work demands, and busy social lives, or all of the above.  However, having time to exercise is important for your training schedule, staying consistent with your workout routine to reach your health and fitness goals, or like me, need a little time to unplug and get some fresh air.

Based on American College of Sports Medicine (the godfather of science and fitness), the recommended amount of exercise just to stay healthy is 150  minutes per week (30 min x 5 days/week) of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise or vigorous-intensity 20 minutes per day for at least 3 days per week (or combination of the two) PLUS strength training 2-3/days.

Here is a quick workout for you busy people out there:

One of my favorite places to run - Encinitas, CA

CARDIOVASCULAR:  
20-30 Moderate-intensity run with hills.  Maybe try out a 5K route or run one direction for 10-15 and then back.   Go hard, go fast.  You can relax later :)
If you are using a treadmill, add a 1 minute hill (4-6% grade) every 5 minutes (4 min flat+ 1 min hill).

W.O.D. - WORKOUT OF THE DAY "Weekend Quickie"
5 rounds of the following as fast as you can, for time.  Should take less than 10 minutes.

1. 20 pushups (girls - start with 10 and work up to 20)
2. 20 crunches with legs up toward ceiling
3. 20 squats

Feel free to post your times.  Too busy to do both, then do choose or do 2 sets of the WOD.  Don't let yourself off the hook that easy.  

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and time with your family and friends.   

Chi

Embracing the Off Season

The end of my off season is done. In about 6 hours I start my first race of the mountain bike cross-country (XC) season.
Off season is a funny time because when you are racing you look forward to it; but once you are in it, you can't wait to race again.

Last years racing season was interesting in itself as I was scheduled to do the US Cup series PLUS Stagecoach 400 PLUS a couple of 50 milers PLUS the Enduro in Idyllwild. Lets just saying I didn't get to everything. The 400 was an excruciating race that left me worked over. I didn't race after that for awhile and then got the strength to do a couple more 20 milers and finished with a bang with the Enduro, a 60 mile race with 12k feet of climbing. I trained hard for that last race and it proved to demand more than I expected. I was truly ready for the off season. It was November.

Ahhh time to rest... no training, no schedules. It's kind of like recess for my kindergarten daughter. Do whatever you want ,when you want, and how you want. Time to recover your body from hard training and your mind to stay focused. This time is just as important to racing as intervals, cross training, and nutrition.

The hardest part of the off season was letting my mind have a vacation. It was always nosey trying to see what was happening and making unwelcome comments. Slowly over time my brain settled down and I did have fun. I embraced the off season. I got CrossFit level 1 trainer certification and reenergized my yoga practice both helping keep my body strong and the latter to keep my mind flexible.

I got the new racing calendar in January just in time as I was feeling the itch :). I was excited to race. Training picked up and in the intervals and lactic threshold riding began once again. And now I'm about to close a chapter and start a new chapter of racing and I'm ready. Bring it on!

Train hard, train smart, and don't forget to take breaks
Chi

Whitney Permit...pending

Now is the time to submit your permit if you hope to climb Mt. Whitney this summer.  You can submit your application online thru March 15 and then cross your fingers.  Last year I got lucky and got TWO permits on/around the full moon. I've might have used up my good luck whitney karma last year.

To apply for the permit, visit http://www.recreation.gov/permits/Mt_Whitney/r/wildernessAreaDetails.do?page=detail&contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72201

Good luck!  I've submitted mine and will update Services once I get confirmation.

Chi