Mountain Bike Training Workshop - January 13, 2017

Mountain Bike Training Workshop - 
Train hard to ride fast

Date: Friday, January 13, 2017 from 6-8 pm

Locaton: somewhere in north county, San Diego.

Cost per person: $25

SIGN UP HERE

you love to ride and you spend lots of time and money on your bike.  But how do you train yourself?  Mountain biking is a demanding sport including endurance, power, balance, agility, skills.  Not to mention the proper nutrition and hydration to sustain a 2, 4, 8 hour bike ride!  And there's more.. strength training, staying limber, injury prevention..

Includes:
1. Elements of a fitness as it relates to mountain biking.
2. Importance of a training program.
3. Why you should include recovery and rest into your training.
4. Strength training makes your faster
5. Take care of your body - stretching, yoga, body work.
6. What to eat before you ride, after you ride, and nutrition for your rides to keep you going strong
7  Healthy snacks and one beer ticket.

Sign up here .  Be sure to tell your buddies! 
Once you sign up, i will be in touch with more details.  Happy holidays! 

Train hard, train smart

chi

The coveted rest week - rest to get faster and stronger

Ahhhh..i made it - time to rest.  For the whole week, i don't have to think about miles, minutes, pace, or anything related to training.  This week is about recouping, recharging, and like my acupuncturist says, restore my chi :)

Taking a much need rest after the Catalina Gran Fondo.

Intense training and racing takes its toll.

• The physical & mental energy required for race day performance and focused intensity.  
• Physical energy for those hard training days that you push yourself past your limits.  
• Time and energy to plan your rides and training off your bike.  And then the energy to take care of life's necessities like cleaning, cooking, kids, or life's emergencies after a hard ride. 
• Physical & mental energy to start a ride or workout when your body feels exhausted from yesterday's activities.  
• And the emotional energy.  Maybe it's because i'm a girl and i can be more sensitive then my male counterparts, but i know that when I've been putting my body under continuous stress, i am not able to handle emotional situations as gracefully.  

Honestly i would make myself push through all this stuff and keep going.  The real reason why I started to incorporate rest week was due to the fact that I would get sick...all the time. Mostly upper respiratory infections - in two years i got pneumonia twice!!  After the second bout of pneumonia, I threw the towel in to figure out what was going on.

As a coach, i should know better than to not give my body rest.  But as an athlete, it is hard to stop training.  i had to come to terms with the science and give myself the needed rest WEEK.  It's been about a year and a half since i started to incorporate the coveted rest week and i've been sick only once in that time. 

How it works - train, intense hard for 5-7 weeks (varies from athlete to the next) and then take a WHOLE week to do whatever the heck I want.  here are a few do's and don'ts for your rest week:

• DON'T put too many rules.  do whatever you want without any judgement.
• DO schedule a massage or acupuncture or some type of bodywork to help with muscle and tissue rejuvenation.  I try to do more yoga during my rest weeks.
• DO try to get fresh air and get a little sweat. Do something you don't normally have time for.
• DO try to do more with the ones you love - Sit and watch movies with my children.
• DON'T worry that your friends are riding or the such.

Then when it's time to get back on the bike and start training, you will be able to give more then you did before your rest week.  It's in the science - train hard (overload principle) and then recovery to rejuvenate and repair.   I've also noticed that I'm don't get burn out like i have in the past.

Tomorrow?  Time to go to Big Bear for some racing..yea!!!  Rest week is about to end and i'm like a race horse hungry to ride fast.

Train hard, rest even harder

chi

here are few articles reinforcing how your performance improves when you incorporate a rest week. 

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/2012/06/recovery-week-design.html 

http://cyclingtips.com/2008/11/rest-periods/

http://breakingmuscle.com/cycling/how-your-recovery-relates-directly-to-your-performance

The Power of Strength Training

The two single most reasons people don't strength train -- time and not knowing what to do.  I get it...you get off your bike and rush to work or to your family.  The days blur together and your main focus is when you are going to get your next ride (enter YOUR sport here) in.  Time is valuable with the holidays and all the obligations that come with this time of the year.

The benefits of strength training are numerous -ranging from strengthening your bones and to helping you lose body fat. For those who take their sport seriously/competitively, it will make you stronger and faster.  It increases your body's ability to buffer lactic acid, helps with balance, increases power output, trims you down, and improves muscular strength and endurance.  Whether you are running, surfing, playing tennis, volleyball, or mountain biking :) you will get faster, stronger, and also prevent overuse injuries.  not bad..eh?

you in?

This is what you need:

1. Timer (interval timer app works well)

2. Clear out some space

3. Good music 

4. List of exercises below

Here's a quick workout you can do at home without any equipment. 

20- min Quick Home Workout

30 seconds hard / 10 sec recovery - repeat 3-5 times

(How hard - on a scale from 1-10 where 10 is "all out" be at a level 8)

1.  Push-ups 

2. Side plank

3. Crunches with legs up

4. Bicycle crunches 

5. Supermans

6. Alternating forward lunge and reach down on the lunge part

I attempted to make a little video of the above mentioned exercises -  I labeled it Level 1 because there will be more workouts to come. http://youtu.be/EPm04x1JRuw. 

Happy Holidays!

Chi

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

Client of 2012! A snowboarder gets his Christmas wish

As a trainer, i have the privilege of working with goals and dreams.  I analyze discrepancies, muscle imbalances, core weakness, and commitment.  Achieving your dreams requires all...commitment, strength  and humility.

This year, I crown Mark as the client of the 2012...here's his story and what he has overcome..

Mark is an educated and accomplished financial director working for a Fortune 100 company.  He works long days and nights.  He also has a wife and 2 children and is able to stay connected to his family's daily activities and events.  He spends quality time with his family and extended family and has taken time to help his elderly mother.

Aside from his responsibility to his family and work, he is equally passionate about his health, fitness, and strength.  and THAT is the key, the essence of his success.   He wants to stay, feel, and be strong.  He can bench his weight and pull his weight.  Over the summer, his aching hip which was a nuiance, turned into a sharp pain in the middle of the night. and in September, Mark (after long thoughtful discussion and deliberation) had his hip replaced.  The only thing he was worried about was snowboarding in the Winter...

He came back to train in October, just 4 weeks after his surgery with hopes to snowboard after Christmas.  we had a lot of work to do...

Oct 15-30 - work on core strength, hip strength, and balance; increase hip range of motion (ROM)
sample: one-legged exercises.  bridge/chest exercises with a stability ball (SB) to challenge core, gluts and hip strength.  side leg lifts with band.  squat with limited resistance.  high intensity - battle rope, bench, pullups.  

Nov 1-15 - increase resistance on hip motion, core and balance.
sample: squats on bosu with balancing movements (e.g. twists), plank exercises on SB, TRX reverse lunges to balance.   RIP Trainer - straight arm twists.  MORE high intensity - battle rope, bench, pullups.  

Nov 15-dec 15 - bring it on!!!  high intensity, limited recovery.  Fatigue legs and hips.
sample: heavy squats with heel raises for 45 sec followed by turning squat jumps followed by SB plank & SB pike, TRX plank, Bosu obliques crunches.    also included upper body exercises.

On Dec 20th, Mark saw his doctor who gave him the green light to snowboard. :)

I'm happy to report that Mark is currently in Mammoth, snowboarding on a new hip.  When I asked how he felt..he said

" You could not have got me more prepared.  Was an awesome day with awesome conditions.  My leg has held up way better than expected.  Can't wait for tomorrow"

Mark - I'm so proud of you and your commitment.  and for all those Mark's out there..stay strong and focused!

Train hard, Train smart
A very happy trainer

Training for Whitney - food, shoes, altitude, poles..

I am going to take a break from the Stagecoach 400 for two reasons...one - i need to come up with a better way to describe the cast of characters.  each person had such a different background, experience, expectation that i can't oversimplify their story.  second - I am in the beginning of training two groups to summit Mt Whitney in a day and there are mounds of information I want to share while its fresh on my fingertips..and i have my dirty shoes and pack next to my leg.

Goal: Summit Mt. Whitney in one-day
Experience: various levels ranging from Whitney veterans to some who are afraid of heights.  We have men & women who are in excellent fitness level and some who want to use this to help with their fitness level.
Strategy: two training hikes per week for four months; each hike increase either duration, distance, elevation gain, elevation or a combination of two to expose their bodies to the elements they will see at Mt. Whitney including steep climbs, steep ascents, altitude, and hikes.

Checklist of what to carry on each training hike:
1. hydration pack that holds 3 liters
2. water bottle to carry for electrolytes
3. sun protection - hat, glasses, sunscreen, chap stick
4. cold weather - beanie, gloves, windbreaker
5. first aid kit - ibuprofen, blister kit
6. camera/phone
7. hiking poles
8. electrolytes - nuuns, coconut water (see #2 above)
9. yummy food - salty, sweet, fat, protein, sugar.  examples: fresh fruit - banana, orange, grapes, mango, fruit cups, tuna pouch/crackers, PB&J or AB&J, turkey and cheese sandwiches, chips, almonds, olives, leftovers, pretzels, trail mix.  I bring extra bars as back up since they take up little space and well packaged.

enjoy the journey,
chi

Be Nimble, Be Quick - 5 Tips to Improve Your Speed

Taken by Dan McCormick

Race season is around the corner...my nutrition is getting a make over, I am increasing the intensity of longer rides, and watching my sleep hours (need to cut back on my beer intake too).  Plain and simple - I love racing and I love training for my races.   I get excited, nervous, pumped, motivated, and overjoyed!!!  Boooyaaaa!!!  I race because it is fun, pushes my limits, and makes me faster!


Racing is not the only way to get faster.  Many of my clients, runners and bikers, are looking to PR their next race.  They want to push their mental and physical limits and see what boundaries they can break.  Below are some insights into revamping YOUR training to be a better and faster rider or runner.




1. Lose your Muffin Top or Keg Belly
trim down and watch your sugar and alcohol intake.  In a week or two you will start to feel a big difference.  Dropping 5 pounds make you faster and your power is not lost in extra weight.  People spend hundreds of dollars getting their bike lighter when they can lose that weight in their waistline.


2. Strength Train
this is my favorite topic because it is simple and yet so many people think since they use their legs they don't have to train their legs.  That is exactly why you do have to train your legs.  Runners and bikers want to stay light and lean so using your own body weight is perfect.  think simple - pushups, pullups, lunges, squats.  Add core exercises such as plank, twists, and crunches.  Finally, round up your routine by challenging your balance - strengthen your ankles, hips, and shoulders.  If you are starting your race season or that half marathon is around the corner, wait for a break in your training schedule to add these exercises.  


3. Gear up!
Take a look at what you are riding or running in.  If you haven't replaced your running shoes in 6 months or your bike has seen better days, consider investing in new gear.  As an endurance athlete,  you spend hours and hours training and your bike/shoes should be able to handle this wear; keep your gear working at its best so you can keep moving at your best.  Take care of your gear - keep it clean and dry.  New tires can help your turns, better socks can make your feet feel comfy for hours, look into new nifty breaks...don't settle with what you got with your initial purchase.


4. Nutrition is Key

Taken by Dan McCormick

Be ready for your ride/run hours before you need to.  Consider your intensity, duration, and the natural elements (heat, humidity, dry, cold) and adjust your calories and nutrients accordingly. Hydrate not just hours before your race/run/ride, but start days before.  Practice with what you put in your body and see how you feel; maybe you have trouble carrying the bottle or gu.    I learned during my long (4+ hour) rides, that electrolyte pills were more effective than Nuuns, although I love the way Nuuns taste and feel in my body.  It just wasn't cutting it for my needs.

5.  Challenge Yourself
Ride with better riders.  Ride in new places.  Sign up for a race for the fun of it.  Taking mountain bike road trips with friends is one of the funnest ways to get your groove on and test your speed and bike skills.  Riding with faster people makes you pace yourself harder and see how fast your legs can go.  My new challenge is the Strava App that lets me compare segments of my favorite rides with other riders.    It is a simple tool; just hit start and it does the rest.   The addiction factor is high on this tool so be forewarned.


Jack be nimble, jack be quick, jack jumped on his mountain bike.


Train hard, train smart
Chi

Will Race For Beer

Racing has a unique way of defining you as an athlete and as a person. I wasn't always sucha strong competitor but after completing my first mountain bike racing season as Expert, I look back at how much racing has molded me into the athlete and person I want to become. It is an arena to become a better rider – nimble and light on the descents, strong and steady on the climbs, and smart on the nutrition. I won’t race forever: one day I will fill my calendar with my own picks & favorite trails rather than US Cup # (enter a number); but while the fire is burning and the passion is there, I will race and race hard.

Be careful with overtraining!
I was getting faster with every ride; so I rode more, hoping to get faster. Only to find that I was sick and my energy was severely dampened. Manage your energy and stop while you’re ahead. You know you’re overtraining when you ride and your legs hurt after your warm-up. They should feel fresh and your breathing smooth.

Ditch the camelback!
The camelback was like my blankie and it had everything I thought I needed. But when it came to racing, it's about being lite. What I REALLY needed on a 15-25 mile ride was a tube, CO2, a gu and a bottle of water. The only other time I used my camelback was during Downieville when I needed both hands on the bars during the descents. Although, there were a few moments I could have drank from a bottle…note taken for next year.

Stay focused!
There were obstacles that could have slowed me down or made me think I couldn’t ride hard. There are obstacles IN LIFE that make you question your ideas, your abilities, and your values. Believe in yourself. Staying focused on the task (call it a race, a goal, your life) is challenging because distractions and doubt can steal your vision. Nuture your goals and recommit your focus -- this focus is powerful. Whether it is a break up, worse day of my period, and an upset stomach (all on the same day), you still have to race. What are you going to do about it? What does it take to break you? Excuses give you an easy out; but challenges can make you find a stronger side that is waiting to be exposed. Once the race starts and you got your groove, fatigue seeps into your muscles and your head and start a downward spiral. Keep your focus! Breathe… when you can hone your focus, you transport to a kind of surreal, dream-like feeling. When I race, I tell myself “Winners don’t whine” or “soon you’ll be sitting with a cold beer and won’t feel any of the pain” . When all else fails, PEDAL, PEDAL, PEDAL!

What’s a kit?!
Team leader, Derek Harmon, brought me a kit the day before the first race at Sagebrush. I’m thinking “what the heck is a kit?”. Soon I realized that your racing outfit is your kit - dah! I was reluctant to wear the tight shorts (XS? REALLY?!) but after racing in ‘my kit’ I realized that they do the job of keeping clothing out of your way. I acquired a new Lazer helmet that is feather-weight and super cool glasses that have changeable lenses.

The power of protein, electrolytes, and water!
How, when, and what you feed yourself 24/7 is essential to training and racing. The closer you pay attention to your hydration, protein, and veggies, the more power you get. I added a shake in the morning that has 20 grams of protein and shit-load of fruit, added some lean steak on my salad, ate more fish, took omega-3 oils, added super green powder to my drinks/smoothies. Alcohol intake subsided and was substituted for water. Stopped my Wednesday night ice cream treats and substituted plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit. Started using Hammer’s Recoverlite after my hard rides. On average, I drank 4 liters of water a day. I ate and drank to ride and then I ate and drank to recover.

Train hard, train smart!
Every workout, no matter how good or bad I might have felt, was like a deposit into the ‘race hard fund’. But on those rides where I was committed to the training, I made huge gains. I started to tailor my workouts depending on the race coming up – short and fast, long hills, technical descents. I added more pushups and pull-ups for Downieville and long hill repeats for Big Bear race. Ahhh…and then there’s yoga like a dear, loyal friend. My yoga practice has improved my upper body and core strength with arm balancing poses. Yoga is about non-attachment and not worrying about how good you look, it’s about your breath and how you feel and being absolutely present. My mind would wander and I would bring it back to the present. This training, helped me keep my focus during my riding….one breath at a time.

Next year...
more strength training – core for balance and strength, stronger legs for the climbs, stronger upper body for the descents. Adding road biking to the training schedule in the off-season. My own floor pump – hand pump and CO2s aren’t cutting it. Finally, arm and leg warmers would be nice.

I must give proper credit to – Derek of Bear Valley Bikes who helped me ditch the camelback, reassured me before major races, helped me with the fancy helmet and gear, and with race day logistics. My riding buddies (Craig & Binh - pictured left) for showing me the lines and keeping it real. My buddies (Orange & Gimpy) at work for kicking my ass. Super K for reinforcing all that I read about mental training and how key it is to having a successful race. My family who made sure I came home safe after every race.

Every time I get on my bike, it is a treat. I get a unique opportunity to encounter the world around me in a language I understand. It cures my concerns, shows me solutions, retraces the beautiful gifts I have in life, and makes me feel so grateful. At the end of the day, a race is a race; take the good and the bad and learn. Have fun along the way.

Now...how about that cold beer?

Chi

Eat your Wheaties...nutrition and performance

After an extreme weekend of riding or racing, I like to see all the data from my fancy Polar watch and check out how many calories I used up. During a 2-3 hour ride, I can easily burn 1000-2000 calories (the equivalent of a large meal at In-and-Out). And this is on top of the 1500+ calories I SHOULD be eating. I'm not a big person, many of you probably burn 50-100% more than that!! But we extreme athletes & adventureous souls can be a bit lazy about our calories...often not taking enough calories in; and when we do, we don't always put the right things in our bodies. We reach for that super drink, super bar, or super-sized (enter your guilty pleasure here).

According to Sara Grout, nutritionist who specializes in functional nutrition and metabolic typing, an athlete's nutritional requirements are critical not only to their performance but also in their longevity and to the prevention of burnout and injury. The body is constantly under stress -- and if it isn't receiving proper nutrients, the body starts to leach them from its stores. The chance of burnout and injury increase (some joint problems could be related to poor nutrition) while your performance suffers (legs feel tired, not enough power, reoccuring illness). This is the most interesting information that Sara shared in a recent interview about nutrition and performance of the endurance/extreme athlete: the constant stress from exercise itself and the recovery process can cause the digestive lining to weaken. This makes it hard for the body to properly use the food and absorb the nutrients. Result - you might be eating the right foods but still lacking nutrients.

Checklist for your frig & pantry - Take a look at your diet. The right formula on what you should eat is as individual as your training. Each person requires an optimal palette of foods based on unique physical demands. In light of keeping a complicated topic simple, this checklist will help guide you to fine tune your current habits and help you stay in the game.

• PROTEIN and FATS are your best friends! include both of these in every meal and snack. especially when it comes to fats, athletes need good fats. low fat is not better.



• JUST SAY NO TO BARS... instead reach for whole foods for your pre-workout and post-workout meal. examples include: banana, homemade protein bars with nuts and honey, baked sweet potato.



• RAW Vs. COOKED veggies - raw isn't always better. the body is able to absorb nutrients better from cooked veggies



• SEA SALT- it is the major electrolyte that will help with fatigue and balances the other electrolytes. If cramping is any issue, Sara recommends magnesium/calcium but be sure that you are well hydrated and getting enough sea salt. note that i didn't just write salt; sea salt has the compounds most similar to those you lose in your sweat.



• HUNGRY? eat more fat and protein

Enjoy your meal...you earn it! Chi

A moment to reflect

It has been several weeks since my last post. I have been revisiting and reflecting on the elements that create and attribute to the sweetness of ....well...kicking ass! The sudden reflection came as I completed my first mountain bike race in a higher category and having celebrated a birthday. The race made me analyze my training and my birthday made me look at what's important in life and then the two thoughts played off each other.

It is actually ironic how I published a post on mental strength - each mantra resonating a truth from a recent experience. And yet, the day of the race and for a few days after, I'd stare of into space wondering "what happened?". Many of you may have experienced this feeling when you step into the unknown and then get a taste of life. My good friend Emily says it best "you just had a fat piece of humble pie".

After some solid reflection, I started to rebuild my foundation of training and my life values. not much had change but it was good to take a fresh look. Here are some of the foundations as i move forward in my racing season and in life.

1. eat good food and eat more of it - eat lean meats, lots of fruits/veggies. eat IMMEDIATELY after your workout and drink water and then more water.

2. get rest - a good riding friend reminded me of this recently...more important to get rest than to ride sometimes. in the last few months, i noticed that I averaged one day of rest for every 10 days (not good).

3. just another session (ride, run) - don't over think the race. it's just you and the trail.

4. be present - whether on the yoga mat, in the ocean, climbing a hill. be there and give it your 100%. don't worry about the past or what's to come. Stay focused and relaxed.

5. take care of your gear & body and it will take care of you.

as far as being one year old and wiser...my life is about honesty, love, and strength. i hope to infuse all three in my relationships, my life, and training.

time to move forward...time to train - train hard, train smart.

chi

Mantras for Achieving Your Goals - Mental Strength

I never considered myself one to talk about mental strength - I don't like being tired, cold, or hungry (go figure!). And yet many amazing opportunities over the last couple of years have shown me first-hand some fundamental principles of mental strength that can help you achieve your goal. Take mountain bike racing for example - I picked up this fun racing sport for three reasons. During my first racing season, I came to a stark realization (a true 'aha' moment) - you have to believe you can win AND believe you deserve to win. It was that realization (on that day) that gave me not just my first victory in mountain bike racing, but first victory EVER!

If you are training for a race or specific goal, below are the top four important mental 'mantras' for achieving your goal -

1. FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS

• FOCUS on your goal and know what you want (be it a marathon finish time, 10 -foot wave, snowboarding down black diamonds).


• FOCUS on the present moment and then breath (see 'jedi powers'). When you get fatigued, cold, or hungry (because it will happen and be painful), breath and focus on your next move. One step at a time.


• FOCUS on your body and movements. This applies to those sports where there is no damage control - it's do or... well...hit hard! Focus on your weight in your feet, keep your core engage and awake, and relax your shoulders.

2. "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER... GIVE UP"

This was the famous last words when talking to Paul Romero before setting out for my first adventure race. The mind does tricky things when you embark on a long and painful 'adventure'. It is like having two 'mental' doors - "you can" door and "you can't" door. The fatigue and pain will play games on your mind and you may be tempted to go into the 'you can't door. Stay away from that door and don't even think it. If you give even a second thought to "you can't" - you're done. This has nothing to do with your physical state - it's all mental. Refer to #1 -- Focus on your goal - and yes YOU CAN!!

3. SUPPORT

Surround yourself with people and places where you feel supported. Friends who love the sport, friends who have seen you train, family who believes in you. When you are feeling low and in the dumps, their words of encouragement will be as welcome as that cup of water on a hot day.

4. BELIEVE

Believe it, feel it, own it! You have to believe you can do it and visualize your goal as clearly as possible.

I remember those moments fondly after my mountain bike race, after my adventure race, after running last few miles with a client in a half marathon - those goals that were achieved were not hard physically... it was all mental. How well could you focus and believe. When friends and family were present, I was so excited to share with them in my achievements and how grateful I was that they were there. The funny thing about achieving your goals...you set new ones and the process starts over as you continue to overcome new obstacles.

Focus & Believe!

Chi

** oh, as far as those three reasons for racing - learn new places to ride, feel safe when riding alone, see how fast I can ride.

Muscle Cramping - Sweat & Tears

As a trainer, fitness related questions or concerns happen in 3's. I may have three clients with lower back pain or three clients with knee 'discomfort'. When these 3's come up, I research the issue for cause, remedy, and prevention.

In the last few days, muscle cramps has been a recent concern. Take riding friend Louis for example - a fit & healthy guy with a passionate attitude toward any sport. In a five-hour ride in Lake Morena over the weekend, he suffered so much muscle cramping that I started to call him PMS. And David (adventure racing teammate in Desert Wind Expedition Race in Mojave Desert) had several days of muscle cramping during the race that left him, not just frozen, but aching in pain. Once cramping comes on, getting rid of it is a challenge in itself - the spinal cord keeps sending signals to contract. The solution - prevention.

Cause

There are several reasons you can cramp - dehydration, lack of electrolytes, exposure to extreme heat or humidity, and overexertion. In other cases, you may be on medication that depletes the body of certain important electrolytes; and in that case,you need to talk to your physician.

The muscles are full of water and electrolytes and together they help bring nutrients to the muscles allowing them to contract while removing waste. When you get depleted of water or nutrients, the body is not able to work as effectively. I'm not one to throw age as a performance concern, but as you get older the muscles lose their ability to function. Only you know really which factor is inhibiting you the most.

Prevention

1. HYDRATE - not just during your activity but throughout the day or days leading up to your event. The body is made up of 60% water and loss of water through exercise can effect the way your muscles contract and remove waste products.

2. LYTES - sodium is a critical electrolyte. Other important electrolytes are potassium, calcium, and magnesium. When you lose water through sweating, you want to be sure you replace not just the water but the electrolytes lost with your sweat (especially salt). The guidelines recommend 500-700 mg of sodium for every liter you consume during exercise which exceeds an hour. Don't just reach for that banana - be sure to have a healthy diet full of different fruits, vegetables, and whole foods.

3. TRAINING - follow an exercise plan that is progressive and training the muscles you use. sounds simple enough but many of you play different sports. You may be going on a three-day vacation to Mammoth; be sure to prepare your legs, calves, back, core for the snowboarding or skiing for you'll be doing several hours a day. Besides preparing your body, prepare your digestive system with an electrolytes replacement of choice. Nuun are a favorite in the adventure racing world.

4. FORM - when you're doing a repetitive motion, those muscles fatigue and get overworked. analyze the motion and evaluate if you are moving as efficiently as possible.

5. HEAT/HUMIDITY - this one is tough because it is hard to overcome conditions that you aren't accustomed to. In situations where you are overexerting yourself due to heat or humidity, be cautious of your exertion levels and chill out a bit. Taking electrolyte tables are effective. I learned this lesson during the 5-day expedition race over the summer - "electrolytes on the hour, every hour of the race" racing friend Paul Romero.

(Teammate, David, tying the rope after our final leg of a 1500 foot repel section. It was over 100 degrees and we had been up for over 24 hours. We still had three days to go.)

Train hard, train smart!

Chi-lyte

Jedi Powers - the yoga link

I love mountain biking - particularly flowing with speed and grace. I ride down hills with a finger hovering over my back brake and let my body move me thru turns, manueuvering over rolling stones, and passing between narrow trees. My focus is steady and i let my body have a bit of a dance - I am totally present and thinking of nothing except what is in front of me. This focused energy and strength is pulled from a secret jedi-like power.

Training can be like spinning plates - you have to manage each one diligently without forgetting about the others. You manage strength training, cardiovascular endurance, and nutrition. For me one plate spins above others: yoga. It keeps my body strong and my head open.

why yoga?

whether you ride, rock climb, snowboard, surf, run, or hike, yoga is an excellent compliment.

• keeps you limber - tight muscles can pull your joints out of whack leaving you with some lower back issues, knee pain, hip tightness (list goes on...)
• strengthens your core - better/faster climber; improve your turns; balance
• strengthens your upper body and hips
• Ujjayi breath - we all breath but tight muscles in your upper back can inhibit your body's ability to take a real deep breath. The potential of your breath (specifically ujjayi breathing) deserves a post all its own. This is the corner stone to the jedi powers!
• learn to control your mind - focusing your thoughts and emotions takes concentration and practice. stay calm and focused.
• connects your mind and body - they have a very intimate conversation behind your back, learn the language and listen.
• recovery - after a race, intense workout, or an injury. Riding buddy, Craig, ate shit over the summer on his bike - shoulder, rib, and hip were bruised and battered. He was grateful for all the stretching he was doing prior to the crash and attributes the stretching to his speedy recovery.

where to start?

• STRETCH LONGER - do your favorite stretches and hold for a minute. Notice how you breathe and try to slow your breath down and take a deeper inhale. Exhale thru your nose. If you don't have a favorite stretch start with hamstrings, gluts, hip flexors, and lats.
• TAKE A CLASS -look into taking a class near your work or home. it can be pricey but don't let that scare you. A $15-$20 per class can leave feeling brand new. If you have a bad experience, give it a break and then try a different teacher or style.
• GET A MAT - having your own yoga mat may be a stretch (no pun intended) but if you have been wanting to start yoga or are already practicing, owning your own mat is like running shoes to a runner.

I practice as often as I can with Tim Miller at the Ashtanga Yoga Center in Carlsbad. People fly from all over the world to study with Tim and I drive five minutes to get to his studio - what a gift! There are no frills - no music, no cheering, no pride, no ego - just you and your mat. You move from pose to pose guided with your breath - the flow is like that on a bike...exhale turn left, inhale turn right, exhale roll down a rocky section. Your mind bounces from thought to thought but you keep it steady with your breath.

Train hard, train smart, and breathe

Chi

The power of music...an indoor cycle workout

Since I can remember, music was always playing in my home. My Latin upbringing, enriched my life with the sounds of cumbia, merengue, and authentic Latin rhythms. I didn't get the dancing skills of my sisters -- my eldest sis with her flamenco footwork and salsa hips while my middle sister rocked the nightclubs. My love for music is more subtle; nonetheless, it connects to my soul, truly uplifts my spirits, and moves my body. To this day, I wash dishes to cumbia, fold laundry with Bob Marley, and write this blog groovin to Thievery (give me some reggaeton and it's party time!).


Putting music together for a spin class is a skill and an art -- it goes beyond finding good sounds and the right beat...it's about the experience. When I ride my mountain bike, though it is purely fun and exciting, it is intense and i'm 100% commited to my ride. My legs are burning, my heart is beating out of my chest, and my mind is focused -- the same elements that I try to achieve in each of my spinning classes. But getting to that space in a room can be a bit challenging ... in comes the power of music.


A Little Christmas Gift
Giving out a workout with music is like giving away a valuable and hard earned treasure (a lot of love and effort goes into synchronizing these workouts and choosing the music). But in the spirit of giving and knowing that my dear mountain biking friend, Craig, is freezing his ass in Idyllwild - Merry Christmas! Whether your ride got rained out (or snowed out), you are traveling and forced to go the the hotel gym, or you never tried an indoor cycling workout - here is a solid ride. With time, these workouts increase your cardiovascular endurance, lactic threshold, and increase your power output. Bottom line - makes you a strong and faster rider.



Let's do it!

• wear your heart rate monitor (if you don't own one, try to get one)
• grab some water and be sure you had a decent meal about 2-3 hours before.
• download your music on your iPod and set it the order you want.
• print out the workout below and tape it to your bike.
• there are built in breaks throughout -- stay with the workout!

1. flats/hills split (18 min) - ride flat 2 min/seated hill for 2 min (repeat) ; ride flat 1 min/climbing hill 1 min (repeat 2 more times); ride flat 30 sec/seated hill 30 sec (repeat 3 more times) HEART RATE: 80-85% BY MIN 10//Starting Over by The Crystal Method, Higher Ground by Red Hot Chill Peppers, Le Reveur (Thievery Corp Remix) by Cirque Du Soleil, Breathe Me by Sia, Drown in the Now by The Crystal Method


2. flat road - endurance (10 min) - one of my favorite trainings because it is about finding a rhythm with your breath and legs. Find a speed that you feels right for you with a mild resistance. every 2 minutes - increase your resistance like you were in a larger gear for 15-45 sec, then resume back to normal resistance; repeat 3 more times. HEART RATE IS 78-80% AT BASE LEVEL AND WILL GET UP TO 82% SO YOU ARE SLIGHTLY OUT OF BREATH. Amerimacka by Thievery Corp, Surround Me With your Love by 3-11 Porter


3. hill strength (15 min) - this part of the ride is sassy. you are a bit tired and legs will feel fatigued. Start by adding a lot of resistance and slowing the cadence to 50-60 RPMS so that you are climbing a mild-version of a gnarly hill - stay seated. Every minute, increase your resistance but keep the same cadence. Do this three times - every minute a little steeper. HEART RATE IS 80% HERE (no more, no less). After four minutes, jump out of saddle and increase your speed by 10-20 RPMS for 30 seconds; then go back to seated climb and resume your 60 RPMS for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 more times. HR AT THE JUMP WILL BE 85-87%. Penitentiary by Citizen Cope, The Time by Black Eyed Peas, Woohoo by Christina Aguilera


4. Chill out (5 min) - you are almost done. Settle back into a steady cadence on a flat road as if you are riding toward the ocean with some headwind. Relax between your shoulder blades, close your eyes and focus on your breath. Stay here as long as you want and enjoy :) One Too Many Mornings by The Chemical Brothers, Time Alone by Josh Martinez

Ride as if you were free!

Chi

Get faster on your bike - strength train

It is fun to talk about gear, packs, and more gear. To be honest, I'm a sucker for packs -- I have a pack for every occassion and every sport. But if all you have is pretty gear, you are going to look pretty silly on the trail, ocean, mountain or whereever you may be found. You need to know what you are doing and in the right physical condition to show your stuff and have fun doing it.

When I refer to training, I am presuming you have a specific goal/sport in mind, specific timeline, and there is a progression to your training -- know where you are and where you want to be. For those already incorporating strength training to improve performance (nice job) - remember to do it twice a week to see best gains with 3 days of recovery in between*. The training schedule below represents a sample strength training schedule I am currently doing twice a week. It allows me to be a stronger racer and keep up with The Boys.

Strength Training Workout

goal: mountain biking - faster hill climbing; increase power output
current power output at threshold: 161 watts (tested during VO2max test in August 2010)

This would also be a great training program for a snowboarder or skiier.

timeline: six months (race seasons resumes in March 2011)

intensity: 3-5 sets for 6-8 reps (heavy weights)

• squats (20 lbs DBs)
• 1-leg squat (using TRX)
• Jump squats -10-15 reps (currently using just body weight; will add more resistence in 4-6 weeks)
• Forward lunges (15 lbs)
• Roll outs- 15 reps (using TRX) - this core exercise is an intense stabilizer and forces your abs to contract from your pelvis (mula bandha) to your upper ribs. Any weakness in your core will show up here. I feel the benefits of this exercise when i'm riding my mountain bike down a steep, technical descent and my upper body needs to be steady.
• Twisted pikes on SB - 5 on each side - fun to do and great proprioception. teaches your obliques to engage under stress.
• Pushups with MB roll - 10-12 reps. core and upper body in one!

New to strength training? start of with lighter weight, more rep, 2-3 sets. (ego has no place here)

* The general guideline is to rest muscles 48 hours, but in a recent paper published by ACSM (see pgs 10-11), those who rested 3-4 days saw larger gains than those who only rested 48 hours.

Enjoy the beautiful Fall weather! clear skies and moist dirt ((((inhale!!! ahhhh))))

Chi

Looking at taking pictures/videos to better demonstrate these exercises. Hopefully you'll see them posted soon.

Your Pack - 5-day Adventure Race

I recently completed a five-day expedition adventure race (AR) in the Mojave Desert. It was the first time I had done an expedition race or anything more than five hours! 3-weeks prior to the AR, I did a Mt. Whitney/Mammoth Extravaganza - one day summit followed by downhilling the following day. All fun stuff in the world of outdoor adventures.

Being a novice to the world of AR, I was schooled in the concepts of nutrition, mental strength, and gear. Oh all the gear that needed to be collected, borrowed, and eventually bought. Paul Romero, a friend and seasoned adventure racer, lent me trusted gear for hiking, paddling, rappeling, and night-time racing. The employees from REI know me from the many trips I took looking for food, packs, and other misc gear. The night before the race, our team ventured out for the remaining items and last minute gear changes.


The items listed were on my body and pack for the entire five-days.

Pack - Osprey Talon 33 lots of good compartments, sturdy & comfortable fit; light-weight.

TOP POUCH - headlight, TP/babywipes, sunscreen, baby butt cream (yep! for the feet and bootie), sunglasses, eye drops

SIDE POCKETS - (left) a water bottle containing either electrolyte or energy powder. (right) camera, lipbalm, and the bar du jour. my flexibility in my shoulders allowed me to poke around in these pouches without taking it off.

FRONT POCKET - spottrackers home, headwrap, chemical lights

WAISTBAND POCKETS - (right) the AR drug store: electrolytes - 20 ct/day, anti-inflammatory 2ct/day, omega-3 4ct/day, multivitamin 4 ct/day, 1 happy pill per day; (left) 3 gu's and 2 bars

LARGE COMPARTMENT - Bivy (think emergency blanket but just slight bigger), water purifier that never seemed to work, simple first aid kit including hydrocodone, chemical warmers, wool sweater, rain gear top and bottom, long sleeve shirt, running tights by Lululemon (can't believe i brought my cherished pants but they came in handy and their compression component was a nice treat). Note: all clothes were rolled into a burrito and placed in a zip-lock bag. MY FOOD!!! daily alloted meal in a gallon size zip-lock bag including a starbucks coffee (yum), bagel and cream cheese (yum), nuts and beef jerky (blah!), tuna and cracker dust, red vines, more bars and gu's.

other misc: toothbrush/paste; waterproof bag with iphone, ipod shuffle/headphones, and $40

ON MY BODY(trek/canoe legs) - bikini top, buff (on head or as a tube-top), lycra shorts, tall compression socks, smart-wool socks, gaiters, running shoes, Polar RS800CX watch, sunscreen, walking sticks, hat/sunglasses. Yes.. i was sporting some outfit but you really don't care as long as it works.

WATER - 3 bladders of water which held up to 5 liters. although the pack was extremely heavy when the bladders were full, it was never enough water. We drank on average 8 liters a day in 100+ temps during the day with 20-22 hours of constant movement/day.

Having now successfully completed my first expedition race, I still have lots to learn about packing, packing lite, and staying organized. It is one of the skills you develop and get better at with each race. Soledad, a fellow teammate from Argentina, had this skill down to a science... or was it an art? She was quick in the transitions and had all her necessary tools near her fingertips. Having good gear and the right gear was important in this type of event.

Train hard. Train smart.

Chi

nutrition project - Isagenix (Final - week 3)

The final week on Isagenix was by far the easiest. I got used to drinking a lot more water, gravitated toward fruits and vegetables, craved the green 'yucky' juice, and my mind was very clear. Though I was not looking to lose weight, I lost two pounds and my muscles got more defined. There was a day during a training hike (in preparation for Mt. Whitney) that I got a terrible headache from the very start that ended with me running out of the car to puke. Not sure what happened - I can only conclude that I wasn't getting enough calories and my body just shut down.

Though I'm now not officially on The Cleanse, I still do the morning shake (it tastes good and gives me a ton a protein and two servings of fruit) and the greens. I am drinking more water these days and drinking less alcohol simply by choice. Actually dumped the rest of my wine tonight...just didn't taste the same.

I wanted to see how it would affect my performance and minus the stint on the hike, my performance is solid. My running is faster and the classes I teach are more intense.

Next steps.. research a maintenance phase to continue to add B12, protein, and all the super greens. They have an athletes pack that has many of these items.

All in all, I am pleased with how I feel and my mind feels very calm and clear.

Steady mind, strong body! Train smart

Cynthia