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

climbing Mt. Whitney - step one: get your permit

If climbing Mt. Whitney is something you want to do this summer, now is the time to get your permit. You have until march 15 to be entered into the lottery.

In order to get a permit, you have to complete an application which is entered into a lottery and each day they grab more applications from a "really big box" (that's what the website says).

You will find out in the beginning of April if your application is accepted. Actually I noticed it on my bank statement first and then later got the permit.

1. Call up your buddies and get a headcount. they will all be excited but don't be surprised if some drop out. you will need to commit to training and spending time at altitude to successfully reach the peak. there is a maximum of 15 people per permit.


2. Agree on the length you want to be on the trail : one-day trip, overnight, or backpacking trip.


3. Note the dates you want to summit and then think of alternatives. The weekends go fast, so be sure to put some weekdays in the alternate days. The more alternate days, the more chances of getting a permit. I submitted three applications last year (all with alternate days) and only one application got accepted.


4. Complete the application and mail it in (postmarked by March 15th). Then wait patiently.

Important Links -

• 2011 Whitney Permit Application
• Permit Process - more information on dates, contact info, etc.

Time for me to submit my application - hopefully I will take a group up in a day & possibly a backpacking trip.

More training information to come - places to train and little tips to keep your training fun.

climb on!

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