A Wish Has Been Granted

For over two years I have planned a trip to Chile.  It was an important trip for me for one major reason: to connect to my father's roots.  My father was born and raised with a good education in Santiago, Chile till the age of 18 when he came to San Diego.  He fought in Vietnam* (a green beret), met my mom in the San Diego, and had three girls.  I was the youngest.  That was what I knew of my dad.

That wasn't everything.  I understood Spanish fluently but spoke broken Spanish.  I ate not just Hispanic food but 'different' food that my friends didn't know or like.  That food was empanadas, tomato salad, and pastel de choclo.  My parents were conservative and we did a lot together as a family including sports, camping, and traveling.  Family was first; that I knew.

In March 2012, I went to Chile for the first time with my parents leaving my three girls in San Diego carefully watched by dear friends and my sisters.  For a mother, this is a big sacrifice.  As a daughter, it was a rite.

The trip filled in holes of my past and of my distant memories created new love and appreciation for my family and heritage.  I had a valuable and unique time with my parents, met wonderful people along the way, and reunited with family.  

Being an outdoor coach comes not just from my energy and passion for moving fast.  It comes from connecting with nature, the people, and the food of the land. 

Loving Life!

Chi

*correction: my dad clarified his status in the war - "I was trained by the Special Forces (Green Beret) and Rangers, and I became an Army Intelligent in Jungle Warefare, and i was assigned to an elite unit, The 11th Air Assault Division".  Now I know a little bit more.

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

Healthy Boss, Healthy Employees - A Culture of Fitness

Chances are... you recently returned from having fun outdoors testing your abilities on your bike, board, skis, or hands and feet. You schedule long weekend rides with your friends, plan an upcoming winter snow trip to Mammoth, or looking into a cool summer kayak trip. You read up on nutrition and what gear is lighter or more comfortable. You exercise on the weekday too squeezing a workout around meetings or making time at the end of your day for a run or surf session. Changes are...you probably have something in your car from your last workout be it energy bar wrapper, running shoes, or sand from the beach. You, my friend, represent 30% of the American population that makes exercise a regular part of your day.

70% of the population lacks this lifestyle which is a shame because they are missing a rich part of life. The reasons so many people don't stay active is they don't know where to start and they think it takes a lot of time (which is kind of true, but more on that later). Motivation, energy level, and peer culture are all big factors that determine one's commitment to exercise. If you own a company or are a director, the health of your employees can hurt your bottom line with the steady rise in health costs. In the corporate world, a majority of employees don't exercise if they feel that the culture is not conducive to health and wellness. They feel they will be ridiculed for working out instead of working straight thru the day.

Being a boss (or an influential co-worker) can be a powerful tool to get people to exercise. They look up to you for guidance and judge you on how you spend your day. You workout and stay fit and they get the message: Health and Exercise are important. Like karma, the health benefits of exercise will have pay-offs for your co-workers and employees and come back to you. They will not only feel better and notice their bodies change, they will also be more alert, productive, and have an improved sense of self. You know how good you feel when fresh air flows on your face, your clothes are wet from your hard work, and your heart is pounding. Help those around you and you will see them change. If that doesn't work, tell them that people who exercise regularly have a better sex life!

Here are some ideas and tips to get your employees, team, and co-workers movin:

1. Be a role model. Show that a workout during your workday is OKAY. A 20-40 minute run can give you a new persceptive on a problem and give you energy for your day.

2. Promote a team activity together - sign up for a fun 5K walk/run and do it with them (don't kick their ass either). Take it one more level up and make it a charity event and donate your time or food for a better cause.

3. Take your meetings outside - turn weekly meetings to walking meetings, conference calls to walking calls, brainstorming session to surf session. Getting outside lets you enjoy the fresh air, sun, and nature. It also gives you and your co-worker/staff opportunity to exercise. If you like numbers, wear a pedometer and track your steps. Aim for 5000-7000 steps a day.

4. Meet your team at a yoga class or spin class. Choose an activity and invite them to a weekly class. They might feel goofy at first but then they will like the change.

5. Order healthy food – meetings littered with sweets and foods that give you a short burst of energy followed by drop in blood sugars doesn't promote health or good food for your brain. Fresh fruit and nuts are good finger foods without spiking your blood sugars. Or try hummus with fresh vegetables. And if your team always go out to lunch on Fridays, look for healthier restaurants.

Getting people to get movin' can be a bit tough, but keeping it fun and simple is the key. Know that if they get out there and walk for 15 mintues that it is like you catching waves for an hour. Be patient with your peer but keep them accountable. Give them tips for success such as packing your bag the night before and having a healthy snack (half PB&J) 90 minutes before their workout. About that time commitment... it is true that you need to spend about 5 hours a week to get the weight off, but the fun and improved lifestyle they will experience will be a great start to more positive changes.

Go get 'em boss!
Chi

(pictured above: Brendan, owner of The Hub Cyclery, promotes riding by leading weekly rides from his shop.)