Salomon Advanced Week

I've just finished packing my bags and getting ready for my flight out tomorrow to France. Each year, Salomon brings a crew of their athletes from around the world together for a busy, yet fun, week of training, product testing, R&D with head designers etc. It's a great opportunity for us as their athletes to share our thoughts on what we like and don't like as well as to see and test gear for next year and beyond. We usually train/test 2x a day and then spend time afterwards in meetings with designers having discussions. There is a pretty stellar line up of amazing athletes headed to Marseille so it's sure to be a great week :) Looking forward to catching up some of my global salomon friends!

I'm fortunate to be back running and I think about that EVERY single time I put my shoes on and head out. In January I got cleared to start building mileage again and it's been a slow but solid comeback. I'm not nearly where I want to be for this time of year but I am healthy, the achilles is doing well and slowly my strength, power and endurance is returning. Above all, I am back to feeling alive in the trails as opposed to falling over in pain.

I plan to stay in France after Advanced Week in order to participate in a 47km race called the "Trail du Ventoux." Not sure what this race is all about because I can't read the website (it's in french and apparently I'm not as fluent as I would like to be :) Anyways, I hope to be feeling good after an intense week of training and ready to have a good run out in the mountains of France. Please wish me "bonne chance!"

I'll be blogging everyday and I'm sure Phil will be too. Keep ya posted on our adventures from Europe.

Au revoir :)

Learning to Challenge our Weakness

I'm recently home from a great trip to Vernon where Nicola and I spent 3 days learning, goal setting, being tested, determining our limiting factors and overall, looking at ways that we can both develop better as athletes.

FaCT education guru, doctor and coach, Andrew Sellars and his wife Ginny were kind enough to put us up in their beautiful lakeside home for a few nights (talk about the ultimate place to live if you are a tri-athlete.) Yummy meals, a relaxing atmosphere and several days of being focused on both being an athlete and becoming a better coach to all those that I work with.

Now, I could go on and on about everything that I learned but I wanted to give you the gist of where I am at now.

BALANCE

Time was dedicated to discussing and analyzing season goals and long term goals. Emphasis was put on living life in balance, something that I often forget all about. Racing is equally as important as my relationships with friends and family, career and all those things I love to do other than compete. Always room for improvement here...........

RESTING METABOLIC RATE

This was such an interesting area of testing for me. Essentially, these tests allow you to know exactly what your caloric intake is at rest or in other words, how much food you need to just stay alive and perform basic life functions. I was completely shocked (yet kind of confirmed) to see the numbers. I suspected that my body had become incredibly efficient over the years at storing calories due to the deprivation that I put it through in multi-day racing. I always thought that on rest days or so and as an "endurance athlete" who trains tons, I was good to eat somwhere around 1500-2200 calories. This would allow me to re-fuel etc for future workouts. However, tests would reveal otherwise. To give you an example, Nicola came in around 1100 and here are my results in calories for resting metabolic rate:

Test #1 - 679 (in AM, after breakfast)

Test #2 - 717 (in PM, no training day, before bed, after dinner)

Test #3 - 649 (in AM, before breakfast, upon rising)

Test #4 - 1620 (in PM, after dinner, after 2 workouts)

Now it should be noted though that these results do not include fueling for workouts and recovering nore do they include daily movement and tasks. However, what these numbers tell me is that I just REALLY have to watch my calories during periods of light training, multiple days off and down times. The answer: just be focused on good calories in order to maintain lean muscle mass and avoid over-eating!!!!! I do hope that I can somehow "re-set" my resting metabolic rate somehow. I hope to work through this with Andrew.

VO2 & POWER

Important to note here that I was not being tested for V02 max here as it is not valuable information for me so therefor no need to test to that capacity. As an ultra runner (and for all my sports) I NEVER go to max so no need to test that way. Andrew tested me (and this is how I can test you) is through "balance point lactate" testing. By taking blood samples and monitoring my heart rate (plus wattage on a spin bike) I can learn and set appropriate training zones that are SPECIFIC to me to train in. Super cool. This now adds VERY accurate data in which for me to train. I've already started to put my knowledge to the test now back home. Anyways, Andrew tested me running and biking and we were able to look at my respiration rate, oxygen intake, ability to flush lactate, heart rate, energy consumption (calories) at work etc.

Results: what I learned here is my new training zones for both bike and running, amount of calories I am burning during workloads at certain intensities AND some areas for improvements. While I pushed really good wattage on the bike according to Andrew, we concluded that my "limiting factor" right now is my quick breathing. So....my homework for the next bit is to focus on my breathing and change my respiration rate. In other words, it's time to challenge my "respiration system" as opposed to my cardiovascular system, neurological system etc. Cool. We also looked at body composition to set some markers for moving forward.

Also spent time exploring some trails in both Vernon and Salmon arm with Nicola. Always nice to get out on some new terrain. Andrew is a wealth of knowledge and I learned so much. I have lots to focus on now and look forward to embracing it all. I'm sure I am forgetting some of the other things I wanted to share but let me leave you with these thoughts:

1) Achieving goals takes time - it's a process and a journey - step by step we can make improvements and make changes - patience!!

2) training is individual and NO magic number or system works for everyone. If you want results, you need to understand how YOUR body works and what your limiting factors are so that YOU can improve them

Alkaline Your Body

Interesting article just passed along to me by health guru and mother extrodinaire! As athletes, we are always searching for that way to bring our body out of an acidic state (enhanced greatly by when we exercise) and into an alkaline state. My mom has worked hard on this with me over the years. But who would have thought, BAKING SODA is an affordable way to achieve this? Read on......

Acid Blood Kills -- Alkaline Blood Lives
A Simple Approach Using Baking Soda to Create Healthy Alkaline Blood Levels
by Dusty R. Green, M.Ed., Research Scientist/Author

This article originates from an email inquiry I received concerning the John Kanzius invention. He built an apparatus that sends radio waves into humans with the claim that it may kill cancer cells -- sounds promising.

In the email inquiry, I was asked to comment on the CBS 60 Minutes news story about John Kanzius that ran April 13, 2008.

My Response: My best guess is negative ions (or, maybe a relationship). One form of negative ions is the unseen particles of electricity that come in with thunderstorms and momentarily make us feel like "hippies on drugs" (not that I know anything about that). A simple Internet search on negative ions revealed the information (ions, not hippies). Research shows that negative ions put the body in a temporary alkaline pH state. Most humans are in an acid pH state ... cancer wards are full of 'em.

Theoretically (in my humble opinion, of course), negative ions have a common bond to the positive feelings we get from meditation. Regular/consistent meditation is associated with relaxed states-of-mind -- a stress antagonist. Stress is a major contributor to acid pH in our blood/bodies. As we buffer our acid-state in consistent manners (meditation, smart eats, baking soda, etc.), a healthier alkaline condition becomes the norm. In addition, nutritional supplements are assimilated more effectively/efficiently in an alkaline body.

Bacteria and Virus Refuse to Live in Alkalinity
This article is one of the best I've found on the pH factor in relationship to many disease-states. Harmful bacteria, virus, herpes (cold sores, etc.) andcancer, thrive in acidity. Stress, bad eating habits, pesticides, alcohol, pollution, etcetera, turn our bodies into acid smorgasbords -- the perfect environment for destroying our bodies in a slow/painful manner. In addition, heartburn, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more are well-known maladies related to acid blood levels. The bottom line ... bacteria and virus will vacate your premises to find a more suitable acid-home as long as you keep your body in a state of alkalinity.

Of all Things ... Baking Soda?
Studies in respected medical journals worldwide consistently support the use of a simple dirt-cheap product for reversing acidity -- baking soda. Since there's no money in baking soda for drug companies, its excluded from medical school curriculum and/or associated health training/education.

Odors
As an interesting side-note, most odors we experience are bacteria related. A simple test is to sprinkle a bit of baking soda in your stinky shoes and/or under your smelly arm-pits -- odor diminishes readily. Odor from areas of the body that stay wet and/or dark for awhile are a result of/or caused by bacteria and/or the symbiotic relationship it has with fungus. Fungus (vaginal candidiasis or candida, jock itch, athletes foot, etc.) is odor-producing. Cavities and bacteria (bad breath) are best-buddies, too. Sugar creates an acidic environment in the mouth, thus, a reason why dentists recommend avoiding sugar-related foods.

And, stop using sponges to wash your dishes! Sponges typically stay wet for extended periods which encourage bacteria to multiply exponentially within minutes (Discovery Science channel).

Athletes -- Faster, Harder, Stronger
Lactic acid is a well-known by-product of the exercising muscle. To a large degree, it is responsible for muscular soreness and pre-mature fatigue. Sport drinks do nothing to address the acid issue. In fact, they add to the acid problem due to the large amount of sugar ingested -- sugar drinks are basically acid drinks. The same goes for fruit drinks (the actual sweet part of the fruit is replaced with sugar and/or high fructose corn syrup). It's no wonder regular exercisers have a hard time recovering from injuries -- the injury is surrounded by acid.

Bananas, oranges, potatoes and melons are must-staples of athletes' general diet due to their high potassium content. Yes, they contain sugar, however, it's in a complex carbohydrate form (less inflammatory) that is a longer lasting fuel for the exercising muscle. They alkalize once consumed, however,baking soda water is a stronger and more direct alkalizing agent and may mean the difference between 1st and 2nd in an athletic event.

Bottom-line: As a general guideline, and based on personal research, the following is my recipe for adjusting acid-blood toward the direction of healthier alkaline-blood pH. Below are two separate examples -- do one or the other but not both: Mix 1/4-1/3 teaspoon of baking soda in a 12-16 ounce glass of tap or bottled water and consume 1 glass in the AM and 1 in the PM and swish it in your mouth (cavity prevention) before swallowing daily. In addition to, and at anytime when you experience heartburn, an extra glass may be necessary. This method is easy, convenient, and you're more likely to be consistent with it. If you drink distilled or reverse osmosis water daily as your main source of water (cleanest there is, but acidic), mix 3/4 to 1 teaspoon/gallon. Tap and bottled waters are not as acidic (but very dirty) so you may want to adjust them to a lower 1/2 teaspoon/gallon. You can make adjustments with pH papers below. Refrain from consuming straight baking soda and/or strong mixtures of the same. It can numb taste-buds and cause the skin from the roof of your mouth to peel (personal experience) not painful, just bothersome. In other words, strong alkalinity can burn you on its end of the scale similar to strong acids such as sulfuric or muriatic that burn on the acid side of the scale.

The above recommendation is for the non-exerciser and/or those who consume the average western diet. Dedicated life extensionists (typically consume lots of minerals), vegetarians, vegans, and/or those who consume more fruits and vegetables than the average person, may want to use a bit less baking soda. Their bodies tend to be a bit more alkaline than the average person. Your barometer can be the consistent use of pH strips/papers. They give you the information you need to make adjustments with the baking soda you put in your water.

Oranges and Lemons
When using pH papers to directly measure fruits and/or vegetables, they typically show-up in the acid range. Oranges and lemons are good examples. Touching the pH paper directly to the opened/peeled fruit reads acid. However, when consumed, they become alkaline as a result of the digestive process from the resulting residue. Fruits and vegetables have a special relationship with our bodies -- they are transformed into an alkaline base as they are burned to ash (as are most fruits and vegetables). Most other food sources do not have this special relationship with our bodies.

Sodium (and Potassium) Concern
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda contains 300 mgs. (milligrams) of sodium -- not much to be concerned about. Most of us typically consume 2,000-3,000 mgs. of salt (sodium chloride) daily. Studies show the relationship between sodium and potassium to be the high blood pressure culprit. Generally, where there is high sodium in populations, there is low potassium. Potassium rich foods generally cost more than sodium rich foods, thus, impoverished areas have a higher incidence of stroke and high blood pressure. The scientific literature shows that if potassium is increased and sodium stays the same, the incidence of blood pressure and strokes drop. A 2:1 ratio of potassium to sodium should be a strong consideration for anyone. Our government allows only 99 mgs. to be put in a daily dose where supplements are concerned. Raw fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of potassium. This is one of the few areas where food provides more micro-nutrients than nutritional supplements.

Potassium can improve athletic performance in those who are deficient. Those who train 3-4 hours daily can lose up to 700 mgs. from sweat -- about the same amount in one banana. Typically, food manufacturers transform 3.5 ounces of fresh raw peas containing 380 mgs. of potassium and 2 mgs. of sodium into 236 mgs. of sodium. At the same time, they decrease the potassium content to 160 mgs. via the canning process. The same thing applies to other common vegetables. You can buy a salt substitute from your grocery store which is potassium chloride (as opposed to sodium chloride). One of the most popular brands is called No Salt.

Measuring With pH Paper/Strips
There are 2 easy ways to monitor your pH -- urine and saliva. Whether you test your urine or saliva, the pH value of either varies throughout the day based on many variables (food, liquids, stress, nutritional supplement intake, etc.). Therefore, it is necessary to check it 4-5 times/day so you can establish an average. Personally, I have found the urine method to be the most accurate. If your average is still acidic (or, gets too alkaline) adjust the amount of baking soda accordingly. You can use pH paper/strips or a pH meter. I've always preferred the strips for convenience.

Testing Roadtrip

WOW - Wednesday already. Holy smokes! Tomorrow morning I hit the road for Vernon to spend 3 days with Andrew and Ginny Sellars, FaCT Lactate Testing Coaches and great athletes themselves. The Goal: to see where I am currently at and develop a plan to move me forward.

Thank goodness I awoke this morning feeling somewhat better. I think my massage with Laura really contributed to healing my sick and aching body. After teaching my 6am class, I hit the trails for 45min good paced trail run ending with 12 x 20sec repeats (as prescribed by Crossfit Endurance) with 20sec recovery (was supposed to be 2mins, I altered). I gave a good effort out there. Actually, anything is better than how I felt yesterday on my 3hr run when I literally died out on the trails in huge coughing fits and a zapped energy tank. Being fun is no fun, no fun at all. After my run this morning, I hit up crossfit for some work on my "snatches" and this evening will see me up tackle The Chief!!

I will keep you posted on what I learn about myself this weekend! The tests will put me into that zone where we all hate to go. I've got my bike and shoes packed for the weekend so looking forward to coming home with lactate balance point results, body composition and power output knowledge that I can take and move forward with.

Cheers to good health everyone!!

Crossfit Certification Weekend

(no it's not raining in there, my camera just sucks)

This past weekends adventures took me back to California. Strange to not be headed somewhere for a race for once. However, a great opportunity came up for me to do my Crossfit Level I certification so I jumped on it. Despite a nagging cold (my first one in 2 years I think) from Ecuador travels, I hacked up my lungs all weekend and got the job done.

I have to admit, I have been out of mainstream Crossfit training for a few months now. Since living up north, I’ve been doing my best to keep up with air squats, KB swings and ab mats. However, any ability to lift heavy has disappeared - so very frustrating. On the plus, time away in a controlled environment allowed me to return to running and nurse my achilles, so I suppose not all was lost.

Ok, back to the weekend. I arrived Thursday night into Long Beach and first stop was to Crossfit Newport for the evening WOD. And as expected, it did not disappoint! I hadn’t hung on a pull up bar forever so when “Death by Pull-ups” and “Death by 30m” came up, I knew I was in trouble. However, I did my best on the bars and only needed to modify ½ way through. It was great to see the Newport crew as they are always a fun and welcoming bunch. Got to catch up with Coach Carl (my pacer from the SD100) and Bob and Jennifer drove down with baby Lincoln for a visit and dinner. Cat and I then hit the road down South to Salona Beach for a few days visit with TR. I enjoyed an early morning seaside run to Del Mar, breakfast at Ki’s and a yummy Mexican dinner, life at my “home away from home” was nice as usual.

Early Saturday morning, the amazing Cat drove me back up north to Anaerobic Inc in Rancho Santa Margarita for my 2 days of Crossfit learning. What a GREAT GREAT weekend. I learned so much more than expected. The instructors were awesome and all the people taking the course were really nice. We hit some tough WOD’s (like Fran) in addition to hundreds of squats, dead-lifts, SDHP, clean and jerks and on and on and on!!! My understanding of how to execute the movements and to teach them grew tremendously. My STOKE for Crossfit returned and after some good discussions with some new mentors (like the head strength and conditioning coach at University of San Diego who uses Crossfit for all his athletes) I now better understand how to make “endurance athlete Jen” and “Crossfit Jen” fit together!!! WAHOO!!!! I’ve got some great ideas for all the runners, tri-athletes, mountain bikers etc who I coach on how to apply these methods into their programs.

A tiring weekend, but a great weekend. I spent Sunday night back at the Cox household and realized more and more how much fun having a baby could be as I played with little Lincoln. Bob caught me up on the latest i2P happenings and we even heard from Ray this morning while we drank our morning coffee. He and Kevin are 2 days into the Siberian Express – Ray sounded cold! These guys are going to be great out there as over 8000 students follow along and learn.

Back here in Squamish now, times are busy. Outdoor classes start tomorrow morning, I have lots of training to get on with and Thursday I head out to Vernon to meet Coach Andrew and the Balance Point Racing Team for some testing. I’m on a great high from the weekend and STOKED on life! I hope you are too........

Ecuador & The Highest AR in the World

Home safely from an amazing trip to Ecuador in South America. I didn't have much email access so therefor, getting regular posts up was a problem. Attempting to put up pictures, out of the question. However, a featured article will be appearing in the next issue of BREATHE Magazine and some updates are on their blog. Luis took amazing photos will be shared as well. Congrats to the Canadian teams - Untamed New England and Milton Basement Racers as well as Carena Dean from Canmore who took 1st place racing with an Ecuadorian team. We enjoyed following you at Huairasinchi! I'm convinced to come back and race it myself - little convincing needed :)

In the mean time, here are just a few from our travels on day #1 when we arrived in Quito. Oh, and add this place on your "to adventure to" list! Within 2 hrs of the main city, you can be virtually ANYWHERE - the Andes, the coast, the Galapagos!

Getting Acquainted with Ecuador

Without any travel issues, Luis and I arrived late last night into Quito, located at 2800meters above sea level. Greeted by Diego, our local guide for the next week, we made it to Hotel Mercure and enjoyed a much needed sleep. I knew they were there, but could not see the majestic mountains that surround the city. I was eager for morning to come!!!

And disappointed we were not! Blue skies and a great European style breakfast started off the day. By 9am, we were making our way up to the TeleferiQo, a tram system that would take us up to 13,500 ft to the base of Los Pinchinchas and an amazing view over looking the city. Luis and I were both experiencing the altitude as we slowly crawled our way up a little higher on a hiking trail, trying to mask the heavy breathing and limiting our conversation. From our viewpoints and frequent stops, we could see 5 of the major volcanoes in the northern part of the country including the grand daddy of them all, Cotopaxi.

It was then onto a tour of the city where we parked the jeep and enjoyed visits to the Cathedrals and monuments as we strolled the lively cobble stoned streets that were full of hustle and bustle. The Spanish and Native influence is very much apart of the Ecuador culture and is extremely captivating.

The later part of the day took us out of the city boundaries and into rural Ecuador. Diego took us to his families “Campo Base”, a stunning piece of property and cozy lodge for their climbing clients. I vowed to return to climb Cotopaxi with Diego and his father as my guides in the future.

Luis and I learned a few things today as well. First off, when on top of these mountains, sunscreen and hat is essential unless you want to look like a burned lobster in the rest of your trips pictures. Next, the traditional food is amazing and must be tried. Lastly, altitude is VERY humbling no matter how great you thought your fitness level was.

Will keep the updates coming here as well as to the BREATHE Magazine homepage. Luis will be posting pics! For some reason, mine aren't uploading...

SOLE gettin' corked!

Here is something to look forward to this summer! I was really excited when I learned that one of my amazing sponsors SOLE had recently partnered with ReCORK to create this new flip-flop sandal out of old wine bottle corks! How very very cool. I'm always so impressed when I see companies taking the incredible products that they already make and applying it towards an even greener technology and one that is more sustainable!

Back in 2008, my entire BADWATER crew ran along side and paced me at this 135miler extreme heat running race in Death Valley, CA. The SOLE flip-flops are so comfortable that most of them logged some serious mileage while in this sandal. Top notch support while being crazy comfortable.

I love SOLE and I can't wait to try these out! Summer will be here soon.