Downtime

Taking it easy this week, has not been difficult at all.
I was sitting on the couch reading "A Year in Provence, by Peter Mayle", and listening to CBC's The Signal last night, and the host Laurie Brown read a poem by Sylvia Plath that has stuck with me all day.

"I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in life. And I am horribly limited.  " ― Sylvia Plath

Well now that I have been reading and fiddling for the past couple of hours, I should try and do something productive. So I'll hop on my bike for a bit.

Balance..always balance

This is a great article, again, on how sitting is literally killing us. I am standing up right now and typing this! Also, about balance. Striking the right balance. Is standing hurting us? Is sitting hurting us? Is there such a thing as too much exercise(I believe there is) But always trying to balance. It's sooooo tricky.   Also, this article made me all warm and tingly knowing that there is a good chance we won't evolve to be hunch backs! Sorry hun, but I really hope you're wrong about that one:) xoxo
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/exercise/fitness-research/is-the-standing-desk-the-cure-to-our-sedentary-woes/article2274334/

A murmation

A murmation is a flock of Starlings in flight.

This was a beautiful video I came across while checking out the Weather Network this morning.
And because I love birds, I loved this! It's so peaceful to watch.

Things I get to do because I'm not training for Iron Man

Last weekend after we did a short and sweet hilly ride late in the afternoon, we chatted with two gents that just rode 120kms. They seemed pretty spent.  It was not a warm afternoon either.
I was thinking about them later, and I asked myself, how badly do I really want to do that distance?
Then I picked up Triathlete Magazine this morning.... Kona madness baby! Oh boy..

So in gratitude of living my life a little more freely, here is a self reminder of all the awesomeness that I get to experience right now.

Sleeping in until 10am because I stayed up to 12:30am the night before. Yup 10 am!!
Drinking half a bottle of wine... or was it three quarters of a bottle??
Learning Cross Fit
Not being ravenously hungry all the time
Doing yoga more than once a month
Only having to ride 50 kms... for fun and at any pace I feel like
Going for late day runs with my man, not by myself
Taking naps in the afternoon... oh wait I do that no matter what!
Drinking wine... woops said that already..
Getting up early to coach, not to train.
Mountain biking every weekend
Free time to write in my blog
Enthusiasm to do workouts
Read more than two pages in a book without falling asleep
No structure

Soon enough I will be back to structure, and routine, but it's pretty sweet to be living without it right now :)
Sigh...

Passion, determination, drive, attitude.

If you want it bad enough, I mean really want it......
More than anyone else... it's all yours!

Whatever that IT may be.

Crave it. Love it. Move. Keep trying.
Those down days will happen. Accept them, and keep moving forward.

Whatever the PASSION, keep DETERMINED, DRIVE yourself forward, and keep a positive, and mindful ATTITUDE.

Expectations

I expect alot of myself. So much sometimes that it get's a little too overwhelming. No one to blame but myself for that of course. And when things don't play out how I expect them too, it can be a real letdown. But I'm really trying, and learning to let go of all that. I am one person. Capable of only so much. Not saying that I stop working hard, and avoid continuing to learn and grow. But I have to keep reminding myself to drop unrealistic expectations.

There was an article in the Globe & Mail yesterday about racing and a little on expectations.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/fitness/running/training-and-technique/the-race-is-over-now-what/article2201655/page1/

Funny when you drop expectations how things fall into place, and life is so much more positive. Remenising about my little Xterra adventure, and races, and how I let go of the expectation for Xterra (which took a bit). Then went out, and had so much fun. Don't get me wrong, it was still hard work, and a struggle, mentally &  physically, but the end result was different for that race. My dear, sweet husbands' comment to me last night was that was the happiest he had ever seen me after a race. Huh. (But it also helps that I managed to place.. he he) 

This goes for trying to figure my business out as well. All it really comes down to is continuing to build experience, and grow my education. But keep it realisitc. This all takes time, and patience.
 Lose the expectation that all will play out specifically as planned.  Funny what happens then...

Born to run

Cleaning out my e-mail, and came across this Ted TV video from awhile ago.

Good stuff.



Zucchini Beet Cake

My mom gave me 2 beautiful zucchini's before we left Lethbridge. I had to use them right away!
I also have a bag full of beets that I've been working my way through. Adding the beets to smoothies, and salads, quesadillas, and whatever else comes to mind.
So with trying new beet concoctions, and with all the root vegetables, and squashes being in season, I've whipped up a fabulous gluten free zucchini beet cake.
It is so delicious that a large cake only lasts a couple of days in our house! There are only two of us.....

A must whether you are gluten free or not.
This is a gooder!

ZUCCHINI BEET CAKE

Pre-heat oven to 350
Line a cake pan, round or square, with greased parchement paper

2 eggs
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup panella sugar, or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 cup of ALL for a total of 2 cups flour -tapioca flour, almond meal, coconut flour, and quinoa flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 unsweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups shredded zucchini & beets, combined (about 1 medium zucchini and 2 small beets)
1/2 cup raisins



In a large bowl combine eggs, oil, and panella sugar, and pureed pumpkin. Mix well with whisk.
Then add all remaining ingredients, mixing well with a wooden spoon.
Batter will be quite thick.
"Pour" batter into cake pan.
Bake for 45-55 minutes.
To test for doneness, remove from oven, and with a butter knife, pierce top of cake and remove. Knife should come out clean.


Icing(optional)
2 tbsps softened coconut butter
1- 1&1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsps almond milk, or coconut milk, less for a thicker icing, more for a thinner icing.


Once cake has cooled all the way through, top with icing.
I kept the icing thinner and drizzled it over the cake.

Thanksgiving weekend

Well, it's official. Winter is creeping in. Quickly too. 
Thankfully, we've been able to enjoy some beautiful days still.
The Thanksgiving weekend flew by.
We were in Lethbridge for a couple of days, and they were full days.
Walking in the coulees, running, biking, learned to ride a motor bike(highlight of the month-or longer-for me!) Learned a new game, ate some amazing food as well. It was pretty sweet. Super fortunate that I am able to participate in so many different activities.
I now have to plan the rest of the season. It's funny when you break the seasons down, how they seem to fly by even faster.
So now that I've semi learned to ride a motor bike
I want to learn to do Cyclo Cross, and fly a plane! HA.
Goals/dreams on completely opposite ends of the spectrum.... sort of

Oh, and I was only go 5MPH, so I didn't have a helmet on, all I was doing was learning to clutch.
Wore a helmet on my second day of riding. Got into third gear!

1967 Yamaha-My dad built it!

Now a zero emission motor bike, hey dad?

Xterra Adventure

Finally I have a few extra minutes to sit down and post some pictures from Xterra.
What an amazing day and fantastic experience.

Two weeks ago(already!) we took off for Squamish for a little X-tra mountain biking, and for me to try an Xterra race.
What a place to do my first one.
I planned last year to do this, but never made any solid effort to make it happen. Then last minute, we decided to head out, and soak up the last bit of summer in a place we love. So 5 super days of riding, a little race in there, and what stellar time it was!
We pre-rode the route a couple days before the race, and I second guessed doing the race. How could I be ready for THAT! We ride very different terrain in AB. There is still good technical riding in AB, but not like what I was experiencing that afternoon.
I knew that the riding was going to be technical, but holy s#$@ I didn't expect THAT! For being pretty new to mountain biking, it was like nothing I've riden.
So I sucked it up, grumble my way through the rest of the ride that afternoon, and said I would think about what I was ultimately going to do.  I was considering not doing the race. Keeping in mind, I never really "trained" for this race. It was a last minute "yah what a fun way to finish off the summer" idea.  Registered, got plane tickets, and a rental car, and two weeks later we were in Squamish.
Every moment of that route, I was cursing at the fact that I was not ready to ride this.  But later that day, with some reminders from my good friends, that I wasn't the only one feeling despondent, and that this was the West Coast so suck it up, I let go of my expectations and decided to just do it.
The day before the race I hit the water, did the pre-race stuff, and then readied myself for the next day. Easy peasy. No stress, just ready.
The morning at the lake was incredible. I wasn't nervous, I felt good about being there, and just let 'r rip as best I could.
The swim was well paced for me, then on to the bike. I paced myself through it. Let the pro's whiz by, and got through sections that I wasn't able to do two days ago! All I could think was " I wish my honey could see me accomplish this, he'd be so proud!"  Finally after an hour and a halfish, I was out of the bike course.  I was so psyched to get on to the run section.
The run was just as challenging, but I think a little more beautiful than the bike portion.
Wham bam, after 3 hours I was done.  Not a stellar time, but I finished, and had an incredible experience. No IMC by any means, but my own accomplishment. Something I didn't think I was able to do.

Not a bad way to finish the season. Okay who am I kidding. I ended up with a new bike today! The season is still going!



Summer goodness

I was in Canmore for a good part of the day yesterday. Enjoyed a good road bike ride, and swim with some girls. It was a pretty good day. When I got home, Mark was in the garage fixing the bikes, and I joined him only to yap his ear off about food, biking, dinner, and other mish mash nonsensicle stuff. Then we decided we'd better get things going for dinner. So I said I'd go put a bottle of wine in the fridge to chill while we prepared things. Turned out we drank all our whites! So it was a quick clean up scramble, and we ran off to J Webb to stock up again. (I think wine is a more expensive addiction than triathlon... guess I should cut back a bit he he...)
We made it, shortly before they closed(thank goodness!) Tasted a few samples first, chatted Sarah up about the weekend, then drove home to start dinner. I was still thinking about the chicken thighs we were going to BBQ, and wanted to spice them up a bit. Not with a marinade.What to do, what to do??
I had some beautiful, white onions, and wanted to use them. But how was I going to incorporate onions into chicken?? Good think Mark was driving, because my little mind was a whirring!  Then bam! I thought relish! Why couldn't I do a relish? BBQ some zucchini,onions and garlic up, and process it.
Done!

So here is what I did:

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 medium zucchini

Coconut oil

Salt

Tinfoil

2 tsp. grainy mustard

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Turn on your BBQ to medium heat.
While the BBQ is heating up, prepare your onion, and zucchini
Slice the onion lengthwise, from the top, in two different directions, like a plus symbol, but not all the way through.
Place the onion on the tinfoil, drizzle with coconut oil, and sprinkle with salt.
Then place the galic cloves around the onion. Wrap the tinfoil around everything to seal it up.
Then, with the zucchini, slice it lengthwise into four pieces.
Place them on the BBQ until both are well cooked through. About 30-40 minutes. ( Alternatively, you could do everything on a baking sheet in the oven to avoid the tinfoil business.)

Grab your food processor and set it up with the big blade.

Once everything is cooked, and nicely browned, place the zucchini in your food processor, and pulse to coarsely chop. Place the zucchini in a bowl and set aside.
Then peel the garlic cloves, and toss them, and the cooked onion into the food processor. Pulse again to coarsley chop.

Add the onion/garlic mix into the zucchini mix. Fold them together. Add some more salt, if needed. Then fold in the mustard and balsamic vinegar.

Voila! Done. On went the potato wedges, then the chicken, then the carrots. Once that was done, I quickly boiled some peas. Dinner was served. The wine we drank was a wonderful Chardonnay,Mounterey County, Mount Eden. Then I plated our meal and put a good amount of my so called "relish" on top of the meat.
It was wonderful! What a great match. Now am I able to can some of this goodness?

Shine! Shine! Shine!

What makes me shine?

I always wanted to make a difference in this world. Always felt that I was here to really impact people, be an inspiration. But never knew how I was going to accomplish this let alone what it was that I was supposed to do! That's just my personality. I feel I have to "do" .
                                           Lightbulb!
              It's not a matter of doing.
                                 It's a matter of just being.
                   That's how I shine.
                                That's how I inspire.
          Just be.... me....
But it's not easy some days. I have those mental wars of why I can't do something, anything.
Then I hear a good song, taste a strawberry that was perfect, or smile at someone while walking down the street, and they smile back.
                                                   Simple.
Life disapears in an instant.  I want to live now, in the present. 
                                            I have it all, and I just need to be.


As the late Jack Layton said in his letter:
     ......love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.

Liked this music video as well.

Everything we do has an impact on someone, somewhere, somehow.

  Consciousness, awareness, passion, stay present.

Sitting

 Doing a little ride with a friend yesterday morning, the topic of sitting, and how it negatively impacts us came up, of course as we're seated on our bikes!  I recalled a previous article from Bicycling Magazine (but can't seem to find it now?) about "sitting disease", but had to ask a chiro friend about another article that he frequently gives to his patients.
So here is a great read if you're like the rest of us who frequent our office chairs! And you're likely sitting and reading this!

http://www.menshealth.com/health/back-pain-and-spinal-health

I love this stuff.
It brings to light my own physical weaknesses, and inspires me to keep moving.

Below is another link for some exercises, and stretches that I did find in Bicycling Magazine.

http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/your-best-cycling-body-ever
My fave is the pike on the fit ball!

Now to get out of my chair and wander...

Communication

After I taught my fitness class today, I walked away a little disapointed in the outcome. Not that my participants did anything wrong. They worked really hard. They always do. They make me smile, inside and out, with all their efforts. But I felt like something was lacking.
As I walked to my next job, I replayed the class through my mind, and knew what it was that I had done ineffectively. Communicate.
I know, that just because it makes sense in my mind, doesn't necessarily mean that everyone else understands it. So how do I get better at this?  How do I consistently get all the pertinant information out without overdoing it?
Part of me thinks that it is something that just takes practice like anything else. But are some of us better communicators than others? Maybe. How do I really improve on my communication?
My outcome from podering these questions, was that I really feel that I need to simplify things. If I make it simple for myself, then maybe it will be clear all around.
 I'm going to review my plans for classes this week, and see what I can improve on.
I don't think it would hurt either if I looked into a workshop, or class for communication.
Onward and upward!

To Tri or Not to Tri

So no triathlons this season.
As hard as it was to say no this year, a break has been good. I've thrown myself into learning so many other things. Who would have thought I could survive a season without obsessive training!
Well, it is possible. Trying to get my own little business in place has been really rewarding, and some days a little busy. No complaints here though! This rocks!
I've been incredibly fortunate to work with some amazing people. Learning from everything I do every day. Time management has been a huge one. Especially living in Calgary. Some days, however, I think it takes far to long to do the simplest things. So I have to figure out how to do five things at once!  Ahhhh the simple life. Still clinging on to the idea that it is out there somewhere. Or maybe it's right here? Just have to not overthink and stress about the little things. I have to remember. Don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small stuff.
This long weekend I will spend doing a bit of mountain biking, not too far away, and trying to soak up some more lovely summer sun. I will be volunteering at IM 70.3  as well! I'm excited to cheer on the people racing. No doubt it will get me charged up for races for next season!
Well just a little tid bit for today. Now on to enjoying the rest of summer. Dinner awaits.

Sugar, and spice, and all that's nice!

I was sick all weekend. Lovely. Twice a year, if I'm unlucky, and I let the stress level get a little too high(self induced of course!) do I catch a little gem of a bug. Gross. My brother told me that when you get sick, you carry 7lbs of mucus in your body. Again.. lovely. Leave it to brothers to inform us of only the grotesque! Not sure how true that is. But with the boxes of kleenex I went through in two days, I'm not going to protest his stats.
Therefore I did no cooking. Mark bought so many amazing, delicous groceries from the Calgary Farmers Market and Community Natural Foods, to make us our meals. I laid on the couch, coughing, and sneezing while he prepared his meals. I got soup.  But not just any soup! Amy's Soups! I think one of the best alternatives to home made. I just didn't have the energy to get it together to make soup. So added to the grocery list was this alternative.
He came home with armfulls of goodies.  I did manage to help unpack some groceries. I couldn't resist seeing what little gems he brought home. What can I say. I'm an addict, a food junkie.
In the grocery bags, I dug out a brand new ditty. Bob's Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Gluten Free Bread Mix. I have to admit, I was a bit sceptical at first. Not that I don't trust Mark's taste. He know's what he's doing.  But I passed this up many times in the store because I knew that I just didn't have the extra time to be mixing intense GF "doughs". (Banana bread and muffins are quick and easy in comparison) Also, as I've mentioned before, I would rather try and make my own recipes instead of pre-packaged stuff. So the bag sat on the counter for a day and a half until I was a bit better.
Monday morning I felt more like myself. Still requiring a few tissues, but somewhat "normal". I was out of bed early, made Mark his coffee, and I set to work on my breakfast and bread making.  It wasn't so bad. I read the package directions and made short work of all the ingredients and stirred that crazy batter like nobody's business.  The "dough" came together quite nicely. My scepticism melted away once I saw how beautiful the "dough" was.  I said outloud to myself "this is going to be reeeaally good"!  The package directions say to mix it with a stand mixer or hand mixer.  I don't have a stand mixer, and I burned the motor out on my hand mixer! he he. So, a wooden spoon was all I used, and just had at 'er for about 4 or 5 minutes.  Then got the batter into a little bread pan and let it rise.  Once that was good, in the oven it went for an hour.
Oh man! It turned out stellar!  And giant! The directions did ask for a good size bread pan....

Overall, I am definitely going to buy this again and again.

Even the second day the bread was still fresh, didn't fall apart.

I had bought some Udi's Gluten Free bread in Vancouver last week as well, and this, I'd say, is pretty comparable, and less expensive!

So as long as I don't go through a loaf of bread in a few days, then cost wise and taste wise this is alright. 

Now I still have to tackle those cookies, and banana bread this week.  Better get on it. The weekend and hopefully some good times cycling, are only four sleeps away!

Life is a whirlwind

So apparently people actually read my blog! Well then, I'd better get with it and post something. Here I thought I was doing all of this out of pure vanity. Guess not. Ha!
Thought it would be fitting to write about my island trip, and of course some food stuff, and some other dribble in there too!
I sat back for a moment this afternoon, and realized that summer is half over!
I'm befuddled. Yes befuddled.  In the past week, I've travelled to Vancouver Island(by car, yes driving!) to see some lovely, amazing friends get married, and then to Vancouver to see my brother and then back to Calgary, and right in to "work" again.  How is it possible that five days are literally a whirlwind. We drove, slept(well hardly slept, trains and air matresses are kind of sleep disruptors), ate, drank, visited family and friends, and drove some more.  I hate to wish time away, but waiting for ferry's and driving 12 hours straight is tough on my bottom and mental state. I'm not someone who cares to sit for too long. But it was so worth it. To be out on the island drinking in the.. oh wait.. there was no sunshine this time! First time we've been to Victoria and the weather was dreary. No biggie of course. Doesn't stop me from going out for food and walking! We hit up Ferris' Oyster Bar & Grill again, which after trying a few different places on the island, I think, have the best raw oysters. I was able to meet up with a fantastic triathlon coach. Which, I am lucky to be part of her ambassador program too! Check out PT Performance Training. 
We walked along Dallas Road and watched seals catch fish. You could see them swimming in the clear, blue sea. These sleek, grey bodies under the water, then a little head bobbing on the surface. I could stand for hours and watch them. Waiting for them to pop up again. I love it.  Then a late night mint tea from Tre Fantastico. Where I learned about Panela sugar! This stuff is worth the money. But it's not local of course. Used some in a smoothie yesterday, and I will be making some banana bread where I think it will blend in beautifully.
The wedding in Duncan was wonderful. It was this fantastic piece of land with a little pond, a campsite, two little houses, little outdoor bathrooms, and a giant white tarp where the ceremony and dinner takes place. It was fabulous. Best wedding I've ever been to. Drinking wine while our friends said their vows, how can you beat that!  Then whamo, it's 2am, and the fire has made me nice and toasty enough to crawl into my sleeping bag.
Back to see my brother in Vancouver for a day, then back to Calgary.  I couldn't believe that it was actually warm when we got in to Calgary! First bit of real heat and dry weather we've felt in awhile. That was sweet treat.
I always love being away for even just a short while. It refreshes the mind, and allows me to really savour the moments. There were so many the past week. I find myself so fortunate to be able to experience so many simple, wonderful things. Nothing fancy. Nothing extravagent. It's a nice reminder of how incredible it is to be human.

TDF Stage 9 Crash

Watching the Tour this year, I can't get over the number of crashes happening. I'm sure all that are following feel this way..

I couldn't believe what I was watching.
To view an incredible video clip, log on to YouTube and type in Tour de France stage 9.
I was unable to post a video clip due to copyright. Oh well.

Jonny Hoogerland went on to finish the stage! These men are made of steel. Unbelievable.

Pick-me-up

I wanted a little pick-me-up this afternoon. Iced tea was what I was craving. But none of that packaged shmackaged, over processed stuff! Blah. The real thing. So I boiled some water, and while that was heating up, picked my tea from my Teopia tin(thanks Uyen). When the water was ready, I poured it in my tea pot, added my little mesh, loose tea holder, and let it steap for 5 minutes or so. I like my tea strong. Then once that was ready, I took my ice from the freezer and popped two trays full into a jug. Poured in my steeped tea(which had cooled a bit),added about 3 tablespoons of agave syrup,(I like sweet too!), fresh sliced lemon, a squeeze of fresh lemon, fresh mint, and stired it up. Done. Perfect. Almost instant. Now I can sit for a few minutes, read, and soak up some heat. Summer is awesome!

Tabouli, Tabbouleh, Tabouleh!

I love Tabouli. If you don't know what Tabouli is, well.... It's a super hippie dish that's for sure!  Okay, seriously it's a traditional Middle Eastern dish. Simple, clean, and refreshing.  Everytime I eat it I reminisce of my childhood, grade 9, and summer. My mom would make this healthy stuff for us as far back as I can remember. When I was a little older, and she didn't make it as much, I think I would beg her to make it because I had a friend in grade 9 who's mom made it for her! But I don't think she makes it anymore? So now I make it!
However, my recipe is with a bit of a twist. I make it with Quinoa instead of Bulghar wheat. Then it's gluten free.  This is not a new recipe. You can search the internet, and there are many quinoa tabouli recipes.  But I thought I would post mine anyhow. With my flavours, and now that more local produce is coming out as well, I'm taking full advantage of buying some local,  tasty tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs.

Quinoa Tabouli
1 cup quinoa, rinsed several times( I rinse it right in my rice cooker by swishing the quinoa around in cold water, then draining the water from the pot while holding the lid on snuggly. The water slowly pours out.)
2 cups water
Once quinoa is rinsed really well, add the cooking water and cook in the rice cooker.

1 1/2 cups fresh, organic, parsley, finely chopped
3-4 tbsps. fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large, local tomoatoe, finely chopped
1 local cucumber, finely chopped
1 organic lemon, juiced
1/4-1/3 cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste.

Once quinoa is done cooking, remove the lid, and let it cool.
Then prepare all the other ingredients while quinoa is cooling, and add them to a large bowl.
Once the quinoa is no longer steaming, add it to the bowl, and mix well with all other ingredients, seasoning to your liking.
You can let it sit in the fridge overnight before eating, or eat right away. However it always tastes a little more flavourful after sitting for awhile.

I think I'm going to go get another bowl full now...

What I learned this morning....

Had the swim coach make some comments on our swim stoke. Which is great. It's always positive to know that you can keep making improvements.Then I read a little quote which I thought was fitting to this morning.
"... I'm running with serenity and confidence and letting the improvements come to me."  Kara Goucher, America long-distance runner.
Yes, it does have to do with running specifically, but I felt that it could be applied to any part of sport. I mean, honestly, who am I kidding! Even as a recreational triathlete, we're never really satisfied with just doing alright. We always crave more, better, faster.
But I think there is a certain point where sometimes it doesn't hurt to shut that expectation off and just let the improvements come to you.

CNS & PNS

Had a great acupuncture session today, and Dr. Nelson gave me a different "exercise" to do before I go to sleep at night. It's a way to "reset the Nervous System" she said. I think I wrote that correctly? A way to sleep better at night. I'm looking forward to feeling the results.
So during my run this afternoon, I was thinking of this "exercise" . It made me wonder about my little brain .   The CNS, and PNS! The brain, the spinal cord and all the nervous structures outside of that. Everything that keeps me running, biking, and swimming, laughing, and eating of course!
Here are some ramblings on our complex systems. I may not be entirely acurate on all of this, so by all means correct me.
The nervous system can be sub-divided into "three basic funtions". Sensory, Integrative, and Motor. The Sensory bit has to do with internal stimuli(ie: blood pressure) and external stimuli (ie: a raindrop on your skin). The Integrative bit processes the Sensory information.(ie perception)  Then there is Motor function. This function takes the integrated sensory information and brings about a response. Then the sensory and motor functions of the PNS can be further sub-divided into the Somatic(SNS), Autonomic(ANS), and Enteric(ENS) nervous systms! The SNS takes the external and internal information from the body and relays it to the CNS. This action is voluntary. The ANS relays information from the visceral(internal) organs to the CNS(involuntary). Then there is also the ENS. This one is involuntary also, and takes the chemical changes in the gut and relays them to the CNS. Oh boy. So now taking all of that into account, the simple acts of eating and working out, and basic daily functions, seem to be a lot of work for the body!
And all of this made me think about proprioception,  how we view the world around us,(CNS & PNS)and how it is so vitally important to continually change our external surroundings, and exercises/activities that we expose our bodies too. Essentially,  improving and changing, the way our body, and mind, perceives the environment around us.
And wouldn't you have it, hills were on my schedule today! Hills are important for power, apparently even injury prevention, and when you run or bike hills, this challenges our fitness. Hmmm, does this change the bodies external and internal stimuli as well?  Hey, even work on adjusting the running stride a little. Improve propriocetion? Which is not a bad thing to do when you run all the time any how. Why stick to the same stride that you've always known? 
With the CNS and PNS, and all the bodies daily workings, I'm looking forward to "resetting my nervous system".
The more I read about the body, the more humble it makes me.

Principles of Human Anatomy, 11th Edition, Tortora, G.J., Nielsen, M.T.

A great read

A really well written article about Ryder Hesjedal.
Can't wait to see his performance in TDF! woohoo!
http://www.walrusmagazine.com/articles/2011.07-sports-the-pain-principle/1/

Pizza

Homemade pizza has become a staple in our house lately.
I finally found a descent Gluten Free mix that even non-gluten free-ers love!

I don't like to buy pre-mixed stuff, but this one rocks! It's simple, quick, and easy to prepare.
Plus there are always leftovers!
I've done Foccacia and some flat bread with it as well.

So Saturday evening, we opened some vino, and made some pizza!
I made mine tomatoe sauce free.

For the pizza "sauce":
 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
1/4 cup organic, extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp dried basil
Mix the 3 ingredients in a bowl, and let sit until crust is ready.

Then make your pizza crust.
Once the pizza crust is ready, top with the sauce of choice, and toppings of choice.
We topped our pizza's with:
Mushrooms
Fresh red and orange peppers
Kalamata olives
Artichoke hearts
Organic turkey meat slices
Organic bison pepperoni slices (fresh from the Farmers Market, Olson Bison)
Goat cheese feta

Bake in the oven until browned and bubbling! So delicious.
Can't wait until lunch today for leftovers!

Cycling Calgary

Now this is what I like to read!

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Calgary+cycling+plan+aims+double+downtown+riders/4927274/story.html


And this is what I love to see! Sigh... wouldn't it be amazing if this is what our city slowly transformed into??? One of my favorite videos.

Well I can dream can't I?



Words of Wisdom

Mark found this video and it was hilarious!

"Rock and Roll!"

Good Enough

Read this in the Globe and Mail earlier this week. I thought it was a great article


http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/news-and-views/sarah-hampson/the-secret-to-happiness-live-a-good-enough-life/article2037845/page2/

Tour de Victoria

We were off playing in Victoria for a few days. The main reason Mark and I were there was to participate in the inagural Tour de Victoria.  It was a blast!

  Ryder Hesjedal!

 The Atrium

 Habit Coffee shop

 The kids Crit

The ride was over and done with before we knew it. Time flies when  you're having fun!  We ate, walked, ran and biked for four days. Here is the TDV link where you can check out more pictures of the ride. http://www.tourdevictoria.com/index.php?option=com_igallery&view=igcategory&id=1&Itemid=265
Victoria is such a gem. Can't wait to go back!

Mental Training

The mental part of training. How often do we practice it?
I know it's true, and I've also been told, the only thing holding me back from being stronger is that I let my head get in the way. Everyone has the potential to succeed and excel beyond who and what we think we are capable of as an athlete, or for that matter in any area of our lives.
Here are some great tips adapted from Runners World magazine and Bicycling Magazine.

"The mind can control so much of our experience on the bike," says Julie Browning, owner of Breakaway training, in Portland, Oregon.  "Luckily, mental skills can be developed."

Stop worrying.
Everyone is in the same boat as you are. Nerves and adrenaline running through the body.
You worked hard to get here at the start line, just like everyone else. Just dig in, have fun, and do your best.

Envision the positve
The night before you race, sit up in bed before you go to sleep, calm down, and imagine yourself racing strong and finishing strong.
 "There is power in going somewhere in your mind's eye before you go there physically," says Ryan Hall. Cincinnati sports psychologist Barbara Walker, Ph.D., says the key to battling prerace anxiety is to be confident about your training. "Use a sentence to take you back from the ledge, like I'm ready, I'm prepared, and repeat it," she says. Take stock of the miles you've covered leading up to this day to put meaning behind the mantra.

Daydreaming
While you race, the mind can wander and you can drop your pace a little. STOP.. Hammer time!

Focus
Stay focused, keep your legs turning over quickly, use those arms to keep the momentum, stand tall.
"There are going to be times in the middle of the race when you lose focus," says McMillan. "But you have to say I'm gonna attack this hill. I'm gonna surge. I'm going to refocus on my goal." Keep in mind that the fatigue you feel is fleeting compared with the hours of training you've put in.

The Competition
You might be measuring yourself against a faster running buddy, a random runner, or everyone in your age group.

The Upside of Competition
Stop talking yourself down and start talking yourself up. Watch that faster runner in front of you and keep focused on them.  Keep your pace up and try to stay on them.

Quitter?
What do you do during the final stretch of the race, when you want to give in to the demands of your burning thighs and calves, which scream No!?

Never Quit!
Scream back yes!! Go! Go! Go!
Do body scans throughout your race. Visualize from your head to your toes what your body is doing and where you're at. Keep a watch on your form. Pick up that torso and surge forward! Love the moment, love your body, and be grateful that you are here in the moment, running, again!

"I'D RATHER RUN A GUTSY RACE PUSHING ALL THE WAY AND LOSE THAN A CONSERVATIVE RACE FOR A WIN."—ALBERTO SALAZAR

Bicycling Magazine, May 2011, 2 minute solutions[to everything], by Tori Bortman
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--13919-0,00.html
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/training-fitness/cycling-tips-train-your-brain

Quinoa Salad

Here's a little ditty I whipped up tonight for dinner.

Quinoa Salad.

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
A handfull of frozen cranberries, cut in half
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red tomatoe, chopped
1 yellow tomatoe, chopped
A good handful of fresh basil, chopped
Fresh squeezed lemon juice from half a lemon
2 tbps. Olive oil
3 tbps. Flax oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the quinoa several times, then add the water and cook in your rice cooker.
While the quinoa is cooking, add to a large bowl:
Cranberries, carrots, tomatoes, lemon juice,  olive oil and flax oil. Toss well.
Once the quinoa is cooked add it all to the bowl with the veggies, and season with salt and pepper.

Once the rain stops, I'll go outside and start the BBQ and have some amazing organic, free range chicken with the salad. MMM. I'm sooo lucky!

 Now... how much do I want to ride my bike in the rain tonight???

Straight from the Hips

Oh this is great stuff!
Thanks Dr. Fox for pointing it out to me!

The link is from the Running Injury Clinic here in Calgary.
Mr. Reed Ferber is doing some amazing stuff up at U of C at the running injury clinic.

http://www.runninginjuryclinic.com/resources/hip-muscle-strengthening.html

I am all over this one!
If you run, you should be too.
Enjoy.
A

Green Goodness

I am loving the refreshing springish weather, well except for today.  It was quite cool outside at lunch while I taught a class, and I think it's going to storm a bit again here any moment!
But that's Alberta!
So with trying to bring a little more spring on, I've been adding a bit more green into my diet the past couple of weeks.  After a hard run or a bike I come home and whip together an amazing green smoothie.
It's alkaline forming, full of carbohydrates, and vegan protein.  Which has been great on my tummy lately. I ate some Bison peperoni Sunday afternoon, that I think was expired, and my guts were not doing so well the rest of Sunday and Monday.  I have been a little turned off meat the past couple of days. Could hardly stomach a light chicken soup last night...
So if you want to be kind to your gut, here is a great little booster!  Go to Kingsland Farmers Market and you should be able to get all your greens, and juices needed to make this little doosey.

Serve 2

1 1/2 cups Zebroff's organic apple juice
1/2 cup water
1 heaping scoop of Vega protein powder
1 apple, cored and quarted
4 kale leaves,  ribs removed, then roughly chopped
1 large handfull of fresh mint leaves
2 large handfulls of fresh parsley
1 tbsp of maple syrup (*if needed)
A splash of Lund's fresh carrot juice
Several ice cubes

Throw everything in the blender and blend until well combined.  You may have to stop your blender a few times to get some of the top ingredients mixed in.  Then blend on high speed for a minute before serving.
This is hearty, green goodness !
Enjoy.

Weekends

I love the weekends.
We run and bike... eat and drink... reminisce and reflect on how lucky and fortunate we are.  Ahhh. Life doesn't get much better than this.
Saturday evenings while making our giant dinner, and drinking our wine, we listen to CKUA as well.
Tonight Bubba was playing some great tunage. This was one of the best picks from his mix tonight.. in my opinion.  Joe Cocker/Mad Dogs-Cry me a river. Awesome!
Here's the video.

Finally!

We made it outside for a ride yesterdy! Switched out my trainer tire, which I am not going to change over again!  I don't care if it snows again, I am NOT sitting on my trainer.
First one of the season, and it felt really strong. I can't even explain how amazing it was to be outside with the sun beaming down on my face, and the wind in my ears. It was thrilling.  But we didn't bring the camera to show off the still brown and snowy landscape.  But soon enough it will be green!
Funny how 12 degrees feels like summer.... ok maybe not exactly beach weather, but that little bit of heat was glorious!

Little tasty treats

I made these little treats again this weekend! I think they are a great post workout snack, or to take cycling, or as a mid-day pick-me-up.

Raw Date Balls

8 dried organic medjool dates-pitted

6-8 dried organic apricots OR 4 dried organic Calmyrna Figs, stems removed

A litte squeeze of fresh, organic lemon or orange juice

1/4 cup organic, unsweetened, shredded, dried coconut

 Hemp hearts (of course organic!)

Add the dates, apricots or figs, and lemon juice into your food processor, and pulse to just mix together, then turn on full speed to get a really good paste. (The mixture will start to ball up in the processor when it has come to a good consistency.)

Once everything is pureed well, unplug your processor, and take the blade out of the bowl.

Using a wooden spoon, mix in the coconut by hand.

In a medium sized bowl pour in some hemp hearts.

Scoop out heaping teaspoonfulls of the pureed date mixture, and roll them into smallish, bitesized balls. (You may need to wet your hands a little to stop all the paste from sticking to your hands)

Then drop them into the bowl of hemp hearts and roll around to cover them well.

Then roll the ball in your hands again to press the hemp hearts in well.

Snack on a couple to make sure they taste good, and then put the rest in a sealed container in the fridge, until tomorrow.

CAUTION- These are full of amazing electrolytes, energizing sugars and of course a lot of fibre! So try to resist the temptation to eat more than a couple at once!  If you can....

Simple, easy and tasty!  Enjoy.

Just a reminder...

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company… a church… a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Charles R. Swindoll

Spring is here....maybe??

It was snowing last night....again...
So instead of burrowing inside after my walk with Taz, I made a snowman !
The best part about snow this time of year is it's super sticky and heavy. Which is perfect for snowman making.

I can't remember the last time I made a snowman. You gotta get out there and build one.  It's so much more fun than I remember.  I could actually lift the giant, heavy snowballs for his body. Couldn't do that when I was 3 feet tall!

Taz helped too.

Spring is on it's way though. While I was out running on Saturday I saw seagulls, and geese and robins! Yes I know super cheesy, but only a few short weeks ago it was pretty quiet on the river. Not anymore! So there is hope! We will be cycling outside soon.  Ahhh I can't wait! 

Now go build your snowman/snowwoman/snowpeople!

Food fuels

It's March already.  Still early season for some of us. So I was thinking this is the perfect time to really look at what I'm eating for food/nutrition requirments and reassess things again.  But boy can it get awfully complicated here.  Nutrition vs. Fuel. Carbs, proteins, fats.  Looking at how much of what to consume, and when things are best consumed. It's a little overwhelming. Again, balance.  So I look to my references for some simple rules to follow.

1:) Eat a decent amount of calories.
2:) DO NOT try to lose weight while training with extreme calorie restrictions.
3:) Eat a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
4:) Drink plenty of water.
5:) There is no such thing as "bad" food. However a lot of foods should be consumed with    discretion
6:) Good fats are a must for optimal health.
7:) What you consume every day should be well rounded, and contain little to no processed foods.

These are not my rules.  I've adapted them from one of Gale Bernhardts books. I believe that if you are a highly active individual, you must eat, and eat well.  Again balance. Don't eat ice cream after dinner every night! How is that going to get you through your next workout? So I focus on getting in as much good stuff as possible, then I won't have room for the unnecessary. However, if that piece of chocolate is calling, I will eat it, and enjoy it! I'm trying to slow down and really enjoy my food too. Give it a try, and see what happens.

Rules adapted from : Training plans for multisport athletes, by Gale Bernhardt, USA Olympic Triathlon & World Champion

Eat something already!

This week it has been in my head that I must post my thoughts on athletes and eating.  Personally, I obsess about eating. I am always talking about food. Conversations often revolve around discussing food, and recipe's. But what's really mind boggling to me, is that there are some that don't eat. 
So how is it that some people can get away with little to no food before, durning and after workouts?  How do you make it through the rest of your day? How the heck do you keep up with your munchkins?  Or can you?  How do you get to your next workout of the day with nothing stored in the tank? How can you not eat breakfast?  The best meal of the day! The only thing that get's me out of bed some mornings is looking forward to sitting down to my eggs, fruit, or whatever mishmash I've put together, and pouring over Bicycling magazine, or City Palate, before I head off to cram myself onto the C-Train. Yah, I know, alot of questions.  But that's what I thought about all last week. Oh, and trying to be more aggressive in the pool. Ha! But that's a topic for later.
As a woman, I have been guilty of weight and body image obsession. Yes, I know, big surprise!
I'd say that the body image issues started in my early teens and went well into my late 20's. I did the calorie counting, fat intake obsessing, nutrient obsessing, thinking that if I just ate starchy carbs, fruits, and veggies, all the time, that it was going to be enough to get me through, blah, blah, blah.  Exhausting, nieve and dumb.  But that came at a cost. I damaged my body to a point that there are things that I can't fix now.  Like loss of bone density! Big woops.
But lately I'm really trying to stop obsessing, and just eat!  Get away from the scale, (don't have one in the house) start listening to my body, and telling myself to eat already!  (Don't throw your scale away, because we don't need more stuff in our landfills! Hide it, or use it to weight your animals or something. They at least won't get offended.) Don't get me wrong though.  I still have moments where I let stupid, ignorant remarks about my body slip from my lips. Or I walk by the mirror and cringe a little because the sun caught my hiney at the wrong angle. Silly me.  And then I move on. Enough. Oh, and sidenote ladies, boys can't stand listening too the "I'm so fat", remarks.  Get over it. Move on.  Yah, maybe a little harsh, but why not use that negative energy for something a little more productive and positive??? Like trying to get a little faster at swimming.
As very active people we try to squish in as much as possible. Our days often start super early so we can fit in a run, bike or swim, weights, yoga, and everything else in between. As someone wise once said, "If you find you're really busy all the time, then turn off the TV!"
I do my best to make sure that my food comes first. If I don't, my workouts suffer, and I am in a constant state of hangry. (Hungry and angry put together) I never miss meals, and I never miss an opportunity to snack. I eat before my early morning swims and runs. I always bring some nuts, or seeds, fruit or veggies, or vega bars with me for after workouts.  Always making sure that my meals and snacks are well rounded. I am no nutritionist. I'm far from perfect in anything that I do. I use discretion. Not moderation.  I try to mix things up a little.  I'm trying to be better with time management.  Balance. It's by baby steps that you get a little better, and grow a little more. Not by leaps and bounds. 
Or maybe your workouts and things are fine just as they are.  But if they aren't....just eat something already!
I will be doing more on food stuff in future posts.  This is only the begining.