Red Panda says: Always play with your food!

Today was starting to feel like a lost cause after spilling both my breakfast AND my lunch on my shirt and various other "trials of life" ... but then I saw this guy, and my frown turned upside down.

Persistence Pays

I saw a fascinating article recently that calls the human body our ancestors' first real weapon. We could run faster and longer than any of the four-legged creatures we hunted, including Cheetahs. And our body's unique ability to regulate its heat allowed us to chase our prey until it collapsed from heat exhaustion. This is called persistence hunting and it was still done until comparatively recently by tribes in Australia and Ethiopa among other places.

The article also got into the dangers of "modern footwear" for running and says that considering how our bodies have evolved, and how they're designed, the 8+ hour/day desk jockey is actually more "extreme" when it comes to stresses on the system — even more extreme than running a marathon.

This is all leading up to a little series on running, covering these points and more through the Nature of Things and the CBC. Click this link for more info (and to read the article -- don't forget to click through the tabs as well!):

http://www.cbc.ca/natureofthings/episode/the-perfect-runner.html

Sacred Rides: 20 TIPS FOR LIVING A MEANINGFUL LIFE

The internet showed me this today and it was quite timely. I've just finished one of life's tough journeys (hence the radio silence, sorry friends!) so it was a good find.

Read the full post here, but here are my top-five picks from Sacred Rides founder Mike Brcic's list:

1. Strive to know yourself as deeply as possible.
2. Seek community.
3. Practice empathy and compassion; every human is doing the best they can to live a full life, and every human is struggling to do so.
4. Fail often, and learn from each failure.
5. Love without conditions and boundaries.

Taken at The Alder's Beach Resort, Courtenay BC, December 2011

Happy New Year!

I began the big job of planning my winter calendar yesterday and 24 hours later, pieces continue to fall into place.

Big change this winter over last is that now when I go to spinning, I face the other direction! Being an instructor has really been a huge benefit so far, and I look forward to helping even more clients at RPM this winter by adding Thursday mornings (6am) as well as part-time instructing through the usual 12-week Base Camp I've been a student of the past five years. A graduation of sorts! Add all that to my regular Monday evening (6:15pm) class and there's plenty of opportunity for me to see you there, I hope!

2012 is also the first year I will be forgoing my gym membership which is fantastic. Instead, Grahame -- a colleague and fellow cyclist -- and I have discovered a mysterious "Room of Requirement" deep in the bowels of our office. It's fully stocked with free-weights, mats and the like and so 2012 will also be the year of the training partner!

Grahame and I are also 4 days into #teampushup ... on January 1, we did five pushups and have been adding one every day since. Last time I challenged myself like this I made it all the way to 60 ... who knows how far we'll get this time?! Join in if you want! Today we did eight.

Speaking of training partners, Nathania and I continue our thrice weekly early-morning runs ... although with the impending arrival of "Bean" we have taken to power-walking to keep the mom-to-be in action, safely. For the second half, she usually insists I do something difficult like climb a hill 9 nine times as we did this morning while she does the same at her own pace. Bean arrives only three short months from now!

For 2012, I am also hoping to add more yoga to the routine -- potentially even taking on Moksha's famous 30-Day Challenge. We'll see how it all fits in.

Supported by plenty of help from my trusted helpers -- Henry the Chiropractor and David the RMT -- I suspect 2012 will be one of my best winters yet.

Which brings me to the most important part of any training program: Goals. While I prefer to keep my specific training goals to myself (mainly because I haven't really thought about them yet, tsk tsk), here are my top five 'philosophical' goals:

1. Travel with the bike more

As much as I hate packing up the pieces and paying the extra cost of flying avec bike box, the amazing adventures I've had on distant soil have steeled me to make such travel a more frequent priority.

One trip is already on the books: Dad and I will be tackling the French Alps this August with Trek Travel so getting into good climbing form this winter will be really important to me.

With Gerhard in California, I hope to also take advantage of some SoCal riding when I do my winter visit.

And of course, widening the scope race-wise would also be cool. For example, I just got back from Mount Washington for some holiday skiing and was excited to learn that the BC Cup Mtb Champs will be held there this summer. Options!

2. Switch it up

2012 could be the year of the marathon. Or at least the half-marathon. And I mean on my FEET. I am allowing myself to succumb to peer pressure and will hopefully be adding the Goodlife Half Marathon to my schedule, May 6. Anyone else?

3. Stay on top of strength training

Skipping the weight room a few too many times last season made for a noticeable lack of power come race day. I think it is also partly to blame for frequent trips to see afore-mentioned Henry the Chiropractor. Room for improvement in this area, as always.

4. Keep it real

I do this because it's fun. I do this because I like it. I do this because it makes me feel good. Time to turn down the intensity a notch because I was definitely close to making my healthy hobby a stressful chore in 2011. In fact, I'd argue I was successful in that. So this season, worrying over results or missed workouts won't be on the agenda. As Matt P often reminds me: everything in moderation! Balance! And we'll get there either way and it's up to us if we want to stress the whole time or just relax knowing it will all work out. (I'm paraphrasing ... )

5. Socialize

Did I mention riding bikes is fun? In 2011 I found out it's even more fun when it's social. So this season (as you can already tell from my training plans) I am making it an official goal to get out more with the amazing people in our little mtb/cycling community.

Hope to see you on the trail -- skiing, running, or riding.

Happy New Year!

Ontario Cup Schedule: 2012

Wow, with the summer and fall being totally occupied (excuse the word choice ...) by the Ontario election, I have to say that November -- and the winter training that traditionally starts with that month -- has really snuck up on me.

However! The Ontario Cycling Association newsletter included the schedule above, just to bring all us mtb racers back to reality, and the trainer.

A new Northern Ontario venue has appeared at the beginning of July which is very exciting indeed. I still sigh fondly over the good old days at Elliot Lake so hopefully the as-of-yet-unnamed Sudbury venue will be equally as memorable, and challenging.

Somehow I have missed the past two chances to try out Woodnewton, so maybe the third time's the charm.

And I see Duntroon is back on the schedule for provincials as well which is a welcome repeat since I didn't get to ride it in 2011, and everyone said it was epic.

Thanks to Chico Racing for providing what looks like another amazing slate of events! Mark your calendars!

Race Report: Singletrack Challenge

What better way to spend a sunny, fall day than mountain biking for more than four hours in a row on a course that's 98% singletrack?

This was my first visit to the new-ish fall event held at Hardwood Hills. It was also my first time on a mountain bike -- or doing anything remotely resembling healthy physical activity -- since the 24-Hour back in August. The Ontario general election sucked up every ounce of oxygen between then and now so I was really not sure what to expect on race day.

Kind of added to the fun, to be honest.

So, surprise! Legs felt okay, handling was better than I expected even with the slick roots and mucky leaves but wow. Kids, don't let your cardio go. My chest felt like it was clamped in a vice.

Then I realized my under-layer was perhaps a little too constricting. It was a last minute addition and truth be told it was actually just a bandeau but I thought it would help keep my core warm. I don't recommend this. By the end of the second lap, "Radical", I was having a hard time feeling my feet -- not so radical. So I took a break trail-side and removed the offending garment and it felt SO GOOD, the relief almost made it worthwhile. (Reminds me of a quote I like to use: "So what's racing feel like?" "Like hitting yourself with a hammer non-stop for two hours" "Then why do you do it?" "Because it feels so good when you stop!").

Once that was sorted out, and blood could once again travel freely between my torso and the "engine room" (my legs), we were off for the final three loops. Sean Ruppel of Chico Racing fame was my riding buddy for the day and if he hadn't been there I probably would have quit, so thanks Sean. While I struggled with mountain-biking skills level 1, he was clearing tough climbs and obstacles on a single speed 29er while still having the time to leisurely chat with the other racers, answer texts, fix broken chains, remove dead-falls from the course and even at least three nature breaks. I felt like a shadow of my racing self. Sigh.

But I finished it! I think I was the 5th woman overall, and 2nd in my category which meant that for all my suffering I was duly awarded a snazzy plaque and I even snagged a doorprize as well -- a handy nacho bowl, chips and two kinds of delicious salsa which for sure I will be eating tonight for dinner because I am too tired and sore to even consider walking to the grocery store.

It will be a sad little meal in comparison to the post-race repast Adam Ruppel and his lovely wife Jen made for us over in Uxbridge last night. A boisterous dinner party of seven sharing Jen's most-amazing-ever short-ribs and other Thai cuisine was the perfect end to a great day of riding (even though the "racing" left something to be desired.) So thanks to them once again!

PS Next time you see Adam (aka Chico), ask him to tell you about his ghostly encounters. I'll be getting over those spooky tales for a few more nights to come.

Race Report: Hot August Nights

Last weekend before the real race begins, so what better way to spend it than turning laps with the mountain bike crowd at the annual 24 Hours of Hot August Nights. As luck would have it, Randall had a few spots available on his 10-person team and they were open to ringers! I didn't really have the whole weekend to spend up there, but thanks to his generosity, I got to have my cake and eat it too.

After working a bit in the morning, I headed up to Albion in time to say hello, meet my new teammates and do some quick socializing. Even had the Shimano guys tune up my whip!

Quickly ran into Race Director Sean Ruppel who was looking for volunteers to help marshal the kids' race. Why not? So I helped the little ones make it around the course with much cheering and pointing the way. Not that they needed me -- Canadian Mtb legend and Olympian Seamus McGrath was leading the pack! The kids loved it and there were freezies and medals for everyone at the finish.

By then I was ready to turn a lap. The course was so so so fun. My favourite yet I think. I felt like PacMan out there, having an awesome ride, smooth and flowy even though I was seeing the course for the first time. Love rides like that -- straight to the racy place. Coming around the last corner, there were the "Tree Fairies" (so-named by Chico himself, Adam Ruppel) cheering me on. And they were there at the line with a beer -- it's a good recovery drink, you know. I didn't even have to walk my own bike back to the campsite. They did that for everyone which is what team work is really all about I think: being there to cheer, hand over a beer, and listen to the war stories on the way back. I am secretly hoping for an invite to future 24s with this crowd, as they clearly know what they're doing.

Later that night, they also let me share their dinner with them. they cheffed up some wild pacific salmon that had arrived by jet the day before. We had chantrelle mushrooms fried with a demi-glaze of red wine and who knows what else. Roasted potatoes with rosemary. Caeasar Salad. All this over campfire. Seriously?!

After dinner had digested a little, and I'd had a quick nap by the campfire I did a night lap for them to let the guys get a little more sleep in the hardest part of the race -- it is never that fun to drag yourself out of deep sleep in the middle of the night to go ride your bike as fast as you can. I finished just after 1am, and then called it a night, heading back to Toronto and in bed by 2:30am.

Wish I could have stayed but I had a spin class waiting for me at 9:15am. The TRCA Tree Fairies managed an awesome top 20 finish in the end.

Thanks Tree Fairies!! I had a wicked good time. Still glowing :)